banjo goes for baroque with brooklyn!

Well... this was certainly different.
Someone needs to alert Tim Burton right now that herein lies the inspiration for his next film.
Seriously.
Seriously!
I was talking with one of the audience members after the concert and said the above about Tim Burton. She turned right to her friend and said, "See! I told you the same thing!"
Actually, although Burton would be the one to write the script, Danny Elfman would be in charge of animating it with music. So, perhaps, both should be made aware of this music that reminds folks of them.
This music consists solely of sounds emanating from stringed instruments. The banjo was central, both literally and figuratively, and wielded by Béla Fleck. Every time he appears at the Savannah Music Festival, he is with different people and making different music. This was either his seventh or eighth time performing here in Savannah, as part of the SMF.
This evening's show continued in that vein. As I said, he and his banjo were in the center of the stage. To either side were the members of Brooklyn Rider, a chamber music quartet.
Yes, you heard right: a chamber music quartet. Tomorrow morning, that's what they'll be doing in the same venue that hosted the two pianists. I imagine the four young men will be attired a bit nattier for that performance.
(smile)
But for tonight's amalgam of strings, the dress was casual. Two of them were clad in red pants. I'm pretty sure they were the two violinists, Johnny Gandelsman and Colin Jacobsen. Eric Jacobsen, the cellist, was to the left of Fleck on a raised platform, with Colin on the far left, on the stage floor. Nicholas Cords, viola man, was on the far right, on the stage floor, with Johnny on the floor between him and Fleck.
It was some pretty unearthly music, much of the time. Maybe they should have invited Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers to join them for this musical rendezvous! That would have been a hoot and a half!
Then again, I don't know that the audience would have stood for it. As it was, several opted to leave about midway through the show. If the show would have had an intermission, I bet more would have taken advantage of that lull to leave.
Me? I was actually grooving to some of it, especially once I caught the Tim Burton vibe. It might be some interesting music for a modern dance workout...
I'll let you judge that for yourself. Check out Colin's composition, "Brooklesca", for example. Here, they included Fleck in the piece, but the video features only the string quartet.
To hear the piece Fleck wrote for the five of them, check out "Concerto for Banjo and String Quartet". Again, this video is not of the quintet on tonight's stage, but you can still get the feel of the piece as they would have performed it.
I kept trying to find "Night Flight Over Water", the song they performed near the end of the concert tonight, but instead found two tracks off the album of the same name. Check out "Hunter's Moon" and "The Escape". Both feature Fleck and Brooklyn Rider, to get the full measure of these five guys interacting. These sound just like the songs I heard tonight.
I'm glad to have had the experience, but I'll wait for the Burton/Elfman flick featuring this music.
Maybe I'll even buy that soundtrack...
Maybe.
(smile)

swing your pardner, do si do!

Now, that is a stage full of instruments! They were all for the presently 6-membered, 45-year-old band, Asleep At The Wheel. Hot Club of Cowtown, the opener of this double-bill program, was just a trio, taking up hardly any space up there.
But I digress.
Per my usual.
(smile)
Today was the first of their three-day stand at the Savannah Film Festival, playing twice daily at the Charles Morris Center. That's a punishing schedule, but this was the first doubleback, so everyone was fresh and lively. Me, too! I was working the same schedule they were, but at least I wasn't on stage!
I can certainly understand why these two Western Swing bands were paired together. The young fiddle player in HCoC had been inspired to take up that instrument after attending an early concert of AATW and being amazed by their fiddler at the time, Linda Bram (possibly? I may have mis-heard the last name). Nice connection, there!
Honestly, I preferred the sounds of the Hot Club of Cowtown. Their music was so diverse, ranging from Gypsy-jazz influenced tunes to bluesy numbers and old-fashioned love songs. For their two sets today, the songs played at the 4:30 PM late afternoon gig were not the same ones heard at the 7:00 PM evening show.
I know. I was there for both sets and heard every song.
As they said at that second show, they don't use a set list, preferring to go song to song based on the audience response. In other words, they fly without a net.
Incredible!
What songs, you ask? "I'm In The Mood For Love" and "I'm An Old Cowhand" (aka "Yippee-I-O-Ki-Ay"), for two very diverse songs and styles. Want more? Check out the almost-Russian instrumental "Dark Eyes", the very danceable "Minor Swing", the 1937 version of country classic "Cotton-Eyed Joe", and the almost-cabaret stylings of "Ghost Train". Amazing range!!!
"Ida Red", "She's Killing Me", and "Big Balls in Cowtown" were definitely in the swing tradition, for those wanting that type of music. Which means they were for everyone here for The Giants of Texas Swing programs today.
(smile)
Fine by me!
But my absolute favorite from this band had to be their rendition of "Pennies From Heaven", even though it made me cry. This video presents the song as I heard it. I know Mama must have inspired them to sing that one for me, while I was watching the band during their second show.
I just know she did.
Thanks for flying without a net, y'all.
(smile)
I wasn't able to see any of the afternoon gig, by either band, you see. I was working the lobby after serving as ticket-taker for that first show. No one ever came out so I could cycle in. However, The speakers in the lobby allowed me to enjoy the music, so that was good!
Still, when Frances (the Event House Manager) asked, during the start of the evening show, if I wanted to see any of the concert, I had enthusiastically answered "yes!". So, I was able to watch the last thirty minutes of Hot Club of Cowtown.
Perfect timing!
I was also able to watch the middle half-hour of the second show for Asleep At The Wheel. Nice! They definitely used a set list, but that was fine. I very much enjoyed watching as they performed some of their classics, like "Route 66", "Miles and Miles of Texas"", and "Hot Rod Lincoln". They also gave us several from their new album, Still the King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. Which songs, you ask? How about " I Can't Give You Anything But Love" and "Faded Love"? Also on the bill was "I Hear Ya Talkin'" and "The Girl I Left Behind".
Other tunes for today were "Rose of San Antone", "Cherokee Baby", and "My Wheels Are Still Here". (Sure, there were others, but I didn't know their names.)
Now, my feet are beat and I'm off the street...
(smile)
...looking forward to my next assist on Tuesday!

come away to the flying saucer motorport!

Yeehaw!!!
How very fortunate for me that a volunteer spot opened up for this SMF show just the other day!
What a great vaudeville act these guys have!
Sure, Hot Rize has a forty-year reputation as a Grammy-winning bluegrass band, but there's a lot of comedy, too! Pete, Nick, Tim, and Bryan front the group that's named in honor of the biscuit-making sponsor of Flatt & Scruggs. With an origin like that, you know there's got to be some tongue in those cheeks!
(smile)
That humor physically manifests itself on stage in the guise of Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers. Clad in dark sunglasses, with two of the guys sporting western-cut Hawaiian shirts, you know at once that laughs are their prime goal. They came onstage midway through the program at the Savannah Music Festival, breaking the show into thirds. Excellent showmanship, y'all!
What a hoot, too! Red, Wendell (with his fringed guitar!), Waldo, and Swade play country with a full side of hootenanny, if you know what I mean. The song titles, alone, are full of fun! "Always Late (With Your Kisses)" is as sweetly complaining as "Roughneck Blues" is redneck and bluesy. (Go ahead and click the links to see them in action!)
I especially liked their otherworldly instrumental, "Flying Saucer Motorport". All they lacked was a theremin - or one's spooky tooth! - to add to the extraterrestrial feel of the tune!
The show opened with a few songs from their new album - or CD or whatever. You know what I mean!
(smile)
The show starter was "Western Skies", a definite bluegrass tune that reminded me of John Denver's upbeat sound. Excellent! Then we were treated to "Come Away", "Doggone", and several others, before the gaudy Red Knuckles and his crew hit the stage.
Like I said, Yeehaw!!!
After the shenanigans were done, back to bluegrass we came, with a fine fiddle number, "Glory In The Meetinghouse". "High On A Mountaintop" was a good one, too! Then they played "Train 45" and that made me think of Daddy, bringing tears to my eyes...Ah, good thoughts! Fortunately, no one could see me crying in the dark...I think.
(Here's the link for that song. Just skim down to the 26:00 minute mark for it.)
"I Am The Road" was just the bit of barbershop gospel needed to bring the smile back to my face.
The right song at the right place!
Then it was time to tell the fellows goodbye.
Oh! Time just flew by!
I might have to buy the DVD to watch some of it again...
... or you can, and share it with me!
(smile!)

a tale of two pianists

Early yesterday evening and earlier this afternoon, I attended two piano recitals.
That's right: me, the one who rarely tunes in to GPB or PBS, the one who rarely attends the symphony (unless the physicist is in tow).
I had thought I had volunteered for these Savannah Music Festival events to broaden my aural palette, or at least that's what I told myself. However, I'm beginning to think Mama and Grandma might have pushed me into the events when the volunteer spots recently opened up.
I know they would have greatly enjoyed them.
They would have enjoyed the setting, also, in the Trinity United Methodist Church on Telfair Square.
I did, too.

Recitals III: Stephen Hough, piano

6:00 PM
Friday, March 27th

My photo was taken after the recital.
Gorgeous piano, isn't it?
Such a soaring lid, beautifully mirrored on its inside surface!



Hough's program was as follows.
Debussy: La plus que lente
Debussy: Estampes
Chopin: Ballade No. 2 in F Major, Op. 38
Chopin: Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
Chopin: Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, Op. 47
Chopin: Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52
Debussy: Children's Corner
{I. Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum
II. Jimbo's Lullaby
III. Serenade for the Doll
IV. The Snow is Dancing
V. The Littel Shepherd
VI. Golliwogg's Cakewalk}
Debussy: L'isle joyeuse

There were also three encores! The first and third were short pieces by Frédéric Chopin, with a kicky little number by Ludwig Minkus tossed in the middle for laughs.
Seriously! The man has a delicious sense of humor.

Recitals IV: Murray Perahia, piano

3:00 PM
Saturday, March 28th

This photo was also taken after the performance, but this time, the lid is closed.
It is the same piano, but is more solemn here.



Perahia's program was as follows.
Bach: French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817
Haydn: Sonata in A-Flat Major, Hob. XVI:46
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-Flat Major, Op. 81a "Les Adieux"
Franck: Prélude, Choral et Fugue, Op. 21
Chopin: Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20

He was in attendance for Hough's performance, so he had seen the audience's appreciation of encores. He granted us two, a Chopin Nocturne and a Robert Schumann piece.

The two men had vastly different styles.
Stephen Hough is regarded as a Living Polymath, as he has great talents in painting, writing, and piano. (In another century, he would have been a Renaissance man.) He was almost casual in his approach to the music. When the piece was in a slow portion, he leaned back and seemed to allow his fingers to lightly fall upon the keys. As the tempo became more intense, he would loom over the keyboard, pounding the life into them. For the lilting tones, he would almost prance in his seat, with his fingers dancing above the keyboard. His overall mien was utter enjoyment and relaxation. I very much enjoyed both the pieces he had chosen as well as his style. He was a joy to watch!
Murray Perahia was much more intense at all times. The phrase "Perahia pursues and pounces on piano keys" keeps echoing in my mind, as that is the mental image I have of him. For every piece, he was intently hovering over the keyboard, hands racing up and down as he pounced on every note. So much energy!!! He was incredible to watch, perhaps even more so as this is his 40th year as a pianist.
Amazing!
I've found two videos in which both men are playing the same piece, Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata". That way, you can watch Hough and Perahia for yourself and see the difference in their styles.
Okay, I'm off to the bluegrass again!
So much music, so little time!!!
(smile!)

late night jam, no peanut butter!

Do you see it? Something just a little different?
Take a closer look at the drum kit... I'll wait...
Look just below that top rise...
.
.
.

That's right! That luscious purple tambourine!!!
I must admit, I never saw anyone actually use it, but it gave my spirits rise just to know it was there!
This was the set-up for The Late Night Jam, featuring all of the non-brass instruments to be put into play for the revolving cast of musicians over the next two hours+.
This was my first sold-out show to usher at the Morris Center, but it turned out to be just fine! Like the musicians on stage, the audience members tended to rotate in and out, so the house was only truly full for about thirty minutes, during the last hour of the performance.
Whew!
The gig began with trumpeter Sean Jones holding court, accompanied by three students on piano, bass, and drums. Wycliffe Gordon, fabulous trombone man, joined him for the first song or two.
(Side Note: (Get that pun? hahaha!) They both have the same birthday! Sean is 35 and the other is 47, but May 29th is their special day. Mine, too!!!)
Soon, folks began rotating off and on the stage. Marcus Roberts, a renowned pianist, took a turn on the bass - wow! The bassist for his trio, Rodney Jordan, also had his turn later. Jason Marsalis played not only the drums - in his usual energetic, young man style - but also the vibraphone, joined by three students. What a treat for them and for us!
At some point, Dave Stryker was up there with his guitar. It may have been while Rodney was on the bass, as it was on Tuesday. I think that's right...but, maybe it was while Jason was on the drums?
The Warren Vaché Quintet appeared in toto, joined by three students on brass: saxophone, clarinet, and trumpet. That young man on the trumpet was even getting up on his toes to reach those notes, putting his entire body to work! What a joy to watch!
As he did at yesterday's noon30, Warren introduced the two songs, which was nice. The one I heard was "The Very Thought Of You", the 1934 love song, timelessly enchanting (as Rod Stewart shows us, here).
The only other song I recognized was "Autumn Leaves" - so very beautiful! (For a listen to a classic voice, here's the Nat King Cole video.)
I wish I could say who was onstage, but the it got to be a blur after a while! I'm not sure, but there may even have been some folks from other groups, like Adonis Puentes' Latin Orchestra. Not everyone was introduced as they entered or exited or soloed. If Sean was there to emcee, names were given, but his presence was not continuous. I would have liked to have been reminded of the name of the blind jazz pianist up there. I had heard him at a noon30, once upon a time, and still enjoy his style.
Okay... yAWn... it's late and my feet are beat from so much dancing!
To bed I go, 'til the morrow!

hey, benny, it's hammer time again!

What a pleasure to hear Hammer, Parrott, and Williams again!
It seems like only yesterday that I was regaled by their spirited playing of the piano, bass, and drums...
Oh... that was only yesterday!
That trio happens to be the rhythm section for the Warren Vaché Quintet, here all together for this noon30 concert! They're joined by Houston Person (guesting from South Carolina) on tenor saxophone and 63-year-old Warren himself on trumpet.
How did the concert today differ from that of yesterday?
Well, for one thing, the music came from two different sources. Bud Powell was a jazz pianist who helped bring bebop into the world before his young death in the mid-1960's. Benny Carter was a jazz trumpeter and saxophonist who lived well into his 90's and died about a decade ago. Carter had better than sixty years of playing and composing, compared with the twenty years of Powell. Consequently, Carter's work is much better known and has been around longer.
Also, there's that whole thing about brass versus piano, too.
(smile)
Today's hour-long concert had one more difference. No, better make that two. Let's take that last one first, shall we?
That has to do with the audience demographics. Usually, at these midday jazz fests, the majority of the audience qualify as seniors. Period. They like music from their younger days, they have the time, and they get discounted pricing on the tickets. (Believe me, I look forward to those days!)
Today, the median age was greatly skewed downward! There were almost sixty high-school-aged jazz musicians in town for the Swing Central Jazz Competition. Twelve bands are selected nationwide for the competition, which will be held tomorrow from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. (That's free, so I may go to at least part of it.) I met some of the students from Everett High School in Washington! Good luck, y'all! Hope you make it to the Finals tomorrow evening!
So, with all those youths, about a third of the audience was under twenty years old. We certainly had more energy in the air!
Oh, yes, the other difference from yesterday's performance: the bass player sang! The majority of the songs were instrumental, but her Australian voice crooned two songs solo, as well as a duet between Parrott and Vaché. That song, "All That Jazz", was the finale and was not the song you're thinking about! No, this was the theme song from a 1966 film, "A Man Called Adam" (starring Sammy Davis, Jr. as a trumpeter). Very nice to hear vocals!
My favorite instrumentals were the very first two ("A Walkin' Thing" and "The Romp"), two about a third of the way in ("Evening Star" and "Doozy"), and the melancholy one near the end ("Souvenir"). The songs are all on a very recent CD, although they performed the songs in a different order for us.
Such a lovely way to spend part of an afternoon!

hey bud, it's hammer time!

Jazz in the afternoon...how very nice!
A Bloody Mary would have made a nice addition, but also would have been completely unnecessary for the enjoyment of this rhythm trio. Featuring Tardo Hammer on piano, he was accompanied by the talented Nicki Parrott on bass (a woman!!! in high heels and a skirt!!!) and phenomenal Leroy Williams on drums.
This noon30 was titled, aptly enough, "Bouncin' With Bud: Tardo Hammer plays Bud Powell". Hammer is the pianist for another group playing at the Savannah Music Festival and is a huge aficionado of the undersung bebop forerunner. (There is no telling how famous the man might be had he not died at 42 of tuberculosis.)
I remembered to bring paper and pen so I could have the set list!
Woohoo!!!
First up was "Monopoly", followed in quick succession by the bouncy and fun "So Sorry Please". Tardo then played "Sure Thing", exactly as Bud would have, with no riffing of his own thrown in. Very nice to have the pure original! And very good of Hammer to give kudos to the man by honoring his style!
Next up? "Parisian Thoroughfare" and "Dusk in Sandi", both of which were good and were nicely melodic, but not especially for dancing. You know how I need to dance, right?
(smile)
That need was addressed for the next few songs! Woohoo! "Dance of the Infidels"! The fabulously frisky "Un Poco Loco"! "Bridge"! (Well, that's what I thought it was called...)
Then Hammer slowed it down, for a heartfelt "I'll Keep Loving You". Oh, to have been twirled around the floor to that lovely song!
Back to the bebop as the title song came along! Here it is, from the album of the same name, for your listening pleasure! Tap those toes, snap those fingers!
Then, guess what they played??? You'll Never believe it! "Over The Rainbow"!!! No, Bud did not write it, but, as Hammer said, Bud did show jazz pianists how to play it. Coolness! My first niece would have loved it! On second thought - nah, she is too much of a purist for all those trills and riffs.
(smile)
They ended the set eleven songs later with "John's Abbey". Very lively and upbeat, guaranteed to get those hips wiggling!
Ah, over too soon!
Just as well - my Office Hours are in thirty minutes and all the way southside from this north-of-Gaston-Street venue!
Gotta jet, y'all!

barr the door, the apaches are here!

One of the coolest parts of volunteering for the Savannah Music Festival events at the Charles Morris Center is this light fixture and its twin. Doesn't it look like a giant sea urchin? I've seen those creatures up close, while swimming in the lagoon outside the antenna array at NSGA Galeta Island, in Panama. Add a tinge of purple to the light structures and they would look exactly like sea urchins!
That's good that I enjoy looking at these "sea urchin" lights. Tonight, that's pretty much all I was able to see of the concert. I was working the lobby curtain, trying to keep that light from dazzling the music enthusiasts inside the hall, during a steady stream of late arrivals and those exiting for more beer and cocktails before their return to the concert.
I tell you, it was cRaZy.
The Barr Brothers and The Apache Relay concert became sold out within minutes of the show's start. (That was good for the couple that arrived forty minutes late. They had purchased their tickets online. Sadly, they missed most of the band they came to hear. Silly rabbits.) The majority of the attendees were under fifty years of age, with a fair number being under thirty. We literally ran out of chairs.
Fortunately, I was able to hear at least part of the concert. One of the sound guys turned on the speakers in the lobby so Randy and I, and those visiting the bar, could enjoy the tunes. I appreciate that!
I was able to dance some, but The Barr Brothers don't really play dance music. Not quite. With a harp as their central stage instrument, they're an esoteric folk band. Want to know more about their zeitgeist? Here's the quote on their biography page.
“What would an ocean be without a monster lurking in the dark? It would be like sleep without dreams.”
-Werner Herzog
Not really my cup of tea, you know. I'm still a Meat Loaf girl and have been since my teens. I'm clearly not one of the enlightened ones who came just to hear The Barr Brothers play. Still, I offer this link for one of their songs, so do feel free to try them on for size.
You never know when you might find a new treasure for your soul if you don't try on new things to see how they fit.
The Apache Relay was a much more enjoyable group for me. I've even heard one of their songs before! "Power Hungry Animals" was in the coming of age movie, "The Way Way Back". Nice!
They're still a bit folksy, but with a solid rock-pop vein throbbing in their body. Definitely danceable!
I did just that, too, when Sue Ellen relieved me of curtain duty so I could go in and enjoy three songs. Very nice! About half the crowd had left after the first band was done, so the room wasn't nearly so crowded. Even better! Here are the videos for two of those three songs I heard, the fun little love song "Katie Queen of Texas" and mournful "Can't Wake Up", for your ears and your toes.
Actually, their music reminds me of Barefoot Booyah, a band now on hiatus. Maybe they'll come together for a spring evening soon?
Ah, a girl can dream!

no strikes for Stryker!

What a fabulous range this guy has!
His first song was the Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love", a pop classic! That started my toes tappin' and my hips swayin'!
Then, he segued into some funky soul, via an amalgam of two Curtis Mayfield songs, "Pusherman" and "Superfly". Nicely done!
Afterward, he was off into a country riff with the selection "Wichita Lineman", a tune made famous by Glen Campbell. Thanks for those memories!
Next up was a song of his own, from his new CD. The song, "Shadowboxing", also featured the work of the talented drummer, Jason Marsalis. That was definitely jazzy and bright!
He followed that with a slow, sweet, blues number, "God Bless The Child", done with a nice depth to it. Sah-weet!
I don't recall the next one, primarily because it was one I didn't recognize.
But I certainly picked up on "I'll Be Around"! Play it again, Dave!
Oh, wait... I haven't mentioned his name yet, have I?
Today's noon-thirty featured the Dave Stryker Quartet, formed specifically for this one show. The central figure, as the name implies, is the jazz guitarist, Dave Stryker. Apparently, I must have been living in a box, as I was unfamiliar with his name. As I discovered while tearing tickets, the majority of the folks in attendance were there to hear him, regardless of his support group.
Me? I've been to enough events at Savannah Music Festivals of the past to be well acquainted with the virtuosity of Jason Marsalis, so his name drew me to this concert. I knew, if he was involved, that I could expect good things. No disappointment here!
The two musicians rounding out the quartet were Bill Peterson and Rodney Jordan. Bill charmed the ivories as Rodney reached down to play those notes only dogs can hear. Woohoo!!! Wonderful!
You betcha that next time I'll know the name "Stryker"!

days may be cloudy or sunny

What a treat! Before the concert this evening, but after the late afternoon concert, there was a a talk with the three vocalists of the cabaret show, "Come Rain or Come Shine".
I know what you're thinking. "That sounds like a logistical nightmare! How to get in the early birds there for the evening show so they can hear the talk? Then, after the talk, how to separate the legitimate evening guests from those lingering from the afternoon?"
Not an issue, fortunately! Most of the afternoon showgoers opted to not stay for the talk. Can you believe it? And there weren't so many folks there early to cause a problem with intermingling.
What a relief!
So, as good fortune would have it, I was able to enjoy that talk and learned about this exciting new program, developed with Carnegie Hall's (!!!) Weill Music Institute!!! The purpose of Musical Explorers is to introduce different music genres, featuring local talent (!!!) to our youngest school-aged children. WOW!!!
In the photo I took, Jenny Woodruff, the Education Director for SMF, is asking the questions. Joining her are Kurt Ollmann, Rebecca Flaherty, and JJ Hobbs. Part of the reason for the Q&A is Rebecca's direct involvement with Musical Explorers, having been tagged to introduce opera to the five- to seven-year-olds in the program.
So nice to learn something new!
As for the cabaret show, I had a fabulous spot by the front door! I was able to stand there and jiggle around to my heart's content!
(smile!)
The songs? They all dealt with the flavors of love! Some were done by just one artist, some were duets, and a few at the end featured the trio. All were accompanied by talented local pianist, Eddie Wilson.
"Lucky To Be Me" was Kurt's opener, followed by JJ's souful "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man". Excellent! Rebecca had a misstep, in my book, with the Arlen-Mercer tune, "Blues In The Night". That's a favorite of mine, so I'm a bit particular about how it's sung. Perhaps, as an operatic soprano, she had not yet shifted gears from her earlier performance today as The Monitress in "Suor Angelica"? I'm willing to write that as the reason why she tried to turn that blues number into an aria...this time.
(smile!)
Back to some fun! Kurt's rendition of "Hard-Hearted Hannah" was spot on, vampy and extravagant! JJ's turn, with the old Rodgers & Harn "To Keep My Love Alive" and the new Jason Robert Brown's "Just One Step", featured flirty women with strong wills. Images of Mae West danced in my head and my heart!
Kurt and JJ than had a very nice series of duets! "People Will Say We're In Love", "I Cain't Say No", "Some Enchanted Evening", "If I Loved You" - beautiful!
More songs intervened before the title song at the end of the show. How appropriate on this drizzly day! Then we all filed out, singing along with them to The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" - it's impossible to think of it now and not whistle the tune!

molte grazie, ancora una volta, per le opere

How absolutely divine to again attend the two Puccini operas!
This time, I was able to truly enjoy myself, partly because I knew the story lines, partly because I had remembered to bring my eyeglasses.
I had also done a little homework.

This time, I noticed Hanna Suddath.
Only sweet sixteen and already making her debut in opera!
She's a local girl, too,
a former member of the
Savannah Children's Choir.
How about that?!
She was one of the nuns in the chorus
for the first opera,
then a rambunctious 7-year-old boy
for the comedic piece.
I anticipate a bright future for her!
Speaking of those making debuts today, I especially noted the young man playing the nephew, Rinuccio, in the comedy. You know, that very handsome tenor? He's Santiago Ballerini, of Argentina, with his first opera in the southeastern USA. This is not his first time in Savannah, as he won a scholarship two years ago with the Savannah VOICExperience. Clearly, he is a most talented singer!
His ladylove onstage, Lauretta, is exuberantly played by Micaëla Oeste. A soprano with the type of voice you dream of for arias, she could sing the sports pages and that would be fine by me! She is certainly my favorite soprano, ever. She also has quite a sense of humor and curiosity, as evidenced on her website.
For comedic timing and fabulous baritone, Mark Delavan is a force to be recokoned with. How very appropriate that he should play the scheming Gianni Schicchi, outwitting the family at their game of greed! He does it with such charm and grace that you would willingly grant him whatever his heart desired.
Or, at least, I would.
(smile!)
While I'm talking about lead singers, Verónica Villarroel deserves accolades for her excellent performance as Sister (Suor) Angelica. Many times, I have found that sopranos can wander into the stratosphere in their attempts at emotional angst, but not this time. She was intelligible at all times, never allowing her voice to turn words into sheer noise as some do. Her body language, in tandem with her voice, conveyed her extreme misery at the news of her son's death and, later, at her realization of the poorness of her decision to kill herself. Splendidamente, signora!
My deepest gratitude to the Savannah Music Festival for giving me this opportunity to volunteer for these musical feasts. My cup runneth over...and I'll drink every drop I am granted!

giving the world a new coat of Flatt & Scruggs

When the site opened up for the Savannah Music Festival volunteers to select their shows to work, very few slots were available by the time I logged in. I knew I wanted the Friday night opera and I was the first to volunteer for it. Amazing!
But I also wanted to be at all of the other SMF shows at the Lucas Theatre. As fortune would have it, none others were open.

What else to choose?
Well, what else was open?
How about some bluegrass, baby?
Okay. But which ones?
Well, which of the shows have openings for volunteer staffers?
Let's give this one a try, I thought.
In memory of Daddy, and his
Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs album
that I heard growing up, I signed up for one of the still-open spots.
Good idea!!!

Yeehaw, y'all!
Here's the opening stage for
the Earls of Leicester
at the Trustees Theatre.
The name is in honor of Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt.
(Get it? "Leicester", an English town, is pronounced like Flatt's given name.
Nice inside joke!)

They promised music from the old days and they dressed in that style, too.
Dark suits, crisp white shirts, and string ties,
that's one sharp-lookin' bunch of guys!
We had founding father Jerry Douglas on dobro, Shawn Camp on lead vocals and guitar, Tim O'Brien on vocals and mandolin, Charlie Cushman working the banjo, fiddler Johnny Warren, and bassist Barry Bales.
Nothing but air to run through those strings and make music. They did a mighty fine job of that, too!
Some of the songs I knew by heart. "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms" is a kicky little classic, done by country and bluegrass bands the world over. Good to hear that again!
Others were from their brand-new, Grammy-winning album. "I'll Go Stepping Too" was a bright warning to a straying spouse and was quite fun! I very much liked "Till The End Of The World Rolls Round", a perky love song with some great imagery! Then, for the lovelorn, we had "On My Mind" and "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke".
Don't forget: there's some blues in bluegrass! "Big Black Train" rolled them out, too! "Black Eyed Suzy" showed us those "Ayes" and "Ohs" definitely make a shout-style refrain work. Aye! Oh!
There were some good gospel tunes, too. One of their last songs was "Who Will Sing For Me?", about the passing of friends - such a good song!
All in all, most excellent, with plenty of toe-tappin' tunes and usher-mate Betsy to dance with me!
What good fortune led me to this show!
Thanks for the nudge, Daddy!

i'll have another puccini to go, please!

Oh, my!
I've only ever seen one opera before, and that was many years ago. I was working on my doctorate in Tallahassee in the late 1980's. The FSU school of theatre performed Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and I was hooked justthatfast. How could I not be? It's a musical in Italian!
Back in December, when the preliminary program for the Savannah Music Festival arrived, I pored through the contents, selecting the concerts I wanted. Lo and behold! Opera was being offered!
As soon as the sign-ups were open for the volunteers, I enlisted for the Friday, March 20th, evening show of the opera.
I was the very first to do so.
Yeah for me for knowing a good thing when I saw it!
I keep saying "opera", but it was actually a double bill! That's right, I was treated to two operas this evening! Each was only one-act in length, making the stories brief and yet very human and meaningful. The two were both by Giacomo Puccini, whose works are considered to be fairly recent, being only about 100 years old.
(smile)
Each of those performed tonight were about fifty minutes long and were super-titled in English. The backgrounds were created using multimedia to transpose images on the white scrim. Amazingly well done!
Also, the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra provided the music for the performances. Very nice collaboration!
Speaking of different groups working for a common good, the Savannah Voice Festival helped to provide the talent and financial backing for this ambitious presentation. Why? That was to honor the 80th birthday, and golden anniversary of the career, of their beloved baritone, Sherrill Milnes. In the photo below, the birthday celebrant is flanked by his wife and Rob Gibson, SMF's Artistic Director.

Now, back to the deliciousness of tonight!
The first opera, "Suor Angelica", was a tragic drama. It opens inside the convent, with the sisters kneeling and praying. Then the scene shifts and we see the outer wall of the building, with the nuns now in the garden! More beautifully executed scene shifts follow, with very minimal use of props on stage. What a boon to theatre!
Back to the nuns! Life is going along for them as it usually does... then a fancy carriage arrives and all changes for Sister Angelica. Sent to the nunnery seven years earlier, we find she is a princess, exiled for having an out-of-wedlock child. Her aunt is the visitor, bringing news of her younger sister's impending wedding.
Sister Angelica asks about her son. How is he? What is he like? What news of him?
The aunt reluctantly tells her that the boy became very ill two years ago and died.
Oh! Alas and alack! The nun screams in agony and her sisters rush to her side. Her aunt leaves sadly.
Time passes. Winter comes and goes, eventually giving way to spring... and flowers. The nun seeks out the ones she knows to be poisonous. Her goal is to drink the poison and join her son in heaven.
Then, as soon as the poison has passed her lips, she recoils in horror! Oh, no! She has committed a mortal sin by taking her life! She is condemned to the fires of hell (which we see all around her)!
She prays to the Madonna to forgive her, to grant her passage into the kingdom of Heaven! As one mother to The Mother, she begs to be allowed to be with her son!
Forgiveness is granted and the scene ends with her child coming forth to lead her into heaven.
Bravissimo!
After intermission, the romantic comedy begins. But first, the miserly, uber-rich uncle dies, surrounded by his family, including nieces and nephews. The city is Firenze, better known to us as Florence, in the old man's house.

There follows a mad scramble to find his will. Papers fly in the air, bedding is ruffled through, desk drawers are rummaged! Ah, success! Oh, alas! He has left all his fortune to the monastery! Oh, what sadness!
Enter "Gianni Schicchi", title character, a man with disdain for much and a lawyer's knowledge of finagling. He has been summoned by the nephew, Rinuccio, a young man in love with Gianni's daughter, Lauretta. The young man wants to ask her dad for her hand in marriage. However, she has no dowry, as her family is not landed, so the young man's family forbids the wedding. Gianni is outraged that the family is so petty!
However, at his daughter's urging, he agrees to look over the will for any loopholes. None are to be found, the monks will get it all, unless... unless... he convinces them to work with him to devise a new will. Of course they agree!
Quick! Summon a notary!
Quick! Exchange his clothes for the uncle's bedclothes!
All the while, the family members are telling him which bits of the estate they want.
All the while, they each try to bribe him for the most choice pieces: the mule, the house in Firenze, the mills in Signa.
All the while, he is hatching a plan of his own, agreeing in word only with their wishes.
The notary and witnesses arrive. All too willingly, they accept that the man in the bed is the dying uncle. Gianni dictates to the notary the family bequests, with them coming to the bed and thanking their "uncle" for his generosity. Then the trouble begins! The "uncle" grants the mule, the house and the mills to "his good friend, Gianni Schicchi"! The family is in an uproar!
But what can they say? If they reveal him to be a fraud, then all will be exiled, with stumps for hands. Oh, alas and alack!
But now Lauretta has a dowry and she and Rinuccio will be wed!
All is well that ends well!
Bravissimo!!!
Such great fun!
I am so excited to be doing this again on Sunday afternoon!!!

bluegrass and boxcars, baby!

This photo, from the website for the Savannah Music Festival, has one inaccuracy. See the guy in the tan coat? He's no longer with the band. Completing the five-man bluegrass sound is a young (only 21!) dobro player.
I met the boys in the band at today's noon-thirty concert!
Yep, the Savannah Music Festival is in town!!!
They're the only ones who give us noon-thirty events. I've enjoyed those ever since their instigation some few years ago.
This year, I'm volunteering with the SMF and this was my first event. Many thanks to 4-year veteran Franci - she took me under her wing and made sure I knew where to be and what to do. Plus, she and I had fun together! We both worked the door, tearing tickets and smiling and joking with the patrons, until it was time to close the door and enjoy the show.
And that we did! I stood over to the side and danced almost the entire show, of course! I tried to be discreet - no large moves, up against a dark wall, that sort of thing - but definitely dancing! I even had some folks come up to me afterward and thank me for dancing. Woohoo!!!
What a treat to hear some bluegrass! I couldn't help but recall my old boyfriend, Pete Derby, the one who introduced me to this type of music. That was in Okinawa, of all places! We were both Navy, stationed at the now-disappeared NSGA Hanza.
Thanks to him, I knew about fiddles and banjos and mandolins. But a dobro? Not until today! Gary Hultman, the youngest member of The Boxcars, was playing what looked like a guitar, but on its side, like it had a keyboard on it. Very interesting to watch!
He was a recent student of the award-winning banjo strummer, Adam Steffey, a vocalist with The Boxcars. When their fiddle player left for the ministry, Adam knew just the person to bring into the Grammy-nominated band: his talented student, a former alumnus of the SMF's Acoustic Music Seminar. What a grand return to Savannah for that young man!
Oh, and that's Adam on the far right in the photo. You might recognize him from his seven years with Alison Krauss' band, Union Station. Nice, right?
Ron Stewart, the man who can play nearly anything with strings, also writes some of their songs. He's wearing the untucked black shirt, on the left, in the above photo. Just give him a banjo, fiddle, or violin, and he'll teach you to play it.
Harold "Luscious" Nixon is the bass player. I promise you, that's how Adam introduced him on stage at the Morris Center! He's standing dead center in the photo, smiling as he did for the entire concert.
Then there's Keith Garrett, primary song writer. As Adam says, all of his songs have depressing subjects, but are so good you just have to listen! I especially liked "Hurtin' Inside" - I felt he wrote that for me. Adam billed it as his "most uplifting sad song". In the photo, Keith's on the far left.



The Savannah Music Festival really does us proud!
I am so very excited about the operas tonight!!!

bazinga!

Excellent news!
My boys of physics have signed on for two more years of science, romance, and general nerdiness!
That means I'll have Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, and Raj bringing me smiles and laughs until 2017.
Hooray!
Of course, I also will have the antics of Penny, Bernadette, Amy, and whoever dates the caramel-skinned astrophysicist, as they attempt to help their men blend into regular society.
Or at least be a tad less geeky.
Good luck, gals!
As you know, I am a big fan of "The Big Bang Theory". I've referred to the television series once, or twice, maybe even three times.
Then there's the trivia game. I even played it with my San Franciscans when they were here in December! And, of course, shared the show with them.
Ah, yes!
Life has been good to me!
(Thanks for singing and dancing for me, Harry!)
(Just click the link. Seriously good fun!)

hitting my marks

That's an acting term, y'all.
Technically, I'm not an actor, I'm a teacher. If you ask me, though, there isn't that much distance between the two. That's fodder for another place, not here.
When one 'hits one's marks', then one is in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.
That was me today!
If I had been any earlier to the Tybee Arts Center, I may have been discouraged about gaining entry. The performance was sold out, as had been the previous performances.
As it was, I arrived just a few minutes before show time. I only had to wait a few more minutes before time expired on a group reservation. Yeah!!! I always enjoy the plays chosen by the Tybee Arts Performing Society (T.A.P.S.), especially as they feature older actors, as in folks my age or older. The themes appeal to folks with some life experience under their belts, too!

"The Dixie Swim Club" was no exception.
This play was also crafted by Jones Hope Wooten, the master story tellers who wrote "Til Beth Do Us Part" and "Hallelujah Girls", two earlier plays translated to the Tybee stage by T.A.P.S.
Those were also two plays which I had seen with great glee, especially as they featured sassy Southern women and clever humor.
I was looking forward to more of the same - and I got it!
Here's the premise.
Five dear friends, once members of a high school swim team, reunite for a weekend each August. The play spans thirty-three years of these reunions, with the focus on five weekends several years apart.
We are treated with sharing the joys and trials in the lives of Sherree, Dinah, Jeri Neal, Vern, and Lexie, all from different paths in life. I did cry a little in the second act, but that just proves I was paying attention to the heart in the friendships of these women.
Also, I couldn't leave the topic without mentioning the singing commercials, written by Renee DeRossett. Hilarious! She uses familiar songs ("Under The Boardwalk", "I Got You, Babe", "These Boots Are Made For Walking", for this performance) as the backdrop for memorable ads for restaurants, coffee bars, and realtors. Kudos!

On the way back into town, I noticed my odometer was nearing a milestone mileage.
Nice!
Where would I be when it hit 162000?
Would I be in Savannah yet?

Well, yes, I was.
In fact, I was almost to
my midtown destination
when that last
little wheel
spun into place.
I had just
taken the exit
for Eisenhower Drive,
so I was off the busy Truman Parkway.
Good timing!

Actually, it was perfect timing for my entrance to the monthly Coastal Jazz Association concert!
Gil "BOP" Benson was no more than two songs from intermission.
The restaurant,
B. Tillman's this time,
was packed, with nary an empty seat in sight.
I stood to the side
of the bassist,
swaying to the music,
feeling the groove...
...and what to my wondering eyes should appear but my dean and her husband? Seated at a tiny table, nearly front and center, too!
Moreover, she and her husband left after intermission, freeing the table to me! Wow!
I was definitely in the right place, at the right time, again!

For the second set, the scat artist was joined by Savannah's bluesy jazz crooner, Claire Frazier.
Very nice!
They did a tune together, then she held sway, granting us a solo performance of "Satin Doll"! Loved it!!! A jazz staple, usually it's an instrumental, so this was a treat to hear the lyrics! I told her so, too, when she returned to her table, right by mine and she thanked me graciously.
The band gave us a couple more songs, but I didn't really know them. Then BOP tried his hand at Johnny Mercer's "Fools Rush In". It took him three starts to get the key to turn, but he finally unlocked the tune!
Bravo!
Such a lovely day this has been!

happy pie day!!!

hahaha haha!
Yes, I know it was actually "Pi Day"! Still, when the peace Guy mentioned the day, as I was looking at the desserts at the newly reopened Betty Bombers, my mind translated the mathematical constant into delectable deliciousness.
"The pecan pie, please!"
That's what I told the waitress.
Would I like it warmed up?
"Yes, I would," I replied, as she scooped that last slice of nutty goodness onto a plate.
It was so tasty, too!
Almost as good as my Grandmama's pecan pie.
Thanks for the heads up, Joe!
(smile!)

I'm not the only one to think of pie today, either.
Even the American Pie Council saw the link between math and pastry! Their website dared to ask the world: "Which pie should you choose for your Pi Day party?"
A Pi Day party???
Why didn't I think of that?!
Well, there's always next year, since March 14th is an annual date.
I'll be sure to feature pecan pie (third most popular pie in the USA!), but I may pass on the pumpkin pie (special for the US Thanksgiving) and the apple pie (which they claim is the favorite in this country).
Sounds like a plan, y'all!
(smile!)

birdman and betty bomber, an amazing duo

This month was my first anniversary as a JAVAFLIXian!
The group has grown greatly since my first adventure into their little venue.
I had joined the group in February of last year, but saw my first film there last March. It was a foreign film I had never seen, set in Saudi Arabia. At the time, I had a student (Rowaida Q.) from that country and wanted to learn more about it. The film featured a strong-minded young girl, "Wadjda", and her quest to own a bicycle. I had liked that there were only three of us there, that blustery evening. That made the experience more intimate, as if we were instant friends.
Tonight, I watched "Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" for the second time. That was fine, though, as I had missed the first twenty minutes or so the first time I saw it. I didn't know just how vital those minutes might have been, so why not share the complete experience with twenty (and more!) fellow JAVAFLIXians on this lovely, and special, spring night?
There were quite a few folks I knew there, too. Roy Wood was present, arms ready to hug! Very nice! Barbara was there, this time with her writer friend, Lanie. Bonnie Blue and her man, Don, were there and so ready for the discussion afterward! She is so very smart! Yvonne and Kimberley and Shawna were present, too, each with new friends in tow. Joe, the peace Guy, was even in town!
Such a great discussion, too! We all stated our names and how long we had been JAVAFLIXians and then launched into a short evaluation of the movie. Some had seen it for the second time, so they gave the best insights.
For example, did you know there was a Birdman in the comic books before there was a Batman? I had not known that. (Thanks, Don!)
Did you know the director had said he wouldn't make the film unless Michael Keaton was in it? I had not known that. (Thanks, Bonnie!) I completely agree with the director, by the way. Given Keaton's identity as a certain superhero (I'm Batman!) and the difficulty of escaping the fate of being typecast as only that character, who else could even have been tapped for the role?
I also caught, on this viewing, the importance of the short-story writer, Raymond Carver, to the story arc. (Again, I had missed the first twenty minutes of the movie the first time around.) In the intro of the film, before anything begins, the inscription on Carver's tomb appears on the screen.

:LATE FRAGMENT

And did you get what
you wanted from this life, even so?

I did.

And what did you want?

To call myself beloved, to feel myself
beloved on the earth.

Later, we learn that the superhero movie star has held onto an autographed cocktail napkin from Carver. He credits that autographed praise with launching him into his acting career. His costar in the play, a jaded stage actor, points out that the choice of paper indicates that Carver was drunk.
Ouch.
That was especially painful because the movie star had selected Carver's "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" as the vehicle for his entry into stage acting. Suddenly, everything he had believed in seemed to be in jeopardy of having been false all those many years.
There were a lot of folks there for the very first time. Perhaps they had been attracted by the gleam of the Oscars? Perhaps. Maybe they will return and become participants? Maybe!

After the discussion was over, Bonnie and Don suggested we adjourn to Betty Bombers for a bite to eat. The place had been closed for almost a year, after a bad fire had revealed building violations. Now, just in time for the St. Patrick's Day revelers, they had reopened with a limited menu. Also, they now took plastic, instead of just cash. Hooray!
So, Joe and I and Barbara followed Bonnie and Don, fetching Roy from the Sentient Bean along our short two-block walk. Very nice evening it was for a stroll, too! Simply glorious and warm!
The chili-cheese fries were a bit hit with Joe and Bonnie! I had the Ultimate Chicken Club, on Bonnie's recommendation, and found it did, indeed, get better with every bite! I don't recall what the others had, except Roy had his usual near-beer.
Oh, yes! And I had pecan pie!
What a wonderful way to celebrate an anniversary!

off 2 the circus, deux

Such a busy day to start my opening Spring Break weekend!
First, I had the trip to Forsyth Park to see green in the rain!
Then, I traveled to midtown for a bit of fantasy!
And, as a grand finale of this first day of break, I've journeyed back in time, to the old days of the circus!
Unlike the one I attended earlier this year, the circus began as a 'freak of the week' event.

"Step right up folks, to see the oldest woman in the world!
Yes, indeed, this woman was the nurse of the great Father of Our Nation!
Joice Heth was there when George Washington chopped down that cherry tree, yes, she was!
Step right up, step right up!"

Knock a century off her age for the truth.

"Over here, ladies and gentlemen, over here!
I have for you the smallest man in the world!
Fully grown, but less than three feet tall!
Meet the great man himself,
none other than General Tom Thumb!"

General of what army?
The one in the land of Oz, perhaps?




Phineas Taylor Barnum knew better than anyone that there was a sucker born every minute. Someone willing to step up and hand over their money for the sake of seeing an oddity of nature, especially one that made their own life seem a little easier to bear. The selling of views of such oddities added color to his own life, as well as money in his pocket.
But "Barnum", the musical bearing his name, isn't just about him. It also sheds light on the two women of his life and his relationship with them. Most of the play concerns the "marital humbug" he dishes upon his beloved wife, Charity, who he affectionately calls "Chairy" or "Chairy Bottom".
She is his opposite in many ways, the calm to his storm, the voice of reason to his barkery. She would be content with the mellow tones of the world - but she loves him and supports him as he chases his dream. She even tries to add some respectability and truth to his show, encouraging him to lure a songstress across the ocean to our shores.

"Step right up, my lovely people!
Direct from Europe,
none other than Jenny Lind,
the Swedish Nightingale!
Her voice is clear as a bell,
sweeter than any bird's trill!
She will lure your heart
with her song
as she lures your gaze
with her beauty!"


This time, he was absolutely correct.
With her fancy voice and demeanor, Jenny lured him away from his dear wife. Oh, such bright colors! Oh, such gay receptions! Oh, the popular people! Barnum and Jenny toured the country with her concerts for nearly a year. By that time, he had finally tired of the fancy parties and of having a songbird on his arm. Moreover, she was ready to fly away on her own. Both had profited greatly by their association... but what of his marriage?
Charity welcomed him back to their home in Fairfield, CT. She encouraged him to go into politics, fighting for the equal rights for blacks and whites. He served as Mayor of Bridgeport, as well as four terms as Senator. Then Chairy died and life lost its color again.
Ten years later, Barnum and James Anthony Bailey joined their creative talents, creating the "Barnum & Bailey Circus". Why? For the sake of a baby elephant.
And the rest followed suit, leading to the circus as I saw it in January.
The Asbury Theatre Company did a fabulous job of presenting this story! There were acrobats! There were ribbon dancers! There were clowns! There was an aerialist high above the stage!
And, yes, Miss Virginia, there was even an elephant!

I was the only one with a balloon.
As I had entered the church to buy a ticket on this opening night, the clown had asked if I would like a balloon.
"Would I!" I had responded enthusiastically!
So, he pulled out the red one from his bunch and gave it to me.
When I asked him, later at the reception, why he had done so, he replied, "You looked like you needed a balloon."
No judgement, just matter of fact.
And you know what?
He was absolutely correct!
Nice touch for the end of a nice evening and a nice day!

greening time!

For the first time in my AD memory, I attended this annual pre-St. Patrick's Day event.
Today was gray and drippy, but that didn't stop the crowd from the festivities -
nor me, either!

This year's Grand Marshal of the Parade had brought his grandkids to help with the Greening of The Fountain.
He, and they, and several other celebrities, each poured a token bucket of green dye into the fountain, simultaneously.
And there is that touch of green beginning to show!

As the water circulated, the mass of dye flowed down the sides of the statue, streaking her gown with emerald green!
Beautiful!
I'm so glad I was at the 30th year of this!

elephant in the jelly bean jar

Today, my first niece and I had an early celebration of her birthday.
That day won't actually occur until Sunday, but she had contacted me last Sunday to ask what day would work for me for lunch?
"Tuesday", I had responded.
We had texted a bit more, working out some details, and concluded with me saying, "I will look forward to time with you, as always."
Her sresponse was, "as shall I... with you, I mean."
Originally, we were going for her free burger at Ruby Tuesdays, but we would have had to go to the franchise way out southside, near I-95. Not hap'nin', captain! (Inside joke with her!)
Especially as we were adding a movie to our rendezvous!
So, lunch at Olive Garden, because they always treat us like family and give us lots of our favorite soups and tasty salad. Then, bop over to the Spotlight, one of our favorite theatres, for the new science fiction flick, "Chappie".
Loved it! Definitely not like "Short Circuit", the robot tale that inspired Christina's desire to see this one. But this one does feature a robot which becomes sentient, just as that three-decade-old movie did.
One of the coolest things about the movie today? We were introduced to a new band, Die Antwoord, as they supplied most of the music in the movie. Their style is referred to as rap-rave, but I'm not sure that describes the true flavor of it. I prefer their categorization of their band: ZEF RAP-RAVE KREW from ZUID AFRKA. They describe ZEF as the lifestyle choice to be true to oneself and not be concerned with others opinions about style or mannerisms or anything else.
Also, their lead singer, ¥o-Landi Vi$$er (nee Anri du Toit) and her husband and co-bandmate, Ninja (born Watkin Tudor Jones), were excellent as the neo-punk gangster couple. The real trick was they weren't really acting; that was them as they are, minus the weapons. How cool is that? The cameras simply had to be there to capture their lifestyle - and the real-life love they have.
After, we headed back to my car, still parked at the site of our lunch.
That's when I pulled out the silvery, glitter-bedecked box.
Inside were two items, one old, one new.
Which did she want to open first?
The one on top, of course!

That was the
"something new."
It was one of the special bracelets I had bought because they reminded me of Mama, reminded me of her jokes, reminded me of my need to share her with those dear to me.
Especially with my first niece.
Of course, I told her the joke, too.

She had not heard it before, so that was new to her, too.

Why did the elephant paint his toenails all different colors?
So he could hide in the jellybean jar!

(smile)

Then to the second gift in the shiny box.
The "something old."
The necklace was
one of Mama's,
one she had always
enjoyed wearing,
one she had
purchased while on
one of many visits
to Jekyll Island.
Mama had such a love of wearing jewelry,
as does Christina.

Doesn't the necklace look so lovely on her?
May you enjoy it for many, many birthdays, my dear!