Enjoyed @CanadianBlast‘s @CMJ showcase @ArlenesGrocery. @bencaplanmusic played keyboard duet w/collaborator Taryn. pic.twitter.com/i4MyDbhvYA

— Philip Turner (@philipsturner) October 17, 2013

Ben Caplan with collaborator Taryn played a stunning keyboard and vocal duet in his opening set at Canadian Blast‘s CMJ showcase Wednesday night in Manhattan. The piece had a theater-like quality with their voices soaring and plummeting, and keys clashing. It reminded me of a song I loved years ago, and haven’t re-listened to in ages. I told the talented Taryn about it when we spoke during the break after Ben’s set. That long-ago song was by Judy Collins, a long one (5-6 minutes) about a figure, I believe from the French Revolution, his name spelled something like Marat-Sade. I’ll look it up later, and see. I’ve been to two other full CMJ showcases this week (Saskmusic.org, and M for Montreal.) and still doing my usual book business, so too rushed to do it right now!