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DAY 2
The second day the lineup was much like the first, except for a few additions like Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina, Joe Satriani, and the legend himself - Taj Mahal.
Taj Mahal :: B.R. Cohn Winery |
Back for more, Lisa Loeb's "Do You Sleep?" won her the biggest applause and whistles of the morning, while "Whole Lotta Love" and "We Are Family" slowly led The Turtles into their classic "Happy Together." Mark Volman's hair alone is so golden, they should have received at least one Grammy. It was "So What" with Fred Tackett on trumpet that had Little Feat in and out of an extremely long and jammy "Dixie Chicken" - the best version I've heard live. The breeze scattered autumn leaves over the crowd as Loggins and Messina went into an appropriate tune "Same Old Wine."
I had no idea Taj Mahal was such a big man in person. As he takes his giant steps out on stage, his presence sparkles like his voice. His first notes echoed out across the valley, and before we knew it, we were all dancing. "Fishing Blues" is a Taj staple and a great sing-along.
Months before the concert, I was reading a book at the winery titled A Table for Two by Sharon O'Conner. It was then that I stumbled upon a transcription of a story told by Taj to a friend. Its title read "Taj Mahal's recipe for Deep Frying a Turkey for Horace Silver," and I was floored. So, when I was chatting with Taj backstage, I mentioned this book and his recipe. He responded with, "Oh yeah. It's the only way to cook a Turkey." I agreed.
Doobie Brothers :: B.R. Cohn Winery |
The Doobies were exceptionally tight the second day. I guess that stems from playing music together for 35 years. Honestly, I was a little bitter because they played the exact same setlist in the same order, but hey, the fans liked it all the same. "Black Water" had a particularly long finish. Laura Johnston, the teenager daughter of Tom Johnston, belted out a few deep verses for the finale on "Listen to the Music." The whole crowd was on its feet clapping and singing along. This was a time of unity and co-existence among family, friends, and fans; and it was all for a good cause. With every musician from the weekend on stage, this was the highlight of the weekend. Without love for the Doobies, where would we be right now?
The B.R. Cohn Winery more than doubled the proceeds from last year on the first day alone, and the second day's proceeds have not yet been revealed. After two days of hard work by everyone involved, this benefit production was a success. A good time was had by all, and we raised money to help those in need. I wish everyone in America would donate just one day of their wages to help the Gulf Coast. These are not just musicians - they are philanthropists. They know the importance of planting a seed and taking political action through music. It's inspiring to see people coming together, believing in the greater good, and standing up with wholehearted patriotism. This is rock history.
Late that night, I was still working when I saw Taj walking toward his limo. I called out his name and asked him to please wait one minute. He stopped and considered. It was really dark outside, and I'm sure he was ready to get going. But I had to ask "Please... I was wondering if you would sign the book I was telling you about? And look... I have a head lamp so you can read it and a pen all ready to go." So there I was, with Taj Mahal, holding this book open for him to read his story. As my head lamp beamed down on us and on this one very special recipe, I realized how lucky I was. As he read, he made some agreeable nods, and then, with his raspy voice and smile, he said, "How do I spell Ginelle?"
JamBase | Sonoma
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