Watching the performances of three outstanding musicians at Mondavi Center last night was a little bit like choosing dessert -- I may love creme brulee, cherry cheesecake and Haagen Dazs Rocky Road, but I don't necessarily want all three on my plate at one time. Mondavi presented Guitar Blues, an American Heritage Series event.
First up on the playbill was Ruthie Foster, a dynamite blues and gospel singer / guitarist from Texas. Beautiful, soul-searching vocals, touched by an angel and fuel powered by a rocket engine, Ruthie was the cherry cheesecake, every bite delightful, that if left to my own devices would make me want to eat the entire cake. It's no wonder Ruthie won the Austin Music Award for Best Female Vocalist in 2008.
Next, out meandered Jorma Kaukonen, appearing confused. He was interviewed by the Sac Bee last week. When asked about the 1960s -- he was a founding member of Jefferson Airplane -- he appeared reluctant to talk about those years, and instead dismissed that discussion by noting the 1960s was a long time ago. I snorted to my husband when I read that, "Oh, criminy, it was only a few decades ago." My husband replied, "Yeah, I wasn't born yet."
I was blown away by his finger-picking, guitar-singing style and masterful command of his instrument. He was definitely the creme brulee. Jorma wore faded jeans, boots, a black turtleneck and sport coat. He had a neatly trimmed beard, white hair and sported perfectly positioned glasses. He's 68. But hearing him sing tune after tune about "baby come back," seemed a bit silly for such a serious musician at his age. Musicians such as Kris Kristofferson or Willie Nelson can pull off those types of numbers, but when Jorma sang, he may as well been talking about a baby on all fours crawling out of reach instead of a woman. Maybe his great grandchild. It seemed out of character and was lacking the pain, the lust and the passion.
But then the Robben Ford band hit the stage. This was the Haagen Dazs Rocky Road treat that woke up the audience. I could eat the entire container of ice cream and not feel the least bit guilty. One of his numbers was about begging a woman to let him come back. I can bet you that every woman in that Davis audience over the age of 40 thought to themselves, "Hey, if she doesn't want you, come sit over here."
The guy in front of me stuck his fingers in his ears during Robben's tune, Supernatural. A finger in each ear. I thought about kicking the back of his chair but then decided that perhaps this guy just came to the show for the creme brulee. We all have our preferences in music.
Well, I must be off to take a listing in Tahoe Park today. Check out these musicians' web sites, though. I'll bet you'll like each of them.
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, coming June 2009.
Photo: Mondavi Performing Arts Center in Davis, CA, Big Stock Photo
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Elizabeth Weintraub is an author, home buying columnist for The New York Times-owned About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout Sacramento. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you. DRE License # 00697006.
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, available through bookstores everywhere and at Amazon.com.
Photo: Unless otherwise noted in this blog, the photo is copyrighted by Big Stock Photo and used with permission.
The views expressed herein are Weintraub's personal views and do not reflect the views of Lyon Real Estate.
OK, I didn't really fall asleep, I just felt like I was sleeping or perhaps wished I was sleeping, all snug and warm in the comforts of my own multi-cat infested bed instead of sitting at Mondavi Center in Davis to see the Punch Brothers. That's not to say the Punch Brothers are awful, because they have tons of talent, mountains of talent, Grammy-awarded talent bigger than the state of California, but they don't put on a spectacular show.