December 2016
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 21, No. 12
Next Meeting Sunday December 4th 5:00pm
NOTE: This will be our Christmas party. Matthew Campbell will be providing his sound
system so we can play our music for everyone. Please bring your instrument, and sign up on
the list. Also please bring a dish to share. I will be bringing chicken wings and salad.
The International Songwriter’s Guild meets at 5 PM on the first Sunday of every month at
the Central Florida Musician’s Union building, 3020 East Robinson St., Orlando, FL 32803
(at the extreme east end of Robinson, near Orlando Executive Airport)
Songwriters, composers, performers, publishers, and the curious are encouraged to join us.
Non-members are invited to attend a meeting or two to get a feel for our group and what we
do. If you wish to join, there is an annual fee of only $5. For more information, visit our
website at www.tinyurl.com/isgsongs or myspace page at https://myspace.com/21075001
The meetings will be structured as follows: 5:00 to 5:30, business and introductions. 5:30
to 6:00, presentation by a guest speaker (when scheduled), 5:30 or 6:00 to 8:00, song
critiques. Please bring a CD or I-phone or mp3 player or perform your song live, and bring
10 or more lyric sheets. If we have at least 5 songs by members who wish to be scored, and
6 members scoring, then we will have them entered in the Monthly competition. Everyone is
encouraged to write constructive comments on the lyric sheets.
Any Details not in this newsletter are at:
If you wish to join our Facebook group, please check us out at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/831814850193553/
Regrets
By Jeff Mason
In 2013, I made a journey to Tampa. It felt like a pilgrimage. I was going to see
Richard Thompson play at the Straz Center. I was alone and on that journey and during that
performance I came to the conclusion that I might be seriously ill. I don’t mind being
alone. I’m comfortable in my own company. Mr. Thompson put on an incredible one man show.
It seemed at times there were three acoustic guitars on that stage instead of one.
I noticed that the next performer coming to the theatre would be Leonard Cohen. I’d
been a fan, forty years earlier, but somehow I’d lost interest over that time. I do still
play his song “Suzanne.” The next day I returned home and was ill on the trip back.
Circumstances prevailed and I was unable to attend Leonard’s concert.
In May that year after a painful operation, I attended Richard Thompson’s Frets and
Refrains Camp in New York State. During one of Mr Thompson’s lectures, I was introduced to
the lovely “Famous Blue Raincoat.” A song from Leonard’s third album released in 1971,
“Songs of Love and Hate.” How did it slip by me? Not paying attention I suppose.
Another teacher at that camp was the brilliant and criminally unknown finger style
guitar player Martin Simpson. He’s also a very good slide guitarist and banjo player with a
discography dating back to 1976. Martin is one of the best teachers in the business. His
classes are featured on You Tube and he has three excellent tutorials available at Homespun
Music Instruction. https://www.homespun.com/instructors/martin-simpson
During that camp I was reintroduced to another of Leonard’s songs, “The Stranger
Song.” You may hear Martin’s version on his 2013 album “Vagrant Stanzas.” I’ve always loved
this song. It is full of thought provoking lines.
Another performer in the Orlando area was performing her version of “Hallelujah.” I
asked her who’s song that was. It was another song that had slipped past my inattentive
mind and ears. It features more of Leonard’s tantalizing words. I’ve been hooked ever
since.
I have been listening to Leonard’s 2012 album “Old Ideas” and his 2014 album
“Popular Problems.” I’d like to think his words rub off on my own creations. I would,
periodically, check his web page hoping to see future tour dates.His voice had dropped even
lower than on his earlier recordings. He was known as the “King of Dirge” and yet there was
something special. Maybe it was the great musicians backing him or perhaps the female
backing singers. Leonard’s “Raelettes” complimented him so well. It’s folk or French
cabaret. Or it could often be blues. It’s the songs and it’s like nothing I’ve heard
before. I was excited when his song “Nevermind” was the theme song for the second “True
Detective” series.
I watched a fine 2006 tribute movie to Leonard. “I’m Your Man” features a few of the
artists who have been influenced by him. This includes Nick Cave, U-2, Jarvis Cocker, The
Handsome Family, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Kate and Anna McGarrigle and
Richard’s son Teddy Thompson. Here is a link to a web page honoring him.
https://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/lianCD.html
Another documentary that I’ve enjoyed is “Leonard Cohen’s Lonesome Heroes.”
http://www.chromedreams.co.uk/leonard-cohens-lonesome-heroes-734-p.asp
This traces his career from his time as a poet in Montreal and through various stages
in his life.
I continued going to his web page, to see when he might be touring. As this year
dragged on we lost one great musician after another. It felt to me that they had a
weariness with this world. I read an article about the passing of the lady who had inspired
Leonard’s song “So Long, Marianne.” Her name was Marianne Ihlen and she had died in Norway
on July 29, at the age of 81. They had met in Hydra, Greece in the 1960s. They became
lovers and stayed together for 10 years. Upon hearing of her illness Leonard had written a
letter to her which she was happy to read. It said, ”Well Marianne, it’s come to this time
when we are really old and our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very
soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can
reach mine. And you know that I’ve always loved you for your beauty and your wisdom, but I
don’t need to say anymore about that because you know all about that. But now, I just want
to wish you a very good journey. Goodbye old friend. Endless love, see you down the road.”
Leonard’s last album “You Want It Darker” was released on October 21st, 2016. I
think it’s a great album and seems to be the third and final piece of a trilogy. Leonard
died in his sleep, after a fall, on November 7th. Still creating to the end.
So I will miss him, and wade through the back log of his work and regret missing
my chance to see him in concert.
ISG Bulletin Board
Meeting space graciously provided by Central Florida Musicians Association, Local 389.
You are invited to join the largest union in the world, representing the interests of the
professional musician. Visit their website at afm389.org for more information. You may
reach them by phone at: 407-894-8666.
Why isn't your gig announced here? Members in good standing
call SusieCool with your appearance schedule! 407-760-2153
On December 21st we have a playing circle with the Fingerstyle Guitar Group in the
Community room of the winter Park Library. 460 E. New England Ave.-- Winter Park, FL 32789.
6 to 8:30pm. Songwriters are welcome, but we do try to play our fingerstyle songs and not
use picks. There is more info on the facebook group page.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/228147620559285/?fref=nf
Current members please send us your website info if you would like your site to be listed
in the ISG members page.
https://sites.google.com/site/isgsusiecool/home/links-and-recommended-reading/member-websites
Also if you have any songs that have placed first in the monthly critiques, please send the
mp3's to isgorlando@gmail.com if you would like to have them featured in the ISG MySpace
page. https://myspace.com/21075001
No Scoring for critiques in November
New members always welcome!
© 2016 ISG