After posting the GFA incident of 2012, I feel a big weight has been lifted off my heart. Somehow I feel ready to resume my life by posting all of the blogs all lined up for me. I would publicly love to thank MAURICE SUMMERFIELD for that great magazine I receive every month CLASSICAL GUITAR and his online "FRETSONLY". This months Issue features the phenomenal virtuoso Guitarist/Composer/Teacher and dear friend DAVID LEISNER. Last month had another dear friend DAVID RUSSELL as main interview. Both of these great artists will be part of my "DONNIE AND series" . I have studied with them both. LUCKY ME!!!
I will be turning 64 in April. This year marks the 18th year I have been an active member/performer in the "MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK" program sponsored by the New York City TRANSIT Authority and I am proud to spread the word of the Solo Classical/Jazz/Latin guitar to the regular masses of people around the City. I look back at this desire to reach people with the magic of the Guitar even after my quadruple bypass on March 22nd 2011!!! I was out giving a concert in Times Square in June of that year as part of
"The Taste of Times Square" that is how passionate I am about our great instrument!!!
I have been listening to some of my recorded concerts from decades ago and I must pat myself on the back for some outrageously fast playing!! I don't feel like 63 or soon to be 64 because I have improved tremendously over the decades as I am trying to play "CATCH UP" for all the years I have been too passive in the learning process. Because I have been given this talent, I have taken it for granted and not worked hard for several decades. I have been forcing myself to burn that midnight oil since I have no idea how much longer I will be on mother earth. When you get to my age, people start passing away like crazy and I knew PETE SEEGER from even a few years ago when he gave a concert at the GRAYBAR BUILIDING when I had a gig in the walkway. A cook from the CLEARWATER was a friend of mine in high school and we are still friends after all of these decades! Of course Pete led us in the Village folk scene along with Dylan,Paxton,Ochs,Peter Paul and Mary and so many of the 60's folk scene. I just knew I loved to sing Ballads from the BURL IVES FOLK SONG BOOK! Actor Singer Theodor Bikel was one of my favorites. Joan Baez,Judy Collins ( I met her when I was singing at the bedside of my mother at a hospital in the Bronx. One of the members of Judy's group was in for something. I saw from the corner of my eye someone who looked like Judy Collins go over to a bed. About 10 minutes later while I was playing for my mother I got a tap on my shoulder. I turned around, saw her pretty face and exclaimed "JUDY COLLINS". She told me she enjoyed my playing and that I would be a welcome member of her group if I wanted"! How dumb was I.Young and dumb and flustered.) I would love to be transported back to the 60s again and in a way with the celebration of the Beatles upon us right now, that longing is there.With Pete passing away I have been playing Where have all the flowers GONE and We SHALL overcome a my gigs around the city and will start playing several arrangements and improvisations on the songs I sang and grew up with from the 60's and 70's. Gotta get some Heidi grub before some more posts!
Saturday, February 1, 2014
JIM HALL - MY mentor and dear fried-I miss you so much!!
My dear friend and legendary Jazz Guitarist JIM HALL passed away December 10th 2013. I found out late afternoon Friday December 13th and called his wife at 5:25 pm to offer my condolences and cried profusely while I spoke to her. I have been honored to know Jim Hall since I was a teenager in the 60's. I had only one long lesson with him at his apartment in the Village and he loved my playing. Over the decades we have remained in contact by my showing up at his gigs and with phone calls and letters. I was at his last public performance at the Rose Room in Lincoln Center. I phone him and told him I would be there. I had the best seat in the house as I watched and experienced this genius of our instrument work with two generations of his students : JOHN ABERCROMBIE and PETER BERNSTEIN. I have been crying every day I think of JIM! I am even in tears as I write this post. JIM is so deep in my heart because of his great humanity and searching inquisitiveness.I was at the New School when his Documentary "A LIFE IN PROGRESS" was aired. There was a tribute a couple of years ago by an incredible lineup of the great young guitarists based here in New York and I got a standing room position. Jim was too ill to attend and sent his regards. I have so much of JIMS work on cd and video including his wonderful 3 volumes of masterclasses. His trio video with Wayne Shorter and Michel Petruciani is another GEM. You should all get a copy of his wonderful and only book on Jazz Guitar Improvisation coupled with a video of the name:
Jim was also an incredible arranger always attuned to interesting instrumental combinations. There are several great videos of him on you tube that you should watch especially the Library of Congress interview which lasts about an hour!! I believe his LIFE IN PROGRESS video is also on you tube. More on Jim and Me in a series I will be posting entitled " DONNIE AND ......" . This will be a series of all my dear friends in my musical life who are so well known and appreciated by me.At that last public performance, I hugged Jim as he sat in that wheelchair and told him " Told you I would be here". I then kissed him on his right cheek Something inside told me that this would be our last time together. I needed to let him know how much I loved him and what he meant to me. In my JIM HALL and DONNIE post , I will share how I first met JIM and some beautiful moments I have been privileged to share with him over these decades.
Jim was also an incredible arranger always attuned to interesting instrumental combinations. There are several great videos of him on you tube that you should watch especially the Library of Congress interview which lasts about an hour!! I believe his LIFE IN PROGRESS video is also on you tube. More on Jim and Me in a series I will be posting entitled " DONNIE AND ......" . This will be a series of all my dear friends in my musical life who are so well known and appreciated by me.At that last public performance, I hugged Jim as he sat in that wheelchair and told him " Told you I would be here". I then kissed him on his right cheek Something inside told me that this would be our last time together. I needed to let him know how much I loved him and what he meant to me. In my JIM HALL and DONNIE post , I will share how I first met JIM and some beautiful moments I have been privileged to share with him over these decades.
Why I have been absent for so long- HARRIS BECKER
On December 2nd 2012, The GFA held a Regional Guitar Symposium here in New York and as part of the Festivities, Attendees were given the opportunity to audition for a spot on the evening concert. I am a professional Free lance Guitarist who has been on the New York City Concert scene since the early 60s being a member of the original New York City Classical Guitar Society. I played several concerts produced by the Society and other concert series including the series in the 80/s sponsored by the American Institute of the Guitar. My playing now is even more sharp than in my 20's as I have studied with the best in my craft. For the audition I performed a medley of works by LUIZ BONFA whom I studied with in the early 70's when he visited New York at Mannys Music on 48th Street. I have been playing these Bonfa pieces for over 40 years now and needless to say I can play these even if I were not alive!!! THAT IS HOW SOLID THEY ARE!!! On top of this, I perform at least 5 days a week in public venues around the city as part of MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK. This is my 18th year as part of the organization. I have been performing in public since 1955 as a concert pianist. I am my toughest critic and my audition for this concert spot was flawless. The other " judge" was Gerry Saulter. A couple of years ago I was involved with an exceptional Guitarist in trying to get my colleague a couple of concerts here in New York and HARRIS BECKER promised another concert for my colleague as my friend "Floored everyone" with an exceptional performance. That "Promise" was never followed up on. In fact Mr. Becker ignored several phone calls and emails from my friend so I asked Becker myself for him to be respectful of my colleagues' requests for an answer. I believe that my exclusion from the GFA REGIONAL Evening concert was a form of "PAYBACK" for trying to request HARRIS BECKER to do the right thing. Somehow the other judge GERRY SAULTER was persuaded to knock me out of the concert by Becker. When Martha Masters read the "Final List" of those selected, I was sure my name would be read last and when it was not, I immediately retreated to the men's room and vomited for several minutes. I was so destroyed that I could not attend the rest of the regional. I have spent my life supporting the Guitar Scene here in New York by attending concerts and lectures and master classes by my colleagues even when I had gigs I came from. I felt as though HARRIS BECKER reached into my chest and and pulled my heart out and stomped on it!!!!! I have not been the same since that December 2nd 2012 incident. I even read an article praising Mr. Becker on the excellence of his Long Island Guitar Festival and how wonderful he is. I have been to several of the Long Island Festivals and have even spoken with praise to his face. That is not in question here. He is a concert artist himself so is aware of all the things that are related to a concert tour and must know that arrangements have to be made with all sorts of details to insure a successful concert tour. Anyway I thought long and hard about talking about this on this International pulpit but those of you who know me know that I deal with the truth. I still suffer immensely from this incident. It is the reason why I have drastically curtailed my attendance at my usual friends concerts. I have not felt like blogging at all even when I did promise some friends coverage of their concerts. I have spent my whole life here on the Classical/Jazz Guitar scene and FOLK scene in Greenwich Village.I have even held up my renewal to GFA as a form of protest. I am friends with so many great artists around the world that this post may make them a little surprised that I had to expose this incident in this way. HARRIS BECKER and GERRY SAULTER are guilty of injuring one of the great lovers of our craft here on planet earth - ME DON WITTER JR. - and I at 63 soon to be 64 will not let this be ignored. You two have hurt me deeply with your actions on December 2nd 2012. I have suffered long bouts of depression because of you two. I earned that spot and my playing at the audition was flawless. LUIZ BONFA HIMSELF told me in the 70's when I played his compositions for him.I am a part of the fabric of New York City as I introduce people to the world of the Classical and Jazz Solo Guitar at least 5 days a week. That is how much I love this craft . You can't ignore my presence here. I am on the scene for the duration of my life and thanks to my posting this, I can begin to recover from my deep,deep hurt. I hope I can find it in my heart to forgive especially you HARRIS BECKER for the pain you have caused me over these almost two years.
NJCU CONCERTS COMING UP- DR. ANA MARIA ROSADO
I am proud to announce a great series of concerts to be held at the NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY over the next couple of months. The head of the Guitar Department is Doctor Ana Maria Rosado, an exceptionally gifted Classical Guitar Virtuoso and teacher who I have known since she came from Puerto Rico over 30 years ago! My wife and I were at her 1st Concert in the United States held right here in Brooklyn at the Prospect Park Boat House. More about her in another post. Here are the upcoming concerts:
Sunday February 9th 3pm BERTA ROJAS
Sunday February 23rd 3pm DUO ALTURAS
Wed February 26th 1pm FRANCISCO ROLDAN
Sunday April 27th 3pm DR. ANA MARIA ROSADO with the NJCU orchestra plays the Concerto de ARANJUEZ
The Guitar program headed by my dear friend Dr. Ana Maria Rosado is a very strong one. Francisco Roldan is an exceptionally gifted artist whom I appeared on a concert series sponsored by The American Institute of the Guitar in the 80's and I recently attended a beautifully performed solo recital by this great artist ( Review by me upcoming ). Also recently acquired to the teaching staff is one of the truly young tigers of the Guitar Scene : JOAO LUIZ, one half of the phenomenal Brazil Guitar Duo ( Douglas Lora ). I also recently heard JOAO in a duo concert which I will be reviewing also! JOAO LUIZ is also a gifted composer and arranger!
New Jersey City University is easy to get to by public transportation as a bus from port authority gets you there right at the gates of the campus. I have been to several events on campus over the last 10 or so years and they have all been outstanding and so should these be. For more on the concert series : AMRGuitar@nyc.rr.com
New Jersey City University 2039 John F Kennedy Blvd.W. Jersey www.njcu.edu
Sunday February 9th 3pm BERTA ROJAS
Sunday February 23rd 3pm DUO ALTURAS
Wed February 26th 1pm FRANCISCO ROLDAN
Sunday April 27th 3pm DR. ANA MARIA ROSADO with the NJCU orchestra plays the Concerto de ARANJUEZ
The Guitar program headed by my dear friend Dr. Ana Maria Rosado is a very strong one. Francisco Roldan is an exceptionally gifted artist whom I appeared on a concert series sponsored by The American Institute of the Guitar in the 80's and I recently attended a beautifully performed solo recital by this great artist ( Review by me upcoming ). Also recently acquired to the teaching staff is one of the truly young tigers of the Guitar Scene : JOAO LUIZ, one half of the phenomenal Brazil Guitar Duo ( Douglas Lora ). I also recently heard JOAO in a duo concert which I will be reviewing also! JOAO LUIZ is also a gifted composer and arranger!
New Jersey City University is easy to get to by public transportation as a bus from port authority gets you there right at the gates of the campus. I have been to several events on campus over the last 10 or so years and they have all been outstanding and so should these be. For more on the concert series : AMRGuitar@nyc.rr.com
New Jersey City University 2039 John F Kennedy Blvd.W. Jersey www.njcu.edu
Thursday, October 31, 2013
SEGOVIA LIVES AT THE 92nd Street "Y" / This And That
This past Saturday evening at the 92nd street "Y", here in New York, we celebrated a totally awesome evening of SEGOVIAN proportion in that several of the worlds' great Classical Guitarist paid tribute to the Greatest Guitarist in history by celebrating the 120th year of his birth. I just wanted to touch base with you as I am preparing a very long report on the whole evening of greatness.I am happy to say that I know each and every great artist on the program; some of whom I really count as friends I have not seen in a few years and some whom I have run into when they were in the New York Guitar concert platform. I am a little swamped with performances over the next 3 days but will inch my way through the gathering of the sights and sounds of this great evening so hold on partners as this report on the Segovia Tribute will give you a juicy treat over the next week.
I will be doing an "up close" report on my favorite magazine CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE. The October issue has quite a few entries that I was personally involved with and I had to jump for joy at the bounty of goodies in its' pages and am foaming at the mouth to share them with you!!!
How about that JULIAN BREAM turning 80 and ALIRIO DIAZ turning 90!!!! Two of my great heroes!!! BREAM of course, is not on the concert platform but that ALIRIO is still tearing up the fretboard!!!! My other hero at 70 is known to be ready to hang up his performance spurs:JOHN WILLIAMS!! Say it ain't so Johnny!!! A few years ago I gave myself a treat by attending THREE John Williams concerts in a two week period!!!! For one I actually rode the express train with JOHNNY from New York to Boston where he was picked up by MANUEL BARRUECO and his gorgeous wife!! What a lucky guy I have been in my life to have met so many great artists and none of them were ever stuck up!!!! BREAM was a little brittle when he gave his Master Class at the Manhattan School of Music but apologized for his shortness to me the next day. I have always loved Breams' fantastic way with the guitar. In particular his ability to make music colored with excitement in every performance. I will be posting my own tribute to BREAM this month and hope that somehow he gets a chance to read it!
If you love the Classical Guitar, this coming Monday you must attend a special Lecture/ demo by the incredibly fabulous GARRETT LEE at the Mannes College of Music. My fellow Mannes buddy from 1968-9 FREDERIC HAND will be playing a totally awesome Guitar he built for Fred. I have been to several lectures by Garrett over the last couple of years and he is also one of the finest Guitarists you can imagine. At the past MANNES GUITAR Week, he made my Eliot glow with his beautiful playing. What a treat it was for me to be on the "other end" of the guitar as GARRETT had the most "knowing coaxing" of sound!!! He gave me a fantastic lesson in instrument sensitivity awareness! I point you to his website for a mountain of Guitar knowledge this young man has at his fingertips : leeguitarworks.com. This young man is a GENIUS and a glowing example of a fine human being with one of the most beautiful smiles in human kind! I am proud to know him!!!
I have also recently really revisited the HUMAN GUITAR TORNADO by the name of ELIOT FISK!!!!!!! I will be devoting a separate post to this young man I have known since the late 60's W H E W !!! THAT IS A HELL OF A LONG TIME! My wife and I were in a weekend vacation when we saw that Eliot was giving a concert with his wife and daughter at a College in Bethlehem Pa and we missed it because we had a full day at the HARVEST FESTIVAL in town and I was worn out!!! Told Eliot this past Saturday that we were there but had to pass. I have the local paper which laid out the program. This is one of those times when I kicked myself in the butt for missing my man Eliot!! Sorry buddy. ANYWAY you should all be aware of that unique master ELIOT FISK! Check out his you tube performances! Buy and listen to the 24 Caprices of Paganini and turn it up high! IT WILL BLOW YOU A W A Y !!!!! He is the reincarnation of Liszt and Paganini rolled into one great performance machine!!! He may not be every ones' cup of tea being a bit over the top but he is one of History's greatest musical marvels and you should experience at least once in your lifetime.
That is all for now! It's 1:24am Friday Morning and I have to be at an 8am gig so I had better wrap it up for now.Keep strumming your Guitars out there and see next time at the DONNIE CHANNEL!!!!
I will be doing an "up close" report on my favorite magazine CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE. The October issue has quite a few entries that I was personally involved with and I had to jump for joy at the bounty of goodies in its' pages and am foaming at the mouth to share them with you!!!
How about that JULIAN BREAM turning 80 and ALIRIO DIAZ turning 90!!!! Two of my great heroes!!! BREAM of course, is not on the concert platform but that ALIRIO is still tearing up the fretboard!!!! My other hero at 70 is known to be ready to hang up his performance spurs:JOHN WILLIAMS!! Say it ain't so Johnny!!! A few years ago I gave myself a treat by attending THREE John Williams concerts in a two week period!!!! For one I actually rode the express train with JOHNNY from New York to Boston where he was picked up by MANUEL BARRUECO and his gorgeous wife!! What a lucky guy I have been in my life to have met so many great artists and none of them were ever stuck up!!!! BREAM was a little brittle when he gave his Master Class at the Manhattan School of Music but apologized for his shortness to me the next day. I have always loved Breams' fantastic way with the guitar. In particular his ability to make music colored with excitement in every performance. I will be posting my own tribute to BREAM this month and hope that somehow he gets a chance to read it!
If you love the Classical Guitar, this coming Monday you must attend a special Lecture/ demo by the incredibly fabulous GARRETT LEE at the Mannes College of Music. My fellow Mannes buddy from 1968-9 FREDERIC HAND will be playing a totally awesome Guitar he built for Fred. I have been to several lectures by Garrett over the last couple of years and he is also one of the finest Guitarists you can imagine. At the past MANNES GUITAR Week, he made my Eliot glow with his beautiful playing. What a treat it was for me to be on the "other end" of the guitar as GARRETT had the most "knowing coaxing" of sound!!! He gave me a fantastic lesson in instrument sensitivity awareness! I point you to his website for a mountain of Guitar knowledge this young man has at his fingertips : leeguitarworks.com. This young man is a GENIUS and a glowing example of a fine human being with one of the most beautiful smiles in human kind! I am proud to know him!!!
I have also recently really revisited the HUMAN GUITAR TORNADO by the name of ELIOT FISK!!!!!!! I will be devoting a separate post to this young man I have known since the late 60's W H E W !!! THAT IS A HELL OF A LONG TIME! My wife and I were in a weekend vacation when we saw that Eliot was giving a concert with his wife and daughter at a College in Bethlehem Pa and we missed it because we had a full day at the HARVEST FESTIVAL in town and I was worn out!!! Told Eliot this past Saturday that we were there but had to pass. I have the local paper which laid out the program. This is one of those times when I kicked myself in the butt for missing my man Eliot!! Sorry buddy. ANYWAY you should all be aware of that unique master ELIOT FISK! Check out his you tube performances! Buy and listen to the 24 Caprices of Paganini and turn it up high! IT WILL BLOW YOU A W A Y !!!!! He is the reincarnation of Liszt and Paganini rolled into one great performance machine!!! He may not be every ones' cup of tea being a bit over the top but he is one of History's greatest musical marvels and you should experience at least once in your lifetime.
That is all for now! It's 1:24am Friday Morning and I have to be at an 8am gig so I had better wrap it up for now.Keep strumming your Guitars out there and see next time at the DONNIE CHANNEL!!!!
Sunday, October 20, 2013
David Leisner and Rufus Muller at Symphony Space- FABULOUS!!!!
On Friday October 18th, I was in the audience of one of the finest performances in my life!. As part of the Symphony Space "In the Salon" series, the "Guitar Plus" portion is in its sixth season of chamber music with the guitar with David Leisner as the Artistic Director. I have had the great joy of knowing this great genius for several decades now. David is a triple musical threat as he is an incredible virtuoso Guitarist, Supremely articulate Composer and outstanding teacher. Tonight was a concert to die for as David and the Marvelous Tenor Rufus Muller weaved a perfect web of superlative musicianship which left the audience completely entranced and thoroughly satisfied! Tenor Rufus Muller was sheer perfection on every possible level. His voice has an incredible facility and beauty. When needed he would open up those pipes and shake the rafters with his power and also hush us with delicate whispers perfectly articulated no matter what the volume. I can really appreciate his mastery as I am both a student of the voice and professional Guitarist. Rufus kept me on the edge of going crazy enjoying the beauty of his instrument and his perfect stage presence which brought the character of each and every song to perfect expression. For some songs he was seated and for others standing and producing both facially and bodily ever single nuance required to tell the story of each song. There I was 2nd row center to experience one of the greatest performances in my life "Up Close".
The program was everything composed by British Composer Benjamin Britten for Tenor and Guitar.These lovely gems were produced during a ten year period, 1953-1963 for Britten's partner Tenor Peter Pears and Legendary Guitarist Julian Bream. I was fortunate to have been able to enjoy that original duo of Julian Bream and Peter Pears a couple of times in the late 60s/early 70s and what magic they produced on stage!!!! That magnificent magic was thoroughly realized this night!!! Always superbly in sync for each and every note, David and Rufus knocked the ball out of the park with each and every song perfectly expressing every nuance and emotion requested. David ! OH MY BUDDY! That kid plays a mean Guitar!!!! He uses a great instrument from one of the giants in the history of Guitar making : JOHN GILBERT. John recently passed away but made his mark in the Classical Guitar world with his "Working Instruments"! I recommend you jump on to you tube and feast on the special documentary on John as he shares his craft with you in an easy and matter of fact style. I actually took a class with John at a GFA Convention held in Akron Ohio a couple of decades ago. It was for "Luthiers only" but I thought it was important to be there to get some knowledge of the craft. John Gilbert was completely down to earth and so easy going.
Coming back to tonight's performance, David was ( as usual ) in total command of our lovely instrument with a supreme palette of diverse articulation that only a Master Musician has at his/her disposal. Britten's accompaniments perfectly molded the thoughts expressed in these moving tone poems. The evening was like having a truly gourmet meal produced by two outstanding chefs! Each and every ingredient perfectly measured and blended!
There was no intermission but Laura Kaminsky, Artistic Director of Symphony Space gave us "A Few Thoughts About Benjamin Britten". We learned about the total power of love and faithfulness between Britten and his partner Peter Pears and this was expressed at quite the right time as we are seeing more laws supporting the natural love between two people no matter what their orientation finally going forward!!.
Getting back to the program, I didn't even mention the works: Folk Song Arrangements ( 1956,1958), The Second Lute Song of the Earl of Essex ( from Gloriana,1953) and the Songs from the Chinese, op. 58 (1957). An added plus to the program was the greatest Guitar Work as touted by Julian Bream, Britten's NOCTURNAL,op 70 ( 1963 ). The Nocturnal is seated right in back of me in my front room as I write this post and is one hell of a great piece of music. It is in the format of a theme and variations - REVERSED. That is to say the Variations come before the main theme. The Nocturnal Musically travels through several states of sleep with such creative ingenuity and David Leisner's performance was masterful and sensitive in each and every dream state. It was never in any way a mirror image of the totally awesome Bream recording. I worked on these variations a couple of decades ago just for fun but never completed a final craft of the piece but was so moved by the creativity of the writing that I had to "TASTE IT"! This is one of the finest pieces in our literature and it was stunning in the way David crafted each variation. Tone quality was so pristine and the Leisner " WAND OF MAGIC " was overflowing. It is such majestic playing that makes me proud that I also enjoy the "Taste of the Plucked Universe of Guitar Strings".
Now for some really crazy moments I had leading up to the concert I must share with you!!!!
I was trying to order a senior discount ticket online as per Davids' instructions but got no where. I had my own gig from 4 to 7 pm and figured that I would come straight from the gig with my equipment. Since it was a gorgeous day I decided that no matter what the cost, I would take the easy trip to the box office. I assumed that the Symphony Space Box office would be opened at noon- WRONG. Got there at 12:40 and guard told me they opened at ONE!! Well, took a slow walk up a couple of blocks and found a "Housing Works" store near the corner of Broadway and 96th street. As usual I make a beeline to the books and as my luck would have it , the recently published book on Benjamin Britten authored by Wilson was right there. It was a preview copy with no pictures or music but I said "Get IT" . The price was $5 and I didn't want to pay that as I could easily get a library copy later. I put the book where I could easily remember if I changed my mind. So I head back to the space to buy my ticket at 1pm and who do I bump into - DAVID and his wonderful partner RALPH! I told David I had a 3 hour gig before his performance but that I would be there. He reminded me that the program will be on the short side so I should try to make it on time or miss some of the performance. After paying for my ticket, I decided it would be a hoot to pick up the Britten Biography and read a few pages in preparation for the evening performance. Lo and Behold the book was not where I left it!!!! I slowly canvassed the whole book section and said to myself : Not for me today! As I took a couple of steps away I said: You really want that book so look in every nook and crannie before leaving! As usual for me, I slowed my search down and found the book tucked away on top of one of the lower shelves!!! YEAH! YIPPEE!! On my way back home I glanced at the introduction in which Wilson states that this will not be a "Musical" biography so there were no examples ( which I really wanted ) . I know that there are a couple of books on the Music of Britten but the prices scared me away for now! So instead of staying at my gig from 4 to 7 , I left around 6 and took my Guitar/Amp/Seat back home, kissed my gorgeous wife and decided to leave my Britten Biography home so my listening pleasure would not be too tainted with too much information. I wanted the music to speak to me sound to heart and it surely did all evening!! I must also comment on the excellent program notes and words to the songs! DAVID - You are a glowing example of what it means to be an excellent and thoughtful musician and human being and I am so happy to have such a sensitive person as a part of my life.
David Leisner only works with the best and I look forward to future great performances of this giant of our craft! I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOU RUFUS! I checked out your POSSE of students and fans and it was fun to be encircled with such an outpouring of love for you and your gift! Your singing really,really moved me ( as I told you ).
I know this was a long post but I had so much to share with you and I wanted to get it all in. It is experiences like this that make me feel so "ALIVE". Great Music by and from great Musicians is Priceless and consumes the soul with the deepest of emotions. Damn! It is 2:45 am and I have an early morning gig but it is worth every sleepy moment.I proofed most of this post but hope I got my points clearly across to you. Please forgive me if I goofed. I am dead tired with my eyeballs hanging out their sockets! Later!
The program was everything composed by British Composer Benjamin Britten for Tenor and Guitar.These lovely gems were produced during a ten year period, 1953-1963 for Britten's partner Tenor Peter Pears and Legendary Guitarist Julian Bream. I was fortunate to have been able to enjoy that original duo of Julian Bream and Peter Pears a couple of times in the late 60s/early 70s and what magic they produced on stage!!!! That magnificent magic was thoroughly realized this night!!! Always superbly in sync for each and every note, David and Rufus knocked the ball out of the park with each and every song perfectly expressing every nuance and emotion requested. David ! OH MY BUDDY! That kid plays a mean Guitar!!!! He uses a great instrument from one of the giants in the history of Guitar making : JOHN GILBERT. John recently passed away but made his mark in the Classical Guitar world with his "Working Instruments"! I recommend you jump on to you tube and feast on the special documentary on John as he shares his craft with you in an easy and matter of fact style. I actually took a class with John at a GFA Convention held in Akron Ohio a couple of decades ago. It was for "Luthiers only" but I thought it was important to be there to get some knowledge of the craft. John Gilbert was completely down to earth and so easy going.
Coming back to tonight's performance, David was ( as usual ) in total command of our lovely instrument with a supreme palette of diverse articulation that only a Master Musician has at his/her disposal. Britten's accompaniments perfectly molded the thoughts expressed in these moving tone poems. The evening was like having a truly gourmet meal produced by two outstanding chefs! Each and every ingredient perfectly measured and blended!
There was no intermission but Laura Kaminsky, Artistic Director of Symphony Space gave us "A Few Thoughts About Benjamin Britten". We learned about the total power of love and faithfulness between Britten and his partner Peter Pears and this was expressed at quite the right time as we are seeing more laws supporting the natural love between two people no matter what their orientation finally going forward!!.
Getting back to the program, I didn't even mention the works: Folk Song Arrangements ( 1956,1958), The Second Lute Song of the Earl of Essex ( from Gloriana,1953) and the Songs from the Chinese, op. 58 (1957). An added plus to the program was the greatest Guitar Work as touted by Julian Bream, Britten's NOCTURNAL,op 70 ( 1963 ). The Nocturnal is seated right in back of me in my front room as I write this post and is one hell of a great piece of music. It is in the format of a theme and variations - REVERSED. That is to say the Variations come before the main theme. The Nocturnal Musically travels through several states of sleep with such creative ingenuity and David Leisner's performance was masterful and sensitive in each and every dream state. It was never in any way a mirror image of the totally awesome Bream recording. I worked on these variations a couple of decades ago just for fun but never completed a final craft of the piece but was so moved by the creativity of the writing that I had to "TASTE IT"! This is one of the finest pieces in our literature and it was stunning in the way David crafted each variation. Tone quality was so pristine and the Leisner " WAND OF MAGIC " was overflowing. It is such majestic playing that makes me proud that I also enjoy the "Taste of the Plucked Universe of Guitar Strings".
Now for some really crazy moments I had leading up to the concert I must share with you!!!!
I was trying to order a senior discount ticket online as per Davids' instructions but got no where. I had my own gig from 4 to 7 pm and figured that I would come straight from the gig with my equipment. Since it was a gorgeous day I decided that no matter what the cost, I would take the easy trip to the box office. I assumed that the Symphony Space Box office would be opened at noon- WRONG. Got there at 12:40 and guard told me they opened at ONE!! Well, took a slow walk up a couple of blocks and found a "Housing Works" store near the corner of Broadway and 96th street. As usual I make a beeline to the books and as my luck would have it , the recently published book on Benjamin Britten authored by Wilson was right there. It was a preview copy with no pictures or music but I said "Get IT" . The price was $5 and I didn't want to pay that as I could easily get a library copy later. I put the book where I could easily remember if I changed my mind. So I head back to the space to buy my ticket at 1pm and who do I bump into - DAVID and his wonderful partner RALPH! I told David I had a 3 hour gig before his performance but that I would be there. He reminded me that the program will be on the short side so I should try to make it on time or miss some of the performance. After paying for my ticket, I decided it would be a hoot to pick up the Britten Biography and read a few pages in preparation for the evening performance. Lo and Behold the book was not where I left it!!!! I slowly canvassed the whole book section and said to myself : Not for me today! As I took a couple of steps away I said: You really want that book so look in every nook and crannie before leaving! As usual for me, I slowed my search down and found the book tucked away on top of one of the lower shelves!!! YEAH! YIPPEE!! On my way back home I glanced at the introduction in which Wilson states that this will not be a "Musical" biography so there were no examples ( which I really wanted ) . I know that there are a couple of books on the Music of Britten but the prices scared me away for now! So instead of staying at my gig from 4 to 7 , I left around 6 and took my Guitar/Amp/Seat back home, kissed my gorgeous wife and decided to leave my Britten Biography home so my listening pleasure would not be too tainted with too much information. I wanted the music to speak to me sound to heart and it surely did all evening!! I must also comment on the excellent program notes and words to the songs! DAVID - You are a glowing example of what it means to be an excellent and thoughtful musician and human being and I am so happy to have such a sensitive person as a part of my life.
David Leisner only works with the best and I look forward to future great performances of this giant of our craft! I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOU RUFUS! I checked out your POSSE of students and fans and it was fun to be encircled with such an outpouring of love for you and your gift! Your singing really,really moved me ( as I told you ).
I know this was a long post but I had so much to share with you and I wanted to get it all in. It is experiences like this that make me feel so "ALIVE". Great Music by and from great Musicians is Priceless and consumes the soul with the deepest of emotions. Damn! It is 2:45 am and I have an early morning gig but it is worth every sleepy moment.I proofed most of this post but hope I got my points clearly across to you. Please forgive me if I goofed. I am dead tired with my eyeballs hanging out their sockets! Later!
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Took the summer off.
Hi FOLKS! I took the summer off from performing with the exception of an August 15th Library Concert. I have never taken a rest from performing AT ALL since 1955-my first public performance on piano. It was weird not performing some where around town with the Music Under New York program or any other gigs. It was "Free Flow" time and here we are already in the month of October. I started back a couple of weeks ago. I am still passing up attending concerts , workshops etc. This past week the Great Eduardo Fernandez was in town to give a masterclass and concert. I passed on that also. As I may have mentioned in a previous post. I want to devote the next couple of years to me! I have spent my life supporting my colleagues and friends by attending their concerts,workshops etc . I have been known as the black guy in the suit and the guy with the pad and pen. I should have attended the GFA this year because many friends were there and I really wanted to go but changed my mind at the last minute since it was just before the Mannes Guitar Seminar. You can catch an excellent report on the GFA in this month's CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE by the always brilliant GRAHAM WADE. I particularly enjoyed his description of the super virtuoso players in detail. He is right on the money in all his acute coverage of the event.I will be giving you a glimpse into this wonderful magazine CLASSICAL GUITAR in my next post. The October issue is chuck full of several great articles which I want to talk about as I was involved in a couple.
I must admit that I have withdrawn from both the Jazz and Classical Guitar scene in an effort to make up for my not really honing my craft all these decades. I should have been a prominent name in the Classical and Jazz Guitar worlds but did not really bust my chops at all. I was given a great talent but am so embarrassed that I did not work harder at developing it. I am doing it now and it feels so darn great. I have spent some time listening to several decades of my concerts and whew! I was a young monster! I am particularly
proud of where I am at this point because I can truly enjoy the learning process.
The Internet has so much lesson material it is way too much! I have developed some sizable bags under my eyes thanks to investigating so many lessons and will be sharing with you many of the sites I have found worthy of you time and investigation. For a couple of mentions, Check out the Classical Guitar lessons with JASON VIEAUX and the posts of GOHAR VARDANYAN ( strings by mail , Mel Bay ). I also will be reminiscing on the greats who have passed by me in my guitar life here in New York. I have been very fortunate to have met the legends and cream of the crop of our Classical and Jazz Guitar scene. I was at the right places at the right time and am happy to have had such a wealth of greats in my life!! I was fortunate to have been active in the 60's onward - especially in the 60s/70s in the Greenwich Village Folk Scene at Folk City and Cafe Wha plus a few other folk scenes! I was fortunate to have met Judy Collins who told me she loved my playing and that I would be a welcome member to her group if I were interested. While a student at The High School of Music and Art, many notable artists were in my classes who we knew would make it big in the music world. The memories are pouring out as I write these few words down and I want to share them with you in future posts. I am also cleaning up my writing prowess trying to curtail my usual out of control forward motion as I know I am excitable when I start my gabbing.
I also want to write a special post dedicated to the host of great colleagues/friends/teachers who have graced my life with their love and passion for our great and noble instrument. I will not start listing them now because I have many that have passed on and people have forgotten so I want to start a complete list.
ME AND MUNY
One of the finest things I have done is to be a part of the MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK PROGRAM. The Musicians in and around the New York City Subway System like myself make this world a better place by sharing our Music with any and every one. I have performed in so many special events for the last 17 years and am honored to please people by introducing them to The World of the Classical and Jazz Guitar. Every time I put this instrument in my hands, I soar into the realm of the Gods in an effort to play the most beautiful Music I can muster on these 6 strings. The LAP PIANO( coined by the great legendary 7string master GEORGE VAN EPS ). I have been a judge for several years on the panel and we have a great group of excellent musicians in the program and I will also be posting a blog devoted to this wonderful organization.
THOSE GUITARS!!!!
We are in the golden age of Classical Guitar Construction!!! Traditional fan bracing, Lattice, Double tops and so many other styles of construction! W H E W !!!!!! Another post on some thoughts about this topic to be posted by me.
MORE TO COME KIDDIES!!!
I must admit that I have withdrawn from both the Jazz and Classical Guitar scene in an effort to make up for my not really honing my craft all these decades. I should have been a prominent name in the Classical and Jazz Guitar worlds but did not really bust my chops at all. I was given a great talent but am so embarrassed that I did not work harder at developing it. I am doing it now and it feels so darn great. I have spent some time listening to several decades of my concerts and whew! I was a young monster! I am particularly
proud of where I am at this point because I can truly enjoy the learning process.
The Internet has so much lesson material it is way too much! I have developed some sizable bags under my eyes thanks to investigating so many lessons and will be sharing with you many of the sites I have found worthy of you time and investigation. For a couple of mentions, Check out the Classical Guitar lessons with JASON VIEAUX and the posts of GOHAR VARDANYAN ( strings by mail , Mel Bay ). I also will be reminiscing on the greats who have passed by me in my guitar life here in New York. I have been very fortunate to have met the legends and cream of the crop of our Classical and Jazz Guitar scene. I was at the right places at the right time and am happy to have had such a wealth of greats in my life!! I was fortunate to have been active in the 60's onward - especially in the 60s/70s in the Greenwich Village Folk Scene at Folk City and Cafe Wha plus a few other folk scenes! I was fortunate to have met Judy Collins who told me she loved my playing and that I would be a welcome member to her group if I were interested. While a student at The High School of Music and Art, many notable artists were in my classes who we knew would make it big in the music world. The memories are pouring out as I write these few words down and I want to share them with you in future posts. I am also cleaning up my writing prowess trying to curtail my usual out of control forward motion as I know I am excitable when I start my gabbing.
I also want to write a special post dedicated to the host of great colleagues/friends/teachers who have graced my life with their love and passion for our great and noble instrument. I will not start listing them now because I have many that have passed on and people have forgotten so I want to start a complete list.
ME AND MUNY
One of the finest things I have done is to be a part of the MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK PROGRAM. The Musicians in and around the New York City Subway System like myself make this world a better place by sharing our Music with any and every one. I have performed in so many special events for the last 17 years and am honored to please people by introducing them to The World of the Classical and Jazz Guitar. Every time I put this instrument in my hands, I soar into the realm of the Gods in an effort to play the most beautiful Music I can muster on these 6 strings. The LAP PIANO( coined by the great legendary 7string master GEORGE VAN EPS ). I have been a judge for several years on the panel and we have a great group of excellent musicians in the program and I will also be posting a blog devoted to this wonderful organization.
THOSE GUITARS!!!!
We are in the golden age of Classical Guitar Construction!!! Traditional fan bracing, Lattice, Double tops and so many other styles of construction! W H E W !!!!!! Another post on some thoughts about this topic to be posted by me.
MORE TO COME KIDDIES!!!
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