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Hit the jackpot today! Motored over for takeout BBQ ribs, slaw and mac & cheese at PittieQ's, opened only about a year ago and a place I hadn't tried until this past spring, even though it's only a mile and a half away, but I really dug their pork ribs, beef brisket and sides, all smoked/cooked on-site.

So today, while talking to the guy who was packing up my order, the topic of chicken came up. Somehow I had it in my head that the only chix they offered were strips, which I don't care about, but NOOOOOOO, says the guy, who turned out to be the owner, and he yelled to one of the other two dudes in the kitchen, "Hey, Carl, give me a chicken quarter, on me, for this guy."

Savvy marketing, as I'll no doubt be a frequent customer from now on, as the chicken was outstanding and everything else has been, too. That was an $8-value sample he gave me, plus a refrigerator magnet!

This discussion reminds me of a recording the local classical music station plays periodically, which the master of circular breathing, Wynton Marsalis, handles with aplomb.

But to me, it's pointless -- not melodic, not that rhythmic, just a zillion notes jammed together. I crank the volume way down each time it comes on.

I was curious about the title, which I heard as "B Pillar Blues." Seemed unlikely. Wiki says this:

The title of the tune refers to the historical African-American neighborhood in downtown Dallas known as Deep Ellum, which was home to blues musicians including Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Willie Johnson, Lead Belly, and Bill Neely.

Love that! (Kept hearing "Last Train to Clarksville" in my head, for some reason.)

I kept hoping it would let up for a second or two and show a hint of artistry.

What do you like about all those millions of identically timed, jammed together notes? Besides the skill they represent, that is a given ...

I listened to some of their stuff on YouTube a couple years ago, sounds like I should revisit them (MN Strib excerpt):





A torrential rain with nasty winds forced the cancellation of concerts Monday night at the Minnesota State Fair. On Tuesday, a hurricane called The War and Treaty hit the fair’s Leinie Lodge Bandshell with such force that fair officials might consider cancelling all other concerts and booking The War and Treaty for the rest of the run.

The War and Treaty — the Americana Music Award-winning husband-and-wife duo of Michael and Tanya Trotter — have played the State Fair before. As Michael pointed out, the first of their two shows got cancelled last time, so he urged fans to just show up for the second night whenever the duo returns to the Great Minnesota Get-Together.

The scene: A full house gathered at the Bandshell, with some fans wearing The War and Treaty T-shirts as Michael proudly noticed and some sporting Zach Bryan shirts because he was just in Minneapolis on Saturday and his song “Hey Driver” features The War and Treaty.

A self-described country-gospel group, The War and Treaty took the crowd to church and to the Grand Ole Opry. And in the middle of the set, the Trotters broke into “The Star Spangled Banner,” during which the concertgoers stood and many removed their caps. Tanya later pointed out that she was wearing a camo top because it was Military Appreciation Day at the fair and Michael is an Army veteran who served in Iraq.

The music: The War and Treaty hit the stage with an explosive “Proud Mary” (not the nice and easy version) before segueing into their own romp “Lover’s Game,” the title track of last year’s album. Backed by a first-rate group of five musicians as well as Michael’s piano, the Trotters leaned heavily on that record, their third full-length, and performed a few new numbers due on an album next year.

The church-reared, Michigan-launched duo has made a name for itself since relocating to Nashville and plugging into the world of country music. They have performed on country award shows and earned a nomination for best new artist at this year’s Grammys. The War and Treaty were named group of the year in the Americana Music Awards in 2023. And they’re nominated for a People’s Choice country award on Sept. 26 when they will perform on that show.

Biggest takeaways: If they came across like the Mike and Tanya Trotter Revue last year at the Fine Line club in downtown Minneapolis except, unlike Ike and Tina Turner, they truly love each other, this time The War and Treaty impressed like the next gen duo of Al Green and Aretha Franklin gone gospel. Their singing was that remarkable. Michael showcased an elastic voice, with robust depth and angelic highs. And Tanya’s humongously soulful, goose-bump-inducing pipes would have rattled the roof if there had been one in this outdoor venue.

Their love for one another was beyond palpable. The way they sang face to face, dabbed the sweat off each other and created sparks with their public displays of affection, it made you want to shout “get a room.”


Coolest moments: “Hey Driver” as the second selection was a smart move. “Blank Page” was a glorious love song, especially when Michael pulled Tanya in close. “Yesterday’s Burn,” the duo’s purest country tune accompanied only by acoustic guitar, felt like a modern-day George Jones and Tammy Wynette duet. And don’t overlook the upcoming single “Amen,” an uplifting gospel love song that they’d never performed live before.

And now, a thunderstorm, so I have the A/C cranked in case there's a power loss.

At present, it is hotter and more humid in Minneapolis than in Key West.

Hope your day is extra special, Phil! What's on the agenda?