Zee and Lee(ann) -- Gypzee Soul!
The Queen of the Barn Dance, Leeann Atherton, is about
to go on a lengthy tour. No big surprise, you say -- after
all, she just released two brand-spanking-new CD's,
"Mama's House" and "Everyday Dream." But, NO! The
tour, which begins at the Hop Bottom Festival in
Pennsylvania and stretches to California and Oregon this
summer, will continue (with some interruptions) through
until November's WonderJam in Amsterdam (and who
knows where beyond there!), will feature Leeann and new
partner Zhenya Rock (Flying Balalaika Brothers, Red
Elvises, Zeegrass) in their new duo act, Gypzee Soul.
The band made its debut at the July 1st Barn Dance in
Leeann's own back yard -- seven rousing songs, all written
by Zhenya with Leeann helping on lyrics -- with Leeann
on vocals, shakers, and harmonica and Zhenya playing
balalaika, banjo, guitar, and bass balalaika (with his loops
working here and there as well). The most amazing thing
here is that Leeann is no longer the savvy soul and blues
singer from her longtime Friday night gigs at Maria's
Taco's -- she is a young chanteuse full of life energy that
belies the fact that she has two sons of considerable size
and increasing age and has labored as a teacher and done
other jobs for many years.
Must be the water (er, the rain that amazingly refused to
fall during the barn dance -- heck, the SUN made an
appearance during the Gypzee Soul set!). But what songs
-- and what joy this happy pair brought to their friends and
extended family. "Show Me In," "Time" (which you can
check out at the gypzee soul myspace page), "Lazy
Sunday" (well, it surely was! but what was that lyric about
slow down, here comes the rain -- that DID NOT
HAPPEN!), "Thank You" (nuff said), "Singing from the
Heart" (which is clearly what they were doing), "Musical
Capital of the World" (a tribute to Austin), and the
traditional gypsy song "Bedamonge Romale" with extra
lyrics supplied by our young lovers. "Time" in particular
reminds me very much of It's A Beautiful Day and songs
like "White Bird," with lyrics that included "time is a friend
of mine, I live it day by day".
It was Leeann's mom's birthday, and she was supposed to
be making her first barn dance, but bad weather in Dallas
meant a cancelled flight -- so we had to eat the cake
(prepared by a real French chef) without her. Hopefully,
she was able to catch the show on the live video feed. Also
performing at the barn dance were Kim Deschamps and
his band, the Shelley King Band, Django Porter in a band
soon to be known as The Spell (which includes Sick on
violin, Pickles and David Moss, and the Meeks brothers
and more and which will be playing at the Hole in the Wall
next week), and John Hogan and the Southside Stompers
(featuring Washboard Judy on, well, washboard, Bulldog
Lowery on giutar, Danny on snare, and Mary Jo on fiddle).
Peace,
Leeann
www.leeannatherton.com
http://www.myspace.com/leeannatherton
www.fullmoonbarndance.com
http://www.myspace.com/fullmoonbarndance