Memo from the World:
Jules Shear Makes New Friends,
Plays Well with Others

by Alberta Moraine

Three of my friends went with me to see a show called Jules Shear and Friends. They went because I talked them into it - well, e-mailed them into it. I got a bit nervous, selling them on someone none of them had heard of before. I mentioned something about his shows always being better than his records, his having written songs that were hits for Cyndi Lauper (All Through the Night) and the Bangles (If She Knew What She Wants), his having recorded with The Band. I said he was kind of goofy looking and that he plays guitar goofy too, and that his writing - words and music - is extraordinary. I don't think I remembered to tell them he had invented the unplugged format for MTV's popular artist showcase.

So my friends took a chance, and I went to buy the tickets. My confidence and their faith were rewarded. Here are some things that happened: The day before the show, he told us, his new record, Allow Me, was released. That same day, he passed a kidney stone - his first. He described himself in the emergency room at the hospital in Kingston, NY, worrying whether he'd make it to this show in Manhattan the next evening.

He made it, needless to say, and he didn't even look much more beat than usual. He told us once he wore a suit on stage, because Chrissie Hynde required it when he opened for the Pretenders this year. She had told him he should try it - that once he does, he'll actually feel more comfortable on stage. He said she was right, although he hated to admit it. This realization had no observable effect on his choice of clothing and appearance when we saw him, however. He sported a faded-looking shirt with a 50's concentric squares pattern, over jeans, and some days' growth on his face, much of which was covered by his floppy, curly hair.

He began with a new song, She's Only Happy Hugging Her Guitar, an attention-getter, in case he had needed one. Playing guitar in his strange way - left-handed, with the low string on the bottom, and fretting overhand - he got a little wild, with some instrumental breaks that were almost guitar-y. What a relief when he soon announced, "This concludes the guitar virtuoso segment of tonight's performance." And it did. 

Guest Curtis Stigers came in to play sax on a couple of tunes and to sing as well. The Same Sad Smile, from Shear's duets record, Between Us, was affecting. Singers Molly Farley and Julie Marshall provided harmonies on a handful of tunes, with a whiz-bang finish of All Through the Night, full of beautiful three-part vocals. Leif Arntzen's muted trumpet enriched The Last in Love. Shear's new lyrics were as clean and well-crafted as his fans have come to expect: In another new song, Shear sang, "Let the hard road remind you of me."

Over the course of one set, Shear passed through a Van Morrison moment, as well as Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and John Lennon moments as well. These familiar influences did not intrude, rather just stopped by to say hello. Shear said the new record rocks more than usual, and he conveyed that for us pretty well, considering he had no drummer or bass player or lead guitar player with him. I was a little surprised to hear an early Beatles-flavored song at one point. This new song, Love with You, would obviously sound great as a loud rocking blast - one I hope still has room for the most amazing high humming blues riffs Shear gave to us during instrumental breaks. I have never heard his voice high and clear like that, and it was powerful.

Shear chatted throughout, charmingly, and with some genuine sense that the audience was with him. Explaining that he had not been consulted about naming the night's performance "Jules Shear and Friends," he pointed out that the "and friends" part could have just been him, being here with us. Partway through Shear's set, one of my companions leaned over to whisper, "You were right - he's great." As we were leaving, all three said they had become fans. Jules, if you were looking for friends, you've got three new ones, and one loyal old one.

About the Author:

Alberta Moraine writes songs, and considers Jules Shear a role model (but not for fashion).

Resources:

An interview with Shear after the release of Between Us in April 1998 is at http://www.ki nkfm102.com/artists/interviews/julesshear.html

Shear's just-released recording, Allow Me, is available in music stores and online.