Color

I’m standing at my desk and looking around my room when suddenly I’m taken by so many beautiful colors I see on items around me. I’m amazed at how enchanted I am by color and its depth. I know many of us are - just look at how excited we all got at the appearance of the northern lights over the last weekend reaching all over the northern hemisphere. I tend to go for purples and turquoise greens - the influence of my high school colors of purple and gold and also all the turquoise jewelry I saw as a kid in New Mexico. I have pens, pocket knives, jackets, scissors, shirts, and even guitars with my favorite colors. But I really love all colors from subtle to bold. It’s part of the reason I take sunrise photos every day. There’s just something magical about how light plays on different objects and picks up the dust, water, and chemistry in the atmosphere. The fact that the sunrise lasts only a short time makes it even more special. But then as I think about color I’m reminded how much I love black and white photography too, especially the work of Ansel Adams. I guess I’m just a visual junky for contrast and depth and anything that evokes strong feelings. I say it all the time, but I am really amazed by the beauty of this life and our universe. I hope you are too. It’s such a simple thing that can bring so much joy.

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What have I been up to?

I had 9 senior facilities last week, and they were all really wonderful. I was doing mostly songs for Mother’s Day, and my folks seemed to appreciate them all.

My Wednesday online show was doing instrumental songs, and it was a blast. There are just so many fun and meaningful songs from the past 80 years as well as my own songs. I especially enjoyed the surf songs. I wish I had more time to listen to instrumental music.

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests, and there were some good ones. We did a lot of songs for mom as well to celebrate Mother’s Day. This is such a great group of folks.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 11 senior facilities this week, and this is also National Nursing Home Week, so there’ll be all kinds of fun themes and great energy. This will be fun!

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be another round of songs I’ve never done for my online shows. I love doing these never-done shows because I get a chance to surprise my audience with new songs they don’t know and old songs they didn’t know I do. I get to play a lot of songs I haven’t played in years as well. Come on out if you’d like to hear them!

Saturday night 7-9 mountain time I’m doing an online show on Facebook and my website of Philmont songs for the friends and acquaintances I’ve made from Philmont Scout Ranch where I worked 3 summers in high school and college. These are always nice nights of memories and favorite mountain songs. If you’re a Philmont friend then join me on my Philmont Songs Concert Group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1176893032692370

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always. These are always the best night of the week for spontaneous friendship and songs. I relish them. Come join in!

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That’s it for this week. The summer season starts soon, and I’ll have lots of gigs to tell you about and places to travel to. Hope you are having a good week, and I hope to see you soon.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of never-done songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Wednesday, May 15, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Philmont tunes

Where:  facebook.com/groups/1176893032692370

When:  Saturday, May 18, 7-9 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites and requests 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, May 19, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

Instrumentals

My Wednesday show is going to be instrumental tunes, and my feelings toward instrumental songs might be different than you would think. I’ve only made one solo instrumental album although I’ve written many more instrumental tunes. The interesting thing about instrumental songs is that without lyrics the listener can imagine the song is about anything they want, independent of what the song title or description is. When I play an instrumental song I usually talk about what inspired it, but the listeners often say that they envision many images and feelings that I never saw or felt. Instrumental songs can bring out deep emotions and trigger all kinds of senses more than just sound. It’s amazing. And they really trigger profound feelings in me that I try to convey when I perform them. I once wrote a song about sitting on a cabin porch watching a mountain sunset, and when I recorded it I was suddenly transported back decades to when I first saw the sunset there. I improvised a whole new section of the song that was inspired by memories of my long-gone grandparents who were at another cabin across the meadow at the time. I was flooded with so many memories as I felt their presence and went with the melody that was flowing through me. It was quite an experience! That song is “Moreno Valley Sunset”. It was so profound for me. And of course there are lots of fun instrumental songs that are kick to play. I’m sure you have favorite instrumental albums of all kinds of music, from guitar to piano to full orchestra. It’s a very worthwhile experience listening to melodies and rhythms without words sometimes. Do you have any favorite instrumental albums?

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What have I been up to?

I had 8 senior facilities last week, and I enjoyed them all with quite a variety of songs. I so enjoy getting to play for these folks!

My Wednesday online show was rain songs, which was more fun than anyone had an idea it could be. There is so much joy in seeing the life-giving effects of rain. My audience was in fine form.

My Saturday night concert at the Center for Inner Peace in Pueblo went really well. I had a nice audience of great people, and it was so much fun to be able to shine for a group of folks with some meaningful favorite tunes. Thank you to everyone who helped put it on - Neema, Kelli, and Tom, and one name I’ve forgotten with his sweet pup, Smoky - and to all who came and shared an evening with me.

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests as always, and I had spent so much time on the weekend preparing for my Saturday concert and working on the yard on Sunday for Spring that I didn’t have much time to get ready for the show. Everyone really gave me some great requests and made the whole night a blast. I love this group!

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What am I up to this week?

I have 9 senior facilities this week, and I’m looking forward to all of them. The opportunity to serve others is always worthwhile, and it’s fun to boot!

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be instrumental songs as I wrote above. I have to admit that I get more nervous playing instrumental tunes than I do singing even though I love to play the guitar. There are so many wonderful tunes to play from slow to fast though that I know it will be a really fun night. Come on out if you can.

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and I know it will also be a sweet evening of tunes and camaraderie. I always look forward to Sunday nights! I’d love to have you in the audience.

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That’s it for this week. Spring is rushing headlong into Summer around here as everything is growing and I’m already struggling to keep up. This is an exciting time of year. I hope you are enjoying it, and as the Munch Bunch group says, “Howls and hugs” to you!

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of instrumental songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Wednesday, May 8, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites and requests 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, May 12, 7-8:45 pm mountain time