This has been a terrific holiday season for seeing live music.  My December 1st show at the Twisted Tree Cafe wonderful.  The “Power To The Peaceful” show engendered Arlan Feilis and the Lone Orchestra as my new favorite local band.  Rick Barry’s 6th annual “Holiday Hangover” (at the Saint, in Asbury Park) debuted his new band, “The New Rick Barrys”, and I think they have immediately become my second favorite local band.  I also had a great time performing at the Hangover as a “special guest” (sorry for not announcing it in advance, but you know how these things go).

2007 was, by far, my best year for performing.  Not only in terms of volume (I played something stupid like 140 times…and that was with taking a three month hiatus for Autumn), but in quality of my performance (either y’all are lying to me, or I have been seriously getting better)  and my enjoyment thereof.

I feel like this year ties with last year for my best year of songwriting.  I wrote a few more songs that I love in 2006 than I did in 2007, but I think I love the songs I wrote this year enough to make up the difference.

2007 saw the long-awaited release (or, rather, pre-release) of my second album, Disconnect.  Expect an official release in 2008, and maybe even more new music before year’s end.

2007 also marked my first full-band performance, opening for one of my all-time favorite acts, Peter Searcy.  You can expect much more from a larger version of that band in the coming year.

All in all, this year has been the best year ever for me, in terms of music (due, in no small part, to all of you).  I hope to be able to same the same thing again at this time next year.

In the next few months, I’ll pop up now and again (an open mic here, an acoustic show there, a guest appearance at local all-star shows from time to time), but I’m generally focusing on band practice. I’ve passed hosting duties at the Songwriters’ Workshop (which I founded and hosted for over four years) off to Jamie. He’s good. You’ll like him.

It should be noted that I’m still writing new material while on my hiatus, so subscribe to my myspace blog to hear new songs as I write them. I’ll be bringing them to the Songwriters’ Workshop, too.

When I do get back to playing regularly, I want to make sure I don’t leave you hanging, so look to your right, in the sidebar, and “demand” me through eventful.com. That way I’ll be sure to play your area ASAP. And spread the word, because the more “demands” I have in an area, the more sense it’ll make for me to make the trek.

In the meantime, draw me a picture.

I’ll be at the Arlan Feiles & the Lone Orchestra show, Power to the Peaceful, at the Stone Pony, this Saturday night. Be there, ’cause it’s going to be incredible!

I’ll also make it out to Rick Barry’s 6th Annual Holiday Hangover, next Saturday, at The Saint.

So much musical goodness going on in such a short amount of time, I suppose I’ll have to let you know the fabulous news about the band sometime soon. Sometime…

Soon.

Blasphemy!  Referencing a Paul song as the title to a post about John.  Meh.  Sod off.

Today is December 8th, and though December 7th is more often knows as “a date that shall live in infamy” (Pearl Harbor…read a book some time), 60+ years later, it doesn’t mean so much to us as December 8th: The day John Lennon died.

My initial intent to go into the City today was to see an exhibit of John’s artwork on display, but while I was going in, I couldn’t just not go to Strawberry Fields (John’s Central Park memorial, across the street from his home at the Dakota, where he was killed), so that got immediately tacked onto the agenda.  I never made it to the art show because my day somehow got busier and busier, but my trip to Strawberry Fields was better than any art show could have been (especially one where Yoko had autographed John’s artwork…WTF?)

When George and I entered Central Park at 72nd St and Central Park West, we heard nothing.  But as we got closer, we started to hear the singing.  It was very dim, as if the 100 people crowded around the 8 or so acoustic guitar players were singing under their breath, afraid to be heard. 

I had considered bringing my guitar as a fleeting thought, but once I got there, and saw all the guitar players, I was so glad I hadn’t: I was so incredibly out of my league…these guys knew EVERY song!  We quickly worked our way to the front of this mess, and parked ourselves on a bench in the midst of the musicians.

George and I were there for maybe an hour and a quarter (though I would have stayed all day if I could have).  I was singing all the harmonies and backing vocals (i.e. “Bang, bang, shoo-oo-oop shoop”) at the top of my lungs.  Before long, there were maybe 300 people, and the singing was so much louder as people had become comfortable with themselves and with their neighbors, and were embracing the moment (even George started humming and singing the occasional refrain).  With so many voices, it was like a choir where everyone had decided which part they wanted to sing, and each vocal line could be heard throughout the crowd like one living entity (think: the recording of “Give Peace A Chance”).

Before we headed off, I turned to George and said, “This is what music is all about and should always be like: Lots of people, getting together, playing songs together, singing together, connecting and being happy.”  It was the best way I could think of to remember John Lennon.  I’ll be going back every year.  Next year, you’re coming with me.

Holy crap!  Last night was AWWWWWSOME!  Haven’t seen the Twisted Tree so packed ina  LONG time.  It was hot and stuffy, and you couldn’t get a seat for like two hours.  If you didn’t come out to the show last night, it’s probably a good thing, ’cause you wouldn’t have been able to fit inside, anyway!  Huge thanks to Alex Biese, Mike Shearer, the rest of SemiPop, Ben Sbar, David DiGioia and Graham Schumann who all played great and had a ton of fun with us!  And of course, super thanks to the Twisted Tree for having us, and for feeding us with incredible food!

I can just remember it being the beginning of the night, maybe 30 minutes in, and saying to someone, “I love tonight”, and it only got better!  I played through 15 songs throughout the evening, most with accompaniment of some sort.  Super kudos to all of you for managing that excellent round at the end of “God Only Knows”, and as happy as it made my heart to hear a room full of people screaming at the top of their lungs, “War is over if you want it,” I really hope you all thought about it as you sang.  I wear it on my guitar case like a badge all year ’round.

Let’s do last night again sometime soon!