At a packed theatre for a fund raiser to build the Greek Orthodox church that he’s a member of, Rock Hall of Famer Chris Hillman brought his acoustically adroit Desert Rose Band to Thousand Oaks and presented music ranging from not only the many important bands he has taken part in, but gave tribute to a musical style and, more importantly, a spiritual attitude about life that blew in like a fresh breeze.
Hillman’s team of John Jorgenson/g-mand, Herb Pederson/g and Bill Bryson/b have been fixtures of the So Cal country rock scene, as well as members of his band, for scores of years, so the interplay of strings, be it from picking or strumming, was as in sync as a Chinese Ping Pong tournament. When you add the majestically swinging fret work of these vets, and mix it with heavenly harmonious voices, you get a slight hint of the eternal city that Hillman sings about. Time honored themes like faith, marriage and fidelity wove in and out of songs like “Sin City” “The Story of Love” and “Lover United” making you realize how cutting edge a positive attitude about life can be in this day of nihilistic cynicism.
Hillman’s career has always displayed a spiritual battle, and his songbook, even back in the days of The Byrds, had prophetic music, as Hillman explained on the anthematic pop hit “Turn, Turn Turn” , “composed by King Solomon and Woody Guthrie.” Hauntingly ethereal voicings on “Eight Miles High” and “He’s Back and I’m Blue” were counterbalanced with fretboard wizardry on “Summer Wind” and “Ashes of Love.” Their section of covers ranging from Buck Owens (“Hello Trouble”), Tom Paxton (“The Last Thing On My Mind”) and Gene Clarke (“Set You Free This Time”) by the sidemen who lead bands in their own right were delivered with an authority as if they invented this material. Hey, wait a minute! They DID!
The closing “Heaven’s Lullabye” kept the evening, music and even view on life in an important perspective. Songs that tell a story besides reflections on navel gazing and unbridled lust were delivered as if by a modern prophet, showing us how far we’ve strayed of track. Refreshing, reinvigorating and reflective-not a bad combo for a night of acoustic country rock! As CS Lewis once said, “art that is not eternally focused is eternally obsolete.” Here was music for now and ever after.