Big news to share about the CD release show Jan. 4!

By Ted Slowik

The moment I wrote "Red Rover" back in March I knew it was a song worth recording in the studio. I'm very excited to say that the completion of the debut CD "Comfort Zone" is closer than ever! It's looking like the six-song collection could be available for sale in early December for just $5 through TedSlowikMusic.com.

"Comfort Zone" is a great collection of six tunes with help from some very good musician friends John Condron, Bill Aldridge, Pat Otto and Aly Flood. There's a range of acoustic stories on the record, from the sweet love song "Red Rover" to the rocker "Hinsdale" and a bunch more. While the mixing and mastering process is moving along, Brent Moats has come up with a great design for the CD, inside and out. The front and back covers are shared here for the first time!

The best way I could think to celebrate the release of a debut CD at age 48 was to ask as many friends as possible to help make it a very special evening of music. Thanks to Triz, the CD release show will be Saturday, Jan. 4, at Chicago Street Pub in Joliet. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Chris Corkery will open the evening with a set sometime after 9.

Lyons Township High School classmates and Suspended Animation bandmates Ron Kostka on drums and Rich Westrick on keyboards will then join me for an hour-long acoustic set of songs from the record and other originals with a special appearance by Aly Flood.

As much fun as that will be, the evening then gets even BIGGER when guitarist/singer/songwriter Chuck Pelkie from the band Blind Whiskey joins us on electric guitar while I switch to bass for the final hour. Chuck and I went to college together and worked at the same newspaper and his involvement takes the night to a higher level.

As if that wasn't big enough, the evening will be capped off with a special appearance by vocalist/harmonica player George Joch and a one-night-only reunion of the 2000s-era lineup of the Big Eddy Springs Blues Band! Yes, Big Eddy is coming out of retirement for this very special occasion, and you won't want to miss it!

That's the big news for the week. But before I forget, on Monday night I finished writing the new song "Support Joe Hosey" and uploaded the first video demo of it to YouTube. I performed it for the first time publicly Wednesday night at Tribes Alehouse Mokena and it's a fun one! It's also the quickest of any video demo I've posted to hit 200 views. It's only two minutes and twenty-four seconds long, so check it out and show your support for Joe Hosey!