Rosa

“Press start, let’s dance!”

And so it goes, listening to a young, enthusiastic and raw energy called ROSA while sitting in Houston at my best friend, Julie’s, house. Her son, Kirke, plays washtub bass with a trio of friends, and he wanted me to hear some of their music.

Now, people hand me their cds, asking for advice or help on how to make it in this business, at least three to five times a week. I try to give a listen, and I try to give constructive feedback.

And on that rare occassion, I get treated to something that makes me smile
with the knowledge of “yes”. I say “yes” because the songs and the feeling and the experience and the honesty all ring true and there is no question that
“yes” is stamped all over what I’ve just heard.

So, you could understand why I was a little apprehensive about listening to Kirke’s music. I was face to face with a person sharing their art; not jotting off a thoughtful response via snail or email. I was sitting in a room not only with Kirke and his songs, but his mom/my dear friend and two of Kirke’s siblings.
Who all knew the words to his songs.

Well, the first song was just so darn peppy and funny and energetic. I was bouncing and wanting to sing along. I was pulled in. The second and third song were that way, too. Echoed in full force by every member of the band, the lead singer was full throttle barking through the stereo speakers, a slight heliumesque quality, a tiny high school pep rally. I could imagine the four of them cracking themselves up between the banjo and the elements of Green Day, the Ramones, Cobras, Sex Pistols and the Judys.

If I had a new lifetime theme song (alongside the extraordinary one on the end of “Two Kinds of Laughter” by Austin Haverty), I would want it to be by ROSA.
(I’ll download an example and get it to this site so you can hear it. Not now.
But later. I have to figure out how to do it first!)

While I was in Houston, I performed at Oak Forest Elementary. And I had one of those amazing angel experiences.

At the school, I went into the lunchroom/dance hall to check out the sound situation. Well, there was a vocal mic, which led into hidden mains up in the ceiling, but the sound was practically obliterated by a hissing distortion.
And, no place to add my acoustic guitar (no place to plug into the system).
It was looking fruitless, but I had decided I would just sing sans sound system, when the music teacher arrived and announced she had an amp in her room.
The amp sounded so good compared to the mic, but I couldn’t connect the mic into the amp. The show would have to go on!

For the first show, the pre-K through first, I performed, had a great time, and no one seemed to mind the yucky sound scenario. Here is where the angel part comes in. A handsome dad named Augie realized the trouble I was having, left the school, ran to his studio, and brought back an entire P.A., set it up between shows, and voila! Second show (2nd -3rd), I felt like I was in Carnagie Hall.
The sound was that delicious over what I had just experienced. Afterwards, I thanked Augie and gave him some cds and we talked about how he wants to create Christian children’s music and I told him to go for it!

After hugging about 8,302 adorable children, Julie and I left school to eat at a place called Kandy’s. Unbeknownst to us, Kandy is Augie’s mother. So, as we are eating lunch, talking to the fine lady as she brings us our meals, we mention the kindness of a man named Augie and she beams, “That’s my son!”
Isn’t that amazing!?

What else? We got a surprise animation of “Look At Me” in the mail this week from Mike Cogliandro. Lily was so thrilled to be animated! Not only did Mike capture the sweetness (and the heartache) of the song, but he did this all without uttering a peep, so we had no idea he was making this lovely art.
We watched it over and over…I know this will end up on the DVD I am trying to put together of animated pieces to about 30 of my recorded children’s songs…then you’ll be able to see it, too! Thank you, Mike! We love it!

I made homemade banana cake last night while talking on the phone to Gene.
He was in Baltimore. He is in lurve. I love when people meet someone they can
get smooshy about. It’s so exciting!

I’ve been performing a lot lately. Today I have an early morning show at Pervasive.

My insomnia has reached a crucial point. I will be returning to a sleep specialist. The fatigue I try to hide everywhere I go is finally eating away at my heart and soul. It is really bringing me down, physically. I guess between the combination of my age and lifestyle, it is just too much to get by on a small amount of sleep anymore.