Though they’ve have known one another for over 35 years, Clarissa and Lis have never played music together until this evening at the “Open Mike” sponsored by Pagosa Brewing Company owned by friend Tony Simmons – David Chambers is on the congas – photos by Dan Shanks

Our sons have been friends since they were two years old; mothers and sons met at the co-op preschool in Juneau, Alaska.  Lis has been a celtic musician her entire adult life and has produced many concerts bringing Irish music to Juneau.  I used to play music in my early adult life until I  began having children; the house was too small to practice and play because it would wake up the kids; it wasn’t until after my kids grew up and I divorced that I finally had the time to play again; I  took up the ukelele!

Lis on guitar, accompanied Clarissa on ukelele, played 3 songs: a traditional Tlingit song, a Northern rendition of “Jeremy Row the Boat Ashore” and Clarissa’s first song she wrote over a year ago “Shifting Shanks”

Lis came down from Alaska and spent three weeks helping me get certain deadlines done before I returned to Alaska for the Summer.  The two of us worked, worked, worked the entire three weeks – While I was finishing a Chilkat robe with the same deadline as all of the work, Lis helped me dye weft yarns, cook bark, split bark, wash warp to make my weaving kits for a class; she helped lay buttons and sew them down on two button robes; she helped weed and water the garden.  It was wonderful to have full-time help with the things I would normally do if I didn’t have the time crunch of “getting outa Dodge” on time!—I’ve always said that women need a wife; a woman like myself definitely needs one full time all the time.  When I make enough steady money (hahaha!), I will have a steady wife! —  Playing this open mike together was about the only “free time” thing that Lis and I had time for!  Lucky us!

Two friends of mine who had never met until this evening: Lis Saya and John Tarbet enjoy the last act of the evening.

Celtic guitarist Lis Saya, accordian and saxaphone player John Tarbet, ukelele-ist Clarissa Rizal and guitarist Dan Shanks watched all the acts to the very end at the Open Mike; that’s why they are acting like this…!