Well, dear readers, last night I had the pleasure of seeing two superb performers do a duo act, and, for me, there’s nothing better than seeing two people at the top of their game doing what they love. I saw the first version of this show about two years ago and it’s much better now. Then it seemed to be finding its way, had a weak opening, and was unfocused, but all that’s been addressed since then and it’s evolved into quite an entertaining show. The performers are two people I’ve worked with on several projects – Faith Prince (I recorded her in Here’s Love, Little Me, and Bells Are Ringing) and Jason Graae (we’ve been working together steadily since 1993 and we’ve done three solo albums together and he’s appeared on a huge number of my multi-artist albums). Their camaraderie is wonderful, they’re now playing off each other like champs, and there’s a lot of comedy (obviously), but an equal amount of stuff that’s touching. It’s a long show at about ninety-five minutes, but it never really felt too long, and the audience ate it up. Also, a call out to the great John Boswell for his perfect piano stylings. I usually don’t eat at The Federal for our shows – just an artichoke. Last night I had the artichoke but also their animal burger – sautéed onions, lettuce, 1,000-Island dressing, pickles and tomatoes and a milk bun – it was really very good. I took Sami and her mom along, too, and they had a really good time.
After the show we all said hi to Jason – he’s seen Sami in a lot of our shows (sadly he was out of town when we did Welcome to My World), and then Faith. We had fun yakking – she’s a grand gal and she’s going back to Broadway with the new musical Disaster. I didn’t know all that many people in attendance, but we did have Constance Towers at our table (delightful), and I said hey to Davis Gaines, Susanne Blakeslee, Heather Lee, Dana Miller, agent Martin Gage, and a few others. I think we have some photos so I’ll post them when I get them.
Prior to that, I got almost eight hours of sleep. I didn’t really get to bed until about three-thirty and I slept until eleven-thirty when the helper showed up. Once she left, I did some work on the computer, chose the last of the songs and got everything to our new co-producer so we can set the schedule and make the flyer and get it up on Facebook right after the first of the year. This has been a tough one to put together but I think it will be a lot of fun. Still need our guest star, though. Oh, photos just arrived. Here’s Sami and me with Jason Graae.
And here’s Sami and me with Faith Prince.
I went to do some errands and whatnot only to be greeted with a completely dead battery. That explained a lot, actually, given the few electronic problems I’ve been happening. Since I had the car serviced at great expense three weeks ago it would have been nice had they actually tested the battery – I have to believe it would have shown up as being very low. I called the service department and told them this should not be happening less than two years later, but they couldn’t send someone to bring me a new one until Wednesday morning. I found that very irritating, so I just called Triple A, and fifteen minutes later they brought me a new high-end battery at not too bad a cost – I will make the dealer reimburse me for their less than optimal battery, which was probably a refurbished battery rather than brand new. That’s my guess. Once the new battery was in, all those little electronic problems vanished instantly. Funny how that works. Then I did my errands and whatnot, which only took ten minutes, then I came back home. We got a screener for the movie Joy, so I’ll probably watch that this evening. Then I finished the song I’ve been working on – still a couple of lines to finesse but I like it. It’s about movie theaters then and now. And then it was time to mosey on over to The Federal.
Today, I have a lunch meeting at one, then I’ll do some other work, hopefully pick up packages (including the proof for Welcome to My World – if it’s good, it will go live in the next day or so), and then relax.
Tomorrow is a lunch with dear reader Jeanne at some place I’ve never been, Thursday is our New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Bash right here at hainehisway.com, Friday, the New Year, I begin a new book and attend a partay, and then I’ll relax on the weekend and just write.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, have a lunch meeting, hopefully pick up packages, do some work, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: If you could get in your haineshisway.com Time Machine and go back and see any cabaret act in history (or concert, I suppose), what would it be and why? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have seen an entertaining act, had an artichoke, and an animal burger.