MUMBO JUMBO SEPTEMBER 2015
FROM SUMMER TO AUTUMN
Happy September 1st from the coast of Maine, where the first cool winds of autumn seem to be in a tug of war with the waning 90-degree days of summer. Of course we know which will eventually prevail, but a delicious time of the year in New England to be sailing.
I want to thank all of you who came out to see us perform this year on the summer tour. The 51 shows and 20,000 miles across 35 states coast-to-coast went by like a breeze, and I’m already looking forward to next year’s tour. I feel incredibly fortunate to have such a great group of friends and fans across the country. Without you, I would not have this wonderful job of troubadour.
September brings my annual acoustic tour with Peter and Brendan Mayer (more on that below) and then a few more shows down the east coast before sliding into Key West to perform at the Smokin’ Tuna Saloon on October 12th.I spent some time on Martha’s Vineyard after my last show of the summer at Flatbread last week. Owned by my friend Jay Gould, this great restaurant/music venue has a strong musical heritage as it was formerly Carly Simon’s Hot Tin Roof. Her brother Peter Simon’s wonderful photographs of the many artists who performed there adorn the walls, one of my favorites being of John Belushi playing drums.
MARTHA’S VINEYARD
Even though the ferry terminal to the Vineyard was less than 150 miles from my sleepy childhood home of Penacook, New Hampshire, it seemed a world away when my only mode of transportation was my feet or a bicycle. I was first exposed to this island off the coast of Massachusetts when my mother returned from a weekend visit with a book of photographs, which I gazed at endlessly. To a teenager, this place seemed so distant and exotic. It was also the setting for notorious events, from the Chappaquiddick incident to James Taylor and John Belushi taking the music and comedy world by storm; and later as the location of blockbuster movie Jaws.
When I finally got my own car in 1972, it was the first place I drove to. I’ve returned either by ferry, airplane or sailboat almost every year since. The Clintons notched up the Vineyard’s exposure with numerous trips, and the Obamas have now vacationed there a half-dozen times, but aside from some traffic snarls in the three main towns and an occasional speeding motorcade, much of the heavily wooded island remains quiet and unspoiled with lots of out-of-the-way, empty beaches to explore.
I had a pleasant encounter with a couple of friendly Secret Service agents at the little gym I go to, as the First Lady was also working out there, and the next day, while out on my bicycle, I saw the President playing golf. That was less relaxed because the hole he was playing was right by a busy road and therefore a security team’s nightmare, but still an unusual sight given the dangerous world we live in. That evening, we all headed over to Flatbread to hear a great band, and who jumped on stage to sing a couple of songs but Carly Simon with her son Ben Taylor! What a wonderful way to end the summer.
MAYER, KIRBY, MAYER ACOUSTIC TOUR with GARY GREEN: SEPTEMBER 11th – 19th
For several years now, Peter Mayer and I have cleared our schedules in September to tour together for a week or two on the east coast with just our bag of songs and acoustic guitars. Son Brendan Mayer joined the lineup three years ago, and this year we have added harmonica player extraordinaire Gary Green to the group. Gary and I have played music together in various forms since high school, and he has often joined Pete and me onstage in the last 25 years. Gary played with us at the Smokin’ Tuna last March, and his playing was so magical we convinced him to join the tour.
We kick things off in the northeast at the Star Theatre in Kittery, Maine, on September 11th and then go on to the Baha Brothers Sandbar Grille in Taunton, Massachusetts, on the 12th before heading to the legendary Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, New York, on the 13th and Sandi Pointe Cafe near Ocean City, New Jersey, on the 15th. These are all intimate venues of around 200 seats and close to selling out, so I would urge you to get your tickets in advance.
On Wednesday, September 16th we play a very special concert at the Paramount Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia, to benefit the Robin and Mani Legacy Project. For those of you not from the Charlottesville area, Robin Aldridge and her daughter Mani were two of the warmest and kindest people to ever walk the planet. Last year they were victims of a crime so horrible and senseless that it shook Charlottesville to its core. Gary, Peter and I were all close to Robin and Mani, and if those of you near Charlottesville can find time in your busy schedule to attend this concert and support the memory of these two friends, we would be grateful beyond words. Terry Allard, a wonderful singer/songwriter and close friend of Robin and Mani, will host this special evening.
On Thursday, September 17th we head south to perform at the historic Turnage Theater in Washington, North Carolina, a new venue for us; and Friday we return for the fourth year to play a benefit for the Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center in Haymarket, Virginia, where we’ll be joined by Jim Mayer. We finish the tour in Annapolis on Saturday the 19th at the Annual Boatyard Beach Bash to benefit the Annapolis Maritime Museum. Also on the bill are John Frinzi, Michael Utley and Doyle Grisham.
SCHEDULE:
9/11 – Star Theatre, Kittery, ME
9/12 – Baha Brothers’ Sandbar Grill, Taunton, MA
9/13 – The Stephen Talkhouse, Amagansett, NY
9/15 – Sandi Pointe Coastal Bistro, Somers Point, NJ
9/16 – Paramount Theater, Charlottesville, VA
9/17 – Turnage Theater, Washington, NC
9/18 – Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center, Haymarket, VA
9/19 – Annapolis Maritime Museum, Annapolis, MD
9/26 – Margate Fall Funfest by the Bay, Margate, NJ
9/27 – Big Owl Tiki Bar, Grasonville, MD
10/10 – Tropical Point, Weeki Wachee, FL
10/11 – Limin Place House Concert, Stuart, FL
And for those you planning trips to Key West in the coming months, SMOKIN’ TUNA DATES OCTOBER TO DECEMBER ARE NOW ON THE WEBSITE!
Enjoy September and I hope to see you soon.
Thanks for listening!
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