Dina Peterson suggested I come out to Tanqueray’s, (100 South Orange Avenue), late one evening to see Kaleigh Rose Baker perform along with the Absinthe Trio. I had seen her sing once before as Janis Joplin and she was amazing. The bar was smokey, tight, dark and the drinks flowed. Kaleigh has delivery that resonates deeply and then sours free. After each song she would take a drink from her cup resting in a stand beside her. She would toast the crowd. She had an edgy quality, always seeming a bit out of control as she sang with her eyes half open. Nathan Anderson performed on the sax beside her and his instrument wailed in lazy indifference. Halfway into the sketch my eyes began to water from the smoke. I closed them for the longest time swaying to the music and waiting for the stinging to pass. It didn’t help that every song expressed pain and longing.
I was introduced to a singer named “Cat, Cat, Cat” who was an actress from NYC planned to sing later in the evening. She had on a stylish fedora and she swayed to the music along with everyone else. After the first set I got to meet Kaleigh and the members of the band. I passed around my sketchbook to let them see what I was up to.
As the second set started up, it was time to go home.