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Ravel celebrated at Sacred Heart. Photo by Jill Fisher.

I can’t remember when exactly I first took in a Junkyard Mule gig, but it’s been a while. So I made my way over to Cedar Lounge on Wednesday, Dec. 10, to see what this trio has been up to. And I’m sure glad I did!

I was in the mood for some old-time country music, which this group can certainly deliver. With Nate Hyman on mandolin, Clancy Ward on fiddle and acoustic guitar, and Jen Krussow on standup bass, they’ve got the right mix for this genre. All three sing lead vocals on different tunes and harmonize wonderfully on others.

It should be noted that each of the three Junkyard Mules is a member of other bands. Jen is with Hot Tamale Cosmos and has been with Clancy in The Field Birds (which is currently on hiatus). Clancy also plays with Sugar on the Roof and Dirt Magnet. Nate plays in Black River Revue and the trio Homegrown Tomatoes.

This may not be a comprehensive list of all the groups or musicians each plays with, but it gives you an idea about their musical activities.

Junkyard Mule covers such classics as “Bury Me Beneath the Weeping Willow Tree” (a version of the Carter Family’s recording) and performs original material as well.

“Junkyard of My Head” is one of Nate’s while Clancy sang his originals, “Sense of Place” and “Smoking the Edges.” Except for the lyrics, these exceptional tunes sound traditional.

Junkyard Mule

What I found most amazing was how individual their voices are. Nate’s is perfect for this repertoire, with his bit of a hitch (not quite a yodel) and downhome inflections that brings to mind Hank Williams. He can really carry a tune.

Clancy’s voice is of the more piercing country sound with something of a southern accent, think Ralph Stanley singing “O Death.” Distinctive.

Then there’s Jen’s crystal clear vocals, which don’t need any comparison, they are all her own even if she’s singing covers such as Dolly Parton’s “Wild Flowers” and  “So Much Wine” by The Handsome Family.

So it is even more amazing how well they all blend together. It was a very enjoyable show and quite danceable as well.

With the holiday season upon us, parties are on my schedule, which fortunately generally include music. The Duluth Preservation Alliance holiday party is always a must do for me so that’s where I was on Thursday, Dec. 11. One of its members, Tom Wegren, who is a Music Professor Emeritus of UMD, was on hand with his expert piano playing. He provided all the musical Christmas cheer one could want with carols some of us sang along with.

Undoubtedly Tom’s talents along these lines are gleaned from his years of postdoctoral work at The Juilliard School and the Paris Conservatoire! 

It was a bitterly cold Friday evening for the Dec. 12 concert at Sacred Heart Music Center with headliner Nicholas David (Mrozinski) and Teague Alexy as opener. I understand these two fellas have been compatriots for a couple of decades now since meeting in Colorado in the first years of the 21st century. They made an album together, The New Folklore, in 2006. I guess that explains how these two came to be paired at this show, despite their radically different vocal styles. Nicholas David joked that they went back to the ‘60s. Funny, since he wasn’t born until 1981!

Most folks that follow music in the Northland are familiar with Teague, who has a distinctive voice (and look). He plays acoustic guitar and harmonica, performing regularly at Sir Benedict’s Tavern on the Lake, usually on Monday evenings. Teague has also joined up with Woodblind on any number of occasions, including on the CD Woodblind Meets Teague Alexy. Another of his albums is Irish American with Erik Berry that contains both original works and traditional Irish ballads. In addition, he often is asked to join other performers in playing his hot harmonica.

Teague Alexy

As opener on this evening, Teague played several of his well-known originals, including “The Lion’s Share” and “5 Foot.” He also played several new compositions, including “Do Right,” “Cold Shoulder” and “Captain,” all of which appear on his latest album Effervescence, which will be officially released on Valentine’s Day, 2026.

Although born in San Francisco, he grew up in New Jersey and he told us about the Pine Barrens there, which he noted were shrinking due to encroaching development. He said there be ghosts there and one wouldn’t want to get lost in those woods.

This was a prelude to another one of his new songs “Slow Moe v Jersey Devil.” He was sounding good in Sacred Heart’s “live” space.

Nicholas David hails from the Twin Cities, with St. Paul as his current base. His instrument is the piano, which he began learning in the second grade. By the tenth grade he was taking vocal lessons and it shows. His fame comes, in part, from being a finalist on the third season (2012) of the long-running TV series The Voice (a show I’ve never watched, not being a TV person). However, he has been playing around the Twin Cities for years, so it was a bit surprising that the turnout for this concert wasn’t larger than it was. Perhaps it was the cold weather that kept many folks away.   

ND came on stage and settled himself at the Baldwin piano looking for all the world like Dr. John (Malcolm John Rebennack Jr.). He began his set with a Willie Nelson tune, giving it a jazzy treatment, as he did a number of other tunes.

ND’s voice had quite a range of tonal qualities, being rather nasal at times as when he sang a song he said was a favorite of his father’s: “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” His vocalizations varied. Some were strong and pure without vibrato and some showcased his rich low tones. At other times his sound is sharp and biting. He does noodle around on some notes, which ensured that his covers of other musicians’ songs had his own sound. Soulful, yes, but not a soft folky sound.

Nicholas David

I was impressed that his enunciation was crisp such that one could actually understand the words to the songs — a good trick in this space full of reverberation, where lyrics are typically quite muddy.

ND has now released seven studio albums, the most recent of which is More Than Music on vinyl. At this concert I didn’t hear him sing many of the tracks on it, just “Cool, Calm, Crazy.” Rather, he turned this appearance into something of a Christmas show with quite a number of seasonal songs, including the one noted above, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” “Christmas Polka” (no one danced but me!) and a Hawaiian Christmas tune. Toward the end of the concert he performed a medley of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” “Landslide” (by Fleetwood Mac) and “Jingle Bells.”

His final number was “Silent Night” which he encouraged folks to sing along with. That was quite nice.

This concert got some mixed reviews by those I spoke with. The Curmudgeon was not impressed. Others thought it was way too loud. As for me, I found it to be a very enjoyable concert and would definitely go out to see him again.

On Saturday, Dec. 13, I got to attend another musical outing in the guise of a party. And talk about parties! I got to experience Spike & Helga’s 10th Winter Bash at “the big house” (the former Gary-New Duluth Community Center), purportedly the last ever.

It was a non-stop show by performers past and present. I met members of The Busters (Tommy Borgren, Mike Mattson and Rick Olson) who, I was told, were a hot item back in the day. Indeed the band played Bayfront Blues Festival in 1992, 1999, 2000 and 2002. Here they played “Cadillac,” “Why Get Up?” “The Joker” and one of my Dylan favorites: “Everything is Broken.”

The Busters

Man, these oldsters really rocked!

Hosts Mike Munson and Kim Curtis-Munson also performed, sitting in with their musical pals. During the course of the six hours I was there, many of the guests joined in for a tune or two or performed their own mini-sets: Pat Eliason, Janie and Peter Aas, Marvin Lee and several others I can’t name.

Later in the afternoon the father and son duo from River Falls, Wis., Chris and Ari Silver, arrived to play songs from their new album, My Train of Thought, to be released before Christmas. One of these was “Four Beers From Now,” a real country tear-jerker.

Josh Sandstrom joined the duo, playing banjo on “I’m Goin’ Fishin’.” We got to hear “Felice Navidad” too before I left at 6:30 (an hour before quittin’ time). What a great party! I got to dance the entire afternoon.

For a respite from holiday music, there was the Reflections on Ravel concert at Sacred Heart Music Center on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 14. It was a celebration of the Frenchman Maurice Ravel’s musical contributions 150 years after his birth and was curated by Paula Gudmundson, Associate Professor of Flute at UMD. She explained that Ravel’s chamber music wasn’t often played, so this was a cherished opportunity to present the selected pieces.

Beyond Gudmundson’s contributions on the flute, players included Charles Sundquist (piano), Theodor Schoen (clarinet), Bernabe Jorge, III (trombone), Kristin Sande (violin), Jennifer Mattson (violin), Jonathan Kresha (viola), Byron Klimek (cello) and Janell Lemire (harp). Two singers, soprano Jennifer Lien and mezzo-soprano Georgia Jacobson rounded out the ensemble.

I must say, the unamplified music of the chamber players was music to my ears in this fabulous space. No need for mics whatsoever.

I found two instrumental selections to be particularly wonderful: “Pavane pour une infante défunte” with trombone and piano, and “Introduction e allegro pour harpe, flûte, clarinette et quatuor” with all the instruments except piano. It was a satisfying cap to a musical weekend.

UPCOMING: There are two more concerts at Sacred Heart coming up this week, both of which promise to be worthwhile: Caitlyn Smith, acclaimed American singer-songwriter from Cannon Falls, Minn. will perform on Friday, Dec. 19. Then on Sunday, Dec.21, Willowgreen and Eira present a “Winter Solstice Fire” concert from 2 to 4 pm.

See you there!