December 2015 – Oh, Susannah Mars, What a Joy!
The emails & music files are flying! Susannah Mars and I are busy building the Siletz Bay Music Festival fundraiser program for February. It is a compilation of Irving Berlin and George & Ira Gershwin and designed to be a “taste” of our contribution to the SBMF “Artist’s Showcase” fundraiser in July 2016. This past Summer, rather than performing it the Artist’s Showcase, I focused on staging, lighting and sound. As a performer I appreciate just how important these production elements are to the success of a“Live” performance. Beyond that I enjoy work “behind the scenes.”
November 2015 – Irving Berlin is in the Works
The Irving Berlin show is going to be great fun. Charlie Creasy and I have edited Jack Moore’s original program substantially – there was enough material for a two and half hour show! I am certainly missing Jack for consult and direction and somehow already know that this show is going to fall together in just the right way. This photo is from our first rehearsal and Charlie has already finished all of the piano arrangements for Act One and will being orchestrating and arranging soon. I’m working on script edits and will begin my memory work right after the Holidays!
July 2015 – Goodbye Dear Friend – Jack Moore
Uncle Jack (Jack Ira Moore), born 1930, passed away July 2015 after a very short illness. Jack was 85. To Jack, the world simply opened in front of him and he dared to take every step. He’d have been the first to say there were lucky breaks and times when he was “just in the right place at the right time.” Jack was the creative force behind many of my shows. While they were but a blip on the radar of his life, I recall so many memories of our time together. He made it look so easy. I miss my dear friend, my Uncle Jack. He was one of a kind! You are missed. ~ Rock
July 2015 – Ah, to Work with an Official “Living Legend”
As a more traditional singer, I’m less familiar with jazz musicians who take off on riffs & somehow desire the singer to be there magically, or wait during their phrasings before adding the vocal line. It isn’t always that I’m pleased with a performance – I was with this one. Good thing too because I was on stage with Dick Hyman. On June 9th, 2014, Dick was among five Living Legends to be inducted into the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame. I’ve read he’s recorded 100+ audio projects, LPs, discs etc. Somehow, I suspect it is FAR more! Thank you Dick! Thank you Ken!
July 2015 – Just a Little Sound Check
I ran into Dick Hyman during a rehearsal the morning of his concert for the Siletz Bay Music Festival’s with jazz clarinetist/impresario, Ken Peplowski. Dick said “I would love for you to sing something with us tonight, how about Cole Porter’s “So In Love.” I was thrilled because I had recorded “So In Love” on my “Easy to Love, Cole Porter CD” so I certainly knew the song inside and out and felt that whatever two Jazz legends would create with Cole Porter’s piece, I could somehow stay on track. We ran through the basic structure of how they would do the song a couple of times and then a few hours later, Dick introduces me. What Fun!
