Arriving after 1 a.m. Thursday at Mitchell Airport on his flight from Newark, Les Paul held court for several hours early into the morning, offering up an informal seminar on the art and science of recording technology for a small gathering.
He also weaved hilarious anecdotes from an early career as a touring musician with regional hillbilly bands. Like a long lost grandfather, the Waukesha native manages to offer practical lessons within his tales of riding no-handed on his bicycle while practicing guitar; working with Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong and W.C. Fields; playing command performances for President Eisenhower and operating his own pirate radio station.
Bidding his guests farewell at 5:30 a.m., Paul's energy seemed to defy logic. For his guests, it is a safe bet that a tired Thursday at work was a fair trade for a once in a lifetime opportunity to spend time with a true genius who also happens to be a real gentleman.
Hardly a fountain of sentimentality, Paul is always in the moment and on point -- going over a hand drawing of a recording device and requesting P.A.C.E.'s Rich Cook to track down a list of items from The Home Depot in the morning so they can reconstruct the recorder for the Discovery World exhibit. In fact, one of Paul's first comments upon arrival Thursday was "Can we get to work?"
He meant work on the Discovery World exhibit "Les Paul's House of Sound" which opened in a private ceremony Saturday afternoon and for public viewing Sunday.
So, how does a guitar picker earn proclamations naming June 21, 2008 as Les Paul Day in Milwaukee, the state of Wisconsin and his hometown of Waukesha?
Simple, invent the solid body electric guitar and multi-track recording as well as many other technological advancements in music. And, don't forget to add musician, hit-making recording artist and television personality to the resume.
As impressive as the gadgets on display at the "House of Sound" may be, Paul's personal history translates into his maverick spirit and quest for answers. Keep in mind this is the guy who broke his arm in a 1948 car accident and had the doctor set the cast at such an angle that he could continue to play guitar.
The exhibit opens with a reproduction of his mother's Waukesha living room and the player piano Paul took apart to begin solving the mysteries of sound. Guitars he played, and prototypes he developed mingle with historic Gibson models that bear his name. Black and white television footage loops above the actual studio gear he used to record the many hit records with his wife and singing partner May Ford.
Back in New York, Paul maintains a Monday night residency at the jazz club Iridum. Saturday evening, it seemed as if another of Paul's inventions was finding a way to transport his Iridium gig to The Pabst Theater. The show was billed as his 93rd birthday celebration and a benefit for the House of Sound exhibit.
Greeted warmly with a standing ovation Paul led his trio (piano, bass and guitar) through such American songbook standards as "Caravan," "Blue Skies" and "Embraceable You." His idiosyncratic phrasing and melodic fretboard runs were on display in "Over the Rainbow," but Paul was never afraid to toss in a bluesy bent note when the mood struck him.
Bassist Jay Leon Hart's humorous tune about the perils of traveling with an upright bass fit in well with the evening's lighthearted mood and guitarist Lou Pallo offered a ballad recalling Chet Baker.
Across two sets of the cabaret variety show, Paul was generous with the spotlight presenting special guests vocalist Sonia Hensley, 9-year-old blues prodigy Tallan Latz, as well as a tap dancer and jazz violinist. Working double duty as emcee, Paul introduced and joked with his other acts and seemed to enjoy their performances as much as the rest of the audience.
Expatriate Milwaukeean multi-instrumentalist Jon Paris (an Iridium guest) played harmonica and led the group though "Let the Good Times Roll," "Mystery Train" and "Sweet Home Chicago," appropriately ad-libbing Milwaukee and Waukesha references.
Throughout the evening, Paul's picking warmed up to close with a hyper-speed take on his and Mary Ford's 1950 hit "Tennessee Waltz." The evening's encore was fittingly the audience serenading Paul with "Happy Birthday."
