Blind Lemon Blues
musical by Alan Governar and Akin Babatunde
Central Park Summerstage
July 16, 2004
http://www.summerstage.org
his
new musical chronicles, with a deep sense of humor, the life and times of
pioneer bluesman Blind Lemon Jefferson from his humble beginning in the
streets of Dallas, Texas (where he performed with a tin cup tied to his
neck) to his death years later in Chicago.
With the help of Huddie Ledbetter (Cavin Yarbrough) and an ensemble
cast, the blind artist (playwright and director Akin Babatunde) lays down
his pain, his blindness and the issues of his times through his immortal
music.
The play opens in 1948 New York City at Leadbelly's final recording
session. As he plays the music, he tells stories about his life, and
alongside him, Blind Lemon and the cast narrate the hard life of the black
man in segregated southern cities back in the day.
In a hilarious moment, Leadbelly tells us why he played a 12-string
guitar. As the story goes, he was playing somewhere when string after
string broke, leaving him unable to play, until someone handed him a
12-string instrument which was later to become his axe of choice.
The play follows no chronological order. From the post-war days we go
back to Texas in the 20s, where Blind Lemon Jefferson is playing in the
streets for spare change.
He is discovered by a Paramount Records scout (the label then
specialized on "race" records), and after being refused at the local
studios, he is taken to Chicago, where between 1926 and 1929 he would cut
numerous records and ultimately become the biggest-selling blues musician
of his time.
From then on, it's
performing from town to town, and drinking hard. The cast talks about the
troubles of the black man (Equality For Negroes, a traditional tune,
is included on the second act), their poverty and other issues.
Leadbelly also tells us of how he went to jail and got pardoned by
Governor Neff after writing a song for him.
One of the most impressive members of the cast is Alisa Peoples
Yarbrough (she plays various characters), who is the wife and
Grammy-nominated music partner of Cavin Yarbrough. During certain points
in the play, she sits at the piano and performs beautifully, and with the
backing of guitar man Sam Swank (who played a six-string Martin from
backstage), creates some of the most fantastic musical moments of the
evening.
The most poignant part is when, to the tune of See That My Grave is
Kept Clean, Blind Lemon wanders aimlessly through the stage as the
cast describes how, in a winter Chicago night, he went out and (at least
from the play's point of view) died in the streets of The Windy City.
Blind Lemon Blues, which had its world premiere at the ForuMeyin in
Geneva, was a fantastic musical and educational experience, and here's
hoping we have a chance to see it again soon.
