poet, interviewer, musician, traveler
If you have a time machine, you can watch me earlier today on News10 NBC here in Rochester, talking about the Whitman event.
If you have a radio or computer, you can hear me tomorrow (Wednesday) at 3:30 p.m. on Jack Mindy’s show on Jazz90.1. The station is at 90.1 FM, or on the Internet.
Comments closedAs I’ve mentioned before, I serve on the board of Abundance Cooperative Market, Rochester’s only shareholder-owned natural food store. The natural and organic food market is really growing. How can you tell? Wal-MArt wants a piece of the action. Oy!
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Sigh.
That’s what I’m left with as far as words go. I just spent the evening listening to one of my favorite singers in the world, the delightful Claudia Acuna. She did two sets at the Lodge at Woodcliff, and it was one of those nights that ended too soon.
I walked into the club more than 30 minutes early, but there were no tables. As I was looking for a single seat, I bumped into Pete McCrossen, the general manager of the hotel. I’ve known Pete for several years, ever since he started the current jazz series at Woodcliff, back when I was at Jazz90.1. Pete’s a stand-up guy who loves the music, and who brings in amazing A-list artists and presents them for free (!) at his hotel.
Pete graciously invited me to join he and his wife at their table. The three of us had a nice chat — Pete’s been on the Rochester scene for a long time, and he has lots of good stories. The three of us watched the first set, which was almost all new music that has yet to find its way onto an album. The new band is really hip. It features Claudia’s longtime musical soulmate Jason Lindner on piano and keyboard, Juancho Herrera on guitar, YaYo Serka on drums, and Omar Avital on bass. (Keepin’ it real, I have to say that her band with John Benitez and Gene Jackson was the bomb, and pretty hard to top, but this band is wonderful in its own right.)
After the first set, Gap Mangione came and sat down at our table, followed shortly by Claudia. The five of us swapped stories and jokes and just generally had a blast. I always enjoy hanging with Gap because he’s seen it all and is happy to take the time to tell you about it. During the break, I asked Claudia if the band could play “Esta Tarde Vi Llover,” one of my favorite tunes from her MaxJazz album Luna. I told her not to worry if they don’t play that tune anymore, and I got the sense that they probably don’t.
The second set kicked off, and tune #2 was … “Esta Tarde Vi Llover.” And it blew the doors off the place, evolving into a jam that lifted everyone in the room about an inch off the ground. The whole second set was that way — including a creative version of John Lennon’s “Imagine” and another great tune from Luna called “Historias,” which ended the set. A little more chatting with Claudia and the McCrossens, and it was time for me to head home, elated and enchanted.
UPDATE: Check out my review of the show at All About Jazz.
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Don’t forget to keep some space in your schedule on Wednesday or Thursday evening. Vocalist Claudia Acuna will be performing at the Lodge at Woodlcliff from 7:30-10:30 p.m. both nights. Direction to the Lodge are at woodclifflodge.com.
Celebrating Whitman: America’s Poet is looking like a success, but we still need some more folks to buy tickets for the dinner and show. Click on the event title at the beginning of this paragraph for more information on how to get tickets. And remember, the reading begins at 2 p.m. That’s free with museum admission. The dinner/show begins at 5 p.m. It’s $30 for a single ticket, or $55 for a couple for dinner and a live one-man show. Not bad at all!
I’ve been reading Douglas Adams’s book The Salmon Of Doubt (Amazon.com), in which he’s pretty effusive about his passion for technology. That’s got me jazzed about tecnology, too, so I’m writing this entry on my Palm. My only problem with this little gadget is that its Wi-Fi is shot, which renders it a lot less cool than it was. Getting it fixed sounds like the obvius solution — but that means being without my calendar and contacts for however long the repair takes. In a job like mine, that’s like being without my brain. Maybe a better way to say that is that with a brain like mine, losing this little zappy is like giving myself a lobotomy.
I really love Douglas Adams. When I was in high school — or maybe junior high — in the 80’s, I discovered the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy books. Around that same time, my friend Steve Davis leant me a cassette tape of the HHGTTG radio series. In fact, this series of tapes has now become like the Holy Grail. The history of HHGTTG in all its forms is hard to trace — from radio to books to LPs to TV to CDs to a movie to radio again. Or something like that. Anyway, somewhere in there they re-recorded the radio series. I think they did that to switch some bits so’d they’d be more like the book. I’m still not sure whether they redid the whole serires or just parts of it, but I think that first version I heard on cassette as a teenager is still the funniest version. I guess there’s nothing for it but to check on eBay. Maybe that’s an appropriately futuristic way to find something by Douglas Adams.
Comments closedI’m writing this post from my cousin Lynne’s house in Albany, NY. Jen and the boys and I came here yesterday on the Maple Leaf — an Amtrak train that runs from Toronto to NYC. Round-trip tickets for all four of us (John was free), cost about $130. And let me tell you, it was worth every penny.
The trip from Rochester to Albany took about 4 1/2 hours, just a bit longer than it takes in a car if you don’t stop. The big difference, though, was in the whole vibe of the trip. It was really family friendly — a roomy train with lots of space that allowed all of us to move around, cuddle, and talk to one another. If you’re traveling with a baby, you can’t beat it. John fell asleep at about 1 p.m. (an hour before we got on the train), and didn’t wake up until my cousin picked us up at the Albany station. Not bad at all.
Bernie was so excited he could hardly stand it. He loves his cousins Jack and Grace, so the whole concept of the trip was thrilling. Add the train on top of that, and you’ve got one very happy boy!
Train travel in the U.S. is certainly way behind train travel in Japan, unless you live in the NYC-Boston corridor. But it’s out there, and worth a little investigation if you’re thinking of taking a trip. Leave the driving to someone else, and stretch out with a book as you glide down the tracks. It’s a heck of a way to travel.
Comments closedYou can visit this link for more information on the Walt Whitman event I’m producing with Connie Bodner. PLEASE NOTE: You must reserve your tickets for the dinner/show portion of the event by Monday, May 1!
Comments closedTonight I went with a friend to see a performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ wonderful Symphony No. 1: A Sea Symphony. It was performed by the Eastman-Rochester Chorus, the Eastman Chorale, and the Eastman Philharmonia. I went to see it because the text of the symphony is by Walt Whitman. I’d never heard the piece, but as soon as I got home, I picked up a copy. If you’d like to get one, here are two links:
Amazon.com
Sea Symphony
iTunes
Sea Symphony
If you’re a fan of good music, you should be planning on two trips to the Lodge at Woodcliff in the very near future.
Photo by Bruce C. Moore
The wonderful jazz singer Tierney Sutton is playing at Woodcliff on April 25 and 26. The shows start at 7:30 p.m. and run until 10:30 p.m., with a break in the middle. There’s no cover charge, although there’s a bar and an excellent restaurant in the performance space.
If you’ve never seen Tierney Sutton, you need to be at this show. She’s a wonderful interpreter of songs, and her band is top-notch and swingin’.
Then, on May 10 and 11, head back to Woodcliff for one of my favorite singers and favorite people, the magical Claudia Acuna. Claudia’s shows will leave you feeling better about life, and she’s are a must-see for latin music fans, too. Again, the shows run from 7:30-10:30 p.m.
One CommentOn Sunday, May 21, 2006, I’m producing (along with my good friend Connie Bodner) an event called CELEBRATING WHITMAN: AMERICA’S POET. This special event starts at 2 p.m. at Genesee Country Village with a reading of the 1855 version of Song of Myself, Walt Whitman’s famous poem about America from his seminal book, Leaves of Grass. The 52 sections of the poem will be read by 52 people from all walks of life — workers, students, teachers, clergy, politicians, parents, scholars. The reading will take about three hours (with breaks), and it will take place in the Brooks Grove Church at Genesee Country Village in Mumford. This beautiful church was built in 1854, the year before Leaves of Grass was published. The reading is FREE with museum admission, and you’re welcome to come for the whole thing or for a part of it.
Following the reading at 5 p.m. will be a 19th-century dinner and a performance at 6 p.m. by actor Will Stutts of his one-man Whitman play. Will has worked in one-man shows as much as any actor alive. He’s performed more than 1,000 times for more than one million people. Tickets for the dinner and show are $30 each, or $55 for two. You can purchase tickets by calling Melanie Baldeck at Genesee Country Village at (585) 538-6822 x218. You can also send an e-mail to Melanie.
In the weeks ahead of the reading, I’ll be taking some local poets into area classrooms to talk about Whitman and to read his work and the guest poets’ work. If you’re an educator and you’d like to know more about this free in-class presentation, call me at (585) 469-8434, or simply respond to this message.
Finally, we have a few slots left for readers on May 21. If you’d like to take part in the live reading of Song of Myself, please respond to this message as soon as possible.
I’d like to think that this is the kind of once-in-a-lifetime event that makes Rochester a special place to live, and I hope you’ll come out to support it. If you’d like to order tickets, please call soon to help us budget for the dinner.
Thanks for your continued support of my projects. See you on Sunday, May 21!
Comments closedThe lineup for the 5th Annual Rochester International Jazz Festival was announced this morning at Max of Eastman Place. The list of artists gets better each year, and this year’s festival looks like it will be a fantastic party.
One of the coolest parts of the festival experience in recent years has been watching as more and more people hop on to the festival train. I’ve written before about the need for the city of Rochester to embrace the festival — not for altruistic reasons, but for its own economic benefit. (The cultural benefits are wonderful, too, but they’re usually not enough of an enticement to move a government to action. Maybe some day that will change.) As you can see in the picture below, Mayor Duffy is stepping up the city’s involvement with the festival, and he seems genuinely excited to do it.
Another sign of the increasing support for the RIJF is the expanding media coverage. Today’s press conference was covered by all the networks, and broadcast live (for the 5th year running) by Jazz90.1. Here’s a shot of the media in action:
Now for the lineup. It’s phenomenal. Rather than list the entire thing, which you can find for yourself at RochesterJazz.com, I’ll give you my picks for the must-see shows of the festival. Remember, all musical opinions are subjective, so check the music out for yourself ahead of time and make your own decisions. I’m going to go night by night and plan out an itinerary. In other words, you could actually see all the shows I’m going to list, as long as you walk fast, and maybe leave before the last song.
Friday, June 9
This first night features two groups in the 10 p.m. slot. Jazz-rock fans should probably check out the Mahavishnu Project, while soul-jazzheads should see the Henderson-Schonig trio.
Saturday, June 10
Sunday, June 11
Monday, June 12
Tuesday, June 13
Wednesday, June 14
This is a tough, tough night. The first three acts listed are all playing at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., and they’re all on my must-see list. So that means you’ll have to miss one and see the other two. Oy!
Thursday, June 15
Friday, June 16
Saturday, June 17
The final night! This night is filled with international artists about whom I know nothing, so consider it a grab bag of goodies and experiment for yourself. The only thing I know for sure is that you should see…
Remember, this list doesn’t even include most of the great free acts at the Jazz Street Stage on Gibbs St. or the East Avenue Stage. These acts include hundreds of area students, playing on the same stage as headliners. It’s a chance for you to get a glimpse of the future of the music. The student acts will be selected by Alan Tirre and Bill Tiberio, two of Rochester’s finest, so you know they’ll be good. There’s so much to see!
And here’s a very important tip: PLAN AHEAD. You’ll see more music and have a better time if you know where you want to be. You don’t have to have every night planned out, but make sure you leave time to stand in line for the things you really want to see. Tickets for the Eastman shows go on sale at Ticketmaster outlets on Friday, April 7. Club Passes are on sale now, too. Remember, it’s all at RochesterJazz.com.
Enjoy!
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Our three-year-old son, Bernie, has reached another milestone. Ever since he was a toddler, we’ve been putting him to bed by reading books and then laying with him until he falls asleep. In fact, for the first year or so of the routine, we read books and sang songs.
Two nights ago, I read him his books, and then turned off the light. He gave me a kiss and said, “Daddy, will you leave so I can go to sleep?”
“You want me to leave?” I asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
So I left. He turned over, cuddled under his covers, and went to sleep on his own. He did the same thing last night and tonight. It’s exciting to see, and also nice for us, because it puts us back on adult time much earlier. We still have the nice ritual of snuggling and reading books, but he’s comfortable enough now to stay by himself in his room while he falls asleep.
I was talking to a good friend the other day who mentioned that kids seem to go through a developmental leap each spring. She’s seeing it with her daughter, and we’ve really noticed it with Bernie. I ascribed the change to John’s birth. I figured that maybe Bernie just decided to act more like an older brother. Whatever the reason, he’s certainly becoming more grown-up by the day.
When you have your first child, you’re deluged with cliches about how fast the child will grow up. As much as you think you’re ready for it, you’re not. Bernie has gone from a five pound preemie to an active boy in the blink of an eye. It didn’t always seem like a blink along the way, but it sure seems that way now.
Comments closedThis short essay is worth a look, if you’re interested in how the future of humankind might play out. Or even if you’re not.
When you’re finished with that, head over to SignWall.com and see the newest additions to this rapidly growing online museum of vanishing urban history.
Comments closedToday is Jen and my 10th wedding anniversary. Ten years ago today, Jen and I were in the foothills of the Tucson mountains with my grandparents Dot and Bernie Flanders, my aunt Linda and uncle Richard, my two cousins Tammy and Todd, Jen’s brother Sandy, and our friends David Gordon and Priscilla Havlis. We were married by a justice of the peace in front of my aunt and uncle’s house on a beautiful Sonoran Desert afternoon.
The wedding party was small because we were planning to travel back east for two receptions — one in Pennsylvania and one in upstate New York. We got married when we did because were about to move overseas. Or so we hoped.
A small wedding was a fantastic idea. David (my best man) and I had a relaxed morning before the wedding, stopping at Baggins Sandwiches to eat a little food and chat. Then we headed to Michaels Crafts and bought some ribbon to string between chairs so we could create a little aisle to walk down for the wedding. Jen and Priscilla made some flower arrangements at my aunt and uncle’s house.
Shortly before the wedding, Dave and I arrived at the house to change into our wedding clothes. I wore a vintage 1930’s blue pinstriped wool suit. Yup — a wool suit for a desert wedding. That’s macho! And stupid! Jen wore a beatiful cream colored silk outfit with a sleeveless blouse and pants. Her hair was long and flowing and she looked gorgeous.
Dave and I set up chairs for the guests, and hung the ribbon from the chairs to make the aisle. We also set up a semi-circle of rocks, inside of which Jen and I stood during the ceremony. Dave is an artist, and he actually made my gold wedding band. Jen’s wedding ring was a family heirloom given to me by my mother.
We walked down the aisle to a Yo-Yo Ma/Bobby McFerrin tune from their album Hush. The JP did his thing, and we said our vows. Mine included a verse from the song “Sweet Lorraine” — When it’s raining I don’t miss the sun / For that’s when my baby smiles. / And to think that I’m the lucky one / Who will lead her down the aisle. I’m not sure whether Jen heard any of that, because she cried throughout the ceremony. I tried not to take it personally.
Following the ceremony, I walked over to the JP with a check to pay him for his services. He said he only took cash. Dave overheard and went in the house to ask my grandfather whether he had any money. Grandpa came up with the $75, and I avoided going to jail, or whatever happens when you don’t pay the JP.
Then it was off in my grandparents’ white Chevy Corsica (complete with cans hanging off the bumper and the traditional “Just Married” sign) to La Indita, a great Mexican restaurant in downtown Tucson. The whole gang was there, and we had a great dinner on the outdoor patio behind the restaurant. The patio was surrounded by vine-covered trellises filled with singing birds. Dave made a lovely toast, and Jen and I danced our wedding dance to Chet Baker’s recording of “Time After Time.”
When we got back to our apartment (a guest house on Dodge Blvd. that Dave Gordon described fondly as a “hole”), Dave had put flowers on the bed and lit candles around the apartment. Given the dry weather, it’s fairly surprising that the guest house didn’t burn down.
I’m pretty sure that most folks we knew thought the marriage wouldn’t last, but they were wrong. Here we are, 10 years, two kids, five states, and two countries later, more in love than ever.
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