Yep, I’m talking about Snow Ball again. Dancers gathered from all over Florida, from all over the United States, and from as far away as Canada. All joined together to share a weekend in time – or, perhaps more accurately, a weekend removed from time. Two great contra dance bands headlined the events. One group, Nor’easter features fiddle, guitar/mandolin, keyboard, and drums. The group starts dance sets out with a nice, easy groove; then the energy builds until the very chandeliers seem to jump in place. Each dance ends with whoops, hollers, laughter and smiles. The other group headlining the dance was Perpetual e-Motion – a duo with a difference. Featuring fiddle, guitar, percussion, didgeridoo, voice, and a thousand effects, Perpetual e-Motion closed each dance evening with an energy that generated a crowd response that one might expect at a rock concert. The callers Steve Zakon-Anderson and Seth Tepfer called each dance in an expert and entertaining manner – at one time even co-calling two different dance sets on the floor at the same time. The sound, provided by Jamie Platt, permeated the space with fullness yet at a volume that allowed dancers and observers to speak and be heard. Then there were the seemingly endless list of volunteers, highlighted by Stan and Linda Prince coordinating the whole gathering. Amazing!

Then, for us, the highlight of the weekend – Sound Traveler playing the waltz break on Saturday night. Voice, trumpet, guitar, concertina, melodica and foot percussion provided a combination not usually found at a contra dance gathering. Tunes like “Bella Notte,” “Scarborough Fair,” “Moon River,” “Ashokan Farewell,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” and “Rainbow Connection” had people singing and dancing throughout the break. So many nice comments were showered on us during and after the set. People said such things as “That was really special; it made my whole trip worthwhile….” “I thought it was recorded music, and then I looked out and saw it was you playing right in the middle of the floor.” “I know I might be prejudiced, but you guys were really good – I’m not just saying that – really good.” The attention we received was both humbling yet exhilarating. The songs are great songs, the dancers are excellent dancers, but to have had the opportunity to allow our skills and talent mix with all of that is – something memorable.

On Sunday before leaving the St. Pete area, we played a concert at Aston Gardens in Sun City. This was a general show with all kinds of music. The audience – residents and dear friends — was so kind and supportive. What a privilege and pleasure it is to share something as beautiful as music with people as beautiful as these.

Now we’re back and getting ready for performances this coming weekend. We have a dance at the Merritt Island Moose Lodge on Friday night and at the Center for Spiritual Living on Sunday. I am so thankful for each opportunity we get to do something that we so love to do.

Sound Traveler will be performing at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom near St. Petersburg, Florida. Oh, we are not the main band for the gathering – or even the second band. But we are scheduled to play the waltz break on Saturday night with hundreds of superb dancers gliding across the floor to our music. The ballroom is located on an arm of the magnificent Tampa Bay. Through large windows we will watch Florida sunshine sparkling off the rippling waters as we alternately sing and dance. Dancers will be there from all over the United States – some even from foreign countries. The temps are generally in the seventies for this gathering, and spirits are generally just as high.

On Sunday Sound Traveler will be providing a concert for the Inn Aston Gardens in Sun City, Florida. Again, as the name implies, winter weather should not be of much concern.

As usual, Patty surprised some by introducing trumpet, xylophone, and melodica to a venue not accustomed to such instrumentation. But the dancers glided around the floor like angels to tunes such as “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Bella Note,” “Ashokan Farewell,” and “Moon River.” After the break and as we returned to the dance floor ourselves, the dancers were very kind and complimentary. One of the nicest compliments anyone can give to a dance band is to dance beautifully while the music plays. Our dance friends showed once again why we value them so much.

Sound Traveler will be heading to the west coast of Florida again this coming weekend. We will be playing the waltz break at the Saturday night contra dance weekend at Snowball. For any who may not know, Snowball is an amazing dance weekend featuring wonderful dancers and music from all over the country. We are volunteering our services for the waltz segment, and it is more than an honor to participate. While in the area, we will also play at the Inn Aston Gardens at the Courtyards in Sun City Center, Florida. Once we return we will play a three-hour dance at the Merritt Island Moose Lodge on February third, and we will play for the Center for Spiritual Living on the following Sunday. Hope to see some of you at one of these venues.

Yet we look ahead!

In the coming year we hope to expand our business into new geographical areas. We already have performances lined up in Brevard, Orlando, St. Pete, and North Carolina. In fact, we hope to make music our primary occupation before the end of this year.

Most of all, we always aspire to become better and more accomplished musicians who connect ever more closely with people. We want to share something of value with people who care about music, who care about each other, and who care about something bigger than any and all of us.

These are not small goals, but we hope they are worthy ones. We don’t know precisely what roads we will travel in this coming year, but we want to travel them with a song in our heart – a song we have the opportunity to share!

Sound Traveler invites you to journey with us!

I like to pull down the list of songs we play, thinking about how each of those songs carries such meaning for us and how that list is growing daily as we prepare for new performances. I like the picture of the front of our CD, prominently displayed on the Home page. I enjoy occasionally clicking on the embedded CD player, listening to some of the songs that we have recorded over the past couple of years.

But most of all, I enjoy hearing from people who have been to a concert, visited a blog, or who have heard something they want to tell us about. Many of these people share with us on Facebook. Facebook is so easy to use, and so many people check it out frequently.

Today, I just have a minute, but I want to invite readers of this site to come and visit us on our Facebook site as well. Take a second a make a comment. It is always good to hear from you. You can find us in two places – Sound Traveler Band and Robert L Tatum. We use these two largely for the business. Patty has her own Facebook site as well, and she often uses it to let folks know what the group is doing as well.

This month we have a lot of Christmas shows, and we would love for you to visit where and when you can. Celebrate the season and enjoy some time of the season with us. We’re looking forward to it!

TheChristmas in the Mountains CDs are products of the Watauga Hunger and Health Coalition. Each CD is sold for ten dollars, and for that sum a needy family can be fed for a week. To this point many people have reaped benefits and many more will be helped by the sale of this year’s product.

We are so honored to be involved with Christmas in the Mountains because it supports such a worthy cause. We are also honored because the quality of music presented on each CD is first class. And these aren’t your typical Christmas collections. Traditional Appalachian music, original compositions, solo and choral interpretations and lively jazz treatments make these CDs musically distinctive.

Everyone involved in the project donates time, talent, and energy to the final product. In that way all proceeds can go to support those who need assistance. Sound Traveler has purchased some extra copies of the CD at cost, and we will make these available at our concerts during this Christmas season. Or, if you would like to contact us, we can mail you a copy. We only have a limited number available.

Sound Traveler will be performing this Saturday, December third at the Cove Marketplace in Port Canaveral from one to four PM. We plan to include many Christmas songs in our set. We will also be at the Center for Spiritual Living in Rockledge on Sunday. Come celebrate with us!

We taught several classes at the Sunshine State Acoustic Music Camp in St. Pete, and that was delightful. The camp completed its 22nd year under the direction of local legend, Charley Groth. The camp lived up to its name – the weather was fabulous, the music eclectic and stimulating, and the experience memorable. The instructors’ concert is one valued tradition at the camp. The show features excellent musicians of many genres. Guitars, dulcimers, harmonicas, basses, percussion instruments, banjos, mandolins, vocalists, and even a clear-throated trumpet filled the hall for nearly three hours. Sound Traveler contributed “Florida Sunshine, Florida Rain,” and “Proud Mary” to the excitement.

After the camp, we traveled to Sarasota to play for a dinner and dance at the Strathmore Villa Riverside Estates. Members of the community had heard us perform last year at the Sarasota Folk Festival and made arrangements to have us all to themselves for an evening. The entire experience was amazing fun.

As we prepare for a couple of performances here in Brevard County during the next couple of days and also prepare to take a trip to North Carolina over Thanksgiving, we do want to thank so many people who made our Gulf Coast swing so successful. Thanks to our good friends Heather and Sherri. Each shared their homes with us, helped us do a little marketing, and provided the warmth of friendship which is more valuable than any business contact. We also want to thank so many of our musical acquaintances who are so much more than colleagues, but fellow travelers who live and share themselves through their selflessness and magical music.

Sound Traveler will be playing Thursday night, Nov. 17 at the Space Coast State Fair from 6-9 PM. We’re going to call it Sound Traveler Night. Hope to see you there. We will also be playing a dance at the Wickham Park Senior Center on Friday, Nov. 18. Then on Saturday we’re off for the frozen tundra of North Carolina.

But it wasn’t always that way. I began my formal education at Saint James Catholic School in Savannah, Georgia. There was a crucifix in every room. There were prayers in the morning, prayers before meals, and church services for special occasions. One of our subjects was religion. We discussed God as our creator. We studied the Ten Commandments as a guiding influence on behavior. We learned about teachers who cared about us and about a Supreme Being who cared even more.

Oh, I know there have been abuses in the Catholic Church at large. Everyone has heard about and/or read about them. They were awful. But I don’t think they were common. After I graduated from college and before I began my career in public education, I taught for four years at a Catholic elementary school. In my experience as a student and later as a teacher in Catholic Schools, I found that many were blessed by their exposure to a Catholic education.

Now I’m back. For five of the last six work days, I have been substitute teaching at Our Savior Catholic School here in Cocoa Beach. And it feels like old times. I have spent time with students from kindergarten through seventh grade, teaching everything from math to, yes, religion. Oh, it’s not perfect, I’m not perfect, and they are not perfect. But having God as a natural part of everyday conversation feels good. I know that I and any number of others could take issue with many doctrines of Catholicism. But I don’t know of many who would want to deny the essentials – God is Love; God wants to draw us near and encourage us to reach out to others. God wants us to strive to be better and more loving people.

Besides, that’s where I learned to really sing – loudly and passionately. And if you ever find yourself sitting around me at church, you will understand what I mean.

Sound Traveler has a couple of big performances next weekend. On Friday, October 21, at 5:30 PM, we will be playing at The Art of Sand in Viera. On Sunday, October 23, at 2:00 PM, we will have a special performance at The Cocoa Beach Public Library. We expect to have some special video features to accompany some of our original music.

I hope we see you soon!