Here’s the column from the Rapid City Journal. He forgot to mention the NWA, I’m sorry, but don’t sure him, please he’s as poor as I am!
Steve Thorpe – 693 words
Saturday night, driving to Deadwood to hear Norman Liota, I popped “Shady
Lady,” into my boom box. “Shady Lady” is the first CD put out by Custer’s
Jesse Hartpence; and it’s a good one.
By the time I got to Four Corners the road was dark beyond my headlights;
and there was only a trace of light in the western sky. “Shady Lady” was
beginning to haunt me. Part of the haunting was the fact that Jesse favors
minor chords. Part of it was her voice, which is clear, haunting in its own
right and has a vague hint of gravel in it. It weaves nice patterns around
minor chords. Part of it was a sense that this sounded like something; but I
couldn’t name what.
“Twenty Degrees Warmer,” track 6, had a distinct Grateful Dead feel to it:
but that wasn’t what was haunting me. Finally, the 12-string guitar on track
9, “A Dream,” recalled Andrea Potts, which reminded me the last time I’d
heard Jesse was at The Grind, before it closed last March. Though it was
clear to me Jesse had been paying attention when Andrea played, it also
completed the association game: Grind equals Indigo Girls. There’s also a
nice bit of acoustic guitar a la Jewel.
The things I like best about the album are Jesse’s voice, the range in
subject matter of her songs from young, yearning for love (“Twenty Degrees
Warmer” is a standout) songs through reminiscence of childhood in Hot Cocoa
& a Tear," to the anti-war sentiment of “Religious War,” the fact that the
songs are original enough I had to rack my brain for her influences, and her
steadfast refusal to write anything with a catchy, pop-radio hook. Fine job,
Jesse. Thanks.
You can hear a few of the cuts at http://www.Mp3.com/Jesse_Hartpence.html, or
contact Jesse about getting a copy of the whole thing at layli@excite.com.
She’ll be playing in the Hills this summer; and I bet she finds a following.
At BB Cody’s, Norman Liota was fantastic. I prefer to believe he’s getting
better all the time to having to admit that, perhaps, I forget how good he
is between the occasions I get to hear him.
SI2002 is upon us. Action starts next Friday at Common Grounds in Spearfish,
6-9. Saturday concerts are at the Back Porch in Spearfish, 1- 5 pm, and
Night City 6 -12 pm.
In conjunction with SI2002 and in celebration of National Poetry Month,
April, of course, The High Plains Writers of Rapid City are sponsoring a
Juried Poetry Competition with cash prizes totaling $100.
According to the press release, “entrants may submit one original poem of
not more than 50 lines. Submissions may be mailed to Rapid City Public
Library, 610 Quincy, Rapid City, SD 57701 Attn: Jason Walker. They may also
be emailed to jwalker@sdln.net with Poetry Competition as the subject line
and the text of the poem pasted into the body of the message. They may also
be turned in at the Reference desk of the Rapid City Public Library Attn:
Jason Walker. All entries should include the author’s name and address as
well as phone and email when available.”
The deadline is April 19. Late submissions won’t be considered. “Winners
will be announced at the Poet’s Coffee House April 26 at the Rapid City
Public Library.”
Check out http://www.blackhillsmusic.com/si2002 _index.html for the complete
schedule of SI2002 events as they develop.
There’s a comedy developing in Deadwood. In a series of hearings, poet and
ardent penny whistle player, Anna Martinez requested permission from the
City Commissioners to perform on the streets of Deadwood this summer.
According to newspaper reports, the commissioners see it as a liability
insurance question. According to Anna “The right of the people to own and
bear whistles shall not be impinged. When whistles are outlawed, only
outlaws will have whistles. We must blow the whistle on those who are trying
to take our rights away.”
Is it an insurance question, or the violation of her First Amendment rights
that Anna sees? I can see it both ways. Anna is contemplating civil
disobedience. This could get interesting.