Hello friends -
As I wrap up celebrating my birthday month, I have a lot to be grateful for. I get to spend my days making music and sharing it with others; pursuing creative ideas in visual art, cooking, gardening, writing, design; dreaming up so many ambitious plans for the future. I also have to keep up with less glamorous tasks, especially the infinite admin, and remembering to be a compassionate boss to myself (a very imperfect employee!). The news of the day almost always seems hard, bad, terrible. I’m still figuring out how to respond! What news should I share with you, I wonder?Â
I could tell you about the 1000 piece puzzle that I diligently worked on for 4.5 months, allowing me to contemplate my problem solving strategies, the difference between daylight and lamplight, and that things (e.g. puzzle pieces) are not always as they appear. I could tell you about the 200+ kale seedlings that I have eagerly nurtured since mid March, a celebration of the promise of planting seeds when the ground is still covered with snow, nature’s cycles, abundance. I could tell you about diving back into playing the hardanger fiddle, and muse on the metaphors of resonance and sympathetic vibrations. I can and I will, in a message to come. For now, I’ll focus on some of this week’s pressing news.
One ambitious and joyous event you’ve probably heard me mention many times lately is a concert coming up this Sunday, May 3rd. My duo, Drank The Gold, is joining forces with our friend Benny Bleu to present a very special night of music. James and I (Drank The Gold) will kick off the night with a selection of old favorites and brand new tunes and songs. Benny, along with his band featuring Gus and Huck Tritsch and Eric Heveron-Smith, will take over after intermission playing music from Benny’s upcoming record. Expect old and new music, unusual instrument combinations, and - of course - some cross collaborations. We love Benny’s music, we love playing music with Benny, and we can’t wait to see what we come up with on the night. We don’t get the chance to put on too many listening room concerts these days (did I mention how much behind the scenes admin it takes?) so I hope you’ll join us for this one!
IN PERSON & LIVESTREAM TICKETS HERE
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Looking ahead to the summer, I’ve somehow gotten myself involved and teaching at a whole host of music camps. Well, it’s no mystery. Sometimes I’m a good employee and do my admin, and set these things up! What a dream, though, to spend days on end making music with interested folks - at Caffè Lena (Saratoga Springs, NY), my current hometown folk music venue; GrassRoots Culture Camp (Trumansburg, NY), at my original hometown music camp/festival; and up in the Adirondacks at Great Camp Sagamore (Raquette Lake, NY).Â
James and I, with our band the Millstone Rounders, have launched a new three-night camp at Sagamore we’re calling an Adirondack Music Getaway - a music camp, but in such a beautiful spot that really it’s a music vacation. Breathe in the fresh mountain air, rejoice that your phone has lost service, and join us for a few tunes on the porch or singing a song around the campfire. We’ll offer instrument classes, facilitate jams, performances, and more. It’s the first year, never been done before, and what a joy to get to shape this thing from the ground up. It’s also nerve-wracking to launch something brand new - we hope you’ll consider jumping in on this fledgling adventure!
I’ve got lessons to teach and a garden to plant, so better sign off now.
But I’ll try to write more often. I’ve got so much to tell you. More soon.
xo OonaÂ
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