My brother-in-law, Kevin Land, sang this fantastic tune at my son’s baptism. It’s a song he wrote and I’m not even sure of the title of it, but the line that ties it all together is “Death is no more master over him.” The phrasing is excellent and I liked it so much that I played it from my camcorder and listened while I drove home from Mankato with Jen and Axel. For those who don’t know Jen and I have a new baby boy, Axel Christian Erickson, who was born on March 19, 2009…just over a month ago. We have piles of pictures on Facebook.

I’m in another show this winter: “She Loves Me.” It’s a Broadway Musical set in the 1930’s. So far at the Albert Lea Community Theater I’ve only done shows with three word titles. The show before this one, of course, was “Don’t Hug Me.” “She Loves Me” is actually quite different than “Don’t Hug Me.” For one, “Don’t Hug Me” is a contemporary reflection on life in a tavern in Northern Minnesota. “She Loves Me,” on the other hand, takes place in a parfumerie.

My character, Georg, the male lead, is the head clerk at Maracek’s parfumerie. He has a wonderful relationship with his pen pal, who he affectionately calls “Dear Friend.” And he has a terrible relationship with a woman recently hired by Maracek: Amalia. They’ve been arguing with each other since the day she sold Maracek’s first “genuine leather musical cigarette box.”

As the story progresses, however, Georg learns that Amalia, who he thought he couldn’t stand, is actually “Dear Friend.” At first he’s in denial, but by the end of the show Georg and Amalia finally get over their arguments, sing to each other, and prance off the stage together. An abbreviated synopsis…to say the least. There are really piles of wonderful subplots, characters and scenes throughout the show.

Being an untrained vocalist, the hardest part of this show for me is the singing. I actually had to get a couple voice lessons just to get more comfortable reaching notes outside my range. I do a touch of falsetto when I have to reach those notes. There were other regular chest-voice notes that I’d never thought I’d get that I can reach just fine now…thanks to my lessons and a ton of practice. It’s hard to turn a contemporary folk singer/songwriter into a Broadway-type singer. I figure I still have a ways to go. (big smile)

The show is a blast. We’ve got a fantastic director, cast and crew. I’m a little blown away, however, at how much different this show is from “Don’t Hug Me.” Both shows together have taught me a ton about singing and acting. All at once I’ve gained confidence and reached new heights of…humility. I’ve a great respect for professional, well-trained singers. They can do amazing things with their voices.

If you’re in Southern Minnesota this February 7, 8 or 9, come see us perform at 7:30pm at the Albert Lea Community Theater!! You’ll love it!

Great news! I just auditioned for a part in the Albert Lea Community Theater Production of “Don’t Hug Me” and have been asked to play Aarvid Gisselsen, a fast-talking karaoke machine salesman.

Here’s the description from the official “Don’t Hug Me” website:

“Don’t Hug Me” is a national award-winning musical comedy that takes place in a colorful, rustic north woods bar in tiny Bunyan Bay, Minnesota. It’s the coldest, most bone-chilling day of the year and cantankerous bar owner Gunner Johnson is ready to sell the business and move to sunny Florida. Clara, his wife and former Winter Carnival Bunyan Queen, is perfectly content staying right where she is. Bernice Lundstrom, the pretty waitress, wants to pursue a singing career. Her fiance, Kanute Gunderson, wants her to stay home. It’s a battle of wills that tests their relationships until a fast-talking salesman, Aarvid Gisselsen, promises to bring romance into their lives thorugh the ‘magic’ of karaoke. And when Aarvid begins to woo Bernice, the lutefisk hits the fan!

Performances are scheduled for September 20-23 and 27-29, so if you’re going to be in the area, come check it out!

Perhaps the most popular way to begin a blog is to say, “Well, it’s been a while since I’ve posted…” So I won’t say that, but at least you’ll know that’s what I’m thinking.

Though I haven’t done much actual writing, it’s been fun posting songs. I usually post them right after I write them. I record them so I don’t forget them and then put them on my blog for kicks. After a while, I start to develop a laundry list of things I want to change about them. I probably shouldn’t rough drafts of songs on my blog, but I can’t resist. There’s something about half-written songs that I find rather interesting. Maybe they’re harder to listen to, but they capture my imagination more than polished, well-recorded tunes do.

Lately, my biggest inspiration for songwriting has been www.pandora.com. What a fantastic place to hear lots of really cool music!! You have the ability to create the best radio stations in the world… simply by giving a thumbs up for songs you like and a thumbs down for songs you don’t. Usually, I’m do busy to do a lot of song rating, but every once in a while I run across a particular style of song that I really must hear again.

You can start off a radio station by giving Pandora a list of bands you like. I find I can get away with simply submitting one band I like, and Pandora delivers a barrage of, like, totally rad music. Lately, I’ve been listening to a radio station formed by telling Pandora I like Modest Mouse. Can’t beat it.

Some days, though, I’m in the mood for mostly instrumental music. No prob; I have a Pandora radio station that plays just that. Anyway, you get the idea.

Here’s a new piece I wrote for cello:

“Ordinary in G”
by Jeshua Erickson
[audio:http://www.jeshuaerickson.com/songs/ordinaryInG.mp3]

I’m playing my cello that I haven’t picked up in a year or so! This piece certainly isn’t a masterpiece, but it is ‘ordinary’.

For some time, I’ve had half a mind to record an album of songs about Albert Lea. This little haphazardly recorded diddy would fall into just such a collection:

(And, of course, it never fails that the train blows it’s freakin’ whistle somewhere in the midst of my home recording. This time it showed up at the end…luckily.)

Fountain Lake Mermaid
By Jeshua Erickson

I’m not sure how she got there
Or exactly how it’s been
Since they put her on the water
Where the lake is turning in
Not far from the creamery
Or the fountains shooting high
She catches glimpses and small gestures
As folks are passing by

Some are peering as though children
At this woman without legs
Is she always on the surface
It is this, the question begs
I suppose when no one’s looking
She slides down from her rock
To rest beneath the surface
Out away from the dock

Somewhere out into the middle
Where the lake is deeper still
She can spin and turn her body
Making whirlpools at will
But the dawn begins its cracking
And she courses to her rock
Frantic to position
It’s a race against the clock

[audio:http://www.jeshuaerickson.com/songs/FountainLakeMermaid.mp3]

Words and Music © 2006 Jeshua Erickson

We’ve Been at War for a While
By Jeshua Erickson

Now we’ve been at war for a while
And no one seems to have won
And I hear the adult tell the child
We cannot see the sun
And all the men who sit at their desks
Pushing papers, buying guns
Don’t see the blood on the roads
From Bagdad to her sons

Now we’ve been at war for a while
And this battle’s not yet done
In fact it seems and dare I say
A count of winners there are none
But many a lost limb of those who’ve come home
And of mother’s, many a lost son
And for what, I ask, does this war last
And why was it ever begun

Now we’ve been at war for a while
The smell of money now smells of blood
What plans they had for oil to bathe
The coffer’s of a weathy man’s love
What mansions and cars could’ve theirs
Had those Muslims welcomed our glub
But they stood with their guns, ready to fight
Having run from bombs in the night

[audio:http://www.jeshuaerickson.com/songs/warwhile.mp3]

Words and Music © 2006 Jeshua Erickson

This here is a song I wrote for the Wilderness Canoe Base 50th Anniversary. I’ll be playing it in September at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. Enjoy!

Wilderness, Pass it On
By Jeshua Erickson

It’s a story of a journey
It’s a story in the land of lakes
The Wilderness is calling
It’s calling you to yourself
And your God who brought you here
Freed from fear
Let it fill your ears
Let it fill your eyes
And don’t keep it in

Pass it on, pass it on
Pass it on, pass it on
Pass it on, pass it on

It’s a story of a portage
It’s a story of a passing sun
It starts in the morning
And ends when the day is done
But you’ve really only just begun
Taking one
Day at a time
You never know
What you might find

It’s a story of community
A story of discovered faith
It’s a sinking wooden paddle
In a single solitary lake
All of Creation sings along
in the singing of this song
Taking one
Note to your ear
You never know
What you might hear

[audio:http://www.jeshuaerickson.com/songs/passiton.mp3]

Words and Music © 2006 Jeshua Erickson

Here’s a song I wrote before moving to Seattle from Holden…several years ago. I now live in Minnesota, of course. As a special feature of this video, you get to see my bald head in full view. Wahooo!

Here it is: Movin’ On