Andrew Calhoun in San Diego !

Subject: RE: Andrew Calhoun in San Diego !
From: Amos
Date: 06 Apr 08 - 04:14 PM

It was a smashing success for a small house concert. Over twenty people, plenty of snacks and some booze after the intermission. Most importantly, Andrew was in terrific form; his unique voice and energy, and his remarkable, amazing presence and combination of poetry, deep songs, his well-researched discoveries in the realm of early African spirituals in America, all added together to make a richly rewarding evening. Everyone left with a nice glow, and many masks were broken. Andrew is a unique force-of-nature voice.

We enjoyed the volunteer services of a good AV guy and as a result we may be able to post a video of the event after processing.

Art, I forwarded your warm regards to Andrew and he says he intends to come see you soon.

Very best,


A

Subject: RE: Andrew Calhoun in San Diego !
From: Amos
Date: 17 Feb 08 - 11:55 AM

I sure will Art -- a most serendipitous connection. Andrew was a childhood friend of my wife's, and his mother a close friend of her mother's for many years.

So-- c'mon, California!!

Joe, come on down!!


A

Subject: RE: Andrew Calhoun in San Diego !
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 16 Feb 08 - 05:39 PM

Amos,
Give my regards to Andrew! He's a grand fellow. My 1998 CD was issued on his Waterbug Records label.

Art

Subject: RE: Andrew Calhoun in San Diego !
From: Maryrrf
Date: 16 Feb 08 - 04:58 PM

Wow I'd go if I were closer! I have "Telfer's Cows". It's a beautiful album. I'd love to see Andrew Calhoun live.

Subject: RE: Andrew Calhoun in San Diego !
From: Amos
Date: 16 Feb 08 - 02:28 PM

one of contemporary folk's top songsmiths"
    Chicago Tribune

Some excerpts from Andrew's recent self-description...:


ÒAnd so one keeps on. And mainly because, well, it's fun. I've performed at coffeehouses, cafes, coffee bars, bars, clubs, pubs, corn roasts, festivals, nursing homes, reformatories, prep schools, high schools, colleges, house concerts, Renaissance fairs, Highland games, poetry slams, and on a float, sitting between the legs of a giant frog. It was to save "frog hollow," an undeveloped part of Palatine, IL, and the float won first prize. I received $50 and a sunburn. A few other performances stand out in my memory.

At the Sheepshead CafŽ in Iowa City in the mid 80's, I was playing in their outside seating area, a few picnic tables, a small stage. Toward the end of the night I played three songs in a row, "The Hanging," "Willie," and "You Will Know God/LaGrima" and no one applauded, they just listened. An older man came up to me afterwards and said, "so there's hope."

One night in the early 90's at Chicago's No Exit, I was singing with my eyes closed, and had the feeling I was singing to a spirit in the room. I opened my eyes and everyone in the audience had their eyes closed.

At Durty Dick's Pub on Chicago's West Side, I was finishing my third set at midnight, when someone sent up a schnappes. I downed it, and did a funny song. Someone sent another, and I did more funny songs, and comedy bits, and improvisations, keeping straight on until two AM. People were crying and holding their sides. I drank seven schnappes, and have never been so funny before or since...

" ÒLinda Black (now Maio, and living in Florida) and I went to Dunkin' Donuts and drank a lot of coffee afterwards.I don't drink schappes or coffee anymore, but still hear from Linda now and again.

I spent more of 2003 obsessively translating oral tradition ballads from old Scots dialect; the result is the CD "Telfer's Cows: Folk Ballads From Scotland," which came out way better than I'd hoped, and scored me some ink in Dirty Linen, from an interview with Pamela Murray Winters, one of the finest journalists in Folk. Well, there are only six, really, but she's up near the top. "Shadow of a Wing" followed, 18 songs which to me represent Andrew's stupid journey through the world of love; a look at the workings of idealization, betrayal, forgiveness and acceptance.

2004 saw the revival of the Waterbug label with a new team of artists, among them Jonathan Byrd, Anais Mitchell, Louis Ledford, Rachel Ries, Michael Troy and Karen Mal, and two new samplers, "Waterbug Anthology 7" and "Vote in November: Election 2004 Anti-Theft Device", our first political CD. Arie Koelewyn hand-printed a new collection of my poems, "Hay," released in April of 2005 on East Lansing, Michigan's, Paper Airplane Press. In 2005 I recorded "Staring at the Sun", a solo CD of songs I wrote between 1973 and 1981.Ó

---

Well worth the journey, I'd say!!


A

Subject: Andrew Calhoun in San Diego !
From: Amos
Date: 16 Feb 08 - 02:23 PM

Andrew Calhoun, a singer, songwriter and music producer of wide renown, founder of the Waterbug label, will be performing in San Diego on Saturday, April 5, 2008.

This is a rare opportunity to catch a really accomplished musician and folklorist, a potent story-teller with a quirky sense of humor and a remarkable command of the folk metiŽr. He's a unique talent and should not be missed.

The occasion is a house concert, with a $15 door charge (or whatever you can afford for such an evening, greater or lesser). The event is by invitation. If you or someone you know can be in San Diego for the occasion, PM me for directions. This promises to be quite an unforgettable musical evening.

Let me hear from you if you can possibly be here!!!!!

A.