Happy Holidays to everyone!

I do so love this time of year, with evergreens and twinkling lights, mistletoe and fluffy snow, and family time on starlit nights.... Hhmmm....the start of a song perhaps?

I AM really excited for these next few weeks - Emma is done with school for the semester, Myles is coming home for Christmas, and we've got lots of music planned - family style! Speaking of family, the photo above is one of my favorites from my childhood, singing Christmas carols around the baby grand. "Nana" (in the mink stole!) was my inspiration for a music career (you can read more about her on my website: www.colleencrosson.com) and singing with her was a delightful and frequent occurrence. It all started with Nana....

Check my schedule below for all the details for this Saturday's gig at Jay's Bistro, next week's schedule with Myles (including a Christmas Eve concert!), New Year's Eve at Jay's, and 3 house concert opportunities in January, February, and March.

"Those who wish to sing always find a song"
~ Swedish proverb

Blessings, Colleen

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I love our family gigs!

Our daughter Emma and I have been joining Mark on a regular basis at Ace Gillett's on Sunday nights. It's become one of our favorite spots! Bartender Ray makes the classiest cocktails and the food is divine as well (served by outstanding wait staff!). We usually come in around 8:30 pm, while Mark starts at 7. We could probably be persuaded to join him a bit earlier if you're planning on coming down and need to make an early night of it. Just ask! I also have a couple of nights at Jay's Bistro (another fine establishment!) coming up - one is TOMORROW NIGHT.

Check my schedule below for all the details.

"Those who wish to sing always find a song"
~ Swedish proverb

Happy Gratitude Month! Colleen

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You're invited to an A Cappella Extravaganza!

This Saturday night, former "Our Mothers' Daughters" members Joanne Taylor, Krisann Meyer-Corcoran, and I will be joined by Emma Sloniker to perform as "Encore!", in concert with "A Cappella Electric", a local Sweet Adeline's Chorus (pictured above). The concert takes place at the Fort Collins Senior Center at 7 pm. The theme for the show is "Honoring the Women Who Came Before Us" and is a musical (and historical) tribute to women who have served our country and one another in a myriad of ways. "Encore!" will do a special guest set of old favorites from the OMD days! Tickets are $20 and are available through me and at the door.

Check my schedule below for all the details for this show and more.

"Those who wish to sing always find a song"
~ Swedish proverb

Colleen
www.colleencrosson.com
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Just returned from another slice of heaven.....

in this beautiful country of ours - the wine country of Sonoma County, CA. The main reason for the trip was to play music as part of a ten piece band for a wedding reception for some dear family friends. The event took place on a high hill of a beautiful winery overlooking acres and acres of beautiful grape vines. Both the beauty of the landscape and the entire wedding celebration were glorious beyond compare! What an unforgettable experience... We took a few extra days to explore the area's wineries and spent some time on the coast, too. I didn't want to come home, but for the fact that we were expecting a very welcome visitor 2 days after we got back - Myles Sloniker! He's here for a recording session and we are happy to have him playing at Jay's Bistro in downtown Fort Collins for the next 3 nights. I will be joining Mark, Myles, and Emma Sloniker TONIGHT, Thursday, at the Bistro for some jazzy family fun. I'll be back on Saturday night to do a guest vocal set.

Also of note is my performance with "Encore!" (former Our Mothers' Daughters members with Emma Sloniker rounding out the group!) coming up on October 24th, which I have advance tickets for.

Check my schedule below for all the details for these shows and more.

See you soon and Happy Autumn to you!
Colleen

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I'll keep this brief....

Just wanted to make sure you knew about my house concert with Hans York (pictured at right) this Friday, September 25th! Maybe there's a lot going on this weekend....these concerts usually sell out, but for some reason, the RSVPs have been a little slow for this one, so I'm sending out one last reminder. You can read all about Hans and listen to his music at www.hansyork.com, but suffice it to say this German born singer/songwriter, who spent time in Rio de Janeiro studying Brazilian music and has mastered a variety of musical genres, will leave you "Spellbound" (the title of his most recent release!). He will be accompanied by his good friend from Frankfurt, Ralf Goeldner, on percussion. I'll do an opening set.

If you haven't RSVPed for this show, please do so soon by email or phone to reserve your spot: colleencrosson@gmail.com or 970-484-9600. Space is limited.

Check my schedule below for all the details on this show and more.

See you soon and Happy Autumn to you!
Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
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I just got back....

from a lovely 3 day retreat in the foothills northwest of here ~ time to kick back a bit, visit with friends, hike amidst the turning aspen, and soak in the hot tub at the end of the day. I took my guitar and ukulele, but they never made it out of their cases! I opted for Scrabble, reading, cooking and the aforementioned treats instead.

Now that I'm home, I'm practicing and gearing up for my next 2 gigs - the French Nest Market this weekend, and then my highly anticipated house concert with Hans York (pictured at right) on September 25th! You can read all about Hans at www.hansyork.com, but suffice it to say this German born singer/songwriter, who spent time in Rio de Janeiro studying Brazilian music and has mastered a variety of musical genres, will leave you "Spellbound" (the title of his most recent release!). He will be accompanied by his good friend from Frankfurt, Ralf Goeldner, on percussion. I'll do an opening set.

If you haven't RSVPed for this show, please do so soon by email or phone to reserve your spot: colleencrosson@gmail.com or 970-484-9600. Space is limited.

Check my schedule below for all the details for these shows and more.

See you soon and enjoy these last few days of the waning summer!
Colleen

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Another month gone by....

and summer's almost over. I'm enjoying the cooler mornings and evenings and am looking forward to our transition into a colorful Colorado fall! We had some fun August gigs with great crowds (thanks to our fans!) and a whirlwind adventure in NYC, where my husband Mark played with our son Myles at Mezzrow, a jazz club in Greenwich Village. We also got to see my Dad and spent a day on the beach in Manasquan, NJ, my hometown. It was way too short, but we take these opportunities when we can, right? I hope you've all had a great summer as well!

I have some exciting events coming up - especially noteworthy is a house concert on Friday, September 25th with the amazingly talented Hans York (pictured at right). You can read all about him at www.hansyork.com, but suffice it to say this German born artist, who spent time in Rio de Janeiro studying Brazilian music and has mastered a variety of musical genres, will leave you "Spellbound" (the title of his most recent release!). He will be accompanied by his good friend from Frankfurt, Ralf Goeldner, on percussion. We'll need RSVPs for this show, so please email or call me to reserve your spot: colleencrosson@gmail.com or 970-484-9600.

Another fun show coming up before that is my solo performance at The French Nest Market on Saturday morning/afternoon, Sept, 19th (11 am-1:45 pm) at Civic Center Park in downtown Fort Collins.

Mark and I are pleased to be gifting our music once again for The Alliance for Suicide Prevention's Annual Life Saver's Breakfast on September 29th. We have done this for many years now and are honored to be a part of this organization's efforts to provide hope and healing through suicide prevention services and grief support.

Yet another special event you might want to add to your calendar is "A Legacy of Women - Honoring the Women who Came Before Us" an a cappella concert I'll be doing with Krisann and Joanne (from Our Mothers' Daughters!) and my daughter Emma on Saturday, October 24th at the Fort Collins Senior Center. This event is hosted by The A Cappella Electric Chorus. We're calling our group Encore! and we'll be doing the second set. I have tickets to this event if you are interested.

In between all these gigs I'll be sitting in with Mark and Emma at Ace Gillett's most Sunday nights in September and October and will have some Jay's appearances as well, one on Sept. 12th for starters.

Check my schedule below for all the details.

See you soon and enjoy these last days of summer!
Colleen

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Oh, my....

What an amazing time my daughter, Emma, and I had up in Nederland, CO at "Camp Ned" last week! It's a songwriting retreat led by Darryl Purpose and a host of other musicians/teachers - this year it also included Ellis Paul, Tracy Grammer, Paul Zollo, Julie Beaver, and Kevin Faherty. That's me singing with Ellis in the photo above (thanks, Mike Wittmer, for capturing a few!). What a joy and honor that was! There were many profound and emotional moments with our fellow "campers" and I came home with so much more knowledge and desire to get back into songwriting. Woo hoo!

On the way home, we picked up Myles at the airport, who is back from NYC for a week of gigs in Denver and Fort Collins. I'll be sitting in with Mark and Myles throughout the weekend at Jay's Bistro, and especially on Saturday night. Sunday night, Emma and I will join them at Ace Gillett's Lounge. I've got 2 other gigs coming up - a solo show August 6th at Compass Cider and a band gig with the Mark Sloniker Group on August 8th at Front Range Village.

All the details are on my schedule below.

See you soon and enjoy the sunshine!
Colleen

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I'm back!

at Jay's Bistro this Saturday night, and this will be my first "full length" gig since my knee accident two months ago! I can finally stand fairly evenly on both legs and am confident I can do the full night (though you may see me sit some during solos and such... :-) ). Roger Barnhart joins us on bass and Mark Sloniker is of course on the piano bench! I am just tickled to be back at it!

All the details are on my schedule below, where I've also included the rest of my summer dates (so far), including Compass Cider (giving them another try), a concert with Mark and Emma Sloniker at Front Range Village, and a French Nest Market show!

See you soon and enjoy the sunshine!
Colleen

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Hello again...(I know, so soon....)

Sorry to stuff your inbox again, but my excitement about playing Compass Cider tonight has, in the blink of an eye, turned to dismay, as I just learned (by chance) that they are temporarily closed. Seems they neglected to inform me....such is the (fickle) music business at times. Not sure whether my August gig is a go at this point, but I'll keep you posted. Maybe I'll see you at Ace's Sunday night?

Colleen

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New Venue!

I'm excited to be playing at a new venue (for me) this Thursday evening from 7:30-9:30 at Compass Cider, 216 North College Ave., Fort Collins. I'll be playing guitar and singing contemporary folk songs from some of my favorite singer/songwriters, as well as a few originals. I'd love for you to come down and cheer me on! Their ciders are crisp and refreshing, and their food is unique, fresh and locally sourced. If you've never been, give it a try!

But first.... If jazz is more your style, I'm happy to say I'll be singing with Emma Sloniker at Jay's Bistro TONIGHT, with Mark Sloniker on piano and Braun Kahn on bass. We'll be there from 6-9 pm in the lounge for your listening enjoyment.

All the details are on my schedule below, where I've also included the rest of my summer dates (so far), including a concert with Mark and Emma Sloniker at Front Range Village, and a French Nest Market show!

See you soon, enjoy the sunshine, and Happy Independence Day!
Colleen

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Well, I've got some disappointing news....

and, thankfully, some great news to reconcile it with (I love it when that happens)! As many of you know, Kathryn Mostow and I were planning another house concert for June 27th (coming right up!), following our very fun and successful show in March. I got news yesterday that Kathryn will not be able to do this concert after all. As many of you may NOT know, Kathryn is moving to Boston next month, and with all the pre-move activity (including a trip to Costa Rica) the time commitment turned out to be a bit too much. We had REALLY wanted to get one more show in (we will miss her so! ), but it proved to be just a tad overly ambitious with all that's on her plate. After a short sulk :-), I sprang into action and made a call to one of Fort Collins' favorites, LIZ BARNEZ, who has gleefully accepted to do the show with me! Liz and I have done a few tunes together here and there but never an entire night, and I am feeling blessed and excited for this serendipitous opportunity. I hope those of you who already have reservations for the show will stay on board with us and I imagine the remaining seats will fill quickly, so let me know soon if you want to join us! As a bonus, Kathryn is still hoping to come to the show and sit in on a few of my tunes (stress free!).

My Dad will also be here visiting from NJ, which is another reason this concert will be so special for me. All the details are below. I've included the rest of my summer dates (so far) on the schedule, including Compass Cider (a new venue for me), a concert with Mark and Emma Sloniker at Front Range Village, and a French Nest Market show!

For those of you curious about an update on my knee accident in Oregon - I am recovering slowly but steadily with regular physical therapy, and becoming more mobile bit by bit. I am so grateful for all the help I've been receiving from my spectacular community of friends - meals, rides to my appointments, healing sessions, house and gardening assistance, and especially all the positive and healing prayers. A heartfelt thank you to you all!!

See you soon and enjoy the sunshine,
Colleen

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Holy moly....

enough with the rain already! After 9 straight days of wet stuff (some snow), we are finally on the upswing for some warm and sunny weather here in Colorado! Just in time for me to take a short jaunt to the northwest, but that's another story.....

As you can see by my pictures, this edition of my newsletter features music events other than my own, but these musicians are near and dear to my heart and I didn't want you to miss out on these special performances. I do have some summer concerts and such that I've included in the schedule below, so be sure to check those out and put them on the calendar.

May 25th, 7 pm - we are pleased to be hosting "May Song", a house concert of contemporary, classical chamber music, featuring Aimee Niemann and Melanie Haskins on violin, with appearances by Myles Sloniker, Tuomo Uusitalo, Mark Sloniker and others. Yes, it's on Memorial Day, so we hope you can enjoy your picnicking and BBQing earlier in the day and then come to this wonderful sharing of music! Donations will be gratefully accepted for the players. RSVP is required because of limited space. We'll send directions with your reservation.

Myles Sloniker arrives from NYC on the 24th with his Finnish piano player, Tuomo, and as you can see above, will be jumping right into the Northern Colorado music scene. He'll play at Ace's on the 24th, Jay's later in the week with Mark (I'll be sitting in here and there, too), and then will be heading up his own trio (with Tuomo and Denverite Paul Romaine on drums) at Dazzle Jazz in Denver on Sunday, May 31st at 7 pm. Here is a link for tickets and a nice write-up about the group:

http://dazzlejazz.ticketfly.com/event/810351-myles-sloniker-trio-denver

We are excited for this very special performance in Dazzle's "listening room" - hope to see you there! Myles will also be joining Mark and me AND his sister Emma (the WHOLE fam damily!) for a Noontime Notes gig on Tuesday, June 2nd, 11:30 am- 1 pm in Oak Street Plaza, downtown Fort Collins.

We hope you can catch some of these fun opportunities while Myles is in town (he's only here for about a week and a half).

In other news, some of you may have heard that the 2015 season of Streetmosphere has been canceled. I was so looking forward to being a performer on the streets of downtown Fort Collins again this summer, and am hoping funding issues will be resolved by next summer, so this unique arts program can resume.

One last thing - Kathryn Mostow and I have chosen June 27th for our next house concert - mark your calendars now and I'll send more details later!

See you soon and enjoy the sunshine,
Colleen

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Spring has truly sprung

and if I can't be in Paris... well, Fort Collins, CO suits me just fine! The daffodils and hyacinths make my heart sing right along with the harmonious chorus of the songbirds, and there are a thousand shades of green out there! What a great excuse to take a break from taxes and play in the dirt.....

Another fine way to avoid those taxing tax forms (if you need some ideas) is to head out to hear some live music, and I have a few choices for you coming right up. :-)

The first is the rescheduled "Music for Mutts" Concert to benefit Animal House Rescue Shelter. It takes place this Sunday from 2-5 at Avogadro's Number and all the details are below.

Next up is the annual "TASTE" event at the Fort Collins Hilton on Thursday, April 16th from 5-9 pm (you'll have your taxes DONE by then right?). I've been singing with Mark Sloniker and a host of other talented musicians at this benefit for the Food Bank for Larimer County for many years now and I am honored to do so again this year. Read all about it at www.tastebenefit.org. It is QUITE the soiree!

I'll of course have my monthly "full night" appearance at Jay's Bistro, which happens this month on Saturday, April 18th, and the summer schedule is starting to gel a bit with Streetmosphere, Noontime Notes, The French Nest Market, and more. Stay tuned, as more events are always being added!

Oh, and I wanted to mention what a DELIGHTFUL night Kathryn Mostow and I had at our house concert a couple of weekends ago. Thank you to the 48 or so concertgoers who totally made it an unforgettable experience for us! We are scheming on an encore performance for late June - I'll keep ya posted....

See you around and much spring joy to you!
Colleen

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Two sweet gigs to put (a) spring in your step

are coming up in my music world that I wanted to tell you about. The first is my monthly appearance at Jay's which will happen this Saturday night, featuring Emma Sloniker and me on vocals, with Mark Sloniker on piano and Braun Khan on bass (8-11 pm).

The second, which I'm SUPER excited about, is my house concert with Kathryn Mostow! (pictured above) That's on Saturday, March 28th, at 7:30 pm. PLEASE RSVP if you haven't already so we can plan accordingly. I will send directions to anyone that needs them after I hear from you. We're looking forward to this special night of singing together, which has not happened for several years. Hope you can come!

See you around and Happy Spring (soon!!), Colleen

Happy Trails, Colleen
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I wasn't intending

to show up in your inbox again so soon, but shortly after I sent my newsletter out last week, I learned the "Music for Mutts" fundraiser had been postponed. It will be rescheduled for sometime in March, and I will keep you posted.

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's weekend. We had a magical time at Jay's, with Emma and I adding more tunes where we sing together. It really was memorable for me and I hope you get to catch us soon! Thanks to all who came out!

Reservations are already coming in for the house concert with Kathryn Mostow and myself on Saturday, March 28th. Let me know if I can add your name!

Happy Trails, Colleen
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"Wherever you are.....
and whatever you do, be in love" ~ Rumi

I strive to live my life this way. Love is not all romance and flowers, and we can be "in love" always - with life, with family, with friends, and ESPECIALLY with ourselves. So, come on down to Jay's to celebrate YOU and all the loves in your life this Valentine's Day, Saturday, February 14th! Emma Sloniker and I will be singing about life and all kinds of love, with Mark Sloniker on piano and Braun Khan on bass. Details below....

In other news, I have been mentoring a Poudre High School student on her IB "Personal Project" this semester. Olivia put a band together - "The Fissionaries" - and they will be performing at their "Music for Mutts" fundraiser that she organized for Animal House on February 20th. Olivia invited me to do a few songs and we'll do a song or two together as well! All the specifics are below.

And lastly (but certainly not least-ly!), Kathryn Mostow and I have settled on a date for our house concert. Due to scheduling challenges in February, we have moved it to Saturday, March 28th. We did a series of concerts several years ago and are excited to play and harmonize with one another once again. Mark your calendars now! You can learn more about Kathryn and hear her music at www.kathrynmostow.com

Hope to see you soon and Happy Valentine's Day everyone, Colleen
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Out with the old, in with the new.....

May you be happy and blessed this whole year through! I am super excited to start this new year - I'm feeling a heightened sense of renewal, with fresh ideas and a deep desire to follow through on some intentions that have been incubating for some time. I love playing music and singing from my soul, yet I have not always found venues in which to play that feed my soul. SO, one of my intentions this year is to attract venues and audiences that truly appreciate the music and the inherent magic that happens when we ALL become a part of the music! I want to do more house concerts and special events, not just bar gigs. If hosting one of these types of events is something you're curious about, please let me know! It's really a wonderful, intimate experience for the audience and the musicians alike, with lots of opportunity for interaction.

To jumpstart this house concert venture, Kathryn Mostow (one of our finest local singer-songwriters!) and I will host our own concert sometime in February. We did a series of concerts several years ago and are excited to play and harmonize with one another once again! We'll let you know as soon as we finalize a date!

Another intention of mine for 2015 is to officiate more weddings! I obtained a ministerial license to perform wedding ceremonies in 2013, and helping couples design their ceremonies and then officiate at their weddings has been such a joyful experience (for all involved!) that it truly feels like another "calling" for me. The coolest thing is when I get to do the music for the wedding as well! I'd appreciate any referrals you might have for me!

Well, that's probably enough dream weaving to share for this newsletter, huh? :-) I do want to mention I have some openings for new students in guitar and/or voice instruction, if you know of anyone who wants to start on (or continue) that path in the new year. And, I still adore performing with my husband, Mark Sloniker, any chance I get, and I have 2 of those opportunities coming up. One's real soon...like tomorrow night! See details below and I'll keep you informed of other fun events that arise.

Thank you so much for your support and encouragement as we move into 2015 - I am affirming a very good year for us all!

Best, Colleen
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