{"id":11198,"date":"2016-02-22T18:53:54","date_gmt":"2016-02-23T02:53:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cahighways.org\/wordpress\/?p=11198"},"modified":"2016-02-26T20:32:49","modified_gmt":"2016-02-27T04:32:49","slug":"its-hard-to-find-a-banjo-player-up-in-heaven-%f0%9f%8e%bb-stringawakening-museique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cahighways.org\/wordpress\/?p=11198","title":{"rendered":"It’s Hard to Find a Banjo Player Up in Heaven 🎻 “String\/Awakening”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"String\/Awakening<\/a>\"userpic=folk-guitar\"Those of you who know the Austin Lounge Lizards<\/a> know the lyric in the title:<\/p>\n

So gather round and raise your pleasant voices<\/em>
\nAnd play that gospel bluegrass, while you live<\/em>
\nIt’s hard to find a banjo player up in heaven<\/em>
\nThere’s some things that even Jesus won’t forgive<\/em><\/p>\n

Perhaps I should explain why I’m sharing the Lizards (as if one needs an excuse): Last night, we went to another event from the wonderful counter-cultural orchestra, Muse\/ique<\/a> (FB<\/a>). The event, called String\/Awakening<\/a><\/em>, was billed as follows:<\/p>\n

String instruments are magic machines born of an ancient mystical technology.\u00a0 When guided by master hands, these basic devices made of simple parts have the awesome power to change everything.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

A few inches of string becomes a thread that connects humanity\u2019s every story from Eleanor Rigby to Bach\u2019s Air on a G String.\u00a0 The handheld box is like a treasure chest that holds our common experiences and emotions \u2013 reminding us that we are all alike.\u00a0 And the bow is like a magic wand, conjuring in the listener a willingness to imagine the world differently. \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

With childlike passion for discovery, Rachael Worby and the musicians of MUSE\/IQUE will turn from the tuxedo clad safety of the concert hall to unleash the full and delightful fury of the\u00a0violin, cello , viola, harp, bass and more.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, the evening was a celebration of all things string. We had all sorts of orchestra strings on the stage: cellos, violas, violins, harps, basses. We had a cajon<\/a> (stringed percussion box). We had chimes… hanging on strings. We had a guitar used for percussion. We had drums with the head held on by twine.<\/p>\n

But that wasn’t all. We had tables with cats cradles, yo-yos, and string cheese. We had people spinning and knitting. We had a dancer who hung by a string. We even had a five minute speaker from Cal-Tech on String Theory.<\/p>\n

We had wonderful music that emphasized the strings:<\/p>\n