Live music...

I guess with the end of the year approaching it's only fitting that I finish chronicling the live music I saw over the past year. Here's a band I saw for the second time, once at Hogs for the Cause BBQ Festival and then again at this year's Jazz Fest. They call themselves Hiss Golden Messenger.

I don't know the significance of the name. I downloaded the latest cd from eMusic and in doing so I discovered that this guys name is MC Taylor. I have several other cds and had always called him "old Hiss Golden Messenger." 

I really can't tell you why I like this music. It's southern band hailing out of North Carolina and various online sources describe the music as country, rhythm and bluegrass swamp pop gospel blues. The lyrics don't really stick in my mind but it has good slide guitar which always appeals to me and he's definitely flying the singer songwriter flag. I guess it might be what Cathy calls "old sweet hippie" music. 

Dig that left handed bass guitar. Some kind of hollow body instrument perfect for getting those tuba like tones that have got me kicked out of a lot of bands. 

This is band member Phil Cook who supplies the slide guitar. I have one of his cds. Great guitar sounds with what looks like cobbled together instruments with the body off one guitar and the neck off another. His music is similar, laid back southern rock. 

Like I say though the lyrics don't really stick to me I note that they have a little box set of combined works out called "Devotion, songs about rivers and spirits and children." Those are all good things.