[1/28/01]

Can downtown Clayton really become a live music mecca?

It's starting to look that way, and if you needed proof, you could find it Friday night at The Coffee Mill, scene of standing room only as a record-breaking crowd of friends, family, fellow musicians, and Friday night regulars turned out for guitarist Keith Hoeppner's first full-length show.

Hoeppner, who's played guitar for years, said before now, his musical career has rarely extended beyond his living room, except for an occassional open mic session at venues like the Hyphen Coffeehouse in Fuquay-Varina, and The Coffee Mill on Tuesdays, where he has become something of a fixture.

"I'm a little nervous," he confessed before launching into a set of three free-flowing instrumental compositions in a style that eludes categorization. ("Folk-Jazz fusion?" he offered shortly before going on.) Hoeppner then performed an instrumental cover of "From the Beginning," by Emerson, Lake and Palmer, followed by two more originals, "Friend," and "Work in Progress."

Wendy Turner, Hoeppner's sometime singing companion and special guest for the evening, joined him onstage to give a riviting rendition of John Prine's "Angel From Montomery." With a voice as big as the country, and vocal stylings obviously rooted there, Turner served up powerful, highly personalized helpings of tunes like Crosby, Stills & Nash's "Helplessly Hoping," Neil Young's "Powder Finger," and the classic "You Ain't Woman Enough to Take My Man."

Turner's set at The Coffee Mill emphasized why, as a vocalist. she deserves to be "Gettin' Some Respect" -- which is, incidentally, the title of her recent independently-produced CD.

Keith Hoeppner is an extremely skilled performer in his own right, and we can only applaud his decision to take his performance out of the living room and into the limelight.

Hoeppner and Turner together provide a unique, refreshing blend of instrumental and vocal entertainment you'll want to sample next time they're downtown. And having scored a direct hit Friday night, they've promised they'll visit again.

(The Coffee Mill, 107 S. Lombard St., Clayton, offers live music twice weekly -- open mic  every Tuesday, 7-10 p.m., and featured artists every Friday, beginning at 8 p.m. Next Friday, Feb. 2: Brien Barbour appears with special guest, Laura Silvestri)

-- Rick Koobs

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