they're cutting down trees
they're putting up reindeer and singing songs
of joy and peace
I wish I had a river, I could skate away on..."
– "River", Joni Mitchell
Hello Friends,
Here's a holiday treat for you:
What Child Is This
It's cold. Yes, I'm in California and I'm sayin' it. IT'S COLD!! I don't like the cold weather at all, and the dark dreary days have a muting effect even on me. But, I know how to remove the mute! I just sing songs of joy and peace! Come to a show this lovely holiday season and hear for yourself! Or you could buy a copy of my Christmas CD at one of these online vendors:
| Victoria Theodore Store | iTunes | CD Baby | Emusic |
November was a fun month. I had lots of gigs, including giving a lecture for students at San Leandro High School, through the Keep Music Rockin' Foundation (which is holding its annual fundraiser featuring Lenny Williams, this coming Thursday (get your tickets here: Holidays with Lenny Williams - no ticket sales at the door!), performing with soprano Candace Johnson, performing with the Women's Community Orchestra (honestly, I do love playing classical music...), performing with Pee Wee Ellis (of James Brown fame), and even a gig on Thanksgiving night with a lovely family and a couple of VERY talented kids.
I even allotted myself time to have some non-gig related fun! I had the chance to go hear one of my favorite pianists, Hiromi, perform in concert as a solo pianist. She is my favorite young pianist. She plays with such pure joy and abandon, that it's easy to forget that she's one of the most skilled technicians around. Several of my piano students saw her as well, and I hope they were as inspired as I was. I saw a movie: "For Colored Girls", which I loved! - I even cried twice, and that's a rare occurrence for me in a movie theater, and I went to the San Francisco Auto Show...twice! On my first trip, I had a positive and a negative experience. Negative: I visited the booth of my favorite luxury car, and the booth sitter was an arrogant, snide, complete jerk, who was clearly unhappy to be have pulled the short straw and spend his afternoon fending requests from us commoners to sit in the fancy car on the other side of the velvet rope. I was so incensed by his behavior, I wrote a letter to his home dealership.
Positive: The people at the Nissan booth were AWESOME! Super friendly, engaging and enthusiastic about their product. They actually made me want to buy a car. And, I'll tell you a secret: my next car will DEFINITELY be an electric car. I drove the Leaf, and ... mad love! I did return again later in the week with my nephew, an avid auto enthusiastic at age 10. There was a different guy at the luxury car booth, and he was charming, funny and patient with my nephew's litany of questions. He pretty much redeemed the dealership...but they still don't get a free promo in my blog! ; >
What does get free promo are organizations like The One World Futbol Project: an organization devoted to providing a soccer ball (futbol) to children in refugee camps, UN hot spots, conflict zones, and poor villages throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America. I met the visionary behind the project, Tim Jahnigen, backstage after being mesmerized by Narada Michael Walden's Symphonic Debut with the Oakland / East Bay Symphony. The music was beautiful, and so is the One World Futbol Project. Check out the website, and purchase a ball for a child you know and one will be donated to a child in some part of the world where childhood isn't so easy.
I have a couple of fun shows coming up in the Bay Area. Check out the calendar, and I hope to see you at a show!
Sat, Dec 4
8pm
Sausalito Signatures Holiday Celebration and Toy Drive
Featuring Kymberly Jackson - flute, Mark Daniels - guitar, Charles Quinn - bass, Karl Carter - drums
Admission: Bring a wrapped toy for donation
1915 Bridgeway Sausalito, CA 94965 | 415.332.3044 | map
Tue, Dec 7
8:00pm
Stevie Wonder
Dreamforce 2010
Moscone Convention Center
747 Howard Street, 5th Flr. San Francisco, CA 94103 | map
Buy tickets $999 pre-sale; $1,200 on-site (yeah, I know...)
Sat, Dec 11
8:30pm - 11:30pm
Marcello's Restaurant & Piano Bar
Open mic! Come sing! Bring your instrument! Play a song or two with me!
515 San Ramon Valley Boulevard Danville, CA 94526 | 925.838.8144 | map
Thu, Dec 16
8pm
Holiday Jazz and Blues Show
Piedmont Piano Company
Nicolas Bearde's 4th annual holiday party! Featuring Victoria Theodore - piano, Ruth Davies - bass, Deszon Claiborne - drums, and a special appearance by vocalist Clairdee
1728 San Pablo Avenue (at 18th) Oakland, CA 94612 | 510.547.8188 | map
$25 donation requested (includes autographed EP) - please call 510-547-8188 to reserve tickets with your credit card. Nicolas invites you to stay after the concert for wine and chocolate, and to mix and mingle with the artists.
Sat, Dec 18
8pm
Stevie Wonder
House Full of Toys
Nokia Theatre L.A. Live
777 Chick Hearn Court Los Angeles, CA 9001 | 213.763.6000 | map
Sun, Dec 26
Mon, Dec 27
10pm
Darwin Tillery Orchestra, playing hits from the 70's, 80's, 90's and today
Cache Creek Casino, Club 88
14455 Highway 16 Brooks, CA 95606| 888.772.2243 | map
Please check out my web site to see a full, up-to-date listing of when and where I'm performing. I'd love to see you at one of my performances. Please come say hello!
What does get free promo are organizations like The One World Futbol Project: an organization devoted to providing a soccer ball (futbol) to children in refugee camps, UN hot spots, conflict zones, and poor villages throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America. I met the visionary behind the project, Tim Jahnigen, backstage after being mesmerized by Narada Michael Walden's Symphonic Debut with the Oakland / East Bay Symphony. The music was beautiful, and so is the One World Futbol Project. Check out the website, and purchase a ball for a child you know and one will be donated to a child in some part of the world where childhood isn't so easy.
I have a couple of fun shows coming up in the Bay Area. Check out the calendar, and I hope to see you at a show!
Sat, Dec 4
8pm
Sausalito Signatures Holiday Celebration and Toy Drive
Featuring Kymberly Jackson - flute, Mark Daniels - guitar, Charles Quinn - bass, Karl Carter - drums
Admission: Bring a wrapped toy for donation
1915 Bridgeway Sausalito, CA 94965 | 415.332.3044 | map
Tue, Dec 7
8:00pm
Stevie Wonder
Dreamforce 2010
Moscone Convention Center
747 Howard Street, 5th Flr. San Francisco, CA 94103 | map
Buy tickets $999 pre-sale; $1,200 on-site (yeah, I know...)
Sat, Dec 11
8:30pm - 11:30pm
Marcello's Restaurant & Piano Bar
Open mic! Come sing! Bring your instrument! Play a song or two with me!
515 San Ramon Valley Boulevard Danville, CA 94526 | 925.838.8144 | map
Thu, Dec 16
8pm
Holiday Jazz and Blues Show
Piedmont Piano Company
Nicolas Bearde's 4th annual holiday party! Featuring Victoria Theodore - piano, Ruth Davies - bass, Deszon Claiborne - drums, and a special appearance by vocalist Clairdee
1728 San Pablo Avenue (at 18th) Oakland, CA 94612 | 510.547.8188 | map
$25 donation requested (includes autographed EP) - please call 510-547-8188 to reserve tickets with your credit card. Nicolas invites you to stay after the concert for wine and chocolate, and to mix and mingle with the artists.
Sat, Dec 18
8pm
Stevie Wonder
House Full of Toys
Nokia Theatre L.A. Live
777 Chick Hearn Court Los Angeles, CA 9001 | 213.763.6000 | map
Sun, Dec 26
Mon, Dec 27
10pm
Darwin Tillery Orchestra, playing hits from the 70's, 80's, 90's and today
Cache Creek Casino, Club 88
14455 Highway 16 Brooks, CA 95606| 888.772.2243 | map
Please check out my web site to see a full, up-to-date listing of when and where I'm performing. I'd love to see you at one of my performances. Please come say hello!
