Tomorrow
is my 64th birthday, and Shauna’s gift to me this year was two
tickets to see Australian virtuoso guitarist and blues singer/songwriter Lloyd
Spiegel at the Canvas Brewing Co. in Huntsville. The fact that she was able to join
me was almost as rewarding as the concert itself. Going into this concert, I was
not familiar with Lloyd Spiegel’s skill level, although I had heard one of his
songs played on Hunters Bay Radio. I could tell he was a gifted guitarist, but
I had no idea just how good he is. He is Tommy Emmanuel good, and I have been a
fan of Tommy Emmanuel for years.
Although
that general admission show was sold out, we were able to purchase two tickets,
thanks to Dan Watson, Executive Director of Huntsville Festival of the Arts. Upon
arriving, imagine our delight when we discovered two empty seats together in
the very first row. From the moment he
hit the stage, Spiegel entertained us with his dry sense of humour. He opened with
an observation about the Muskoka tourists who stop their cars on busy highways in
order to photograph the fall foliage, and with the appropriate amount of comedic
timing, finished by saying, “That’s f-ing dangerous!” Before the laughter had died
down, he launched into his first song, and he was instantly captivating. Throughout
the concert he interjected witticisms that were both disarming and hilarious. What
particularly impressed me, on top of his superior technical skills, great
singing voice, and charming patter, was his uncanny sense of internal rhythm. When
we had a chance to speak for a minute during the intermission, he told me that
he intentionally shifts in and out of the beat, depending upon his intuitive sense
of what feels right for any particular song. I had the feeling that, while we
the audience might not notice the differences, every one of his performances must
be unique. Whatever he was doing, everything just clicked and felt right. Even
his delays and tempo changes were so succinct and seamless that it was as if he’d
brought a full rhythm section along with him. To see an artist of his calibre,
with his uncanny ability to make us all feel like we were listening to him perform
in his living room, was a special treat.
My
only regret was that I missed Spiegel’s guitar clinic, which he offered earlier
that same day. While I have no aspirations (or delusions) of ever playing the
guitar like Lloyd Spiegel does, I would have enjoyed his instruction. In the
short time we chatted, at intermission and then again after the concert, I
could tell that he was both passionate and generous about sharing his technique.
I was surprised by how down-to-earth he is. Some artists with one quarter of
his ability have an over-inflated sense of their own talent. While he is well known
and highly respected in Australia and other parts of the world, I don’t think
he is as yet a household name in North America. Based on the enthusiasm with
which our audience received him I know that will soon change. He’s a great
songwriter to boot. I purchased two of his albums and one of his signature capos.
After the last standing ovation of the night, he signed and gave Shauna and me
two more of his cds to share with our radio station. I can guarantee that I
will be featuring Lloyd Speigel in future Lyrical Workers shows. It’s
not too late for you to attend one of his shows before he heads back to
Australia. He’ll be performing in Toronto at Hugh’s Room Live this Wednesday
night October 9th, followed by a show in Oakville on Friday night at
the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts.
Finally,
if you’re out on the road up here in Muskoka and points north, watch out for moose
and deer. Autumn is the most dangerous time of year for accidents involving
wildlife, and the other day, an acquaintance totaled her car when she hit and
killed a deer. Luckily, she was not badly hurt. I’m driving much slower than I usually
do at night. Don’t be in a hurry; that just might save your life.
Jamie Oppenheimer,
Songwriter, Author, Blogger, Radio Producer, & Host has been writing THE OPPENHEIMER
REPORT every MONDAY since 1992 and has published the articles on his blog since
2006. We are including Jamie's weekly reports, as a feature of #HuntersBayRadio, The Bay 88.7FM.
#GotLocal? HuntersBayRadio.com #WeAreMuskoka #WeAreAlmaguin
#GotLocal? HuntersBayRadio.com #WeAreMuskoka #WeAreAlmaguin
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