Fenix Redux

We just enjoyed our third visit to the stage at The Fenix Music and Supper Club in San Rafael. We were loose (in a good way) and happy, and the music benefited from that. Martin had our sound just right, both on stage and in the house, so we could really hear each other and ourselves. If you’ve never played a show with poor (or no) monitors, or without a soundman, you don’t know what a challenge those conditions represent. Sunday we were in great hands. Thanks, Martin.

As promised, we presented a significant number of new, recent, or recently reworked tunes in the show. We have two made familiar by Bonnie Raitt—“That Song About the Midway,” written by Joni Mitchell, and featured on Ms. Raitt’s 1974 Streetlights LP, and “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” from 1991’s Luck of the Draw. The latter seems to be on everyone’s short list of favorites by Bonnie, and it was great to present it our way. Ron’s new lead vocal is Dylan’s 1964 “Chimes of Freedom,” which was included on the Byrd’s debut album, Mr. Tambourine Man. As a young(er) man, Ron heard the Byrds live at Ciro’s on Sunset Blvd, and has wanted to do this song ever since. We’ve also brought back the Everly Brothers’ smash, “Bye Bye Love,” in a more acoustic treatment, while maintaining the David Lindley reggae feel. Sunday we invited the audience to sing along, and finally at the end, to carry it all by themselves. And did they! What a thrill!

Four of my songs that haven’t been on the set list ever or not for a while also made the cut. “All Even” and “That’s All” we’ve done in the past, but both had been shelved for some reworking. The latter has some new twists that make it a really fun closing song. Appropriate, too! I had debuted “Blues for Brother Music” a week before in Petaluma, but this was its first time on a big stage. It’s a song about a busker, probably a homeless guy, from a poem I wrote long ago, now a new blues tune. Finally, I got to debut “Mockingbird Sat in a Willow,” which I completed this summer, but have been waiting for the right moment to launch. This was it. And there will be more.

Thanks to our friends who came to listen, several of whom joined us on stage. Annie and Barry Ernst, two-thirds of the trio “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” sang the Neil Young classic, “Helpless” with us, making the vocal sound amazingly full. Great folks, and great musicians. (Check them out at Trek Winery in Novato on October 30, 7:30 PM.) Also joining us again on stage with his fabulous harp accompaniment and solos was Joel Schick. Thanks all.

It was especially nice to have Joel there to carry the load on tunes like “Love Me Like a Man” and “Wagon Wheel” because (Wait for it.) I broke my left ring finger. Yup. Dropped a pumpkin on it. So I will be limited to slide playing (at home) until the New Year. Keep an eye on our site for updates of new video from the Fenix and future gigs. And don’t forget to like us on Facebook, and to tell your friends to come check us out.