LIVE: Simone Dinnerstein & Tift Merritt @ The Hamilton Live – 5/2/13

Collaborations can be fraught with peril, particularly when they involve diverse inspirations, styles, or backgrounds. Thursday’s performance at majestic DC venue The Hamilton Live had elements of all of the above, but the talent, charm, and camaraderie of the performers, classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein and folk singer-songwriter Tift Merritt, transcended any potential pitfalls that one might have expected. One of the most touching aspects of the show was the genuine admiration and friendship between the two performers. Merritt has a rich solo career steeped in the folk traditions of North Carolina. She is a gifted lyricist and multi-instrumentalist with a deft touch on acoustic guitar and a fluid, soulful voice that can convey airiness, weariness, strength, and betrayal from one note to the next. Dinnerstein is an accomplished pianist with Brooklyn roots who is capable of making compositions by Franz Schubert or Johann Sebastian Bach seem like she conjured them up in an idle moment’s daydreams. Together, the duo delivered moment after sublime moment of great music in support of their magnificent collaboration Night.

The evening began with a labyrinthine piano introduction from Dinnerstein before Merritt joined her for a moving rendition of “Only in Songs,” performed on a gorgeous, well-loved acoustic guitar that would serve as her instrument of choice for much of the night. They also performed dark, mournful renditions of “Night and Dreams,” which rivaled the album version in beauty and surpassed it in intensity, and “I Shall Weep At Night,” composed by legendary pianist Brad Mehldau at the duo’s request. The set was well balanced in terms of allowing both performers opportunities to shine. Dinnerstein’s spellbinding performance of Bach’s “Prelude in B minor” was one such example. It served as an amazing shift in tone from Merritt’s solo acoustic piece which preceded it and the haunting rendition of “I Will Give My Love An Apple” which followed. This in turn contrasted brilliantly with the graceful, searching melancholy of “Colors,” a demo of which Merritt shared with Dinnerstein while she was writing her brilliant solo album Traveling Alone. The final version features Dinnerstein plucking the strings of her grand piano from within in a style reminiscent of the dulcimer, as influenced by contemporary classical composer George Crumb, while Merritt delivers a master performance for budding singer-songwriters to emulate.

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TO DO LIST: Laura Tsagarris @ The Hamilton THIS SATURDAY

Not to take anything away from the Hamilton, which is a wonderful venue, but for Laura Tsaggaris, Saturday’s record release party for her new album Everyman will probably be a bit anti-climactic. After all, the album received a glowing review from this very website. Tsaggaris then had the unique honor of joining us on the podcast (you can download just our interview with Laura from iTunes HERE), where she performed the title track from the new record. After a one-two punch like that, it’s sad to say there is simply nowhere for her seemingly brilliant young career to go but downhill.

Thus, Tsaggaris’ show at the Hamilton – as wonderful as it is certain to be - will only feel like an also-ran. Sure it’s one of the classiest joints in the most powerful city in the world, but it ain’t Andre’s basement in Arlington, the exotic location of our podcast recording sessions. Sure it’s got a fantastic, crystal-clear sound system and Tsaggaris will have her incredibly talented band behind her, but without Chunky writers there to ask half-assed questions, the whole operation will no doubt just seem hollow. And yes, she’s got Chapel Hill’s very well-dressed The Old Ceremony opening for her, whose most recent record, Fairytales and Other Forms of Suicide is as assured, understated, and pretty as Tsaggaris’ own record; but really, the mock game show announcer voice we use to open the podcast is infinitely more mature.

Granted, there are upsides – the Hamilton has good food and Tsaggaris will probably get a free meal, which we did not offer her. They have a larger beer selection than what’s in Andre’s fridge. She’ll be playing for paying customers, instead of Kevin and Justin. The bottom line is she’s a wonderful musician and performer, not to mention a trooper with a positive attitude – I’m sure that, despite these adverse conditions, she’ll make the most of it. Please join us Saturday night and cheer her on.

LIVE: Ryan Montbleau Band @ The Hamilton - 11/23/12

All photos by Julia Lofstrand (julialofstrand@gmail.com / www.julialofstrandphotography.com)

Members of the Ryan Montbleau Band woke up at about the same time as many Black Friday bargain hunters last week, but instead of travelling to Target or Wal-Mart they jumped in their van for the long drive from Massachusetts to DC to get ready for a fantastic show at the Hamilton. If the infectious six-piece group was fatigued either from the drive or an overdose of turkey the previous day it didn’t show as they put together a wonderful array of tunes ranging from soft acoustic folk songs to jumpy blues numbers to full-blown gospel revival.

The road trip must have been on their mind for the first two numbers - the band burst out of the gate with “Slippery Road” from 2010’s Heavy on the Vine, before taking on Bill Withers’ “Heartbreak Road.” While it’s hard to top Withers’ original the band did a funky good job, alternately sounding like Jamiroquai and Allen Stone as keyboardist Jason Cohen did some fine work on his jazz organ. The funk continued as they hit a Meters groove with “Inspired By No One” before seguing into what Montbleau called “authentic Massachusetts reggae” on “Songbird.” The tune got people up and dancing – albeit tentatively – on the sides of the stage; while folks wanted to move their feet, they didn’t want to be the first one to do so in front of the stage. They came close as the entire crowd got fired up during “Yeah Man” from the Montbleau Band’s most recent album, For Higher. Recorded in New Orleans with an impressive array of well-known bayou musicians, For Higher is a wonderful gumbo of different styles, perhaps all embodied by the uplifting, hugely danceable “Yeah Man.”

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