Hi Good People, I know for most of us it’s a time immersed in the last minute scramble. Christmas is coming and can we fit it all in? I’m working on it!

I mentioned in an earlier gig email about my recording sessions in L.A. with a wonderful crew of musos documenting vocalist Denise Donatelli’s new music. Check out this photo from the session and not only did we have some great music but the humor factor emanating from bassist Carlitos del Puerto, the fellow on the far left, was off the Richter! “You got me playing a frick’n fugue over here brother Keezer! Bass on fire!” Love this guy!

I’ve been mixing and editing the music from our String Consort gig and now some of it is living on YouTube awaiting your viewage. (I know that isn’t a real word but I think it works.) Click here to ride over to the clips.

On Thursday night we’re kick-starting the magic over at Tango del Rey with a concert featuring vocalist Nina Francis, Bob Magnusson, Tripp Sprague and me. Nina is a super talented young vocalist, guitarist and songwriter and I’ve known her from the early days when she was attending The Bishops School and singing and playing with their band. Turns out she’s still really young (19) and has tons of talent and enthusiasm. We’re playing some of her tunes, some jazz standards, some Beatles and Stevie Wonder and a few of mine.

I’m thrilled to have this event at the Tango del Rey. It’s one of my favorite venues in town complete with excellent sound and actual parking for the common man. George Varga wrote a cool piece for the SD Tribune and click here to read it. We hope to see you there!

Hey, what are you doing on Christmas Eve day? Come and hang with us in Del Mar for our annual free concert held at the amphitheater next to the L'Auberge Del Mar Hotel. It’s a special long lasting tradition of ours presenting this show which is a mix of great music, super cool friends and family and new acquaintances all rallying together in the dreamy life of Christmas in California. 72 degrees in the shade! The magic all circles around the gifted musos lined up to tell their stories. Check out whose on deck:

Leonard Patton, Kevyn Lettau, Tripp Sprague, Gunnar Biggs, Fred Benedetti, John Minchin, Nina Francis, Beth Buckley, Duncan Moore, Riley Fleck, John Leftwich, Kate Sprague, Julia and Regina Benedetti and me.

I might of left off some of the other folks by mistake. Sorry. I also know we usually have some surprise guests slipping in too, so prepare to be unprepared.  

For a little history on the event, click here to read a story by Nancy Fisher about the early days when we first played our Christmas concert. This article is from this month’s Del Mar Sandpiper Newspaper.

Please bring the whole gang, bring the relatives, meet strangers that are friendly and meet musicians that are strange. This is how we do Christmas in Cali! See you there!