Leon Redbone at Hugh’s Room

Is this Yesterday?

As Utah Phillips said, the past didn’t go anywhere. Last night, Leon Redbone summed it up at Hugh’s Room here in Toronto, “Is this yesterday?”. Mr. Redbone lives in the character he created for himself close to 40 years ago here in Toronto.  As with Utah Phillips, at some point the character, the schtick ceases to be a schtick at all and becomes real life.

I remember seeing his early performances on Saturday Night Live back in the 70s and being captivated by this mysterious fellow who seemed to walk out of another time and recreate songs of a bygone era – my father called them chestnuts – supported by  mumbled comments, a natty outfit, usually with bow tie and panama hat, and a voice that sounds like it has been through it all. And then On the Track came out. I had it on vinyl and I was so excited by it. I can’t even explain why. I mean, he sang Poly-wolly-doodle. My father heard the record started singing along to all the songs. He especially liked “Marie…the dawn is break – ing, Marie” “Son”, he’d say, “Listen to that fiddler. He’s good. Sounds just like Joe Venuti.” I looked at the credits and oh my God it WAS Joe Venuti playing on the record. This was the first time I think that my father (43 years my senior) and I dug the same music.

Mr. Redbone has aged into his character. He must be around 60 now, and he plays those old chestnuts with the same affection he did back in the early 70s. “I haven’t been well”, he’d say. “I saw my doctor. He said take one pill three times daily (pause)…..you can’t do that.”

I hadn’t realized what a fine guitarist Leon Redbone is. He played some gorgeous licks throughout the night, accompanied also by Paul Asaro on the ivories. The real treat though was when Mr. Redbone mumbled, “How about some trumpet? Is there a Whitely out there with a trumpet?” Sure enough, Chris Whitely appeared from the crowd, pulled his trumpet from it’s box and accented the arrangements beautifully. When they played My Blue Heaven, I thought about my father singing “Just Molly and me and Baby makes three, we’ll be happy in my, blue, heaven” around the house when I was growing up. I knew the lyrics to that song by the time I was five or six years old.

I have to hand it to Leon Redbone. He’s managed to forge a career his way, playing the songs he likes the way he wants to hear them. He isn’t a voice from the past, he just recognized that the past didn’t go anywhere, it’s just over there…you just have to reach out, put on your hat, don’t forget your walking stick. Pour me a drink. This one’s in B flat. Sweet Sue, that’s a nice tune. How does it go?