An Acoustic Set of His

An old teacher of mine whom I’d recently reconnected with had mentioned reference to a song by Lightnin’ Hopkins about the penitentiary that was, the saddest song he knew.  We’d spent most of our talk discussing hardbop and it caught me off guard.  I haven’t heard Lightnin’ Hopkins in years.  I’d had an LP of his I’d bought the same year this man had last taught me which, which is an acoustic set of his with the phenomenal harp player Sonny Terry which was titled “You Better Move Your Baby.” 

Well, it’s taken two or three weeks from that call that I finally threw on the album, which I located within Spotify under a different but distinct tune-title from the session “Rocky Mountain."  Parred down, finely balanced, his call and response with the harp calls out life as clearly as a Greek sculpture of the Trojan king Laomedon.  The next time I'm driving when I share music with my little one, perhaps tomorrow, I will let her play her BTS on the ride over to Poughkeepsie, but on the way back I’m gonna put this album on as loud as they’ll allow me.  Yes, sir. 

I read the first four pages of the Charles Chestnut novel “The Marrow of Tradition” this morning with yesterdays’ contacts still up in my eyes.   Stumbling along with Aunt Jane’s patois, I realized I must have missed some rather important detail, as the birth scene otherwise made no sense.   I removed the contacts and started over.  We’ll be in this world for the next good while, so it’s best to set off with a map turned up properly.  I flopped around the little bed in this room, considering the smell of magnolia and this tightly strung southern town of Wellington at the turn of the century. 

It is achingly beautiful outside and I know I ought to get some exercise In.  I’m gonna plant that sassafras tree today, as well.  But I am “monstrously disposed” towards sitting down right here and returning to Wellington to find out precisely how all this tension that is building will finally be released. I’ve got a few folks I need to share this book with the moment I finish it.



Saturday, 06/20/20