Pure Joy

Last week was everything I had hoped for, and all I expected. But let’s start the story from the beginning.

Early in the summer of 2018 the Bellevederes (a killer R&B group I play keys for) was asked if we could come into the studio and lay down a track for Mary Prankster. Back in the 90s she was a Baltimore icon. I’m pretty sure I was in a band that opened for her in those days, but I can’t be sure. That was a lifetime ago. Needless to say I was very excited about the offer to get into the studio, and even more thrilled because that studio was Steve Wright’s WrightWay studio in Baltimore. At the time of the offer I hadn’t been in a studio for nearly 20 years, and it was WrightWay back then too. Steve’s the best engineer you’ll find, a great producer, and a real sweetheart to work with.

The session with Mary and the Belles went very well. She has an unbelievable ability to communicate emotion and to encourage people to dig deep into the caverns of their soul. The session felt powerful.

I stuck around to lay down an organ track after the Belles finished their tracks. Mary and I hit it off and she asked me if I’d return to do a few more overdubs on tracks that had already been recorded. Of course I said yes. During that second session she mentioned that she would have a couple of album release parties the following year, and would I be interested in being in the band.

That was a year ago. I knew the potential for this weekend the moment she mentioned the show. Mary is extremely organized, thoughtful, and future thinking. She’s a great marketer and she has a great product. Her songs are clever and catchy. The music on her new album is genre-bending and so well produced. What’s not to love?

So Thanksgiving week a team of “pirates” showed up at WrightWay for 2 nights of rehearsals to prepare for 2 shows. The band was killer from the first note. Everyone in this group is a great player, and the bar was high.

The Ottobar was a fun show, despite the bleed from the nightclub upstairs. But it was the Birchmere that capped the week. I’ve been to the Birchmere many times to see some of the greats: Ralph Stanley, Doc Watson, Phoebe Snow, Soggy Bottom Boys, Raul Midon, and a few others. It’s one of the nicest venues around. The sound is great, the food is great, and there’s not a bad seat in the house. Of course I didn’t know how well they treated the artists there. I’ve played some amazing venues in my life with some wonderful hospitality, but none like the Birchmere. The GM John came back and offered us the moon. The dressing rooms are gorgeous and the staff is so nice. They crew is top-notch so sound check was a dream, and I was given the Yamaha grand piano to play for the evening. What a dream.

Mary Prankster has some of the best fans I’ve ever seen. Playing a sold out show at the Birchmere to 500 people is one thing, but playing a show like that to fans who know every lyric, every first chord, who hang on every word of banter from Mary is an amazing experience.

This has been an amazing year for me musically. From jamming with Buddy Guy, touring half of the country, and multiple recording sessions. But the night at the Birchmere is something I’ll cherish forever. Thanks to Mary and all the April Fools for such a wonderful experience.