Hi Everybody! Long time no post aye!? Well I was concentrating on my new job! I have been at it for almost 3 weeks now. I still would rather win the lottery and be independently wealthy, but this will do for now.
However, I did get out the other night - a school night at that! After many of you posted awhile back about Julia Fordham's new album, Concrete Love, I became interested in hearing it. My best friend Julie, alerted me that Julia would be playing the smallest of clubs here in Chicago. She begged me to go with her so I relented ... plus she paid! The club or bar was Shubas. I thought the place held more people but it held 200 at the very most! The music room is seperate and in the back of a regular old bar. About 6:30 my friend and I went over to have a drink and wait till show time. This woman walked in with a garment bag and just started talking to people. She was comfortable and greeted folks like she knew us all. Nodding and coming over to say hi. Of course it was Julia, I can't believe how different she struck me. Unlike her "packaging." She was much more earthy, waif-like and bohemian. Unlike that seductive mysterious diva way they portray her. We sat in the second row, behind 2 of her most loyal fans in Chicago. It was so intimate, I was not more than 10 feet from her! Still, I wanted to really experience her and decide if I liked her in that extra special way (Joni, Phoebe, Ricki). Well she really blew me away! Hearing many more familiar songs than I realized I knew or remembered. The show started late due to a misunderstanding between Julia and the management. Which Julia made light of throughout the show. She opened with Falling Forward, followed by Porcelain and Girlfriend. Then she went on to do Italy from the new album. She was chatty and funny and in great voice. She made light of the weather doing her hair for her, a look which she had been unable to duplicate since the photo shoot for Concrete Love. As she sang she would connect with audience members and nod and wink as if she knw where they were in their own heads. She was much more Joni like than I expected. And I heard this reference in the audience before hand with her lyrics and her voice. Although she plays as much with the bottom as with the top of her voice. Something that Joni did early on, only on occasion. But which she is now forced to do. I only worried that her talkative stye would limit her songbook for the night. It really did not. She went on to do Manhattan Skyline, Genius, Stay and of course Happy Ever After. Never cheating and always really challenging her range and voice. She did a verse of the old Minnie Ripperton song, "Loving You" and then went on to tell the story of meeting Miniie's husband. I forget his name, but he told her that Minnie would have loved her. And so she wrote the song, Roadside Angel about Minnie. Other songs included, Wake up With you, Missing Man and Something Right. She also told the story of India Arie and how she came to do vocals on Concrete Love. She was expressive in her thrift shop sequined darkish slate blue gown, moving her hands and bending to and fro with the mood of the music. In fact she ended her last song by falling straight down on her behind, like a little girl on the stage. Afterwards there was the promise of autograph signings of her new CD. OF COURSE I BOUGHT ONE! So we waited in the line of about 50, almost the last ones. My friend went up first and then I. She was by no means rushing people off and was anxious to talk. Believe me! I went up and when she asked what name I wnated her to sign - I asked for her to make it anonymous. Why you ask? Later. Knowing she is a Joni fan, I thought I might get her interest my mentioning Joni and the List and the Fest! Oh my GOD! She totally perked up even more - as if that was possible! She grabbed me and jerked me to her ear and started telling me about all of her Joni encounters. This was a performer, I expected her to be cool, no she was just like a girlfriend talking and so excited she couldn't tell me fast enough. I then said something about the Joni line "Love is touching souls" and that I thought music has the same effect, and that surely she had touched mine that night. Okay so I got a little hokey. Well I thought she was gonna cry. Then she added to her first meeting with Joni story, by telling me about the dog she found and that he ate Joni's autograph up! I think I will add her to my list of faves, she earned it both on the stage and off. I love when a performer is that loose and genuine and has no airs! She may or may not remember me today, but she sure made me feel special. And she knows about all of you now and the Fest. Oh that CD - it's autographed and set to be an item for the raffle at the fest! WooHooo! Oh yea, a little more Joni content. As I was walking away, she pulled me back once more to tell me she had the inside scoop on the Joni material for the new album - she said Larry Klein let her listen to it ... She said it's absolutely fabulous with a big hard head nod as an exclamation point! And one more "Fabulous" after that just to underline it all. Thanks for letting me share this with you if you hung on this long! I'll be seeing many of you soon! Peace, Susan Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better http://health.yahoo.com
