Lincolnville, Maine – 2015

Please accept my apologies for the delay in posting this. My show on Saturday, August 8th was in Lincolnville, Maine at the Cellardoor Winery. What a wonderful run to the state of Maine this turned out to be! I’m always talking about the importance of finding new audiences, listeners, and friends, and this surely was a wonderful epitome of that phenomenon.

I can count on one hand the number of times that I’ve been to Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts (not counting visits to Boston), Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Aren’t you surprised to find that Al Jarreau has only been to this group of northeastern states in America less than 6 times? Well, I’m surprised!

Of people, audiences, and observers in general in the US (and maybe the world), this is a unique group of people. They really value the classroom and education. Some of the finest teaching institutions are geographically clumped together in that region.

I’m getting real self-conscious and trying to be really careful of the snobbishness that these folks are often accused of, but I will risk it. Because whether it’s Sunday School, Hebrew School, the physics classroom, it is learning that is the answer to everything. You can learn to read and even put a man on Mars ten years from now. You can build a rocket ship to the moon or learn to meditate with Siddhartha Buddha.

So you can imagine my surprise when a 40+ crowd was immediately down front and dancing. And they did it all night long, right through the ballads.

The Winery usually puts on between seven to nine concerts a year, but our show was the first of the “Live in the Vines” concert series. Our show was the first time they had three acts in one day. Bettina Doulton is the brains and engine behind this series. Additional, she supports the Children’s and Women’s shelter and Habitat for Humanity. Now, that’s my kind of enlightened owner and operator.

We played on what was a temporary stage that was set up in a big open field. About 150 yards wide and under 50 yards deep. Starting mid way back, there was a semi circle of tents surrounding the stage. They had great pizza, ice cream, and other food available.

The opening acts were Spencer Albee and Federick Yanet. Spencer Albee played some exciting renditions of my favorite Beatles songs. Frederick who played harmonica, sang, and went down front amongst the people and had them moving and grooving. Then right before we our set during the changeover between bands, there was a brief acoustic set. I loved hearing him sing Paul Simon’s iconic song “You Can Call Me Al” just before my entrance to the stage. I didn’t catch the performer’s name. If you were there and happen remember his name, please write to me on Facebook or Twitter.

I am, in fact, very flattered to have been invited to participate in this very young music series and play for this audience who is not overrun with hundreds of artists in a year. And I think our strong performance have reaffirmed everyone’s faith and belief in this series of concerts way up there in Maine.

They were close enough to shake my hand AND my pants leg; they did so all night long. They sang every chorus, especially on “We’re In This Love Together,” “Mornin’,” and “Boogie Down.” They sang the melody and lyrics on “Take Five” and applauded for solos. You can’t ask for more than that; it was a wonderful surprise.

“Day-o” continues to be the surprise of surprises. And when we followed that with “Roof Garden,” that was the icing on the cake.

We met some friends of Bettina backstage, and I got to thank her for inviting me. We returned to the hotel for a short sleep and then a ride to the airport in the morning. Thank you, Maine.

Love,

Al