I have been a bit behind in my blogging duties, but a lot of music has been happening. Last Monday I attended the latest installment of the bi-weekly jam I call the Goldfish Sessions for lack of anything better, and because Ash once posted a photo of goldfish when advertising the event. The night was special because Eric Bosque took the bold step of grabbing the microphone and singing a nice Zach Rivers tune. Ash did it again with the White Stripe's "We're Gonna Be Friends," and the Waterboys' "Medicine Bow." He also added a ukelele to the mix. Brian, Eric and Chris pushed the boundaries with country versions of a couple Nirvana and Red Hot Chili Pepper songs. Jerome, Greg, Marco, Kati and Chris did a great jam on a song Kati claims is the only song she knows by heart (but one I have never heard before). Greg, Jerome, Marco, Eric and Chris also performed a couple great blues jams. Just as I was leaving, Jerome made my pause to hear Ray LaMontagne's "Trouble."

Pablo Lerner, accompanied by Danny Bain on percussion performed at Treehugger Dan's for the first time last Thursday. Pablo Lerner was born in Argentina , but studied music in Brazil and in Hungary . The outcome: He plays tekerőlant (hungarian hurdy gurdy) trying to make it sound as a rabeca (a brazilian fiddle). He plays music from the northeast of Brazil , originally played on rabeca and accordion. Many people, including a few Hungarians in the audience had never heard or seen a hurdy gurdy. "It is a stringed musical instrument that produces sound by a crank-turned rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to a violin. Melodies are played on a keyboard that presses tangents (small wedges, typically made of wood) against one or more of the strings to change their pitch. Like most other acoustic stringed instruments, it has a sound board to make the vibration of the strings audible. Most hurdy gurdies have several drone strings, which give a constant pitch accompaniment to the melody, resulting in a sound similar to that of bagpipes. For this reason, the hurdy gurdy is often used interchangeably with or along with bagpipes, particularly in French and contemporary Hungarian folk music." (source) It is also often compared to a barrel organ, or an organ grinder.  Ferenc Sebo is perhaps the best known Hungarian hurdy-gurdy player. Pablo and Danny put on a really good and unusual show. The addition of percussion has proven to be an excellent arrangement.

Set List:

1 Juazeiro (baiao)
2 Sertao de Caicó (baiao)
3 Pé de moleque (coco)
4 Canto de cego/Ciranda
5 Boi fubá (bumba meu boi)
6 Segurando a barra do dia (baiao)
7 danca do rei negro (maracatú)
8 Flor da Ingazeira (baiao)
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9 Amor amor amor (cavalo marinho)
10 Asa branca/A volta do asa branca (baiao)
11 fandango de Ubatuba (Fandango)
12 Segura o coco (coco)
13 Forró estenográfico (baiao)
14 pavao misterioso (maracatú cearense)
15 Peguei flores
16 Canto de Lavadeira/Samba

The Poosta Ramblers also fit in a last show before the holidays, this time at Ellato Kert. Stuck between the dartboard and the pinball machine with a jungle motif in the background, the Poostas put on another fine show. Three birthday parties were being held in the same room, including Poosta fiddler Jerome. The vibe was so positive that it turned into a hug fest. Lots of old friends that I have not seen for awhile showed up, including Christopher Simmersbach from The Durgas. Just as I was leaving at 12:30am, my Dutch friend Giel gave me a call from a taxi, having just arrived from Belgrade. So, I turned around and went back into the pub at caught up until 2am. I also had a bite of a surprising birthday cake called a vakondturas torta, or molehill cake. It really does look like a molehill, and rather than slice it, everyone gets forks and just digs in. The Poosta Ramblers consist of:

Mookie Brando-guitar, banjo, harmonica
Beaux Jaxon-guitar, resonator slide
Michael Kentish-bass, guitar
Jerome Li Thiao Te-fiddle, mandolin
Fiona Stewart-fiddle, mandolin
Greg Zeigler-percussion, guitar
       and special guest...
Andor Vörös on pedal steel guitar

Set List:

Part 1:
1. Fallin' and Flyin'
2. Blue Kentucky Girl
3. You'll Get No More of Me
4. Make Me Down a Pallet
5. Walk on Boy
6. Dead Flowers
7. Wayfarin’ Stranger
8. Old Old House
9. Brand New Angel
10. Subtract One Love
11. I Don’t Feel Like Loving You Today
12. Toothbrush
13. Don't Come Home a-Drinkin'
14. Good Year for the Roses
15. I’ll Never Get Out of this World Alive

Part 2:
16. Blue Christmas
17. Harm's Swift Way
18. Tennessee Waltz
19. Deportee
20. One More Time
21. Big Bad John
22. Our Town
23. Wurlitzer Prize
24. Friend of the Devil
25. Redneck Mother
26. More Pretty Girls Than One
27. Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down
28. I've Been Everywhere

Encore:
29. Jambalaya