Music and a nice walk

SUZIE HARRISON

I keep singing the lyrics from the Byrds “To every thing, turn, turn,

turn. There is a season, turn, turn, turn,” and then the words drift

into images that this cooler fall-like weather conjures. It’s the

photo album effect -- looking at old images and relating them to now

and vice versa.

Although there are only a couple Music in the Park concerts left,

it still is a hot ticket, as is the Art Walk, where I dig the

different vibe each month. Recently I saw Lori b from San Francisco

perform -- she sends out many intense vibes that were enjoyed at the

Koffee Klatch.

MUSIC IN THE PARK

Last week at the free summer concert the crowd was mostly on their

feet and singing along to the Neil Diamond Tribute Band “Hot August

Night.” The wanna-be-Neil lead singer very much looked and sounded

the part. He was sporting a lovely light blue sequin top and black

polyester slacks. The crowd was very pleased.

Sunday the music changes direction and will be played at Riddle

Field from 4 to 6 p.m. A popular return by “Caravana” will have

people moving to a different beat -- Latin. So bring your friends,

family, picnic basket, beverages and blanket and enjoy the second to

the last free Music in the Park concert.

ART WALK TALK

Well, First Thursday’s Art Walk was yet another fun time of art

and friends. I go through phases and will gravitate to a certain

area. I’ll be a south gallery fiend and have to be at the Joseph Wise

Gallery and in the area. And then north gallery realm will call upon

me with Laguna Art Museum, Marion Meyer Contemporary Art, Peter Blake

and Greenwood/Chebithes Gallery and then I’ll need a dose of

[seven-degrees], Diane DeBilzan and other greats in the centralized

zone. The beauty is there is no beast -- every gallery section has an

amazing collection of eclectic work. The main problem is I think it

would be next to impossible to see every gallery. It is addictive,

but consuming more galleries is not a bad thing to be addicted too.

With the Art Walk, doing things in moderation is not part of the

equation.

LORI B DESERVES AN ‘A’

The first time I saw Lori b was at James Koch’s open house/studio

party this summer and I was mesmerized. The town had been abuzz about

her since she performed at the Sawdust Art Festival’s reception for

the Studio Art Walk in the spring. All I kept hearing from person

after person was that I missed the greatest performance ever. People

kept talking about this woman with long, red curly hair and

eccentric, bohemian style garb -- that she sung like I wouldn’t

believe and that her performance blew everyone away. Usually if

people hype something up -- like a movie -- it most likely turns into

a yeah, well -- not so much experience, but not with Lori b.

The Koffee Klatch was filled to the gills in its quaint patio

area. Seeing the Vintage Poster shop empty was a little strange.

Anyway, Lori b really tells stories with her songs -- each one offers

layers of emotion and meaning. It’s quite an incredible journey. It’s

hard to keep your eyes off her. She sings, tells stories and the only

instruments she uses, if any at all, are an antique guitar or a tiny

Schroeder-esque portable piano. She is a singer/songwriter of pieces

that are poetic, intimate with a contemporary, eccentric, to-the-bone

folk style that swirls and swishes everything together to come out

just right.

“Hurricane Child” is Lori b’s first album with the title song a

definite crowd pleaser. She explains it as being a parable about

development, her signature coming-of-age song in three-quarter time.

When asked if the songs are true life experiences she describes

them as “creative nonfiction” -- some are true and some are truth.”

One of the most powerful songs is “BodyMINE” -- it should be

considered the powerful queen of the powerful reign since none of

them just sit on the sidelines. It’s about body image and its effects

-- something that many women can relate to.

“It is an anthem to embodiment, after withstanding an eating

disorder that almost killed me, I trained to become a body-based

psychotherapist,” Lori b said. “When I wrote this song, I was working

with women, in groups and individually, in New York City. Several

years later, I began dancing improvisational in groups of people with

and without physical disabilities. ‘bodyMINE’ took on a whole next

level of significance.”

The sunny-side-up selection of her collection is “Welcome to My

Planet.” However the message still is quite complex despite some of

the humorous lyrics.

“‘Welcome to My Planet’ pokes fun at a painful confusion our

culture suffers about sex and love,” Lori b said. “There is so much

miscommunication. Because of technology, most of us are starving for

authenticity and some simple human contact. While this world is

digitizing at a dizzying rate, I am practicing radical intimacy as an

antidote.”

The second helping of Lori b was as tasty as the first, however I

wished it were a seven-course meal in length, because I can never

seem to get enough.

Lori b has two CDs with the recent release of “Shadows of Love.”

For information, go to www.lorib.net.

The Koffee Klatch is at 1440 S. Coast Highway. For the skinny on

their live performances, call local musician Shane Bruce at (949)

212-6128.

* SUZIE HARRISON is a reporter for the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. She may be reached at 494-4321 or [email protected].