It’s finally happened – I don’t know what to write about. So, dear readers, instead of the cogent, tightly plotted and brilliant essay you’ve come to expect from this column, it’s going to be a rambling wreck of random thoughts, spilling out like salty tears on this digital page.
Songwriting is on my mind, for a couple of reasons. One, a friend of mine, Joe Clement sent me a CD of his songs he has recently recorded. I’ve known the Clements for quite some time, beginning from one jam session at their home on a New Year’s Day some years ago. It was a memorable bluegrass jam, partially because there was a piano player in the mix.
I encountered the Clements again, some years later in, a jam class in which I was a teacher. In it, I got to know Joe Clement a little better, and appreciate his musicality. I learned then, that he wrote his own songs, and these songs, rendered in Joe’s voice – which is markedly similar to Doc Watson’s had a certain something. But it’s hard to trot out originals at jams, so I really gathered more background info than deep insights.
Fast forward a few more years, in which I encountered the Clements more rarely than I would have thought, since they live only a few town away. So, it was a pleasant surprise to see an email from Joe recently, announcing a CD release party and concert coming up. He had a stellar lineup too, with noted bluegrass luminaries Keith Little and Jim Nunally. I contacted Joe, and offered him a slot at the monthly open mic/jam event I host in Martinez, but he couldn’t make it, but he offered to send me his CD.
You can find the CD on CD Baby – check it out, I think you’ll like it. It’s not bluegrass per se, but it’s grassy enough and it’s touching and thought-provoking. His CD release concert will be March 14th, in Crockett, CA – see http://www.sweetthingmusic.net for more info.
The other reason I’ve been thinking about songwriting is, I’ve been asked to participate in a Singer/Songwriter Showcase. Yeah, they took their time getting around to me – but there are a lot of very good songwriters around Contra Costa County (Lynn Quinones was one of the very first asked to participate), so I don’t feel I should been asked any sooner.
Now I’m digging through all the songs I’ve written over the years and trying to pick the best 12 or 13. I’m not a terribly prolific songwriter, and most of the songs I’ve written haven’t been played by anybody for years. That includes me, so I’ve had to relearn a lot of them. Talk about a humbling experience! Some don’t hold up, to be truthful. Others are pretty good, and I am glad they will see the light of day. Most of all, I’m grateful to have written enough of the darn things so I can perform 45 minutes of songs I can be proud of. See www.armandosmartinez.com, if you’re interested in cheering me on (or heckling me) on Monday March 2nd.
