Merci Bien, Jessie Torrisi

When I received this disc, it touted Jessie Torrisi as some who played in some NYC bands (Unisex Salon, Laptop, Les Fleurs Tragiques) that I wasn’t familiar with, so I didn’t have any expectations as to what this album would be like. Well, actually, I wasn’t expecting much for this “mystery disc”, but I am happy to report that Torrisi has fashioned a terrific little solo debut (“little” in the sense that it’s a concise 8 song disc that runs just over 30 minutes) with "brujer, brujer."
Torrisi is something of an alt. folk-rock chanteuse, for lack of a better term. Take the marvelous leadoff track, “Hungry Like Me.” Torrisi’s captivating search for someone compatible with her deftly mixes twangy elements (pedal steel) with plucky keyboards (my copy of disc didn’t come with credit list so I’m fishing a little for specific instrumentation).
Love is a common theme throughout the disc. “X In Texas” finds her essaying a busted relationship – one where she wants to “just unbuckle me from you.” It’s another song that boasts a strong, although subtle arrangement, as it well utilizes some subdued horns along with a slide-y guitar line.
Torrisi goes back on the love offensive with “Cannonball.” It’s a jaunty, near-jazzy number that showcases the beguiling way Torrisi sashays around a song. Near the song’s end, she chooses to sing the work “explode” softly, making it all the more effective. “Runaway Train” is another standout track, both with its powerful, percussive arrangement and Torrisi’s emotive singing, which resembles an arty roadhouse version of Chrissie Hynde.
She exudes a playful bittersweet quality in the troubled relationship tune “Stormy Clouds,” which also displays her knack for phrase-turning. She’s particularly adept at using strong natural imagery – in this song, there’s a radiant line: “everything you love bursts into flames”- that reflect her dealings with relationships and love. Moreover, song titles like “Runaway Train” and “Cannonball” reveal a certain physicality to her songwriting, which also works well with her song’s looks at love.
After the sultry soulful “So Many Miles,” the disc wraps up with her most emotionally direct tune, the spare, piano-based “The Brighter Side.” This survivor’s tale is a stirring, and ultimately uplifting, number suggests a more laidback Michelle Shocked (in her gospel mood).
In “Runaway Train,” Torrisi sings: “what’s it going to take to get your attention?” With this thoroughly impressive debut, she certainly has created an attention-grabber. One of the joys of receiving mystery discs is when they turn out to be surprising delights, and "bruler, bruler" is one of the surprisingly delightful discs.

Hail, Hail the Ash Grove

Over this past weekend, UCLA hosted a big, old 50th anniversary tribute to the legendary local music club the Ash Grove. The Ash Grove was, in its 60s heyday, an epicenter for music and social consciousness in LA. Head Grover Ed Pearl booked a wide variety of what is now called roots music: folk, country, blues, etc, etc. His club, which was located in a less-than-trendy spot on Melrose Ave, was seen a special place by many, although others didn’t share this feeling (the club was firebombed several times). While its doors have long been closed (expect for a brief revival in a different location in the mid-90s), it is still fondly remembered.
While I didn’t go the big evening shows, I was able to make it over to the campus on Sunday morning and drop in on a couple of the closing free shows. Sunday morning started with a gospel concert that opened with Eddie Kendricks (the LA gospel pianoman not the late Temptations singer) leading some singers from his church in song. The fabled civil rights group The Freedom Singers then performed several stirring songs including We Shall Not Be Moved. Pharaoh Sanders vocalist Dwight Trible showed off his tremendous voice along with his uniquely expressive performance style. Then Michelle Shocked came out and did some songs, including a soulful rendition of the Band’s The Weight, along with telling some tales in her own humorous way.
I then slipped across the hall to another finale show in another auditorium. This early afternoon’s bill was topped by Taj Majal and Ramblin’ Jack Elliot. I was hoping to catch one of them in the 90 minutes that I could stay. I was thrilled when Taj Mahal, resplendent in a white suit, came out first and performed some blues in his own unique style – starting with Baby, Please Don’t Go. After a nice little set by bassist Laura Love, out came Ramblin’ Jack Elliot. He certainly lived up to his name; he was quite rambling indeed. But in charming albeit irascible way. His brief set featured Louie Jordan’s Salt Pork, West Virginia and Dylan’s Don’t Think Twice it’s All Right.
It was interesting although not that surprising that the audience at these shows seemed like survivors from the Ash Grove’s era. It might have been nice to see a few more younger faces getting exposed to this historic event (maybe there were more youngsters at the nighttime shows). But maybe it all seemed too "kumbaya" for the kids.