Who could be better on St. Patrick's day than Terry Cassidy and Pat McCune? No one! The fearsome duo had buddy Tom Naylor along on bass.
Terry is a session quality banjo player and guitar picker, and I mean Nashville sessions, and Pat plays both six- and 12 -string guitars and is one of the very best anywhere. If you don't have their CDs, shame on you. Terry's is called "Fishing and a'Pickin", and Pat's is titled "Earphone Stuff". After you've heard the title cut from Pat's, you won't want to hear anyone else play 12-string.
Both boys are strong writers and have great voices. You can see Terry at Sloppy Joe's every weekend. Pat isn't in town that much anymore, so you have to look.
Geiger Key Marina is a really cool place on the water with a really cool crowd, equipped with squirt guns. Cassidy and McCune were sounding so good people were applauding their sound check.
Pat has a million stories, all of them funny, none offensive.
The first tune has a travelling sound. Pat sings, `It's a long dusty road, "Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound". Both play six strings over Tom's walking bass. The repertoire is a combination of bluegrass and folk, wonderful sounding. They sing harmony. Pat's voice is lower. Tom adds harmony also to create a delicious effect. Pat gives us a St. Patty's day toast,"May you be in heaven long before the devil knows you've left the bar".
Steve Goodman's standard, "City Of New Orleans" was recorded by Arlo Guthrie. Pat makes it new again. The spellbinding sound of the guitars is thrilling. Pat sings, "Just put me down on a pallet on your floor". The picking is phenomenal. Terry and Pat trade off rhythm and lead. The ad libs between the two are hilarious. Other musicians have come to listen. Gary Chase, Taz, the Lost and Found and others pay close attention.
"Turkey In the Straw" is great fun. Allison Kraus would think she was in heaven. Terry and Pat read each others minds (and fingers) and play off what they hear. This is musical creativity before your eyes.
Pat tells a joke about a guy who has lost his body and is trying to get it back. It returns in peices slowly, but he goes too far, prompting Pat to say, "You should have quit while you were a head". Groan!
"Shoot the Moon" is an easy rolling tune. Terry sings "Brown's Ferry Blues". Pat picks pure country. Like many bluegrass tunes the song has an extra beat, reminiscent of Doc Watson. Bob Dylan anyone?
"Don't Think Twice" has all of us going. The audience is loving what they hear. This is laid back heaven on the water with great food. John Prine's "I Wish You Love" is fine. Terry sings "Jambalaya", bringing Hank Williams and Cajun sounds into the mix. This is dancing music straight from the swamp. "Cotton Eyed Joe" anyone? McCune says, let's do something off the eight track", holding one up. They're only ten dollars and come with a Buick"!
"That Was Then and This Is Now" is a great McCune original. Pat says he wrote it in Colorado for all who play music. It claims, "The rain came down while we played. The rain came down, but the people stayed".
Pat announces that even though it's St. Pat's day, "I'm not gonna do "Danny Boy" again unless I get really trashed"! It was a great day on the backside of paradise. The music was marvelous. Thank you, Traci.
Stay cool.