Charlottesville, Virginia

ROCKIN chili at Bizou.

"Bizou" on Main St.

Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar

James Harris Moore

Meredith Watson

I feel a little tricked when I hear a really talented singer/songwriter and then find out that they come from a family of writers or in this case a son of one. So I'm thinking this young kid is a helluvu writer last night at this writer's night I stopped by (on my way to something else)! I finally did talk to him for a minute and found out that his father was a writer in Nashville. James Harris Moore was raised in Nashville. As much as Nashville can drive me up the damn walls at times, it can also make you a little more critical as a songwriter (or as a listener in my case). James was nothing like "country" but his dad (Hunter Moore) was a successful songwriter a few years back at Welk Music Group (bought by Universal, my ex-employer). Of all kids I've ever been around, regardless of their musical styles, they can really have a "leg up" in songwriting just being raised around it. Anyways, I'm gonna pretend that's not the case and put up a "flip cam" of the kid ("Cemetery Gates") 'cuz he's really talented and he's moved here to find his own way :). Seems to be a good fit for him and he definitely can stands on his own merits. Also, Meredith Watson played "covers" (or that's all I heard) and she was a really gifted player and singer, too. The place itself was an upstairs coffee shop or Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar as it was called. Nice little place (see pic)! This whole night I was headed toward The Southern a few blocks down "Main" to hear a little bluegrass. Btw, VERY well done main street/shopping area. "The Southern" was a beautiful little venue in the basement of one of the old buildings. Smart design in "The Southern",  in that they put the bar in another room with closed doors so it could make for a great listening room as well as a regular bar when you have a louder band. I got there late (got to talking at the "Tea Bazaar") and missed the opener. The band that I did catch ended up not being "my thing", though they played some great old bluegrass and country standards. Maybe it was bluegrass for the younger generation and I AIN'T exactly fittin into that category anymores. The other pictures you see was of my lunch 'cuz I LOVED it! The chili at Bizou was mighty hot and damn tasty! You get treated to the pictures if nothing else but if only you could eat a picture! Enjoy or ignore. Hey, the snow keeps missing us over here! :( S

P.S., Levi Lowrey's playing in EVERY damn little bar that I visit or have visited (playing the Southern this coming Saturday). I'd bet he's yet to be funny. O.K., he's kinda funny.