The Sage Outdoor Stage @ the Summertyne Americana Festival

Performance Square was crowded at 4pm when I arrived, the sun shone, and the glorious fug of BBQ smoke was hanging in the air at the east entrance.  For the next two hours or so I relished 2 really good bands, not jazz, but great music, with some jazzy elements.

The Pine Hill Haints had a general rock and roll/country sound, but they covered many types of song, and I lost count of the instruments.  Guitars, drumkit, tea chest bass, a lady on washboard, banjo, bluegrass fiddle, and even something that sounded like a theremin, to get a ghostly effect.  And of course vocals, and songs including blues, folk songs about following your lover’s coffin, humorous Mexican songs, Where The Soul Never Dies, (which sounded as if it belonged to the Sacred Harp religious song collection), and the lovely religious folk song Will The Circle Be Unbroken.  And all delivered with aplomb and good humour.

Then came Mary Jean Lewis and the Starlight Boys (pictured above), with a more conventional set of instruments but no less aplomb.  Mary Jean on keys and vocals, two guitars, double bass, drumkit and saxophone.  The band stomped out the tunes, blues such as Mama You Treat your Daughter Mean, love songs (Lovin’ Fever) songs of American life (Cruisin Down the Strip).  All enjoyable, especially for the many dancers in front of the stage.  What fun!

Ann Alex