Sunday, September 26, 2010

Time Flys!

I can't believe that my last post was July 28th. Just to let you know I have been working on my post of the Great German Guitarist,Pia Gazarek-Offermann. We have exchanged e-mails recently as I am beginning to firm up the content of my review. There are many angles I am looking at and I only want the best of my ideas to grace this blog. Just to let you know that I am still playing around town as part of Music Under New York. I have just started my "60th BIRTHDAY CONCERT TOUR" of the Public Library System and for the next year will continue to spread these concerts out over hopefully all 5 boros of New York!

Last night Sunday,September 26th, BEN VERDERY gave one hell of a great Concert at the RUBIN MUSEUM OF ART in Manhatten.I will post a review either later today or tomorrow.I have known Ben since the mid 70's. This man is a genius in every which way and we must be proud that he is using our great instrument to strut his stuff!!! At 55 he continues to show us the way in so many areas. He is one of the greatest instrumentalists in HISTORY! What a creative composer!He has such a wonderful sense of humor.I was in my usual seat right under him,front row center and just ATE IT UP!!! This was the 1st concert in which I did not write notes. I just enjoyed watching him work that 2002/2003 Greg Smallman and Sons Cedar Topped Guitar. He let me taste it just after he received it in 2002 and it was a JEWEL! Easy to play no matter what you had to do! When you have a Guitar like this, you can have the whole gamut of musical expression ready at your fingertips and Ben surely showed us this facility all evening! It didn't matter if he had to make a super pianissimo or a spine shaking rasgueado, the guitar said "NO SWEAT"!.I thoroughly enjoyed just watching those hands work their magic with the music! Shadings,colors,apt tempos- everything was top notch! Ben has so many pots cooking on his musical stove all of the time that it is amazing that he has time to sleep and eat plus be a parent and husband! Several decades ago, Ben distinguished himself as a great interpreter of BACH and started his Concert tonight with the 6th Cello Suite. What a glorious performance he gave especially of the Sarabande which was so deep and moving.I was honored to be a part of the audience as this Concert was especially prepared to reflect the content of the present exhibition. I will get more into this when I deliver the review later. Any Benjamin Verdery performance is worth breaking your neck to get to,so don't ever miss him!!!!. Speak to you in a few.