We have made plans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of NGP Software, Inc. at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. It will be May 17; more details forthcoming. If you are a friend of the company, a client, a current or ex-employee, you are invited. It will be fun, and a chance for me to thank everyone that made this terrific ten-year ride possible.

I have invited Dan Bern (www.danbern.com) and I am very pleased that he has agreed to come. We will hang out for a couple of hours and then Dan will sing.

A quick note about the music. It is something of a risk, I have learned, to own up to a particular taste in music and make it part of a public event. From my staff so far, response is mixed, from “good choice” to “it’s not party music.” But I trust that most of us will be won over in person.

My choice of artist has some meaning to me. Back in 1998, when my company was just getting going and I was a one-man-band myself, my sister discovered Dan’s music at a concert in Berkeley, California. She liked the performance. And my sister is infectious in her enthusiasm. She bought one of his CDs–Dog Boy Van—and sent it to me.

We like the tunes and the clever, diverse, idiosyncratic and unconventional lyrics.

In early albums, songs that I particularly enjoyed included:

jerusalem

marilyn

king of the world

i'm not the guy

talkin' alien abduction blues

I once pissed off a friend because I played tiger woods at a barbeque in my backyard and he thought it was inappropriate for his small children. If you know the song, you will likely agree that it was not the best choice.

Over the years I kept up with Dan’s music; saw him live a few times in Northern Virginia at the Iota Café and Jammin’ Java; brought friends; and own most of his CDs.

Another song that I like:

god said no

In fact, Dan has a zillion songs. I hope very much that he will let me influence what he sings at my event, especially because a lot of my favorites are in the older albums.

Smartie Mine, for example, is a two CD collection and I like a lot of those:

krautmeyer

joe van gogh

little russian girl

gamblin’ with my love (pete rose)

From My Country II (Music to Beat Bush By)

president

bush must be defeated

my country II

My sister adds:

don't make me leave

another man's clothes

black tornado

oh sister

From fleeting Days

baby bye bye

Anyway, I am looking forward to the party.  Hope to see you there.