Downtown Knoxville Classic Victorian Tile Entryways

Tile is placed at 36 Market Square, Knoxville, December 2011

The other day as I walked past 36 Market Square I noticed a man and a woman placing tile in the entryway of that building. It's fascinating, painful and tedious work. I don't think they were used to having their pictures taken.


Original tile entryway, north side of 36 Market Square

Have you ever noticed the tile entryways to a number of downtown buildings? I've always thought they were interesting. A while back I noticed that a number of them included hexagonal shapes. The first one that really caught my attention was on Wall Avenue in the northern doorway to that same building at 36 Market Square. That particular entryway includes a central flourish encasing the names of what I assume are the original proprietors of whatever establishment originally called that address "home."


Beautiful tile entrance to the Bijou, Gay Street, Knoxville

 It was after that I noticed the entrance to the Bijou had the same hexagonal tiles in its beautiful entrance. I assumed them to be a turn-of-the-century fashion given the approximate age of the buildings downtown. Even though the Bijou is older, its front entrance was originally a basement and became exposed when the street was lowered which, I'm guessing, was somewhere in the Victorian era.

Keystone Building, Church Avenue, Knoxville



Tile in Keystone entryway, Church Street, Knoxville

 I'm sure Jack Neely must have written on this subject at some point, but I couldn't find it archived online. I wonder if a good bit of the work, particularly that with the hexagonal tiles wasn't done by the same artisan. I knew I'd noticed it elsewhere around the city and I decided to walk the streets and see just how much of it I could find. I didn't find as much as I expected.


Tiled entrance to Night Owl, Old City, Knoxville

 I found one entryway off Gay on the top of the steps leading into the Keystone Building. I found one in the Old City at the entrance to Night Owl. I know there must have been more at one time and I may have missed some of them, but I looked everywhere I thought I would likely spot them. I really thought there were more. Perhaps you can think of some I missed.


Tiled entrance to my home, CA 1916, Knoxville

One reason these tile entryways are so interesting to me is because there is one inside my home. The entryway would date to 1916 and, while the design isn't as ornate as some of the others, it includes the same hexagonal tiles. It is part of the structure we are not allowed to alter because of the building's historical designation.


Finished Product: Tiled entryway at 36 Market Square, Knoxville

 As the lead picture indicated, all this was brought back to me by the sight of a man and a woman laying tile at the Market Square entrance to 36 Market Square. I'm not sure if this was a required part of the restoration or if the owner simply wanted to add a touch common to other buildings downtown and in sync with the entrance on the other side of the building. This entrance and the one on the northwestern side of the building are both nicely done, though they do not include hexagonal tiles. Maybe that's just as well: let it be a marker of an artisan of a past era, a small portion of whose work we continue to enjoy today.

Do you have more information? A link to a Jack Neely article? Are there other entryways I've missed? Tell us in the comments below.

Dirty Guv'nahs Stirring Things Up Again: Five Years on the Road

Dirty Guv'nahs Two Night Run at the Bijou, Knoxville, April 2011

The Dirty Guv'nahs have been together five years. I'm not sure how long I've been a fan, but I've seen them approaching a dozen times and, though I don't go back to the Preservation Pub days, I do go back to the Barley's days. Since that time they've grown so much as a band, it's hard to think of them as the same group. Their popularity can be measured by the fact that they booked the Bijou this weekend for both Friday and Saturday night to celebrate their fifth anniversary. I bought tickets for the first show and, in no surprise to anyone who knows how I love music in general and them specifically, after the first show I had to buy tickets for the second.

Moon Taxi opening for the Dirty Guv'nahs, Bijou, Knoxville, April 2011

A group named Moon Taxi opened the show. Their phenomenal keyboard player is from Knoxville and I believe I understood that the band is from Nashville. Their music reminded me of Arcade Fire, though someone more familiar with the music of either or both bands might tell me I'm way off base. They are actually hyped as a jam band, but I didn't get that at all last night. It's modern rock and I tried to think what its ancestors would be and I came up a bit empty. The light show reminded me of theatrical rock of the seventies but, thankfully, without the makeup. Sometimes their melodies reminded me of Duran Duran, but with more of the edge of the Clash. Mayor Burchett introduced them and quoted Rolling Stone as saying they will do for modern rock what Lynyrd Skynyrd did for southern rock. They were good, but that's saying something pretty big. And what's up with Mayor Burchett starting to show up wherever I'm hanging out? That can't be a good thing.

Abby Hamm and Russel Bivens introduce the Dirty Guv'nahs

The Guv'nahs were spot on as they always are these days. James' exuberance alone could carry them, but no one has to carry this band at this point in their history. The musicianship is solid throughout the band. Chris was over-the-top on keyboards last night, Cozmo was his Cozmo self, Michael just gets sweeter on his end of the guitar playing and James' vocals were great all night. Something happened about two thirds through the two-plus hour set. When the band covered Instant Karma, which was, I think followed by their own Afternoon Eyes, the energy level went to a new level. That song was the highlight of the night for me, though of course Blue Rose Stroll is always a crowd favorite and their version of the Stones Dead Flowers was great fun.

Dirty Guv'nahs, Bijou, Knoxville, April 2011

Dirty Guv'nahs, Bijou Night One, Knoxville,

Surprises of the night included the appearance of Robyn James on violin in an acoustic set that included James and Chris. Scott Miller also joined the band on stage for several songs including the finale: The Weight. Also joining them on that song was Davis Mitchell from Dishwater Blonde and Mitch Stewart who was the original bass player for the band.

Scott Miller joins the Dirty Guv'nahs onstage, Bijou, Knoxville, April 2011

The band was introduced by local celebrities Abby Hamm and Russell Bivens who appear in the video I've included below. Much of the show was filmed and a running gag included a "reporter" who was trying to get interviews with the band while they were playing. I assumed this must be for a coming video, but it was a bit distracting. The band has been recording new music and debuted four songs Friday night. My favorite was "Song Number Two," which presumably will have a different title when it makes it onto a disk. I'll end this post with the video of a track from their current album Youth is in Our Blood: Baby We Were Young.

The Black Lillies Cruz Through CD Release Concert

Black Lillies sold out Bijou debut of "100 Miles of Wreckage"

Excitement built for months among local music lovers for the sold out Black Lillies CD release concert at the Bijou. I first heard about it last fall when I saw the band open for the Steel Drivers at Cumberland Caverns. Each time I've heard them, they sound more polished than the time before. I'm tempted to say they are tighter - and they are in the sense of being more comfortable with each other - but it's almost as if knowing each other better has allowed them to play a bit looser, with a little more abandon. As much as they were very good last fall, they've taken a major step since that time and now seem very comfortable headlining at the Bijou.

The New Familiars with Ian Thomas sitting in

The show started with Charlotte based band, The New Familiars. There's is an interesting amalgamation of southern rock and roll with an Appalachian sensibility. Sometimes sounding like a jam band ala Phish and sometimes sounding like a British Invasion band (complete with puzzling British accents) they were at their best when rocking hard and wailing harmonies. The crowd seemed to give them a warm reception.

A snaggle-toothed Cash charms the crowd between sets

Between sets the best entertainment in the house was provided by Cash Contreras who called from the balcony to his "daddy" (Cruz Contreras) and his "mama" (Robinella) and to individual band members and various friends. Apparently the excitement of working the room from the balcony finally wore him down because by the time the show started and Cruz said something to him, he was passed out asleep in grandma's lap, only his little cowboy boots visible as they extended over the balcony railing.

Black Lillies, Bijou, Knoxville, January 22, 2011

The Black Lillies took the stage with a couple of extra members. A banjo player joined them for the beginning and other segments of the set and Billy Contreras sat in for much of the night on fiddle. The new and old songs flowed together beautifully and highlighted a band feeling comfortable in their own skin. The new album is "100 Miles of Wreckage" and rather than attempting to review the new music, I'll defer to our local review master, Wayne Bledsoe, who reviewed the album here. The songwriting is the star, shining a light once more on what contemporary country music could have become. Equal parts Americana/Folk flowing through the country sound gives the band a fresh approach to a worn and frayed genre.

Black Lillies, Bijou, Knoxville, January 22, 2011

Highlights for the night went to individual performances. Tom Pryor on electric and steel guitar gives the band its muscle and keeps the sound from becoming more pure folk. A phenomenal player on either instrument, for my money, his time is better spent playing electric guitar and I wish he would get out from behind the pedal steel. He seemed more on the verge of establishing his rightful place in the center of the mix than when last I saw the band. Trisha Gene Brady certainly isn't shy about claiming her piece of the action. Her backing and lead vocals are a real treat. She also seemed to be the crowd favorite, with many people calling out to her and bringing her roses. Again, my opinion, her voice is so amazing, I wouldn't mind hearing her share more lead vocals. Billy Contreras, Cruz' brother, is equally impressive on the fiddle. At one point after playing a solo, Cruz advised the audience not to "try this at home." Good advice, and here is my opinion, again: Get the boy in the band full time. He adds so much possibility to the sound with his versatile playing that it could only help.

Cruz Contreras of the Black Lillies

Finally, Cruz, of course, is the centerpiece to the entire operation. It's almost hard to believe this is the same quiet, behind the scenes guy who backed Robinella. He's still certainly not a domineering personality, always seeming to happily share the attention, but he's found his own way to front a band, with his self-deprecating humor and soft southern charm. He also provided another highlight by playing the beautiful grand piano for a couple of songs.

Black Lillies without amplification, Bijou, Knoxville, January 22, 2011

As the show wound down, the band took their turn at standing front stage, singing and playing without amplification, in the acoustically stunning Bijou. I've seen two other artists attempt to do this. Robert Earl Keen failed miserably to quieten his drunken rowdy fans. The Dirty Guv'nahs did much better at their New Year's Eve show. This, however, was as good as it gets. The band played "Go to Sleep Now" lightly and the vocals rang out and the crowd actually listened. It truly was a great moment, but don't take my word for it, check out the video below. It includes the "don't try this at home moment."

Afterward, encores were played and everyone was invited back onto the stage for a rousing finish to a warm evening so intimate it felt like a thousand of your closest friends gathered in the living room for a little sensational music. Pick up their first album, Whiskey Angel and get the new one as soon as possilbe. Here's to much, much more from this exceptional band.

Knoxville Jazz Fest Blows into Town

It's been a couple of days since I posted. I'm trying to pace myself a bit better, but also, a major event hit Knoxville this weekend and some days I'm in the middle of doing and, so, can't be writing. Yesterday was one of those days. It was exhausting and fun.

I agreed to be a driver for the festival (you might want to read the post from a few days ago to get an idea of what the festival was about this year). Since I love music and am fascinated by musicians, I figured it would be an exciting and interesting day. It was. Some parts were more exciting and others more interesting. I arrived at the airport about ten minutes early, but parked at the wrong place. I figured that out and got to the pick-up point just in time as the band members walked out onto the sidewalk. Ready to be picked up were Vincent Herring, Buster Williams, Larry Willis and Eddie Henderson. All legends and none of them wanting to stand on the curb waiting for the other car, which we had to do for about five painful minutes due to an unavoidable delay. Some were more patient than others.

Larry, who I came to really enjoy through the day told me a pointed story about being late. He said that when he was young he was always late for gigs. A band leader took him aside and told him there were four reasons this was a bad thing. First, the late musician is uptight and rushing to get in place and so he will not play as well. Second, the other musicians are uptight wondering if the person will show and they won't play as well. Third, the audience expected the show to start on time and they will be harder to win over. Fourth, and perhaps most significantly to a young, hungry artist, being late violates the contract and you might not get paid. He was never late again. As he finished the story about breached contracts and being late, I'm sure the beads of sweat on my forehead were obvious to passengers in the descending planes overhead.

Soon enough, the other car arrived. They all piled inside the Mercedes until it was full, leaving Vincent to climb into my Prius. I enjoyed talking to him on the trip to Knoxville, as well as through the course of the day. He seemed struck by my 50+ miles per gallon. We talked a bit about Knoxville and he remembered bits about being here before.

The next pick-up was at 2:30 for sound-check. At that point we learned that our group of four was now a group of seven. Javon Jackson had arrived the previous night, as had Jimmy Cobb. Also added to the group was Tony Wheelock, the group's road manager, who turned out to be a fun, interesting addition to the mix. Javon told everyone he had seen Donald Brown the night before. Several of the others said they wished they had known he was in Knoxville because they would have come early (from New York City) to hear him. It reminded me all over again, what a treasure we have in Donald. I've mentioned it before and will soon post about him, again, along with a nice video I found. Javon later told me that he considers Donald a real mensch. He said it was Donald who gave him him first big break by introducing him to Art Blakey.

Tony talks to Buster with Eddie in the background.

Jimmy adds his cymbals and gets the drums ready.

Eddie tests his sound with Jimmy in the background.

Jimmy playing drums at sound-check.

Eddie and Jimmy.

Jimmy and Javon at sound-check.

With cars full we drove them to the Bijou. Exacting and all-business, the sound-check would be enough for the casual observer to understand that the musicians were exceptional. Precise instructions on placements of drums and piano, including angles and proximity to other musicians followed lengthy instructions regarding volume, tone, reverb, highs and lows on every microphone and both the house and monitor volumes. Pieces of various songs were played, but the opening bars of "So What," the lead track from  "Kind of Blue," seemed to often surface.

Once everyone was satisfied with the sound, a large debate ensued over whether to eat lunch/supper. By then it was around 4:00. Eddie wanted Asian food, not many other people were hungry, so they made the obvious choice: Calhoun's on the River for ribs. I took a couple of the guys back to the hotel.

Jimmy graciously poses with anyone who asks.

The reception started at 5:30 and a small crowd gathered to greet Jimmy Cobb, who was very gracious. All these guys are stars in the jazz universe and I wondered how they felt back at the hotel while Jimmy was honored. If you follow the links above you see that they have each have very established and often stellar careers. If there was dissatisfaction on this day, I couldn't tell it.

The concert began around 8:00 with opening remarks by Donald Brown, followed by a short film and then the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra. I'm embarrassed to admit this is the first time I've heard them, but I'll say the musicianship was excellent, all around. New local resident, Greg Tardy joined in for a portion of the set and got a great response from the crowd of about 500.

I left early to pick up the guys at the hotel and found Tony already seated in the lobby. It was another chance to talk with a person who has had a very interesting career in the music business. I enjoyed several such conversations with him during the day, and enjoyed connecting on the various forms of music and musicians we both enjoyed. He's a laid-back, easy guy to work with and I'm glad he came along.

Tony and Larry share a laugh before the show.

Jimmy and Vincent in the hotel lobby before the show.

Jimmy gets assistance with his drum set-up before the show.

Jimmy makes sure everything is in place before the curtain rises.

The guys looked much prettier than they had earlier and we made the drive, yet another time, to the Bijou. After the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra finished their set, I watched the set up back stage and was impressed at how efficiently the guys working behind the scene got everything broken down and replaced everything from instruments to sound-levels back to the specifications requested at the sound check.

The guys take final bows.

The show, for me, while excellent, seemed more a continuation of the day than a real climax to the day. The guys were smooth, professional and seemed to be in good spirits, often seen laughing about some private joke or mistake. No one addressed the crowd until Jimmy said a few words at the conclusion. Most of the audience stayed until the conclusion, but some wandered out - a behavior that has always mystified me at concerts. What if the magic moment is after you get into your car? Those who stayed seemed to have a great time.

After the show, the guys were in no hurry to leave, but finally assembled to travel to the S and W for a late-night jam session. I took several there, came back to the Bijou and took Tony to the hotel and returned to the S and W around midnight for the start of the jam session. It was fun, but if ever there were too many musicians in the house, this might have been the night. Jimmy and his band mostly stayed at their tables while local favorites in various alignments, including many from the KJO entertained the crowd.

Ben Maney plays an inspired set at the S and W.

One highlight was the piano work of Ben Maney who most of us know best from the Tennessee Shines house band.

Larry closes down the night.

My favorite performance of a day filled with great performances came at just after 1:30AM. Larry took the grand piano and played a beautiful, soft and plaintive version of  an old Duke Ellington song. I missed the name of the song, but it was a gorgeous, elegant ending to a great day of music. All that remained was one final trip to the Holiday Inn and falling into bed at 2:00AM, exhausted and happy at the conclusion of another great chapter of the city.

Boulder to Birmingham (to Knoxville)

Knoxville continues to get quite a stream of musical talent. Too much for an Urban Guy to afford. So an Urban Guy has to improvise. Emmylou Harris, who is an amazing treasure in American music came to Knoxville as part of the Bijou's Jubilee fund raising weekend. As such, the tickets were expensive, starting at around $65 (with service fees) and moving north of $100 if you wanted to be close to the front.

The good news is that the Bijou Theater, which seats around 700, doesn't have a bad seat. A New York Times critic said it may be the best listening house in America. The building is the fourth oldest in Knoxville and dates to 1817. The theater was carved out of the building and opened in 1916. It has seen ups and downs over the years, with performances by the Barrymores, the Marx Brothers and the biggest stars of Vaudeville. It subsequently became a porn movie theater and several times has come close to demolition. It was most recently saved in 2006 by a variety of individuals including Ashley Capps of AC Entertainment who introduced Emmylou last night. I've seen too many shows there over the years to remember them all, but some that stand out in my mind include Koko Taylor, Bobby Bland, Joan Baez, The Cowboy Junkies, Jefferson Airplane (without Grace Slick), Roger McGuin, Steve Earle, Taj Mahal and Robert Earl Keen. Of course, there is the whole Tennessee Shines series.

I fell in love with Emmylou the first time I heard her voice on the radio. The song was "If I Could only Win Your Love," the Louvin Brother's song. I loved that voice from the beginning. I eventually saw her in concert when she performed in the Pavilion on the World's Fair Park as a fundraiser for WDVX, which is one of the most important radio stations in our region, preserving bluegrass and Appalachian music and serving up great doses of Americana, as well as live music daily. The show that day was wonderful and I fell in love with Emmylou all over again. She stayed after the show and signed my album covers and sat beside me and talked as comfortably as if we had always been friends.

So, having seen her, I was having a hard time paying $65 and a hard time knowing that she was only a few blocks from my house and I would not see her. I went to the show with the idea that I might get a cheaper ticket and, if not, I would walk home a little sad, but not so broke. I got worried when I saw the "sold out" signs on the door, but just like with B.B. King last winter, a kind soul immediately sold me her spare ticket for $30. I sat on the back row, but the theater is so small, that wasn't bad and since I was sitting next to the soundboard, the sound was perfect.

I can't remember all the songs she performed, but there were no poor performances. The band was tight and her voice was much better than I had hoped. It has clearly lowered over the years, but is still distinctive and clear. She sounded very close to her original recordings even on the early songs. Some of the songs she performed include Orphan Girl, Red Dirt Girl, Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight, Love and Happiness, Wheels, Pancho and Lefty, Michelangelo, If I Could Only Win Your Love, Bang the Drum Slowly, Get Up, John and Evangeline. The highlights for me were "If I Could Only Win Your Love," for nostalgic reasons and "Wheels," also for nostalgic reasons as I thought of her time with Gram Parsons. As the show ended, she brought her dogs out on stage, introduced them and made a plea for animal adoption. I'd hoped I could get a picture with her after the show, but no such luck. Still, it was a very good night.

She's Sixty-Eight but She Says She's Fifty-Four

I really don't have any idea how old she is - let's say timeless and ageless. Maggie Longmire was born, has lived and performed in east Tennessee for long enough to seem like a natural part of the terrain. Sadly, as long as I've heard her praised for her smooth vocals and picturesque songwriting, I think I'd only crossed paths with her once. She performed a couple of Bob songs at  a Bob Dylan Birthday Bash a couple of years ago and I caught her there.

This past Saturday night I was able to hear her do a set of her own songs at the Bistro on Gay Street. The Bistro is an intimate little venue which features quiet little tables great for conversation or listening to excellent music. The food is always delicious and it features a full bar and the largest nude painting allowed in east Tennessee. Any of the above is worth the effort to drive or walk to. It is housed in the fourth oldest building in Knoxville, built in the 1820's. Originally a residence, what is now the Bistro and the entrance to the Bijou Theater was originally the basement before the city of Knoxville removed the hill in front of it exposing that floor.

Maggie played on this particular night with friends Jay Manneschmidt and Alexia Pantanizopolous. Jay is an excellent guitar player I first ran into at Music Therapy which performed for years every Friday night at Borders on Morrell Road. Led by Danny Gammon of Y'uns, they now they perform at the Time Warp Tea Room. Alexia is better known as part of Norwegian Wood, who were featured in a recent post. Maggie, meanwhile, is also well-known as part of the Lonesome Coyotes, a longtime Knoxville band. Got all that?



The trio moved through a range of Maggie's songs, including songs from her most recent CD. Maggie's CD "Teachers and Travelers" won the 2003 best local CD release and she won the best local musician in the Metro Pulse Readers Poll that year. Her voice is strong, her playing subtle and her lyrics evocative of a past that she lived and learned about from her family and which seems universal in her capable hands.

It was a wonderful show and the small audience responded appreciatively. Though there weren't very many people present, those who were seemed attuned to every word and that is a gift not often rendered to musicians playing live music. I'm glad I was there and I wish more people could have heard her.

PS. Without using Google, can you name the song quoted in the title? Just seeing if you're awake.