JOIN DAVID ON THESE SITES

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2009

Zach first came to my attention in 2004 when a friend and frequenter of his concerts brought me along to one of his regular appearances at The Mustard Seed Cafe in Fairlawn, Ohio. At the time, I had recently moved back to the area after living in Raleigh, North Carolina for a few years, and I'd just begun writing and demo-ing the songs that would later comprise the DOG DAYS album.

Seeing Zach perform was very inspirational to me. He was doing exactly what I was planning to do--right where I was planning to do it! I left feeling empowered to perform my own music in public, and within a year I was doing just that.

A coupe of years later, I offered to produce a video press kit for Zach (left), and we've since become friends and (more recently) collaborators.

Zach's audience has also been very kind to me, and over the years many of them have embraced my music as well. At the urging of some of our most loyal supporters, Zach and I got together early this year to co-write a tune.

"You write such sad songs, and he writes such happy songs... Perhaps, together, the two of you could write a normal song," they suggested.

After playing a very rough, impromptu version of "The Happiest Sad Song" during my 30th Birthday set this summer, I realized that our composition had not yet reached its full potential. I'd been playing a slow, plodding rendition of the song at my concerts since completing the lyrics in March (we initially sat down to write in January). Around that time, Zach e-mailed me a much more upbeat interpretation that I quite liked, but we'd yet to weave the two appraches together.

I think we both saw this year's Evening For Chuck benefit as a perfect excuse for us to resume our musical conversation and craft a more balanced and engaging presentation of the song.

The day itself was full music and merriment. There were raffles (including tickets to the Akron Symphony, Art Museum, the Cleveland and Columbus Zoos, the Browns, wine, jewelry and more!), healthy and delicious food (some dangerously good truffles stand out in my memory : ) and (of course) some of the region's best acts.

Unfortunately, I missed Faces Made for Radio while I was getting tuned up. I understand I also missed the Vegan Stuffed Shells. I did get to see Faces' Gary Fossaceca join Zach's band on banjo for a special rendition of "Distracted."

But first, I sang my piece...

The Fall

Secondhand

Light the Dark

Everyone Is Somebody Else (Anymore)

The Happiest Sad Song

Deja Vu / Heart Never Rusts

Zach joined me for our duet. Here's what he said about it in his blog

I like where the song has gone. This one really was like a child. It started out and

  progressed and developed a personality and went off to college then busked thru

  Europe for a few years, and is now a really interesting piece of music. :)

Zach Video Profile - 2007

I also played my collaboration with TM Gottl. T(heresa) is a poet whose book Stretching the WIndow was published by Zach's own Buffalo ZEF imprint. She writes in very much

the same meter that I do, so a while back I asked that she pass along any poem that she could envision me singing. Soon thereafter she gave the words to "Everyone Is Somebody Else," which I've since re-worked and put to music. It was very liberating to work with lyrics that I didn't write but that had not been sung before. The results were gratifying and are being well received.

During shows I do with Zach, I like to tag "Deja Vu" with his song "Heart Never Rusts." It's fun to see his audience gradually recognize the lyrics : )

After my set, Zach did a short acoustic set with special guest Cory Farinacci on vocals. Cory had along her infant daughter Violet, who is just as cute as can be! When Cory and Zach started to play U2's "One," I got so excited that I exclaimed (rather loudly) "OH NO!!" They ended the song with an ad-libbed refrain of "There is no them / there's only us" that was just gorgeous.

Next Theresa read some of her poems--including a new one called "Lazarus" that I especially liked.

Then the boys of Eclyptic played a stripped-down "Eclypticoustic" set similar to the one they debuted at last year's Holiday Homecoming Show. Derik even through in the tune "Beginning" at my request! If you haven't seen these cats, you really must.

SPECIAL NOTE: I'll be playing a solo set at their CD Release show on Saturday, October 17th @ The Robin Hood in Kent. Danny (bass) has demanded I play my "metal song"--because it makes Chris (guitar/vocals) uncomfortable!!

The Woovs were next, a Barberton-based sextet featuring everything from keys to saxophone. I even saw a talk-box that was ready to go but didn't get used!

Zach joined Theresa for her second round of readings, which included their collaboration "Funky Chiropractor."

Rachel Roberts followed with a lovely set of acoustic ballads sung so beautifully, you'd have never known she was sick that day : )

Finally, Zach and his band took the stage to close the evening. Rollicking through songs from their latest CD "What I Meant to Say," they were truly in good form.

The last song of the night was a cover of Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready." All of the remaining musician's were invited on stage to sing. The boys of Eclyptic had some folks come in from Pittsburgh to see them play--and missed their set! So... With them off play ing in a parking lot somewhere for their devoted fans, I took it upon myself to represent Eclyptic's approach to this terrific tune. "People get ready! This time I'm ready!" I sang amidst the refrain of "I believe," as Zach took to the crowd to bring this very memorable evening to a close.

(Listen to the track above)

My hands were literally black-and-blue for days from clapping so much!