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Greetings!
Hope all is well. Welcome to all (you know who you
are) who have added your names to my mailing list
this past month. This time I (at least appear to)
know which month it is. Perhaps you've noticed, the
last two months were both February. In the second
February (actually March), things remained busy;
continuing to slowly inch up (as happens the first
several months of every year) to 33 engagements
(and will likely continue to increase over the coming
few months, slowing down a little in July and August
before picking up for the rest of the year). I'll
probably stop "keeping score" at this point, I think
you get the idea. The highlight of March (at least for
me) was the He's Steppin Out concert with Brian and
my trio on Palm Sunday evening. It went great, and
now I have an excellent promotional video. Look for a
clip on my website soon, hopefully this month. About
this month.....
| Jazz Performances and Piano Entertainment Concerts |
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March had it's share of "good gigs", among them the
first of (probably) many at Dover Downs with Bryan
Clark. Bryan is a supremely talanted entertainer with
whom I'm pleased to now be associated. Although I'm
not with him in April (when he'll be traveling with
a "rat pack" revue as a Sammy Davis Jr.
impersonator), I'll give you a "heads up" on May 7
when we'll be at Dover Downs, in the Garden Cafe
from 5:00-8:40pm. Back to this month (April),
Sullivan's (jazz duos) continues. Click on the link
below for specific dates and info. Note also (another
heads up) that I return to the Philadelphia Protestant
Home for a piano entertianment concert on 5/5 at
7pm.
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| Church Sponsored and Christian Music Concerts |
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As mentioned above, the "He's Steppin Out" concert
on Palm Sunday evening went very well. In the
coming weeks, I hope to have the video (at least in
part) available on my website. Stay tuned. I'll be
with Brian Whitaker again (alone this time, not with
the rhythm section) on 4/17 at the Calvary Church of
the Nazarene in Elmira, NY at 6pm. I am also
participating with Rosemary Benson and friends in a
jazz vespers service in Pitman NJ on 4/24. Click on
the link below for more info.
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| About This Business |
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When I mention to people that I perform over 400
engagements each year (and still do - at least for
now- despite my now increased time commitment to
the Joe Holt's Notes label and my 1/2 time staff
position at the Chestertown
church), it often requires further explanation (since,
obviously, there aren't 400 nights available each year
for me to play at Sullivan's - or anywhere else). One
of the most important aspects of being a musician is
being realistic about the business and what it
requires (my friend Alan Dale often remarks, "it's a
horrible business ... I like the playing part"). This is
especially true if you actually expect to make a
living. From the beginning I have felt that this
business is viable, though difficult (for starters, being
contract work where you are responsible for
everything, as opposed to an employee where your
responsibilities are more focused), the key being:
finding enough work (or, put in business language,
creating enough billable hours). For me this has
meant - learning how I can contribute/provide
benefit to others and then develop niches/create
opportunities to carry it out. Also, for me, it has
meant seeking the will of God and understanding that
my opportunities are often His provisions for me. And
I'm not talking about church, but in all things: from
being a "picnic pianist" to a casino entertainer to a
music therapist. And these provisions are
opportunities to serve others. Look for stories of
my "adventures" in coming editions of this
newsletter.
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Product in focus |
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This month's product in focus is my (still) latest
CD; "He's Steppin Out". Released in 2002, this
recording was originally approached as a children's
album. In part, it is, but as a whole it touches all
ages. To this point, "He's Steppin Out" has been
difficult to "pigeonhole", which presents practical
problems in marketing. That's okay, because in time I
believe this recording (and any sequels to follow) will
create it's own niche, especially coupled with
the "new and improved" "He's Steppin Out" concert.
This project began in the early 1980's when, as
music director of the Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian
Church in Bellmawr, NJ, I decided to start a
children's choir. Not pleased with the selection of
material available for children, I determined to begin
writing my own. This was out of no ambition to be a
songwriter, but rather as a wholly practical
endeavor.
The songs were written, primarily, as teaching tools
for the children. By the time each song was
performed, the children knew the words and their
meaning completely, and they sang with conviction
(if
not always in key - and yes, it was very cute)! Years
later, long after the choir had disbanded and children
had grown up, it would ocassionally be suggested to
me to preserve these songs in a recording. Once I
understood how I could do it: by reconceptualizing
the
songs for my jazz trio, and bringing in a comic actor
(Jimmy Lawlor, who was brilliant!) for the additional
parts, the project took off. The final project
combines some of the "vintage" tunes with new
songs
written just for this recording. I was able to include
all three of my children on this CD: Joseph (then 13)
playing trumpet on "I Got a Toothache", Charie (then
9) singing "Come as a Child", and Robbie (then 5)
with
a speaking part after "One Big Mess". This project is
just what I envisioned it would be, and I'm proud of
it. As I put the proper promotional time in (which I've
recently reconfigured my schedule to begin doing),
I'm confident that tihs CD will indeed find it's niche.
View product page
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