Pete Madsen, Kota Kato & Teja Gerken @ Timbre Folk & Baroque, Berkeley, CA, USA, 04/12/2025

[concert_goer]

Three players swapping tunes at the stringed instrument shop Timbre Folk & Baroque. Each musician performed seven songs, so we got twenty-one in total, with plenty of highlights.

Pete Madsen played six-string and resonator guitars, performing both his own compositions and old country blues numbers. Blind Blake's Police Dog Blues is one of my all-time favorite pieces, and it was great to hear it live again, along with Pete's intense instrumental Hope Springs Eternal. Tommy Johnson's Big Road Blues sounded really great, and Sylvester Weaver's Steel Guitar Rag, the earliest known recording of bottleneck-style slide guitar, was an important addition to the set.

Teja Gerken started on a 6-string acoustic guitar and also played a couple of songs on a 12-string, which sounded fantastic. I was especially impressed by his powerful version of Chris Proctor's War Games, with impeccable rhythm and amazing slide playing. Teja's new tune Aerogramme was also a highlight, featuring some very interesting musical developments. The dynamic Vicki's Red Boots showcased string tapping techniques, and Sí Bheag Sí Mhór by Turlough O'Carolan was played just beautifully.

Kota Kato was David Lindley's roadie and continues keeping the flame alive by performing songs from Mr. Dave's repertoire. He brought eight different instruments to the show, though used only about six of them. Kota started with a bouzouki, played the reggae song I Am a Patriot on an old mandolin (of course!), and delivered an outstanding rendition of Mercury Blues on an electric oud. Wow, this was something. He also performed a couple of numbers on a baritone Weissenborn: an unplugged version of Bye Bye Love by the Everly Brothers, and a plugged-in Revenge Will Come by Lindley.

The first set was very long, and the second one felt more like an extended encore. A truly enlightening and entertaining concert that brought us folk, blues and beyond.

Set 1 (7:31 PM — 8:50 PM): Going Down to Richmond (PM), Takoma (TG), Plethora Bouzoukia (KK), Big Road Blues (PM), Vicki's Red Boots (TG), Canción Mixteca (KK), Ironweed Rag (PM), Awaiting Spring (TG), I Am a Patriot (KK), Steel Guitar Rag (PM), Aerogramme (TG), Bye Bye Love (KK), Police Dog Blues (PM), Sí Bheag Sí Mhór (TG), Mercury Blues (KK)

Set 2 (9:03 PM — 9:37 PM): Hope Springs Eternal (PM), War Games (TG), Pay the Man (KK), Poor Black Mattie (PM), Josefin's Waltz (TG), Revenge Will Come (KK)