#mason porter

[oppletopple]

Opple Topple 7

Opple Topple is back for our 7th year of bringing local music and great people together! This years line-up is packed with a ton of new and different acts. 2016 Line-up: Tom Hamilton’s American Babies, Mason Porter, The Hornitz, Tweed, Catullus, The WhiskeyHickon Boys, Teddy Midnight, The Strange Heat, The Royal Noise, Rivers, Arjun, The Meadowmen, Wiley Griffin, The Royal Hornitz, Blendmode, The…

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JOE D’AMICO OF MASON PORTER’S TOP PICKS FOR BEST JERRY GARCIA SOLO MOMENTS

In anticipation of Philly band Mason Porter opening for Melvin Seals & JGB (the organist of the Jerry Garcia Band) this Friday, Mason Porter’s guitarist/vocalist/mandolinist, Joe D’Amico, is our guest blogger for the week. He created a list of the seven best solo Jerry Garcia moments, in no particular order. Read his picks below and comment with your thoughts! 

1. Song: "Simple Twist of Fate" (Bob Dylan)

Album: Jerry Garcia Band

I back-pedaled into a lot of music through Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead, Dylan being the most important. This is hands down the most emotional and dynamic version of this song.

2. Song: "The Harder They Come" (Jimmy Cliff)

Album: Live at Keystone Vol. 1 (Jerry Garcia and Merl Saudners)

Another staple in Jerry's songbook performed with notable Garcia collaborator Merl Saunders. Plenty of great versions exist of this to choose from.

3. Song "Pig in a Pen" (Traditional)

Album: Old And In The Way

The best-selling bluegrass album of all time. Jerry plays banjo alongside ex-Bluegrass Boys Vassar Clements and Peter Rowan. Although they leave most of the singing to Rowan, Jerry takes the lead on this bluegrass standard.

4. Song: "Shady Grove" (Traditional)

Album: Shady Grove (Jerry Garcia and David Grisman)

In the same way that the O' Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack inspired a generation of pickers, this song and album were right there alongside of it, and a few years ahead of it, helping to usher in a new wave of 21st century folk revivalism.

5. Song: “Sitting in Limbo” (Jimmy Cliff)

Album: Don't Let Go (Jerry Garcia Band)

Another great Jimmy Cliff song and gateway to an artist I may have never discovered otherwise. There are lots of great Jerry versions of this. Garcia/Grisman version is worth checking out too.

[kaelanandrews-sna-blog-blog]

Name: Mason Porter

Face Claim: Ezra Miller

Age: 21

Power: Adoptive Muscle Memory

Profession: Part time karate instructor, part time front man for a rock band, part time music student.

Freeform:

"I don't know how he does it."

"Is he cheating?"

"God I wish I was him."

Mason smiled to himself as he started to glide his finger tips over the keyboard, playing out some sort of melody that was supposedly incredibly difficult but for Mason. Well, it was just simple. Too simple. After he had watched the composer that morning on Youtube three times he had already memorized every key stroke and every note, every second that was taken. Every pause and lilt of tune until he could perform it to a tee.

When the last three notes crooned forth from the piano, Mason lifted his fingers away, graceful and smooth, he turned his head and grinned at his instructor. The male had been watching him through it all and his gaze was intense.

Just as he started to rise from the bench though, the professor said something.

"You play beautifully, Mr. Porter. But..."

But. Here came the but. There was always a but with that guy.

"You lack emotion...heart...when you play, it's as if you're just hitting play on a recording and ignoring it." Mason felt a white hot rush of anger and tightened his jaw.

Finally he did rise to his feet.

"Considering you gave us the assignment of finding a piece another person did and then playing it, I say I did a pretty good," Placing his hands on his hips, Mason shrugged. "I don't-"

"I gave you the assignment of finding a song that means something to you and then having you play it to the rest of the class, not this Mr. Porter. Not pointless repetition."

Narrowing his eyes, Mason Porter flashed a smile, "Maybe playing this song makes me feel as if I'm not required to write around the floor and moan about the state of my life or sing jolly little tunes  that's supposed to magnify some point in my existence. I play to play, I play because I love it and because I'm good, that's all you need."

Inclining his head, he snapped, "Now excuse me, I need to spend the rest of my day teaching children how to kick the crap out of bullies, rapists, and so on and so forth. Next time you want emotion from me, just say so."

Leaving the class room, he already thought about what song to give his instructor. Something depicting the exciting and vengeful death of a king or something equally satisfying. 

For now though he just focused on using his talents where they were appreciated. He'd gone through about two hours of footage that depicted Brazilian martial arts the night before. Those kids were going to have some fun tonight.