Well, dear readers, this month is flying by, like a gazelle eating chicken fricassee. Does anyone still eat chicken fricassee? And just what in tarnation IS a fricassee anyway? I know what a damn chicken is but a damn fricassee is eluding me at the moment. Let’s see what we can discover about the fricassee, shall we? Okay – how many people here knew that fricassee dates all the way back to the 15th century, just prior to my birth? Yes, fricassee is an OLD term. Apparently fricassee is halfway between a sauté and a stew, kind of like the hermaphrodite of cooking. Apparently the fricassee couldn’t make up its mind and lives between two worlds. How many of you knew that chicken fricassee was one of Abraham Lincoln’s favorite dishes? You see what you learn here at haineshisway.com? I mean, what other site on all the Internet is even mentioning chicken fricassee or any fricassee for that or any other matter. Now, a fricassee can actually be done with any meat or poultry or fish or even just vegetables, and yet the chicken gets all the credit for the fricassee. When was the last time you saw a halibut fricassee or a kobe fricassee? No, the chicken had usurped the fricassee and made it its own. Here is an actual photograph of chicken fricassee.
I ask you – when was the last time you saw chicken fricassee on a menu? I haven’t seen it on a menu in a ‘coon’s age. What the HELL am I talking about? What does chicken fricassee have to do with the price of tomatoes? Don’t I have notes to write? I do, and I shall, not necessarily in that order.
I had, I suppose, a perfectly pleasant first day of August. The good news is I slept over nine hours, probably closer to ten and boy did I need that and boy did it feel good. Of course, most of the morning was gone, so I went and had some chicken tenders for my meal o’ the day, then I picked up no packages. I came home and did a three-mile jog, I planked and did sit-ups. Then I had to get ready for our second Kritzerland rehearsal.
Our second Kritzerland rehearsal was much more assured and smooth than the first one, so that made me very happy. These are just the most wonderful songs – I just sit and listen and smile. And this cast is just terrific. Our real newcomer, Charlotte Mary Wen, who won the LA’s Next Great Stage Star competition this year, was under the weather at our first rehearsal, but she was feeling better yesterday and she’s doing a great job with her three numbers. She has a great belt and her head voice is equally nice. A couple of people were still “on book” for one song, but they’ll know it by Saturday. And Chelsea Emma Franko, who came in at a moment’s notice, is just so delightful to work with and such a pro and hard worker. She’s still getting her three numbers in her bones (especially I Ain’t Down Yet, which is a very tricky number if you’ve never done it before), but she already sounds great. And we had Sue Raney yesterday and she’s still got it in spades, hearts, clubs and diamonds. What a voice, what a presence. I’m so happy she could do this.
After the rehearsal, I went to Gelson’s and got – wait for it – melon balls, baby. I am all about the melon balls. If there was a store called Melon Balls ‘R’ Us I would be there daily. I came home and ate some of the melon balls and had some low-cal cheese and low-cal Wheat Thins for my evening snack.
Then I had to buckle down, Winsocki and write all the patter for Sandy Bainum’s Gershwin show. That took all evening but she’s now got it and can learn it. It came out very well I think. I kept it simple and to the point, but still got some laughs in and it’s filled with interesting factoids and you know we’re all about the interesting factoids.
For today’s song we offer a Guy Haines track from his second album, New Guy in Town. If you don’t have it, you should order it immediately. I first heard this song on the radio I guess, although I never listened to the radio – maybe I heard it some other way or maybe I just bought the album because it looked interesting, but I fell in love with the song instantly and when it came time to do the second Guy Haines album I knew we’d have to include it. And I have to say, it’s had rather large success in terms of downloads – an amazing number of downloads since the album came out. The song was written and sung by Tim Moore and it’s called Second Avenue.
Isn’t that a good song? I just love the tune and the feel of the lyrics.
Today, I shall hopefully arise after a good night’s beauty sleep, and then I shall just relax all the livelong day and evening, although I’ll probably do some liner notes, I’ll do a jog, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages and I’ll eat something light but amusing.
Tomorrow is our stumble-through, Sunday is sound check and show. Then next week we finish the vocal comps and I have a ton of meetings and meals and things to do. I’m not going to Washington as it turns out, so we’ll be working a little daily via Skype or Face Time. But it will enable us to get to the mix sooner, so that’s good.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray player? I’ll start – CDs, endless. Blu and Ray, Once Is Not Enough and a ton of others after it. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland happy that we all know everything we ever wanted to know about chicken fricassee.