LittleJoe

Rodrigo Y Gabriela ...OMG! Incredible music!

Shirley told me I had to listen to the music of Rodrigo Y Gabriela. She'd heard a clip of their music on WMNF, our local listener-supported radio station. We've now bought their album. The music is incredible ...pulsating rhythms pounded out on the wood of the guitars; Gabriela's strumming hand, defying you to catch it when not in a blur; Rodrigo's notes sailing across the fingerboard. The treatment of Stairway to Heaven is wonderfully original. Diablo Rojo, inspired by a Danish rollercoaster - and perhaps their best-known song to date - is a joy. Take a moment and check out the YouTube videos of them performing on Jay Leno's show, and on Letterman.

Maryhill Winery, Emmylou Harris

Yesterday evening we went with some friends to Goldendale, Washington. "Why?", you ask. Well, Goldendale is on the east side of the Casacade Mountains. On the east side of Washington state the weather is drier and there are some very good wineries. One of them is Maryhill Winery. Someone got smart and build an outdoor amphiteatre there, and yesterday eveing we were treated to some wonderful blugrass from Sam Hill, followed by the legendary Emmylou Harris.

(FYI, the Sam Hill bluegrass band has had that name for 10 years, but this particular evening they happened to be playing music on Sam Hill. The hill on which we were sitting was named for the one and only Sam Hill.)

Well, I did take a couple of pictures of the view. It was a perfect evening: bring a picnic dinner, buy a bottle of wine from the winery that is right there, and kick back for a couple of hours of awesome music in an incredible setting, sharing it all with friends. Ah yes.