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December 11, 2010:

THE MUSIC OF OUR LIVES

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I have just returned home from seeing Miss Leslie Uggams’ one-woman show, Uptown Downtown, at the Pasadena Playhouse, which is now up and running again (not that there was ever any doubt it would be – that was blatantly obvious to many of us despite all that publicity and breast-beating when it closed). Miss Uggams looks amazing and her show was fun to see. She’s still got some terrific chops and the structure of the show is basically her life in the show business. The songs are fun and her band is good, although I didn’t love some of the arrangements. Her patter does the job but could use some more humor – the couple of times she actually has something amusing to impart she does it very well and it lands. I wish I could say it was a full house, but sadly it was a little over half full on a Friday night. But, this is her third week and why they would book a show like this in for four full weeks is a little odd to me. But, kudos for bringing in Miss Uggams, who is a treasure – for anyone in the area, I recommend getting down there to see it.

Prior to that I’d had quite the busy day. I got up early and had a breakfast meeting at Jerry’ Deli with our very own Mr. Kevin Spirtas. We discussed the new act we’re doing, we discussed Nudie Musical, the Gardenia shows (which he really wants to now bring to New York, and I’m all for that), and other amusing topics. Then I came home briefly, answered e-mails, and then had to mosey on over to Mo’s to have a birthday lunch with the helper and a friend of hers named Jessica. Jessica was very nice and very interesting and she even brought me a birthday card, which was very sweet of her. Both the helper and Jessica are former firefighters, which I find fascinating. Anyway, lunch was faboo – I had a Chinese chicken salad, which was, as always, yummilicious. Then the helper and I went to storage and we pulled all the music for the January show – most of it was there, but some of it is only in the form of oversized conductor sheets – we’ll need to do something about those – I’ll probably have to see if I have those songs in one of the Sondheim books I have (after we did Unsung Sondheim and Sondheim at the Movies, many of those songs were finally published) – if there are any we don’t have, then I’ll just call the assistant of my close personal friend, Mr. Stephen Sondheim, and have whatever we need e-mailed to us. But I think we’ll be able to find everything. The one great thing I found was the vocal chart for our faux Maguire sisters rendition of Getting Married Today, so we’re definitely doing that. After that, I came home and began prepping our next two releases. I watched a little of one of the films involved, and did track lists. By then it was time to get ready to go to see Miss Uggams.

So, it was a perfectly pleasant day filled with perfectly pleasant things and now it is very late because I have been dallying and tarrying instead of writing these here notes. Oh, and can someone please tell me if Facebook has once again made an “improvement” that is horrible, i.e. what happened to the status block where you write your status update – it was always on the profile page at the top. Now there is nothing and you have to actually click on the word “status” to get the text box – ridiculous. Or do I need to do something to get it back the way it wuz?

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because it is late and I must get my beauty sleep.

Today, I hope to sleep late, then the Kritzerland designer is having his annual Christmas partay, which I will be attending. Then I’ll write some liner notes, and then I’m having one last birthday dinner then seeing a show. As of tomorrow, strict diet from now until the Christmas Eve Do.

Tomorrow, I have to finish liner notes and get one of the two packages ready to send for approval on Monday or Tuesday at the latest. I’ll eat something very light but amusing and I’m sure I’ll watch a motion picture or two.

This week is very busy, with rehearsals, meetings, meals, but mostly making sure the two Kritzerland titles are ready to announce a week from tomorrow. That’s going to be a lot of work, as we’re also finishing one other project that will have a longer approval time – that one has been in the works for almost seven months now. I also had a very interesting e-mail query, which I don’t really want to talk about but for which excellent vibes and xylophones would be much appreciated, as it could lead to something very nice.

Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the Texax two-step, for today is the birthday of our very own beloved dear reader Ginny. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own beloved dear reader Ginny. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN BELOVED DEAR READER GINNY!!!

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, sleep late, do a jog, attend a partay, do liner notes and listen to a master, sup, and see a show. Today’s topic of discussion: We all could create the soundtrack of our lives – so, what songs do you associate with the most romantic times of your life and what songs cheer you up when you’re feeling low? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, as I hit the road to dreamland.

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