Rallentando...Lento.

A gradual slowing of tempo...slow.

I have recently received a few e-mails asking me, "What's up with your blog?" I appreciate the inquiries and it's very nice to know that people are reading my articles. Apparently, I have an audience. So what IS up?

After about a year and half or so - since my last CD, Many Moods, was released - I have taken my foot off of the gas pedal. No longer in a full court press of self-promotion and all the generally unpleasant (from my perspective) details that go along with that process. I am sick of myself (see the irony here?). I have not come to a stop per se, certainly not a Fine, just a gradual slowing of tempo. Moving on to a new section? A new development? A recapitulation? Or, a new piece altogether? I haven't figured it out yet.

Every few years I am handed an exceptional show that ends up being a peak performance of the time. This year, it was an opening spot for Adrian Legg at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis. It was an absolutely wonderful evening in every respect. I was on top of my game and certainly felt that while my playing took a leap forward (upward?), it also felt like the final show of my current stage; the end of this particular epoch. Time to regroup and move forward. I must reiterate, it was positive in every respect, however, with any peak performance comes the inevitable decompression period - the "post-show blues" as many performing musicians know all too well. It happens every time. The higher I fly, the harder I fall. This particular decompression period continues to linger.

So, currently I AM regrouping and moving forward though at times struggling to keep up.

I am still playing most days, keeping the chops functional for the handful of shows I have this Summer and Fall.

Really loving the new work I have taken on for Hal Leonard.

Every week marveling at the progress my students make.

Ready to run another half marathon.

Working on posting more blog articles as I continue to develop my writing.

And, certainly, I am very much looking forward to spending some super high-def - 3D quality time with the family this Summer.

Speaking of which...every night I think about how fast Sadie is growing up. I am both thrilled by how well she is doing and saddened as I see her gradually drifting away - becoming more independent and needing Daddy less and less. Nothing new. I know. Just need to figure out how to hang on to the sweetness a little longer.

Rallentando...Lento.