What a beautiful day! As I drove down the sun-drenched roads leading to Hawk Haven Vineyard and Winery in Rio Grande (just outside of Cape May) I eagerly awaited the afternoon and evening of great wine and music-all in a beautiful setting! Last year I got to see one of my favorite singer-songwriters, Chris Smither. I wrote about that terrific concert here: https://wp.me/p74VSa-gw
Today, I got to enjoy another great artist in the same genre, Jeffrey Gaines, the headliner for Hawk Haven’s most recent Rootstock Concert. These concerts are a great deal: $5 for advanced tickets. Free if you are a member. While not all performers are well-known, they are all quality performers.
The warm-up performer, Mike Flanagan. played a mixed-bag of mainly bluesy songs. These ranged from a few I was not familiar with to classics that nearly everyone knows (e.g.Strange Brew, Here come the Sun, Blackbird and Fleetwood Mac’s Never Going Back Again. Flanagan did a very nice job showing some impressive chops echoing the sound created by Lindsey Buckingham on guitar.
Jeffrey Gaines
For those of you not familiar with Jeffrey Gaines, he is a soulful singer-songwriter who sings about real life issues like prejudice, disease, relationships and (of course) love. His songs contain some of my favorite lyrics ever. Here are a few examples:
First, from “Hero in Me”:
“She’s seen these walls and they never change
Everything’s in its place
Her relationships so neatly arranged
Down to religion and race…”
From: “I Knew A Man”:
“For 20 years he hasn’t spoken a word
Since the accident occurred
While so many people takin tongues for granted
Taking the truth, finding ways to slant it
I know a man who’d know what to do
And so many people go day in and day out
Just dreaming of things they can bitch about…”
Gaines knows how to punctuate his masterful lyrics with a driving guitar (acoustic, but driving) and strong soulful voice. He played for 2 1/2 hours, non-stop. Playing at this beautiful and open, yet intimate venue, Gaines really shines, with his humor and banter with the fans, as well as his comfort in playing some great covers. You can follow him on Twitter @jeffreygmusic. He has a new recording called ALRIGHT on Omnivore Recordings.
Did I mention wine? Yes, something for everyone here. My tasting included:
- Pinot Grigio
- Chardonnay
- Riesling
- Flying Press White
- Flying Press Red ( a blend of Cab, Cab Franc, Sangiovese, Merlot and Petite Syrah)
- Proprietor’s Red (a blend of Merlot, Cab and Petite Sirah)
- Quill – a very nice red blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Cab Franc and Malbec.
- Flying Press Rose
The Quill was my favorite from these selections. While all of the tasted wines were good, when it came time to grab a bottle to take outside and listen to music, I chose a bottle of their Signature Series Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay (an awesome Chardonnay) and ordered a cheese plate and a veggies and hummus plate.
Later, we ordered a bottle of Proprietor’s Red (and took home the unfinished wine). This is a very good, red blend and a reasonably priced wine.
Cheers!
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