A GOLDEN FAREWELL FROM THE PURE GOLD, GOLDEN BOUGH

By Jean Bartlett, Arts Correspondent
Ran in The Pacifica Tribune, January 12, 2005

 Top-notch, first-rate, above the best and peerless, the extremely popular Celtic folk group and Pacifica based,
 Golden Bough, bid a farewell to long-time fans at a jam-packed Friday night concert at Pacifica’s Sanchez Concert Hall.
 The band founders, husband and wife Paul Espinoza and Margie Butler, along with current band mate, the incredibly
 talented fiddler, vocalist, composer and joke teller Kathy Sierra, invited former band members from a 25-year history,
 to help celebrate their journey of song.  Though future commitments will put Golden Bough on stage throughout the country
 and throughout the Bay Area in venues lasting through May 1, this was the last time Golden Bough will play in Pacifica,
 or for at least, a good long time.  Espinoza calls this an “extended break” as opposed to a “break up;” but with Paul
 and Margie moving up to Oregon in May, the swinging door is gently closing.  Ah, but what a concert to tap the feet and
 set the heart a glow.  Only two songs in and the audience member to my left turned to me and said,

 “You’d have to be dead to not like this music, and even then…”

 Introducing the band: Margie Butler on vocals, harp, penny-whistle, recorder and bodhran (an Irish frame drum);
 Paul Espinoza on vocals, guitar, octave-mandolin, mandolin and accordion; Kathy Sierra on violin, viola and vocals;
 Lief Sorbye on vocals, octave-mandolin, mandolin and bodhran; Margot Duxler on violin, finger-cymbals and vocals;
 Florie Brown on violin and vocals; Richard Ferry on Irish flute, bodhran and guitar; and Sue Draheim on violin, viola
 and vocals.

 The concert began on an a cappella welcome with “Country Life” (Traditional) sung by Margie, Paul and Lief that filled
 the Hall with a harmony virtuoso as fresh as the new morn hay.  On the next song “Mairi’s Wedding” (Traditional),
 violinist Margot Duxler joined the trio and they set the dial to fine toast clinker and dance-in-your-seat foot pounder.
 In the early days when Margie, Paul, Lief and Margot were playing local Irish pubs as well as San Francisco’s Cannery,
 this next song broken the $100.00 tip, and that would be the rousing “John Barleycorn” (Traditional).  “My Little Boat”
 (Traditional) brought violinist Florie Brown on stage to join in an instrumental so bonny it near to broke one’s heart.

 From the band’s LP “Boatman’s Daughter” played the very satisfying “The Blind Harper of Lochmaben” (Traditional) with
 Sue Draheim providing the swinging strings of fiddler violin.  Current band member Kathy Sierra rolled out streams of
 sweet violin as she joined her band mates on “The Power of the Harp” (Butler/Kjelman).  Now it needs to be mentioned
 here that when Margie Butler plays the harp and sings, all the songbirds stop to have a listen; for hers is the sound
 of faerie-brushed light.  Sue, Kathy and Florie swirled out an amazing fiddler’s jam session on the fire crackling
 “All Across the Green” (Espinoza).  Let’s talk about Paul Espinoza.  Not only can he sing a song, clear-cut fine and
 spirited as he weaves a starring story of each instrument he plays; he’s also a powerful composer with a spinner’s eye
 for mirth.  On the next song up “O’Carolan’s Draught”  (Turlough O’Carolan) which Margie dedicated to all the harpers
 of Pacifica, Richard Ferry joined the musicians up on Irish flute, and it was a stroll as fair as the bright days of May.
 “Wee Jack” (Espinoza) was a barn sashayer and “Black Jack Davy” (Espinoza) was an o’er the green hills saddle ride with
 a bit of the cowpoke and a wink of the pirate.  All Golden Bough members, past and present, tickled the heart strings
 and laughed out the merry with “The Blarney Pilgrim / The Merry Blacksmith” (Traditional).

 At intermission plenty of the folks talked about “their” Golden Bough.  Here are a few of the comments.  Musician,
 Pacifican Lee Parvin said: “For me it’s bitter sweet.  I’ve worked with them for years and they are at the top of their
 game.  It’s hard to see them go but it’s so moving to hear their incredible talent.”  “I grew up with this,” said Arion
 Espinoza, Paul and Margie’s son.  “My family’s always just evolved around music and I’ve got lots of great memories from
 my childhood just coming back before me.  I’m excited for them, for their future plans, but still tonight I feel kind-of
 sad.”  “We’re their oldest fans,” said Pacifican Krista Markowitz.  “We heard them when our daughter was 5 and now she’s
 29.  I just have tears in my eyes for their music is tonight just what it has always been – wonderful.”

 And from the kids:
 “It’s super duper awesome,” said 12 year old Elsa Mayrand.

 “No! They are triple goober berry sundae awesome,” said 12 year old Emma Merritt Cuneo.

 “Jack Black, they are smack,” shouted enthusiastic 8 year old fan Lars Mayrand.

 Set Two began with “Riders of the Sea” (Espinoza) which was as pretty as a galleon on the water.  Hooded mystery, gypsy
 violin and hypnotic deep noted Butler bodhran roared the audience to their feet for the Espinoza penned “The Spectre.”
 The traditional Scottish song “Highland Soldier” was an early morning march of the proud.   Kathy, Margie, Paul and Lief
 rode their instruments fast and sweeping on the stallion guided “Zingaro” (Espinoza).  So much more to a fire and wind
 swept set which ended with Espinoza’s rollicking free “The Wizard” that after all these words, it is still hard to find
 the words to paint what was truly heard.  As the band mates closed with the a cappella “Let’s drink and be merry all grief
 to refrain, for we may and might never all meet here again,” there were a lot of tears among the ovations.  As sure as the
 sun glows bright on the acre, this was a golden farewell from the pure gold, Golden Bough.
 Type into www.goldenboughmusic.com and learn about and purchase some of this magic.

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Golden Bough
P.O. Box 485, Sheridan, OR; Web: www.goldenboughmusic.com
(503) 843-2152; email: postmaster@goldenboughmusic.com

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