Jimmy Webb, The Riverrun Centre, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, October 1, 2005
"Ahhh, Jimmywebb!" That's how Richard Harris always addressed him.
Not Webb, not Jimmy, but always "Jimmywebb." And for years before the
invention of the internet, he was the only World Wide Webb around! The songs
he wrote were recorded by artists as varied as Sinatra, Nilsson, the 5th
Dimension, Linda Ronstadt, Art Garfunkel, Glen Campbell, and many others. His
songs were
known all 'round the world. He wrote hits. He arranged big sounds. This country
boy from the "one elk town" of Elk City, Oklahoma has been a practitioner
of some of the most sophisticated pop music in history. And last weekend
he was in the "one moose town" of Guelph, Ontario, in their showcase
theatre for a night of musical magic.
The sound man told us that Mr. Webb had arrived at 5 p.m. after a flight from
New Zealand. After that long on a plane, would he even be awake? More about
that later. Because, when you attend an event at Guelph's Riverrun
Centre,
you have to appreciate the theatre first. It is a beautiful small and intimate
venue, absolutely perfect for a concert like this. Wonderful sightlines and
a sound system that is warm and clear. They have a bar in the lobby that
serves several local beers, Sleeman's and Upper
Canada, among others. It's
a good
way to start the evening. Wind down from the drive up Highway 6 and prepare
yourself for the evening's entertainment.
The bell rings, and we take our seats. There is not a bad seat in this theatre,
but as I look around, I see many empty ones. Where is everyone. Don't they
realize that between the Australian tour, and the upcoming European tour
Webb is playing ONE show in North America!?! Here, in Guelph! The woman in
front
of me makes the same comment, as she looks back over her shoulder, "I
just don't get it," she opines.
The show begins with a set of smooth jazz by Diane
Nalini. Watch for her
name! She is a Rhodes scholar, a teacher of Applied Physics (at Guelph University)
and the owner of a set of the creamiest pipes you've ever heard. She learned
her craft, first by singing along with Ella Fitzgerald in her parents' living
room. She has been working on a project, setting the poems of William Shakespeare
to jazz backing. And it works!
Shakespeare's words fit right in, next to
Gus
Kahn & Walter Donaldson's "My Baby Just Cares For Me." She
sings "Sigh
No More," I think she said it's from The Tempest. She follows
that with her take on Tennyson's "Cradle Song." Then some Jobim, "Corcovado" sung
in the original Portuguese (the language of her grandmother). Another Shakespeare
song, with more "hey nonnys" than you've ever heard at a jazz show,
followed by "Blue Moon" (Rodgers & Hart) and "Billie's
Blues" (Holiday).
Nalina shows her Billie Holiday influence, singing behind the beat, and squeezing
meaning from every lyric. She is accompanied by the fluid guitar of Joey
Goldstein and the stand-up bass of Kieran Overs, both of whom feature on
several solos.
Nalina impresses with her fine scat-singing on "Billie's Blues." A
satisfying beginning to the night. The expectations rose!
After a few minutes on the balcony, watching the river run, we return to
the theatre, for Jimmy Webb. He begins with the opening track from his brand
new
CD, Twilight of the Renegades. He assures us that this album is readily
available, but efforts to locate it have found only import copies at premium
prices. The
opener "Paul Gauguin in the South Seas" is almost Sondheim-esque
in its wordplay and melodic invention. Webb is a delightful storyteller.
He has known them all. He describes his times with Richard Harris, claiming
that
being with Harris was like being in the presence of 'Satan." He says
this with a wink, and a grin! He reminds us "the thing about actors
is...they're always acting!" Then he sings "No Signs of Age," which
features the great line "...I'll pour you a glass of a good year..." He
tells of his adventures at Farm Aid when Willie Nelson coerced him into stepping
in for Johnny Cash. "You're all dressed in black anyway, nobody'll know
the difference!" He sings "The Highwayman."
He tells the story of Harry Nilsson, who said to him, "Jimmy, there's
only one thing wrong with your voice...it stinks!" Nilsson then said, "...and
there's no humour in your songs either!" Webb responded by writing "Campo
De Encino," which Nilsson thought enough of to cover. Webb sang new songs,
and some obscure classics, and he sang the hits as well. "Galveston," "Wichita
Lineman," "The Moon's A Harsh Mistress," "Up, Up and Away," and
more. Each song is done Webb-style. The piano is his instrument and he plays
beautifully. All the orchestration is hinted at in his powerful and melodic
keyboard technique. The songs might be taken more slowly than you're used
to, but they've never been more moving. Webb's voice is...honest, a baritone,
homely,
and he is not afraid to push it. He apologized for the inadvertent yodel,
but to my ears his voice just added to the message in the songs. Songs of
longing,
love, and humanity.
He finishes, and walks off. He answers the curtain call quickly and humbly,
and plays "Didn't We," a song Sinatra did. And then, he leans over
the keyboard and begins to coax a familiar strain. He begins with the second
verse...
" I recall the yellow cotton dress
Foaming like a wave
On the ground around your knees
The birds, like tender babies in your hands
And the old men playing checkers by the trees"
He sings about the cake, left out in the rain, and the old controversy raises
its head. Is this poetry, or gobbledegook? I can't answer that, but I do
know that "MacArthur Park" is one of the most powerful pieces
of pop music I've ever heard. It stirs us all, that night. We jump to our
feet
applauding.
He thanks us, blows a kiss, and disappears backstage.
The piano sits alone. Waiting in this empty theatre, for the next time
Jimmy Webb might drop in. I hope it's soon. What a night! "Aahhh!
Jimmy Webb!"
[To read a review of Jimmy Webb's Tunesmith, click here.]
