FRIENDSHIP

Sometimes, to reflect on the nature of friendship and how we connect, we have to go back a ways . . .

JOBS AREN'T EASY FOR OLD MUGS

With things the way they are in the present economy, it's not easy for ANY of us to find work--but the older you are, the more problematic it is, particularly in the arts. Witness this somewhat comedic attempt . . .

Striving to Stay on Top of It All

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RANDOM THINKING

Tomorrow will indeed be an amazing day. A start of what will hopefully be a new age.

There are no guarantees for the future, of course--no one person could meet the expectations being placed at the President-elect's doorstep. But the difference, the change in not only personnel but character, is clearly a step in the right direction. The need for a different way of thinking--one that reflects ALL of the American people--is long overdue.

The greatest support for this optimism lay in Obama's cabinet choices, in his careful and precise planning for the economy even prior to taking office, AND for his ability to remain an active dad and husband while dealing with a Herculean amount of pressure. All bodes well.

No matter what faith you hold, say a prayer for our future leader--that a practical, 21st century approach can perhaps dig us out of the mire and into the light.

VICTORIA CLARK

Those who know the work of Victoria Clark--or think they do from her Tony-winning turn as Margaret Johnson the southern mother abroad in LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, or one of her other wonderful acting turns on Broadway--will still be amazed and startled by the fresh breeze on her album, FIFTEEN SECONDS OF GRACE, a splendid mix of songs familiar and less so. The voice is lovely, of course, but the interpretations are so inviting. For one who lately has played matrons and strong-willed ladies, it is a delight to find this is a voice of quick-silver, intelligence and delicacy. Under the superb musical direction of Ted Sperling, this album is one luminous discovery after another, with a wonderful sense of intimacy. Each number is a work of art, but to single one out, take a listen to BEFORE THE PARADE PASSES BY, that stalwart anthem to life from HELLO, DOLLY! Deftly defying expectations (in part thanks to a really splendid arrangement), a steamroller anthem to survive has been reborn as the tale of someone who is genuinely thrilled to re-discover life's adventure. By concentrating not on overcoming the past (as in usual interpretations) but rather on the promise of the future, the song takes on a glistening beauty previously overlooked. It is that delightfully inventive perspective that Clark brings to every note on the album. This is not a show-singer disc--it is an artist giving you a truly one-person exhibit, with something special around every corner. (PS Classics)