Claudia Emerson & Kent Ippolito...

...were the featured artists playing to a standing room only audience in the Acoustic Roots Concert series at Liberty Town Saturday night. The happy combination  of Kent's musical composition and arrangements with Claudia's lyrical genius created an evening to remember. If you haven't seen these two perform you've missed a lot.

The first set was only Claudia and Kent doing primarily songs they had written and refined together. Kent began with an instrumental he said was entitled "Noctorina" and was inspired by a cat. As always his artistry on the guitar was masterful. They are working on a CD and I for one hope this song is included.

Claudia read a poem, "The Coldest Thing I Kept"  from her newest book of poetry and then offered it as a song that left some of the audience in quiet tears. They referrred to the first set as the sad set but it felt more contemplative and cleansing to me than it did sad. It was an invitation to share some emotional experience that one simply could not decline.

For the second set they were joined by Stuart Whitford and Henry Hubbard, who with Kent are the other two members of Stony Man. This set was promised as the one with some happy songs and true to their promise there were several "happy" songs including Claudia's rendition of "I'm An Old Cow Hand From The Rio Grande".  I must admit, though, to a fleeting thought of the cognitive dissonance of that line being sung by a Pulitzer prize winning poet. Stuart, Henry and Kent joining in on the chorus gave the number a feel of a 1940's radio live music show that was  absolutely wonderful.

The back story of Saturday night was the beauty and depth of the relationship between these two creative souls, so evident in the frequent eye contact between the two of them. The instruments were acoustic but that part of the experience was electric. I, for one, am looking forward to the next time I can experience their artistry with words and music.

Comments

[Ruth]

What a great review, Jim--is there a prize for review writing? If so, you'd be a sure thing; I second everything you said!

Musical evenings with Stu, Kent, Henry, and especially Claudia, are like house concerts to me--a nice gathering of people in your "home" to share in the deep experience of thoughtful lyrics and transporting music.

~ Ruth