Eth Tedeschi @ The Fern Underground Jazz & Blues Club 13/05/22

I'd been feeling a bit rusty as I hadn't taken in a live music set in a while or found someone that I wanted to blog. All that changed today.... It's been a while since I found an artist in SL that has moved me in the way Eth Tedeschi did during his whole set.

I have Trish to thank for telling me there was someone I might be interested in hearing, and she was ohhhhh so right. We landed at The Fern Underground, owned and operated by Gypsy Fairfield, also known as Mrs B (imgypsy). I immediately fell in love with the "feel" of this club as it reminded me of something from older times when "class" was the word to describe it. Trish and I settled in, and I spent some time cam'ing around looking at the club. The walls were dotted with photos of some of the late greats. The likes of Billie Holiday, Josephine Baker, and Eartha Kitt. and the decor was definitely yester - year awesome!

Eth started by greeting his audience and there was no mistaking that British accent. A soft spoken gentleman who had great stage presence. Eth began his set with a bit of a piano solo which in itself showcased his abilities as an amazing pianist. He then smoothly transitioned into "As Time Goes By" from Casablanca and originally done by Sam "Dooley" Wilson. I have to say Eth's voice was made for this type of music. Smooth as silk, diction perfect, and the emotion that oozes from him is almost palpable. He followed it with "A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square," by Vera Lynn, and then "You Are Always On My Mind," dedicated to me by Trish, and one that has very special meaning to us.

Now I have to stop here for a moment and try to express the thoughts and feelings that Eth shared for this next song. The song is "Do Wah Diddy Diddy Dum,' originally done by Manfred Mann as a light and cutesy number about a girl walking down the street, snapping her fingers and shuffling her feet...and how the boy meets girl and they fall in love. Well, during Eth's comments he said, "I like to look into a singers window at the way he does a song, (A reference to Chris Rea's Album "New Light Through Old Windows"), then look in my own window and make it mine." So Eth starts to sing this song and first thing you know, it's a love song, filled with the emotion of a girl walking... slowly shuffling her feet...and snapping her fingers as she walks...and possibly dreaming of that certain someone. You would really have to hear it to experience the way he sang it.

From there, I had to hear him do one of my favorites so I requested "Have I Told You Lately That I Love you?" by Van Morrison, and dedicated to my lovely Trishia. His next number was "Words" by The Bee Gees, again another song that spoke volumes to me. The line that says "words are all I have to take your heart away." is a line that we have all experienced in this alternate world we call Second Life. Need I say there was more than a few moments when I teared up with the emotion of the moment as I swayed with my love.

Eth went on to pick up the tempo and the mood a bit with his "Hallelujah, I Love Her So," by Ray Charles and finishing his amazing set with "Seasons In The Sun," by Terry Jacks, "Don't Know Why," by Nora Jones and "Dream A Little Dream Of Me," by many artists including the late Mama Cass.

I have said many times that there were set's I hated to see end, but this set by Eth gives a whole new meaning to that for me anyway. This gentleman with a gentle spirit is one you are not going to want to miss!

Bio:

Eth loves jazz, ballads & modern classics, so his songs reflect this. You can enjoy his new interpretations of tunes like Yellow, Nobody Does It Better, Fix You & Streets of London, & also creative versions of songs like Baby Can I Hold You Tonight, Don't Know Why & Every Breath You Take. Eth sincerely hopes that when you come to hear him play, you will enjoy the music & that he can gently interact with your emotions in a positive way, leaving you relaxed &, who knows.....

FERN UNDERGROUND STORY

THE FERN UNDEERGROUND is a tribute to the St Paul, Minnesota Fabulous Ferns on Cathedral Hill. It was a lounge in a historic building on Cathedral Hill where Garrison Keilor of A Prairie Home Companion fame had his book store on the lower part of the building. Red stilettos give tribute to Judy Garland one of the fabulous icons from Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Prince Rogers Nelson from Minneapolis. Bob Dylan from Duluth, Minnesota.

Even our AI BOTS have stories to tell – each card beside them tells how they came to be at THE FERN as Humphrey Bogart puts it “ “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine” well it’s true. Mr Dooley Wilson, Sam, yes he is a tribute to Casablanca. Each bot is part of the whole story of THE FERN UNDERGROUND. JD Harley is a real person well an AI BOT in honor of Aldon’s real life drummer friend.

AND THE FERN UNDERGROUND has an amazing array of singers some who are professional musicians, singer, composers in real life and have found their way to THE FERN UNDERGROUND! Everyone has a story to tell.

Gypsy

5-14-22