Three Girls And Their Buddy Showcased

The Beauty Of Simplicity

 

By John Voket

TORRINGTON — The bad news is, only those in attendance February 10 at the nearly sold-out Warner Theater were on hand to witness what beautiful simplicity “Three Girls & Their Buddy” brought to their only Connecticut stop to date.

The good news is, according to Buddy himself, this tour should continue in recurring segments for several weeks at a time into 2011, with the likelihood of at least a couple more local returns to the Nutmeg State before it all winds down.

In fact, what audiences are apparently seeing at this point is the fermentation process – a pick as you go, and damn the set list singers’ circle that was as much an entertaining talk show as it was a concert.

And talk they did. Fortunately, the in-between stories were nearly as entertaining as the music. Since these performers and songwriters have collectively worked with nearly everybody in the music business spanning four decades, there was as much fodder for conversation as there was for musical collaboration.

It was also this musical social network that spawned the Three Girls & Their Buddy concept, with Mr Miller being the uniting element, having worked with Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin and Patty Griffin as a session player, producer, backup singer or co-writer over the years.

While it was one of the more downplayed elements of onstage conversation, Ms Harris did eventually recognize her buddy who was back on tour two nights after his Grammy Awards performance backing the stars of that evening, those being Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.

Armed with just guitars and an array of hand-held rhythm instruments like tambourines and shakers, the foursome subtly underpinned almost 100 minutes of great lyrics and soaring vocal work. While most of the show was a round robin with each taking turns as lead singer, on a few numbers, when three or all four voices resonated together, it produced a joyful sound like none other.

Ms Harris kicked off the set with “Red Dirt Girl,” followed up with Ms Griffin’s homage to the Dixie Chicks with her take on “Truth No. 2.” Ms Colvin broke out her own “Diamond in the Rough,” and Mr Miller brought the circle full round with “Worry Too Much.”

Getting down to business, the group switched gears following a little chat with Ms Harris about the joys and sorrows of parents who continue to share their lives with their adult children. As Buddy picked a haunting faraway guitar lead, the “girls” put their soaring harmonies to work on “Love and Happiness:”

You will always have a lucky star

That shines because of what you are

Even in the deepest dark

Because your aim is true

And if I could only have one wish

Darling, then it would be this

Love and happiness for you

Griffin took the lead at that point, talking for a few moments about how Buddy Miller introduced her – a self-proclaimed lapsed Catholic – to gospel music after she began her research for a new album.

“First thing I know he sends me about a hundred songs and he tells me I’ve got to listen to them all to get a good sense of what real gospel music is all about,” Ms Griffin said with a laugh. Then, with a jangling guitar, she launched into her own interpretation of “Samson and Delilah,” practically bringing the whole house down with the first real uptempo number of the show.

Among other highpoints of the show were Mr Miller’s renditions of “Shelter Me,” and the Shawn Colvin-Emmylou Harris tribute to Tom Waits, “Hold On.”

Chatting with Mr Miller after the show, he discussed how this extended tour will end up providing an opportunity for himself and his three cohorts to showcase material from new musical projects each member will release over the next year and a half.

And after praising the beautifully restored Warner Theater during the set, even Emmylou Harris said she would love to come back to that venue, or to play for any Connecticut audience as appreciative as the weeknight crowd that turned out for the show that evening.

“Oh, we’ll be back to Connecticut, that’s for sure,” she said.

Good news, indeed!