CURT
YAGI and the "PEOPLE STANDING BEHIND ME" AT THE MEDIA
CENTER
On
Tuesday, May 5, 2009 award winning San Francisco-based singer/songwriter
Curt Yagi played acoustic guitar and sang 5 of his original
songs in the Media Center Studio. He was joined by three of
the members of his band "The People Standing Behind Me":
Rob "Bass" Bassinette on bass, Dirk Dieter on bongos
and the Congo and Ben Doitel on saxophone. "The People
Standing Behind Me" have numbered as many as ten at one
time. Recruiting and retaining that level of interest among
highly gifted musicians says something about Curt's ability
to motivate people, but I confess I digress...
Curt
opened the show with his song "Take Me Away" written
chiefly out of his experience running a non-prof for at-risk
kids in the city. (Check out www.rocksf.org). The song is about
the desperate need of these children to escape dismal often
dangerous lives and is an homage to the transforming power of
love. One of the lines: "A place with no border, love creates
order, so clear to me," sums up what kids need in this
beautiful ballad.
Curt
then performed "What's Come Over Me", a moving portrait
of love and loss, "What A Mess" a song rife with clever
lyrics about social responsibility, and "When I Think Of
You" a song that made me think that it is our shared experiences
as people that is the great potential unifying force in the
world. And it's such a simple song really, but Curt's lyrics
are tricky. They draw you in on one level and before you know
it you're experiencing something much deeper. Curt's final song
on the show was a love song, "Sweep Me."
Curt
is primarily a balladeer, but every song sounds different, is
catchy and oh so singable...and danceable by the way. It all
has to do with the arrangement. Curt is the author of all the
songs and he defines the laid-back groove that permeates all
his songs. He calls upon the "People Standing Behind Me"
to work with him to develop arrangements that are in alignment
with the groove.
Ben
on sax harmonized with the melodies of the bridge in several
songs. The percussion, played by Dieter, is soft and inviting.
And Rob on bass gently drove each song. Listening to Curt's
music is kind of like being on a beach without the umbrella
drinks. Or Curt's music is the umbrella drink. Or when you listen
to Curt's music you don't need the umbrella drink... it's that
relaxing and inviting.
Curt
is an extremely nice person, charismatic and easy-going. But
he is also very serious about anything he does, whether it be
the music or the non-prof or lining up gigs for the band. And
he seems to be without any pretensions whatsoever -- which is
what gives his music a real sense of honesty. You feel like
you're listening to the real deal, that there is almost no stage
between audience and performer as if each song flows as easily
as a conversation.
Curt
is an inspiration to other aspirants. He started the whole music
thing after he'd already had a career -- which he left to pursue
music and to work with the kids. In less than five years, Curt
basically learned the guitar, developed his vocal skills, found
his artistic voice, wrote twenty songs, founded a band, recorded
a CD, and got himself voted best singer/songwriter by the San
Francisco Bay Guardian.
Be
sure to watch the full video