Live Saturdays

Dale Osborn 7/16/11 Live Saturday with a Folksy Flair -By Duane Donald July 16^th – Ken Eby’s, Live Saturdays at the Lighthouse Coffee Co. this week featured folk guitarist/vocalist, Dale Osborn. Dale has played at the Lighthouse many times and is always entertaining. Dale plays two beautiful Canadian made, Larrivee guitars. One a six-string, the other a twelve-string. Why Larrivee guitars, I asked. “I really like the way the Larrivee sound,” Osborn said. “They have a different bracing than most guitars, with a little smaller chamber so they have a little different resonation to them. Plus I kind of like using a guitar that not everyone is playing.” How long have you been playing guitar and performing? “Ahh, many years. I began playing guitar when I was seventeen so I’ve been playing for something like thirty-five years.” I detect some formal training in your music. “Yeah, many years ago I studied classical guitar,” Dale Osborn told me. “It was never my intention to play classical music but I wanted to learn the technique so that I could incorporate it into the styles that I enjoyed playing.” What exactly is your style? I hear several different influences in your sound. “As far as placing a label to it, I am a folk artist. But I enjoy music from several different genres and I then incorporate covers from those different styles into my folk style. Putting my stamp on them I guess you’d say.” While I listened, Dale played several different covers of varying styles music, including a folk’s version of “Message in a Bottle” by the Police. Dale plays many instrumental numbers as well. Here he shows off some of that classical training he spoke of. Have you recorded any of your original pieces? “I have. In 1999 I produced a CD of my music called, “On the Edge of Our Town”. Where could one buy your CD or just listen to some of your music to check out your style? “One can buy my CD at Amazon.com, and also they can hear it or buy it on i-tunes. There is also a website called CDBaby.com where hear can hear my music.” Dale began playing at the Lighthouse during the Wednesday night, “Open Mike”. When Ken Eby started the “Live Saturdays” concert series, he asked Dale if he’d contribute his time and talent and he has repeatedly. If you haven’t checked out the “Live Saturdays” shows, I urge you to drop into the Lighthouse on Main St. on any Saturday and have a listen. DMN carries the concert line-up in the paper. Even if you’re not sure if you like folk music or coffeehouse concerts, I think you’ll enjoy yourself at “Live Saturdays”. Ken Eby is your host and there is always good ice cream, muffins, and yummy coffee drinks to be had while you sit back and listen to some good music. So come on down and enjoy some of what Milan has to offer. (To learn more about Live Saturdays or the Lighthouse Coffee Co. please visit them online at lighthousecoffeeco.com) 01 Sands of the Kalahari 02 On the Edge of Our Town dosborn@provide.net All Kinds of Fun 7/2/11 — Rod Hill Ken Eby’s LIVE Saturdays started off July with a night of truly unique sounds. The Potter’s Field is a duet of Rochelle Clark and John Natiw. They start off sounding like the kind of classic folk music that evolved into what we now think of as Classic Country. Twangy vocals counterpointed with soft guitar in this spare but nourishing musical package. The contrast of the two vocal tonal qualities sneaks up on you. John’s fairly standard and forthright but when Rochelle comes in, sometimes sweet like Emmy Lou, other times quirky like Kasey Chambers, the songs take on a whole different dimension. Their playing virtuosity is spot on. John will go through six different tunings during a set. “My guitar hates me in the summer time” he admits. “With so many temperatures, and different tunings, by this time of the night, I can just hear it say ‘enough, already!’” It’s clear that they’re having all kinds of fun with their performance. Most all of their works are original and they cover just about every American folk motif. They bring a couple of innovations that I’ve never heard before. On some of their pieces you’ll swear you hear a harmonica and it takes a bit to discover that it’s Rochelle with just her voice. Talk about “twangy”! She smiles at the impression her effect has on the room. Another thing that took awhile to figure out was something John calls a “Porch Board Base”. If you can’t see what he’s doing you might think he’s pounding a base drum with his foot. “I picked it up in Australia. You can tune it to sound like a drum or crank it up to castanets.” Think of playing out on Grandpa’s front porch and keeping time with your work boots. The group has been together for about two years, but they are not a couple. Rochelle and her husband live in Chelsea, John is from Plymouth/Canton. “We were both playing at an open mic, and we just sort of caught each other’s attention.” Say’s Rochelle. “It’s been a very organic thing, kind of two solo performers melding together.” And why “The Potter’s Field” you may ask? “We’ve both got a playful dark side, like Kasey and Shane Nicolson. It’s Americana but sort of Creepy Americana.” You missed them in July but they’ll be back in October. Maybe it will be a special Halloween performance! ————————————————————————————————————————– Classic Electric 7/9/11 — Rod Hill Between Generations returned to the Lighthouse Coffee Co. last Saturday evening with their expanded duet and classic guitar Americana. Earl Hyde and Terry Buist, from Kalamazoo, brought their Les Paul electric melodies and a repertoire of favorites to the July 9 session of LIVE Saturdays. Ranging from California beach ballads to some interesting renditions of Big Band standards, BG demonstrated what two master guitarists with an ear for the creative, and an electronic ensemble, are capable of. There’s always a different sound on these LIVE Saturdays. We had a version of Glenn Miller’s One O’clock Jump where their two guitars took the place of ranks of trombones and saxophones. It was pretty effective but that was only one of the many creative interpretations. BG’s range runs from Big Band to 70’s Rock and Roll. Whether it’s the Eagles, the Ventures, or even Benny Goodman, Terry and Earl play them for keeps. Most of their pieces are pure instrumental but every once in awhile Terry will come in for a vocal that is perfectly balanced to the music they play. Their mellow renderings always make it seem as though there are many more instruments in the room. Even when it’s just the two of them they can still fill the place with their beautiful sound. This is Between Generations’ second LIVE Saturday and they’re sure to be back again so don’t miss.