Monday, 1/30/2012 Songbook

Okay, technically it was a Songbook. Our composer/lyricist, Benjamin Scheuer (do your own internet searches) had a satirical comedy, Jihad! The Musical mounted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and in London.

We didn’t hear that music. We heard something much more personal; the songs from an upcoming album. Yes, album! On line and on vinyl (I’m not making this up, you know!). And when it’s on line, you’ll be able to download it for free. (That’s more tech-speak than I’ve posted in my entire blogging history.)

Anyhoo, the music. The Bridge—title song and title of the work. A three-pronged approach, involving the bridge seen from the window, bridge with family, and bridge with Significant Other (if I’m remembering correctly).

All of the songs were intensely personal—Mr. Scheuer’s father died when he was young, and Mr. Scheuer himself has battled cancer during this past year, though he’s in good health now, plus (we learn via his writing) he’s gone through some personal relationship angst over the past several years.

His music, to me, is a bit of the ‘coffee-house-folk-guitar’ style—short declamatory phrases, a little choppy but heartfelt. There was a bit of sameness to the presentation of his work on Monday, ably assisted by Geoff Kraly (bass/synthesizers) and Jacob Sacks (piano). He did mention that the album/upload/download would include quite a few other instruments, which might fill the sound a bit. “Never Lasts That Long” is apparently available on line now, though I haven’t tried accessing it.

From the Set List, I particularly enjoyed the last piece, “The Lion.” It had some repetitive angst-ridden refrains, but finished very strongly (fitting for a cancer survivor) with “It’s not the roar that makes the lion, it’s the pride.”
Fitting, indeed.

ConcertMeister