Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, Dear Ones!

We have survived January’s five Mondays and two full moons and are now rocketing through February and beyond! Today I am heading out to the Pacific Northwest for a lovely, low key music retreat in the woods at the camp where PSGW holds its summer sessions. Afterwards I will be visiting my PNW Berg family, including Darrel, my 97-year-old Dad!

Sunday, January 28, was a very musical day. I sang with the Middle Church Jerriese Johnson Gospel Choir as part of an evening called "Spiritual Sounds of the East Village," an annual evening of collective celebration amongst a radically diverse group of faith traditions. Over 12 different communities of faith joined this year! It’s always a profound event, and this year felt especially so. It was a great gift, to be received and encouraged to share your faith with others who are both like you and not like you but who somehow walk the same path. Good medicine for our divisive times.

After that, I hustled over to The Treehouse at 2A for The Field of Stars Great Harmony Swap: It’s A Musical! We covered some classics and some of the more obscure songs of musical theater that night. With the remote help of PSGW buddy, Alison Pollowitz, I worked out a bossanova arrangement of "On The Street Where You Live," and asked the legendary Fausto Bozza to solo with his beautiful jazz swing guitar. It was a wonderfully fun and eclectic night of music. I was so happy to share it with so many other colorful and talented local musicians!

This year's Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday service at Middle Collegiate Church was powerfully dynamic. Gospel Choir sang a protest song, arranged by our director, John del Cueto, called "Rich Man's House” with the refrain "Ain't gonna let the system walk all over me." We are here in solidarity, our voices of resistance will be heard. We the people will not be ignored. Elizabeth Stanley also sang solo on the beautiful devotional song, "My Help."

Ruby Sales spoke with Rev. Jacqui after the service at Art & Soul. She spoke about her vast experiences with civil rights, starting as a 17-year-old activist in the South in the 60s. She urges women to look beyond the existing glass ceiling of class and gender roles and build a whole new roof! Every minute of their talk is incredible; you can watch it here.

So that was January and half of February!

Along with singing in gospel choir, March will find me continuing to practice, write, and arrange songs on guitar and with my small but mighty trio, Chris Tedesco and Charlie Giordano.

My good buddy Sherryl Marshall and I will be singing backup for fellow NYC songwriter, Monica Passin at Cornelia Street Cafe to promote her newest CD, "Monette":

Thursday, March 1, 2018
Cornelia Street Cafe
8pm

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Also on March 1st, the Singin’ Seniors will be starting up their spring 2018 session - our 13th together! I lead a vocal ensemble group with our illustrious piano accompanist, Clare Cooper. The Singin’ Seniors are a group of well-elderly senior citizens who are frequenters of The Lenox Hill Senior Center in midtown Manhattan at St. Peter’s Church. Through the non-profit organization, Feel The Music, classes are offered in vocal ensemble and hand drumming! Feel the Music’s director, Valerie Ghent, is a NYC musician herself and has made quite a stir in France with her new CD, "Velours."

Thank you for your interest in my corner of the world! I hope you are well. I love hearing from you!

Wishing you love and happiness!

Love,
xxx
Deborah