tell me Storey

I saw a woman musician last night, Nina Storey, at the Fox theater with a friend of a friend who is becoming a friend that I already treasure in a soulful way.

What?

Let me try that again.

Nina Storey: singer/songerwriter (all original like my favorite, Patty Griffin). Young, beautiful, long curly red hair and completely unpretentious. She plays piano and guitar and is backed by a bassist and drummer. Her voice is unbelievable, powerful; her lyrics get wedged in your brain :

"I'm starting to unravel beneath my skin, walking barefoot on gravel, moving pin to pin"

You can't help but watch her mouth when she sings, moving smoothly from a coy smile to deep concentrated vowel shapes. It looks like no effort whatsoever to create her powerful vocal explosions- so loud sometimes that the mic can't get it all, always in perfect pitch with a sweet tint of strawberry carrying through.

But the best part is her emotion. It's raw. Unleashed. Happiness, sadness, anger, frustration- stomping her foot, clapping her hands, bringing you to the edge of tears. At one point, she was down on the piano, opening up word after word of an intense song, head moving side to side, feet stomping, one hand breaking free to punch the air. Alaina turned towards me and we both yelled, "Wow!" The raw woman inside of me poured out of my chest and screamed into the night, asking me where the fuck I've been all this time.

I keep her caged- that naked lady. She's unpredictable and volatile. I'm not trying to be over-the-top feminist, but we do live in a man's world where logic, control and reason are the most highly valued. I fit into those just fine- they are a part of me as well and I let them control my pallet 99% of the time. I live with two guys now, I'm in a relationship, I'm starting school again- that's simply not going to change much if I want to survive and get what I want. But there's something valid about the feminine energy, that 1% I acknowledge every now and then.

Today is about that. I'm looking for some Tori Amos, some Ani di Franco, the Patty Griffin album I'm missing. I'm going on a hike in the Flat Irons by myself, going to yoga. Letting the energy take me where it will after that- art, cooking, a good cry. Whatever. Maybe I can up it to 2%, maybe I'll be brave enough to show it elsewhere. If not, it'll be good go at least uncage her in my alone time and become familiar again.

http://www.myspace.com/ninastorey
Her second video, around minute 4:30, she opens up and let's it go. It's worth watching. The produced music vid is good too.