things I did in 20

things i did in 20.
a moustache-twisting journal of the few things in my life worth mentioning

23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 09 | 08 | 07 | 06 | 05 | 04 | 03 | 02 | 01 | 2000 | 99 | 98 | 97

recorded in a cave
Houston's Duo Dramatique came on the show to promote their upcoming concert in the Cave Without A Name, out in Boerne.    I offered to record it —– 10 stories below ground.    Then I breathed, and realized the humidity was somewhere around 101%.    Even my B-team mics were too sensitive.    Fortunately, Scout-like guy that I am, I had good dynamic mics that handled the boomy cave well.    And the Duo absolutely shone, even in those challenging conditions.    You can still hear pieces of it in rotation on Classical Connections.

didn't go to uruguay
Oh man.    The terrific Maggie Worsdale was slated to perform at the Colonia Music Festival.    I was so excited!    20 years after I'd first gone!    But, no.    We'll do it sometime.    Soon, please!

did go to vegas
The Last Official Thing I Did Before Covid.    Ken Slavin got this great gig in Las Vegas, and flew us all up to accompany.    Tuxes, jazz, the occasional good drink, and lots of friend time.    What a way to camel up for the viral season.    And we swung our butts off.

got the margaret armour ring cycle
It was time.    For years, I'd casually looked and poked and sniffed around, but it was always too expensive by several lengths.    But finally, I saw it for a good price and pounced: The edition of Wagner's Ring Cycle, words only, translated into charmingly rotund faux-antique English, with Arthur Rackham's iconic illustrations.    Not really vintage: published in '76 for the work's centennial.    But absolutely beautiful, and it coincided with my second all-the-way-through Bedtime Story version for my girls.    They pored over the pics.

finally got mid-side
The mid-side technique is a way of miking sound that gives you a technicolor stereo image.    It works Because Of Science.    I'd read about it, seen it done, had it explained, but never really got it.    One fine day I set out to do it myself.    There are apps you can use now, but I wanted to do it myself, manually.    So I did.    Guess what: I got it.    I even recorded some concerts mid-side.    They sound great —– and I rejoice to say I understand why.    Another tool in the box.
Click to read more:

got halfway
In 2020 I played my 34th Sing.    I'm talking about Baylor's All-University Sing, that massive production with 2000 students onstage and roughly 130 songs in 5 hours, playing to SRO audiences 6 nights.    It was founded in 1953, which made this the 68th Sing.    To recap: I've been doing Sing for half its history.    Fair to say that neither it nor I would be the same.

said farewell to st thomas
Covid hit right when other budget issues hit; they just couldn't sustain a band.    A 3-year gig is a good run.    6 years, then, is a *really* good run.    Especially when it's in a terrific church that Gets It —– knows that the contemporary service is really church, knows that the gospel must not be kept in old wineskins, and commits to doing things right.    I felt real freedom at St. Thomas.    The music was real worship, and carried many to the throne in a new way, including me.    It was good music, and terrific company.

streamed jazz
Several times, right around once a month, the Protags did a live-streaming concert.    Generous patrons made sure we got paid well.    The audience got some good jazz and some badly-needed camaraderie.    Let's do more.
Click to hear more:

got rescued by recording
One good thing about having several revenue streams is that when one dries up there are others.    Even most dry up, you still have something.    When Covid hit, I was still able to do recording and arranging, sending my stuff digitally to clients the way I'd always done.    Whew!    It saved our family finances.    Naturally, we took a hit, and a big one, but came out far better than if there'd just been one way to make money making music.

did some contemporary pop
The teenaged singer Cason Taite, who just so happens to be the daughter of a longtime colleague and friend, writes and sings heartfelt, catchy songs.    They brought me in to arrange and produce one.    I liked digging in to a style I hear a lot but don't get to play much.    The result is crisp, clean, and, I hope, the beginning of a bright life in music.
Check it out (preferably on a nice big system):

made better soups
Healthier, tastier, more varied, more reliable.    I've really enjoyed refining the process.    Even so, lockdown life caught up with me, to the tune of about fifteen pounds.    The soups are a pleasure, though: especially a Thai curry I keep coming back to.

said hello again to christ episcopal
Years ago, they were a haven for me at a crappy moment.    Now, after a few months with no Sunday gig, this one fell in my lap.    Literally: my laptop beeped with a message from Bob, CEC's pianist, saying he was moving on and was I interested.    I was indeed, and got in contact with minister Josh, who hired me on the spot.    Josh is among the few music ministers who are both, and give no short shrift to the music or the ministry.    That plus a cracking good ensemble, a short neighborhood drive, and a deep bench of good preachers, and I'm happy week after week.    Yet again, when the rug gets pulled out from under me, I fall up.

helped a kid make the switch
Last year, both girls joined BSA Scouts of America (whose publication's title-change to "Scout Life" prompted screams of joy).    This year, our eldest decided she'd rather be in Girl Scouts of America.    New uniforms, new Zoom meetings, and of course the cookies.    She's had fun with projects and girls —– and she still gets to join in the Pinewood Derby as an official Sibling Entrant.

spoke into my own 421
My family is particularly great with birthdays.    For this last one —– the unlandmark 53 —– they teamed up and got me some badly-needed stands and cases, and a Sennheiser 421, one of those all-around great microphones: crisp, rugged, versatile, helpful like a firefighter neighbor.

distance learned
The girls' school was ready on day one.    Knowing them, they probably had a Pandemic Plans Folder just waiting on the shelf ready to implement.    So it went well.    The girls liked it too, thriving at first.    (At school, you can't do a math problem and then a handstand.)    Yeah.    Then it got old.

got a book illustrated
A couple of years ago I turned a particularly great bedtime story into a book for my girls.    This year I decided to Make It Happen.    First step: getting it illustrated.    An intense search, a flurry of communication, and it was settled.    Franshawn Langley's delightful illustrations recall a golden age of children's book illustration, while pulling in the visual language of anime and digital art.    Stay tuned for Princess Lily: The Princess and the Rag Doll.    You'll hear about it when it hits the market.

polished a great 80s tune
I wrote "I'll Never Find Another Like You" when I was seventeen.    I nailed it.    But I let it sit for 30-odd years.    This year, for Catherine's annual birthday song, the stars aligned, and I not only spruced up a line or two and added the bridge, but also recorded it with Linda, the singer from our party-rock band in high school.    I joyfully tweaked every detail until it was just right.    (One good sign: it came back from mastering hardly changed.)    Take a good bath in the 80s-ness.
Check it out:

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What a year. Dedicated to the glory of God.

so, what did you do?

23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 09 | 08 | 07 | 06 | 05 | 04 | 03 | 02 | 01 | 2000 | 99 | 98 | 97