bryan mcpherson

Originally uploaded by SonicGrass

So I stepped onto the subway platform walked past the young man playing a beautiful worn guitar with vigor. He was strumming a C to G two chord song, all the while holding onto the D and the G on the first and second string giving the song some and underlying tension. The lyrics were stumbling out as if the could not get out fast enough like ideas coming out of subway trains and down the steps. He ran through a litany of troubles that left my mind as I stepped away but the impression remains of Boston stories sieved through poetry and a worn guitar.

You can find out more about him here:

http://bryanmcpherson.com/

The First Sign of Spring

What a beautiful day it was up around 70 degrees today. So I was walking in the park listening to two folks playing bagpipes. Do you call them Bagpipers? Bagpipes are so loud that they had to space themselves a good 100 feet away from each other to keep from bleeding in and causing Bagpipe feedback. Odin only knows what would happen.

Nothing like a hipster playing the bagpipes, to march us into springtime in Boston.

Corner Lounge Paintings missing in Knoxville TN!

The Corner Lounge Paintings taken after 7 pm Sunday, March 10, and before 9 am Monday.

Please send me an email if you have any information regarding these paintings.

sonicgrass@gmail.com

The paintings are wanted back by the previous owners of the Corner Lounge.

Cambridge Blues

CambridgeBlues
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

David Johnston played a relaxed set this evening in front of the candy store at Harvard Square, I played a couple games of chess on my phone (I beat the phone once) and relaxed to his easy finger picking blues. He has a real nice tone coming out of his hollow body guitar, he plays it left handed, I didn't notice until he had to reach up to turn a knob. I enjoyed his bass runs doubled by the voice the most; it reminded me of Morphine at times, a bit edgier in the voice. It makes me believe that there is a Cambridge blues sound the weary high rent blues. Reading from his CD Baby site I realize that he has played with Dana Colley in a band called One Thin Dime. Dana Colley went on to play in Morphine.

He had an easy way with the crowd like we were just sitting in someone's living room, attentive to the lazy applause like the evening. The songs were comfortable, like an old jacket I lost sometime ago, a weary weathered memory. I've heard him and enjoyed his playing before, but my mood, the weather and his playing seemed to fit this summer evening.

So cheers to David Johnston and the Cambridge Blues.

David Johnston's CD

Street Guitar Player 09-02-06_Knoxville TN

09-02-06_Knoxville
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

I was visiting my family, hometown, old love, Knoxville TN and came across this fellow singing the song My Cabin in Tennessee. Knoxville has a long history of street musicians, however in the recent past it has fell out of favor until recently. So this fellow is a part of what I hope is resurgence in Knoxville Musicians getting together and playing music in the streets.

You can find some of the old music here:

http://lynnpoint.com/st_james/songs.htm

Bagpipes

Bagpipes
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

Bagpipes in Harvard Square...

People Listening to Jazz in the Pit

Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

Keep it on the good foot... I'm looking at that gorgeous foot because well at this point there was a funky jazz band playing in the pit. There were also Bagpipes playing in front of Au Bon Pain. Of course at six o’clock on a Friday night we all need a battle of the buskers with bagpipes.

Ambient Flute

08-14-06_flute
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

An Ambient Flute at the Harvard Subway station. She has at least three pedals, one of them being a delay; she creates low harmonies and then plays melodies across the top. More details to come...

Thomas Jefferson's Glass Armonica

08-06-06_1526
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

One of the great things about street musicians in Harvard Square is that you get all sorts of exotic instruments; this however would be the place to play Thomas Jefferson's Glass Armonica. Apparently these were popular enough at one point in the history of America to be banned, according to our street Armonica player due the instrument's music causing nervous disorders and marital disputes.

There are other articles about the great healing effects of this instrument. I did benefit from the music.

Fiddler

Fiddler
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

This lady was playing a good version of Shady Grove in the Harvard Square station. Stomping her foot for a beat. Notice the guy in the background is showing his muscles for the camera. I had not noticed this when I took the photograph.

Well, coffee grows on white oak trees . The river flows with brandy . The rocks on the hill's all covered with gold . And the girls are sweeter than candy.

Bagpipes

Bagpipes
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

I found a fellow playing the Bagpipes on Friday outside of the Harvard Coop in Harvard Square. The Bagpipes, as a street perfomer's instrument, I would imagine are found in few cities on this continent. I noticed a few things. One that it was hard to get close enough to give the fellow any money. Two he didn't have to take a break in between tunes due to the bag being able to hold the warbling drone while he took a breather. I was impressed nonetheless with being able to hear Bagpipes at the beginning of my Easter Weekend. I didn’t however give him any money mainly because I didn’t want to weather the sonic assault to do so.

Gifrants and Paulo Duo

Gifrants and Paulo play a Duo
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

Gifrants and Paulo have been playing together at the Harvard square T stop, every now and then, for the last few weeks. It makes for a beautiful duo. When Gifrants is singing Paulo plays the cello like a bass, lightly slapping it. Then, for the real, treat he takes a solo. The sonorous cello against the Haition rythyms that Gifrants uses makes for a sultry exotic sound that is so seductive it's hard not to shut your eyes and let your hips drift. They are both excellent musicians but the two together become somthing else. Cellos have been trendy ever since the Velvet Underground used them, but this duo is better than the trend. I've heard Paulo on more than one occasion playing the Bach Cello suite's or improvising against the squeal of the subway. So maybe this is a more succesful due to the skill of the players involved. I hope that they record this venture.

Violin, Banjo at Park St .

violinbanjo
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

I've seen these fellows a couple of times now. They play old time music, do a good job and seem to pull in a good bit of cash. The banjo player had to put his foot on the money to keep it from flying away as the train came in.

The first time I seen them a Large fellow who I've seen heckle quite a few subway musicians. He was shuffling aroung being intimidating, and making statements like "No f*&@$ing Yodeling". The banjo player stepped forward and got in the heckler's face and told him to get the f*&k out or he would call the police. The Heckler argued his case, Banjo player went to get the Police. The Heckler stepped on the next train and left.

I've seen this fellow Heckle a few subway musicians and this was the first time I had seen someone stand up to him.

I guess if you got the guts to play a banjo, your ready for about anything.

MORNING CELLO 01-20-06

MORNING CELLO 01-20-06
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

Paulo was playing in Harvard Square Friday morning. I think that it's the same fellow who has been playing there every now and then for the last year or two. The Cello played in the subway is beautiful, it interacts sonically with the screeching subways, in a way that creates a wonderful dissonance. I could have sworn that he was playing a piece from the dirty three, it may not have been the dirty three but it had that quality. He was making rhythmic chords that would develop into melodies. It was a wonderful way to start a weekend. If I knew for sure he was going to be in the subway station every friday. I would stop by the bank in order to tip him appropriatly. You can find his contact information on the Street Artist and Advocates website. http://communityartsadvocates.org/saalist.html

Accordian Player

Accordian Player
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

An accordian player at Harvard, he has a gypsy quality to his playing...

Mary lou lord

Mary lou lord
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

I got to see Mary Lou Lord on my way hame friday night after work. She has such a sweet voice, I'm coming to her music sort of late, however she seems to be a slow starter. She had release in the 90's with Sony and is now on Rubric records. I feel blessed to have such talent in the subway on my way home, it's very inspirational.

Blind Banjo Player

blind banjo player
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

Ok so I love the banjo, so I'm an attentive audience for anyone playing the banjo. I've heard this fellow play Foggy Mountain Breakdown, Old Joe Clark, The Beverly Hillbillies, and one or two that I don't recognize. He plays at a medium tempo and low enough volume to make for a wonderful Monday morning banjo. In Boston who would expect such a strong Bluegrass community. Every Teusday night there is a bluegrass jam at the CanTab in Central square.

See yoins there...

Eleanor

Eleanor
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

I've been listening to Eleanor all summer at Harvard. That name seems like it should belong to an older person, my Mother in Law is named Eleanor, a beautiful name. One Saturday in October I heard her play at Park st. I enjoyed hearing her quiet innocent voice, with a hint of sadness seeming seeping in. Unpolished subtle expressions, with slight syncopation on the guitar. She brought smiles to many a face that day.

Edgar Allen Poe should have penned a song for her.

You can find a video of her playing in Harvard at the headsoff blogspot. There is a link to it in the links section.

Exotic Instrument

Exotic Instrument
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

The array of exotic instruments that one encounters in the subway adds to the rich tonal expression of the screeching subway. This fellow was playing Thursday night at the Harvard stop, I gave him a quarter, all I had on me at the time. The instrument stealing the show looked like some sort of evolved banjo, with harp like tendencies. A harp with twang to it, you can hear the skin of some sort of beast in every note. I love that it has a pickup so that it can be played through a guitar amp, roots with lots of growth.

I only heard one piece and it was very melodic with a slight twang, I could have hung around all night, I was tired however and continued on my way. There were some young men listening to the music making emotive faces to the music and laughing. The music doing it’s job of facilitating life and living, animating our shared experience in time.

P.S. Notice the microphone, I think that is just to add range to the harp.

Hipster Bluegrass

11-01-05_1941.jpg
Originally uploaded by SonicGrass.

These boys were playing tonight in Harvard Square.

Hipster-Bluegrass, they were having a good time apparantly they have been playing there all day.