Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/19/2003 09:48 AM PST

First of all, I will be about an hour late for chat tonight (maybe a little longer) because I am going to a reading of a new musical about Florence Foster Jenkins. For those of you who don't know who Ms. Jenkins was --- in the 40s she used to rent Carnegie Hall and give recitals. She gave tickets away to "music lovers" but was really awful: think Clara Cluck in the early Disney cartoons. However people would be polite and not laugh in her face since she thought she was very good. RCA recorded a few of her songs and they are available on CD. You must hear to the Queen of the Night aria from THE MAGIC FLUTE. I have idea who is playing her tonight, but I hope it is someone really good/bad.

As for concerts, Judy at the Palace would top the bill followed by some early Bette concerts and Barbra at Soldiers field. For recent concerts I'd have to say the recent Camp Sondheim reunion at Lincoln Center.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/19/2003 09:51 AM PST

Hmm... Best concert...???

I know I've been to at least one or two rock/pop concerts, but I can't really think of anyone in particular who I saw. Oh! When Spyro Gyra played Wolf Trap a couple of years ago, their opening act was Tuck & Patti. A few friends and I went mainly to see them. They did a great opening set - and it lasted over an hour - complete with an audience sing-a-long when she sang "Time After Time" (the Cyndi Lauper one, not Jule Styne). Once Spyro Gyra took the stage, the "spark" seemed to leave the theatre. So, we left after their second number. As it turned out, we weren't the only ones leaving at time - there were even some people who had come to see Spyro Gyra who ended up leaving too.

-For those of you not familiar with Tuck & Patti, they are a husband and wife duo - Tuck Andress plays guitar, and Patti Cathcart-Andress sings. There first couple of albums consisted of a lot of cover versions of various jazz and pop tunes in great arrangements - just guitar and voice. Recently, they've turned to recording more original songs, which are good - but I do miss the standards. They also strive to record songs in one take, editing only when doing "longer forms". Tuck also had a solo guitar album out - his version of Michael Jackson's "The Man in the Mirror" is a great pick me up.

I also remember going to a Freddy Hubbard concert, and one piece just kept on "jamming"... and jamming... It last for at least 30 minutes!

Oh, and I remember when Claude Bolling would come to Blues Alley in Georgetown... Ah, yes, I remember it well...

As for classical ones, there's been quite a few. My favorites have been the ones where I've been the page turner for the pianist. When I turned for the Raphael Trio, they were doing a new piece, and I had to get up at one point, and turn the page for the cellist. -I was nervous enough about that ("Don't trip! Don't trip!"), and I could sense the sense of "What is he doing?!?!" from the audience. Plus, it's always great being that close to the artists.

OK - I've rambled enough for this Monday morning/early afternoon...

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/19/2003 10:11 AM PST

I have been most errant and truant and truant and errant this weekend. Oh well.

About concerts, I have seen The Manhattan Transfer in concert six times and every one was a blast! I've seen them twice at the Chateau Ste. Michelle here in Washington. The stage is on a hill and the audience sits on the grass facing a valley. It was a very warm July or August, there were hot air balloons landing and taking off in the valley behind the stage. It was beautiful! The second time I saw them at the Chateau Ste. Michelle, it rained the whole time...not a torrential downpour, but non-stop. Even so, the rain couldn't ruin a great concert! I saw them one time when they performed on the pier in Seattle...again perfect weather. All the other times were in the Paramount Theatre in Seattle.

One time my sister's boyfriend was going to take her to a Sade concert, but my sister got sick and I went so that he wouldn't have to waste the ticket. I only knew a few of her songs but really enjoyed the concert. It was the same tour as her 1994 live concert video/DVD.

Posted by George @ 05/19/2003 10:27 AM PST

Not a whole lot of concert
going for me, actually (well, as
far as pro concerts, anyway).
Great fun both times I've seen
Manhattan Transfer,
particularly the first time I saw
them in an absolute downpour
at the Puyallup Fair. They
didn't shorten the concert at all
for the rain, merely skipped
over the intermission! Nancy
King is always fantastic, and it
was wonderful to see Dave
Brubeck live. Never heard an
audience erupt as when he
started playing Take Five. Oh,
and Pancho Sanchez sure
knows how to get an audience
going (on the same concert as
Brubeck, actually!).

Posted by Jed @ 05/19/2003 10:32 AM PST

George - the second time I
saw MT was that one at the
pier in Seattle.

Posted by Jed @ 05/19/2003 10:34 AM PST

Some of the best concerts I have been to:

Any number by Cleo Laine -- for pure gorgeous singing, she's pretty tough to beat.

Cher's Farewell Tour. We were 10 rows from the stage. Wow.

Bette's first tour with Barry on keyboards.

And lately, the best I have seen have been with Rene Marie. Now that's a jazz singer.

Posted by Philip Crosby @ 05/19/2003 10:43 AM PST

In another life I was there for the premiere of the 1812 Overture.

In this life it would have to be The Montreal Symphony with John McGlinn conducting and Paige O'Hara and Cris Groendaal as the solo artists.

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 05/19/2003 10:46 AM PST

To Phil Crosby:

Was that the Bette Middler Bathhouse Tour that started at New York's Continental Baths?

Posted by MDS @ 05/19/2003 10:47 AM PST

Best concert - for sheer excitement, it must be Barbra Streisand in London in (I think) 1995. The atmosphere was electric when the overture music started. The only downside was the venue - Wembley Arena is huge and long and thin, not ideal for stage concerts.

Then there was Liza at the Albert Hall doing the same show as Two Weeks at Carnegie Hall (without the references to Carnegie Hall, obviously!). She was at her peak then, IMHO.

Best small venue concert (or rather cabaret) was Patti Lupone at the Donmar Warehouse (sorry, Tom!). She had the audience eating out of her hand.

In pop circles, I saw Elton John when he had just started out - he was sharing the bill with two other bands who were late coming on, so he didn't come on until half an hour before the venue was due to close. They tried to get him off, but he kept on playing. In the end they turned all the electicity off, so he just went and opened up the piano and carried on acoustic. Great!

Posted by Allan @ 05/19/2003 10:50 AM PST

Just read Phil's post - Cleo Laine, of course! Magnificent in around 1972. I went with a friend from university without tickets but found it was sold out. As we approached the box office someone came up with two returns, right in the middle of the front row.

Posted by Allan @ 05/19/2003 10:52 AM PST

Some of my faves:

Every Leontyne Price recital I've ever been to.

Zubin Mehta conducting the New York Philharmonic in Mahler's 2nd Symphony at Carnegie Hall. (Philharmonic Hall was in the process of being remodeled and transformed into Avery Fisher Hall.)

Bette Midler's first legit concert show (opening night, no less) at the Palace Theatre in New York. (As Dear Reader Philip Crosby has already mentioned, this is the gig that had Barry Manilow on the keyboards.)

Ms. Midler's later concert at Radio City Music Hall. (I can't remember for sure, but I think this is the one she called "Clams on the Half Shell.)

Babs at Arrowhead Pond in '94. (Or was it '95?)

Rosemary Clooney (with Michael Feinstein) at Cerritos Center shortly before she took ill and passed away.

A "Young People's Concert" at Philharmonic Hall with the New York Philharmonic led by Leonard Bernstein. The piece Maestro Bernstein interpreted for us and then played in toto was Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition." It was my first live concert and obviously left quite an impression on me.

Posted by Jay @ 05/19/2003 12:00 PM PST

Alas, I shall be errant and truant for yet another chat. Peter Pan rehearsals. Oy, oy, oy.

I've been to a bunch of memorable concerts--I saw Billy Joel at a tiny little venue in SLC before he was famous, and that was a gas. He had a glass of bourbon on the piano and asked the SLC audience if they knew what a whore was. Ah, memories, pressed between the pages....

Every Sergio Mendes concert I've been to has been wonderful--people up and dancing in the aisles, etc., except (have you guessed?) in SLC, where they sat politely and moved seldom if ever (is that a Mormon sin, too, like salt and pepper?).

And, a couple of years ago, I opened for the Smothers Brothers in Seattle, and though the concert wasn't that great, may I say it was most entertaining to be at the soundcheck. I think I may have mentioned this before here, but their sibling rivalry act isn't--an act, that is. :)

Posted by JMK @ 05/19/2003 12:01 PM PST

Let's get that last sentence correct before the grammar police show up:

It was my first live concert and, obviously, it left quite an impression on me.

Posted by Jay @ 05/19/2003 12:02 PM PST

To MDS: --

I couldn't tell you that much about the Bette Midler tour, except that she still was doing Vicki Eydie (before both Vicki and Eydie threatened to sue) and we were all annoyed at the extended set her skinny piano player (the then unknown Mr. Manilow) did at the top of the second act. If I am not mistaken her second album had just come out, the one Rolling Stone panned.

To Allan:

I saw Dame Cleo at the Kennedy Center a couple of years ago and age has dimmed her talents very little. She will be there again next year and so will I.

And next month for my birthday I am seeing Miss Barbara Cook live for the first time!! YAY!

I also am remiss in not mentioning the charming Jerry Herman soiree at the KC last month featuring BK faves Miss Karen Morrow, a not-in-good-voice Paige O'Hara and the ever-lovely Jason Graae, who was absolutely wonderful. Mr. Herman and Don Pippin shared piano duties. A terrific evening!

Posted by Philip Crosby @ 05/19/2003 12:04 PM PST

It's hard to say what is the BEST concert I've ever attended, but probably the most MEMORABLE would be a Sunday matinee many years ago. The first half was Jane Olivor; the second was Charles Aznavour. Being a matinee, we walked out afterward into bright sunshine, which felt ALL WRONG after all that pathos.

Posted by Pam @ 05/19/2003 12:17 PM PST

Bruce, did you read my mind? Last night I was wondering where the ticket stub is to my favorite concert. Thanks to you I just had to go find. What I wealth of goodies I discovered, children's baby teeth & first hair hut clippings plus souvenirs from high school. Then I found the ticket stub dated October 23, 1972 for the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Unfortunately it doesn't state it was for the Jascha Heifetz's final concert. A very special night I will never forget. My mother was ill that night so my father took me instead. I just discovered there was a recording made of this concert-hope I can find it.

Posted by Jane @ 05/19/2003 12:30 PM PST

Jay---
"Clams On The Halfshell" was done at the Minskoff in the summer of 1975. I'm not sure what the name of the Radio City concert was. The best Midler was the tour a couple of years before that which was released as a 2-LP set (now available on CD) and then shown on Cable. I think it was the first appearance of Dolores Delago, the toast of Chicago... the mermaid in a wheelchair.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/19/2003 12:44 PM PST

Hey Jay!
I ushered the Rosemary Clooney/Michael Feinstein concert at Cerritos Center for PA! Did you go the night Rosemary made that comment about Barbara Streisand? The audience loved it!

Posted by Donna @ 05/19/2003 01:00 PM PST

OMG - I had forgotten about a couple of concerts I saw.

One was a tour called
4 Girls 4 with Rosemary Clooney, Margaret Whiting, Helen O'Connell, and Rose Marie. Not GREAT musically, but a great time.

And also at the same venue - a dinner theatre - I saw the McGuire Sisters. What a lot of fun, and what great harmonies.

I think it was a pick-up band because Phyllis kept conducting them behind her back for the right tempos. She also read a card that said her childhood dentist was in the audience - she introduced him as the man who put the first hole in her head. When an audience member asked her about CD's, she said she thought they were investments, but had recently learned that she and her sisters would be one!

No chat for me tonight, rehearsal...oh well nearly done.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/19/2003 01:09 PM PST

Dear Reader Donna--

Yes, I was there. And for the benefit of our fellow Dear Readers:

At one point near the end of the concert when both Michael Feinstein (at the piano) and Rosemary Clooney were on the stage together, Mr. Feinstein asks Miss Clooney if she knows which song is Barbra Steisand's favorite. Without missing a beat, Miss Clooney stage whispers (into a very hot microphone), "Do I look like I care?"

Indeed, the house roared.

Posted by Jay @ 05/19/2003 01:13 PM PST

I saw Judy Garland in concert in 1965, but she was not in good voice. A big disappointment though she tried her hardest.

I saw Liza in concert in 1985/86, and she was sensational.

But I'd have to say the most memorable concert was the first time I was taken to Carnegie Hall. It was to hear the Philadelphia Symphony conducted by Eugene Ormindy, and I don't remember blinking. Even at the age of 10, I knew I was in a hallowed place with one of the world's greatest orchestras. It was two hours I'll never forget. And it happened to be on New Year's Eve so when it was over, we walked down toward Times Square (freezing weather, of course) but didn't get there before midnight. Still never saw so many people crammed into such a limited amount of space.

Posted by Matt H. @ 05/19/2003 02:18 PM PST

Rosemary Clooney's commentary on the WHITE CHRISTMAS dvd is a lot of fun - particularly her story about Edith Head, the black velvet dress, and the diamond pin.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/19/2003 02:37 PM PST

Well, I think I'd have to say that the most memorable time I ever had at a concert was the first time we saw Jason Graae. You see, Dear Reader Sandra is a HUGE fan of his, because he was Sparky in Forever Plaid. After hearing the FP CD, she discovered that he had his own CD out -- "You're Never Fully Dressed..." She listened to that over and over again. Well, someone I knew in LA told me that Jason Graae would be doing a concert at UCLA soon, so without Sandra's knowledge I ordered tickets. The morning of the concert, I told her I needed to run some errands and would she like to come along. She declined. Then I said we'd get breakfast. She still declined. So I said we'd go to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. THAT worked. Somehow, though, between here and Krispy Kreme, I became hopelessly lost and ended up on the freeway. There never seemed to be a convenient place to turn around, though, so we ended up in Los Angeles. She never asked -- she just played along. That night we went to UCLA, and it was then when she saw Jason's name on the sign and knew what was going on. Just seeing her so excited and surprised was so much fun. Little did I know, though, that Jason mingles with folks after his concerts, so I dragged that shy child up to him and introduced her as his best fan. He was very sweet to her and seemed touched that we'd come so far just to see him. Shortly after that, a very nice letter and an autographed photo arrived in the mail for her.

We've gone to see him perform several times since then. He always puts on a great show, of course. A couple of times he's even given us comp tickets. He always hugs her and spends time with her (even though she's so overwhelmed she hardly says a word). He introduced her to the other celebrities who were there -- David Engel, Susanne Blakeslee, Jerry Herman, Susan Egan, and the one and only Bruce Kimmel. Supposedly Guy Haines was in the audience once, but we never did meet him.

My, that was a long story, wasn't it?

Posted by Laura @ 05/19/2003 02:56 PM PST

Barbara Cook's "Better With a Band" concert a few years back would be my favourite. Pop concerts: Paul Simon at The Albert Hall (1973), Elton John (I think the day after Lennon was killed.) I also have fond memories of Roy Orbison and Don McLean in concert. Worst concerts: Rolling Stones 1965 and Dionne Warwick in the mid 70''s.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/19/2003 02:56 PM PST

But a wonderful one, Laura.

Posted by Jed @ 05/19/2003 03:00 PM PST

Laura, a delightful story.

Posted by Jane @ 05/19/2003 03:25 PM PST

Dear Reader Laura:

What a wonderful ruse you pulled off. Now that's a memory that will last a lifetime.

Dear Reader Sandra:

I hope you realize how lucky you are!

Posted by Jay @ 05/19/2003 04:07 PM PST

I remember the evening well, dear Laura and Sandra. I even think I complained that you'd only brought Jason fudge, and then the next thing I knew I got some fudge in the mail.

Chat in less than two hours. Be there or be round.

And let me just say this: Any uncouth interlopers had best beware if they show up at chat this evening, oh, yes, they had best beware.

Posted by bk @ 05/19/2003 04:13 PM PST

Great trivia question WEL but I have not been able to find a great answer. Next time give us the answer and we will find the question! As always the questions are fun even if we can't come up with answer. The research is always worth the time.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/19/2003 04:32 PM PST

I just got this email from our Dear Unseemly Interviewee, Max Preeo and thought I would share it with everyone. Sorry for it's length...

----

SHOW MUSIC Founder Sues Goodspeed for Return of Magazine

SHOW MUSIC founder/editor Max O. Preeo announced today that he has sued
the Goodspeed Opera House Foundation and its Executive Director Michael P.
Price. Preeo seeks return of SHOW MUSIC magazine to Preeo's sole ownership.
Preeo filed suit on Monday, May 19, 2003 in federal court in Connecticut. Preeo
is represented by Attorney Elias A. Alexiades of New Haven.

Goodspeed began publishing SHOW MUSIC in co-ownership with Preeo in 1991. The
Foundation told subscribers publication was "suspended indefinitely" in
September, 2002.

In accordance with the terms of a 1996 signed agreement, SHOW MUSIC was to be
returned to Preeo's sole ownership in the event Goodspeed stopped publishing. In
spite of repeated requests, since August, 2002, Goodspeed and Price have failed
to communicate any information to Preeo about the fate of SHOW MUSIC, leaving
the magazine in limbo, and further ignored January and March, 2003, demands for
its return. Goodspeed has
continued to use the name SHOW MUSIC since ending publication, although failing
to continue payment of royalty fees as required by contract.

Preeo said: "It's a mystery why Goodspeed has refused to hand back SHOW MUSIC
when it obviously has no interest in continuing publication. It's a bigger
mystery why I have been forced to take legal action when
Goodspeed clearly defaulted on our contract. To be treated by this respected
company in such a rude and unprofessional manner is beyond comprehension. I
wasn't even shown the courtesy of receiving a copy of the letter sent to
subscribers notifying them SHOW MUSIC had been `suspended,' only learning about
it when I began receiving emails and phone calls wanting to know `What
happened??'

"I want to move on and attempt to get SHOW MUSIC restarted. It's long past the
time for Goodspeed to allow that to happen."

Posted by Craig @ 05/19/2003 04:54 PM PST

Funny that Jose mentioned Tuck Andress today. I had been playing his first solo CD just yesterday. I also have his Christmas CD. I believe it is called "Carols, Hymns and Songs about Snow". Also very enjoyable.

Posted by Dave @ 05/19/2003 05:10 PM PST

Thank you, all. Won't DR Sandra be thrilled to see that I told that story.

Posted by Laura @ 05/19/2003 05:14 PM PST

I worked all weekend, so I will be a little richer this coming payday, but now just a little tired and cranky, til then.

Best Concerts:
LIZA WITH A Z: Riviera Hotel, LV
early 70's.
LIZA & JOEL GREY: Also at the Riv
about mid 70's.
THE DOORS: the old MSG, NYC, late
60's
THE ROLLING STONES: Same as above
BOB SEGER: MGM Grand Arena, LV,
about 6 years ago
CHER: Mirage, LV
AEROSMITH: EVERYTIME!!, Hard Rock
and MGM Grand, LV
ELVIS, SINATRA, LIBERACE: LV,
70's.

Posted by KT @ 05/19/2003 05:15 PM PST

Good luck to Max Preeo. It's horrid to have to engage in lawsuits, especially against wealth (Goodspeed vs. Max) - I hope he wins and wins big.

Chat in fifteen count them fifteen minutes.

Posted by bk @ 05/19/2003 05:45 PM PST

Three cheers and a plate of ham chunks to Max Preeo - I was hoping that someway, someday, somehow SM would return to print!

Jason / W. Orr - please call me tonight or Thursday if you want tickets for "R&H". Thanks!

Re concerts (and this is not a complete list):

Barry Manilow at Forest Hills in the early 80's; on Broadway in the early 90's (the house managwer was a friend of mine - 7th row center no less!)

Luciano Pavarotti at Madison Square Garden in '86. Wow.

Manhattan Transfer at Westbury Music Fair (also saw them at Carnegie Hall during Newport Jazz Festival, but that was a dissappointment)

Jane Olivor at WMF on her return to the stage after several years away. Still shaking off the rust, but a rusty JO is better than most current female vocalists.

Billy Joel at Nassau Coliseum during his '98 World Tour. Had seats behind the stage about 12 rows back, and he played to us close to half the night. This was topped by his NOLA opener for the Millennium Tour. Was in NOLA for a business conference and bought tickets to take a client (top tickets were only $45 - the same floor seats that New Yawkers paid $999 for on New Year's Eve). Had 15th row center - what a trip!

Joan Baez at Nassau Coliseum in the late 70's - that concert was one of the shows included in her Live album.

Loggins & Messina at Nassau Coliseum (late 70's) - opening act was John Sebastian, followed by Fleetwood Mac (whose hit at the time was "Rhiannon")

Kenny Rankin - numerous times at IMAC on Long Island. He did a dedication to my wife just before her cancer surgery in '00, and again on his return to LI 2 years later.

Here's an early question for "Ask BK Day" - who do you wish you had seen live but never did?

Posted by Phil @ 05/19/2003 05:46 PM PST

A truck load of good vibes and wishes to Max P. I really miss "Show Music" and wish Mr Preeo success against his legal adversaries.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/19/2003 05:53 PM PST

Chat is open. Where in tarnation IS everyone?

Posted by bk @ 05/19/2003 06:00 PM PST

I'm doing my HHW duty and posting. I've just left the chat and the conversation was sparkling, engaging and quite informative!

Posted by George @ 05/19/2003 07:15 PM PST

Yes - A nice chat! And DR Matthew and I got some time to ourselves... Boy did you guys miss out! ;-)

Well, I'm off to practice my keyboard book for 1776... Later...

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/19/2003 08:07 PM PST

Sorry I missed the chat...I was out rubbing elbows with the big-wigs. I just saw the reading of MY DEAH starring Ms. Patti LuPone and Mr. Bryan Batt. It was fabulous, and I was totally looking for celebs. And I found some! Mr. Marc Shaiman and his partner were there, as well as Mr. Craig Chester (author and actor) and the guy who played the kid with long hair on THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN. Those are the only ones I recognized.

I think I broke a bit of enamel off my back molar. All I know is, I had a toothpick, and next thing I knew there was something that didn't resemble broken toothpick floating around on my tongue. I quickly disposed of it and then I noticed the feeling of a hole at the gumline of my right upper molar. It doesn't hurt...maybe it was there all the time and I just didn't notice. Should I be concerned?

Posted by Jason @ 05/19/2003 08:24 PM PST

OH! Duh...the topic:

My favorite concert was when Chanticleer came to my undergrad school and gave a two-hour concert. The first half was a sacred/secular classical and 20th-Century concert and the second half was their Christmas material. It was so etherial and heavenly that I burst into tears when they sang Biebl's "Ave Maria." The sound absolutely enveloped us, like slipping into a warm bath, even though there were only 12 of them singing in a 2,000-seat house--and none of them were miked. I'll never forget it as long as I live.

Posted by Jason @ 05/19/2003 08:28 PM PST

Thanks for providing the info on Max Preeo and his ongoing legal action. I miss SHOW MUSIC dreadfully and can only hope he can win the lawsuit and get it going again. Please keep us informed if we plebians can do anything to assist him in his action.

Posted by Matt H. @ 05/19/2003 08:29 PM PST

I just shared this with Craig, and I really feel I must share it with the rest of you. Having finished Gypsy Rose Lee's memoirs, I have moved on to a book that a friend of mine insisted that I read called "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by a Mr. Stephen Chbosky. I wasn't overly interested, but now I'm totally hooked. The book is a collection of letters written to a "Dear Friend" (that dear friend is you, the reader) and the author of these letters, Charlie, is writing to you about his life in high school and at home, as he has no one else to talk to.

One particular letter deals with him telling his English teacher that his sister's boyfriend has been hitting her. The teacher tells Charlie's parents, and they, of course, tell his sister that she cannot continue to see this abusive boyfriend. The following is an excerpt of that letter:

My mom went into the kitchen to make my sister's favorite thing to eat, and my sister looked at me.

"I hate you."

My sister said it different than she said it to my dad. She meant it with me. She really did.

"I love you," was all I could say in return.

How can that not break your heart?!?! I HIGHLY recommend that this be the next book you go out and read. Its simply stunning. I think its primarily written as a "Young Adult" type book, but I see myself at 26 in every single page I read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am.

Posted by Jason @ 05/19/2003 09:12 PM PST

Here's another great excerpt. One of Charlie's two good friends is giving him his Christmas gift. I'll let you read the rest:

She took me to her room and stood me in front of the dresser, which was covered in a pillowcase with pretty colors. She lifted off the pillowcase, and there I was, standing in my old suit, looking at an old typewriter with a fresh ribbon. Inside the typewriter was a piece of white paper.

On that piece of white paper, Sam wrote, "Write about me sometime." And I typed something back to her, standing right there in her bedroom. I just typed.

"I will."

Posted by Jason @ 05/19/2003 09:17 PM PST

Here's another great excerpt. One of Charlie's two good friends is giving him his Christmas gift. I'll let you read the rest:

She took me to her room and stood me in front of the dresser, which was covered in a pillowcase with pretty colors. She lifted off the pillowcase, and there I was, standing in my old suit, looking at an old typewriter with a fresh ribbon. Inside the typewriter was a piece of white paper.

On that piece of white paper, Sam wrote, "Write about me sometime." And I typed something back to her, standing right there in her bedroom. I just typed.

"I will."

Posted by Jason @ 05/19/2003 09:19 PM PST

I guess it was so good that I had to post it twice. Sorry. :-\

Posted by Jason @ 05/19/2003 09:20 PM PST

Thanks Craig for keeping us informed about Max and Show Music. Let's hope he wins. Kind of like David and Goliath.
My favorite concerts...I really enjoyed Bette Midler, Ella Fitzgerald, Barry Manilow and Cher. My all time favorite was Barbara Cook in Mostly Sondheim.

Posted by Dennis Clancy @ 05/19/2003 10:11 PM PST

Concerts... I have been really lucky (I feel) to have lived at a certain time, and to see the early start of some performers, and the finely polished talents of some real veterans.

A very long-ago concert at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles, featuring one of the first west-coast appearances by a young newcomer doing basically a cabaret act...a slightly shy Barbra Streisand. It was magical.

Hearing the incredible American classical organ virtuoso, Virgil Fox, perform an all French recital at Philharmonic Hall in New York City to a standing room audience, and then getting invited to go with Virgil to the 4 Seasons afterwards to eat.

And sitting in the second row orchestra, just 2 seats to the left of keyboard, to hear a very mature Vladimir Horowitz make a piano create colors and dynamic range that somehow are impossible. The intensity of emotion and incredible rhythmic drive were that of a 20 year old, and he was near 80 at the time. Afterwards, he greeted every single person who wanted to wait in line, and spoke to each person one at a time.

And my favorite Mensch, Jerry Herman, at the Booth Theatre in NYC doing his "Evening With" program, and then being taken back after the show (with DR Kerry) by Lee Roy Reams to meet Jerry privately.

Posted by MusicGuy @ 05/19/2003 10:25 PM PST

So sorry I missed the chat...
What wonderful posts we have. Great stories, and news, and book reviews and recommendations. HHW is a cornucopia of useful tidbits - informative AND entertaining. Thanks to BK and one and all.

Hmmmmm....Mr BK did you get my trivia question answer? Didn't get an email that you did as I usually do. Will re-send if you didn't. Sent it on Saturday. Thanks.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/20/2003 03:25 AM PST

A very late post. Sorry missed the chat. I got home late after toiling in the fields all day.

As far as favorite concerts, I will have to echo (echo, echo, echo, echo) Lyns' (DR MusicGuy) thoughts on Vladimir Horowitz. It was like a jolt of electricity from him on the stage. I actually felt compelled to stand at the end. Not for his reputation or his age, but out of sheer excitement. Even that seemd like not enough of an ovation.

Peggy Lee in concert (which I also mentioned in favorite one-operson shows) was also wonderful. As I said before, she hypnotized the entire audience. Truly mesmerizing.

And in this category, I would be remiss, yes, I would be remiss, if I didn't mention a concert performed by MusciGuy himself. there have been a number of favorites, but the first fundraising concert we did for Hopeful Heart (to help provide direct aid to people in the arts who have life-threatening illnesses, etc.). The combination of the event, the surroundings and the music were overwhelming, and I was reduced to tears even before intermission (let alone the end of the concert).

Posted by Kerry @ 05/20/2003 07:21 AM PST

Gee, I'd like to see MusicGuy perform sometime.

Posted by Laura @ 05/20/2003 08:14 AM PST