If youve followed me on any of the social media networks I participate in youve no doubt been aware that I am a big advocate of Pokey LaFarge. Im not getting compensated for it, though it might seem like it. I just see him as this musician that is exceptionally talented and rare, who has a unique sound thats willing to work hard to get somewhere in this world. Hes on almost a non-stop tour schedule now with his band, The South City Three. I wont go into detail describing his sound you can hear it for yourself in the video, but I have gotten to know Pokey personally and I can tell you that his slight frame is packed with southern charm, the relentless drive of a wallstreet tycoon, the mischevious spirit of every class clown youve ever known, and, what seems like, one very old soul.

Fred Friction is one person that everyone in St. Louis seems to know. Hes known mostly because of his long time proprietorship of Fredericks Music Lounge on the South Side of the city, which had a reputation much larger than the little room it occupied. A room that will live on in the memories of all the musicians, artists, raconteurs and misfits who called it their home away from home. The man himself also made a name for himself as a musician and as a member of several bands through the years. Hes definitely good people, as they say. A character that adds color and warmth to any room he occupies.I had this idea to do one of these sessions on the tiny little electric kiddy train at City Museum for a while. I wasnt sure who would be right for it but I knew it was something I wanted to do. And when I was looking for other people for sessions and I thought of Fred, I knew that he would be prefect for this. Here he plays a parody of the Johnny Cash song, Folsom Prison Blues, Freds version is called Ice Cream Truck Blues, Written from the point of view of a kid who always hears the ice cream truck in his neighborhood but it never comes down his street. He also did a second song for me Everybody Gotta Get They Dime performed, appropriately, in front of the bank vault door on the second floor of the museum.

You know, I really have no idea when I first met Sunyatta. That line of when I knew of her and when I actually knew her is kind of blurred for me for some reason. I do know that I have admired her from the first time that I saw her perform. And in getting to know her personally over the years I have always found her to be as sweet and charming as her face and voice suggest she might be.Sunyatta is a member of the Helium Tapes, a band that is on the cusp of releasing their first recording. But the logistics of bringing in the entire band at this very moment wasnt particularly easy. So we settled on a solo performance of songs she wrote that dont fit particularly well in the Helium Tapes repertoire. I knew she had done some solo performances in the past. One that particularly comes to mind is an occasion that she played a country set on the patio of the Royale (a popular southside tavern). The thing that stands out in her solo performances is that you can hear the nuances of her voice and phrasing that you might not appreciate so much when she is leading a rock band. And while I really love the Helium Tapes as a band. I really would like to hear her more often in a low key environment like this. By the way I should mention that Sunyatta is accompanied here by Brandon Mason the keyboardist for the Helium Tapes.She had a bit of trouble getting through this song on this particular night. Im not sure why. Maybe it was the camera, as sometimes cameras make people nervousthey make me nervous. In the end we finished recording these songs, and while they arent perfect, I think you too will appreciate what a gem Sunyatta is.

If you ran into the Rum Drum Ramblers on the street you might mistake them for typical hipster kids looking for a good time. Well you would have the looking for a good time part about right, but these hipster kids are anything but typical. Theyre a group of very talented musicians who play old time blues with just a touch of ragtimemost certainly NOT hipster music.It seems like Monday nights have been the time most convenient for all involved to record these sessions. So here we were on yet another Monday night at City Museum looking for a room to shoot in. I originally had the idea that they ride on the miniature train on the 3rd floor, but one look at the tunnel it went through and comparing it to the upright bass they brought made it apparent that that wasnt going to happen. So finally we settled on the vintage hardwood bar in the great room leading into the architecture hall.These guys are certainly dynamic performers, so if you happen to get the opportunity to see them live, do. You wont be sorry.

I have a guilty pleasure. It's called Bluegrass. Something about it just gets me right about there and won't let go. Maybe it's the break neck speed that it's played or the singing fiddles or I just don't know. I really really dig it. The Monads arrived at City Museum just after I did. It was raining and really quite nasty out. Once inside they decided that they wanted to perform around the grand staircase that is at the heart of the museum. This particular staircase is indicative of the ascetic of the museum. Whimsical almost to the point of absurd. It's a good example of how the entire building has been made into a work of art. I haven't recorded a band in this series yet so this particular shoot had it's own challenges mostly in the audio department which I must say that Matt Giant the audio help on this project overcame splendidly. Oh, and I should mention that the Monads have a new CD out. I'm sure you could purchase one if you were so inclined (and asked nicely).

On the 4th level of City Museum is a exhibit of building ornamentation; terra cota, marble, concrete decorations the kinds you never see on new buildings. The stuff that normally ends up in a dump somewhere when an old relic of the past is cast carelessly aside in favor of something new and modern, and more often than not, of inferior character. City Museum has managed to salvage a few of these bits and put them on display so people can see how buildings were once built and how much care was put into even the facades. This is the space that Jason Hutto chose to perform for my camera.Jason is a veteran of more bands that I know. If the universe were fair and just he would be rich and famous. But he's not. He bangs away with his bands at night and makes a living doing something else. For most artists thats just as well. Wealth and fame aren't all they seem to be. What is important to a true artist is the work, if the work is good thats all that matters in the end. That we've made our mark on the world in even a small way.While Jason is a talented song writer in his own right, the song he chose to perform here is a song written about him, by someone else, for him, and about him. We should all be so lucky.