Christine DeLeon: Reflections

Washington Borough sure put on a good show today! I enjoyed playing at the Acoustic Stage for the better part of an hour to passers-by and steady audience alike. It was super meeting up with friends, Dan Hirshberg and Renee Paddock (whom I had the priviledge of meeting at the Knowlton Riverfest). Perfect weather added to the great day. Hope to enjoy the Festival again next year!

I was back strumming my heart out at Amazing Grapes again last night! It just keeps getting more fun there. This time I was joined by my very trustee friend, Michael, on the bass. I sure missed him last time. Thanks to all those who came to listen, play games and otherwise make merry!

The most beautifully decorated stage on which I have ever played was at the Knowlton Riverfest last night. Festival supporter and friend, Renee Paddock, added a lovely spash of elegance to the performers' sets with a backdrop of lace, patio lighting, vines and potted plants.

For the first time ever, I heard of a tornado warning near where I live in Bergen County. Luckily, none ever touched down, nor did any of the severe rain and hail that is usually associated with that sort of predition. But even more lucky was that we festival-goers out on the other side of NJ never saw any inclement weather at all. Just the cool summer air, energetic music and the bright smiling moon over us.

With several solos by the Morristown Green afternoon traffic and the occasional steamy contribution from the espresso machine, I played for three hours yesterday at Greenberry's Coffee & Tea Company. Very nice indeed! With the cafe-style seating outside the restaurant directly behind me, where patrons sat humming along in between sips of their chai, it was like having my own back up band. Let's take it on the road, fellas!! Special thanks to Jason, the owner, for inviting me and also to my good friends Kevin and Michael, who came to supportively enjoy the afternoon with me! Kevin, any of the pictures come out? I'd love to post some :)

Ok, I'm decidedly late in posting this entry, but there is good reason. With the torrential hail storm that poured down on the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival two weekends ago, I didn't want to say a word until I was confident that there were no injuries from the marble-sized hail and fierce winds. But since I now have it on good authority that no injuries were sustained, I can tell you that, before the storm hit, the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival was great fun!

Ok, so some very large tents were uprooted and the Festival was ended about 5 hours too soon, but before that, I had quite a blast. The emerging artist showcases are always a crowd-pleaser on Friday and Dar Williams gave a wonderful performance on Saturday night. I got to meet some really fine people at the Acoustic Live tent and was even very encouraged after auditioning for publisher, Richard Cuccaro. Hmmmm -could there perhaps be a place in his November NERFA showcase for a very enthusiastic budding singer-songwriter like myself? The odds are looking very good!

There was just so much to do and sadly not enough time to do it all. I'm already looking forward to next year.

Some of you may know that I just finished moving into a new apartment. As is typical in this circumstance, I've spent the last three weeks or so eating nothing but pizza and diner food. But I was treated to a fantastic meal at Bula World Cuisine last night. As a pure bonus, I got to share a lot of music with a great room of people. Thanks a million to Ed and Jackie for being such great hosts and good luck with your fabulous restaurant in the years to come!

It was all there ... the trees, the breeze, the Summer evening loveliness - and Norwegian flags everywhere. If I could explain this I would. But as many people as I asked, I was never able to find out the connection. However, the most important thing to know is how great it was to be playing to a wonderfully responsive audience at Griggstown Pavilion in Princeton, NJ yesterday for another entertaining edition of Indie Music Night. It was the best of both worlds ... the great sound of an indoor venue together with the ambiance of the great outdoors. It was a superb experience!

Did I REALLY headline at THE Minstrel Coffeehouse? I can still hardly believe it - and yet the good time I had couldn't possibly lie! What a thrill it was to play music for so many friends all in one audience! It was like coming home to a party full of musicians.

Speaking of whom ... A special thanks goes out to all the guest players making the evening a big success .... Jeff Loy, Michael Rojek, Andy Koenig, Ken Galipeau and Tim Weinrich.

I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon at the Harmony Tea Room - so intimate and quaint that I didn't even need amplification. Thanks to owner, Maryanne, whose superior recipes fed us with charm, for keeping the tea coming!

I've been almost daily reading The Record, Northern NJ regional newspaper focused mainly on Bergen County, for quite a long time. Today, I turned a page in the Better Living section and saw a big picture of myself along with a rather well-written article. Very nice indeed!

This event has really fueled my already grand excitement for the afternoon I will be spending at the Harmony Tea Room this coming Sunday. "Tea for TWO?" Forget it - bring everyone you know!

Scott Sheldon of Sing Out! Magazine had some really swell things to say about January Hiding! There is no other way that I know of other than in the folk music community that you can do what you love and then see your work compared to that of Judy Collins and Dar Williams. When I read that, I nearly passed out ... what with Dar Williams being one of my biggest songwriting influences and all.

Thank you, Sing Out!

Good times once again at New Jersey's premier spot for wine and music! Lots of people came to make the sing-a-longs better than ever. Some highlights were the hand-clapping, foot-stomping rendition of "Thank God I'm A Country Boy," a surprise request for "This Land Is Your Land" and getting my friend Jesse up there with me to belt out some harmonies on "The Mighty Quinn" - and my Bob Dylan impression was not too shabby if I do say so myself!

Thanks to all who came to enjoy the evening. Looks like we're going to do it all again in September!

Who would ever believe that I could convince 150 people that I was Martha Stewart?!? I think I did so well that people were addressing me as "Martha" for the rest of the weekend. The skit at the Folk Project Spring Festival was simply funtastic!

Another Festival is behind us. Fairview Lake has been very good to our members and we will always remember the wonderful times. Next, we'll begin to build our fond memory bank with experiences at our new location, Star Lake Salvation Army Camp in Bloomindale, NJ.

Now it's time to stow away the folk music for a spell and unpack the Rock-n-Roll for Amazing Grapes next weekend!

The New Jersey Folk Festival happens every year, rain or shine. This past Saturday, we nearly got a taste of that rain contingent. But we were fortunate that the sky stayed dry long enough for all to enjoy everything the event had to offer.

The talented crafters were out in full force and I enlisted the help of my friends to keep me from consuming too many calories from the fabulous food vendors. Of course, the great music everywhere was the perfect distraction.

Seven fellow singer-songwriters and I took the Shore stage for a wonderful afternoon and it was fun to have so many of my friends there enjoying the music too! Thanks!

Dar Williams' tune "It Happens Every Day" talks about "the students in this college town ... with their journals in cafes." I can't help but recall this song over and over as I think about last night's set at the Red Lion Cafe on the Rutgers University campus. Perhaps nowadays, though, it's not so much a journal as a laptop situation.

This "preview" to the upcomming New Jersey Folk Festival included Michael Patrick Phelan and myself, two of the eight singer-songwriters being featured during this Saturday's day-long "rain or shine" event (don't do any rain dances until Sunday).

Great room, great audience, great show to be remembered!

Songwriter and performer Randall Williams' website is www.whereisrandall.com and for good reason. He's always traveling to bring his music to as many places as possible. But about 30 people, including myself, knew where he was yesterday ... wowing the pants off of all of us at The Place house concert. Opening for him at that charming venue was a treat to beat all treats!

Don't have much on the calendar for a while. You know what they say ... when it rains it pours! So I finally have some free time to concentrate on writing again which I miss terribly. I'm cooking up a couple of new ideas and can't wait to finish them off and share them.

... expressive brush strokes, empashioned subjects!"

These are the things one might expect to hear at a concert if that concert happens to be held in the Arts Off Main gallery in Hackettstown, NJ. Last Friday, I had the opportunity to perform in this exceptional venue! Surrounded by lovely paintings and friends, I was moved to give what I think is my best performance ever! Shows like this are so very encouraging and the performance will be remembered fondly! Thanks to all who came to enjoy my music as well as that of Claire Reynolds.

Me on live radio again! Listening to my songs being shared with all who are tuned in. It's such an amazing feeling that makes the upcoming performance at "Music Off Main" in Hackettstown all that much more to look forward to. DJ Steve Reynolds was a wonderful host and such a helpful support. He really understands the importance of promoting local folk musicians who are eager to get their message out there. So a big thanks goes out to him and to all of you who were out there listening!

How sad I was to learn of Tom Rush's illness and the postponement of his visit to Northern NJ. When I found out two days before the show, I went home and felt so strange because I actually didn't need to concentrate on practicing so hard for the opening set. But there are more performances to come, so I haven't put away the guitar entirely.

Great news! I realized a dream of mine to be featured in the New Jersey Folk Festival Singer-Songwriter Showcase following in the footsteps of my friends, Dave Kleiner and Liz Pagan and so many other really great songwriters. This year, I've been chosen for a set on the Festival's Shore Stage and couldn't be more thrilled!

Spring is on it's way and so is a lot of great music!

The good times were flowing with the wine at Amazing Grapes last Saturday night! The place was crowded with people digging the music, singing along and even dancing. I was joined by Michael Rojek on bass - how great it was to play with such a fine musician and friend yet again.

Highlights? What are you kidding? Ok - if I absolutely have to pick only a couple of moments that made the evening, I'd have to say - doing my Elvis impression with "Blue Suede Shoes" and then there was having my friend, Jesse, come up and sing harmony with me on a classic Creedence Clearwater Revival tune, "Have You Ever Seen The Rain." But particularly burned in my memory is the sight and sound of a large roomful of people shouting together "We all live in a yellow submarine ..." which was way too much fun to forget!