'The Art of Performance' plays live

Cathy Gutjahr and Dave Cocalis stood in the corner, quietly tuning their guitars.
“My low E usually goes a little flat,” Gutjahr told Cocalis. She adjusted accordingly and introduced herself to a woman who had just taken a seat.

A few minutes later, Gutjahr and Cocalis began “The Art of Performance,” this week’s Tuesday night event at the Venue Fine Art & Gifts.

Gutjahr released her debut album, “Quiet of the Road,” Feb. 2. She said she brought one song to Cocalis, who owns Bloomington Recording Co., to see if he would be interested in working with her.

“It was a big hit,” Gutjahr said. “He did a lot of the arrangements and was sort of the band for me. That’s an understatement, isn’t it?”

She turned to Cocalis, and he laughed. He co-wrote and produced the album, as well.
Tuesday’s set list ranged from autobiographical songs, to covers, including Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi.”

Gutjahr said she grew up listening to Mitchell and Carole King. She said she learned jazz standards from her father, and the first song she ever learned on guitar was the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” when she was in third grade.

“My father played piano,” Gutjahr said. “We had a lot of music in the house. I’ve always loved it.”

Gutjahr said she originally came to the Venue to see if the owner would sell her CDs.

“I was looking for some local stores,” Gutjahr said. “I have (the album) up on iTunes, but some people still like to have the CD. They said when they sell here, they like to have people do a performance.”

Venue owner and curator Gabriel Colman said he was initially hesitant to say yes to Gutjahr, since the Venue doesn’t normally sell local music.

“I was really taken with her voice,” Colman said. “I’m just really intrigued by some of the chord progressions and vocal ranges that she jumps into.”

Gutjahr’s jazz background came out in her voice, even during a cover of a Lucinda Williams’ country song. It rang in the room and out open doors, powerful and
unencumbered.

Cocalis played several notable solos, including a cover of Ray LaMontagne’s “Beg, Steal or Borrow” and “Blackbird” by the Beatles. The audience members, engaged in the pleasant soulfulness of his voice during both songs, nodded their heads as Cocalis played.

Gutjahr told the small crowd she usually performs at Max’s Place and the Player’s Pub, where people are much less attentive. She said she was thankful to the Venue for allowing them to perform.

Near the end of the performance, Gutjahr and Cocalis performed her album’s title track, “Quiet of the Road.”

Gutjahr told the audience the song is partially inspired by the drive her family took from Iowa to California every summer when she was a child. She said every few years their car would break down, and she would hitchhike with her father to the nearest gas station for help.

Even without the backstory, “Quiet of the Road” tells a story of a wandering, hitchhiking woman.

Colman said the Venue would be glad to have Gutjahr come back for another performance sometime.

“I haven’t done lots and lots of performing,” Gutjahr said. “It’s fun to do it. I’m just glad for the opportunity.”