Love songs from '50s and '60s

It may not sound like big news, because she has already made about 20 of them.

But this one is special, Orcas islander Susan Osborn says, because it consists of love songs from the '50s and '60s -- songs like "Alfie," "Moon River," and many others that her parents listened to while she was growing up.

"They're songs that are real and have special meaning to those who are living with someone, because they're very honest renditions," she says, explaining that whenever she sings them, she thinks fondly of her husband, local artist, musician and actor David Densmore.

The songs also represent a bit of a new direction for this renowned vocalist who has spent much of her professional life in Japan, and whose CDs have won her renown in that country.

Why the new direction? "It's living here on Orcas Island. I'm hooked," Susan says, admitting that she has spent all of this last year here at home, and intends to cut back on her work elsewhere.

Susan is accompanied on the CD by Kentaro Kihara, a pianist who is a graduate of the Berkeley School of Music, in Boston, and is noted for his jazz-oriented music. The pair met in Tokyo on one of Susan's trips to Japan. Last December Susan invited him to be her accompanist at her annual Christmas concerts, which are now considered one of the special components of the holiday season here on the island.

Kihara won't be accompanying Susan this December. Instead, she'll be joined by island musicians Martin Lund and Gene Nery at the concerts which will once again take place at the Victorian Valley Chapel. They'll be presented Dec. 20-23 at 7:30 p.m., and Dec, 24, Christmas Eve, at 7 and 10 p.m. Tickets for all the concerts are now on sale at The Darvill Gallery.

Susan's new CD, meanwhile, is now available at Darvill's Bookstore even though it won't be officially released until Jan. 15. At that time the CD will be found at stores throughout the United States and in many parts of Asia.

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