Inara George & Van Dyke Parks.

Saw them last night at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica. What a wonderful evening of music! Inara's voice was familiar to me before - probably from "Morning Becomes Eclectic" on NPR in Los Angeles but otherwise I had never heard of her. Parks, of course, is known (among many other things) as the lyricist on The Beach Boys' infamous Smile album - the one Brian Wilson abandoned but later released in 2004.

First time I've seen either of these performers in person. I found myself dozing during the show - and that's not a bad thing. I didn't fall asleep and I didn't miss a bit of the concert. It's just that Inara's voice, the pictures she paints with her songs, the lyrics and the music happily lulled me to this very comfortable place, which made listening to both Inara's and Van Dyke's performances extra special.

Obviously I loved the show as I bought two of Inara's CD's after the show - on sale! I was fortunate to have been invited by my new Julie who just so happened to be Inara's music instructed at Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga Canyon when Inara was just a child.

Thank you, Julie, for the invitation. Gonna miss McCabe's as a music venue (once I move). Great show, indeed. Oh - check out the websites for both Inara George and Van Dyke Parks.