“Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand.” – Stevie Wonder Sir Duke (1976)
Today, I want to speak on one of the most emotionally healing weeks I have ever had.
After I moved to Port Chester, NY, when it got out that I was a big music fan, everyone kept telling me “Watch the Cap. Some big names come through there every day, boss.”
{Side note: I always thought “boss” was a southern thing.}
By “The Cap” they’re talking about the Capitol Theatre. What started as a movie house back in 1926 has been transformed into a live music mecca for the NYC metro area. The Grateful Dead used to love playing there. Phil Lesh of Grateful Dead fame cites the Cap as one of his favorite places to play to this day. They had Bob Dylan there for three straight nights back in June.
Back home in Alabama, for my dad and me to find primo live music, we’d have to take a day trip to Atlanta, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, or Orange Beach.
This meant I’d have to take a day off from work, find a place for my dog, get a hotel for my dad and me, and drive…y’know, a lot.
The beautiful part of the Capitol Theatre is that it’s less than a mile from my back door.
Back in April, I learned that Donald Fagen (my dad’s musical hero) would be playing a rare solo tour this summer. The first two dates would be at the Cap. It’s almost as if my dad told me “you did good, son. Here’s your reward.”
As I was looking for tickets to Fagen’s show, I saw that Lake Street Dive – one of my newest musical discoveries – would be playing there less than a week before.
This gave me an idea.
Music heals my soul better than anything.
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Music heals my soul better than anything. I’m writing a book that’s essentially a love letter to the healing power of music.
Tony Hall was the germ of a lot of my musical tastes. I wouldn’t be surprised if I was the only white kid at Central High School in Tuscaloosa who dug James Brown and Earth, Wind, and Fire.
Saturday July 27: Lawrence/Lake Street Dive
Lake Street Dive is a discovery I made after my dad passed away. While I don’t believe he ever heard them, I believe he would have dug them.
LSD’s opening act was a band I’d never heard of before called Lawrence. It’s a brother/sister act with a full band and a horn section.
First – they KILLED! And it really set my heart free seeing so many incredibly young musicians playing their hearts out and playing incredible songs!
And by young – I believe Clyde Lawrence (the brother and keyboardist) is only like 24. He’s a phenomenal singer as well.
And I think his sister Gracie (a dynamic singer) may only be 21. She knocked me flat! She’s a tiny little thing but I heard glimpses of Chaka Khan in her voice!
Watch out for Lawrence! I’m sure they’d have the Tony Hall seal of approval. They’ve got the Ryan Hall seal, that’s for sure.
Speaking of dynamic singers – LSD’s Rachael Price could sing the phone book and make it come alive!
Lake Street Dive brings old school sensibilities with a new school flavor that I just adore. And the concert delivered on every level.
All during the show however, I kept thinking – I haven’t felt this alive in years! I haven’t felt this peaceful in years.
I have been experiencing some real inner turmoil. Sleep has been at a premium. This has been a period of transition in my life.
After that show, I felt at least 15 years younger. And I’ve been sleeping like a rock.
Friday, August 4th: Donald Fagen and the Nightflyers:
I woke up that morning feeling like run over garbage. I thought it was something I ate (I’ll leave that your imagination, dear reader.) I don’t think it was.
I’ve been saying for months that show would be the most emotional musical experience of my life. I thought it’d be an emotional bloodletting.
I mean, I was wrong. But I was preparing myself for that.
Everything is energy, right? I was holding on to way too much.
The show itself exceeded my expectations in a beautiful way.
The band was over the moon! I believe the oldest member may be 28. These guys played with a soul and skill that musicians much older and more experienced would be hard pressed to pull off.
Two guys I want to single out.
I glanced up at the keyboardist and got an eerie feeling. A beautiful feeling, but eerie none the less.
Will Bryant is his name. He’s a tall, lanky young man with long hair. He wore a paisley shirt…similar to what a certain tall and lanky young keyboard master would’ve worn 45 years ago. I got an energy from him that reminded me of what Tony Hall might have been at 22 years old.
I hope he understands how big a compliment that is.
But the standout to me was Connor Kennedy, a killer guitarist and vocalist. This guy reminded me so much of Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (a former Fagen and Becker compatriot) it wasn’t even funny. Kennedy also sang lead vocals on The Dan’s very first hit Dirty Work. And that ain’t an easy song to pull off.
They played mostly Fagen’s solo material plus a few choice Steely Dan songs. Bodhisattva was a special treat. I think smoke came from Kennedy’s guitar after that song.
We also got some really amazing covers. I was particularly taken by a cover of the Grateful Dead’s Shakedown Street. And considering how popular the Dead still is in Port Chester (part of the Cap’s facility is a bar called Garcia’s) that went over big.
I was taken not by how emotionally drained I was. I was taken by how free I felt.
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As I left the Cap the other night, I was taken not by how emotionally drained I was. I was taken by how free I felt.
Perhaps Fagen’s biggest solo hit was a song off The Nightfly called I.G.Y. The chorus of that song landed right in my heart when they played it.
“What a wonderful world this would be. What a glorious time to be free.”
Make no mistake, this brother is free.
It was one of the most healing weeks of my life. I’m a whole new man.
Photo by slgckgc