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Patterson Chapter News
Volume 20, Issue 3: January & February 2000
Newsletter segments:
Kingston chapter news, Patterson chapter news, Poughkeepsie chapter news, and other articles.Patterson Chapter Coffeehouse November - December, 1999
By Martin Aronchick
The November 13, 1999 coffeehouse was all open mike. Sound was provided by Scott Morrison's concert-hall system, operated artfully by Sean McCormick. This scribe began with two original instrumentals, "Transmission" and "The Grande". [footnote 1 - The following was added by Mario Zecca: Martin Aronchick, besides becoming an integral element of the Patterson Chapter, continues to mature and hone his performance of crafted and labyrinthine but most entertaining instrumentals.] Then I settled in to hear some great sounds. Scott Morrison, as always, played Michael Hedges instrumentals, and Michael would have been pleased. In his gentle, melodic twang, Chris DePalma sang two original songs, about a search for answers to the deeper questions. Vince Sauter's two original songs, about the quiet desperation of those making life's journey, unassured of success, were well complimented by his expressive and warm voice. [footnote 2 - Vince runs a coffeehouse in Schultzville, beginning in February; you can find out about it by calling him at 266-3899.] Those were some fine songs, guys, but can we try to keep it a little lighter on these dreary November nights? (By the way, on Vince's second song,"Heart Don't Stop Me Now", his imaginative, rhythmic playing and some fine Chris DePalma leads made this number cook.)
In her delightful soprano voice, Barbara Mahon, our Emcee this night,sang two traditional songs, one a sing-a-long. Parker Gambino's pair included an engaging, melodic version of the traditional "Sweet Betsy from Pike". Beth Ashton sang two songs, her pleasant voice and dulcimer artistry complimented by the thumping rhythms of husband Steve's stand-up bass. Ron Gluck sang "Golden Bird", a moving song about lost opportunity and regret (I said, let's keep it light), and a 30's show tune, "You'll Never Know". As always, Ron played an enviable and pleasing number of guitar variations while remaining within the songs' structure, melody and rhythm. Apologies to Ron: last month, his second song was "Been in the Pen", ironically misidentified by this scribe, in the last newsletter, as "Been Independent". (Shows you how important a momentary lapse of attention can be.) Ray Kludys' pair included a rolling version of "Folsom Prison", with Mario Zecca picking out an insistent Johnny Cash-style lead.
Marc Bernardini played two original instrumentals, and all enjoyed Marc's hypnotic Phillip Glass-like style, including his six-year old son Kai, mesmerized into peaceful repose on a folding chair in the back of the room. Mario Zecca sang a brash and assertive "Nine to Five", generously inviting the audience to sing along. (All these sing-alongs! They work the audience hard up here in Patterson.) Mario closed the evening with an original, Winter Blues, his dark, bluesy holler contrasting with the wail of his mouth harp.
For the December 11, 1999 coffeehouse, Sean McCormick was again at the controls of the million-dollar sound system owned and laboriously set up by Scott Morrison. I batted leadoff, with two original instrumentals, "For RJ" and "Summer Vacation". Loraine Klara played a rousing waltz-tempo Oktoberfest Drinking Medley on her accordion, summoning images of hoisting a frothing stein. Dave Creamer sang two traditional songs that he said were both about love: a man's unrequited love for a woman, and a man's requited love for his whiskey. That's the holiday spirit, Dave!
Bill Wemmerus added to the evening's open-mike variety with his fine banjo playing and singing. In the holiday spirit, Roye Donald recalled a miraculous Viet Nam cease-fire during which death was held at bay, and led a group sing of "Silent Night". He followed this with a fine version of "Song for a Winter's Night". The night's Emcee, Brian Sullivan, sang a morose holiday song about "Christmas at Denny's", and another upbeat song about lost souls. (Let me ask a controversial question: Does anyone in this joint know a happy song?) Scott Morrison gave us - of course - more Michael Hedges instrumentals, unleashing some driving rhythms, in his usual taciturn manner.
Denise Finley sang a haunting version of her original guitar lullabye, "How Fair Is My Baby", then complemented the holiday mood with an expressive version of "As I Saw Three Ships", featuring some fine original guitar work. (At intermission, Denise treated this scribe and all else interested to an informed discussion of the religious imagery of this traditional song. Most, however, were interested in the baked treats of Clark and Jo Darling.) Our last open miker was Patterson newcomer Larry Kolker, whose two original songs included a humorous musical sketch of a familiar, loathsome figure, a self-centered 90's guy deep into his 90's sensitivities.
Our featured act was Song Land, as fine a group of singers and songwriters as ever you'd want to hear, consisting of keyboard player Dan Pelletier, guitarists Joe Giacoio and Mike Borok, and Mike's wife, Barbara Borok. Dan began with a hilarious tale of a take-no-prisoners divorce, "You and Me, Cat". Joe showed the same dark humor in "Whistling Dixie", a song about a sweet young Southern woman ruined by the Big Apple. Next, the Boroks (who perform separately as New Middle Class) sang "1999.9", their soaring vocals describing a frightening New Year's Day, with Mike's driving, rhythmic flat picking underscoring the song's dark theme. In the spirit of the holiday season, Dan sang, with remarkable vocal range,of a guy's holiday musing about his favorite stripper, in "Christmas Eve Lakeside Topless Review". The genius of this song was how it made this humorous subject poignant and tangible. Then we all were blown away by Joe's guitar instrumental, "I Sing the Body Acoustic", which began at 100 miles per hour and then sped up, using tap, frailing, and the kitchen sink in a guitar tour-de-force that wore us all out just listening and left us clamoring for more.
Song Land next tread warily and artfully into difficult terrain. In "Give It Back", the Boroks' delicate harmonies told poignantly of changing dreamsand ambitions. Dan sang about choosing which dreams are more important, in "Credit Report". In "All the King's Horses", Joe sang about the destructive power of words, displaying his own fine vocal range, with melodic harmonies from Barbara, Mike and Dan. The end of the set was a smile. Barbara sang about herself as the center of the universe in the hilarious "I Was Born", with fine backing vocals from Mike and percussive accompaniment on slap leg and cheek (that's facial cheek) from Dan. Song Land concluded with some fine four-part harmonies telling the tale of Dan's efforts to get Joe a blind date from a special section of the classified ads, in "Incarcerated Woman". You can take Dan, Joe, Barbara and Mike home with you. Their CDs are available at their shows. If you buy them, you will get Joe's explanation of "how we get fat guys in Speedos." In other words, you will hear the same hilarious songs and monster chops that we heard live in Patterson.
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