A few show notes and thoughts…….we just finished the Christmas Show on the AZ MUSIC CAFÉ this afternoon and I went home whooped.   Yes, a little Christmas sick bug and my brother’s Christmas party the night before may have made a contribution.   But mostly, it was the sheer energy that gets crammed into that studio each Sunday, and particularly THIS one.   After the show’s final minutes, we had about 2 minutes to get out of the studio and make way for the next program and found ourselves deposited into the lobby for the obligatory Saturday Night Live end of show photo shot.   It was like getting washed up on shore by a monster wave. 

 

The show was like a two hour whirlwind.   Any one of our guests could easily have done an hour or more on their own.   But to concentrate all 5 of them and squeeze them into 2 hours…..is sort of like trying to cram a lightning bolt into a test tube.  (No burlap sack allusions)

 

The recipe for a potent Christmas brew?  First we have Mary Hoffman’s effervescence in her songwriting and vocal offerings, and the sheer positive flow of eager energy juxtaposed against Darin Mahoney’s absolutely bottomless pit of depth conveyed through the unique fingerings and stylings of his instrumental creations.   Then add Chris Frazer’s sheer reach (he is like a multi armed Doc Ock with his AZ OPEN MIC chores, his Songwriter Challenges, his weekly hosting gig, his own considerable songwriting talents (and then he teaches music to kids?), he is exhausting to just think about.    Add in Chava Cannon’s amazing story(ies) and her gift of lassoing heart tugging emotions and wrapping us up in them, which she does regularly.   And finally the flying fingers of flamenco (a)ficionado Chris Burton Jácome, were barely contained in the final segment as he 12/8 timed his way through Little Drummer Boy and played Jacob’s Ladder with his guitar bass strings in order to simulate the drum.   Man! 

 

Maybe it was the sugar and eggnog high.   But I don’t think so.   The room was positively electric.   I am ready for a nap.  

 

Hope you enjoyed the show and if you missed it, do yourself a favor and grab it on the podcast when it comes up midweek.   You will have something to treasure.   You won’t be tired afterwards, you didn’t have to channel and direct all that wonderful talent and energy. 

 

You just get to enjoy it!