A Lovely Evening of the Freshest Music Ever

Songwriters Don Henry (left), Sally Barris and Greg Trafidlo at tonight's gathering.

Greg's band plays to the small gathering.

I've seen a lot of music over the years, including nearly overdosing as a music beat writer for abouttwo years for a daily newspaper. But I have rarely spent a sweeter evening than this one with Greg Trafidlo, his band and songwriters Sally Barris and Don Henry.

This was an evening for songwriters and people who love the language, especially when it is employed as it should be and as it was tonight.

Sally and Don have more than a passing familiarity with the Grammy Award and their writing is crisp, often heart-wrenching, funny, topical and timeless. Sally's "Little Voice," from the CD of that title, is such a powerful statement about making yourself heard that I couldn't leave without buying it for Madeline (who doesn't really have much trouble being heard, frankly, but the message is wonderful).

Greg and Sally share a moment.

Not only was the music from Sally and Don nearly perfect, but Greg's superb band played several songs and the ambiance in his home was delightful for this. I thought several times that we had been cast back to a Greenwich Village coffeehouse in 1962 or so. The music was, if not folk, then folksy and grounded enough to be considered "message music."  Greg even song a hearbreaker about an experience we both shared some years ago and which shall remain private.

Great evening with good people (including Greg's sweet wife Judy). Thanks guys.

Sally signs a CD for my friend Teresa Sakasegawa.

Greg and his band makin' music.