It’s interesting… It’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to blog. I came into my blog and noticed that I had started to write something on my birthday that I never finished. It brought back the memories of that wonderful day!
My birthday was one of those perfect days in life that warrants documenting. I never want to forget that feeling of joy!
It’s funny how as people get older, they seem to look at birthdays more and more with distaste as time goes on. Well, to overcome the blues of getter older, I decided to give it a reason to celebrate. What better way to dispel of the blues than doing what I love to do the most surrounded by those I love? It’s pure self indulgence! To sing songs of my favorite artist of all times and telling their stories on my birthday to an audience. I threw away all feelings of doubt and walked on stage with only one goal in my mind and that was to have a great time and enjoy myself! Guess what? It worked!! I had so much fun that I had to literally look at my set list to believe that the show was coming to an end! The audience was the best EVER! My director Lennie Watts was there, my vocal coach Patrick DeGennaro and so many of my friends (both from the musical and non musical world)… Chris Tefft, Bobbie Horowitz, Dana Lorge, Carly Ozard, Christy Frye, Rachel Scott, Bob Diamond, Susan Neuffer, Jim Speake, Richard Becker, Uraina Collazo, Jamie Salzano, Melissa Heche, Jim Vern, Kara Masciangelo, Brady Galan, Barb Malley, Debra Allee, Joan Petrella, Asami Tsuzuki, Erika Smith, John Koprowski, Eric Brisbon and so many more…. Completely supportive and full of love! The birthday party afterwards was full of fun! I got flowers(enough to make my apartment a botanical garden), hugs and gifts from everyone! It was the best!
So much that is wonderfully musical in my life! My opening night was followed by another amazing night on March 21! The fruition of yet another one of my musical dreams! A HUGE THANK YOU to EVERYONE who made this possible starting with: My amazing director/mentor Lennie Watts, musical director/confidant/dearest friend Steven Ray Watkins, bass player Daniel Fabricatore, my drummer Tim Lykins, Thomas Honeck and Lisa Moss at The Duplex Cabaret and Piano Bar… Thank you for making this all happen tonight!
My wonderfully responsive, supportive and receptive friends/family/audience: Jamie Salzano, Lorinda Lisitza, Sallie J Hadley, Jay B Stone, David Itzchaky, Joe Taylor, Gretchen Reinhagen, Stefani Lovealwayswins Miller, Christopher Tefft, Mark Janas, Tanya Moberly, Michael Salat, Ruth Carlin Sudock, Maria Ottavia, Joey Infante, Mike McDonald, Richard Kagan, Susan Mintzer, Merna and Stephanie Shuang Luo, Jason Wisdom, Adam Nash, Nana Gogiya, Stephen Hays, Joe Melillo, Sharmila Tredger, Sidney Plunket, Niki Capra and Dan Furman.
In between, I had the honor of performing in Bobbie Horowitz’s Spring Cabaret Matinee and two Arrangement Experience showcases. What a lucky duck I am!! Thank you everyone who made it possible for me to have music in my life!