A Travelin' Band

At least one of my loyal followers is expecting a concert review, so I will not disappoint her.

Tonight at Jones Beach:  Jackson Browne and Jon Fogerty.  Let me repeat that.  Jackson Browne and John Fogerty.  As if one of them wouldn't be satisfying enough!  Add a perfectly beautiful summer night, a venue on the water, a couple of dear friends and my daughter, orchestra seats . . .

Interesting that Jackson "warmed up" for John.  You know I'm a big time fan of Jackson.  (Did I tell you about the time I sat on the other side of his piano at Levon Helm's house and he looked into my soul?  True story.)  Jackson has a great band backing him, including lead guitarist Val McCallum, a talented and powerful performer.  The only disappointment in this "warm-up" act was that it included only 14 songs.  Of the hundreds of titles in Jackson's catalog, 14 songs just are not enough.  Needless to say, we were a tad disappointed at the end of his two encores and hoped that he might return to the stage later in the evening.

And then, after a short intermission, John Fogerty came out.  The next couple of hours were pure energy and amazement.  Fogerty is 69 years old, but he can put performers half his age to shame!  Tonight, he entertained us with 26 songs.  Yes, TWENTY-SIX songs!  He relied heavily on CCR songs, but after the anger and bitterness he experienced when that band broke up and his subsequent refusal not to do any of those songs again (even though he wrote them), it felt like he was not only owning his work again, but celebrating it.  And sharing it.

And what a Travelin' Band Fogerty has collected!  His keyboard player, Bob Malone, might be a bit of a ham, but his skill and talent more than allow him to be so.  He brought the house down with his performance on Heard It Through the Grapevine.  And Fogerty's drummer, Kenny Aronoff, was drop dead incredible.  Fogerty introduced him as "the best drummer in the world," and I'm not sure I would argue with that.  Just powerful.  On a different note, I'd first noticed that one of the guitar players in the band looked awfully young to be playing with these accomplished musicians, and then, when the back screen was showing pictures of a young John Fogerty, I noticed a striking resemblance.  I was right . . . the guitar player is Fogerty's son Sean.  Fun to watch father and son duel it out on guitar solos.  Sweet.

My favorite song?  (As if one could pick a favorite!)  Hot Rod Heart.  Yes, it's my favorite road song.  We can put the top down, listen to the radio . . . 

Oh.  Did Jackson come out again?  Yes, but just for one song.  Early into the set and wearing his glasses (ready for bed?), Jackson came out to duet with John on The River is Waiting.  Beautiful.

Oh, it was a perfect night.