tonight’s theme was “broadway and cabaret faves.” lots of broadway fans out here, and i have had to really amp up the show tunes repertoire since working on ships! growing up in alaska, it was not a real pop-cultural mecca, and my main musical influences were whatever radio stations we could receive and my parents’ and older siblings music collections… they didn’t even have the sullivan arena or the atwood performing arts center ‘til i was in high school, and before that, if any major act came to town, they would have to play at the west high school auditorium… no wonder we didn’t get many shows or concerts! my folks had the same stereo from montgomery wards throughout my childhood, with the turntable that would hold about 5 records on it and an 8-track tape player… they listened to some good stuff, and it’s a good thing it all went into my head, because i get a lot of requests for the same music on the ships: henry mancini, johnny mathis, julie london, andy williams, the carpenters… one of my funny bits is to do the “8-track” version of johnny mathis’ “chances are;” i sing about halfway through, make a loud “click!” and a whirring sound (like a bad 8-track edit… hee hee…) then continue the rest of the song... they didn't always give you a whole song before jumping, did they?
when kurt vonnegut, jr. wrote books, he once said he had an audience of one in mind when he wrote, his sister, and if he kept his writing as though it was only for her, the writer’s voice stayed cohesive… i’ve always thought about that, and in my piano bar, i think my dad is my “audience of one” that i keep in mind as i design sets, think of themes, and in my dealings with the public and overall guest approach in general; growing up in hotels, resorts and around the guest services/food and beverage business, with a manager dad, i think i’ve always been aware of the guest services mindset one should aspire to (in my dad’s opinion) , and that is the standard i aim for on this floating hotel, and thanks, pop! it has been working out very well! just needed to give you a shout out as i continue to realize how much the life we lived when i was growing up would end up being a vast resource library of not only music for this demographic, but for a mindset about doing things a little bit old school with the extra touches and being as all about the guests as i can get – not playing music for other musicians, as pop would say, but playing what people want to hear and keeping them in the room… i find the more you treat the gig that way, the better and more fun it ends up for me as well. my dad can be a bit of a tough customer when things aren’t as they should be, so if i am gearing myself towards making happy that one guest who is very discerning, frighteningly smart, slightly demanding, strongly opinioned and not a bad guy (but you wouldn’t want to piss him off or make a bad judgement call or cut a corner with him!), then i couldn’t really have a better audience of one in mind for this clientele!
there are many wonderful things about this gig and this life of playing music and traveling, but i am quite sure one of the most valuable aspects is the perspective and appreciation i have even more for my husband, my son, my son’s dad, my folks, my brothers and sister, my good friends, that comes from missing them and thinking about them while i am out here on my own… my nuclear family all had such an immense (nuclear, indeed!) impact on me that keeps revealing itself over time – as the youngest, i think i may have been more collectively and deeply influenced by all of them than i ever could have been on them myself, and this unique position, tho it seemed like a tough spot growing up, may have been the best spot of all in hindsight…
and, hey, let’s not forget my dog… here's to good dogs everywhere! i love that dog! he is the baby of our family; i recently realized that my own whole family is a bunch of babies… i was the youngest of four, bob was the youngest of two brothers, nino is the youngest of two brothers, johnny’s the second born twin, technically the young one, and then gimli is all our baby… interesting… i mentioned once that i missed the dog on the bandstand, and a lady crocheted me a small facsimile of gimli in beige and brown… no bigger than a champagne cork, so i take him on the road with me… i also have pictures of my boys with, and i am so glad we can chat and email to stay close while i’m out here… missing you all!
i’m looking out the window listening to captain olaf’s weather and nautical report for the day – swells are 3-4 meters (swoopy!), it’s clear skies, and nothing but bright blue ocean for miles and miles and days… we are truly out in the middle of nowhere! if you have time, look on a globe or a map – easter island is even more mysterious when you realize how completely cut off it is from anywhere… after today there are three more sea days to easter island and then five sea days after… crossing my fingers i get a crew escort spot for a big stone head tour… cheers, df
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