Sparks from the Fire

This is Part 3.  If you haven’t yet read Part 1 & 2, I highly suggest you do so first.

For a little more than five years when I was in my late 20s and early 30s I was composer-in-residence at the NY Shakespeare Festival (The Public Theater) working with producer Joseph Papp in what was, at the time, the most creative theatrical hot spot in the country.  Joe Papp and his plays and musicals had an amazing run of success during the 70s that we haven’t seen the likes of from a theatrical producer since.

It was at The Public where I learned my craft having the opportunity to work on some 40 shows in those 5+ years working as composer for Joe.  Besides many other theaters in The Public complex, the NYSF also produced two Shakespeare plays per summer at the outdoor Delacorte Theater in Central Park.  I created incidental music for a number of these productions and I remember one particular production of Shakespeare’s Comedy Of Errors where I was backstage standing in the wings one night.

An older actor was on stage in a scene with one other actor one night when the older actor simply stopped in the middle of one line and kind of slumped over, still standing, into a frozen position.  The long pause brought us all to quick alert.  His fellow actor fed him his cue again to no response.  The stage manager in the wings downstage of me also fed him his lines in a stage whisper several times to no avail.  The audience began to buzz and we all quickly realized that there was something very wrong with the older actor.

Truth is, he had had a small stroke.

The stage manager, taking charge, simply walked out on stage calmly, and taking the arm of the older actor, led him slowly off stage.  Then the stage manager went back on stage and announced to the audience that we would take a short intermission and resume the play after 15 minutes.  The audience, still abuzz, did as they were told to do peacefully.

Backstage it was anything but peaceful.  Rather, it was a pretty wild scene as the older actor was addressed and cared for, an ambulance was called and his understudy was frantically preparing to go on in the older actor’s place.

The costume mistresses scurried about preparing the understudy’s costume changes, I got in his face discussing his musical cues and the stage manager ran through a litany of reminders for the young, inexperienced understudy. (more…)

OK, now you get to use your imagination.  Imagine those multi-colored triangle pennants flapping in the breeze surrounding the marquee “Watchfire Music Learning Lab – Grand Opening”.  Add some triumphant music played by a brass band and people flocking into the store excited to buy.  What are they buying?  Knowledge.

The WFM Learning Lab is now the real deal.  Staffed by top teachers and professionals, here is a specialized music school of most interesting classes developed to further the intricacies of modern music making.  Want to learn how to better your midi rhythm section arranging in your home studio?  Here’s the place to improve your skills.  Want to fine-tune your auditioning skills as a performer?  Here’s the place to get over that hump and start to nail down those jobs.

Most of these classes will be private classes – one on one with the teacher, but a few may evolve into group study though kept small and personal.

Pricing will be kept affordable. Private classes (one on one) will be held at $50 per hour.

(more…)

The idea that a chariot of fire would sweep down out of the heavens and carry off a man in a mystical spiritual process called “ascension” has fascinated me since childhood.  When I first heard the story in the Bible of the master Elijah and his devoted disciple, Elisha, probably in Sunday School, I tucked the tale away in the back of my mind for further imaginary consideration on those nights when sleep would not come easy.

Later in life, as I taught Sunday School, I began to study thoroughly the story so that I could best relate it to my boys in the class I taught.  I watched them too become fascinated with the tale and found that the discussions around the story went on for weeks in my classes.  Every step of the experience was questioned and thrashed about.  “What was ascension?”  “Why did Elijah say to Elisha that if he could see him ascend then Elisha might be able to someday ascend as well?”  “Why did Elijah ask Elisha to hold his garment?” (more…)

Julia Wade

Last Thursday evening still rings in my being.  A kind of dream was achieved as both Margaret Dorn and Julia Wade both perfectly set forth the ideals of the inspirational music concert series, the WFM Listening Room.

The audience simply sat and listened joyfully as both ladies spun out their musical magic.  The simplicity of the evening proved conclusively that good and great music can be deeply appreciated without the hoopla of sets, costumes, trapezes, orchestras, mind-numbing sound systems and psychedelic light shows.

These two ladies, the first, Margaret Dorn singing with her own piano accompaniment, and then, Julia Wade, singing mic-less over studio recorded tracks gave us songs that touched the heart and plugged us in to the beauty of the craftsmanship of their songs. (more…)

WFM Listening Room Opens in NYC
A Howling Success!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhh!

Pardon me if I howl a trifle, but occasionally things go even better than one dreams.  The Watchfire Music Listening Room debuted this past week to a sold out audience and by the end of the evening clearly became a dream defined.

Here is an idea whose time has truly come.  A place where one could come and spend an evening in intimate and elegant surroundings, Jenkins House Concerts just off of Central Park on the West Side of Manhattan, and do little else than simply listen to great “live” music in an un-mic’d setting.

Here was music at its natural best, parlor performed by two multi-talented ladies.  The audience was a wild mix of melting-pot New Yorkers – young and old, professionals and fans, black and white, and all went home full of good food and rich blessings – and only for a $15 ticket.  Such a deal! (more…)

I’m excited to announce the beta of a new series of house concerts for Inspirational music right here in little ol’ NYC.

We’re calling it the Watchfire Music Listening Room. WFM artist, Julia Wade, will do 3 nights in the next 3 months celebrating and developing her new CD at Jenkins House Concerts just off of Central Park West.

Thursday, August 19th @ 7:30
Thursday, September 16th @ 7:30
Thursday, October 7th @ 7:30

Opening for her will be singer/songwriters Rebecca Minor in August, Megan Neale in September, and WFM artist and composer, Margaret Dorn, in October.

The purpose of the Watchfire Music Listening Room house concerts is to allow WFM artists to develop their music in front of a live audience. (more…)

Pardon my absence, but I’ve been up to my eyebrows in music.

Just this last weekend I had the great privilege to produce and direct a concert of Inspirational music for TMC Youth, an organization dedicated to opening up the horizons of spirituality for the youth of today.

In a 3-day weekend gathering of over 200 young people from mainly the East coast, but also from as far away as Africa and Europe, my task was to put together and spearhead an hour and a half of Inspirational music entertainment for their Saturday night blow-out.

(more…)

I’m a much better singer in my head than in actuality.  Most of us are.  I guess I’m beyond being a shower singer, but not too far beyond it.  And working with the people that I have the chance to work with nearly every day is an experience that would make just about anyone who can carry a tune clam up and keep silent.

I guess you might say I have the passion for singing and the ability to carry a song as an actor, but just don’t have the instrument.  Also I don’t exercise my voice on a daily level.

So I have such a deep respect for anyone who can sing consistently on pitch, with great rhythm, emotion and control.  Also the ability to control one’s vibrato is a mystery to me.  My studio singer friends can sing with a straight tone, a wide vibrato, a narrow one (or fast vibrato) or a note that starts with a straight tone and emerges into the vibrato of choice. (more…)