Notes Along the Road - A Musical Journey Through Eastern Iowa

Track Titles and Description
From Notes Along the Road
By The Lovisa Simmons Project

1. Midnight in Dubuque. The oldest city in Iowa shines on the beautiful banks of the Mississippi. At night, streetlamps cast a romantic glow and the Ice Harbor shimmers in the moonlight. This song surveys that riverside city in the wee hours, and responds with a cool acoustic jazz guitar.

2. Beyond the Bridge at Chain Lakes. East of Cedar Rapids, there's a beautiful little park on the river, with a boat ramp and picnic tables. It's the home of a historic bridge that leads into a majestic wetland with a thick, tangled forest. From the opening notes of a plaintive piano, this song is a reflective moment in the midst of all that scampering wildlife and moving water.

3. Lincoln Highway Bridge Song. Back in 1915, the Lincoln Highway was the first road to span the entire nation. Tama is home to the historic Lincoln Highway Bridge, which boasts its name in huge concrete letters as a guardrail. There was a time when thousands of Model T Fords busily rattled and belched their way over that bridge and across Iowa. This song is a playful homage to bygone days.

4. Bluffs of Palisades Kepler. This historic park, on Hwy 30, is home to a beautiful stretch of the Cedar River, unspoiled by human touch. Majestic, stony bluffs stand sentry to this sanctuary. I love the meandering chords of this piece; they change slowly and unpredictably, like the mysterious river here.

5. High Amana, High Romance. It's hard to imagine what it was like to be raised in a 19th Century Religious Colony...or to fall in love there. This I know: when two young lovers discover each other, fundamental things happen that transcend time. This song tells that story.

6. Ellis Park, Frozen in Time. Ellis Park is beautiful anytime of year, but when the river freezes over, it becomes a wonderland. Houseboats in the marina are locked into a motionless awe, while the backwaters around the Manhattan Pavilion harden into a community skating rink. The river looks like a snowy plain in the background of this magical place.

7. Skywalk Noir. Downtown Cedar Rapids is connected by a series of enclosed passageways called "skywalks." People walk comfortably above the streets, on a muggy summer night or a frigid winter morning. Through the Armstrong Center and over the Blue Strawberry Coffee House. Junior's brooding, ambient groove captures the mazelike experience, and makes you think Sam Spade might show up around any corner.

8. Pike's First Peek. Above Marquette is a vista point named for explorer Zebulon Pike. From here he looked over Old Man River - and three states - long before President Jefferson dispatched him to explore Colorado. Three states are visible from Pike's First Peek, and the Wisconsin River joins the Mississippi. This song was written for the Native Americans who knew this land long before Zeb arrived.

9. Tenderloin at Joensy's. Once you've sunk your teeth into Solon's famous sandwich, you won't forget it. The vittles (if not the vibe) at this bar and grill make it worth the trip. Joensy's enormous, hand-pounded pork tenderloin dwarfs any bun that tries to contain it. Purists allow only pickles, onions and mustard on this legend, but I'm a bit more liberal. Oh, the song? Music for the journey.

10. The Strange Case of Jumbo Well. Back in 1886, the city fathers of Belle Plaine asked Low Budget Willy Weir to drill them a well. Willy instead accidentally opened up a high pressure underground river. Old Jumbo gushed and rumbled for 14 months; it almost washed Belle Plaine off the map! A feat of 19th Century engineering finally sealed off Old Jumbo, but today - on the corner of 8th and 8th ; a plaque honors the whole messy adventure. This song honors Jumbo, who is still rumbling under the streets of Belle Plaine.

11. Manchester Sunset. The Delaware County courthouse in Manchester is itself a work of art; for a century, it's been at home in the middle of this city square. I've talked to the gardener who maintains the grounds with justifiable pride. There;s a stately feel to this little city, where sunset is larger-than-life. The music responds to beautiful Manchester in general, and the courthouse in particular.

12. Marengo Parade. Love that musical name: Marengo. Our friends Martin and Judy always invite us to join them watching the Marengo 7/4 parade. It's pure fun to see a bazillion fire-trucks file past, with police cars and historic tractors. The procession tosses Smarties and bubble gum into the crowd. The anticipatory groove of this song builds, like a passing parade. The Grand Marshall guitar solo erupts, like the parade waves from a '66 Mustang convertible.

13. 5th Season Serenade. I've been told that God has graced this part of Iowa with our distinct seasons, plus one extra to enjoy the other four. I don't doubt it. This little serenade was born during that 5th Season, and quietly meditates on all the richness of the others.