One Night Jam

So I had this idea many, many years ago - when I was often jamming with some other musicians in my early twenties. I thought of how fun it would be to just improvise an entire evening without rehearsal, talking about it, or anything. Just play!

Well, 30 years later - "One Night Jam" is born.
(I came up with the name back then - an idea that we were all making music together for just one night - no commitments, no regrets - like a one night stand. Only with music.)

Patti Maxine, Dan Robbins, and Michael Horne signed on to join me at Vino Tabi in Santa Cruz on January 28th.

When Michael got there, he said that Gary Kehoe and Nancy Heth were coming - BONUS!!!

Here is a little video to play while doing the dishes:


We noodled and improvised for two hours, taking cues from the audience, and making it up as we went.

Thank you everyone for coming out and hanging with us.

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Altared Aftermath PART 2

So this morning I wake up and remember several other remarkable aspects about the Altared Christmas show.

One: the response from the press. Thanks to Jayme Kelly Curtis, who sent out dozens and dozens of press releases to everyone on her list (that is what she does for a living). I had remembered that last year, it was a bit of a struggle to get the info out on time, especially after having done so much already. My focus was on getting the show together and sending out press releases was so easily put off. This year however, I arranged to have her help me in advance and I am so glad I did.

All the major papers in the area did a story on me and the show, and a couple in particular were so right on the nose with their take on the story. Wallace Baine wrote a magnificent piece - one that even informed me about me. Linda Koffman at Good Times and Traci Hukill at the Santa Cruz Weekly also wrote insightful stories based on the short interviews we conducted.

Some of us even went on KSCO radio early (very early) one morning to spread the word, and of course KPIG and host Sleepy John Sandige welcomed us as usual. What a great reception we received. Thanks Jayme for the help.

And speaking of help - Robbie Barbour and Jay Holiday helped out last year with CD sales in the lobby and when this year rolled around, they insisted that we have a meeting (oh my gosh!) to discuss our plan. It totally helped, as I had no idea of what the scene around the merch table was like.

And I threw in an idea that I wanted to incorporate: no set amount for my CDs. Yup - pay what you can or want to.

I had read a suggestion my Derek Sivers, of CD Baby fame, who suggested that bands offer their music for free or for a donation to see what sort of response they get: perhaps the money would come in the way of better future tickets sales or somewhere else down the line. I wanted to try it - after all, the whole reason to make music is to have other people hear it!

At first, Jay and Robbie weren't sure it would work. We all realized that it might make the whole process more complicated, what with the credit card machine and all.

But I announced the idea during the show and to my surprise, my announcement received applause! After the show I asked them (Jay and Robbie) how things went and they basically gave me the thumbs up sign. It worked. And by the way, I made plenty of money to cover my costs.

Trust. That's what it's all about sometimes. Trust that your ideas are good and might actually work. Trust in your fellow musicians to hold you up. Trust that you are on the right path, even if no one else is there with you at the moment.

It's all good.

Then, another aspect of the show was brought to my attention - the inclusion of comedian Richard Stockton. Interesting that I would forget to talk about that, as the inclusion of a bona-fide funny man is a major part of an earlier manifestation.

I remember years ago I imagined what it would have been like to sit around a table with Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder discussing "Young Frankenstein." I also remember shows like the Carol Burnett show, which always had some parody - heck, I am not ashamed to say that "Three's Company" was one of my favorite sit-coms. Comedy has always been a driving force with me, as I think I have had enough drama to last a lifetime.

So here's how I see manifestation working: you imagine something you want, or a situation you want to be in, and then, without negating it, let it take root like a seed. Things begin to fall into place without even consciously trying and all of a sudden you find yourself part of a comedy show playing in the band. Then one day you find yourself sitting at a table with Richard Stockton discussing what the best material might be and how to deliver it at your Christmas show.

I had wanted Richard and Sven to do "The Night Before Christmas" last year, but Sven was not available so instead, Richard and I came up with the idea to do some of the poem to the tune of The Talking Heads' "Once In A Lifetime". It was a fantastic performance and I think it cemented the idea in both Richard's head and mine that the merging of comedy and music was something we should continue doing.

Yet, I still wanted to hear that poem performed as Richard and Sven do so well - as a serious oration with foley sound effects. This was clearly the year to do it, and I so enjoyed watching it unfold from backstage for the first time.

We also included Richard's "Rap" - a bit we have been doing a lot at "The Planet Cruz Comedy Hour" show. It's basically a bunch of his material laid over a nice, funky groove.

We are now planning more music/comedy shows that we hope will be the start of our financial future.

Plant that seed and watch it grow.

I think I am all done now, but I bet I will wake up and remember something else, so stay tuned.

Altared Aftermath

It's been a couple of weeks now that the "Altared" show is over and I want to put down into words some of the thoughts I have about the experience.

Overall, it was great. This year was for certain the best of them all; the right musicians, the right rehearsal schedule, wonderful volunteers...everything was just fine.

Where to start? Well, perhaps from the beginning of the show, though my thoughts will most certainly wander back and forth.

Sven Davis did a wonderful job of starting the show with a bit of cell phone humor. I had asked him to do some sort of a sketch about cell phone users. Some of my suggestions were somewhere along the lines of pulling a patron using their phone out of the seat and taking them backstage and pummeling them (not really, but it would sound like that) and then allowing them to shamefully take their seat again. Another idea I had was to go up to the person and scold them, followed by another person who might slap them a little, then by another who would shake them around, and soon a line would form with people ready to deliver justice. (Yes, this is a scene stolen from "Airplane" where a nervous woman is worked over by the other passengers.) Sven came up with a much kinder approach - to single out a user (Gary Cunningham) in the audience, walk all the way to the back of the theatre and tell him to stand up (as if to fight). Upon realizing he was much bigger than Sven, he was asked to sit back down. Sven took his cellphone and wound up getting into a conversation with the other caller and forgetting he was doing a show. Brilliant, Sven. Thanks.

Then came my "ritual". Dressed like some sort of a priest, I chanted the sacred chant I wrote years ago while spinning a gadget that produces a drone sound. I modeled my chant after an orthodox type of chant and had Pete Coates, the soundman, add lots of stereo echoes. Though I certainly recognized the humor of what I was doing, I hope some realized the serious nature of what I was doing as well. Chanting is a mesmerizing experience. It brings everyone together to the same place and hopefully, to the same mindset. I had never chanted in public like this before and I felt the many, many years of appreciating this type of music take over my body to allow me to share that experience. Like much of the music of this show - it was absolutely serious and funny at the same time.

My partner Rick Zeek was backstage the whole time, clipboard in hand, running the whole show. He knew when everyone was to go on, to go off, to stand, sit, etc. I spent most of the evening looking at the set list trying to plan the next move from my end, while he studied his script and did his magic. This was most evident at one point of the show when The Great Morgani, accordionist and violinist Carole Mayedo were out performing a magnificent duet "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear." They had finished and were about to begin the next song when I tried to get them off stage. For some reason, I had it in my mind that something else was to happen. They resisted. I urged. Then, off to the side of the stage I could see Rick waving his hands frantically, telling me to leave them alone and to let them play. Slowly it dawned on me what was supposed to happen and I took a spot at the percussion set to join them in a fun version of "Feliz Navidad."

Now I must share with you all something very important about the preparation of this show: there was purposely little written in stone. Sure, we rehearsed most of the songs and we had a script for entrances and exits, but no one person knew all of what was to happen, even myself. You see, I wanted to audience to know that much of what they were witnessing was happening "in the moment". I wanted us all to be on edge and to say yes to whatever happened, good or bad. If we fell on our face (which we never really did) it would have been okay, but when something really magical happened (which I think did here and there) then the audience would know that that was special - just for them.

"How are we going to end this song?" Olaf asked me once in rehearsal, referring to "Jingo Bells".

"I don't know yet - just pay attention!", I answered.

I didn't want to know. I wanted to be surprised, just like everyone else, and for that matter - a good deal of the show was unfolding right before my very eyes, as all the pieces had never been put together until the last second.

Meanwhile, out in the lobby a memorial altar was being created. I had asked Mariana Sophia Santiago to help facilitate the effort. I explained that I wanted a place where we all could honor and remember those we love and miss who have passed away. Audience members brought mementos and wrote down names and messages and placed them on the altar. Lights and material were draped over and around all of it - a truly wonderful addition to the show. Thank you all for participating in whatever way you did.

Celina Gutierrez did a great job (again) of transforming herself into various characters - first, a "Lenin" sister for "Melee Kaliski Vodka", and then a precocious little girl singing, or should I say murdering "Away In A Manger". Do you all realize that we weren't making fun of religion, but rather in this song, the way that some parents force their kids into dressing up and singing songs they know nothing about? Stage moms living their dreams through their kids. Funny, not disrespectful.

Which brings me to this thought: nothing about this show is disrespectful to religion. On the contrary, I have a fuller understanding of religion and ritual because of this show, yet I have heard many tell me that some folks didn't want to attend because they thought I was trashing something sacred. How would they get that idea? I doubt they thought that while shopping for their pre-lit, pre decorated, artificial tree at the Capitola Mall, while listening to cookie-cutter XMAS music and running up their charge cards. Not that there is anything wrong with that - it's just that I find it funny how some don't think twice about the commercialism of the holiday, but to put on a show that will make people laugh, cry, and think about what they are doing... no, that is being disrespectful. Oh well... they missed out.

David Wallis played the part of Santa. Over the years we have been figuring out his back story - why he is the way he is. It's still in development, but so far he seems to be a complex fellow. For years he has been responsible for delivering everything everyone wants. He is supposed to embrace every little obnoxious child who wants to "sit on his lap" and tell him what they want for Christmas. He is certainly a bit nasty and slightly perverted, but also naive. Perhaps he hasn't had the chance to explore all that life has to offer due to the constant demands the holidays place on him. It isn't until the end of the show, when the protester (more about that later) asks him, "What happened to you, Santa?" that we realize that it is the greed and lack of creativity that has finally taken its toll.

David's performance of "Santa Baby" was pure heaven to watch unfold. We weren't sure if it was going to work, but once the music started and he came out tossing letters to the air, it was clear that it was. For me, hearing the audience laugh out loud when they realized what song it was, was the most wonderful sound in the world. (I just knew it was a good idea to have Santa sing the song to himself!)

I had asked Dale Ockerman and Michael Horne to join the band years ago, but they both were too busy at that time and therefore could not. Yet, the desire to have them both never lessened and this year, by chance, I ran into them and asked them if they might want to be a part of this year's show. Surprisingly, they were both available.

Friends, I can't tell you all how much they added to the show. Of course, you could hear what they added: Michael on percussion and Dale on keyboards, but they brought me one stop closer to having the band of my dreams - a full rocking, rhythmic ensemble! I could finally turn up my guitar and play the way I have been wanting to since I was young. As Matt (bass player for the second set) said to me later, "Playing in between the percussion and the drums... I was in a state of bliss." Tell me about it! There were times I didn't want to play - I just wanted to be "in" the music that was all around me. I hope some of you in the audience can understand what I mean. It is beyond words, but it is something like feeling that you are right where you are supposed to be in the universe at the very moment. You have no body, to sense of passing time, and all your emotions are on display. I have always wanted others to experience that sensation, but it is so fleeting. You can't capture it - you just hope that you can allow it to be. That is my religious experience!

I could hear the sounds bouncing off the walls in stereo. Pete Coates at the sound board and Dave Egan at the monitor board were doing a fantastic job. Pete knows what I want to sound like, as he has engineered my CDs in the studio. Dave knows that theatre inside and out and works regularly with Greg Rolie, the original "voice" of Santana.

And did you notice the visuals on the screen? How could you not? The psychedelic light show video was created and produced by my old friend Damon Meyer. He took the initiative to create this when I had told him I didn't think I would have time to do it myself. I didn't know what it looked like until after the show when I saw it at home on my DVD player. Great job! And the video short of the protesters outside the Rio - that was his work, as well. We worked on the basic idea together but he did all the real work. Did you know that was me playing the part of the Rio security officer? Some didn't know that. Damon and his crew also shot the whole show in High Def video - 4 cameras! That, plus the 24 track audio recording will make a killer DVD of the show, if I can muster the funds and time to produce it the way I see it in my head.

And then there were lights! Rob, the lighting guy for the evening did a stupendous job, I am sure, though I can't tell what is happening while on stage. I do know that we had a great connection and I truly felt he understood what I wanted. I hope I have him enough space to do his thing, as that is his art and that is what it's all about!

A couple of years ago, I had this idea of taking Patti Maxine out of her element and giving her a challenge. I had been used to seeing here with her hair pulled back standing behind her lap steel, playing Hawaiian music. I wondered: what if you let your hair out, step away from the steel and sing "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" as if you were old and insane, having a repressed memory flashback? I have spent a lot time developing this part of the story as well - imagine seeing something as a child and never being able to process it. Slowly it devours your mind and leaves you institutionalized, unable to speak or connect with anyone. Unable, that is, until it all comes flooding back to you. That performance is perhaps my favorite of them all - such emotion. Some have said it was disturbing - that's what I wanted! Yes, it's disturbing. That's life sometimes.

You want to talk about heaven?

Then let's talk about Tammi Brown. I first met her a few years ago when I needed a little gospel vocal on a track of me second Altared CD. I got Tammi's number from Sista Monica and had set up a time to meet her in Aptos. It was dark when we met at the parking lot at Safeway. I asked her to follow me, a guy she never met, to this recording studio which was miles and miles into the hills, up windy roads, through the redwoods, and finally, to this ridgetop property. I cue'd up the song and let her have at it. I will never forget that feeling I experienced when she nailed it first time - exactly what I had been hearing in my head for so long.

So forward a few years and I run into her downtown and ask her if she would be in my show and she said yes, without even hesitating. I am going to brag a little here, but I think that arranging "Angels We Have Heard on High" the way I did, and having her sing it, is one of the best things I have ever done. It leaves me speechless, and by the way the audience responds, I am guessing they are enjoying it as well.

I want to make sure that I don't leave anyone out of these accolades. Rich Schmidt on keys was also a new addition. I met him a few weeks earlier while rehearsing for another gig. He was so easy to work with and was more than competent on the keys, despite his insistence that he was really a bass player. Speaking of which, Kyle Gorath played bass on the first part of the show. He and I played together for years in an improv jazz group that got together every Tuesday night at the Cayuga Vault with Pete Coates and Max Drake. Excellent music we made.

I met violinist Carole Mayedo at Patti Maxine's birthday party last year. I was so impressed with her playing that one time, that I asked her to be a part of this. Preparation and rehearsals were conducted over the phone, basically - me describing what I was hearing and her singing back to me what she thought. It couldn't have been more perfect. Did you all catch the "Young Frankenstein" reference when she lured Santa to the stage at the end of the show with her violin playing?

Ukulele Dick was the one who got me started on all of this - encouraging me to perform this music after hearing the first CD I have him years ago. Did you know that he was one of my first guitar teachers back when I was eight or nine years old?

Finally, there is the head protester. The guy who leads the angry mob down the aisle, picking up supporters along the way, all of whom I thank from the bottom of my heart. (One, Aly Kahn, was in the lobby on the way to the bathroom when he was swept up and became part of the show.) Jumping onstage and taking over the show to sing "Rudolph" a la "Roxanne" is none other than my old bandmate, Mark Edwards, from SF. We used to be in a funk band called "Instant Bro" and together with Dave Bell (Dan Hick's guitarist) used to crank out old WAR tunes among others.

We don't even rehearse that last part of the show. He knows what to do and he NAILS IT! "Rudolph! You don't have to put on the red nose! Those foggy nights are over - you don't have to guide the sleight tonight." So many have asked me who he is. He is an old friend - a friend who has remained a friend despite band breakups and the physical distance between us. And the sucka' can sing!

And the idea of merging this sweet little song "Rudolph" with Reindeer Rights advocates cracks me up. "Roxanne" is a song about a prostitute and the man who wants her to stop that lifestyle. It made sense to mix these two songs together to tell a story of a man who wants Rudolph to stop working for Santa, who is clearly taking advantage of her/him.

Finally, there is the finale, where the protesters that we picked up on the way down the aisles turn into an instant gospel choir, joining us onstage for a wild and spontaneous tribute to joy.

This part is the most fun, as none of it is rehearsed at all. We simply know that the key will be "G" and that somehow we will end it. Tammi takes over, Mark joins her, everyone gets introduced... well, most everyone. I had to be reminded to introduce Celina, as I simply forgot in all the hoopla. Of all people....

My hope was to have everyone leave the theatre with a renewed sense of joy and strength for the upcoming days until Christmas. I think it worked.

There are so many other moments I will think of and want to share, but I will leave this lengthy tale for now and let some of you share your thoughts and observations. I hope I have not left anyone out, because it took everyone to make this show happen.

So, what do you have to say for yourselves?

Rhan Wilson

Music in the Schools

From the time I got my first guitar at the age of eight, I knew I wanted to be a musician.

Of all the things that come and go in life: the choices, the detours … I never once questioned the feeling I had inside that has consistently guided me through the years – that I was meant to play music.

Growing up, I was truly blessed to have had some great teachers. In addition to private guitar lessons, I had Mrs. Johnson at Happy Valley elementary school who taught me to play the violin. Miss (NOT Mrs.!) Mueller at Branciforte Junior High, who let me play any and everything I could get my hands on: violin, cello, bass, tympani, trumpet, clarinet… and in high school - Mr. Simmons, who gave me free reign over any instrument that wasn’t claimed by another student.

It was in this environment that I was allowed to be creative, and it was there that I had a reason to go to school at all. I did poorly in most other classes, as they did nothing to spark my interest, but in jazz band, marching band and orchestra I excelled. Straight A’s all the way through, baby!

I thought about all this last night as I sat in the audience at the Rio Theatre waiting for my turn to play for a benefit to help out the music programs in Santa Cruz.

It all started with a phone call a couple of weeks ago from one of the producers, Colin Alder, who asked me be part of Tammi Brown’s (Sista Monica, Stanley Jordan, Spyra Gyra, …) back up band. She was to be the last act to close the show that was to feature various acts performed by local kids, and since I was part of the Planet Cruz Comedy Hour’s house band, he thought it would be easy to put together something for this one night.

Of course I said yes, as I generally try to do with any and all things that involve music.

Tammi Brown is on her way to the “big time” – she was recently a Grammy nominee for her work on Stanley Jordan’s tune, “Steppin’ Out” and has just been asked to sing at the Apollo in New York. She and I are performing a couple of songs at the premier of the film, “Gospel Hill” at the Del Mar Theater in Santa Cruz next week. If she wants me to accompany her – I’m there!!!

Now with all this name dropping I just did (and there will be more), one might think that all those clumsy, beginner “musicians” would be a mere test of patience before the “real” deal at the end. Not the case at all.

From the first solo artist, singer/songwriter Tess Dunn, to the last group of breakdancers, I was completely in awe (and a little nervous)!

Tess owned the stage with such confidence and professionalism, as did the rock band made up of high school aged kids who played a killer version of Led Zepplin’s “Black Dog”. Jugglers, dancers, guitarists… all excellent and far and above the skill I had at that age.

As I watched I remembered fondly the teachers I told you about and couldn’t really believe that music and art programs for the schools are being cut.

Don’t we know how important it is to provide kids (and adults for that matter) with the opportunity to learn and work with each other in a creative environment?

And it doesn’t matter whether they go on to be working musicians or not. The skills you learn: the comraderie and communication skills, not to mention the feeling that you actually belong to something and therefore have something to contribute… How many kids are there wondering just what they are truly supposed to be doing in school when nothing else quite fits?

Music and art in the schools is important, no question.

So when the breakdancers were through with their gravity defying display of acrobatics (ah, to be young again – not that I ever could spin on my head, but you get the idea…), we took the stage.

With Matt Bohn (Hot Club Pacific) on bass, David Tucker (Sista Monica, Maria Mulduar) on drums, and Dale Ockerman (Doobie Brothers, White Album Ensemble) sitting in on keys, backup singers Celina, Alicia, and Theresa,  and myself on guitar - we backed up Tammi who started with a soulfull rendition of Bette Midler’s, “The Rose” followed by an all out dancing-in-the aisles version of Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” that by the end, had all the performers packed onstage with us, celebrating and taking pictures of themselves and their friends.

I felt so proud of myself for having been true to my calling – to be sharing the stage with some of the best musicians in the area – and then it occurred to me that I was also sharing the stage with some kids who I am sure will be the future best musicians and entertainers, and that they too, were sharing the stage with me, and that we were all at the same place at the same time doing what we were meant to be doing.

What a gift.

Please do what you can to encourage others to follow their dreams, young or old - whether it be in the arts or on any other career path they imagine taking.

The same for you, too.

Go for it.

What are we waiting for?

On Turning 50

For a few days now I have been wondering what to write about this particular time in my life – you know, the big 5-0. I’ve been thinking about my accomplishments, my goals, and what I am particularly proud of - but didn't know quite how to start.

Then just the other day I came across a comment on Facebook written to a woman who I hadn’t seen since elementary school. The woman who wrote it (let’s call her “Hanna”) was a cheerleader in high school and doesn’t really know me at all except for what she saw at our reunion a couple of years ago. She was responding to a query made by this old elementary friend as to who I was, as she did not recognize the change in the spelling of my name.

Hanna wrote, “Hi Julie, I noticed your comment about Rhan Wilson. He was Ron Wilson, and just a heads up....he's a little weird. He did all the photography for our all class reunion and lets just say he'a a little out there.”

Normally I would take this as a compliment, as I did when my art teacher at Cabrillo College called me weird when she saw my silkscreen of a gorilla with country western hair called “Barbara Mandrill”. Or when my real friends tell me that I am weird in a joking manner.

No, this was different. This felt like a gossipy girl-to-girl warning about me.

Why would she think I am weird? Was it because I wore a toupee, top hat, fur cape, gold chains, and an open silken pirate shirt to the reunion? I thought that was funny – you see, I was going as “Mid-life crisis man”. You know how in all the sitcoms (and, I guess in real life) it seems that the middle aged men worry about their hair and their beer bellies? Well, I thought I would see how many cliches I could cram into one outfit and I did it!

And how did she even notice me anyway? Like another cliché, she was pretty busy making out with her old high school boyfriend and letting him sign her bra - she didn’t even bother to take it to a private corner or beneath the bleachers. No, she just popped her tight pink sweater up right there in middle of everyone.

Personally, I think that could have been described as weird. So what? I don't go around warning her friends that she is as easy as a Monday crossword. (oh no he di'nt!)

You know what else was weird about that reunion?

In the weeks leading up to it, our reunion website that I was helping with got a lot of emails from an alumni that clearly wasn’t all together. He was excessively excited about the upcoming reunion, a multi year concept that he had actually introduced to us all. His many not always so helpful emails and guestbook entries bothered the women (one of them also a cheerleader) to the point that they wanted all mention of him erased. I resisted doing that which infuriated them to no end.

He wasn’t doing any harm (it turns out he suffers from schizophrenia), and if it’s really supposed to be a reunion, where we get to see who we have all become in the spirit of harmony and acceptance… heck, who am I kidding? The reunion was about the popular girls running around together picking on the weirdos. They banned him from attending and made jokes about him forgetting to take his meds. This is how we unite old friends? By allowing only the "normal" ones to attend?

And if all this I am writing seems to be about me venting - well, it is a little I will admit, but it also makes clear how thankful I am to be who I am – weird and proud of it, because with the weird comes creativity, and with the creativity comes the manifestation of what I have been wanting my whole life: to make a living being creative and musical.

Clearly, I didn’t make it as a rock star as I had wanted to be when I was in high school, but I now realize I wouldn’t have wanted to play that game for long anyway. I want success on my terms.

Yes, I am happy to be recording with grammy nominees, collaborating with famous New York street performers, producing recordings with talented singer/songwriters, developing comedy shows, and realizing the success of my silly little project, “An Altared Christmas.”

I am also happy to be with my partner - someone who I easily imagine being with forever.

And though many of my old friends have come and gone, I have encountered the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz which has given me unlimited amount of joy and many wonderful new, real friends. 

So I guess in a way I am glad that “Hanna” felt the need to warn my old friend about me. My old friend writes me all the time now (she didn't buy into the gossip), as do a few good folk I reunited with at the reunion. 

Thanks “Hanna” for reminding me who I am and even more importantly, who I don’t ever want to be. Just as I strive to open as many metaphorical doors and windows as possible, taking walks with the idea of saying hello to everyone I pass, and to be all that I can be (in the non-army way) - I constantly remind myself to have as much understanding and compassion for others as possible - even cheerleaders, because you never know what their personal story is.

Yes, this Santa Cruz boy is gonna keep on keepin’ on.

Now that I’m fifty, I feel as if I have just given myself unconditional permission to push my comfort zone as far as possible, and then some.

Weird? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

------------

Note: I apologize for my hypocrisy. While preaching tolerance and acceptance, I then go and refer to these particular people as "cheerleaders" as if that was a bad thing. I use that term for two reasons: one, because they were actually cheerleaders in school - you know, "We got spirit yes we do. We got spirit, how 'bout you!" And two, to conjure up all the television stereotypes of ex-cheerleaders because up until recently, I didn't think those cliches were real. 

But even that is okay. I can't care if people gossip. I've done it, I regrettably admit. I'm doing it right now. I've even looked at others and muttered, "Losers!" from time to time (mostly while driving), and I have even made fun of others. 

I am human and have made many mistakes. I only hope that I can start to make less of them, or at least make new ones, as opposed to repeating the same ones over and over.

(And by the way, I immediately wrote to Hanna, told her that I was sure she was kidding about me being weird, and would she be my Facebook friend.

She has not responded.)

An Altared Christmas 2008 - Looking Back

This last Friday, December 12, was the 4th Annual "An Altared Christmas" show at the Rio Theatre.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Rio, it is a classic 1940's era movie theatre turned into a performance venue. It seats 700. Compare that with last year's show which was held at the Cayuga Vault, which holds 120. Now realize that I am a new producer - this is only the second time I have ever actually booked a club and put on a real show.

That being said - I now realize at this writing that there is so much to say about this show that I am sure I will barely tap into all that I am wanting to say.

Overall, it went absolutely great! It was a little more than half full, but seemed more than that. The best numbers were great and the worst were still pretty damn good, in my opinion. Some numbers were barely rehearsed: for instance, "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" - started out with the band playing and was then interrupted by a video clip "newsbreak" announcing the growing protest outside, which then burst into the theatre. (Click HERE to see the video.) As the mob came down the aisle, it grew to triple its size, and its leader took the stage to make his demands. Singing a parody of "Roxanne" by The Police, he (Mark Edwards) led the protesters through the song and to its gleeful ending.

This was never rehearsed. I gave general instructions to the mob as to how they would join the protesters and where to stand, but I had no idea how perfectly it would unfold before me, as I played on the stage.

Another number earlier in the show, "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" was created in the lobby just hours before the show by clarinetist Mark Sowlakis and accordionist The Great Morgani.

It was superb and a joy to watch for the first time.

And though we rehearsed "Angels We Have Heard on High" quite a bit, Grammy nominated singer Tammi Brown took us all to church, up and down the steeple, rang the bell a few times and brought us back home safe and blown away!

Patti Maxine shined on lap steel as always, but it was when she shuffled to the stage, dressed in a white mental hospital issued gown and sang of the time she "Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" that we got see and hear a different side of her.

And the torturous rendition of "Away in A  Manger" sung by Celina Gutierrez dressed as a little girl at a pageant was in stark contrast to the beautiful voice many of us know she possesses.

These are but a few of the outstanding moments that my incredible band created.

But it was the errors and mistakes that I also want to credit. You see, I purposely under-rehearsed many portions of the show. I wanted us all to rely on our professionalism and skill to be "in the moment" and to react accordingly. To make a few mistaken notes here and there was worth it to me to be able to create magic that no one could have predicted. And there were some moments like that. 

Comedian Richard Stockton took over the stage, and almost the entire show, with his rendition of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" that morphed into a David Byrne-like comedic rant about a "thermal butter dish". No one could have rehearsed the energy that was released during that piece, and I was as entertained and surprised as anyone could have been. We didn't rehearse that much at all.

Asking the lead protester and Santi Klawz (as David Wallis liked to call himself) to improvise a resolution to the demands of P.E.R.V. (Preservation of Endangered Reindeer Values) may have been a little last minute, but I knew the talent I was working with - they had no problem at all making up some very funny and inspired dialogue. 

And perhaps it is the taking of chances that I am most satisfied with. Sure, I run the risk of bombing, and I am sure I will hear about those moments once the compliments die down, but the rewards are staggering. If we live life (or a show) in fear that we may make a mistake, then we will surely limit our choices considerably. I don't want to do this.

I want to live: to experiment, try new things, and to dare to make a fool of myself. What could happen? A bad review? Sneers? How about someone reading this blog and saying to themselves, "Gee, if he can do it, maybe I can, too." 

That would make me happy.

To find out more about this show and its cast, go to: www.altaredchristmas.com

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Thank you.

Be Incredible!