Already the end of March 2023 & I’ve gotten so busy after 2&1/2 years of no live music, no gatherings allowed! I’m incredibly grateful for live music and audiences happening again! There is a lot of news and developments…. Let’s start here, I promise to continue this thread and post more from November and beyond!!! My quintet performed at Harmony Room in Eaglerock, CA 11-12-22 That same week I performed at the opening gala for Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival honoring Neena Freelon
So fun playing jazz with these guys!Sid Jacobs, great guitarist, host and makes great coffee
Amazing pianist and composer Jon Hartmann
Michael Kaufman full of heart and soul invited me to start jamming with these guys during shut down time in LA Dave Price, dedicated, talented and a cool hang!
It’s 2022 Major adjustments due to pandemic conditions are upon us,
are we through yet? Of course not. I am continuing to explore musical possibilities.
Finding new ways to make music from my home studio, I practice, write and produce . I use Logic to record at home and Dorico software for writing music.
Finding time and inspiration from 2 poems, I’ve turned poems into songs.
The 1st poem from a neighbor ROADMAP:
ROADMAP
Marylou Watkins
Something changed one starless night
The roadmap shifted before the light.
Perceptions, once we thought we knew
Suddenly are no longer true.
The talking heads argue why,
While people lie and children cry,
The heroes try, the unlucky die.
Reality shifts from place to place,
Unseen forces quicken the pace.
The road is forked, the signposts gone,
The future is looking grim.
As we seek to know the truth
In this changing paradigm.
The 2nd poem from a friend FLOW:
FLOW
(a song for sheltering in place)
Marc Berg
Wise man told me long ago when we can’t fight or flee we can FLOW, we can FLOW Now it’s quiet, we have time, great to have Amazon Prime we can FLOW
Hear the music, feel the beat, make your house all nice and neat
Think of places far from here.
Put your mind in neutral gear.
Comfort food is GOOD for you, order pizza, brownies too we can FLOW Fields of flowers, golden sand, fun we had in Disneyland we can FLOW
Play the music, feel the beat, make your house all nice and neat
Think of places far from here.
Put your mind in neutral gear.
Take a nap and watch TV, YouTube videos are fun and free, we can FLOW
Pet the dog, stroke the cat, stretch out on your yoga mat we can FLOW
Wise man told me long ago when we can’t fight or flee, we can FLOW
Once I got my ticket I got a text message from “Daisy” calling me “Nick” Don’t be alarmed. It’s not a spam text like I initially thought lol. Awesome use of the space. A live upright bass is played throughout the night as tone and underscore which was elegant and driving the pace. The actors are fantastic. They interact with you and want you to verbally respond to their questions.
What I didn’t like
Wish it was longer. I was having such a great time I wanted to hang out in that world a bit longer. Which is NOT something I’ve ever said about a Fringe performance before. Kudos.
Roadmap, our latest production featuring Devyn Rush and Joe Goldberger:
Mask on, mask off……coming out of a plague or danger ahead? Making new friends during safer at home orders is different and for many, more difficult.
I found a new friend on nextdoor.com. Her name is Marylou Watkins. She posted a poem there that so resonated with me I felt compelled to write music for it.
