A Promotion and My First Album of Original Tunes!

Hey there. I hope you enjoyed your weekend.

There's too much to say and my brain is even less of a single-file line than usual. All of the backlog's crowding toward my fingertips at once. Let's see what's in the bottleneck.

I now manage the A1 to Go whenever the owner's not around; that was a major step up. This job is great: I meet everybody in town; I network. I'm learning food, wine, and beer; I'm making more money now than I ever did as a banker. I'm given creative license and my boss treats me as an equal. As for being bumped into a boss position, if somebody needs to be told what to do, I don't mind telling them. And if I must yell, no problem. When somebody's earned it, I don't mind dressing them down.

I've made respectable money by busking on Water Street on warm days. One gal put a five in my hat, sidled up on my right, and kissed me on the cheek while I was singing. What a sweetheart.

One of my tax returns has already arrived, but I'm lost on how to celebrate. This would be an easier task if I got a charge out of getting drunk or hiring strippers or something.... my birthday's coming, too, and I'm unsure whether I want to plan a trip out of town or host a gathering or just stay home and work. Suggestions are welcome.

Meanwhile I'm downloading some music I've wanted to check out for a long time, like the band Low. The song "Tonight" from the album Trust had low female vocals—serious turn-on—and a nice guitar wash with minimal bass keeping things pinned down, marking the chord changes and turnarounds. I am a sucker for boy-girl harmonies in which the girl sings lower.

Sitting in this chair reminds me that I should hire the lovely Sarah Miller to rub out the damage I've done to my back, wrists, legs, and neck. The cafe has been hectic and my work-at-home habits don't relent either. This week won't be different: I'm doing a lot of music theory exploration on paper and strictly practicing guitar technique. I love playing jazz chord forms but I'm not in love with the sound of seventh chords; to me they sound like bad middle ground between more colorful chords (13ths and such) and the simpler triads with stronger tonics. Sevens sound too much like commas; I like my music to be full of ellipses and full stops.

For the next five days I'll be working double shifts on these songs for my first album, trying to make sure they get done by summertime. I don't want to spend the hot months cooped up in my writing room. The process of hammering this thing together out of scraps of wood and rusty nails is teaching me both efficiency and patience. My first novel has been moved to the background more than I'd like, but I had to make a cut somewhere.

Been sleeping eight or nine hours each night. Sleeping alone, but sleeping. I'll take it.

Thanks for reading; I'll be in touch soon.

-Nicholas

Zeroing In.

Washington D.C., 1923. Testing bullet-resistant vests.

I can't decide which man's task is more frightening. Can you?

I've hidden underground for some time now, and still don't plan on surfacing until I've finished one of two exhausting enterprises.

When I do reappear, I will have something to sell you. Ten dollars.

You Are Invited

Picture by either Auta or Marianne, I think.

This Saturday I'll be singing for a few hours at The Mad Dog, a new pub on Water Street in Gardiner. They have drinks, desserts, and meals; everything is delicious and affordable. And you are invited. With gusto. Bring friends! Bring family! Meet the easygoing, charming staff!

I play from 7:30pm until about 9:00 or 9:30pm.

Copper Guitars, German Hounds, and Apple Tree Ladders

(c) Mary Becker-Weiss 2009
See the blob-like magnets on the resonator?
They're holding it together. No joke.

Here's a snippet from Mary's blog at Corniche Online:

Local performer Nick Tozier and his friend Nicole visited for the afternoon. Nick performed an impromptu concert and Nicole spoiled Scout, who is now good for nothing. Since I have only known Nick through our association at A1 to Go, I was very pleasantly surprised by his emotion, originality and talent as a guitarist and singer. Got some good pictures of Nick, which we'll use to promote his performance during our next Gardiner ArtWalk scheduled for May.

Flattery will get you far, Mary. As for the ArtWalk, I'll post further details as soon as they're fixed. Meanwhile, take a look at this lil' hussy we found in the shop!

(knavishly snatched from Mary's website)

Her name's Scout; there's a hot spot behind each ear of course. Scratchscratchscratch. Her eyes rolled up and blinked slowly in appreciation, 'til finally she leaned against my leg and sighed—like the pleasure weighed a hundred pounds. Adorable. When I stooped to look at her expression, the rascal craned her neck to take a quick nibble at my lower lip.

Scout! You flirt!

...we're dating now.

* * *

Tomorrow I ride to the coast to lend a hand with some apple tree ladders that Robert ordered for an upcoming art piece. Robert and I agreed to alternate deejay duty on his car stereo, hopefully turning each other on to some new jazz pieces. I think I'll bring along Electric Masada, Bennie Maupin, and The Nels Cline Singers.

Hopefully Robert will have some insight into the short story I've been stalling on. Oh, I just realized! In that initial photograph above, that panel behind my shoulder is one of Robert's. There may be clearer pictures of it on the Corniche website, linked above.

Until next time!

The Mad Dog, Saturday Night

Picture (c) Sarah Miller 2009

Played for an appreciative roomful of faces at The Mad Dog this evening! Made some new friends, caught up with some old ones, sang many a song. It was a welcome break from the three-week trend of lukewarm strangers.

New additions to the songbook that I played this week:

• "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash
• "Hate it Here" by Wilco
• "Gravedigger" by Dave Matthews
• "I Gotta Get Drunk" by Willie Nelson
• "Shock the Monkey" by Peter Gabriel

There were some young women in the place who actually recognized the music I was playing and made requests for songs that I actually knew. I believe in miracles.

I made $2.00 for my efforts.

Alright, it's time to go curl up with The Defense, a Nabokov novel I grabbed yesterday night while Dan and I poked through the bookstore. Tomorrow I think I'm headed over to visit my family, play music, and maybe do a little recording.

I'm exhausted.

Goodnight, all!