I wrote this for another forum about a year ago

Last night I attended a MOST ENJOYABLE concert--a coffeehouse concert with the wife/husband duo that call themselves Small Potatoes. They are Jacque Manning and Rich Prezioso. First, because I know that, first and formost this forum cares about GEAR--Rich plays a Taylor 714 and Jacque a GORGEOUS Santa Cruz OM. I didn't ask them about their amplification (it wasn't a house PA) but I can tell you that, for you folks who are performers, you might want to catch their act, if just to ask them what they use, because it sounded terrific, warm, and truly acoustic. This, even though they were competing with a considerable din of kitchen noise (it was a coffeehouse as I mentioned).

GEAR out of the way.

You would really be doing yourselves a huge favor to get out and see this duo. I would have been comfortable bringing my family (kids and all), my more artsy friends (I am a potter you know), or my beer-swilling hoops pals. They really play something for everyone. One moment they're playing celtic or pseudo-celtic (you know, the DADGAD stuff), the next they've got you absolutely jumpin' to a western swing tune. Their original music is...REALLY original. It'll have you laughing out loud one minute, and your heart skipping a beat at the poignant emotion of the next. The lyrical content of their offerings goes from family love (M. Smith's I BROUGHT MY FATHER WITH ME), Hope (Robin's song), and even a little road rage (THEY'RE NOT NORMAL LIKE US).

Technically, their musical excecution is EXCELLENT. Rich is that type of guitarist that all should strive to be--that is, he knows what NOT to play as well as what TO play. He can rip on a rock/blues lead, hold a celtic rhythm, or play all the way around a folk ballad. He alternates between true fingerstyle (complete with thumbpick), true flatpicking (down AND up strokes--keepin' those 1/16th notes peppering out at you), and lot's of flatpicking with fills from his middle, ring, and baby fingers.

Jacque is a more than competent rhythm player and--to her immeasurable credit--played all her guitar last night with a right thumb as big as a baseball bat! She had SEVERELY broken it six weeks ago and had a splint on it. Last night was the first time she had played again in public. She pens some of the most memorable and original songs being performed on the "Folk" circuit these days. Go see them if just to hear her WALTZ OF THE WALLFLOWERS (A DYSFUNCTIONAL DUET). She is also responsible for the many other instruments that make their act so fresh--tin whisle, bohd..bod..irish drum, shaker and hands.

As a duet their harmonies are flawless. Also, you'll kinda find yourself looking around for the rhythm section because they perform with such DRIVE! They put EVERYTHING OUT THERE! They perform with DRAMA and zeal!

...I kinda liked 'em.

You can get concert info from them at tuberspace@aol.com or through www.musi-cal.com

Rich was so inspirational that I stayed up late the night of the concert and learned my first two DADGAD tunes!