@ Pappy & Harriet’s Thursday, Sept 17th @ 8pm
By Lisa Morgan
“It fills in all the gaps and connects the dots. It’s the atmosphere that makes everything else in life come together, the air that we breathe.” -Teddy Quinn on Music
Joshua Tree has truly become the shining star of the high desert, a cultural icon and a state of mind where creative vibrations seem to rise up from the dirt. It has drawn to itself some of the most uncommon, authentically demiurgic artisans around, and Teddy Quinn has found himself at the center of it all. Quinn has become somewhat of a high desert icon by many at this point, and it’s easy to understand why. Aside from his peace loving, kind and gentle demeanor, Quinn hosts the world renowned open mic night at Pappy and Harriet’s in Pioneer Town, a weekly occurrence where artists come from all over to participate, and in one instance, even Robert Plant showed up to jam. Quinn not only hosts it, but plays in the house band. To channel his own passion for music and his compassion for the many artists he finds himself surrounded by, Quinn also founded the nonprofit, Radio Free Joshua Tree, a web based radio station that plays many local artists. And as if that weren’t enough, he hosts bands and songwriter rounds at his own Beatnick Lounge, where he records and archives the music passing through town.
Next Thursday, however, Teddy Quinn will not just be the house band, he and his musical ensemble of friends will be headlining. Based on what I have personally experienced listening to the fabulous, tenured and gifted musicians aligned with Quinn, this will not just be a sonically pleasing event with well crafted, heart stirring songs, it will be an act of pure love that will infiltrate every listener’s deeper senses.
CVW: What has been your best and your most difficult musical experience to date?
Quinn: Sitting on the piano bench as a kid with my sister while she played ‘Maybe I’m Amazed.’ Leaving my job at the Gaslight, a small alternative rock club in Hollywood where I worked late at night, to go work with Fred Drake at Rancho De La Luna, with plenty of Nag Champa in the air. And playing Bob Dylan for my baby as soon as he came home from the hospital. Those come to mind as the best.
The most difficult experience? Well, having grown up as a kid actor, working with bona fide genius’ like Orson Welles, and surrounded by great musicians in Laurel Canyon like Frank Zappa, the bar was set very high. I’d already had my ‘fifteen minutes of fame’ before I was five years old. I had to find my own ‘Canyon of Dreams’ and did so in Joshua Tree.
CVW: Tell me how this band came together and why it’s special?
Quinn: Over the years of running Pappy’s and the Saloon’s open mic nights, it came together very organically. I didn’t even realize it was a band, with a fairly huge repertoire, until we were asked to play ‘down the hill’ a couple summers back. We suddenly had hours of music, which we’d only played together three songs at a time.
I will say, Thom Merrick (bass) has been a third of one of my favorite bands (The Sibleys) for over a decade, and is an accomplished painter who plays for the sheer joy of it. Jeff Boaz is a solid drummer and person, who had suffered an accident twenty years ago and was unable to play a trap set until we asked him to join us one night – it all came back to him like riding a bicycle. The cellist, Jennifer Irvine, is a tall beauty who showed up to play gypsy music one night; very intimidating at first, until we spoke. I found out that this single mom and ICU nurse, plays to distract herself when her little girl is with the father. One of the best improvisational musicians I’ve ever met. Which is also true of phenomenal talent, Leslie Mariah Andrews, who found her musical confidence at our open mics. She writes brilliant songs and can play behind her back like Hendrix. But beyond the incredible performance aspect, she plays the most tasty leads around. All of them are pure hearts who give me the support to explore my singing and my songwriting.
It is always special to play on a stage where I’ve seen many of my heroes perform- Leon Russell, Country Joe, Daniel Lanois, Eric Burdon and Ronnie Spector. It’s also like home to me, and the women who own the club (Pappy’s) are like my sisters. This is the first time in years that I have an entire evening there to play with my band, and I don’t expect to do it again anytime soon.
I’ve been writing songs for 40 years, so I plan to do some from almost every phase, but I’m especially excited to do some of the newer ones that I’ve rarely done in front of anybody. If we’re lucky, I’ll get Shari Elf up to join me for a song or two.
When I started playing at the old Beatnik, around 2000, I called my weekly show ‘The World Tour that the World Travels To’ because the audience – usually no more than a couple of people – was always from remote places, visiting Joshua Tree. I think that little joke on my part has come true. Now, Joshua Tree and Pappy’s are some of the world’s biggest draws for music-lovers and I’m still here, still in love with the night sky and the inspiration that seems to float in the air.
Listen to Radio Free Joshua Tree at www.RadioFreeJoshuaTree.com or www.RadioFreeJT.com
Learn more about Pappy & Harriet’s music schedule: www.pappyandharriets.com
