When the power went out on Monday, I pretty much abandoned my plans for productivity that night and headed up to the P&H to relax.  I had a friend-date that evening and people in dive bars on Mondays are notoriously cool.  In all the confusion, I completely forgot that P&H does open mic on Monday nights.  Tiffany Harmon, the emcee, showed up for an early dinner and tipped me off to the event.  She added that Michael Joyner was the feature artist and, like bacon, that just made it better.

I first heard Joyner at Java Cabana in my pre-blogging days.  Back then, I just sat around bars and coffee shops with a pen, legal pad and no particular purpose.  For me, it’s fun to write down what comes to mind and see if it leads anywhere.  I don’t remember what I wrote that particular evening, but Joyner remembered me for it.  He asked if I was “that girl who was writing” – not a bad qualifier, all things considered.  (I’ve definitely been called worse.)

I also remember him from that performance because he specifically wrote a song about being a creative soul in Memphis – notable because he considers Memphis a good place to be.  That’s not a common sentiment among many aspiring artists in this city.  I recognize him as a kindred spirit and I’m glad fate brought me to the show that night.  Passion and enthusiasm are the most important aspect of creativity and Joyner demonstrates them in abundance.

It’s obvious that Joyner is a dedicated performer, exemplified by the way he interacts with other local musicians.  He doesn’t try to exist in a bubble of his own “work” and instead shows respect to other artists and supports their work.  I know from experience that supporting the art of others only increases your own productivity, especially in a city like this.

There’s a reason that certain people gravitate to Midtown.  Trust me, it’s not because of bad wiring and plaster walls.  There’s character in this part of the city.  It’s a place that has seen some excellent highs and pretty low lows.  It’s been the nexus of upper class socialization and simultaneously the spawning pool of counter-culture.  Right now, Memphis is going through a renaissance and Midtown is where most of the creative foundation was laid.  It’s a great time to capitalize on dreams simply by being aware of the community around us and supporting everyone’s effort.

I love finding people who share this belief.  I love to see the new and old working together to revive the once epic tradition of music and arts in the Bluff City.  The Wikipedia article on Memphis has a longer section for The Pyramid than any other place of note.  That’s pretty sad, imho.  Hopefully with the upsurge of vitality we’ve seen in the past few years there will be more to say about our city in the 21st century than “hometown of Justin Timberlake” (no offense, JT).

But anyway, back to my relaxing open mic evening.  I snagged a front row seat so I could get some video of Joyner and his accompanist Khari Wynn, on guitar.  The crowd was a little larger than the last Monday I spent at the P&H, so it’s lucky I got there early.  After getting set up, Joyner and Wynn shared a comfortable rapport that extended out into the audience.  We all felt like friends hanging out at a party while two guys jammed.  It was fun and easy, just like good music should be.

Wynn is just one of the many people Joyner recruited when he created his 2013 album, The Pickins’ Are Slim.  This 11-track summation of Joyner’s musical development utilizes a variety of styles to highlight his talent.  Easily fitting into multiple genres, this album could appeal to country fans and then slip into an alternative rock playlist.  The folksy timbre of the tracks is lent depth by an R&B-style resonance, which evokes the essence of Memphis.  From melodeons to flautists, each track is given range to embrace what it is and, ultimately, convey the feeling Joyner is expressing.  It makes me want to get to know him better and find out where the lyrics came from.

Granted, the overall effect of the album could blend into the myriad of singer/songwriter/bands on the scene these days.  The difference is found in Joyner’s ability to work with others.  Joyner is a man of many talents, as evidenced by his performances.  But a good musician that surrounds himself with talented people is able to achieve greatness by promoting the skills of others.  Joyner is able to harness the genius of his friends, and bring it all together with the ever-so-important ability to record, mix, and produce an album.  That is no small accomplishment.

The next time you want to leave home, an open mic can make for great entertainment.  You never know what you might find there.  If you’d like to have the Michael Joyner musical experience, I believe he’s playing Otherlands on July 12th and then Java Cabana on July 18th.  The Java show is with another band, Dewveall, coming down from Nashville.  That’s where I’ll be, more than likely.