Looking Ahead

I’ve been booking my summer, and I have some exciting gigs to tell you about, but looking ahead always messes with my head a little bit.  You see I subscribe to the idea that we should live for today - in the NOW - as I’ve heard it said.  I even wrote in a song called “Accept Life” many years ago:

When will we learn to slow down & look at now
  not to plan ahead or turn around, but to live now
    not to attain a goal & so lose this moment
      but this moment is my goal, the only thing I can truly know

I like the idea of living in the moment, and I don’t feel I practice it very often.  Quite often I have to shake myself, look around, and enjoy what has been laid out before me - the beauty of nature, the kindness of those around me, the blessings that life has bestowed.  Against that I have to plan ahead enough that I can strategize a little for my career and livelihood, and it makes for an interesting balancing act.  I won’t philosophize too much about it, for there are many other ideas tied up with this that I have read and studied of late.  It’s funny how these things pool in my thoughts more and more as I age, even though I first penned those words above over 30 years ago.

So what kind of gigs to I have to tell you about?  Well:

Westcliffe at the Feed Store Amphitheater "Summer in the Park” series May 24, 2-5
Royal Gorge Bridge with the Atomic Fireballs May 31, 12:30-4:30, and also Labor Day weekend Fri-Sun
Song of Pueblo with the band June 19, July 24, and August 21 at PCC, 7:00
Yellow Pine mid-June to mid-August on Thursday nights
A series of Boy Scout shows including a concert at Philmont July 11
Outdoor concert at Lucy’s in La Veta July 17
Gold Rush Days in Buena Vista August 8 and 9
At least 7 other venues and concerts I’m working on

That’s almost as many as last year, and I wouldn’t doubt that it could end up being even busier than last year.  Summer is the time to fly!

Highlights from the past couple weeks

Magpies was an absolute blast last time out!  I had so many wonderful people come out and share in the “bonfire” as I called our shared experience last time.  Also my nursing home gigs have been nothing but love songs with Valentine’s Day here and gone.  We had so much fun sharing memories and favorite songs.  My only regret is that Mardi Gras follows on so closely this year that I won’t get much chance to sing all my New Orleans favorites.

So what’s up this week?

Wednesday night I’m doing a private show for the Oddfellows Hall in Cañon City.  I mention it because some of you may belong to that group, and also because I love doing shows for clubs like this, and I’d like you to consider my music if you ever are looking for entertainment for your club or party.  Many times these kind of shows are completely different than my public shows - doing themes or stretching out even farther than usual.

Friday I’m back at Magpies 7-10 for what I hope will be another great time!  I’m sure I’ll have some leftover Mardi Gras music lingering around me that I’ll want to share, and I have a hankering for some ’70’s singer/songwriter music if you’re in the mood for that.  Come on out!

That’s it for this week!

Best always,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522
When:  Friday, February 20, 7-10 pm

Healthy Obsession?

I'm having an internal debate today about obsession.  If you know me at all you will know that I have a little bit of an obsessive streak in me.  I think there are good and bad points about my obsession.  On the good side I have no doubt that my obsessive behavior is what has allowed me to polish my music to a higher level, and it also allows me to be more meticulous in my business dealings - keeping everything ship-shape and in order.  If you've seen me perform you know I also hang onto a free-form approach that lets me have a give-and-take with each song that puts me out on a limb where I sometimes fall, but I also often find some new musical idea that can be delightful!  So what's bad about obsession?  I think I hardly need to say in general.  We all have seen OCD people that are so dysfunctional that they are a danger to themselves.  For me my obsession is bad when I am compelled to rearrange the dishwasher (even though you know it cleans better that way) or so bound to finishing a project that I go hungry or am late to a gig.  Sometimes this is just quirky behavior, but sometimes it is a real detriment, and when I am conscious of it I can control it and not let it lead me into a train-wreck.  Overall I see obsession as an interesting fact of my life that I work with every day.  I see it as a source of humor mostly, even though sometmes it frustrates me.  How about you?  Do you have an obsessive streak?

Highlights from the past couple of weeks.

I have to say what a great time I had at Magpies last time out.  Everyone was so generous with spirit and emotion, and it felt like all of us contributing to a big bonfire.  That's one of the most genuine thrills of doing music for me.  I've also been having a great time dreaming up ideas for my instrumental album that I will record later this spring into summer.  I really want to concentrate on beautiful melodies that transport the listener to new places.

What's up this week?

I'm back at Magpies Friday 7-10 for what I hope will be another wonderful experience.  There are times I pinch myself with the great friends I have who support my musical habit.  I hope you all get as much from me as I receive from you!  Come out if you can.

Better get on with my Monday.  Hope to see you soon!

Best,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522
When:  Friday, February 6, 7-10 pm

Time to Woodshed

It’s a bleary and foggy day outside.  I just got back from walking our old collie, Kai, through the freezing wind and slickened roads.  But even though you’d think it would put me in a funk, instead it reminds me of the old tales of history when folks hunkered down in their warm homes and woodshedded for the warmer days.  It’s time to knit and cook and build things indoors to be used when the weather turns back to sunshine and green grass.  So other than venturing out to commune in song and take care of weekly chores, I am holing up at home to write and be creative - and to plan for the summer season.  So I’ll be brief today.  Take heart and buck up during the winter days, and prepare for the changes to come, my friends.  There are warm yellow days ahead!

What’s up this week

Friday I’m back at Magpies 7-10.  After having a few weeks away I’m anxious to share an evening with good friends and the music that lights the corners of our minds.  Please come out if you can!

Best,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522
When:  Friday, January 16, 7-10 pm

Taking Stock and Looking Ahead

I always get a little reflective this time of year - even more than usual for me. The Christmas spirit faded in me almost like flipping a switch this year.  I got flu symptoms early in the morning Christmas Eve day (Tuesday morning), and I was mostly resting with the flu through Friday.  Sometime on Christmas day I felt a definite change in my mood that indicated that the Christmas spirit had just changed back to my normal outlook.  That was disappointing since I love the Christmas spirit and usually bask in it at least until the 27th or later.  The mood soon changed to thoughts of what had happened in the year and where I am headed in the next season and year.  One of the methodologies I’ve tried to practice in the past few years is that of David Allen’s “Getting things Done” or “GTD”.  That method encourages one to take stock on a regular basis and look ahead at least for the next two weeks.  I don’t practice this method as rigorously as I have in the past, but the end of the year definitely is a time when I come back to it.  So looking bad I had a pretty good year.  I had some fairly high-profile gigs that were a blast to be involved with.  Hy health was good for the most part with the exception of several months of troubles with veins on one leg that have been fixed now.  Jen and I had some fun and meaningful trips that brought us closer together.  There were several other high and low points like every year, but at 53 life is pretty good.  Looking ahead this year is a little up in the air.  Several of the places I have played over the past years may not be open to me this year, but several new places have appeared to take their place.  I'm feeling the creative spirit in a good way and am headed for an instrumental album that will open me up to melody and composition in new ways that are exciting.  I am always excited about the future because I see the magical possibilities that are always there - both seen and unseen.  I hope you do too.  The world is a wonderful place to spend this life!

What’s up this week?

Well, not much, and that’s okay.  Firstly I get New Year’s Eve off.  I know you may think that musicians would always want to be working on New Year’s Eve, but that’s not necessarily true.  It’s nice to not be out and about and be able to enjoy a holiday evening at home.  Then I would normally be at Magpies this Friday with it being the first Friday of the month, but Magpies won’t be open this Friday evening, so we’ll just do the third Friday of the month for January.  That’s the 16th.  Please plan on it if you can!

So that’s it for this week.  Please have a very Happy and safe New Year, and keep on keeping’ on!

Best always,

Tom

Merry Christmas!

Just a brief note to wish you a very Merry Christmas.  I'm taking the week off from weekend gigs to spend time with family for the holiday. This is such a special and sacred time, and it feels good to slow down and be holed up with those we love to share good food and fine times. I hope you can do the same.

The sing-along at Magpies last week was so much fun. I'm so glad that so many found time in their busy Christmas schedules to come together and share the music of the season.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Tom

Holiday Story

This time of year I share a lot of Christmas stories when I perform. I wanted to share at least one with you here. Maybe it will illustrate something meaningful for Christmas. When I was a kid I was what can only be called spoiled rotten. I know that may be hard to believe, but I was that kid you want to spank at the store because he misbehaves so much. So you can imagine how much this would mess up the whole naughty and nice thing, and so it did one year. That particular year I had one toy that I wanted from Santa in the worst way, and I think it was all I asked for. I don't remember what it was. I guess my parents thought that year was a good opportunity for a lesson in being more nice than naughty, because it wasn't wrapped up under the tree for me on Christmas morning. After I had opened all my presents I was visibly disappointed, so my mother asked me what was wrong. I told her that I didn't get the toy I really wanted from Santa, and my mother asked me why I thought that was so. I told her it was probably because I was so bad that year. She asked me if I thought I could be better the next year, and I told her I would try. She then told me that she thought she heard Santa in the front closet when he was delivering the presents, and maybe I should look there for the toy I wanted. I went to the closet, and there was the toy I had asked for. Now of course you'll want to know if I was nice the next year, and I'd love to tell you I was, but the truth is probably that I was bad once again. What can I say? I was not the best-behaved kid. Luckily I think I grew out of it. So does that illustrate something meaningful for Christmas? I guess not. At least I don't see how I can spin it into something for you to take away. I hope it was at least good for a laugh!

Highlights from the last two weeks

I've been playing a ton of Christmas events - mostly at my Alzheimer's and nursing facilities. I love to spread cheer and reminisce about Christmases gone by. Also we had a great time at Magpies on the 5th. We didn't do any Christmas sing-along songs, but that just sets us up for this next Friday all the more.

What's up this week?

Friday will be our Christmas Sing-Along at Magpies 7-10 then. We did this last year for the first time, and it was fun beyond anything I had hoped for. There's just something magical about sharing these songs that are so much at the core of our beings in our shared culture. It's one of the only phenomena that we share so broadly like this in our world. It's truly something special and sacred in its own way. Of course we don't have to just do sing-along songs, but I'll have my song sheets so we can do as much or as little as everyone wants. It will be great fun however we do it, and I'm really looking forward to it! Please come out if you can.

So that's it for this week. If you don't hear from me next week, I want to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Let it wash over you and fill you with joy!

Best,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing for the sing-along
Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522
When:  Friday, December 19, 7-10 pm

Facing Uncertainty

I’m coming back to a subject that comes around in all our minds every so often - uncertainty.  Of course we never know what is coming tomorrow, and when we let ourselves dwell on it, it can become many things - from paralyzing to exciting.  Anticipating things we are expecting can bring dark foreboding or a frenzy of enthusiasm.  So why am I thinking about this today?  Well, I’ve been listening to a great series on Wisconsin Public Radio about death which is not as dark as it sounds, but very thought-provoking, and also we are taking our dog in this week for surgery that hopefully will go well, but as we know there is always risk.  I’m also thinking of the joy and excitement of the Christmas season and all it brings.  I have so many different influences on my thoughts when I think about uncertainty.  From the Bible I know the great verse in Matthew about not worrying about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry for itself.  From experience I know that hardly anything I worry about actually comes to pass - instead it’s always something else (good or bad) that is often very interesting and not something I should fear.  From science and science fiction I have read that time and space are all connected in ways that I have a hard time fathoming, but seem to indicate that time just ‘is' and that we are moving through it.  That comforts me in an odd way - giving me an inkling that it’s something I will understand better someday.  I seldom let myself get too afraid of uncertainty.  It’s too easy to psych myself out and then be so self-involved that I can’t function or show love to those folks in my daily life.  So I’m gliding along today, and I’m not letting uncertainty invade what is another beautiful day and a beautiful season to be alive.  Happy Holidays, people!

Highlights from the last two weeks

Magpies went really well on Friday the 21st.  I had a good crowd of regulars with a few new faces, and we did a lot of 1970’s songs.  It was fun!  Then Saturday was a packed house at the Old Towne Carriage House for the Song of Pueblo with guest, Daniel Valdez.  It was an amazing night!  We had so many fine folks, and the history and the music all brought us to a great place once again.  It’s a joy to be involved in this show.  Thanksgiving weekend I didn’t play out anywhere, but I had a fantastic time seeing family and getting to share some music with them.  I hope you had a joyous and thankful time too!

What’s up this week?

Friday 7-10 I’m back at Magpies to start the holiday season.  I will bring my Christmas songsheets if anyone wants to sing Christmas songs, but I’m actually thinking of doing the official sing-along on the 19th unless anyone would rather do the sing-along this week.  Please let me know if you’d prefer that.  Of course we can do some sing-along songs both times, so no worries if you come and would like to do some singing.  This will be a fun holiday season, for sure!

That’s it for this week.  Hope to see you!

Best always,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522
When:  Friday, December 5, 7-10 pm

For Others

I played for a group last week that has a mission to do good things for the community, and it struck me in a great way. It is a very honorable thing to do good things for our community and those in need. We all can see this, but in a bigger way it makes life fulfilling and gives us meaning. How is this? The secret of doing things for others is that it brings great joy to the giver. We never really think of this, and it should not be the reason to give, but it is an unexpected benefit that is honestly free of ulterior motives and guilt. I'm going to go out on a limb here, but I think it speaks to our greater purpose in the grand scheme of things. We seem to be intertwined and interdependent in ways that we don't like to admit. Everything we do affects others and vice versa. When we live aware that we are part of the whole, we better understand the purpose of life and the decisions we make. So as we approach this season of giving, keep this in mind. I will too!

Highlights from the last two weeks

Magpies was a blast two weeks ago with a packed house and good friends and fun all around! I was in the mood for '60's and '70's tunes, so that's what we mostly did. Then last weekend I played twice for folks from Thrivent Financial, the group who inspired my blog post above. It's so nice to get to play for a group of people who care and who give back so generously!

What's up this week?

Thursday I get to play for the Council of State Governments West, a group I have played for several years annually. It's a fun event where I lead a sing-along for state representatives from all over the west who gather to learn more about how to govern responsibly. It always ends up being a great time!

Friday I'm back at Magpies 7-10 for another night "down under" in the Tap Room. I always enjoy everyone so much at Magpies, and I'd love to have you in the audience if you can make it. 

Saturday at 7:00 we're having a special performance of the Song of Pueblo oratorio at the Old Towne Carriage House in Pueblo. We have gone independent of El Pueblo History Museum, and this is our first official performance as an independent entity all on our own. To celebrate, we've brought in the original composer of the Song of Pueblo, Daniel Valdez, for a reception following the concert where we get to share stories and remembrances of where we've come so far. I expect this to be a seriously fun affair! Tickets are $20, and can be purchased at the Pueblo Visitor Information Center located at the front of El Pueblo History Museum, 301 North Union, and also at Broadway Cup and Cork at Abriendo and Broadway in Pueblo. Doors open at 6:00. 

So that's it for this week. I hope to see you if you can make it out to either of my public events. 

Best always,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing

Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522

When:  Friday, November 21, 7-10 pm

Who:  Tom Munch with Johnny Watson, David Enke, & Alan Polivka

What:  playing, singing, & telling the history of Pueblo at the Song of Pueblo oratorio

Where:  Old Towne Carriage House, 102 South Victoria Ave, Pueblo. 

When:  Saturday, November 22, 7:00 pm

Music is Magic

Jen and I watched the documentary, "Alive Inside", on Netflix yesterday, and I'm once again enthralled by the magic of music. You may remember seeing the clip that was going around last summer from this film showing a mostly unresponsive man in a nursing home come alive when they put headphones on him with his favorite music playing. Here's a link if you haven't seen it - http://youtu.be/NKDXuCE7LeQ. The documentary is more than just about Alzheimer's patients even though this is the main thrust, but what touched me is that music affects parts of our brain and our soul that can't be reached in any other way. It's almost magical to see how people's moods can be changed and lives can be affected by a simple song or two. I don't know if we'll ever understand what music truly is and what its function is in our world, but I'm thrilled to get to move about in it every day. I need to always remember that it's magic and never take for granted that I get to create and deliver it. "Alive Inside" is also touring the country in theaters. They have a website with more info - http://www.aliveinside.us/#land.

Highlights from my last blog

Magpies was a blast a couple weeks ago! I did mostly Halloween songs, and I had most of you regulars back for the start of what will hopefully be another great season.

What's up this week?

I'm back at Magpies Friday 7-10 for another go 'round. I haven't picked out a theme for this week, but I'm game for anything folks would like to hear. Come on out and add to the magic!

So that's it for this week. I'd love to see you if you're in the area.

Best always,

Tom

Details:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522
When:  Friday, November 7, 7-10 pm

In the Doldrums

This Fall I'm still changing gears with the season and the return from traveling, and so I'm in the doldrums a little. My Dad used to use that word quite a bit when we were out on the sailboat with little to no wind and were drifting without direction. Sailors used to use the word to describe the region around the equator in the Atlantic where winds were light and unpredictable, and I think it warmed my Dad's heart to use it and feel connected to those ancient mariners, and so it does the same for me when I use it and think of my Dad. But back to this Fall, I often take stock of where I'm at and where I'm headed - not because I measure my worth with what I've accomplished, but because I like to be engaged in life and moving with passion. I'm always curious at how we respond to challenges and how we psych ourselves up for the days ahead. I like to say that sometImes you have to manufacture the joy to have a good outlook, but honestly, just looking out the window or taking stock in all we have is good enough. The time we spend here on earth is so full of possibility for discovery and exciting diversions that we should never be in the doldrums for long. Just think on those things, and the wind of life will soon fill your sails and send you on your way. And now I'm cheered and moving myself. 

Highlights from My Last Blog

The fundraiser at the Valley Community Church in Colorado City a couple of weeks ago was amazing! There were such nice folks with such good hearts for doing good for the community and also for listening to my music.  I had a blast, and I met some wonderful people. 

What's Happening This Week?

Friday 7-10 I return back to Magpies in Pueblo. I always look forward to returning to Magpies and seeing all my good friends who come on to enjoy an evening of food and camaraderie with me. I was doing theme nights last Spring, but I think I'll just let this first time back be freeform. Of course it is close to Halloween, so I may have to do a couple spooky tunes. ;-)

So that's it for this week. Please come out if you're in the area. ..

Best always,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing

Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522

When:  Friday, October 24, 7-10 pm