– Charlie's Blog –

Against my better judgment—and probably his—I have accepted a role in a new play written by my longtime friend and theatrical collaborator, Ara Barlieb. Weimar, billed as an “irreverent costume drama,” is set at a holiday party in Berlin in 1932, shortly before Adolf Hitler was named Germany’s chancellor. Although not a musical, the show will feature several original songs by me, performed by me in the role of the party’s cocktail pianist. Not exactly a stretch, if you know how I used to support myself. Weimar is scheduled to run from October 2 – 18 at the Charles A. Brown Ice House theater in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Watch the Crowded Kitchen Players website for updates and tickets.

My roots and folk band, Barnstorm, will be back at The Alley at Bethesda Boards at 8pm on July 23rd. We are excited to have the redoubtable Dan Hovey opening for us—and possibly joining us for a few songs. This delightful venue is located at 7900 Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda, Maryland, at the back of the Bethesda Boards skateboard shop. It is a BYOB event — also BYOF (food) — but mostly BYOFS (Bring Your Own Fine Self). You can reserve tickets by calling 301-654-7710, or buy them online at bethesdaboards.com.

I don’t watch much TV, but I’ll admit I got addicted to The Pitt. Watching people be really good at their jobs — even fictionally — is a real pleasure for me, and because of the popularity of the series, I’ve learned there’s a name for that pleasure: “competence porn.”

I experienced my own version recently, after I wrote a concert march for full orchestra. While I was putting the final touches on the piece — the phrasing marks, the dynamic markings, etc. — I wanted to make sure I had gotten the standard tropes of a march just right.

So I called my good friend and Barnstorm bandmate, Mark Carson, a master percussionist. Mark played in the US Air Force band. He has played with every orchestra in the DC area and in every pit in every local theater. He also makes drums — both the wood parts and the metal parts.

Mark was kind enough to come over and help me edit the entire percussion section of the piece, which is called Good-Time Charlie’s Graduation March. It was a revelation to watch him work. In an increasingly automated world, I’m grateful for the things that can only be done by expert humans, by ear and by hand.

When I was a boy in Virginia, my dad loved the heat as much as I do now. I can still remember him, on a scorching day, sliding into the driver’s seat of our un-air-conditioned Chevy station wagon with a happy and satisfied “Ahhhh!”

On July 11th at 8:30pm, the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra will be performing part of an orchestral work of mine that was inspired by that car — and by the family road trips my parents, four sisters, and I would take in it. The free outdoor concert at Oronoco Bay Park in Alexandria, Virginia, will feature works by American composers, including the third movement of The Blue Chevrolet, before ending with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and fireworks. For more information, visit alexsym.org.

I just finished scoring a documentary for the filmmaker Cara Biasucci of the University of Texas on the ethical dangers of artificial intelligence. As I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, the dangers are plenty. Setting this story to music was a sobering experience. It’s work I enjoy, but I had to wonder: How long before this kind of job is taken over by A.I.?

My roots and folk music band, Barnstorm, is hitting the road. I’m finding that the band feels most at home in small listening venues, where we can really connect with an audience — and, hopefully, get them to sing along with us. We’ve got two such gigs coming up. If you’re near one of them, I hope you’ll consider joining us.

We will be playing in Northeast Baltimore on May 16th at The Four-Hour Day lutherie, an instrument-making shop and music studio located at 4305 Harford Rd., in the Arcadia neighborhood. The gig starts at 7:30pm, and tickets cost $20. For information, email [email protected].

Then on May 24th, we’ll be in Staunton, Virginia, at Queen City Music Studios at 16 W. Beverly Street (second floor). It’s a 7pm show, and tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. For information or tickets, visit queencitymusicstudios.com.