This morning I awoke to a thick patina of frost on the autumnal landscape of fallen leaves and pumpkins, and, in my garden, the cold-hardy Brussels sprouts and collard greens. I'd fired up the ol' charcoal grill over the weekend to smoke some turkey legs and watch the sky change colors as I drank dark porter and kicked a soccer ball around with my kids, wringing out every last drop of fall from the air before winter rolled in. Truth be told, I have a soft spot for winter. Dressed up in gunmetal-gray and earthy browns initially, and then, before long, downy white snow, winter means braises and soups and bold red wines and pilly wool hats and a warm house and a good book. My old Martin sounds better to my ear while strummed overlooking a snowflake-filled sky. Sure, come February, I will lust over the promise of an impending spring, but until then, there is much to love about this time of year and I intend to romanticize it all out of proportion.
This Friday, December 4, Ben and I head to Saratoga to join Tony Markellis for the winter portion of his ongoing music series at Mouzon House. The three of us have worked a whole lot together over the years, and we always have a lot of fun. More than just fun, though, we make some fine music together. Jo Henley has many faces: duos, trios, full-band, electric, acoustic, and so on, but no matter what, at the very heart of it all, are the songs. That's the foundation upon which all the rest is built, and when the three of us play together, the songs shine. They are broken down to their essence, allowing the stories, the narratives, to unfold. We dig deep, this trio, so you can safely expect we will be playing songs that span our discography, from our very first EP to brand-new tunes. We go on at 7pm. The patio is heated and enclosed, and Saratoga is sure to be sparkling this time of year. Join us!
Looking ahead, we have a full-band show at Aeronuat Brewing Company on Thursday, December 17. We played Aeronaut for the first time in October and loved it. So much fun! Outstanding beer, super nice people, and a just overall a great vibe. We hope to see you all there, Boston-area friends, for what is likely to be our last show of 2015.
Andy & JH