First and foremost, Jerron extols the virtue of a
majestically crafted musician wielding the magic of an 1848 banjo, regular guitar,
fleeting violin, evocative harmonica and impromptu piano. Word is significantly
getting around about Jerron – and his ‘Blind
Boy’ moniker – as a sold out Kitchen Garden Café testified, providing the
suitable non-conformist setting that creates the perfect backdrop for Jerron’s
semi-chaotic ramblings. This was almost twelve months to the timing of his
debut at the venue and three years since he first crossed my path with a part
in a Sunday morning gospel set at the Calgary Folk Festival in Canada. To this
day Jerron does remain a conundrum with undoubted
precision skills in the musical department, while remaining a tricky character
to pinpoint effect, connection and place in a structured world.
Possibly there is no place in a structured world for Jerron ‘Blind
Boy’ Paxton and that is part of a curious appeal. If you have a wardrobe mind,
the coat hangers are missing with just a heap of clothes to wade through. This
was a rare evening at the Kitchen Garden Café which was definitely drifting in
an infinite direction when time was called on the proceedings. You got the
impression that Jerron was settled in for the long haul and there was no doubt that many members of the audience were fully with him on a journey which started
with a chronological reference; a notion which got to the Civil War before
evaporating in the ether of spontaneous song.
The parts of this lengthy show that lingered most
prominently were based around the music. The playing was absolutely
mesmerising. Going back to the baseball analogy at the start, if a pitcher
needs four or five days rest after a start, surely does the fragility of Jerron’s
prized banjo. Together with the guitar, like all instruments filtering through
the central mic, they were in essence weapons of emancipation in the early
throes of the set as the focus was on the establishment of the black folks
identity in early 19th century America. The shift into fiddle paved
the way for an alternative immigration source and that from the British Isles,
while the enticing harmonica pieces had a definite wandering theme to their
improvised status. Eventually the sound and mood drifted into pure entertainer
mode with the crowd shouting out standards, Jerron weighing them up in his inimitable
style and the irreverent mood moving up a notch. All this followed Jerron
starting his second set in the venue’s foyer-type room playing the piano while
folks were settling down.
Being in the company of Jerron ‘Blind Boy’ Paxton does
require an uncluttered state of mind. This open approach will soon be taken up
by the many nuances of an artist – part caricature, wholly authentic, highly
talented and the potential to intoxicate. Evolution is probably not a word you
are going to associate with his music and the ultimate connection with him is
entirely in the sphere of an individual’s psyche. However his presence is
highly valued in the not over-populated pool of without compromise American
roots music exponents. His growing stature over here is apparent and experiencing
at least one night in the musical company of Jerron ‘Blind Boy’ Paxton is
essential to anyone with a historical interest. From then on, perception takes
a deeply personal stance.