Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much relaxed fish, listening to the brilliant Bill Evans play piano alongside the equally brilliant Toots Thielemans playing harmonica like no one has ever played harmonica – on bass and drums are Mark Johnson and Eliot Zigmund. I spent most of the evening starting to prepare our next two releases, and also doing final editing for a chapter I wrote for an upcoming book on game changing musicals, my chapter dealing with Cabaret. I found several errors, so sent those corrections in, and once they fix those, it’ll be good to go. I gather the book will be out towards the end of the year. When I know more, I will, of course, let you all know. Prior to all that, I did watch a motion picture entitled And Justice for All, a film I certainly enjoy and like, but which is a little go glib for its own good. It wants to be too many things – it wants to have righteous outrage, quirky comedy, low comedy, and more righteous outrage and scenes of grand emotion. The screenplay simply has too many plot strands and so it loses focus here and there, but it does deliver a powerhouse speech for Al Pacino at the end, not very believable, but just what the film needs. I think the screenwriters were trying for Paddy Chayefsky-land and didn’t quite make it. The cast is great, the direction by Norman Jewison is okay, and the film could use a fresh transfer – this just doesn’t really look very good. I love Dave Grusin, the film’s composer, but his score doesn’t really do the film any favors. And now it’s Bill Evans and Claus Ogerman’s album Symbiosis, which is one incredible-sounding album, and the music is really excellent, but you all know how much I love Claus Ogerman.
Yesterday was an interesting day. I believe I fell asleep around three, was up at seven-fifteen or thereabouts, went back to bed around nine, got up at noon, but fell back asleep until one, so I think maybe seven hours of sleep all told. Once up, I answered a lot of e-mails, relaxed for a while, had quite a few telephonic conversations, decided to begin preparing the two new releases, which I hope we can announce either at the end of this week or the beginning of next week. Then in the later afternoon, I ordered from Stanley’s – my grilled chicken pasta thing – and I went and picked that up fifteen minutes later, came home, and ate it all up – excellent and very filling. After that, I did stuff on the computer, had more telephonic conversations, then watched the movie.
Oh, and I got some photos from our show, courtesy of Karl Sonnenberg. Let’s see them, shall we? Here’s some Kerry O’Malley.
Here’s Daniel Bellusci.
Here’s Adrienne Stiefel.
Here’s Barry Pearl with and without walnuts. Oh, and that’s me with him.
Here’s Doug Haverty, singing away.
And here’s Robert Yacko.
Fun photos. I wished we had one of Peyton, but I didn’t see any.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll begin writing two sets of liner notes and get that done, then I have a little work session on a medley, which will happen in the afternoon, then I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll eat, and then I can watch, listen, and relax.
The rest of the week is more of the same plus some meetings and meals, attending the opening night of London Suite at the Group Rep and supping beforehand with the Pearls, and doing whatever else needs doing.
Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora and the Peppermint Twist, for today is the birthday of our very own Singdaw. So, let’s give a big haineshisway birthday cheer to our very own Singdaw. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN SINGDAW!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do whatever needs doing, begin writing two sets of liner notes, have a work session, hopefully pick up packages, eat, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films of Al Pacino and Jack Warden? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had notes filled with photographs.