Down On The Corner

By Paul Moffett

•MERF's Viva La Diva! show at Porter's on November 15 was quite an event, with more than forty women performers taking the stage(s) over the course of the evening. The audience was heavily skewed to women as well, including a strong contingent of folks from the GLBT demographic (primarily lesbian).

•The Jason Noble benefit at the 930 Listening Room on November 21 was a big success as well, with over an estimated three hundred attending. There were a significant number of musicians in the crowd for that show, as Noble [Rodan, Rachel's, The Shipping News] is figure of considerable respect in the Louisville music scene.

•These days, Jim James seems to be all over everybody's project, particularly compilation albums. He'll be part of a project from the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, titled Preservation, an Album Benefiting Preservation Hall and Its Music Outreach Program, along with Tom Waits, Pete Seeger, Merle Haggard, Andrew Bird, Ani DiFranco, Steve Earle, Richie Havens, Jason Isbell, Angelique Kidjo, Amy LaVere, Del McCoury, Buddy Miller and Paolo Nutini. Look for the CD from Fat Possum on February 16, 2010.

Dick Irby of Fox41 News retired last month. A solid supporter of Louisville music, Irby provided airtime for many Louisville performers on his Friday night Music Beat series.

•From our friend Ray Redman, we have this remembrance/party review of the wake for Mr. Fish:

"Pat Lentz, Jon Gage, Heather Drury Leoncini and various JJB (Juggernaut Jug Band) supporters orchestrated a farewell party for Steve Drury AKA ‘The Amazing Mr. Fish'. It was standing room only for the majority of the night at the Park Restaurant at Slugger Field. The rain didn't seem to dampen the spirits of the jugband fans.

"John Gage set up a humble PA and played a few songs. There was no speech, per Heather's request. She wanted a party, not a wake. There was only music and a celebration of Fish's life. A slide show of Fish's world played quietly in the background .

"Fish was informed of the seriousness of his health condition last Thursday, I believe. He spent a few hours with Pat Lentz and John Gage. A blood disorder and liver complications made his condition untreatable. He passed away Saturday morning."

•With the holidays approaching, it's time for a little bit less gloom-and-doom - which is in excess supply at the moment – so let me wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Splendid Solstice. We will soon turn the corner and the days will begin to lengthen again, reminding us all that Spring and warmth will return soon, though never soon enough for your humble editor.

CODA

Drury, G. Steven "MR. FISH," 59, died on November 14, 2009. The bass player for the Juggernaut Jug Band, he performed across the United States and in Canada as "The Amazing Mr. Fish" for more than 40 years.