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I was performing for the second year in a row at someone's US Independence Day party yesterday evening.  So I was playing a song with my backing tracks and someone comes up carrying a very young infant.  Super cute, a little goofy looking.  The baby is looking all around and seems to be enjoying the music, or at least taking it in.  The baby didn't seem to think it was too loud or anything.  When I finished the song the baby got a little bit fussy.  I thought, "oh, how wonderful, the baby likes the music and wants it to continue."  This is often the case with pre-verbal kids or almost pre-verbal kids.  They will turn to their parents when the music stops and say "more," or "why did the music stop."  So I thought I would just be a great guy and play a children's song.  I started playing a soft little version of "Mary Had a Little Lamb", melody only, on the steel drum.  The baby burst into tears and started howling!!  What does it mean?  Was the baby saying "don't condescend to me and play children's music"?  And if the baby was saying "gee you suck" why did it enjoy the music so much at first?  Maybe babe can't abide music that doesn't have a funky beat?

Just played at a wedding this evening. The groom was in a wheelchair. It was a lovely group and we got them singing and dancing and it was a wonderful, special time with the bride and groom's blended family all there, in addition to all of their friends. Only after did I find out the groom has ALS and probably has a short time to live. The bride said her husband really loves steel drums and marimba, both of which we had there, and he loves music and loved our performance and was trying to be as close to the music as possible. Ooof. What an honor to be part of a wedding like that. Very poignant. It is certainly a privilege to perform music in situations such as this. Even though I'm not quite sure how I'll find the energy to make it through all the performances and travel this summer, experiences like this sure do make it seem worth while.