FILMS/PROJECTS

Meet the hidden musicians, who hone their skills in corner bars, coffee shops and church basements while holding down jobs, raising families and participating in the life of communities all over the United States. Some live in small towns and some in big cities; many are self-taught while others spend years taking lessons. Grassroots music-making provides thousands of people with outlets for their creativity and entrepreneurship, and provides high-quality weekend entertainment for thousands more of their friends and neighbors. This feature-length documentary, now in production, explores music not as a mass-mediated product but as a meaningful cultural practice, a way for people to express themselves in whatever ways they feel comfortable. The film explores the dualities of amateur/professional, local band/national act, original band/cover band and addresses the issue of how we define musical success. Interviews, rehearsals, performances and informal situations are being recorded in local music scenes from Maine to California and in musical genres from bluegrass to grand opera. Recorded in pristine high definition video, the film will showcase the scenic as well as musical diversity of a vast country.

Troubadour Blues is a journey into the world of traveling singer-songwriters like Peter Case, Mary Gauthier, Chris Smither, Dave Alvin, Slaid Cleaves and many more. Filmmaker Tom Weber spent nearly 10 years gathering material for this feature-length documentary, which provides a revealing look at the heartbreaks and joys of these modern-day wandering minstrels. The film, containing all original footage, has a total running time of 95 minutes and will be released on DVD in late September 2011. It will be the opening night film of the Buffalo International Film Festival on Friday, Oct. 14. Screenings are also scheduled for the Hollywood Theater in Dormont (Pittsburgh) on Tuesday, Oct. 25 (with musical guests TBA), and the Erie Art Museum on Friday, Oct. 28 (with musical guest Mark Dignam). This is a story that needs to be heard. In our media-saturated age of instant pop stardom, there is real danger that the tradition of the itinerant working musician is being diluted or lost. This is a concern expressed in the film by a number of artists. Troubadour Blues explores the hidden corners of our culture, where honest, authentic songs reflecting the human experience are still being made up and sung. More information can be found here.

OTHER PROJECTS

My other work includes full-length concert videos, electronic press kits, artist profiles, and live performance demos. I’m a believer that the simpler, the better; the following three examples were recorded live with a single camera in real time — one at a club, one in a hotel room, and one at an outdoor festival. If you have really great talent, you don’t need to do anything but press “record” and let the magic happen.
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Memphis Mike is an old friend from my “weekend warrior” days in the Dogs; his old band, the Rowdy Bovines, played a number of crazy shows with us at Goofie’s in Erie. Later, the Legendary Tremblers were one of Pittsburgh’s busiest bands, and opened shows for the Blasters and many other touring acts. Mike has traveled and played extensively throughout the U.S. and in the UK and Australia. This video, to accompany a single recorded in David Granati’s studio, was shot both in the studio and on location at a weird old abandoned house that Mike found somewhere in Westmoreland County.
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John Fullbright is a young singer-songwriter from Okemah, Oklahoma with a unique gift for lyrics. This song, “Fat Man,” is based on a poem by Bert Lockwood. Recorded live at Ashland Coffee and Tea, Ashland, Virginia, March 2011.
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Julie Christensen is a singer-songwriter from Ojai, California, who is well known for her concert and studio work with Leonard Cohen. This demo was recorded at the Folk Alliance International conference, February, 2009 — people think that it’s in a theater, but it’s a 10-by-12-foot hotel room. With Paul Lacques, dobro; Bruce Victor, 12-string baritone guitar; and the late Kenny Edwards on lead guitar.
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The three women who make up the Refugees — Cindy Bullens, Deborah Holland and Wendy Waldman — are all well established as solo musicians, producers, arrangers, and music teachers. “Save the Best for Last”, by Waldman and Jim Photoglo, was a big hit for Vanessa Williams. Recorded live at Philadelphia Folk Festival, August, 2008.