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A “TOUCH O’ HAPPY” BIRTHDAY, and RUSS & JULIE’S

(not necessarily in that order)

That’s what my step-Dad, Jim Gaus, used to call Tehachapi: “Touch o’ Happy.” Which is what I feel getting to play there at Fiddlers Crossing. Tehachapi is about 2 hours NE of LA, near both the Mojave Desert and the Sequoias. Fiddlers Crossing was started by Peter Cutler and Deborah Hand-Cutler, and is a true “Listening Room.” It’s 7pm, on November 15th, which also happens to be my birthday!

And, December 6th at 8pm, I’m hugely honored to get to play what has become the gold standard of house concerts, the one that shows everyone else how to do it: Russ and Julie’s series in Oak Park, CA. I’m so excited to be playing their show. Russ and Julie Paris are such generous people, and so dedicated to music and the people who write and perform it, giving hundreds of hours of their time to organizations like the Folk Alliance, and helping to initiate a network of concerts for singer-songwriters and folk artists to play all over America. I’ll be appearing with the talented and rousing duo, Dan Frechette and Laurel Thompson. I’ve become friends with both of them, and their talent and musicianship never ceases to amaze me. To RSVP, and for directions, please email: rsvp@houseconcerts.us

Other upcoming gigs: The Cellar Sessions on November 9th. I’ll be appearing with Susie Glaze and the Hi-Lonesome Band. It’s at 3pm at Old Oak Cellars, 2620-D E Foothill Blvd, Pasadena, California 91107. From 3 to 3:45pm, there’ll be complimentary wine-tasting, and the show starts at 3:45. Thanks to my friends Brad Colerick and Ximena Dussan for putting me on this show.

Side note: I have to confess to being one of those people who gets into Facebook discussions/arguments/banter about politics and religion – things people say you should never have conversations about in polite society, but…I always do (My wife always tells me this is the reason we never get invited to dinner parties more than once!). I know some people get angry, indignant, defensive – or OFFensive – in these discussions, but I don’t. Call me crazy, but I actually believe that people coming from different ideas and philosophies, can, with a little work, at least shed some light for others on why they think the way they do. Being in an echo chamber where your own voice and views keep coming back at you is only good for recording vocals. It’s like listening to nothing but oldies. Comforting, but you miss out on a lot of great new stuff.

It’s always amazing to me to see how people can look at the same set of facts and come to wildly different conclusions (and how some people come to their conclusions from no facts at all). But I’m pretty sure we all think our reasoning is sound. Remember, somebody once thought making “Godfather 3” was a good idea.

I just got some good digital ink, being named by CBS Online as one of the Best Singer Songwriters in Los Angeles. Click on that link and you can see the article. There are so many great writers in this town who would qualify, but I’m grateful for the mention.

I read a couple of great books on my recent Hawaii vacation. Both of them about explosions of musical genius, of different kinds, but sharing a common theme: Absolute commitment that, at times, blocks out everything – and everyone – else of importance in one’s life, but that creates art that soars above the mundane and the predictable.

The first was “Straight Ahead; The Story of Stan Kenton” by Carol Easton. I received a copy of this excellent book as a gift when Carol was brought to a show of mine by her daughter, Liz Kinnon, who, for short time, taught jazz piano to my daughter. I was familiar with Stan’s work, partly since I knew one of his arrangers, the great Pete Rugolo, through my association with Henry Mancini.

Stan led a big band through the pre-and post-WW2 years that defied the “dance-band” genre of the day, reaching for new sonorities and a cutting-edge sound that made him one of the fathers of “modern jazz,” and helping launch many careers, from Mel Torme, Anita O’Day, Lee Konitz, June Christy, and Art Pepper to Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, and Maynard Ferguson. With single-minded devotion, Stan put his music ahead of family, friends, and any chance of an easy road. But what amazing music it was. If you’re a fan of jazz, big-band, or just a lover of great music, find it online and buy it. Unfortunately, it’s not available in Kindle.

The second is “Here Comes Everybody,” James Fearnley’s account of the glory years of the Celtic punk band The Pogues. James was the accordion-player in the band, and an aspiring writer, so he kept a pretty detailed journal of their rise to fame in the ‘80s, initially playing seedy dumps, in crowded and disgusting touring conditions, through which their youth and fighting spirit carried them. It’s also a searing account of one Shane MacGowan, the main songwriter and front man of the group, without whom, The Pogues might have been a blip on the radar screen. He was a horrible, vomitous wreck to be in a band with, yet he wrote some of the most achingly beautiful songs ever. As time went on, every gig was a crapshoot as to whether Shane could even function and get through the songs. Eventually the drink dulled him, but for a time he burned with an alcohol flame as bright as Brendan Behan, Dylan Thomas, and the whole panoply of drunken poet-saints. Sometimes what makes you beautiful can also kill you.

I’m doing my best to get another CD (album? Collection of songs?) done and out the door, so I don’t have a lot of gigs scheduled for early August, but here’s what’s coming up.

Sunday, July 27th, I’m doing Steven McClintock’s “The Songwriter” Concert Series in Huntington Beach, along with my friends Mark Pocket Goldberg, Alan Roy Scott, and I’m gonna get to meet and hear Kieran Strange, Brad Parker and Lisa Linehan. If you can’t be there in person, it will be streaming worldwide at http://www.irocke.com/. 6pm if you attend, 7pm if you’re streaming.

Thanks to everyone who receives my missives, and especially to those who are still reading by this point. As the airlines say, I know you have lots of different choices for your internet time-wasting.

I’m going to play a great venue this Saturday, July 5th at 7pm –  Jaynee Thorne’s Stardust Concerts. This is one of the first house concerts I ever went to.  A perfect valley summer night. You walk past the tasty food, and the ever-present Ted LePlat, and on to the patio filled with people, and see the stage there with a sculpted firepit on a wood platform in front…shaped like a guitar.

Now, a couple of years later, I’m excited to be doing a concert there, sharing the bill with my friend Lois Blaisch. Lois is not only a kick-ass singer, but a #1 hit songwriter, with songs like Tiffany’s #1 multi-platinum “Could’ve Been,” most recently performed by Carrie Underwood on American Idol. Plus, Lois and I did a bunch of casuals together – “tux gigs” – in the early days of our musical lives, so it’s especially great to have our paths cross again.

I just got back from a tour of WA and Northern CA, playing solo (except for a two-night assist from the great Joel Tepp), so I’m delighted to be able to have the likes of Steve Deutsch, MB Gordy, and Ed Tree playing with me at Jaynee’s place. Jaynee is a fine singer and songwriter, too, which is how I first met her, singing with Severin Browne.

And I guarantee you I will not be the quirkiest person in the room at Witzend, Tuesday night, July 8, 7pm, when I appear with Cynthia Carle, Eric Schwartz, under the auspices of the inimitable and freakishly talented Alfred Johnson.

BIG thanks to Karl Smiley, Lainey Ballew, Shanie Holman, Michael Morales, Mark Pitta, Hilary and Gary McCalla, Marilyn Scott, Leslie Peterson, Lynne Lombardo, Andy Turpin, Dore Coller, Paulette Alexandria, Ron Reid, and anyone I left out, for all their help in making my Northern tour a success. And special thanks to James Hurley for showing me and everyone how it’s done.

Hope to see you Saturday night!

SEATTLE, SEBASTOPOL, PALO ALTO

(Northern Exposure)

(Tour-A-Loo-Ra)

I’m gettin’ out of town.

I’ve been playing a ton-load of gigs in the LA area over the last few years, but now it’s time for me to play some more “away games,” and I’m pretty jazzed about it.

I’m on tour in the lovely Pacific Northwest, starting on Friday, June 13 (I’m not superstitious, I’ll be performing the entire show under a ladder and I’ll be whistling in the dressing room.) with a great venue called Egan’s Ballard Jam House in Seattle. Opening for me will beBetsy Tinney, a Seattle-area cellist who’s quite popular and an amazing musician. She may even play a song or two with me in my set, if I’m lucky.

Then the next night, June 14th, I’ll be doing Michael Morales’ Concerts at Lost Lakein Snohomish. Many of my other singer/songwriter pals have played this very cool concert series, and I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of old friends and some family who live up there as well. A special shout-out to Lainey Ballew and Shanie Holman, for all their kind help and support in planning this trip.

Then down to Northern CA,  Tuesday June 17 for Mark Pitta & Friends Tuesday Night Comedy  show at the beautiful Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley. I played this show last year, appearing with Jake Johanssen and the creator of The Daily Show,Lizz Winstead. Looking forward to who will be on the bill with me this year.

Thursday night, June 19th, I’m performing at the beautiful Avalon Bed & Breakfast in Sebastopol run by Hilary Avalon McCalla. This is a house concert in a great spot, and there are sure to be quite a few old friends there along with new ones.

On Sunday the 22nd, I finish off the tour in East Palo Alto at Marilyn Scott’s House of Bigger Girlsconcert series. Marilyn has been very active in the area music scene, and she has hosted some pretty amazing musicians. I’m honored to be able to play there. Thanks to my dear friend, Leslie Peterson!

I will also be appearing on Saturday the 21st at 1pm for the ULUV Music Day, a free festival of music around San Francisco. I’ll be at Freespace, 1011 Market Street(6th Street and Market). Thanks to Aireene Espiritu!

As always, click on the links to get specifics about these concerts, and more details are below as well. Thanks to everyone who reads this, and if you’re in Seattle or the SF Bay Area, I hope to see you in June!