Hello December

Well Here comes Santa Claus and Christmas music again.  (And, every songwriter’s dream is to write the next Christmas standard.)  ‘Tis the season of holiday parties, lots of music making and calorie counting.  

But let me savor November first:  three shows of   “A Celebration of the American Song”  with Chappell & Dave Holt, Bob Loomis and Dorcas Moulton (thanks to all of you who came out!!);   a great night at Chester’s with the Quake City Jug Band,  bluegrass at the Taco Jam,  singing at the Kensington Farmers Market (lot’s of kids songs and so much fun!!);  and a couple of music parties.  I was down in Santa Monica with family over Thanksgiving also – a small gathering and very nice and relaxing.   I have so much I am thankful for.   I hope the same for you.

Saw a great band at the Freight & Salvage recently,  “Le Vent du Nord”  from Quebec.  I have mentioned them before, and here is another Youtube link.   Such fun music!!  Olivier, the fiddle player, keeps a driving rhythm going with his feet as he plays.  My legs are tired after just one full-tilt fiddle tune, and he went for over an hour.  I jokingly asked him how many shoes he wears out during the year.  He said his shoes last, but he goes through five stomp boards a year.  I can believe it.

Big thing in my musical endeavors these days is that I have started working with Vicki Ambinder, a performance coach.  She is in Oregon, and we work on skype once a week, going deeply into a song, digging into the story, the point of view, the emotional trajectory, pacing, how best to present it, etc. etc.  I was skeptical that working on skype would be very productive, but it works well and Vicki has been immensely helpful.  I have been playing and performing music for forty years, and I still have so much to learn!!   One more thing that I am thankful for.

Coming up in December,  I am playing at Chester’s in Berkeley this Saturday, December 1^st, with my long time music pals, “Don’t Look Back” and with Zoe Carter, Maria Kersey and Dorcas Moulton.  Music starts at 7:30 and there is no cover.  This will be a good show with glorious harmonies and some very hot picking!!  Dorcas and I will be at the Kensington Farmers Market on Sunday, December 9^th from 10am to 2pm, with Patty Hammond on bass.  And back at Chester’s with Quake City Jug Band on December 20^th.

Otherwise, I’ll be wrapping presents and being good.   Merry & Happy Everything to you: Bodhi Day, Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, and Yalda.   Hope the holidays are filled with good things for you, family and friends.  

John

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