By Catherine Grothus

In today’s Top 40 hits, the sounds of pop princesses and boy band music rolls out like products on an assembly line. Manipulated, reproduced and ever more unoriginal, the music industry has gone superficial. No longer just about harmonies, melodies and rhythm, a musician is often more worried about advertising, publicity and especially image.

However, every week at a small bar in the heart of Madison, the music reigns. Step into the world of Richard “Blackhawk” Kapusta, Jeff Hickey and Jayme Cash; otherwise known as Moonhouse to those who frequent the Up North Pub on Wednesday nights. This band throws away image and prestige to provide an escape for themselves and their audience through a medium they love – music. Though they differ in many ways, their shared love for music keeps them in rhythm.

“It’s all about the music. It have nothing to do with our philosophies of life; we come together because we love music,” Blackhawk says. “We just want it to be the best it can be. There is no blow-off tune.”

The band plays a variety of soulful folk and bluegrass in its performances of covers and original songs. No song, no matter how many times they play it, is exactly the same. “We try and make it better every time,” Cash says.

Courtesy of Anne Kubena

Moonhouse: (from left to right) Blackhawk, Jeff and Jayme play Wednesday night at the UpNorth Pub.

The contrast between Blackhawk’s slow, lulling "Gypsy Wind" and Jeff’s upbeat, humorous "Bachelor Life" exemplifies the diversity of music the group plays and the uniqueness fans can expect from its shows at the Up North Pub.

People can also expect uniqueness from the pub itself, where the music and setting are reminiscent of the northern woods. A large woodcutting of a bear in a wooded forest occupies the far wall, and two large tree trunks come up from the floor to touch the ceiling’s Christmas lights. Votive candles give the room a fiery glow, but it is the music that warms the room.

The beat of the bongo drum and strum of the guitar vibrate through the hardwood floors as people sit singing, clapping and stomping along to the music. This energy draws all different types of people, from students to businessmen to grandparents and flows from the dynamic rhythm between three men in different grooves who always play in synch.

Blackhawk plays the acoustic guitar and sometimes a homemade shaker. A free spirit, he considers himself in tune with the spiritual energy of the world. Every Wednesday, he tells the placement of the moon and describes the effect it has over people’s lives and moods.

His appearance reveals a man unconcerned with convention. He wears tie-dyed pants, a baggy pullover shirt and several sterling silver rings and bracelets that attract attention away from his bare feet. His pepper-gray, shoulder-length hair and long, full beard frame a warm face. As he circles the room, chatting and shaking hands, he impresses his guests with his eloquent speech and wisdom about life and music.

“We are all given gifts and talents, to be used for the greater good of all,” says Blackhawk. “My thing is music. That is how I communicate and work, and I touch people through that. It is all about karma, what you put out comes back to you and I want to put out as much positive energy as I can.”

His music has become a form of therapy and a way for him to work out the tough times in his life. His ability to pull his own hardships and troubles into his music allows people to relate and connect with his music and, in turn, connect with him.

While emotions drive Blackhawk’s rhythm, Hickey strives for technical accuracy when he plays his acoustic guitar. His casual jeans, button-up short-sleeve shirt and clean-cut hair allow him to blend into Moonhouse’s background, where he prefers to be. Hickey has dedicated his life to making music and taking care of his family. His recently released CD, Loose Ends, offers listeners a collection of his best work, demonstrating his playing talent and illustrating his passion for music.

Courtesy of Anne Kubena

Jeff Hickey eloquently plays his guitar.

Hickey loves to push the technical boundaries of his craft. One night he played an original bluegrass song called "Pre-menstrual Blues." It was a toe-tapping, hand-clapping tune that carried the audience off in a frenzy of laughter and enjoyment. The song is typical of Hickey’s sarcastic wit. He often fills the time between songs with humorous comments about war, politics, women and general observations of life.

But when he picks up his guitar again, Hickey’s talent is what stands out. Whether playing solo or with Moonhouse, Hickey’s desire for musical perfection is evident.

When Hickey and Blackhawk sing and play together, their physical differences melt away. Hickey’s soft, lulling voice merges with Blackhawk’s deep, powerful one. All the while, the third member of the band keeps the beat and rounds out the group’s sound.

“Jayme comes in there and fills that bottom end in,” Blackhawk says. “He picks up on our energy. He just gets caught up in that little vortex between Jeff and I and he makes it all the better when he joins in.”

Cash, devoted to the pursuit of improving his musical talent, plays the bongo drums for the band. His shaggy, dark brown hair is often covered by a gray winter hat, while his baggy jeans and white undershirt show a young urban man unconcerned with image but always striving for musical excellence. Even though he never plays lead, his love for music makes him satisfied to be part of the band.

Courtesy of Anne Kubena

Blackhawk, Jayme and Jeff share a love for music.

Cash’s music career started at an early age when he learned to play the piano. He has since learned to play an array of different instruments and is currently studying the fiddle. When he’s not with Moonhouse, Cash plays piano for The Northern Pine Band, a local Madison jam band. He says he plays whenever and with whomever he can.

“ I would almost say it is my life,” Cash says about music. “It is never out of my head.”

While Cash’s strength is his natural love for playing music, Moonhouse as a whole finds its strength in rhythm. “We’ve got three people who are tuned in to generating rhythm,” Hickey says. “It is the one thing that has to be strong if the music is going to be strong. It is as strong a rhythm section that I have ever had the chance to work with. It is exciting when we get it going.”

The dynamic between the band members and their shared love of music are what bring them to the Up North every Wednesday night. For Moonhouse, it isn’t the number of attendants or the fact that they aren’t getting paid. “It is as natural as breathing and always has been,” Jeff says about music. “And I might add, as necessary.”