Yes, indeed, this is an unapologetic, over the top, sho nuff FAN LETTER! To cut to the chase, I was blown away (if I may lapse into jargon and cliche, and so early in the message too) by the music and the musicians last evening on the Potomac. I can't remember deriving so much enjoyment from a musical evening, and I say that as someone who began taking in Utah Phillips (my all time musical cum story teller performer) and Rosalie Sorrels back in the early 1970s at the old Freight & Salvage, when it was still a little hole in the wall venue on San Pablo Avenue, across the street from The Albatross Pub, aka The Bird. Very intimate venue, very low prices, AND they served a good soup, dark bread, wine, and brownies, so that was a cheap dinner too! (Over the years, as the Freight has gotten ever bigger and fancier, and ever more expensive, its attraction for me (as an old guy, I guess) has steadily diminished. But I digress. My friend from New Orleans, who's heard her share of good music in her time, and whose son in law who has staged concerts by top tier musicians around the country, was similarly impressed, as was, quite obviously, the entire audience. But I want to "share" with you (a big word here in PC Berkeley, which is now being used by someone who detests the PC attitude) my one big (albeit very obvious) insight. Very few groups combine, to the extent that Dr. Elmo and Wild Blue do, BOTH first rate musicianship (if that is a word) and first rate showmanship. Sure, almost all musical performers are to some extent showmen, whether it's MTT or Utah (and Utah was the best), they have to be. But there's something special (can't put my finger on it exactly) about the effective blending of the two that DE&WB are able to pull off, so that just when you are being transported by some exquisite fingering or fiddling it's not too long before the fun part of it creeps back in, and so went the night. Since I'd been under the weather all week (and had canceled dinner the night before), I thought that I'd be leaving before or during the second set but after it started leaving never again entered my mind. Well, I'd better pack it in for now before all this praise gets out of hand or, worse, becomes rancid. But one thing I've realized as I've gotten on in years (two more than Elmo!) is that not nearly enough people ever say thank you, or even acknowledge a card or gift or kindness, and probably much less so a great musical performance. So, following the advice now found on greeting cards (which now seem to contain all of the world's great sayings), I'm trying to "be the change you want in the world," or words to that effect. When Sally was a kid thank you notes were a routine obligation, and were called, in some circles, "bread and butter letters." Sally had to write them but she came to calling them peanut butter letters, which I thought was a distinct improvement. (And after we had left the ship I remembered that when I spoke to her on by phone yesterday afternoon she asked to be remembered to you and I forgot.) OK, that's all for now, this time for sure, Bullwinkle. You both look great and seem to be active, fit, and happy! Yes, I know that looks can be deceiving, but not always! Right? Bernie
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Bernie
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