Neon Brown Presents: "Full of Life and Turkey"!

Alrighty, here's the first posting of music in this new location!

Set1A 13.6 megs

Set1B 38 megs

Set 2 49.1 megs

The November 26th show was a great example of what the Woodland Acoustic Orchestra has been like recently: A couple of scheduled musicians, supplemented by walk-in regulars, and even a couple of unknown first-timers sprinkled in for good measure.  ...all held together by some collective thread that seems to make itself alternately obscure and tangible to each participant.

Our yearly Thanksgiving Eve's show always has its own special energy.  This year, with the Chai House closed on Thursday (the usual open-mic night), they'd made some effort to move the open-mic to immediately before us.  We were still the only thing listed on the web-calendar, but the open-mic was listed as the only thing on the printed schedule for Weds.  Low-grade confusion gently rippled the waters and set the stage for a great confluence of attention (and a very enjoyable intermission of open-mic performances). 

With most of the scheduled musicians still MIA, Willaim Precht (Tabla and Dumbek) and I (Plank-Tuned 6-String) mic'd up the tabla that somebody had left onstage there and began slightly after 8 with a short movement of just Guitar and Percussion.  This was the first time I'd heard William on percussion -- knowing him more for his guitar-work in & ampersand -- and I was immediately blown away by his playing.  At the time I was somewhat disappointed with my own, but listening back it seems that what I felt as lack of strong momentum on my part comes off more as tasteful reserve :).  I really like how this section plays in the recording.  

Things just kept growing from there as John Beezer showed up and plugged his Electric Guitar straight into the PA, along with Chris Powers (who I believe you can hear joining in un-mic'd at the end of the short first clip) in only his second NBP appearance (after his walk-in debut 2 weeks earlier on elecric).  Chris also provides great rootsy vocals for extended movements near the end of each set.  Slightly later, we were joined by Zach (don't know his last name or even if I'm spelling his first correctly) on harmonica.  Early in set 2 there was even a 4th guitarist that I've never met before (and have sadly already forgotten his name...apparently he's an open-mic regular...?...perhaps if you know who this was, or what Zach's last name is, you can add that in the comments here, along with any other observations/comments!) who drove an anthemic chord-change-based movement with some great urgent low-chording.  

(unedited clips)