Concert, Concert, Concert, we’ll make it out of sound and in about 10 days we hope you’ll come around. (Sung to the tune of the Dreidel Song at the top of one’s lungs)

Why you ask?? Why would one want to subject themselves to more busyness, another place to have to BE during this insane season?? Why, why, WHY??? (wringing of hands held high towards the sky in an almost Shawshank Redemption like pose). Well…..

I must say Christmas/Holiday concerts fall into a number of categories. The ones I adore, which would be any great performance of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio or Handel’s Messiah of course or Bill Charlap or Herbie Hancock or Wynton or Branford Marsalis or Christian McBride or any number of extraordinary Jazz musicians, the ultimate perhaps being Keith Jarrett playing some swing version of something heartbreaking or joyous to make me laugh my *&! off or tear up at an “I’ll Be Home” or something like it. In other words, concerts that are not laden with treacle and syrup or baubles, bangles and beads but pure unadulterated MUSIC!!! MUSIC!!! MUSIC!!!

What I would love to add to that is some sense of the season, mystery, a sense of the topicality of the thing, joy, hope, humility, grace, songs that explore the themes and vibe of Christmas. That is what we have always done.

But Rob, we have come. We love it but we’re tired this year. We’ve seen you. You’re fine but enough already. When The Baby Grew Up. We get it. William The Angel. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Dylan covers. Yeah. Whatever!!

I guess I don’t have a great answer for that one other than to say that I honestly put the musicians on that stage at Purchase on the 16th, 17th, and 18th up against any single group of musicians gathering to play in the New York area around Christmas time. They are New York Best Kept Secrets and some not so well kept like the legendary Will Lee on Bass from Letterman and James D-Train Williams on Vocals but add to them a six piece Horn section full of extraordinary improvisors, some who tour with the Stones, others who have toured with Sting and Peter Gabriel. Billy Masters is on Guitar this year and Joe Bonadio is on Drums. The 40 voice Choir and Tabitha Fair and Ian Cron will be singing.

We always have new music and we always stretch out. In my mind we get better every year. That is the goal, to have the music be richer and more inviting. To find new depths in it. All of us have learned and experienced things in life heretofore unknown to us. This becomes a part of the music making at our central music event of the year, these concerts.

Please join us. You will not regret it. Be aware we will rock the house for a while. We are going to play a lot of music and jam on hard. I am bring some new things in. I have re-worked my crazy hard-bop Brubeckian Dreidel Song into more of a Strayhorn thing. We are playing a B.B. King tune and bringing back Dylan’s Ring Them Bells which we didn’t play the last two years. Three concerts: Friday, Saturday and Sunday matinee–

December 16, 17th, and 18th at The Pepsico Theatre of the Performing Arts Center at Purchase College, SUNY 8pm on Friday and Saturday nights and 3pm on the Sunday.

TIckets are $75, $60, $45, and $35 and can be bought online at www.artscenter.org or at the box office by calling 914-251-6200. They are also on sale at the The Music Source in Old Greenwich at 203-698-0444 or www.themusicsource.org

We hope to see you. I am listening to Big Fat Hen by Wynton Marsalis as I type this and getting into the Christmas groove. I highly recommend downloading that one and Green Chimneys and Branford’s new record with Joey Calderazzo and Christian McBride’s new Big Band record. WOOOOO!!! Amazing.

Emma Mathes, my 16 year old is going to sing a solo in the concert this year. I told my girls I was NOT going to be one of those insane annoying fathers who carted their kids out to sing at events but they love singing so I said we’ll space it out. Every couple of years. Sarah sang two years ago then we took a break. Everyone loved it. It’s Emma’s turn this year. The last time she sang she stole the show from Dad and everyone talked about her which was rather disconcerting. I’m not sayin’ I’m just sayin’.

I mentioned the Goat Rodeo project by Yo Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile in my last blog. BUY IT NOW! Insane.

See you hopefully on the 16th, 17th, and 18th. R

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