OCTOBER ONCE AGAIN!
MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR.
geese across the sunset sky…
AUTUMN IN THE AIR!
THE Eastern leaves aflame with all those astonishing colors. The Western leaves just aflame…at least if you live in Southern California.
A strange impulse grabs me every time the calendar flips. I want to grab the nearest sweater and long socks and fixate on pumpkins and other squash.
I have to keep reminding myself that California burns down until November.
As the ghosts of trees and small creatures float down across my back yard as yet ANOTHER canyon goes up in flames, bitter sweet is the word from here. Tragedy makes strange bedfellows.
But aside from the flames, September and October have been a couple of wonderful months.
There was the delightful visit of the New Jersey songbird, Miss Wendy Lane Bailey, who made her California debut at Hollywood’s own Club Gardenia. The ever astonishing Michele Brourman was her music director, and the show was FANTASTIC! She will be bringing this fabulous show to New York in February. I SO highly recommend.
Here is a photo of Wendy of the alabaster skin (obviously, she is from the East!), with her musical aunties…Michele, me, and Melissa Manchester. A happy group.
Then I had the unique experience of producing a concert for myself in Ojai at the gorgeous Ojai Presbyterian Church…best acoustics in the Southland. It was my experiment…an evening of all Jacques Brel songs to celebrate the release of CHANSON, my sexy new CD.
It was wild. 106 degrees outside. TWO members of the congregation had the misfortune to DIE during the week preceding, and BOTH their memorials were at the church the day of the concert. So we were hard pressed to load out the lilies and load in all the sound equipment and lights and set up the band and sound check and rehearse. About 8 hours of tech in 1 and 1/2 hours. Somehow ,through the blessing of the Universe and the patience of a wonderful tech staff, and the best musicians in the world, we got ‘er done, the place sold out, and we rocked the rafters! It was a wonderful confirmation of my belief that Brel is as powerful now as it was some decades ago when FIRST I learned to sing in Phlegmish.
(That’s ME in “Brel” 1970 in San Francisco. Talk about a HAIR ACT!!!)
Then I had the privilege of seeing the amazing Marilyn Maye at Catalina’s in Los Angeles.
I had heard about her for years, of course, but had never seen her. My old pal Billy Stritch was playing for her and we had to go. It was probably the best evening of vocal jazz I have ever had the joy of experiencing. The woman is what…81?…and sings like she’s 40 and at the top of her game. Such phrasing, such taste, such perfect pitch, and pace, and breathing. And can she MOVE in those 4 inch heels…dancing all over the place! In her I have discovered my supreme jazz heroine.
You know how you feel when you see someone do something you know you can NEVER do (jazz is SO not my forte) and all you can do is smile and shake your head? My head is STILL shaking!
And Mr. Stritch was no slouch either! He has come a long way since the first time we met in Houston at the Montrose City Hall, when he was 19 and already a piano monster, and I had just shed my spandex and corset for a tuxedo.
And then my latest adventure. Actually, I am writing this from the air in the middle of it. I just finished being a part of the first night of the Cabaret Convention in New York City. And what a night! A gorgeous venue, to begin with. The Rose Room at Columbus Circle. TASTY!!!! Brilliant sound. Brilliant lights. Brilliant company.
I was sharing space with Andrea Marcovicci and Karen Mason and Brian Stokes Mitchell and Weslia Whitfield and this astonishing young man , just turning 18, named Nicholas King…the next Michael Buble. Mark my words.
And also, the greatest piano players in New York, which pretty much means the greatest players in the country.
Chris Denny and Ted Firth and Mike Renzi and Shelly Markham and more… if you don’t know their names, you have heard their glorious fingers. And of course, my own beloved Joel Silberman. Our first time to perform together in a couple of years.
AND I got to share a dressing room with…wait for it….Marilyn Maye!!!!( She told me she sings The Rose all the time at weddings and funerals. I bet she gives it quite the twist!) She winds up being as great a broad in the dressing room as she is on stage. What a gift!!!!
One thing she said to me has stayed with me. We were talking about her being 80 and how she is bemused by it and how she stays up on those heels. And she said you always have to keep MOVING. Sit down and you rot.
She lives in a multi-story house in Kansas City and she said whenever she hears her friends have sold their houses with stairs for ones without, she knows the end is rear. “They start to shuffle almost immediately.” So…STAIRS, everybody, STAIRS!!!
And speaking of things that say wow! For those of you that might not know, I am a roller coaster junky.
I am not that fond of things that go round and round and make you vomit, but up and down makes me happy. So I thought I would share with you these photos of a new coaster that someone sent me. The last photo says it all.
So what lies ahead?
Aside from Christmas cards.
Oh #$%^%%$#!!!!
How can that be??? As the beautiful Kitty Carlysle Hart said when asked, in her 90-somethingth year, “Ms. Hart. Does it seem to you that time keeps going faster?” she replied, “Darling. Every fifteen minutes it’s breakfast!”
Aside from that…New York! The Metropolitan Room end o’ October.
The Berkshires! October 23 & 24. I get to see some real leaves!
Hollywood at last!I am singing at Catalina’s on November 4th.
I have ALWAYS wanted to play that room. It’s a big old classy barn. So LA Pals, come on out and fill it for me, please!
Wolftrap November 14th, with Master Classes in DC on the 15th, with the divine Michele Brourman and me waxing wise. This is going to be cool, as Michele is going to also coach accompanists on the art of handling singers.
(Somewhat akin to taming a wild mustang on meth.)
And then Christmas cards.
Sigh.
So…
My new environmental piece of advice…no quilted toilet paper!
They only use old growth forest to make it. It seems a sin to wipe your butt with the lungs of our earth anyway…but at least recyled.
My cultural discoveries:
Movies:
A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT…French and visually amazing and very touching
DISTRICT 9…more than sci fi from South Africa. Wow!
STILL CRAZY…an oldie but a goodie about a retired rock band trying to revive. Bill Nighy is absolutely awesome! And does all his own singing.
Books:
EVIDENCE OF THINGS UNSEEN by MaryAnn Wiggins…TOTALLY gorgeous!
Favorite You Tube video: sand paiting video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=518XP8prwZo
My favorite shaggy dog story. And appropriate I think, in these days when a negative attitude is SO in fashion:
A woman was at her hairdresser’s getting her hair styled for a trip to Rome with her husband.. She mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who responded:
“Rome? Why would anyone want to go there? It’s crowded and dirty.. You’re crazy to go to Rome. So, how are you getting there?”
“We’re taking Continental,” was the reply. “We got a great rate!”
“Continental?” exclaimed the hairdresser.” That’s a terrible airline.. Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they’re always late. So, where are you staying in Rome ?”
“We’ll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome’s Tiber River called Teste.”
“Don’t go any further. I know that place. Everybody thinks its gonna be something special and exclusive, but it’s really a dump.
“We’re going to go to see the Vatican and maybe get to see the Pope..”
“That’s rich,” laughed the hairdresser. You and a million other people trying to see him. He’ll look the size of an ant. Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You’re going to need it.”
A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo. The hairdresser asked her about her trip to Rome.
“It was wonderful,” explained the woman, “not only were we on time in one of Continental’s brand new planes, but it was overbooked, and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot.
And the hotel was great! They’d just finished a $5 million remodeling job, and now it’s a jewel, the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner’s suite at no extra charge!”
“Well,” muttered the hairdresser, “that’s all well and good, but I know you didn’t get to see the Pope.”
“Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder, and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors, and if I’d be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me.
Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand! I knelt down and he spoke a few words to me.”
“Oh, really! What’d he say?”
He said: “Who fucked up your hair?”
Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My favorite Aussie article. I DO love the folks from Oz. Texans on steroids:
These were posted on an Australian Tourism Website and the answers are the actual responses by the website officials, who obviously have a great sense of humour (not to mention a low tolerance threshold for cretins!)
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Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia ? I have never seen it rain on TV, how do the plants grow? ( UK )
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.
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Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? ( USA )
A: Depends how much you’ve been drinking.
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Q: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney – can I follow the railroad tracks? ( Sweden )
A: Sure, it’s only three thousand miles, take lots of water.
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Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Australia? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, and Hervey Bay? ( UK )
A: What did your last slave die of?
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Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia ? ( USA )
A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not
.. oh, forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.
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Q: Which direction is North in Australia? ( USA )
A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we’ll send the rest of the directions.
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Q: Can I bring cutlery into Australia ? ( UK )
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do…
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Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys’ Choir schedule? ( USA)
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is oh, forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings
Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.
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Q: Can I wear high heels in Australia ? ( UK )
A: You are a British politician, right?
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Q: Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? ( Germany)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers. Milk is illegal.
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Q: Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can Dispense rattlesnake serum. ( USA)
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.
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Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Australia, but I forget its name. It’s a kind of bear and lives in trees. ( USA )
A: It’s called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of Gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.
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Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia ? ( USA )
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.
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Q: Can you tell me the regions in Tasmania where the female population is smaller than the male population? ( Italy )
A: Yes, gay night clubs.
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Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia? ( France )
A: Only at Christmas.
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Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? ( USA )
A: Yes, but you’ll have to learn it first.
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And speaking of learning English…
my favorite ironic photos…
And finally…my dear pal Michele visited Port Townsend Washington lately, and sent this to me…
In this tiny harbor town, on the farthest north-eastern corner of the Olympic Peninsula, we saw a small group of women and men standing last Monday morning. They had a flyer available, which I picked up.
Here’s what it said:
WOMEN IN BLACK, PORT TOWNSEND
WE STAND IN SILENCE because words cannot express the tragedy that war and hatred bring.
WE STAND IN BLACK, in mourning for lives broken or lost through violent acts in wars across the world.
WE STAND IN WITNESS to the suffering of victims of violence and war.
WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY with people all over the world who struggle for justice and peace.
WE STAND CONVINCED that the world’s citizens can learn the difference between justice and vengeance and that we will together insist that our leaders employ nonviolent means to resolve conflict.
WE STAND FOR JUSTICE
WE STAND FOR PEACE
