A few months ago, I ordered the cd “Random Milestones” from the Stehly/DeChellis project. I have done many readings with Burton Stehly, and I am always struck by a few things: His distinct voice as he tells his stories, his ability to connect the audience to the characters on an emotional level, and his ability to just stand up and tell a seamless tale without reading anything. He just talks to you.
Combining his storytelling with the evocative keyboard sounds of Dan DeChellis, the duo have a pretty damn good thing going. I have mentioned that Stehly tells stories that make you stop what you are doing and just listen. No multi-tasking, just presence. You have to give that to these guys. I have also mentioned that some of the pieces really hit me in the heart, most notably the story about the woman at the check out line and the story about the dog named Pepper. “Pepper” will get to you, trust me. I am still thinking about that dog. This was a cool listen, and if you have the chance to check them out, you should.
