Yesterday we went to another funeral, the second in recent months. Tom Murphy and his wife Madalyn have been good friends for years. We spent many an hour playing cards, "skinching" in Maine looking for hidden treasures in the junk stores there. Discussing the solutions to the worlds problems and counting their growing tribe of grand-kids.
It is not fair to say that Tom fought cancer. Cancer fought Tom and being the good Irishman he was, he gave it quite a tussle. He proved doctors wrong that sent him away years ago saying there was nothing that could be done. He proved the world wrong by keeping a positive, encouraging attitude. Sympathy was not needed, it was given by Tom. I only saw him twice during his fight as we no longer work together. Both times, though his body was stripped of the vitality it had once had, his smile beamed that Tom was still alive and well and ready for the next challenge.
Hundreds gathered yesterday, all touched in some way by this gentle, wonderful man. Our loss is heaven's gain. If it can be any brighter up there it is now because Tom's smile is bigger than ever.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Acoustic Nirvana: Or Betty Boop and Budha
There are accidents of time and place that put you in the presence of genius. Hopefully you will have the presence of mind and soul to recognize it. My story.
Day 3 of Ginger's birthday weekend. Kennebunk Maine. In a free paper we saw a notice for an Acoustic Guitar Concert at the River Tree Arts Center, admission $10. I love good acoustic guitar and for $10 each, not a lot of risk, right.
We arrive at the River Tree Arts Center (http://rivertreearts.org/) and are able to park right in front of the facility. Not a good sign. We walk in and we are among a dozen people or so, nervous musicians wondering if anyone will show, nervous exec director wondering same. We pay, browse and sit. The crowd swells to maybe 20.
The opening act was Ed Desjardin. A terrific player and songwriter. His unique style seemed to be rooted in a delightful mix of great musical styles melded into his own. After a short break the feature performer was Martin Swinger. (http://www.martinswinger.com/)
Martin Swinger, broad smile and commanding presence, drew us into the story of his song like a gripping novel that keeps the light on til 2 AM. He knits silly with serious, petty with poignant, leaving you asking, "How did he do that? How did we get from there to here? That was amazing!" From the first song, in my heart I was on the little red chair in the front of the room in first grade class where we sat and listened to Mrs. Simpson read those incredible stories. Time disappeared as you hung on the next phrase--only now it was set to music and delivered by tenor voice so clear it sparkled. Our 20 sojourners in the audience could have been in Carnegie Hall and we would not have had more pleasure than we enjoyed at the River Tree.
I sat thinking between songs, "Who is he like?" The complexity of sound and lyric were unlike anyone I had ever heard. Songs of grief, love, and depression delivered with humor, hope and delicacy. In one brief night at River Tree, I am a fan. His song Betty Boop and Budha capture his approach to life and music by pairing the most unlikely couple--the silly and the serious--to show how they coexist and inform us each of the other.
If you love music and good songwriting, do yourself a favor and click on the link above and listen to some of his work like the "Consider the Oyster", or "Gravity" to get a feel for this master of the ballad. You can buy his work in CD's or downloads from his website. An artist of this caliber must be shared and supported.
Ginger and I stumbled into the presence of genius last night. We are better for it.
Day 3 of Ginger's birthday weekend. Kennebunk Maine. In a free paper we saw a notice for an Acoustic Guitar Concert at the River Tree Arts Center, admission $10. I love good acoustic guitar and for $10 each, not a lot of risk, right.
We arrive at the River Tree Arts Center (http://rivertreearts.org/) and are able to park right in front of the facility. Not a good sign. We walk in and we are among a dozen people or so, nervous musicians wondering if anyone will show, nervous exec director wondering same. We pay, browse and sit. The crowd swells to maybe 20.
The opening act was Ed Desjardin. A terrific player and songwriter. His unique style seemed to be rooted in a delightful mix of great musical styles melded into his own. After a short break the feature performer was Martin Swinger. (http://www.martinswinger.com/)
Martin Swinger, broad smile and commanding presence, drew us into the story of his song like a gripping novel that keeps the light on til 2 AM. He knits silly with serious, petty with poignant, leaving you asking, "How did he do that? How did we get from there to here? That was amazing!" From the first song, in my heart I was on the little red chair in the front of the room in first grade class where we sat and listened to Mrs. Simpson read those incredible stories. Time disappeared as you hung on the next phrase--only now it was set to music and delivered by tenor voice so clear it sparkled. Our 20 sojourners in the audience could have been in Carnegie Hall and we would not have had more pleasure than we enjoyed at the River Tree.I sat thinking between songs, "Who is he like?" The complexity of sound and lyric were unlike anyone I had ever heard. Songs of grief, love, and depression delivered with humor, hope and delicacy. In one brief night at River Tree, I am a fan. His song Betty Boop and Budha capture his approach to life and music by pairing the most unlikely couple--the silly and the serious--to show how they coexist and inform us each of the other.
If you love music and good songwriting, do yourself a favor and click on the link above and listen to some of his work like the "Consider the Oyster", or "Gravity" to get a feel for this master of the ballad. You can buy his work in CD's or downloads from his website. An artist of this caliber must be shared and supported.
Ginger and I stumbled into the presence of genius last night. We are better for it.
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