Eva Cassidy, The voice of a angel.

[jaxson50]

If you have never heard her sing you are in for a treat, Eva passed away from cancer just 6 months after these videos where made at the Blues Alley, I never get tired of listening to her.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQuksPhbUMc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUwTdqPkluY


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3YVil3Ajjs


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3YVil3Ajjs

[B Vance]

A rare talent to say the least. There's just something so honest about her vocals. She will be missed.

[PeeWee]

Eva was nearly an unknown by most folks here in DC. A lot of the players in town knew of her, but it wasn't until she hooked up with Go-Go master Chuck Brown through her then boyfriend, Chris Biondo, that folks really started to take notice. Then she was diagnosed with cancer and was gone at a far too young age. It's sad that she never got to enjoy her success, but like a lot of other artists, she was never really appreciated until she'd left us. :( She was just a whisp of a little thing, but man, did she have a voice!

I remember one day about 7 years ago, I was in a local indy record shop and a woman was looking for "that CD by this new singer, Eva Cassidy". DC has some of the worst support for the local music scene of anywhere I've ever worked, so I turned to this woman and stated rather matter-of-factly, "New? You see this is the problem with this place. Eva had been here all along, it's just that folks like you aren't willing to help support the local musicians until they're suddenly the next great thing that everyone else is jumping on board about. Where the hell where you when she could have actually used the money? I think you're just a few years too late".

I hate this place, which is why I left town for 7 years and only then did I ever make any money with my music. Here I can't even get arrested, but guys like Sean Costello, Anson Funderburgh and the late Bill Perry dig my playing. DC used to be a place where everyone wanted to play, now most bands avoid this city like the plague and if they do come, it's to work the "arenas" or places like the Birchmere or State Theater. The club scene has disappeared gradually over the last 20 years and we're about to lose two more venues in the next 30 days. The hottest ticket in town now is a little blue collar joint located in a strip mall in Falls Church that holds 75 people and the owner is getting calls from folks as far away as Georgia to play there.

Georgetown used to be a virtual bee hive, now there may be 5 rooms; even Blues Alley is in trouble and due to the outlandish real estate taxes, they're seriously considering a move out of DC. My main gig is as guitarist with Catfish Hodge - formerly of the Bluesbusters w/ Paul Barerre and Chicken Legs with the guys from Little Feat after Lowell's death. Seven years ago, we had a rotation of 7 rooms; today we're scraping to find enough work. It's a rough time to be a musician in Washington.....

Rant over..............


* I should add, that the guitarist is the wonderful Keith Grimes in these video clips.

[B Vance]

Georgetown used to be a virtual bee hive, now there may be 5 rooms; even Blues Alley is in trouble and due to the outlandish real estate taxes, they're seriously considering a move out of DC.

Slightly off topic response, and then right back on topic...

My wife's family used to live in DC and some still do so I know far too well about the ridiculous taxes some people face there. The truth is that a lot of those places are worth more to the developers and owners who rent them out as strip shopping malls or ever parking lots than as a conduit for GOOD music. The same thing is happening in the Short North, a neighborhood in Columbus OH which is very similar to Georgetown believe it or not. One of the most revered venues in the city, recognized for bringing in fresh, unrecognized and lesser-known talent closed this past month because of that very thing.

It's a shame that so many venues with a dedication to such an experience are being closed.

Back on topic...
It's unfortunate that it took her death to legitimize her career and the same goes for other artists in the same situation. Her show at Blues Alley is so much more than any studio effort she ever put forth in my opinion. I think there's something much more "magical" for lack of a better term, about that type of music LIVE as opposed to studio. The same goes for similar artists such as Diana Krall and Norah Jones. Live performances are the way to go. It's almost like I can hear the dim lights, cloudy air and chill atmosphere of the venue on the album. That type of connectedness comes easier for me through a live recording.

[PeeWee]

Brian,

I completely agree with you on both accounts. There's nothing like the intimacy in a medium or smaller venue when you can actually connect with the very people who make it possible for you to work these types of rooms in the first place. When I toured, these were the majority of rooms we played. One of the best was The Bamboo Room in Lake Worth, FL. Incredible venue owned and operated by a first class guy. Another was Sydney's Blues & Jazz in Rehoboth Beach, DE; after so many years of dealing with politicians, she finally sold about 2 years ago and it hasn't been the same since.

I think that the saddest thing is that live music isn't the big thing that it was 20-30 years ago. It used to be an "event" to go out for a meal and drinks and catch a band. People looked forward to it. Club owners made it a priority of their businesses. With the tougher alcohol laws on the books, the sophisticated technology available for home entertainment and the advent of the internet, folks really don't have much of a reason to go out any longer and can have as much or more fun in their own homes. Factor in every "weekend warrior" band made up of frat boys and IT geeks who'll work for beer and $200 just to have a place to play, it takes work away from working musicians as well as lowers pay.

Sometimes I wonder just exactly why I still do this music thing; it's become more a pain in the ass than anything else. But then, when the first song of the night kicks off, and that sense of euphoria blankets you, it's all clear as a bell. :) Just listening to Eva here lets you know that it's about the love of music and not necessarily the attention, money or fame that goes with it, and that's why we all still do it.

[B Vance]

I think that the saddest thing is that live music isn't the big thing that it was 20-30 years ago. It used to be an "event" to go out for a meal and drinks and catch a band. People looked forward to it. Club owners made it a priority of their businesses. With the tougher alcohol laws on the books, the sophisticated technology available for home entertainment and the advent of the internet, folks really don't have much of a reason to go out any longer and can have as much or more fun in their own homes. factor in every "weekend warrior" band made up of frat boys and IT geeks who'll work for beer and $200 just to have a play to play, it takes work away from working musicians as well as lowers pay.

Another attributing issue is that these were the types of venues that many aspiring artists used to play. Now, aspiring artists don't necessarily have to play in order to get their name out. Like you mentioned, the internet helped that a lot.

Also, now record companies are able to make a CD with relatively untalented artists, and using various pro-tools wizardry make them sound world class. Venues like we're talking would expose any sort of short fall and eat such an "artist" alive. Very stripped down, no frills to cover up a lack of ability...

Great discussion on this topic.

[PeeWee]

Jeeze....don't even get me started on the "industry" and all the usage of ProTools. Sounds like we should open up another thread dedicated to the dicussion of Then vs. Now.