Cynthia Alexander: A True and Rare Artist

A few weeks before, I was spell-singing “Insomnia” constantly in my head. Seeing the news then of Cynthia Alexander leaving the country was unexpected. I haven’t been hearing her on the radio since maybe 10 years, but there’s still familiarity with her tunes and instruments.

I didn’t plan on going to any of her send-off gigs so it was suddenly a brilliant idea when I got invited by my ex-roomie friend, Allan, to catch her gig at 70’s Bistro. I brought my videocam to work so I can record her later that night. My videocam was adequately charged but I don’t know why I decided to charge it in the office, only to be forgotten there.  I came with my low resolution phone – taking pictures and video was nearly not option.

When we arrived outside the bar, it wasn’t only that there was a long queue, there were no tickets being sold. Allan’s friend, who was already inside, managed to get us in. As expected, it was a crowded house.

Cynthia Alexander is a true artist. Her following is not so huge, but I think it’s also what makes her valuable, her not being mainstream.  Other singers/songwriters respect her and learn from her. When she performed, you can sense her working in harmony with fellow artists on stage because she kept smiling and nodding at each of them. Her set that night was packed compared to her other gigs, so you can call it a music fest in itself. It was an unbelievable arrangement that required hard work and trues of talents to put up. To me it wasn’t only music to the ears, it was also music for the soul and the patriot inside of me.