Chojo Jacques & Ken Clarkson (wrap-up)

By Greg Pool
Host, TreeHouseConcerts.org

Here's a wrap-up of the visit by Chojo Jacques and Ken Clarkson to the Tree House (pictures and after-show interview):

* Lemme see if words can describe the chicken incident in the second set.

* Chojo is, of course, one of the founding members of The Waybacks, and I recall them performing "Cluck Old Hen" off the the album, Devolver, but never with a chicken orchestra like we heard and saw tonight.

* The one chicken was an electronic contraption that used to lay eggs until Chojo went in and wired it up. That little yellow tail is an instrument cable with a 1/4 inch plug so he can add it to the soundboard on stage. I can't imagine what it's like for the soundguy to have to mix in the constant clucking.

* The other chicken was a rubber toy that you squeeze the air out of, letting the air rush back in and make a little diaphragm vibrate like the bird is making a chicken call. But it almost sounds exasperated and strained, like the squeezing is a little uncomfortable to the rubber chicken. Ok, that's anthropomorphizing, but my daughter loved that thing during the pre-show!

* So right in the middle of "Cluck Old Hen," Chojo turned on the electronic one, let it cluck a different pattern every few seconds, and tried to reproduce that on the mandolin (or banjo, for Ken). Then Chojo picked up the rubber one, put it under his arm and created this cacophony of sounds as they played out the rest of the song. Visually stunning and aurally impressive at the same time.

* It was good to have Ken back in the Tree House, especially with his resophonic banjo, or dojo (cross between dobro and banjo). Last time when he was here with his band, Jimmy Chickenpants, he only had his normal banjo. I think "Dawn Patrol" sounds better on the dojo!

* I think my favorite banjo tune of the night, however, was Ken and Chojo doing "Whitewater" by Bela Fleck.

* The encore was equally satisfying. It started off with Chojo playing The Doors' "Love Me Two Times", followed by something I didn't recognized, and then finishing with "When You Wish Upon a Star." At that point, I realized Ken didn't know that was coming, and it was entertaining to watch Chojo lead Ken through the musical darkness, like a master and student.

* Last time Ken was here, he and I realized we had both been living/working on the Big Island of Hawaii at the same time. This time it was Juliet's turn to find out she and Ken both went to the University of Fairbanks and studied in the same wildlife biology department. Juliet was an undergraduate and Ken was finishing his masters, although their overlap was only when Ken came back to defend. They did share a common experience of working on a project involving watching ravens at the local dump. Crazy.


* We finally found a great place to hang our logo, just over Ken's shoulder, in the window. It was originally designed by graphic artist, Steve Zmak. While at the Fall Strawberry Music Festival, Juliet and I met artist & designer, Sten Hoiland, who does wire drawings, ceramic sculpture, and photography up in Chico. He was able to take Steve's logo off a business card and create a wire drawing that we could hang in the living room. We love it! Contact Sten at laughingplanet at hotmail dot com or 530.898.9086.