Many years ago my life was full of music every day.  I had a great stereo, thousands of albums and tapes, went to shows and a lot of life was all about buying new speakers or what new artists were in town.  Then life got in the way and slowly my music drifted away until I was more into listening to the news on the radio than the latest hits and classic rock.  A few years ago major changes in my life coupled with the chance meeting of Abbie Barrett rekindled my interest in music.  It all came back to me like a tidal wave of sound crashing around my life.  After sheepishly asking Abbie about playing a corporate event (which was later canceled), being invited to a local house concert to hear one of my best friends play, Rob Siegel, and the chance meeting of Andrew Wallace of “Blacksheep Ranch” (a house concert venue in CT)  encouraged me to research house concerts.  The thought of hosting these concerts myself started to become an obsession so I asked some people I knew if they would like to play for a few friend one night.  Rob, a 25 plus year veteran of this music thing, said sure and I can loan you my sound equipment.  Yes from both my kids music teachers and there was always Abbie...maybe.  A chance visit to my house by Andrew Wallace and his encouragement led me to start asking other local artists.  The enthusiasm of all the artists I asked to play, the feedback from friends and possibility of having my kids listen to great live music that they would never hear due to age restrictions lead us to create “The Backyard”.  After reflecting on our 2011 series, the positive feedback I’ve had from everyone involved and selfishly the wonderful feeling I get from listening to these artists play in a place that they and their music are the focus of the event led me to our continuing in 2012.  How can I not share this music, my amazing location, the food and all the people I have met though these events?  We have another amazing round of artists lined up this year and can’t wait to see everyone here at “The Backyard”.

Fun connections:

Abbie Barrett introduced me to Sarah Blacker at the “Living Room” in NY who played with Clara Berry at “Black Sheep Ranch”.   Andrew at “Black Sheep” suggested Danielle Miragila who I saw playing in the summer at the same venue as Abbie turned out to be a friend of Rob Siegel’s.  I lucked into finding Amory Siverston at “The Middle East” one night and Samantha Farrell played with many of the afore mentioned artists.  Her bass player is Cilla Bonnie whose keyboard player, Rob Morrison, happens to teach music to my kids.  That was 2011.

Danielle’s husband is Tom Bianchi of Baker Thomas Band.  Dietrich Strausse and members Brothers McCann both have played with Baker Thomas as has Shaysh, Sarah Blackers drummer.  Jody Blackwell plays at “Toad” as does everyone else and happens to work with a good friend of mine at Harvard who went with me to hear Ariel Rubin play at the Harvard Square Starbucks.  OK Darlingside was a fluke.  I happened to listen to an interview with them on WBUR but it turns out they have played with Brothers McCann before.  Kristen Ford, well...she knows everybody.

For me it all started with Abbie and snowballed from there.  We live in an amazing place for music.  Go and listen for it feeds the soul.