places in the family tree

Duty Calls

Doing Their Duty

Some folks are born made to wave the flag,
Ooh, they're red, white and blue.
And when the band plays "Hail to the chief",
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord,

Credence Clearwater Revival

Five or six citizens came down to the mall to help guard the recruiters who had been forbidden to carry weapons in their own defense. There were a couple of AKs and everyone had a sidearm. Some had vests with extra magazines in case there was a gun battle. A couple had shotguns with extra shells fixed to the weapon so that they would be ready when the need came. It was a quiet morning and they all were bonded in the camaraderie that had developed among these citizens with a common cause. Shortly after 10 A.M. one of the men knelt and began firing at one of the others, then another. The others ran for cover behind the supporting pillars and began to return fire at the one who had attacked them. By then he had focused his attention on the recruiters and emptied a magazine into the office from his shelter behind a car. A shotgun opened up scattering pellets all over the parking lot and 3 of the citizens began firing at the car with their sidearms. Bullets ricocheted all over the lot and other shoppers began to dive under cars for shelter. Within a few minutes three police cars raced up with lights flashing and sirens screaming. The officers jumped out of their cars, sheltering behind the doors and began firing at....................................who? The gunfire had lasted only a few minutes and already there were wounded people lying in the parking lot.

Yes, it's an imaginary scenario but one that is not so far fetched. All over the country people are showing up at recruiting stations armed to the teeth in a show of solidarity with the recruiters who are prevented by law from carrying weapons. You see, the armed forces have no jurisdiction domestically and that is why we have civilian police. At one time our forefathers who had known first hand the danger of having a military, answerable to a commander-in-chief, that would follow orders to secure the wishes of their commander. They knew how that power could be abused and so they stipulated that our military could not be used domestically except under martial law.

But what about the civilian police force that is designed to be made up of civilians just like us and answerable to us? In this imaginary scenario how would they be able to do their jobs. How would they be able to distinguish between the one who attacked and those who defended? They all look the same and have the same kind of weapons. If they expose themselves how would they know who would fire back and who would not? How would they be able to reach those inside the building if they dared not leave the shelter of their cars for fear one of the armed civilians would be the attacker.

Just as there are good reasons that the recruiters are unarmed there are also good reasons why it is a bad idea for citizens to be packing firearms. While we still have those who insist that we would be a safer society if people were armed police chiefs across the nation have nightmares about how to deal with a situation in which the officers can't tell the good guys from the bad guys.

There are saner heads at work. The military command has asked citizens to refrain from arming themselves and holding forth outside recruiting stations. Those who are working there are instructed to not hold conversations with the armed civilians or encourage them. Our military leaders can see the potential conflicts that could arise from untrained civilians who have no command structure engaging in gunfire in the streets. We should be thankful for those who can make sane decisions in times of tribulation.

And what of those people who have armed up and gone to “do their duty?” Well, firstly they are badly mistaken if they think they are helping. I don't want to paint all of them with the same brush because some of them are very likely self-sacrificing people who are deluded in thinking their service is necessary. I would strongly suggest that if they want to take on an enemy they should enlist but it should be recognized that the armed forces have standards. I suspect that a large number of them are simply people who want an excuse to wear weapons and bulletproof vests in public so everyone can see how bad they are. It may be appropriate for them to be required to take a week or two of classes in proper firearm technique (if they can stand a classroom that long).

My Take is that I see so much these days about someone, anyone lacking “common sense.” If this is what passes for common sense then we need to try something else. Perhaps some “uncommon sense.”

A Weekend To Remember

Put a mandolin into the hands of Sam Bush or a banjo into the hands of Bela Fleck or a cello into the hands of Ben Sollee and it is transformed from a simple musical instrument into a wondrous machine that can transport the listener to places around our globe and even the universe. The magic that these men wield is not only due to their skill at manipulating the instrument but also in their ability to see where the music has not been before and go there taking you with them.

You may recall that I had hopes that Sam and Bela would appear on the stage together and my hopes were magnificently rewarded. They share roots in traditional music having both been members of Newgrass Revival but their musical adventure has taken them far from home. It is no different with a scientist who keeps pushing the boundaries of his craft. These men push the boundaries of their craft. I think that they do what we were privileged to see at the Master Musician's Festival as a way to pay the bills for their trips to those far away places. Not that they don't experience pleasure in playing to a crowd that validates their efforts but their musical spirits are restless. I have read that Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass, was not a fan of the playing of Sam Bush and Bela Fleck has taken the banjo from its roots into the realm of jazz and it is a strange journey indeed.

Abigail Washburn is a virtuoso banjoist herself using the more traditional clawhammer style of playing and she has a love of the traditional Appalachian music. Bela and Abigail played a few of those old ballads and did a hilarious comedy skit about that. Who knew? Bela said that when Abigail began playing those old murder ballads that he would decide that it was an opportune time to do some banjo maintenance in the basement. You had to be there. But Abigail is not without her own sense of adventure having spent a lot of time in China and speaking fluent Mandarin, or as Bela put it, fluent mandolin. She has written a song in Chinese which they performed. I had not a clue what she was saying but it was beautiful.

To my knowledge there has never been a culture arise that did not develop music as a mode of expression and these people take us there. Their assimilation of those cultures into their own music is homage to those who have gone before and a link to those who will come. I recently watched a KET special that featured Sam Bush along with other luminaries on a trip to Scotland to play with some of the leading musicians of that country that has been so important in the populating of Appalachia. Bela has made trips to Africa to become acquainted with the music of his instrument which originated as strings stretched over a skin covered gourd. He has brought some of those rhythms into his own repertoire and is paying them forward. Of course, the Chinese influence on Abigail is all over her music. She has done tours in China and recorded in that language. Ben Sollee's travels and openness to other cultures has affected his use of rhythms in his own music.

Ben Sollee played while being accompanied by a marimba and percussion. In his performance I was reminded ever so much of the Graceland album by Paul Simon. In my opinion Ben Sollee is in the same league with Paul Simon and they both continually reinvent their music to reflect what they have assimilated from their exposure to other cultures. If Ben Sollee were in New York he would be spoken of in the say way as Simon but he chooses to remain in Kentucky and champion Kentucky causes. I enjoyed this performance by Ben Sollee more than any other I have seen. It is interesting to note the interaction among the four musicians. Sollee once played with Washburn in her Sparrow Quartet and, of course, Washburn is married to Fleck. Fleck once played in the seminal newgrass group Newgrass Revival which included Sam Bush.

Sam Bush probably gave us the most traditional performance of any of these four. His rendition of “Eight More Miles to Louisville” was a real crowd pleaser and foot stomper. While traditional I don't believe I have ever seen anyone do a performance with more glee. From time to time he would stop and hurl a tee shirt into the crowd and then cackle about how the crowd resembled nothing so much as a yard full of chickens going after a hand full of corn.

All in all I would rank this festival at or near the top of any of the Master Musician's Festivals I have attended. I have missed several so I am not an authority on anything other than my enjoyment. What I do know is that my enjoyment can't be contained in the space allotted to me so I have just mentioned these four performers. Bush, Washburn and Fleck were my primary goals to see and I was just plain surprised by the stellar performance by Ben Sollee. I suppose one can't expect to have a top to bottom excellent festival like this every year but I am certainly happy that the Festival Board tries.

My Take is kudos to the board and volunteers for an excellent two days and nights of entertainment that will remain in my memory (I still call it that) for a long time. I hope. More later.

A Woman for Her Time

Gabrielle Gray’s Last ROMP | ModeShift





Gabrielle has proven herself to be a visionary leader and producer of bluegrass music in Kentucky.  Her influence reaches far past the borders of our state and ties the past to the future.  I am sorry to see her leave this post but she most certainly deserves the right to pursue other interests.  I suspect she will not be idle.

Nick Hanauer: Beware, fellow plutocrats, the pitchforks are coming | TED Talk | TED.com

Nick Hanauer: Beware, fellow plutocrats, the pitchforks are coming | TED Talk | TED.com

Master Musician's Festival 2015

We are coming up on another rendition of the great local music festival, The Master Musician's Festival. This years offering promises to be quite different from last year's which was more rock oriented while this year's will be more into that genre that includes most unidentifiable stuff called Americana. I strongly suspect that many of our country's best musicians fall into the category having rejected the great money machine that is popular music. Even performers who in an earlier day may have been country but no longer fit in with the glitzy outfits and wailing guitars that make up country music these days may drift into this catchall category.

There is a lot to like about our festival. First and foremost is the friendly family atmosphere where it is safe to bring your children out without fear they will be trampled on by crazed crowds. Probably the least favorable thing is that it can be HOT. Even at that there are vendors with ice cold sno cones and other beverages to help keep heat stroke at bay. At the edges of the open area there is abundant shade for those who lack the ambition to approach the crowds at the stage.

My most anticipated act will be Bela Fleck and his wife, Abigail Washburn. Bela is famously revered as the banjo man for Newgrass Revival. Abigail is also well known for her music which is sometimes more traditional. Bela plays with the finger picking style of bluegrass music and Abigail uses the clawhammer style that is more favored by players of Appalachian or mountain music. Both have been here before but not together. Abigail was here with Kai Welch as accompaniment. I attended their workshop and then the stage performance which also featured Ben Sollee on cello. It was magnificent. I am eagerly anticipating seeing the two of them together. Bela's music has taken a decided turn toward jazz since his tenure in Newgrass Revival and their show should be very interesting.

Sam Bush, another former member of Newgrass Revival, will also be performing at the festival. He is widely respected as a mandolin virtuoso. I am sure that I am not the only one crossing my fingers in hope that he and Bela and Abigail will team up for some jam.

Ben Sollee will be back but on the previous day. If you have never heard Ben then you will be surprised at what he can get out of a cello. The cello is not well known as a lead instrument in Americana but Ben has his own take on that. Again, I hope he hangs around for some jam with the others.

Of course, the headliner is Dwight Yoakam. Dwight is native to our state and has been a well recognized name in country music, however, the evolution of country music has left Dwight behind and his music is now more recognized in the open arms of Americana. He has a devoted following and I expect there will be people there from a wide area. He has a new album out called Second Hand Heart and you can expect a rousing final act of this year's festival.

There are many other lesser known but very good performers on the playlist. Check it out on the Facebook page or at http://www.mastermusiciansfestival.org/. Locally grown and known artist, Kevin Dalton, is on the list and he will be playing with musicians that are well known to those who follow the local music scene.

Prior to the beginning of the festival on Friday Somerset Community College will be hosting a homecoming and dedication event. I usually try to make it known that I was in the first class that entered that institution of higher learning in the fall of 1965. In the year prior all of the schools in the county loaded up their seniors and rode them to town for the groundbreaking. Had I not been sixteen or seventeen at the time AND had I been aware that there was some possibility of being here fifty years later I might have paid more attention.

I hope to see lots of you there. If you see me come up and say hello. If I act like I don't know you it is because my memory (I fondly still call it that) just needs some prompting. I am usually pretty honest about whether or not I remember you.

As I have often said, the music is the focus but the people are the fun. Old friendships renewed with the opportunity to get up and dance without fear of too many people bringing it up at work on Monday. Travel light, coolers are permitted but searched. The vendors there are plentiful and provide a wide choice of delectable delights. There will be several vendors there with beer, wine, wine coolers and perhaps a sangria.

This is Somerset-Pulaski County's premier event along with the monthly Somernites Cruise car shows. We get a chance to see some great musicians that you may never get another chance to see live. Sometimes we are lucky enough to catch an act on the way up like was done with the Avett Brothers. You can bet there will be a good time to be had and good music to be danced to.

My Take is be there or be square.