Please Happy

I grew up with jam sessions in the kitchen. Violin, guitar, piano, mandolin, banjo, voices. At Grandma’s, we’d gather around the piano. At Stony, we’d crowd around the campfire.

A few weeks ago, when we were home for a few days, Grandpa Whaley hosted a dinner party for the fam that turned into an engagement party that turned into a jam session. This is a short recording of my dad and his two brothers singing “Paradise” by John Prine. Also known as Muhlenberg County.

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I always loved having music everywhere, but only now that I am sharing this familiar world with the person I love, do I realize how fortunate I have been to have live music coming out of the windows and doors and kitchens of my life.

Jake’s aunt shot this one.

Jim Stanford may be Grace Potter’s biggest fan. He writes about her. He dances to her. He interviewed her. And she held his egg.

This morning, I wished Jim had been standing next to me, as I watched Grace Potter and the Nocturnals WAIL in the earliest concert I’ve ever attended. The band waltzed into the PACKED Four Seasons lobby at 8:30 all dressed in hotel robes and PJs. I expected lullabies. I got a rock concert.

The song below is track 3 on their upcoming self-titled album.

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This morning, the band played on a star-studded roster that included Jakob Dylan, Courtyard Hounds (a Dixie Chicks side project), John Hiatt and my new musician crush Charlie Mars. First band played at 6:30 a.m., last one at 10. Hardcore fans arrived at 4:30 a.m. to nab a spot. Some hadn’t slept yet from last night’s South by Southwest festivities.*

While Grace only sang two songs to the hungry audience (well, hungry for her – full from free tacos), she gave us what we came for: Spinning, wailing, howling with her sexy, powerful, open-mouthed goddessness that made everyone in the room swoon.

After seeing her twice (once at the Mangy Moose and once at Grand Targhee), I felt lucky to again experience her power in a small venue. Rolling Stone, on newsstands yesterday, named Grace Potter and The Nocturnals one the Best New Bands of 2010 (check out the video on their site).

Wish you were here, Jim. Get excited for next week’s Teton performance!

*Paid a $5 suggested donations for this show. It included unlimited coffee, OJ, egg tacos, danishes and muffins. So far, that’s been our biggest expense. Sleeping for free, eating for free, dancing for free!

Photos by Jake de Grazia.

As a child, I’d draw during church. Later, when I had to go as a teenager, I’d keep my mouth closed – silent protest style – during the recitations. Especially the We Believe in One God stuff. Now, I go to church on holidays because it makes Grandpa and Dad happy. And when traveling, I’ll visit old churches. For the smell. For the ancestral tie. And to light a candle for Mom.

So, it wasn’t until I saw Martin Sexton live that I said Hallelujah out loud. And by out loud, I mean, screamed it. Loud. While dancing and sweating. First time, Boulder Theater with Mark. Moved to tears. Second time, Targhee Music Fest, last summer the day I got back to Jackson from my four-month personal Odyssey in Asia.

If Martin Sexton were a preacher, I’d be in church. Belting it out. Voice uplifted. As if from a mountain top.

And here’s a pro(er) vid from a show at Woodstock, NY’s Colony Cafe. 2004.

The last lines of Christopher Robin Gives Pooh a Party. Read this one to F tonight before our chocolate bran muffin dessert.

[But, first, two other A.A. Milne moments from last week:

1. Learned that Brigette chose her son's middle name, Christopher, based on Pooh's bestie.

2. Last week, listened to Pops read The Four Friends, a poem in Now We Are Six. Learned that that book was one of Giuls's first literary influences. At age seven.]

And now, the passage:

Later on, when they had all said ‘Goodbye’ and ‘Thank-you’ to Christopher Robin, Pooh and Piglet walked home thoughtfully together in the golden evening, and for a long time they were silent.

‘When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,’ said Piglet at last, ‘what’s the first thing you say to yourself?’

‘What’s for breakfast?’ said Pooh.

‘What do you say, Piglet?’

‘I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?’ said Piglet.

Pooh nodded, thoughtfully.

‘It’s the same thing,’ he said.