Topic: Geoff Muldaur at Jalopy

[Mr.OMuck]

Geoff Muldaur is not strictly a Blues player and singer..he plays other stuff as well as do most here, but when he sings Blues material there are few of any race that are his equal. He is also a highly accomplished guitarist . I had the pleasure of hearing him tonight at the Jalopy theatre in Brooklyn, he did two Walter Davis numbers with intricate Jazz chorded guitar parts that worked well in translating Davis' mood of lonesome menace from Piano to guitar. He did a version of Wild Ox Moan with one of the most beautiful falsettos I've ever heard. He played John Hurt's Chicken backed up by his two wonderful singer daughters Jenny & Clare Muldaur. What kind of voices do you get when you breed a Maria D'Amato with a Geoff Muldaur..Fucking great ones mate! He payed tribute to Levon Helm spoke about his time in Woodstock with Better Days, his band with Paul Butterfield, and sang a couple of Bobby Charles tunes which I've heard before, (Small Town Talk) I wish I could say I was a fan of Charles' music but I'm not ('cept for Walkin' to New Orleans) . He spoke about the time Charles dragged him off down a labyrinth of back roads till they came to a roadhouse with a sign saying "BLUES TONIGHT" and found that the bill consisted of Jimmy Reed and Lightnin' Hopkins. He also told the tale of dropping out of college at 18 moving to New orleans busking on Rampart St. and heading off to texas with four other guys and 5 brooms to sweep Blind Lemon's grave clean.
I was more than just disappointed that the usual circle of young Blues-Jug Band players that hang at Jalopy (you know who you are and I hope you're reading this you twenty-somethings) were MIA.  Really dudes, you wouldn't even KNOW about Jug Bands if it weren't for Muldaur & Kweskin.

[dj]

Thanks for that review, O'Muck.  Geoff Muldaur has been a musical hero of mine since I was in short pants jeans and work shirts.

Those first couple of Kweskin Jug Band LPs had such a wonderful feel about them, just the right amount of looseness and frivolity. 

I know what you mean about Bobby Charles, though I have to say that Geoff's vocal performance on the Better Days version of Small Town Talk is, to me, just spectacular and redeems the song. 

[Cleoma]

One of the greatest voices ever, and also a wonderful guitarist --  and I like how he is just himself, not trying to wear some costume or assume some "bluesman" persona.  Geoff is a deep, deep musician, not exactly your "feel good" kind of performer (Jim Kweskin takes care of that), but for me, his music is truly transformational - it takes you to another place/time/universe.  Mr. O'Muck, it was great to hear your voice on the phone - we had a wonderful visit with Frankie and Kim, and they are sounding even better than ever!

[Mr.OMuck]

Nice talkin' to you to Ms. Cleoma, you sounded like the nicest person in the world. 

[uncle bud]

I caught Muldaur and Kweskin a couple years ago at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, which I think I may have mentioned on the forum. It was a treat. I had been slightly concerned the night might be a little too much of an aging folkie love-in (not that there's anything wrong with that), as I was dragging a couple other people with me. And while there was certainly nostalgia in the air -- hard not to be at that location for those guys and the locals who were still around to remember them -- it was just some dame fine music, plus some very entertaining stories.