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August 1, 2011:

AUGUST AUGUST

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, first things first. It is August. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, it is August, a new month, and I hope and pray that it will be filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful. But before I go any further, first things first: Melody’s show went extremely well. For a first time in front of people, she was poised, in great voice, and had the room in the palm of her hand. It is very hard to do this sort of thing – to be yourself and sing for fifty minutes straight, but she does it with the best of them. We have a few little things to work on, one little staging thing to adjust in the opening number, but all the staging and patter fixes from the day before she nailed and they all worked perfectly. The audience was very appreciative and they gave her lots of kudos after the show. The act itself is just what I wanted it to be – it shows her off in all facets, has a good, tight structure, and moves like a house afire. So, we have a few more rehearsals before August 10th and we’ll address the little nitpicky things between now and then. I was very proud of her.

After the show, we went over to the Burbank Barney’s Beanery for our postmortem. I gave the handful of notes, and then we had our nice supper. The service at this branch is nothing to write home about, but the food was good. I had my usual chicken salad sandwich with a little side of mac and cheese – both were good, even though they first brought me a grilled chicken salad sandwich and I sent that back pronto. I also had a little Barney’s ice cream sandwich – a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two warm chocolate chip cookies. I ate about a third of it, because I thought I needed a little sweet treat.

Prior to the show, I’d slept nine hours. I’m still feeling weird from being overtired so please send lots of excellent vibes and xylophones for me to stay well, because I cannot have any vocal problems for this Gardenia show. I hate when I lose as much sleep as I have and this crap always happens when I do. But we all know our excellent vibes and xylophones are the best tonic, so send ’em along. I listened to the rest of our new master and it’s fine. Acetates are acetates even in the best of circumstances and you just have to know that going in – there are certain things than can be cleaned up and certain things that can’t, no matter how hard you try. You can only go so far before you start hurting the music itself and its tonal qualities. Our mastering guy worked really hard on it, but there are still a handful of tracks that are not that good-sounding because of the surface noise of the acetates (different that surface noise on a standard LP). We’re going to keep working for the next two days, just to try to improve those few tracks a teeny bit more. I did the four-mile jog but not until one, since the morning was gray and even a little drizzly. And we finally booked a camera and sound person for the first day of shooting, and he thinks he can get me folks for the second day, so that was a big load off my harried mind.

After the show, I came home, approved the Kritzerland site announcement, prepped the eBlast, sent the two episodes of the web series to the New York cameraman, and caught up on e-mails and whatnot. I tried to watch something but I wasn’t in the mood.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must do brief notes and get them posted so I can get a decent night’s sleep before arising early in the morning at six o’clock.

Today, I shall arise at six o’clock in the morning to announce the new Kritzerland title. I didn’t realize until late last night what everyone was posting about on the site all day Saturday – that I’d inadvertently posted the liner notes as part one of the notes rather than part one of the notes. I rectified that situation pronto – I have no idea how it happened but it won’t ever be happening again, that much I can tell you. So, in essence, I had to write two part ones last night. After the announcement, I shall hopefully print out a LOT of orders and I’ll try to go back to sleep for a few hours. Then I have lots of errands and whatnot to do, hopefully a package or two to pick up, and some new liner notes to begin, as well as do the four-mile jog. Then I’m supping with our very own Alet Taylor, restaurant to be determined.

Tomorrow, I’m going to try to relax right up until we have our stumble-through. Then on Wednesday it’s sound check and show, Thursday we have a Melody rehearsal at Vitello’s, and there are also meetings and meals and even a show to attend.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, announce a new Kritzerland title, I must print out a LOT of orders, I must do the four-mile jog, I must begin new liner notes, I must perhaps pick up a package or two and I must sup. Today’s topic of discussion: What is the best ice cream or ice cream based dessert you’ve ever had? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, but first things first and may our new month of August be filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful – that is what I shall be thinking as I shall now hit the road to dreamland.

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