Published by The Rock River Times - June 23-29, 1999
| If
last weekend's Greater Rockford Blues Festival only made you want some
more good music, then Sunday's Cafe Espresso show made Borders Bookstore
the place to quench that desire.
Pistol Pete and F.M. Smith proved a satisfying treat to the blues-thirsty patrons visiting Cafe Espresso at Borders Sunday afternoon. What a cool and refreshing way to top off a hot weekend of the blues. On tap for the relaxed and friendly Father's Day audience included several original songs co-written by Pete and Smith. The mostly mellower selections performed ranged from the classic, rural genres of blues to the more modern, urban-influenced styles. The traditional sound of "Gonna Come a Day," written by Smith for Pete's album Loaded, became such a favorite, Smith told the audience he put two versions of it on his CD, Red Guitar. "Gonna Come a Day" features Smith's powerful vocals with Pete slipping in towards the end with some scat for extra flavor. "Michael Dances with the Buffalo," an instrumental piece written in remembrance of the late acoustic guitar great Michael Hedges, conveys the feel of travel. The song might make a good soundtrack for driving down Highway 61 (the Blues Highway) on its most famous stretch between Memphis and New Orleans. The song also features the folky, country elements of Smith's guitar style. Pete played flamenco guitar riffs, giving the music an ethnic flavor. According to Pete, his interest in the acoustic guitar and the associated styles of performance brought him back to his musical roots. "I love to play the acoustic. I learned to play on one. I've been studying different styles. My next CD, Full Moon, will be all acoustic." From Pete's bottleneck bravado on "Coming Back Home," to the string-slapping scale trip on "World Keeps Turning," Pete's guitar technique flows through, regardless of what ax he swings. The contrasting styles of Pete and Smith give their performance a noticeable edge. Imagine Jimi Hendrix and Stephen Stills collaborating on some tunes. By employing the gritty flash that grew from Robert Johnson to Jimi Hendrix's full-blown urban style, Pete earned a dual reputation
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for
the subtle as well by adding in the uncomplicated Stephen Stills/Joni Mitchell
rural approach to the blues. Both men support each song equally,
but they approach it from a different angle.
As the Cafe Espresso show drew to a close, Smith left the audience with a few confounding words of wisdom: "Walk in peace and remember to iron your face in the morning." F.M. Smith's newest CD, Red Guitar, and Pistol Pete's CD, the self-titled Pistol Pete, are available at Borders. Pistol Pete's upcoming CD, Full Moon, has no official release date. A Few Words with F.M. Smith Although F.M. Smith's name may appear unfamiliar to many local music fans, his collaborations with Pistol Pete make his words and harmonies recognizable to thousands of listeners. The duo began their partnership in 1991, when Smith caught Pistol Pete at an area gig. As Smith explains, "I met Pete at a rougher time in my life. I saw him playing, and I thought 'I'm writing songs with this guy.'" Several of their earliest collaborations are featured on Pistol Pete's debut album, 1995's Loaded. Smith sees stylistic alchemy as a factor in their successful cooperation. "I think Pete would agree with me, but there's a magic. The songs come out more special. It's different than when I write by myself." Smith's musical style blends influences of folk, jazz, and blues. Listing artists such as Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Joni Mitchell, and Michael Hedges as sources of musical inspiration, Smith's music centers on a deeply philosophical view wrapped up in vivid imagery. After three albums,
including his most recent, 1998's Red Guitar, Smith continues to draw new
fan
Smith readily acknowledged that he is able to do the work he loves because of the support he receives from Marilee Ciello, the woman he calls "my anchor." Four or five years ago, she bought a house in Park Ridge, where the couple now lives. Smith praised Ciello's work with a special education cooperative on the North Shore. "She's an incredibly important human being in that she makes sure that kids with special needs get whay they're supposed to get." It's difficult for Smith to describe his musical style. "Reviewers have said that it's sort of a jazzy, heartfelt acoustic type music," he related. Although he eschews the category of "folk music," Smith admitted that his music is "softer than pop music or rock 'n' roll." When he performs, Smith primarily sings songs that he has written himself. Selections by other songwriters are included if they "express what I would like to say, but express it better than I've said it," he noted. He'll also include some that "for some quirky reason, I just really love.' Red Guitar is comprised of original songs. The verses show that Smith is still concerned about the direction in which the world is spinning. That's evident in such tunes as "World Keeps Turning," where he writes, "Life can be so confusing. There is no black or white, but different shades of gray. Now it's hard to know what's right." What Smith does know for sure is that music is "what's right" for him. "Although I've been involved in several different careers in several different points in my life," Smith declared, "the music has always been something I've come back to. It's not that I'm so great at it. It's just that it's the only thing that I seem to be able to do well. I try and look at every day and every musical experience that I have as a gift."
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To order Red Guitar, send $14 to:
F.M. Smith
P.O. Box 1051
Park Ridge, IL 60068
