"Anyone will tell you just how hard it is to make and keep a friend" In a very touching speech, ace bassist and all-round great guy Chris Marshall respectfully disagreed with Joni on this point, and I concur with him. I made a lot of new friends last weekend, and my love for the ones I already had just deepened. How to describe an experience that was so perfectly balanced between Jonifest and JMDLfest? It'll be like talking about music or dancing about architecture, but I'll try.
This is going to be a long email: I have strong coffee in my Back To The Garden cup, much love in my Back To The Garden heart, and the will to write ;-) As so many others have done, I want to express my deep appreciation to the Full Moon for being exactly what we all needed, and to Ashara for being enterprising and perceptive enough to find it and secure it. Ashara, darling, there are still more reasons why I love you....but who am I, among so many? After a long flight from extreme Western Canada, I arrived at this idyllic spot knowing only that it was a half hour from Woodstock and that my roomie would be my good and much-loved buddy Chuck Eisenhardt: Chuck and Barbara and I have spent many (yet too few) a fine hour together. (Little did I know that Chuck would turn into a fully-inducted lesbian while I snored contentedly only a building or two away. Go, Gurl!!) Inevitably, there were people I missed: Heather (even though I saw her here in Victoria earlier this summer and was to see her again at Ric's place, a minute in Heather's company is like waters of the moon), Ric (my best friend), Julie Z. (where are you, luv?), Anne Sandstrom (who opened the performance aspect of Jonifest so perfectly and so beautifully but who, alas, was not able to join us this year. Next year, Anne!) Kakki (who was there in spirit, but not in spirits: in her honor very few, if any, martinis were ordered), Wally K (the perfect combination of Birgit Nilsson, Blossom Dearie, and Smokey Robinson, except funnier and brighter) And dear Kenny Grant. It was a big group this year, and I regret not getting to spend time with everyone. For me, the JMDLfest part is even more important than the Jonifest part: it was so wonderful to re-connect with people who are now much-loved friends offlist, to get to know (better) people I met at the 1999 Jonifest, and to meet and become friends with people I knew previously only as posters and email addresses. Highlights? There were NO lowlights!! I didn't get to hear everybody because I still smoke (yuck!) but here are some very fond memories, in no particular order: Kay Ashley - Girlfriend, you covered yourself in glory with your beautiful singing, unique songwriting, and excellent guitar playing! It makes my heart sing to think that we're friends! Walt - We're both piano players who had problems adjusting to the keyboard. Difference is, you sang, and beautifully. Thanks for Jericho, and even more for those wonderful Bacharach songs. You're a prince! Stephanie - You played Bach so expressively and expertly - and your accompaniment to Blue was to die for! Patrick Leader - Our friendship is one of the list's greatest gifts to me. It was SO great to see you singing in Julius's chorus - there's a position open for you in my chorus should you ever decide to leave boring New York for exciting Victoria (yuck yuck). And you're right, damn you: your bald spot IS pretty good for 44!! Donna - WHAT A VOICE!! Every rich flavor I can think of, and what musical phrasing and delivery! Love ya! Susan Guzzi - I'll never forget meeting you at the bar! Sweet Bird was great, but Walkin' After Midnight.....if I don't get to play for you next year, I'll fall to pieces (ps. I can play most of Ethel's hits on the piano. Really.) Marion Russell - We MUST have been brother and sister in a previous life! I got teary-eyed when I had to say good-bye to you in 1999 and so it was again this year. Your musicianship, your guitar playing, your singing, and your songwriting are inspiring. Above all, your humanity always shines through. How proud and happy I am to be your friend! Lori Fye - At long last we meet! After 4+ years of on and off emailing, what a great pleasure to meet the one and only Lori....you are SO cool! Barbara Little - We first met back in 1998 at Tanti Baci - you seemed very shy (Ric and I thought we'd scared you off, being the drunks we were that night). Who'd have thunk? And Where Did You Get That Voice?? FECK!! You should be on Broadway - they sure as heck wouldn't need mikes with you onstage! (And since you can apparently survive on catnaps, eight performances a week should be no problem ;-) Gisele - Simply Sensational. Period. Even without the banter with Paz, this is a performer who owns the stage. Gisele, please let us all know when your CD is available. Michael Paz - Hey, you! Words are sometimes inadequate; this is one of those times. Thank you for Same Situation, and even more for Flat Tires. You're the coolest....just think what we'll do next year when we have a drummer! Which brings me to: Chris Marshall - You f*ucking rock, you youngster, you! Thank you for your patience as I figured out Flat Tires!! Look after your neck, back, and arse, because we need your bass playing next year, and the year after that, and the year after that..... Chuck E - I just f*ckin' love this guy, and I'm in awe of his ability to play so well in so many styles! From Joni to James Taylor; from Burt Bacharach to Richard Rodgers; from Johnny B. Goode to Wipeout, Chuck knows the tunes and plays them all like the unassuming master he is. Plus, he was so patient with keyboard newbies like me and Walt. Plus, Chuck and I are both fans of Johnny Hartman, fine red wine, and the song "Everything Happens To Me". Sheesh. Next thing you know, we've both heard of Janis Joplin! Bob Muller - Yesterday I bought not one, not two, but SIX Tom Waits CDs. What a pleasure it was....and you're right: what a songwriter he is! I'll be putting together a list for next year - the piano has been drinking, not us.... Jody - Every time I think of you, I smile - and miss you :-( Let's not allow three years to pass before we meet again! Love ya, girl! Les Ross - Thank you for your intimate, heartfelt Yvette In English. It was so wonderful to get to know you and to chat together. Above all, thank you for trusting me with your beautiful song. Can't happen again soon enough.... Christina and Henning - FECK! Your performances were so amazing: fresh, immediate, and uncannily accurate. Best of luck to you both! Patti Witten - As a Joni fan, of course I own both Hejira and Shadows and Light. I've even heard Joni perform "Hejira" live twice - in 1979 and again in 1998. But I've never cried listening to that song until Patti sang it this year. 'Nuff said. Never miss an opportunity to hear this woman, and refer to John van Tiel on the subject if you don't believe me. John van Tiel - All the chocolates and all the smelly cheese will not compensate for your not singing a Dutch song! Never mind, there is always next year. You sang so beautifully with Claud. If you choose to go solo next year, we'll put together a stellar band to accompany you: you deserve it! Claudia Sans Soucie - Way back in 1998 I felt unhappy about missing Jonifest because I didn't get to hear Claud in person. This is where the line between Jonifest (Claud is a sensational performer: great guitar playing surpassed only by her beautiful singing) and JMDLfest gets blurred (Claud is also a much-loved JMDLer; to meet her is to love her). Big hugs, Claud and John!! Rosalita - Hey, Springsteen fan! Missing you already - and you'd admit to missing me too if you weren't from Jersey (hee hee). You're the top: see you at Judy's Chelsea as soon as possible..... Julius - It was so great to see you again, you sweet-voiced choral maestro! Here's to many more a cappella workshops and many more late nights of music making..... Bryan - The quietest guy in the room turns out to be the funkiest. You are the balls, sir! You just get better and better - Bravo!! Sherelle - Ach, and Brava!! Thank you for your amazing generosity, both as performer and person. I've left out so many people - Sharon (thank you for Dark Eyes), Alison (I worship you and so does Salt Lake City), Stephen, Jenny (such a beautiful voice, and a JT fan to boot), Yael, Mags and Brei, Les (of the miraculous mandolin), Nikki, the indefatigable Victor, the very cute Jimmy and Ed, the infinitely funny Bob Murphy, Pearl and Steve (Night In The City was so much fun, Pearl! Plus we seem to meet all over the place...), the Avedon/Leibowitz of the JMDL (aka Jim Lamadoo), my dear friend Maggie, John and Bette, Hell from Auckland, guitar whiz Sue MacNamara, art lover Lieve, and Mary Pitassi (hey Mary, email me and I'll send you a video). Love to all, and to all a good night (sorry this is so long ;-) Roberto ps. It was SO great to have an extra couple of days out East to visit with my friend Ric and to attend a mini JMDLfest with Ric, Heather, Ashara, Maggie, Chuck and Barbara. Made the flight back home bearable.... _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
