Brendan James sings The New Plan, in memory of Sandy Hook

Three winters ago, during a little girl's birthday party, I met Brendan James, an extraordinary singer/songwriter.  If you don't know his work, take the time.

Friday a friend wrote, out of the proverbial blue, to say that he loved a particular Brendan James song.  Brendan James? I wrote back.  Yes.  Michael's note prompted me to write to the little girl's mother, and in return, that mother sent me this—a brand-new song from this talented artist, written in the wake of Sandy Hook.

Listen.

Read more...

Light, Brandished

Yesterday we celebrated the first birthday of the absolutely stunning Miss Eva, who receives the love we want to give her with the greatest graces possible. We have watched Eva grow into the glory she is. She has touched her hand to the light shim of our earrings, held tight to the leather string about our necks, danced with us and for us, breathed her brand new soul into our hearts. Eva gives us back some of what all our years of living took away, and she doesn't even know yet, and perhaps she never will.

Cristina, Eva's mom, teaches my husband to dance. Jeremy, Eva's dad, was an opera singer in another life; before that, he was performing on middle school stages with a best childhood friend, Brendan James, who, with his very beautiful wife, joined in Eva's celebration. Brendan, as it turns out, is an extraordinary singer/piano player/lyricist, hailed by LA Weekly, New York Daily, EW.com, and plenty of others; featured alongside Springsteen and Eddie Vedder on the soundtrack of Body of War; and now awaiting (May 2010) the release, from Decca, of his second album.

Listen to Early April Morning. It's the pure work of a classically trained musician who is clearly headed somewhere.

Read more...