Casey Pons
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A Few Words About... Big Top
There are CD's when you hear them for the first time that request your attention, the separate cuts run their individual courses, and finally subside and life goes on.
And then there is... "Big Top" This labor of love begins with,"Lucia's Song" and won't let you go once she has you in her grasp!
This Opening Act is a thing of beauty, from the very first glide of that hauntingly beautiful bow across the taut strings of that fiddle, while David's soulful vocal introduction (as well as Mandolin, Electric Guitar, Bass, Accordion, Organ, Piano, Brushes or most any inanimate, or otherwise, object left to lay in his presence for an extended period of time) invites you into his heart with this musical expression of love for this, "Golden Lady" of his life, as he wills you to come along and share the journey "In Posey-In Posey." This is (I believe) the closest to divine musical intervention I have been witness to in a very long time (quite possibly ever). The more one allows this galactic expanding production to manifest itself into your chemistry, the firmer the hold the entire effort will have on you and your moral constitution. It took me two days just to get beyond Lucia, as she is an image so vividly painted you don't want to say,"So-Long," just quite yet, if in fact ever.
But once you loosen that rein a scosche and let her run... What rewards are in store for you under the,"Big Top."
Once able to navigate further, is "Be Reasonable." Guidance your Mother always carefully advised you as a younger man and that,"Lady Fortune," always has a winking eye and a easy mind awaiting you down the trail a piece.
Next Act, for the searching of your being, is the humble but lovingly refrain of, "You Belong In Pearls Tonight," sincerely informing your one and only love of life, what she (is) worthy of... if only you could afford, to adorn her with, but alas, this tune is all you have to humbly offer up.
Followed dramatically by your last words of guidance to your only son and," Rise Up Elijah" take the underground journey North for another chance at the life you deserve, and one day you, your mother and I will all be together once again on the other-side of high cotton.
And just in case you didn't think, "Love in the Hard Times," was possible, Johnny & Jackie will set you straight with their observations of life in low places, with her casual glances in your direction while you wait for the spin cycle to complete on those pants before the next go round of life leans on your weary mind & bones, once again.
With the gentle reminder of love and the subtle tale of,"This Echo Life," which confronts the pain of letting go, and returning to where you started, for another un-chartered journey of love, in another place in time.
The mending muses of "Coming Apart" cuts so deep to the heart & soul by exposing the naked truth two people have shared, with their moral convictions of Life, Faith, Music and the consequences of choice in life unknown to the less-forgiving masses of the outside world where anything's possible, but highly improbable, and now it's time to reflect over a simple cup of tea, and all those songs of innocence your Grandma used to soothe you as a child, all the while slowly reconstructing your being by her mending songs of love. I'm particularly fond of the continuous knocks of reconstructing throughout the song, as if to slowly make one,"whole again."
All this poetry, and surrounded by a plethora of Texas' finest musicians; Tom Benton (Upright Bass), Richard Bowden (Fiddle), David Breeding (French Horn), Kullen Fuchs(Keyboards Extraordinaire), Lloyd Maines (Pedal & Lap Steel Guitars), Brady Muckleroy (Fretless Bass) Dany Wynn (Drums,Percussion,Keyboards) Whit Williams (Electric & Classical Guitars) and Larry Schooler (additional Keyboards), last but not least, Betty Soo (Harmonizing Vocals) and the Kitchen Sink... as itself.
In summary, these are the only acts The Ring Master has allowed into my town as of yet, but there is a whole other Big Top CD awaiting my exploration(Vol.#2) when Vol.1 will release me from this adventure, while coming to a Center Ring in my mind soon... and yours too, if you allow the, "Circus of Life" to walk the "Tightrope of Introspection," David & Friends have so eloquently painted for your listening, and viewing pleasure in the theater of your mind.
Bravo, Mr. Lutes… Bravo!
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