Sending love to Evan and many congratulations on his birthday.
We were touring in Thailand and had taken the day off to go boating. A group of us jumped in to swim. The water looked calm but there was a surprisingly strong current and I found myself being quickly drawn out to sea. I'm a pretty good swimmer so I was really surprised. I called out for help. Evan saw that I was in trouble and jumped in right away. He helped me swim back to the boat. I thanked him and he acted like it was just a small thing. It was a short distance but a very strong current and I would not have been able to get back without him. It all happened quickly....he may not even remember it....but it was really important to me!
Sending love to Evan and many congratulations on his birthday. I've been thinking over all those wonderful road trips with KCB. Remember the time you, Mark Hamilton, Mimi and I (the Fearsome Foursome) spaced out in Ohio where it's so flat you lose track of where you are, and we went in the wrong direction at least an hour out of our way? We had to turn around, get gas, get dressed and get to the concert on time, which we managed to do with seconds to spare. That was quite an adrenalin rush. So many fun trips…Amsterdam, Germany, CA, Florida. I'm remembering hiking with you and Renee and band members in Wilson's Promontory in Australia. Remember those crazy red parrots (rosarios?) on the picnic table and the fairy penguins and huge kangaroos? When I think of you Evan, I remember how lovely it was to listen to you playing ballads on stage before sound check. Such a gorgeous sound. Happy birthday Evan. I hope you are playing lots of music and faring well. As for Evan stories, I probably have a lot, but I'm finding it hard to organize any one of them into something that doesn't sound rambling, or sappy, or fatuous, or all three. Perhaps I'll be able to come up with something short, sweet, and funny. I will tell YOU, Renee, though it sounds treacly as all get-up, that working with Evan has been among the greatest inspirations, thrills, and challenges of my life. As you know, he is a genius, albeit sometimes a grumpy and impatient one. And I have felt honored ever single time he has made the choice to work with me. And every time I know he is going to be playing a concert or a gig with me, I am energized (and relieved). But that's just for you, Renee. That's waaay too sappy for public consumption! I hope you and Evan have a joyful, festive, meaningful, and wonderful 60th birthday celebration. Thanks for inviting me and all Evan's colleagues to be a part of it in this way. Here are lots of pictures! It is a pleasure to be able to ponder memories in order to share the celebration. My favorite includes both of you and that brilliant trip to see the penguins in Australia. I really don't have the words to adequately describe how I feel about that experience, but it is a cherished memory and I'm grateful to you for creating it. There are also a lot of driving memories including the ride home from that penguin trip. I was so glad that Evan was driving on the "wrong" side of the road and not me. There was also that gorgeous trip down the coast of California that Evan orchestrated; through the giant sequoia's, past the artichoke capital of the world and to Half-Moon Bay with the hysterically funny little birds running back and forth with the waves. And, of course, running out of gas on that trip as well as the dramatic trip to Chicago/Cleveland. I'm laughing out loud right now thinking about both of those trips. My favorite musical memory is listening to Evan play jazz standards whenever the pianos were nice on the road, particularly "Stella...". Such a beautiful touch, thoughtful phrasing, gorgeous dynamics and harmonies, well defined melodic development. That was a real pleasure. I still think Evan should make a standards album. He really does have something unique to offer. May there be 60 more. In 1999/2000 I drove Evan home from New York City after a gig. The plan was to get him on a commuter train where we lived in West Concord so I would not have to drive him all the way to Cambridge. Well wouldn't cha know: as we sped to make the train I got a speeding ticket! Of course the first thing I said was, "I have to get my friend on a train, we're late!" The officer said that my passenger was free to walk and catch his train but Evan said, "I'm fine right here". I was happy he stuck it out with me and of course I did drive him to Cambridge...then we smoked a joint in his kitchen! Sorry Renee! Congratulations Evan, Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday, Evan!
I met Evan on a wedding band gig in Boston about 20 years ago. I will never forget what a thrill it was to play with a keyboardist (doubling on accordion) who could both rip it up and keep the styles straight! It may not be obvious if you haven't tried it, but it's amazing for a jazz player to pare it down to triads and straight four for rock tunes, and then slip gracefully into the klezmer repertoire, never forgetting the flat 2, the way most rock and jazz guys will. Don't ask about klez guys playing jazz or rock! And not to mention Evan's classical chops, the compositions, the esoterica. (Oops, mentioned them.) And he's even a nice guy, a good conversationalist, and not such a bad cook. How can this be? Are there any more at home like him? Here's to you, Evan! Let's catch some waves next summer! The very first time I saw Evan was at a concert in Jordan Hall where he was performing with my teacher Abby Rabinovitz. I don't know what made me think some time later that I, a nobody violinist, could just pick up the phone and ask this very amazing musician to do a gig with me. But that's exactly what I did, and Evan agreed to play this duo Christmas/Klezmer gig with me. I was nervous playing with him that first time, and truth be told I was nervous playing with him for years to come. Nothing escapes this guy's ears, but it so happens that I respond well to pressure and therefore I was lucky that our musical relationship thrived. One of my favorite things to play with Evan are melodies. We somehow never have to discuss how to interpret them, like we have an understanding that probably comes from us enjoying similar kinds of music, Edith Piaf and tangos come to mind. I strive to phrase like a singer, and Evan is always right there with me. I miss that :) But enough about music. Some of my very favorite memories are of Andromeda in Iceland. Like the party we had after our first concert in Reykjavik, when my family and friends came over to my parents' house, and we laughed, played music, and drank. In fact drank more than we realized, as the day after when discussing what happened to a whole bottle of Icelandic Vodka, me and Evan realized that the two of us were completely responsible for downing that one bottle. Somehow Evan and Andy found it in themselves to get in a car with my dad the next morning, after something like three hours of sleep, and go sightseeing at Thingvellir! I remember hearing them leave around 8am and thinking they were nuts, this couldn't possibly be happening. But Evan was not going to miss seeing the very place his street was named after, no matter what his hangover was telling him. I was impressed to say the least. Here are some pictures I found, mostly from our 2007 Iceland trip. These are all from Siglufjordur. On the first one Evan and my dad are watching the herring being worked, a staged scene at the herring museum there. The last two pictures are from my aunt Madda's house, but she had ordered cakes and herring bread from the baker and had us all come over. I remember how much the guys appreciated this. My parents are on the picture, as well as my sister Olof and my aunt Madda. I have another fun memory I am adding. The first time they were in Iceland, it was January and the guys were really confused by all the darkness. Evan apparently got up at 3am, took a shower and got dressed, and couldn't understand why nobody else was up. I guess that's when he decided to look at the clock and realized he was several hours off. Can't blame him, the sun doesn't rise until 10 or 10:30am in the winter. Happy, Happy, Happy!
I was trying to remember when first we met, and I think it was because you were recommended to me as a musical collaborator for the cabaret Mothers & Whores – so I sought a photo (as it turns out, it is one of the only photos I have of you in a URT project), and we both look so… young. As I hope you know, I so love your music – and have so loved each one of our subsequent collaborations: States of Grace, Alice’s Adventures Underground, Einstein’s Dreams, The Loudest Voice, Christmas Memories... You really understand how music and theater meet, like nobody else. Einstein’s Dreams and Christmas Memories, in particular: masterpieces. So, I have this idea I can hear inside your heart, or at least some corners of it – whimsy and deeply-felt emotion, breath, spins and filigrees, long lyrical poems and limericks. My life and the lives of O! so many have been enriched by your having been born! A toast to that lucky chance! Evan, dear friend, partly in honor of our two Grace Paley projects, entirely in honor of you, a poem that seems somehow fit for a birthday (you child, you – I turned 60 seven months ago!) Much Love on your birthday and everyday from your buddy and colleague. One Day I Decided One day I decided to not grow any older lots of luck I said to myself (my joking self) then I looked up at the sky which is wide its bluenessits whiteness low on my leftthe steamy sun rosemoved I placed my hand against it my whole hand which is broad from pinky to thumbnomy two hands I bared my teeth to it my teeth are strongsecure on their gold postsI breathed deeplyI held my breathI stood on my toesah then I was tallerstill the clouds sailed through mearound meit’s trueI’m just like themsummertime water that the sun sips and spits into this guzzling earth |
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