The big news of 2005 so far? Well, you’re looking at it. It’s the brand new website for Malcolm Lucard and Irrational Exuberance. This magical little world is the creation of Tom Bishop, a fine musician and performer who is also a great photographer, a short story and novel writer, a very creative graphic designer and general html handyman.

Check out his music and his other creations at his website www.sonuvabish.com.  Some of you may know Tom through his work designing the very clever cover for The Mitguards' latest CD, “Nobody’s Fool,” and for designing their website as well. (Check it out at www.themitguards.com.)

In the good new gigs  department, Irrational Exuberance picked up a weekly gig at Cedars Jazz Club every Tuesday night from about 9:30  pm to midnight. We'll be playing right after the weekly poetry slam. This place is a bit off the beaten path —north of Fillmore on Sinton Road — but it’s worth the trip: plush leather sofas, friendly wait staff, great food and drinks. In short: a very nice hang. So come check out the band every Tuesday, except for mid June through mid July when we take a band vacation. Other bands will be filling that slot while we’re gone so stay tuned.

Cedars Jazz Club
3125 Sinton Road (just north of Fillmore & I-25)
719-578-5744

Go to the “gigs” section on the navigation bar above for more information on
this venue.

Big thanks to good pal Trish Waters for opening up her house to a house concert that featured yours truly opening up for Boulder-based guitar whiz Lynn Patrick in early January. It was an intimate musical evening full of friendly faces, great food and good vibes. The next day, Lynn performed for clients of Pikes Peak Mental Health in early January. Lynn is now one of numerous musicians who have performed at PPMH as part of a “music for mental health” project started by my friend Cate Sharp. If you’re a musician and would like to participate, write me an email and I will forward your info to Cate. (Here are some of the musicians who have performed pro bono for PPMH: Joe Uveges, Sarah Hope, Susan Rissman and, of course, myself). Also, if you have a house and would like to host a concert, please contact me at mlucard@earthlink.net.

New Year’s Eve 2004-05: I had a great time playing with my buddies Christian Sequoia, John Litchenberg, Ben Pratt, Jeremy Van Hoy, Sarah Hope, Crystal Bliss Brandl and Cate Sharp at the house of our great friends (the most generous of music supporters) Pat Carter and Gina Bamberger. Gina and Pat said they wanted some crazy free-jammin’ and that’s pretty much what they got, with a couple improvised rock tunes thrown in for fun. It’s always fun to play when you have no songs rehearsed and after each jam you kind of look at each other say “now what?” Stay tuned for a new solo release, just outta the burner, from Christian. More news on that later.

The news from 2004: It was a very good year for Malcolm and Irrational Exuberance.  IE signed on two new members, Matt Hollensbe on bass and Crystal Bliss Brandl on vocals, percussion and other noisemakers. These two musicians have added great energy, talent, humor and good looks to our portfolio. Now entrenched members of the band, these two are bringing our live shows to a new level. Catch Crystal at her first gig after returning from a long music and dance excursion in Brazil on Feb. 12 at the Ancient Mariner.

Another interesting development from 2004: Malcolm’s CD got picked up for distribution by Hapiskratch Entertainment, a music distributor and promotion company that is selling the CD through various on-line venues and retail stores. Not that I’m selling millions of CDs, or have life-sized cut-outs of myself in Tower Records right next to Ashley Judd display...yet. But it was a nice boost to the old visibility. Check it out at www.hapiskratch.com and search for “lucard” or look up their many other artists. Also check out www.bigbenderweed.com and www.rockymountainweed.com for downloadable songs through two of Hapiskratch’s distribution projects.