playing peace-nik music." I figured Chouinard’s and Prudence Johnson's recent recordings of George Gershwin and Hoagy Carmichael didn't quite fit the description, rather more late 1960s, early 1970s folk stuff. St. Joan's music indeed.The gorgeous weather and sunshine made for perfect evening concert conditions at the Lake Harriet Band Shell, minus the frequently pesky interruptions of airplane noise. Ten drummers from Mori No Ike Japanese Language Village (a Concordia Language camp) inaugurated the concert with their "Nagasaki Dragon Dance" accompanied by a ten foot dragon puppet that weaved its way through the audience. Four female dancers followed with an interpretive dance backed with recorded Japanese music. Prudence Johnson regally entered the stage in a dazzlingly bright red and white kimono and, with husband Gary Rue on guitar and Chouinard on accordion, sang a moving elegiac tribute to Hiroshima "All I Ask Is That For Peace." Speaking on behalf of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki Commemoration Committee, Johnson defined its mission, "We remember the past and work for a future without nuclear weapons."
This impassioned songbird then followed with "Count Your Blessings," a joyously sweet tune written by Rue and Leslie Ball. Such memorable lyrics like "because it's all a gift and a treasure. Every color, every ache, every note, every measure is a gift" fondly resonate. Celebrated poet Edna St. Vincent Millay's lush poetry, given an ambitious composition by Rue with the song "Blight," offered polar emotions of joy and anger from Johnson's impressive vocals. Paul Wellstone, fondly remembered with "We Can Do Better," a song written by Ball, Rue and Mary Anne Moore, had Chouinard switching to piano and Rue exchanging terrific vocal harmony with Johnson.
Poet Louis Alemayehu from Ancestor Energy Ensemble took to the stage suggesting "we can not care about our children and land with isolation." He sang a capella two fitting songs: "Grandmother" about freedom, breathing space and the magic of this sweet earth and "Song for the Black Stone Pipe or We are the River."
Johnson, who returned in a black pant suit with Chouinard on piano and Rue on guitar all harmonized (though Dan's mike was not audible) on Crosby, Stills and Nash's classics "Teach Your Children" and "Carry On." Johnson, particularly shined with intricate harmony. Putting the latest news into relative perspective, she then read from a recent New York Times article with a headline titled "Washington's Gift To Bomb Makers."
"We're digging into the St. Joan's songbook," quipped Chouinard as he 
joined Rue for a duet of Simon and Garfunkel's "Sounds of Silence," while Johnson sang backup. Some three-part harmony-this time with an audible Chouinard-provided charm to the Beatles' "Nowhere Man," and brief fun to some admittedly flubbed lyrics. Johnson took the vocal lead for a strong cover of George Harrison's "Give Me Love."
For a little diversion, Humorist/Poet Carol Connolly introduced herself with "I am trapped here with a second rate body" and proceeded to deliver some first rate anecdotes from her writing. "A woman with thick ankles knows she has no power," she suggested. Connolly concluded with two poems from Minnesota Poet Robert Bly's "Insanity of the Empire."
At this point the lovely blue sky turned into gradual darkness. Cue the lights and of course a flood of gnats. Hey, we were quite lucky. Remarkably, no mosquitoes. Johnson, Rue and Chouinard returned to offer "a little Burt," as in Bacharach's sing-along "What the World Needs Now." Then with Chouinard on accordion, Rue
nicely strummed guitar while singing a passionate solo cover of Nick Lowe's
"What's So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding." Chouinard took a poignant vocal solo turn singing the old Methodist Hymn with Scottish origins, "Only Remembered"(right) while Johnson and the audience offered strong vocal backup on chorus. Connolly returned for "one more poem for those nowhere men who keep getting elected."
For the encore, Johnson recalled, "I grew up under the shadow of the threat of nuclear war. 59 years have passed . . . maybe we're too relaxed about the threat of nukes." Acknowledging the Commemoration Committee and the various activities this past weekend, she concluded with a beautiful rendition of "America, the Beautiful." By the power of Peace-nik music and poetry, Prudence Johnson and friends remind us that complacency is within us all. Awareness and action are what will keep our America beautiful.
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