Postcards
June 28, 2000
Hybrids & Show Tunes
by Sam Shaber
Postcards is a journal of life on the road from Sam Shaber, written specially for readers of Harmony Central. Each installment will reflect on the trials and rewards of touring, as experienced by this New York-based solo artist.
If you drive west on Route 17 through New York, plunge into the Catskills region, exit at Deposit, and head north into the poorest county in the state, you will find a town called Walton, and a bed and breakfast called the Cup and Chaucer.
And if you happened to drive by this house on July 1, 2000, at about 7:30 in the evening, you would have seen me, in a blue tank top and green patterned skirt, performing out front for 25 attentive people in lawn chairs.
The Cup and Chaucer was purchased in 1996 by Traci Aquara and her husband, Bruce Massis. Over the past four years, they have undergone a labor of love, fixing up the eight bedrooms, naming each one with a different theme (Alice in Wonderland, France, Wedgewood, Colette -- named after their newborn -- etc.), and offering musicians a relaxing, catered weekend along with a small fee in exchange for a concert, thus building up an impressive roster of yearly performers and a solid reputation in Walton.
On my way to the C&C I did a live interview and performance on WJFF-FM in Jeffersonville, New York. WJFF is powered solely by the hydroelectric plant on the same piece of land. As I sang my songs and chatted with Mike the DJ, a call came in from Malcolm Brown, the designer of the hydro plant and founder of the station. He said he was enjoying the show and offered me a ride in his new Honda gas/electric hybrid car as soon as he could get there.
Malcolm Brown's amazing Honda Insight gas/electric car.
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My first instinct was just to head straight up the road to the C&C, but I soon found myself tooling around Jeffersonville in one of the first electric-powered cars available in America. He explained to me that the vehicle is mostly electric and gets over 65 miles to the gallon, which has made it possible for him to drive it home from Boston (a six-plus hour drive) on less than five gallons of gas. When we pulled to a stop, the car automatically shut itself off, turning on just as quickly when I put the clutch in to get going again. The electric motor was so silent it was hard to know when to change gears.
Beads in the Tip Jar
'"It's always good to do some show tunes," she said, "because you'll never get a whole group of people in one place that like your music."'
Later, upon arriving at the Cup and Chaucer, I was greeted by Traci and Bruce and baby Colette. As I was busy setting up and sound-checking out front, one of the guests at the C&C wandered by and we started talking about New York City and the music scene there. He was up visiting his parents in the house next door, but between 11 children they didn't have room for everyone, so he and his wife were at the Cup and Chaucer for the weekend. He went off briefly, returning with a demo tape of his band -- which, suddenly shy, he placed on one of the speakers. A guy of about 18 came up holding an electric guitar and asking about the show. (He carried that guitar all night -- perhaps hoping for an offer to jam!)
The Cup and Chaucer, a haven for wandering musicians and discerning listeners.
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As it got closer to seven o'clock, the lawn chairs began to fill up with guests, local families, and a great bunch of teenagers who are very loyal about coming to see me anytime I play in the area. It was nice having people there who could request songs of mine: I think that is one of the great moments for a burgeoning singer-songwriter; when you realize that people are really getting to know your music and that you can make them happy by playing it for them.
During the intermission, I moved over to the folding tray table by the front door to sell and autograph CDs. I was approached by Fanny Wallace, a little old woman, who had been sitting with her husband Harold in the front row.
"Why don't you play a show tune?" she said, "Make my husband happy."
Traci looked very embarrassed, but I started the second set with an a cappella version of "Someone to Watch Over Me." It was fun to have an excuse to try out a standard, though I had never realized it was so dated:
"I'd like to add his initials to my monogram. Tell me, where is the shepherd for this lost lamb?"
"You even know the A section!" Bruce admired.
A tip jar was passed after the show and the patrons did their part. The guy with the electric guitar didn't have any money but gave me a bracelet of prayer beads from the Re-Birthing Center up the road.
(At dinner later on, Traci explained that the Re-Birthing Center believes that everyone experiences immense trauma when they get separated from the womb and through certain breathing and meditative exercises, life can be improved. "Basically," quipped Bruce the cynic, "They believe your whole life is ruined when you're born, and then you die.")
Fanny Wallace was grateful for the show tune. She stood to leave after the show, and helped her frail husband out of his seat.
"It's always good to do some show tunes," she said, "because you'll never get a whole group of people in one place that likes your music. You know, you have to try to please everyone."
Ahh, life on the road …
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Sam Shaber is a solo artist who has spent most of the past three years on the road throughout the U.S. and the U.K. Her articles have appeared in Musician, Performing Songwriter, and Home Recording.
She is about to release her third album on her own Brown Chair label. For further information, visit www.samshaber.com.
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