Ear Full: PocoNotes ‘Nawlins and NEPA’

The North and South unite

PocoNotes presents ‘Nawlins and NEPA’

On Saturday, Sept. 15, Lackawanna County’s historic and restored Tripp House will be brought to life once again with the help of music lovers, musicians and PocoNotes.
The featured artists for this event are international and national touring musician, Spencer Bohren from New Orleans, and Ed Randazzo and Bret Alexander, two local artists who have joined forces to perform as a duo. The show will begin at 8 p.m. at the Tripp House, 1011 North Main Ave., Scranton.
Bohren has traveled thousands of miles on countless roads throughout North America and Europe playing his music, and he couldn’t be happier with this lifestyle. On the road with his wife as his touring partner, Bohren spends much of his days watching the landscape roll on by. “I think my windshield is like other people’s big screen T.V.,” he said. “I love watching the country. We will probably have been in 28 states before we get back home. We have this great gift of being able to check in with a lot of the country.”
Performing professionally since 1964, Bohren has toured Europe more than 100 times while also releasing 16 albums along the way. “My music takes its cue from all of the American great musical traditions; blues, country, folk and gospel. All that music that we all kind of take for granted, but is ours as Americans. I write songs with echoes within all of those areas. I get to sing for people and it’s really an honor.”
Bohren is looking forward to returning to northeastern Pennsylvania and the PocoNotes show. “They will hear some stories from my years on the road, from the people I’ve met and the places I’ve been. They will see a whole bunch of guitars, a banjo or two and the lap steel. They will hear some of America’s great traditional songs and they will hear some of my original songs. As far as any specifics, I won’t really know what will happen until I walk out on the stage; it just happens. Whoever the audience is has just as much to do with it as I do.”
Randazzo’s voice and lyrics, accompanied by Alexander’s guitar work, kicked off the festivities at this year’s Briggs Farm Blues Festival. Randazzo has the voice of an energetic soulful bluesman, while multi-instrumentalist Alexander’s ear for song crafting helps shape the duo’s direction.
They’ve collaborated on two CD’s, the most recent of which, Show and Tell, includes vocals by the vocal great Alexis P. Suter.
Tickets are $20 when purchased in advance at Duffy Accessories (218 Linden St., Scranton), or Nada & Co. (137 Wyoming Ave., Scranton) and at www.PocoNotes.com. Any remaining tickets will be available at the door for $25.
This evening of music is being hosted by PocoNotes, an organization that provides touring musicians and local musicians alike the opportunity to perform for an audience in a comfortable and intimate listening environment. PocoNotes has hosted 60 artists ranging from local musicians Pat Flynn and John Smith to Bluesman Toby Walker and photo journalist Jim Gavenus.