Why this tune?
This week’s tune started in a lyric writing class with Marcy Heisler, an award-winning writer and performer. She and her writing partner Zina Goldrich are responsible for many musical theater and cabaret works including “Taylor, The Latte Boy,” which you’re likely to hear at cabaret revues across the country. We all came up with song prompts in the form of unusual combinations of [descriptor][noun], then went off to write for an hour. My list included “curious weather,” which sparked this musical tale about battling the winter cold in more ways than one. I’m sure the lyric was influenced by our early December trip back to DC, which had a week of unusually (curiously?) cold temperatures.
After the class, I set the words to a bluesy melody, which you’re hearing here. Thanks to Heather Frank for some notes on the music that improved the song quite a bit.
I’m hoping to keep up with the songwriting lessons and am mentally preparing for next year’s January song-a-day challenge!
Best wishes for happy holidays and a safe and successful New Year!
Oren Levine, jazz pianist and songwriter 