10/8, 1:56am: Just played our first night at the Westbury Music Fair. What a fucking circus (pardon the pun). Whatever it was that the audience had come expecting to see, I’m pretty sure tonight’s bloodbath wasn’t it. I won’t go into details but I believe two words are in order here; very sad.
To wash it all away, Ron (trumpet), Dave (guitar), Jeremy (trombone), and I decided to take in one of the local watering holes. Though Dave & Jeremy seemed to fade fairly quickly, Ron and I had a great time talking and observing how different the scene was from what we know of L.A. As I mentioned in a previous entry, the charm and substance of the people and places of New York has already placed its spell on me. I know it might sound crazy but hearing that NY accent just sends me. We had two women bartenders with hair from 1977 who sounded like the chick on King of Queens and I was in heaven. Nobody said “I’m like” this or that. Nobody gave a shit and a shake whether or not they had on the latest fashion. Everyone spoke in a no-nonsense, direct, warm, and genuine way. My God, I thought there had been something wrong with ME all these years!
When we decided to call it a night, we had the bartender call us a cab. To my surprise, it was a white guy who spoke english. Not only that, but he seemed to be a local who had been doing the cabbie gig for some time. He regaled us with stories of how he’d recently turned 50 but was trying not to succumb to talking and acting like his old man did at that age. The depth of the conversation quickly swam towards the shallow end when the subject turned to women of different ethnicities and he told us of an Indian gal he knew who was in NY studying medicine and had “great jugs”. I laughed all the way back to the hotel.
Well, my three scotches are beginning to work on me, so I better go. I’ve got ESPN, HBO, and CNN waiting for my remote. And how about the baseball playoffs?! I’ve been relishing very moment of every game. And, by the way, it’s heartwarming to see everyone here in their Yankee garb. People talk about sports -- and particularly, baseball -- around here, knowledgeably and passionately. So refreshing.
Until next time...go Yankees!
--Adam
Saturday, October 8, 2005
Monday, October 3, 2005
Early October
10/3, 9:30am: Never take anything for granted. An oft-used phrase that we’ve all heard before. How quickly we embrace it when confronted with the unexpected and how quickly we forget when things get comfortable.
I can’t think of a time in my life when positive events in my personal & professional life have been in such contrast with what I see in the world around me. To say this has been a good year for me would be accurate but perhaps an understatement. I’ve met a terrific woman with whom I have planted the seeds -- some would say literally -- for a wonderful future. My father is in good health and enjoys a happy and satisfying life well into his 70’s. And, of course, the tour with Mr. H; a musical & personal experience that has sometimes been magical and always been memorable.
The events of the last few months in our nation and our world are inescapable. Parts of our country have endured unbelievable devastation and hardship. Entire populations displaced with really nowhere to go and no foreseeable relief in the near future. Our soldiers fight an increasingly deadly war with any sense of resolution becoming more and more evasive. Overseas, in an area in which we had been scheduled to perform during our tour of Asia (and which was subsequently canceled -- thankfully), terrorism has reared its ugly head and innocent people have been killed. It disturbs me how quickly I seem to “move on” now. Has the regularity, the callous disregard for human life, the viciousness of these events become so easy to digest? I sit here in my hotel room in a cocoon of clean sheets and bottled water and wonder if I’m missing something.
One nagging thought; where is the outpouring of sympathy from the rest of the world following the horrible one-two punch of the hurricanes here in America?
On a lighter note, the new additions to the EH band have been quite positive. Our new conductor & pianist, Anne Shuttlesworth, has brought a delightful presence and strong direction to the proceedings. Dave Hill, who I’ve mentioned in previous entries, is not only a fine guitarist but also a very good friend and I’m glad he’s joined up with the tour. Ron King, another buddy from L.A., has finally solidified the trumpet chair and is a welcome addition both musically & personally to the band.
With the filming of a concert video set for two weeks from now in Canada, new tunes have begun creeping into the show. It’s always refreshing for a musician to be presented with new material but I believe Engelbert is stretching himself stylistically as well, and that’s been exciting. When you get to see firsthand a performer of Engelbert’s caliber reaching for something different, you not only want to pull your weight to help him get there, you delight in his success.
I’ve learned so much about life and about myself this year. Though I’m not always so, I’ve learned the value of patience (my bandmates will know how I’ve developed this attribute). I’ve discovered that being a strong, loving, compassionate human being is a 24 hour responsibility and that living your life with dignity is a challenging but honorable goal. Finally, I have come to realize that when the day is done, our character is not defined by our talents, but by how we interact with the people and the world around us. I’m not there yet, but I’m working on it.
Until next time...
--Adam
I can’t think of a time in my life when positive events in my personal & professional life have been in such contrast with what I see in the world around me. To say this has been a good year for me would be accurate but perhaps an understatement. I’ve met a terrific woman with whom I have planted the seeds -- some would say literally -- for a wonderful future. My father is in good health and enjoys a happy and satisfying life well into his 70’s. And, of course, the tour with Mr. H; a musical & personal experience that has sometimes been magical and always been memorable.
The events of the last few months in our nation and our world are inescapable. Parts of our country have endured unbelievable devastation and hardship. Entire populations displaced with really nowhere to go and no foreseeable relief in the near future. Our soldiers fight an increasingly deadly war with any sense of resolution becoming more and more evasive. Overseas, in an area in which we had been scheduled to perform during our tour of Asia (and which was subsequently canceled -- thankfully), terrorism has reared its ugly head and innocent people have been killed. It disturbs me how quickly I seem to “move on” now. Has the regularity, the callous disregard for human life, the viciousness of these events become so easy to digest? I sit here in my hotel room in a cocoon of clean sheets and bottled water and wonder if I’m missing something.
One nagging thought; where is the outpouring of sympathy from the rest of the world following the horrible one-two punch of the hurricanes here in America?
On a lighter note, the new additions to the EH band have been quite positive. Our new conductor & pianist, Anne Shuttlesworth, has brought a delightful presence and strong direction to the proceedings. Dave Hill, who I’ve mentioned in previous entries, is not only a fine guitarist but also a very good friend and I’m glad he’s joined up with the tour. Ron King, another buddy from L.A., has finally solidified the trumpet chair and is a welcome addition both musically & personally to the band.
With the filming of a concert video set for two weeks from now in Canada, new tunes have begun creeping into the show. It’s always refreshing for a musician to be presented with new material but I believe Engelbert is stretching himself stylistically as well, and that’s been exciting. When you get to see firsthand a performer of Engelbert’s caliber reaching for something different, you not only want to pull your weight to help him get there, you delight in his success.
I’ve learned so much about life and about myself this year. Though I’m not always so, I’ve learned the value of patience (my bandmates will know how I’ve developed this attribute). I’ve discovered that being a strong, loving, compassionate human being is a 24 hour responsibility and that living your life with dignity is a challenging but honorable goal. Finally, I have come to realize that when the day is done, our character is not defined by our talents, but by how we interact with the people and the world around us. I’m not there yet, but I’m working on it.
Until next time...
--Adam
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