Over the Labor Day weekend, I was treated to a special concert at the Creede, CO, Ruth Humphries Brown Theatre. Musician and owner of Big River Music, Courtney La Zier invited me up. I couldn’t resist his enthusiasm.

I’d heard his band, The Big River Band, at Rhythms on the Rio last month. However, the nature of this band is such that it expands and contracts according to the shows it does. Usually, La Zier opens up a special concert space at Big River Music, quite a wonderful room with acoustics built for music lovers. He also brings the band out for special events like Rhythms on the Rio and this special tribute to the Rio Grande River, which originates west of Creede, forming a rushing creek-like stream through Creede, flowing through New Mexico, down to El Paso, and deep into Mexico to the Gulf.

La Zier’s vision for this concert was to capture the spirit of the Rio Grande through spoken word and a lot of music. However, not much has been written about this river so La Zier, like a good blues and jam musician, improvised. Breaking up the blocks of music, members of The Big River Band read from J. W. Powell’s The Exploration of the Colorado River and its Canyons (1895).  The selections were enough to offer a feel of the river during three seasons (spring, summer, and fall). In addition, guitarist Greg Glazner read an excerpt from his novel (an excerpt appear in The Idaho Review)---more on that later.

Most of the musical selections were covers, though a couple of unusual originals were thrown in. But let me say, in the hands of these talented musicians and vocalists, those covers were elevated.

Opening the show was the Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There,” a tune that set the vocal tone for the evening and also allowed the musicians to warm their chops. Then Johamy Morales shared “Primavera,” a lovely Spanish tune I’d heard her sing last month. This time in this intimate theater in the round (or ¾ round), the song soared with spot-on guitar leads.

Richard (Ritchie) Ormsby took the stage for two solo numbers (vocals and acoustic guitar). The first was a blend of two humorous songs, “Springtime” and “Procrastination Blues” (no, not the John Gorka one). This older bearded folkie had such a great delivery the whole audience was hanging on every comic word. He was later joined by band members on Tom Waitts’ “Come On Up to the House.” There were wonderful vocal harmonies and Jon Goss’ harmonica was always mighty fine.

Jo Johnson, though a wonderful backup singer, is has quite a powerful voice. She showcased that on Susan Tedeschi’s “Learning the Hard Way” and James Taylor’s “Steamroller Blues.” I had heard from my musician friends there that Jo had really come into her own at that concert. It showed. Very nice.

Next up Greg Glazner read a page from his novel, Opening the World. A poet, this novel is more prose poem than a straight story. The excerpt he did was about flyfishing and playing guitar.  As he read, drummer Jim Turnbull softly marked time on a cymbal. As the piece unfolded, Glazner added a little guitar, and then Tommy Speak brought in bass and Turnbull added more drums. Goss brought out his harmonica, and voices were added, chanting a single line, “And you let it go.” Slowly, the voices dropped out and each instrument, leaving the clink of the tapping cymbals and Glazner’s words. It was powerful!

The Big River Band ended the first half of the show with “Texas Flood,” letting Glazner rock out on guitar. Sweet!

The rest of the show took the audience from one rock or blues number to the next, picking up more of a Mississippi vibe than Colorado. Mostly staying in the background and adding some guitar support, La Zier let lose on “Man Alive.” There was also a different combination of vocalists on that song.

They moved into Freddy King’s “Big Legged Woman” and nailed it. Glazner led the song vocally, but the instrumentation was top-notch. That isn’t surprising since some of the band members used to play in a local blues band called Mojones.

“Bluebird” and “Something Fine” were two acoustic songs done by Jon Goss (guitar) and Steve Baxter (guitar) and a little shaker offered by the drummer. The harmonies were very nice. Baxter was amazing. He had just had surgery around his vocal chords twelve days before and was in a neck brace. But his voice was strong and accurate. 

In this intimate space, every note was heard, good or bad. But all of these musicians and vocalists were well-rehearsed and killed each tune. I was amazed.

Goss changed to electric guitar and the band launched into Tom Waits’ “Pancho’s Lament.” It was a heart-felt version.

Next up, Jess Jackson, a Creede Repertory Theater board member, offered up one of the best renditions of “Summertime” I’ve heard in a long time. Her phrasing had soul.  Though Jackson was unfamiliar with most of the band’s set list, she quickly warmed to the music and the different styles. She sang backup on several songs and “Summertime” allowed her to really sparkle and she continued into the next tune.

The last song before the Finale was “Midnight in Harlem.” It was a big musical theater number and well done, but it just struck me as a little odd amid all of the blues, rock, and quirky folk tunes.

The Finale was Delbert McClinton’s take on “Shaky Ground,” the old “Temptations” tune. It was bluesy and rocking. Jo Johnson belted out this one and kept the funky earthy sound going. Good choice to end the show.

All in all, hearing the Big River Band play a whole evening was well worth the four-and-a-half-hour drive up to Creede. I often wonder how so many great musicians ended up in in a town of under 300 people, but they did. And they keep gifting the community and the San Luis Valley with amazing music.