(Music) Bio
Out of the Nutshell, A Tree Growed Tall...
Princeton
My songbook is full of songs written between 1978 and 1982.
An important lesson: my first girlfriend was a music major who had studied under David Diamond at Juliard (and now directs an opera company in Switzerland). For a time, I was so intimidated by her classical-music and compositional creds that I completely stopped writing, and almost stopped playing. After we broke up I learned through a mutual friend that — contrary to my terrible fears — she loved my songs. In truth: writing a decent song with a good melody is no easy matter, for anyone.
Name dropping: During my first year I lived at Princeton House. Stanley Jordan, the renowned two-hand-tapping jazz guitarist, did as well. I well recall him playing — and being bowled over by his brilliance. Once, a group bussing to New York asked Stanley to play guitar for them on the way up. (I don't think they knew this was not the kind of gig he did!) He knew I strummed a 12-string and sang, and gave me the gig! Got a free ride to/from The Big Apple! Years later saw Stanley playing in Annapolis, Maryland. Still bowled over by his brilliance!
The high point: A mainly-solo performance at the Princeton University Art Museum.
How I pulled this off I do not recall. I guess 20-somethings with drive just get things done. But there I was, on the Princeton University Art Museum stage playing my 6- and 12-string guitars and my (very heavy) Rhodes electric piano, sharing my music. I shared so much there was even an intermission. And the audience returned for the second half!
For several songs, Les Sharfstein joined me on lead guitar. I was living off campus with non-student musicians, some of whom were in a band then called Channel 32. I believe Ross Troy (bass guitar) knew Les, and put us in touch. Anyways, Les played brilliant lead guitar on a black Gibson Les Paul . He later went off to New York to work as a professional musician. Ross managed to get a (for the time) decent recording of the concert. Les played a wonderful Neil-Young-&-Crazy-Horse-energized solo on "Electric Dances."
The low point: My mother died, age 50, in 1982. "Mary Levering" was written in her memory and publicly performed for the first time at the Art Museum concert. To this day, I cannot play this song without crying. This recording was played at both my mother and father's memorial services.
"Electric Dances," "Freedom," and "Mary Levering" were all recorded (on a cassette recorder) during the Art Museum concert.
