New Orleans

This Wednesday I’m going to play songs for Mardi Gras, and so I’m thinking about New Orleans and the history and rich music traditions there. I’m pretty sure I’ve never been to New Orleans although I might have been there with my family when I was too little to remember. New Orleans is a melting pot as much as anywhere in the world. It includes French, Spanish, Italian, and English settlers as well as African slaves all contributing to the soup that has become the music of New Orleans. Most music scholars agree that American music sees its roots in New Orleans and this mixture. Jazz, rock ’n roll, rhythm and blues, funk, and blues all incorporate rhythms that come from early beat patterns that were present in African and Spanish songs. Country was even influenced by these beats although most would say that country is more tied to music from England and Ireland. The first music I see written about were the brass bands of the 1830s and the gatherings in Congo Square where enslaved people would play music on Sundays. By the 1890s there are references to the first players who played The Blues like cornetist Buddy Bolden. You often hear the story that the flatted notes that established the sound of jazz and the blues were based on blue notes that African musicians played in searching for the non-western harmonies of their traditional African melodies. By the 1910s there was a definite movement of music that would influence America and the world to this day. Famous players abound like Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Sidney Bechet, Louis Prima, Fats Domino, Clifton Chenier, and so many more. There are so many stories of how New Orleans music came to be through all these players and so many bands. From Cajun to Second Line to Zydeco to so many more designations of the music, I can’t hope to mention them all in this brief missive. I encourage you to check it out for yourself!

——

What have I been up to?

I had 13 senior facilities last week, and it was a really fun week. Some wanted to hear old standard love songs, and some wanted to hear Mardi Gras music and all kinds of other songs. It was such a good time.

My Wednesday online show was songs about snow, and there were some really good tunes and a great audience. I’m honestly ready for it to stop snowing here, but I know there’s more to come.

Friday night I played instrumental guitar tunes at Garden of the Gods Club. I played a lot of New Orleans songs for Mardi Gras, and I played a whole bunch of other styles too. It was a packed house, and I think the diners enjoyed it.

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests, and there were some good songs there as well. I love this group and all the support they give to each other and me.

——

What am I up to this week?

I have 11 senior facilities this week, and I’ll be playing Mardi Gras songs as much as I can for these folks. I’m looking forward to it!

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be playing songs for Mardi Gras as I wrote of above. This will be such a good time, and I can’t wait to share these tunes. Come on out!

Friday 5:30-8:30 I’m back at Garden of the Gods Club in the Grand View Restaurant playing instrumental guitar tunes again. I’m really enjoying playing so many interesting guitar tunes and adapting so many songs I usually sing into instrumental tunes. I’d love to have you there if you’re up for a really nice view of Pikes peak and the Garden of the Gods with some good food and my music. Reservations are at 888-994-3156 or you can usually sit at the bar or the small table near me in the bar.

Saturday night 7-9 mountain time I’m playing an online show of Philmont Songs for friends I’ve known from Philmont over the last 50 years. If that’s you or interests you, you can tune in on my website tommunch.com/online-concerts or on my Philmont songs Facebook page facebook.com/groups/1176893032692370/

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and I always love playing these evenings for such wonderful people who tune in. Tune in and give me your request too!

——

That’s it for this week. I’m looking forward to Mardi Gras, and I hope you get the chance to celebrate it some too.

Best always,

Tom

—--

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Mardi Gras songs

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

When:  Wednesday, February 26, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing instrumental guitar tunes

Where:  Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in the Grand View Restaurant. 888-994-3156

When:  Friday, February 28, 5:30-8:30 pm 

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing and singing a concert of Philmont songs

Where:  facebook.com/groups/1176893032692370/ and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Saturday, March 1, 7-p 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, March 2, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Snow

 This has been an extremely snowy winter this year so far in our area of southern Colorado. It reminds me of the winters when we lived in Nebraska 60 years ago. We would have multiple snowstorms that would not melt for months. Of course it made for all kinds of fun in the snow with sledding, skating, building snowmen, and having snowball fights. When I lived in Breckenridge I took loads of pictures of snow, snowflakes, snowboarders (it was a new sport then), and snow-capped mountains. I skied, snowboarded, and snowshoed quite a bit. I still love a winter morning with fresh snow. It sparkles and looks so pure under a freshly-cleaned blue sky. Beau loves to romp in it too! There is just something so ancient and almost sacred about that blanket of white on the land. It can also look cold and forbidding, but I love it all the same! Here’s to snow!

——

What have I been up to?

I had 10 senior facilities last week, and there were some wonderful moments connecting over love songs for Valentine’s Day. I love these folks. Now it’s time to start singing songs for Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s Day.

My Wednesday online show was love songs, and it was a wonderful night of songs and friendship. The people who come out to listen and chat are such genuine folks with such good musical taste that it’s a pleasure playing for them!

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests, and once again we went to new places with the songs and memories. I am truly blessed to have such interesting and loving folks who come to listen and join in.

——

What am I up to this week?

I have 13 senior facilities this week, and I’m looking forward to playing for them all. I’m sure that some still may want to hear love songs, and I’ll be happy to oblige. This is a labor of love.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be songs about snow as I wrote above. I’m going to try to not repeat songs I did for my winter show in January. I did listen to several playlists about snow, and I found at least one new song to add that is very nice. I think it’ll be a very enjoyable night even if you are getting tired of winter already. Snow is exciting no matter how you feel about it, and I hope to capture that excitement.

Friday night 5:30-8:30 I’m back at Garden of the Gods Club in the Grand View restaurant playing instrumental guitar tunes. I’m going to start playing Mardi Gras and Irish instrumentals to see how many folks respond to them. I’ll also be playing some of the surprise numbers that folks there are starting to expect. Reservations are at 888-994-3156 or you can usually sit at the bar or the small table near me in the bar.

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and I’m sure there’ll be some good ones. This group of folks is so supportive and fun to be part of, and they also are so welcoming of everyone. Come on out and join in!

——

That’s it for this week. I hope you aren’t buried in snow wherever you are this winter. It can be beautiful.

Best,

Tom

—

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Snow songs

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

When:  Wednesday, February 19, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing instrumental guitar tunes

Where:  Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in the Grand View Restaurant. 888-994-3156

When:  Friday, February 21, 5:30-8:30 pm 

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, February 23, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

Love

 Friday is Valentine’s Day, so I thought it would be apropos to talk about love. I contemplate about love a lot. I truly believe that love is the answer to all the ills we see in life. We tend to see it as just a nice idea that takes a back seat when we are worried about making ends meet or how to solve the stresses in our country and world. There is a reason that most religions and philosophies talk about love. It is a simple idea that is nothing more or less than a regard for ourselves, others, and all that surrounds us. It comes from an understanding that we all need each other and the environment we live in to thrive and enjoy our time here. I’m not so naive as to think that everyone will understand love in their lifetime. This life is a learning process and a journey of discovery. Being open and honest to our situations and those around us is how love is revealed. I only encourage you to rise above each moment and take a higher perspective where you can see the purpose of every interaction. Love is evident when you can do this. When you are calm and observant you will find love.

——

What have I been up to?

I had 7 senior facilities last week, and I sang love songs for all of them. There were some very sweet moments as people recalled sweetheart stories and shared songs.

My Wednesday online show was love songs, and there were some good ones. I leaned toward the fun love songs, and the audience requested more poignant songs. It was all good and I loved it all!

Friday night I played instrumental love songs at Garden of the Gods Club, and it was such fun to come up with arrangements on the fly and watch the reactions of the diners. They almost sang along when I played “Sweet Caroline”!

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests, and there were a lot of love songs there as well. I even had a good turnout in spite of the Super Bowl being on, or as I called it, the Superb Owl. (I took that from a podcast I heard earlier this week.)

——

What am I up to this week?

I have 10 senior facilities this week, and I’m looking forward to every one. It’s so much fun playing love songs for all these folks!

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be love songs again to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I know it will be a sweet evening of tunes and good friends. Come on out if you’d like to celebrate with me.

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests once again. These nights are always so much better than I can ever anticipate. I love being with my online audience sharing good music. Join in if this sounds good to you!

——

That’s it for this week. You might have noticed that I’m not playing at Garden of the Gods Club this week. They’re doing something different for Valentine’s Day, and I’m sure it’ll be good. I’ll be back there next Friday - no worries. It gives Jen and I a chance to enjoy the day together. I hope you have a great week of love, and I trust you’re healthy and happy.

Best always,

Tom

——

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Love songs

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

When:  Wednesday, February 12, 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, February 16, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

Simple Pleasures

I’m coming around to a familiar topic from a different direction today. In these days of winter that sometimes drag on with the inconveniences of cold, snow, and ice I often find myself looking for little distractions indoors that can delight and consume me. Sometimes these are house projects that involve being crafty and clever. Sometimes they are things that make a deep dive into a list item that has been on the back burner for years. Sometimes they are real pleasures like favorite food or self care. I really enjoy these simple pleasures, and it is so healing to take time for them. It can also just be a nice cup of tea and a good book. I also love going back to favorite albums to listen front to back through every song, taking time to hear new instruments or details I never noticed before. It could also be a phone call to a friend I haven’t talked to in too long. I hate to say I don’t take time for these things at other times of the year, but I really don’t. So I encourage you at this time of year to allow yourself to enjoy some simple pleasures you love. Life really is short, and it’s in the details that true joy is often revealed. 

——

What have I been up to?

I had 6 senior facilities last week, and I enjoyed getting to play for every one. I started branching into love songs for Valentine’s Day. I love these folks. 

My Wednesday online show was winter songs, and it turned out to be a very nice night of great tunes with great folks. We only got to a fraction of the tunes for winter, so we may come back to this theme before winter is over. 

Friday night I played instrumental guitar tunes at the Garden of the Gods Club in the Grand View restaurant. I had a nice group of diners, and I was inspired to improvise arrangements for many songs I usually only sing. 

My Sunday online show was a special night of music about Groundhog Day at my friends Matt and Deann’s house. It was so much fun playing to good friends in such a warm environment. Thank you to all who attended and made it happen!

——

What am I up to this week?

I have 7 senior facilities this week, and it’ll be fun playing love songs and reminiscing about Valentine’s Day and other romantic celebrations. 

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be Love Songs in preparation for Valentine’s Day. There are so many great love songs, and I’ll take requests too. Come on out!

Friday 5:30-8:30 I’m at Garden of the Gods Club in the Grand View restaurant playing my guitar instrumentals. I’m having so much fun coming up with versions of tunes known and unknown. I’d love to see you if you’re up for a great view of Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak with fantastic food and my music. Reservations are at 888-994-3156 or you can usually sit at the bar or the small table near me in the bar.

Sunday my online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests. I know I’m playing during the Big Game, but I’ve found that there are a lot of people who like to have an alternative or else something to listen to while they watch the game. So if that’s you then come join me!

——

That’s it for this week. I hope you take solace in enjoying the simple things in life that make it special, and I hope you are healthy and happy.

Best always,

Tom

——

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Love songs

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

When:  Wednesday, February 5, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing instrumental guitar tunes

Where:  Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in the Grand View Restaurant. 888-994-3156

When:  Friday, February 7, 5:30-8:30 pm 

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, February 9, 7-8:45 pm mountain time