On the road today driving from Albuquerque to Amarillo (we in fact are getting our kicks on the historic Route 66). This past weekend was spent in Colorado, a place that never ceases to amaze. Highlights included the awe-inspiring amphitheater at State Bridge in Bond, CO, and the FIBArk Festival in the idyllic mountain setting of Salida. We played a 3 hour set at the Abbey Theatre in Durango on Sunday night (followed by our customary all night Texas Hold ’em tournament with the owner Chuck). We were greeted by so many wonderful, generous people in the last 5 days. Can’t wait to come back.
So, a record that I have been wearing out this past two weeks that I’d like to recommend is Anders Osborne’s Ash Wednesday Blues. Keb’ Mo coproduced it and plays a variety of instruments on it. Kirk Joseph on sousaphone for many tracks. The great Davell Crawford on piano and organ as well. As for Anders, he is just brilliant–as a writer, singer, and player. This album, from 2000 I believe, captures all the soul and spirit of New Orleans and filters it through a Van Morrison-esque delivery by Anders. Every song is damn good. “Every Bit Of Love” just kills me each time I listen to it. It’s a very personal statement from Anders, about being weary and lonely and feeling all out of love, after giving it your all. It’s very deep.
“Those who have avoided love in life from fear of its pain have lost more than the lover, who by losing himself gains all. The warmth of the lover’s atmosphere, the piercing effect of his voice, the appeal of his words, all come from the pain of his heart. The heart is not living until it has experienced pain. The soul is all light, but all darkness is caused by the death of the heart. Pain makes it alive.” -Hazrat Inayat Khan
TN