A house concert is a special way to experience musical performance.  It is also a social opportunity unlike any commercial concert venue. Dave & Tammy Fielyʻs home (whimsically called the “Shiba Chalet”)  is perfectly and uniquely designed for this purpose.  The woodland setting in Great Falls, Virginia is calm and welcoming.  The modern rustic house is pristine and warm. The character of the interior space is eclectic, with influences from around the globe.  The Fiely’s have created a stage in the lower level with an excellent sound system and clean lighting that guarantee an intimate listening experience. The kitchen is ample, with plenty of room for nibbling, and mingling before the concert.

Now for the concert:  Claude Bourbon has French and Swiss roots. His instruments are guitar and voice. His music is rooted in multiple traditions – blues, jazz, folk, Mediterranean, and for good measure classical. (Can we say BACH!)

Mr. Bourbon’s guitar fingering and arrangements are varied and eloquent.  Claude has the gift of brilliant sequencing, and the result is  a hypnotic voyage along a river of songs and instrumentals.  He wisely began with a two separate songs to establish his connection with us.  What followed was a series of pieces strung together like a cleverly woven magic carpet.  I felt like I was floating along, all thought swept aside. I was flowing with him from sad to sweet to ironic and on to another dimension.  Some songs are in English, some in French, and within each there is rhythmic dance among the words.  He plays with consonant sounds, and his tone is sometimes like that of a lover whispering in your ear.  Other times, that tone goes deep and strong to relay important history or solidarity with those who have had similar experiences. Instrumentals provide continued rhythmic and melodic steps on the journey. Each strum or pluck is explicit, yet free flowing.

Claude Bourbon aptly describes himself as a musical artist.  He uses a vast array of music tools to paint a landscape we have all visited either in person or in our dreams.

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For more information about Claude Bourbon, go to his website at:  http://www.claudebourbon.org/   Be sure to click on the Tour Dates tab to learn when he will be in your area.  His current US tour has him in the west (WA, CA, OR) through the month of May and into early June.

For notices about upcoming concerts at the “Shiba Chalet”, send Dave Fiely an email at: shibachalethouseconcerts@gmail.com