Last Night

It is the last night of my 18th summer tour.

15 camps. 67 days.

I am full- bursting with gratitude and a sense of purpose.

It was great seeing old friends and making new ones.

I have a quick trip to GUCI to meet up with Elysha and Ava before I head back home.

I am excited to announce that our new album has arrived in Raleigh.  I can't wait for everyone to hear it.

I am making the album available as a download exclusively on my website DANNICHOLSMUSIC.COM one week in advance of the commercial release on iTunes etc.

I feel this is the most daring work of my 20 year career.

Thank you for supporting my work.

Dan

Join Dan @ Bend the Arc's Pursuing Justice 2016

Join me this June at Bend the Arc's first national conference, Pursuing Justice 2016. I'm honored to be part of a diverse group of performers and speakers who will be addressing a wide range of topics, including income inequality, racial justice and religious freedom.

Let's come together to promote our shared values and learn from one another.

See the full schedule list and register now: bit.ly/1TqytE2

See you there!
Dan

HALFTIME

Hi.

It’s halftime of the Campful Jewish Summer Camp Tour.

Here’s what’s happened so far:

Hava Nashira at Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute, Oconomowoc, WI.

What’s that? A one week Jewish songleading intensive.  Tremendous singing and prayer.  Barely enough time to go to the bathroom. Seriously.

Home for a day.  Family love. Laundry. Repack. Restring.

Goldman Union Camp Institute, Zionsville, IN

What’s that?...My home away from home.  Where I met my lifelong friends, Steve and Aaron.  Where I learned to play guitar.  Where I had my Bar Mitzvah.  Where Elysha and I met.  Where our daughter, Ava, now attends.

What did I do?

  • Songleader training with my first songleading teacher, David Snyder. 
  • Led a hootenanny with Rabbi Ron Klotz, Rabbi Jim Bennett and all of GUCI staff.
  • Lights Out programs each night for cabins of sleepy campers.
  • Studied prayer and the concept of sacrifice with Avodah.
  • Unit programs of singing, teaching, and silliness.
  • Assisted songleaders with various skills and repertoire.
  • Led morning song session (Theme from Hawaii Five-O) with Rabbi Sandford Kopnick (my former camp counselor).
  • Taught guitar to an eight-year-old boy named, Gabe.
  • Played basketball (worked on my 3-pointer) still not so fresh.
  • Rehearsed a horn section (worthy of the French Quarter in New Orleans) with five campers.
  • Danced in a conga line with campers during Shabbat Song Session.
  • Heard camp sing as beautifully and as joyfully as ever on Shabbat.
  • Played a really fun concert with my band.

Camp Newman, Santa Rosa, CA

What’s that?...A Jewish summer camp in Wine Country. Seriously.

What did I do?

  • Was told upon entering camp that there was a missing dog on camp.
  • The dog was in my room when I got  there. Long story.
  • Ate at Gott’s Roadside (Formerly Taylor’s Refresher) in St. Helena. So good.
  • Led singing at the “night before the campers come this is a big deal” meeting.
  • Learned how to play the washboard (kind of).
  • Played basketball.  Focused on rebounding and setting picks. (Very effective).
  • Worked with songleaders. 
  • Was questioned about how “I am a Zen master.” Seriously.  Who told them that???
  • Led a sunrise prayer expedition at 4:30 in the morning.
  • Met a kid named Eli who was awesome. Always a smile on this kid’s face.  
  • Prayed a lot. Sometimes it worked.
  • Ate a lot of tuna salad.
  • Ate a lot of tots. They love tots there.  
  • Bought a new un-named guitar. Weird one, but a good one.  Love it.  Such a deal. Was told to find a guy named FATDOG in Berkley who might be able to give me more information about this mysterious instrument.
  • Celebrated Toby Pechner’s 22nd birthday.
  • Went out to breakfast, Wal-Mart and lunch with all of the Newman Songleaders. 
  • Learned about Wolf-T-Wednesday.  Bought a Wolf T at Walmart.
  • Jammed with Camp Swig legend, Gordon Lustig.
  • Taught some very green and very good young song leaders.
  • Was reminded to trust process.
  • Heard an awesome new song by Jackson Mercer.
  • Learned some sign language- most of it- appropriate.
  • Ate a bag of Firey-Hot Cheetos with Lime.
  • Drank some delicious wine.
  • Drank a lot of coffee.
  • Sang a bunch of God songs for Avodah’s God and Spirituality Program (God Said No by Dan Bern, Always There by Mason Cooper and me, B’tzelem Elohim by Michael Moskowitz and me, God Is God by Steve Earle)
  • Finally got rid of a nasty sinus infection. Thank you Z-Pak.
  • Got two awesome Father’s Day cards from my family.
  • Sang for lots of cabins at cabin time (cabin time is Newman’s bed time ritual)
  • It was “really hot” during the day.  Very cool, almost cold at night.
  • Played a concert with and for Camp Newman.  Best ever, I think. Truly felt like a “wow” moment.

Jacobs Camp, Utica, MS

What’s that?...A Jewish summer camp in the deep south.

What did I do?

  • Flew a red-eye from SFO to Atlanta.  2 hour layover.  Flew from Atlanta to Jackson, MS. Slept one hour.
  • Had breakfast with Adam Tanenbaum.  They DO have bagels in Jackson.
  • Took a hard nap.
  • Had 2 dream visions:  #1 I now know my spirit animal. It is a Quadricorn. #2 The next time I play Flowers Are Red by Harry Chapin I would like for 3 campers to be painting the story in real time on a giant easel in front of camp as they hear it.
  • Ate the best cornbread I have ever had.
  • Ate the best wings I have ever had at camp.
  • Had a rough sound check. Almost chaos.
  • Stayed calm and positive through it all. I think.
  • Gave the best concert I have ever given at Jacobs.
  • Jacobs camp has never sounded better.
  • Had a very meaningful conversation with head song leader, Nick May.
  • Got a sweet gift bag with snacks. I like snacks.
  • Took 3 showers in under 24 hours. It’s hot in MS.

Now: home sweet home

I’m home for a couple of days of recharging and reconnection with Elysha and Ava.

  • So grateful to be home.

  • Time to fold the laundry and wash some dishes.

Getting Technical

Hi everyone,

Several folks have asked for the recording flow of Beautiful and Broken.  
Here it is:

  • Apple iMac
  • ProTools 11 Audio Recording Software
  • Bit Depth: 24
  • Sample Rate: 88.2

For a definition of these terms click here:  http://tweakheadz.com/16-bit-vs-24-bit-audio/

  • Miktek C5 Small Diaphragm Cardioid Pencil Condenser Microphones-Matched Pair (used to record instruments).
  • A-Designs Pacifica Solid State Stereo Microphone Preamplifier (used to record instruments)
  • Avantone CV-12 Multi-Pattern Large Capsule Tube Condenser Microphone (used to record vocals and violin)
  • Universal Audio 6176 Vintage Tube Channel Strip (used to record vocals and violin)
  • Universal Audio Apollo Duo Audio Interface

Dan is going camping!

Dan is leaving for GUCI this morning.   His guitar is tuned.  His jump shot is...not.  This is his 16th summer of camping.  He's excited and ready. How about you!?  We would like to wish everyone a safe, fun, and rewarding experience at camp this summer.  When you see him, say Hi. Snap a Danny.   #DannyCamp16

#CDS: Kutz Camp Episode

Camp Danny 2.jpg

Kutz Camp Episode

Dan interviews Kutz Camp Songleaders- Jacob Spike Kraus and Ryan Leszner. The guys discuss the work, what they've learned and how they've been transformed by camp. Special guests include Trevor Mann with the world's highest falsetto and Danny Wender who gives Dan "the talk" about letting go and embracing the awkward.