Happy New Year

It’s been a while since I’ve written. Because Beta Blogger transferred to New Blogger it took me awhile to reestablish authentication. Since we hadn’t yet announced the blog, no harm done!

I hope you had a great holiday. The last couple of years I’ve given the gift of local music. Last year it was the Blue Rhythm Boys, Monday Morning Blues. Soundbites: http://cdbaby.com/cd/bluerhythm This past fall, I gave a bunch of friends a copy of the Big Three Trio’s We Got Rhythm CD -- it’s wonderful! Soundbites at http://www.bigjoem.com This year, I’m giving a CD by one of Peter Davis’ bands -- The Clayfoot Strutters. Going Elsewhere is a “groove-based contradance fusion” with zydeco, contra, irish, and ragtime sounds. Peter gave me a copy when he was here with Lindy Hop Heaven in October. I was dancing with Mark Ormbsy when we noticed a Basie-fusion number on that October night. Unlike your usual “medley,” Peter picked up a riff here and there from different Basie tunes and fused them together into a great dance number! At any rate, on this CD, Peter pays tribute to one my favorite book series -- The Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. The tune is The Tempest/The Abbey/The Daemon. Soundbites at http://cdbaby.com/cd/clayfoot

I love cdbaby.com! They have the BEST customer service ever. It’s worth ordering from them just to read their humorous confirmation and shipping e-mails! Plus, they’re fast and efficient. I ordered the CDs on the afternoon of the 18th, not expecting to get them before Christmas. They showed up in my mailbox on the 23rd.

As those DC/Baltimore DooWop legends, The Orioles, asked, “What are you doing on New Year’s Eve?” When my daughter left this afternoon she said to me, “When I call you at midnight you better not be at home!” So, I’ll head out to Glen Echo tonight. Perhaps I’ll see some of you there.