Well, dear readers, first things first – Richard Sherman came by yesterday to get some copies of Unsung Sherman Brothers. It was such a treat to hand it to him – these three unrealized projects broke the brothers’ hearts back then, so to finally have this material out in the world for folks to hear has made him and me very happy. To hold a finished CD in his hands less than four weeks after I first proposed the idea to him is actually mind-boggling. So, here he is, holding the CD.
We had another nice, long chat while he was here. Prior to that I’d gotten nine hours of blessed sleep, got up, answered e-mails and did some work on the computer. Then Richard came by and we spent our hour together. Then I did a two-and-a-half mile jog, the continued listening to the wonderful Brubeck music, making a couple of incredible discoveries along the way. I hadn’t heard a few of these albums before, so I had no idea that there was another album besides Bernstein Plays Brubeck Plays Bernstein with a full orchestra, conducted by brother Howard. That album is absolutely incredible – it’s called Brandenburg Gate: Revisited, and the first track is this amazing eighteen-minute piece, which was originally done as a quartet on an earlier album. But the entire album is with orchestra and it’s a classic. Then there was one other long sixteen-minute piece on the album Time Changes that also had an orchestra, and that piece was equally great – it’s called Elementals. But the quartet stuff is the heart and soul of Brubeck and the ones featuring his own compositions are my favorites. Once again, I cannot recommend this box set highly enough.
Then it was time for dinner with friends. We ended up going to Du-Par’s where I had the same exact thing I’d have the night before – small Caesar and mac-and-cheese. It was really kind of yummilicious. Dinner lasted a good two hours with lots of conversation and fun. Then I came back home.
Whilst listening to more Brubeck I buckled down, Winsocki and began finessing the commentary for the November Kritzerland show. Since it’s a show we’re repeating, I have the old commentary – but I have to tell you, it was our fifth show and I did not have the commentary thing down so well, so I’m having to really add stuff and make it more fun and informative. I think I finally got the hang of the commentary around show nine or ten. And I’ve switched up some material, too, so that requires new commentary. I should be able to finish it by this evening, I think.
Today, I will write, eat, jog, hopefully pick up packages, the few CDs that didn’t get shipped on Friday because we ran out of boxes, will go out today. Plus lots of planning to do for The Brain now and trying to lock in our ensemble so we can get them the music and they can learn it all. Then at some point I suppose I’ll relax. Of course we’re hoping for a day and frankly a week with no irritants, so do send excellent vibes and xylophones for no irritants or mine fields or annoyances.
Tomorrow I’m waiting to hear if I’m supping with the Shermans so he can sign his musical quotes for the Indiegogo folks, otherwise I have a lot of the usual stuff to do. Wednesday are auditions with the theatre students of Calabasas High for the Richard Sherman evening we’re doing in December. It was my idea that rather than bring in singers as we did when we did this at LACC we would use kids from the department. I think that makes it fun for them and fun for us, too. About twenty-three kids are auditioning – Sami doesn’t have to because, you know, I know her work and I already know what she’s singing. Thursday is a work session with Kay Cole and John Boswell, Friday I’ll try for a ME day, since the weekend if booked and full with recording the Kay Cole album. And then things get REALLY busy, so we’re going to try and mix her album quickly and get it done.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, eat, jog, hopefully pick up packages, lock in the Brain ensemble, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite pasta dishes, from the most simple to the most extravagant? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have placed Unsung Sherman Brothers directly into the hands of Richard Sherman.