And just like that, Summer is nearly over...
Every year, without fail, I marvel at how quickly it slips away. How almost imperceptibly the barest hint of chill slips into the early mornings and late evenings even as the days remain long and steamy. How easily the list of things I was *planning* to do grows longer and the list of things I've actually *accomplished* remains shorter than I'd like it to be. How projects I put on the back burner because "I have plenty of time" are now heating up fast and giving me the feeling that I'm not at all prepared for what's coming next...
But are we ever really prepared for what's coming next?
I have been a procrastinator for as long as I can remember. In adulthood, I've come to recognize that behavior as a manifestation of the anxiety that has also followed me around forever. Still, that knowledge does not necessarily bring wisdom. The same anxiety that causes me to feel chronically unprepared also causes me to obsess over details and over-prepare, usually at the last minute. Yes, it's a pattern, a rut, a cycle the Buddhists call samsara, and it causes needless suffering. And I know that.
But knowledge does not necessarily bring wisdom. That comes with practice; teaching the body and mind new patters of thought and action. So I breathe. And I practice doing the next right thing instead of obsessing over the whole teetering pile, and I feel a bit less overwhelmed.
And then I book shows and I put them on my calendar, which I absolutely LOVE to do. I have no booking agent, so every new concert represents a conversation -- sometimes a long one -- a connection between me and a presenter, and the deeply satisfying feeling of knowing, in part, what's coming next.
So, what *is* coming next?
Recording, for one thing. In just a few weeks, I'll start working on a new album with Jay Mafale at his studio, The Wind-Up Shop. In addition to being the lead guitarist and utility player in our band NO FUSS AND FEATHERS, Jay is also an accomplished recording engineer and audio mixologist. I'll still be wearing the producer's hat, as I promised myself back in pre-pandemic 2020, and I'm still planning to keep things pretty close to the vest, centering voice and guitar, allowing the songs to speak for themselves and BREATHE...
More on that soon, including ways to get in on the action with a pre-order.
But in the even MORE immediate future, there is a SHOW!
This Saturday evening, August 27th, I'll be playing songs at my favorite Bronx café, The Artist, on City Island alongside the luminous JULIE CORBALIS. More info HERE -- join us if you're in the neighborhood!
Also on the docket in September and October:
September 8 -- VIRTUAL -- Inside the Song with Tina Ross
September 10 -- LIVE -- People's Voice Cafe with The Bev Grant Band, NYC
September 17 -- LIVE -- Mount Toby Concerts opening for Bev Grant, Leverett MA
September 24 -- LIVE -- Private House Concert, Asheville NC
October 1 -- LIVE and VIRTUAL -- Not Quite Nashville with Dave Vargo, Freehold NJ
October 16 -- LIVE -- No Fuss and Feathers at The Turning Point, Piermont NY
October 19 -- LIVE -- No Fuss and Feathers at Hard Luck Cafe, Huntington NY
October 21 -- LIVE -- The Folkus Project, Syracuse NY
Please note that these days, my calendar is subject to last-minute additions and subtractions, so be sure to check the SHOWS page on my website for the latest on these and all upcoming concerts.
If you don't see *your* hometown on my list of shows, well, why not ask me to come and play? I play house/backyard concerts, church basement concerts, bar concerts, coffeehouse concerts, garden concerts... basically, you provide the space and some listeners and I'll play. Send me a note about it HERE to make it happen.
Until we meet again, here's to good health, good fun, great music, and
Peace,
Carolann