Chance = Change

Well....staying in town over the July 4th Holiday Weekend has had its definite compensations, (in fact many), but last night may have been the best one of all: we went to AuBar on East 58th Street and had a good dinner, then sat and watched the astonishing Jason Robert Brown do two sets of his wonderful wonderful music....backed up by his usual bassist and guitarist ,(Randy Landau and Gary Seeger), JRB gave us an hour and 40 minutes of the most passionate and beautiful music, performed terrifically by himself (with several songs done by guest Kate Baldwin) and since we were sitting so close (at the very edge of the small stage in fact, so we could see every pore of JRB's face as he sang) Peter and I were blown away by this man's particular genius...a wonderful brilliant night of song and his deep stories...and if I had any doubts (when I saw PARADE for example, I didn't like it so much, but now I realize it was probably the production, not his music), anyway, if I had any doubts, THE LAST FIVE YEARS dispelled them, and now i am such a fan , I want to run away with him!!! He is however, as happily married to Georgia Stitt as I am to Peter. So I will have to content myself with either listening or singing his music for the rest of my life. I would be quite content to listen. Last night was great.

We came home and Peter immediately downloaded his new CD WEARING SOMEONE ELSE'S CLOTHES, and we are listening to it as I type...as well as being an inspiring writer of music, it turns out that Jason Robert Brown is one hell of a jazz pianist and improviser, and so last night was not only a concert of the newest theater music, but a jazz event as well, compete with scatting and and outrageous instrumental riff-work...so i was in heaven, from start to finish. I ca hardly wait to know this man...i feel sure our paths will cross somehow...he is doing this concert down at Barter later this month, since they are doing THE LAST FIVE YEARS and James Hollingsworth Barter MD) is an old pal of JRB's and probably finessed the booking there...so they will get to have this enormous thrill....wish I could be there for that. All Abingdon pals rading this blog: GO SEE THIS MAN WORK...YOU WILL BE GLAD.
He is unique and important.

The last couple of weeks have been all about getting my teaching in shape, and I feel like I have spent more time at CAP 21 than I have at home, and that is probably the truth. Plus which the air-conditioning down at CAP studios has been not working well, so each day spent there has felt like a week...but the kids in the classes are motivated and sweet, and the hours of teaching have flown by. The CAP 21 Summer program has grown so huge in numbers, it is bursting out of its seams.

The City is very quiet. Another of the compensations for being here when everyone else is gone. I keep thinking if we had gone out to the Hamptons or Upstate, we would have missed what we experienced last night. And i cannot help but be amused that the only other place we might have experienced JRBat this time would have been if we had stayed at Barter for this year. Why does that make me smile? I am so glad for our friends there that they get to see this man sing his music.

Much is happening inside me. Thoughts and searchings. But for now: HAPPY 4TH!!!