{"id":4753,"date":"2014-09-29T15:53:38","date_gmt":"2014-09-29T15:53:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/?p=4753"},"modified":"2014-10-03T14:52:47","modified_gmt":"2014-10-03T14:52:47","slug":"the-gypsy-lumberjacks-are-pied-pipers-who-carry-a-heavy-vernacular-load-like-pros","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/?p=4753","title":{"rendered":"The Gypsy Lumberjacks are pied pipers who carry a heavy vernacular load like pros"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Fb-Button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>
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The Gypsy Lumberjacks showed their impulse to wander by venturing into territory that so far remains a wasteland for them — Milwaukee, specifically, a gig at Catch 22, a sports bar where virtually all downtown dwellers were outdoors, savoring some of the last few beautiful summer evenings.<\/p>\n

So, to paraphrase T.S. Eliot, September can be a pretty damn cruel month, too.\u00a0 Yet these woodsy gypsies \u00a0\u201cbred lilacs out of the dead land\u201d \u00a0— performing a set of fresh inspiration and forward-thrusting bloom, to their own high professional standards on the premise that people might <\/em>show up.<\/p>\n

Indeed, there was something faintly heroic about it, tinged with pathos, the lonely lumberjack felling a mighty tree that no one hears in the forest.<\/p>\n

So listen up \u2013 if they\u2019re in your town — or hear this: The touring Minneapolis-based band\u2019s vibrantly colorful and emotionally nuanced new CD Pulling Upon the Strap<\/em> demonstrates intriguing instrumentation, which showcases their stylistic originality — including an accordionist and a violinist, and percussionist Ben Karon who specializes in the cajon. Originated in Peru but used often in Africa, the six-sided box-like instrument is also the percussionist\u2019s seat as barefoot Karon slaps and paradiddles it barehanded between his knees — with staccato power and nearly a master tabla-player\u2019s dexterity.<\/p>\n

\"karon\"<\/p>\n

Lumberjack percussionist Ben Karon specializes in the Peruvian cajon, which he sits on and beats like a tabla player. Photo by Kris Verdin.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Lumberjacks\"<\/p>\n

It’s no Mary Tyler Moore show set, but the Gypsy Lumberjacks happily call the the clean airiness of Minneapolis home. Singer-songwriter-guitarist Leif Magnuson is in foreground. Courtesy reverbnation.com<\/em><\/p>\n

But at this gig, with the only the band\u2019s core trio —singer, songwriter and Flamenco-inflected guitarist Leif Magnuson, bass guitarist Pete Verdin* and Karon — performed a long set of original music climaxed with a songful Bela Fleck cover, \u00a0demonstrating their commitment to a high standard of musicality. In fact, the musical synergy was extraordinary considering they\u2019re just starting a tour and hadn\u2019t played for three weeks before their previous gig in Madison, according to Verdin.<\/p>\n

So I can only begin to imagine them live under ideal circumstances, with a responsive audience, which is evident on their first album Live at the Sound Gallery.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"gypsy\"<\/p>\n

The Gypsy Lumberjacks with a more hospitable crowd. Courtesy gypsylumberjacks.com<\/em><\/p>\n

The latest CD of all originals, Pulling Upon the Strap<\/em>, begins with \u201cChicha Fria,\u201d a skipping, infectious guitar and percussion rhythmic pattern, overlaid with spoken voices like a dial radio between two stations. But the voices debate the qualities and power of knowledge, also suggesting the multi-layered experience of today\u2019s social media-obsessed life.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho am I and why should I care? Who are you you, why do we share?\u201d Magnuson sings to the main melody which beguiles oddly, as do the refrain\u2019s lyrics: \u201cDon\u2019t follow me ! I know just where I stand, don\u2019t follow me! No matter where I stand\u2026follow them, you\u2019re running out of time\u2026\u201d Despite the singer\u2019s disclaimer, the song conveys a pied piper-like magnetism and a certain urgency, an apt beginning. Magnuson possesses an appealing and resonant voice that can bellow clarion strong, yet in this album he reigns in the slightly elephantine tendencies that sometimes marred his vocals on the first album. Now Magnuson does more just to his song\u2019s nuance and meaning, enriching expression rather than trampling it.<\/p>\n

\u201cPloughman\u2019s Blues\u201d is no conventional blues but its minor-key refrain phrase virtually glides, eliciting a work song-like tension-and-release, riding Cliff Smyrl\u2019s organ-like accordion — \u00a0the sort of motion that historically sustained labor, from chattel slaves to ploughmen or lumberjacks. Vocal harmonies call: \u201cThe sweat upon your brow,brings the silver that you need.\u201d But life\u2019s never simple or easy: \u201cThe solace that you sought is fraught now with disease.. .Then you cry out loud. No one seems to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is hardly just a band backing up a strong singer-songwriter. The ensuing instrumental \u201cBlaenau Ffestiniog\u201d shows the Lumberjacks capable of substantial improvisation dynamics and invention. Here Verdin\u2019s supple bass drives and lifts from underneath the band\u2019s blend of zydeco, traditional and progressive bluegrass.<\/p>\n

\"Peter\"<\/p>\n

Bassist Peter Verdin’s supple fluency drives the Gypsy Lumberjacks sound from the bottom up. Photo by Kris Verdin<\/em><\/p>\n

Another instrumental follows, \u201cCaspian\u2019s March\u201d led by James Berget\u2019s pirouetting violin, revealing a \u00a0strong Spanish strain, drawing on Magnuson\u2019s background. He learned to master strong aspects of Flamenco guitar while in South America and Spain.<\/p>\n

The two mid-album instrumentals cast an expansive aura that drives the gypsy spirit, an imaginative and daring programming strategy that works superbly.<\/p>\n

Then the limpid melody of \u201cMiner\u2019s Dross\u201d \u00a0helps contemplate humanity’s proverbial fall from grace. \u201cWhen you gather your thoughts all you have are the miner\u2019s dross.\u201d To wit, the cruel life gut-punch often accompanying flawed behavior can also drain the brain and spirit — due wisdom for relatively young performers. And yet, in the ensuing \u201cElephants Underwear\u201d Magnuson ponders: \u201cHis time, his fate, is it too late to do something great?\u201d<\/p>\n

Verdin\u2019s playing, especially on \u201cRiver Song\u201d recalls the great Jefferson Airplane\/Hot Tuna bassist Jack Casady in the bass\u2019s almost vocal yet sturdy resonance, and harmonic fluency.<\/p>\n

\u201cRiversong\u201d declares \u201cWe\u2019ll keep movin\u2019 on, movin\u2019 on like water.\u201d And though the lyric leads to the ocean floor, the group radiates forward motion and rising inevitability. These gypsies are coming, as is their time.<\/p>\n

The Carribbean-cum-African Hi-Life lilt of the closing \u201cWhat You Wanted Here\u201d may seem to push the stylistic envelope to bursting, yet they pull it off. The band\u2019s nearly seamless vernacular cross-stitching encompasses a global awareness that extends far beyond the ostensible Americana they were first associated with.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s not a weak number on the record, a rare accomplishment, and a measure of the balance of songcraft and musicianship. And in true lumberjack style, they\u2019re pulling the strap tight to haul their loads of stylistic cuttings. They seem ready for the long haul.<\/p>\n

________________<\/p>\n

The Gypsy Lumberjacks remaining tour is listed here:\u00a0http:\/\/www.reverbnation.com\/gypsylumberjacks<\/a><\/p>\n

The CD\u00a0Pulling Upon the Strap<\/em> is available athttp:\/\/www.gypsylumberjacks.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

*Full disclosure: Peter Verdin is the writer\u2019s nephew by a previous marriage.<\/p>\n

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The Gypsy Lumberjacks showed their impulse to wander by venturing into territory that so far remains a wasteland for them — Milwaukee, specifically, a gig at Catch 22, a sports bar where virtually all downtown dwellers were outdoors, savoring some … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-www-kevernacular-com"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2hJWE-1eF","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4753"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4753\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4779,"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4753\/revisions\/4779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4753"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}