Went to visit the Chabad sukkah last night as part of the 'sukkah crawl', and met Rabbi Chezky, his wife, Chanale and their two small kids. After saying the traditional blessings, we sat down, had some soup, then got into the typical thing that Jews do when they meet one another for the first time. Yup, we told jokes and cracked each other up. And no, I didn't sing my new hit 'He took a hooker to the sukkah'. But I did play some accordion to the open mouthed astonishment of the kids. It was really fun, and completely out of context for Eugene... And so it goes...
I make stuff up on the fly. It's so much more enjoyable than just repeating something from the past, from the known, from the expected. Lately on some of my gigs, someone will say something and I'll just use the line as a springboard for writing a song in the moment. It ain't that hard.... three chords, a few words that rhyme, and if we're lucky, something funny comes out. It's that knife edge
again, trying to stay on the tightrope long enough to make it to the punchline, whatever it might be.
I used to take some improv classes, and my absolute favorite form was called 'Opera', in which you simply sing everything. The magic comes when a line emerges, people start repeating it 'Greek Chorus' style and it becomes profoundly hysterical. Then something else happens, someone introduces a new element and you can either join in that energy or come up with something complimentary. This type of 'play' strikes me as infinitely more 'real' that the more formal, 'socially acceptable' ways that people interact.
Childish? absolutely!
I used to take some improv classes, and my absolute favorite form was called 'Opera', in which you simply sing everything. The magic comes when a line emerges, people start repeating it 'Greek Chorus' style and it becomes profoundly hysterical. Then something else happens, someone introduces a new element and you can either join in that energy or come up with something complimentary. This type of 'play' strikes me as infinitely more 'real' that the more formal, 'socially acceptable' ways that people interact.
Childish? absolutely!
At a gig the other day, Benny asked if I knew this song. He started singing it, and he was in tune, so I could figure out the chords as he sang. Sounds like a Hank Williams song, classic country, though it's not by him. But I dig the song, and now it's in the repertoire. Thanks, Benny, good call.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DndK5hZBgu0
Here's the highlight of today's senior gig. I'm smiling as I write it. About 15 old timers were rehearsing the song 'As Time Goes By' because they will open with it at tomorrow's talent show. I'm accompanying on guitar. So instead of just sitting around and singing like we normally do, I've got them in front of the room and standing close together, around the 3 or 4 folks who are in chairs. I
t's a consistent effort on my part to get them closer together, hearing each other, feeling the vibration of singing in a group, But they have some reluctance, as they're more comfortable keeping to themselves. So part of my job is to push that envelope and get them standing, standing closer, cone on you can do it... Pushy, but not too pushy. with a smile, sabes?
So now they're up there singing and it sounds pretty good, but they're stiff and not really emoting, not hamming it up, not having fun with it. I tell them that a song like this needs some hamming up....'listen to the words of the bridge.' ''Moonlight and love songs, never out of date. Hearts full of passion, jealousy and hate. Woman needs man and man must have his mate. Than no one can deny. It's still the same old story, a fight for love and glory, a case of do or die. The world will always welcome lovers as time goes by.'
Some of them started to just cut loose with gestures and cuteness and goofing around,, and it was so great to see. Feels like something special is happening.... and it only happens when you get close to one another, the energy ramps up. A little alchemy at the Terpening Terrace in Santa Clara. It's gonna be fun tomorrow. This gig is getting more interesting
So now they're up there singing and it sounds pretty good, but they're stiff and not really emoting, not hamming it up, not having fun with it. I tell them that a song like this needs some hamming up....'listen to the words of the bridge.' ''Moonlight and love songs, never out of date. Hearts full of passion, jealousy and hate. Woman needs man and man must have his mate. Than no one can deny. It's still the same old story, a fight for love and glory, a case of do or die. The world will always welcome lovers as time goes by.'
Some of them started to just cut loose with gestures and cuteness and goofing around,, and it was so great to see. Feels like something special is happening.... and it only happens when you get close to one another, the energy ramps up. A little alchemy at the Terpening Terrace in Santa Clara. It's gonna be fun tomorrow. This gig is getting more interesting
