[Hey, I forgot to wish Lars a happy 26th birthday here at Finktown yesterday. The baby grows up…]

Live music at large parties has seen its share of troubles over the last 25 years or so, agreed BoomR?

I remember having to market my cover band extra-enthusiastically when the DJ idea started to catch on for wedding receptions in the early 1980s. In fact, a movement was started by the musicians’ union (American Federation of Musicians) to choose live music over DJs. I forget the slogan now. The same guy who was the secretary-treasurer in 1978 when I joined the AFM is still the secretary-treasurer today. Maybe I should ask him. I seriously do not know what the Mansfield local is going to do when Eddie retires.

Anyway, I was on Facebook and noticed that BoomR and BluVox are playing a gig tonight in Dallas, 8-1. Awesome. We need more live music.

I know that people want to hear the “original” versions of their songs, done by the original artists, and I  have seen DJs who can really spin a party. But there’s something about a hot band — loud, live, spontaneous, rockin — that can’t be matched.

But how about the best of both worlds? Mixing live with digital, this is one of my favorite musicians (and one of my favorite people in general) in the world: BoomR, with BluVox playing guitar. Take a listen…

[gplayer href=”http://finkweb.org/audio/lst.mp3″]Let’s Stay Together[/gplayer]

~

*sigh* Love it. Anyway, back to New Years Eve and the holidays in general. Some silly memories:

• A guy who’d had a few tee many martoonis came up to the bandstand and told Tom, the sax player, “I wanna hear some jazz. How about playing some Kenny G?”, to which Tom immediately responded, “Well, which do you want?” HAaaa. One of my all-time fave comeback lines.
• Another guy who’d also had a few tee many martoonis danced/stumbled his way across the floor, right into an amp stack. The stack stood firm…the guy, not so much.
• BoomR, remember this one? We played a Christmas party thrown by the owner of a large local business (this “owner” is now a state senator), and two of his sons got into a drunken brawl about a half hour after the party started. We got paid full price for a 4-hour gig that we only played for 30 minutes.

Funny stuff, but booze really is stupid juice. Don’t get me started on that subject today….

Hey, today is the Thriller’s and my wedding anniversary. How about that? He gets the Longsuffering Perseverance of Job Award for the 13th year running.

Be careful out there tonight, fiends.

I’ve always wanted to use that word in a sentence.

Those who know me as a choral director also know that I do not like to brag about my students’ musical achievement, prowess, what have you. In other words, I’m not too generous with the compliments.

Recently, I had a request from a former student to locate a recording of the choir from 2-3 years ago, so I found one. On a kick (because I *never* listen to my own ensembles’ recordings — I hate not being able to fix stuff), I put the disc into the Ranger’s CD player on the way home last night. I must say, I was not offended. The music was actually pretty good in places.

One particular song really impressed me stylistically, tonally — every way. So I thought that today I might let you have a listen, if you like. You don’t have to. Really. But you can if you want.

I’m particularly proud of these two juniors and two seniors from 2006 (one of them is RtB fiend Mathew, singing first tenor). I hope you enjoy this from O Brother, Where Art Thou?

[gplayer href=”http://finkweb.org/audio/mocs.mp3″]Platinum – Man of Constant Sorrow[/gplayer]

And because I can’t leave you without featuring Mr. Mathew on a sweet solo from when he was an 11th grader…

[gplayer href=”http://finkweb.org/audio/gns.mp3″]Platinum – Good Night, Sweetheart[/gplayer]
Have a great Finkday!