My voice is back tonight! (Sorry, Stephen Sondheim, best I could do with limited bandwidth). I am totally pumped about tonight's double Andina & Rich/SASS! Trio show (despite what it may say on another site, it IS TONIGHT, SATURDAY APRIL 11!) at the Ethical Humanist Society, 8 pm, 7475 N. Lincoln in Skokie--details in the preceding blog entry as well as on the Facebook page of the Second Saturday Concert Series. We've got some special stuff up our sleeves for you! The Emanuel Seder was a blast--well attended and catered this year (with wait staff!) by a member, Mark Warnaar, who is a chef. The food--especially the salmon and the desserts--was terrific, the ceremonies and singing--led by our own Energizer Bunny Ruthie Seidner--were beautifully planned and delightfully executed. I ran into friends I hadn't seen in months--and some I hadn't realized were members. Gotta go more often when I'm not gigging or traveling on Friday nights. I'll be singing there next week, Sat 4/18, at the Emanuel Coffeehouse, 5959 N. Sheridan. Fronting my old buddies in the Ham-it-Up Band for a number and doing a set of my own in a stellar lineup--the temple's talent pool is deep indeed. All ages, creeds (including lack thereof), and kinds of people welcome, as long as you like to listen, sing along, and sip and nosh! Well, it seems that not only did neighborhood churches celebrate Seders on Holy Thursday--so did our First Family! Yes, the Obamas hosted the first ever White House seder (especially appropriate because there's a rabbi in the family--Rabbi Capers Funnye of B'nai Zion is Michelle Obama's cousin). To paraphrase a terrific songwriter friend of mine, Anita Silvert, I'm sensing the beginning of "all roads converging." Whether or not I see you tonight in Skokie, wherever and whoever you are, whatever you do or do not believe, I wish you joy this wonderful weekend of renewal, rebirth and reaffirmation. No matter the motivation for your celebration, may it happen with elation!