150516a          Return to Keilbasa Fest          Tony Lee Thomas       Acoustic Set

Not only did I have a good experience gaining re-entry into the Keibasa Festival today, with help from the very pleasant Carolyn of Wicked Cool Productions, but once I hit the tent -just as Tony Lee Thomas was starting- all my cares washed away...  I found myself falling into aNOTHER man-crush, yet again!  I met Tony briefly the other day when he played a little at Theodre’s jam, and Jenny sang some bgv’s.  I soon discovered that he isn’t some kid who just started dinking around- in fact, I feel kinda dopey; this guy has been at it for awhile.  I think I heard he’s been playing in other areas, so I guess I kinda missed out for awhile, but now I’m all over him... or something like that.  He comes from Pittsfield MA originally, so local boy makes good I guess.

What a style this feller has!  Like, If Cat Stevens had sung with reckless abandon and played like Jimi Hendrix (in fact, he kinda looks like a young Tony Marvici- which is to say, he looks a little like Carlos Santana); then update the mix with an infusion of Tracy Chapman...  we’re getting close to a comparison that almost fits Tony Lee Thomas.  Both his songs and his style could be called “epic.”  Even the artist himself jokes about his “musical ADHD” as he segues from one song to another for something like 20 minutes.  And his playing style is so aggressive that he broke no fewer than three -or was it four- string during his hour-long set.  He must be used it; I’ve never seen anyone change ‘em and tune ‘em so fast!  To say that he plays with enthusiasm, even ebullience, is understating it.  And he smiles the whole time, so it ain’t contrived.

Not that there are many pauses in the playing with this guy, but when he does take a minute for some banter, he’s really good at it.  Musta took a tip from the Jeff King playbook.  Laced with humor, self-deprecating and self-revealing (but not too much), one feels like we know each other a little better now.  He’s just full of energy in his playing and full of positivity in his overall manner, while and chatting after playing.  Really, he looks like he’s having a spiritual experience when he plays.  He’s a lot of fun to watch. 

He’s easy on the ears, too, in the sense that you can hear his lyrics.  He sings clearly, in terms of tone and diction, so I get the sense that he ‘knows how’ to sing.  Not everyone does.  Not that I really know the difference, but I think I have a good sense of it and I’m learning more with help from friends.  I woulda loved to turn him on to Mickey from Twiddle, or vicey-versey; I think I see some common ground here.  But whaddo I know?