Throwback Thursday #14

Image by Hans Linde from Pixabay

Ahh…

Summer is winding down here in the northern hemisphere.

Days are shorter.

Nights are longer and cooler.

Late summer/early fall flowers are blooming.

It is one of my least favorite times of year (except for the blooming flowers…)

Spring and summer lift my soul.

Autumn much less so.

I don’t know how much of this is related to the dread and sadness I used to feel as a child and teenager about having to go back to school each fall.

And how much of it may simply be a visceral response to the shortening daylight hours.

I have always been acutely sensitive to — and sad about — endings.

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

As I may have mentioned in a previous blog post, my father and mother each told me (separately) that when I was an infant, I would always cry when they sang “Good Night, Irene” to me as a lullaby.

If that is true, I’m not sure why they kept singing it to me (maybe to see if — yet again — it would move me to tears?)

But apparently they did.

And I always cried.

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

Today I am throwing back to a blog post from October 2014 which features the song “Something Good” from the movie version of The Sound Of Music.

It is another song which moves me to tears.

I recorded it with pianist Doug Hammer when we were working on a show called “Songs About Parents and Children.”

I used to think that it was written by Rodgers & Hammerstein, but it turns out — as you may already know — that it was written by Richard Rodgers after Oscar had died (from stomach cancer on August 23, 1950 at his beloved Bucks County farm in Pennsylvania).

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

Another deep breath in.

And deep breath out.

Ahh, beginnings…

Ahh, endings…

Are YOU a fan of autumn?

If so, please leave me a compelling comment about how I can learn to appreciate and savor it more in the weeks ahead….

Thank you to the generous and talented photographers at Pixabay for these beautiful images.

And thank YOU for reading this blog post.

There’s Nothing I Wouldn’t Do…

Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler

Today’s song was written by the very gifted team of Marcy Heisler (lyrics) and Zina Goldrich (music).

They are a well-known songwriting team based in New York City, and they have crafted a bunch of stand-alone songs — along with entire musicals — which are beloved by performers.

A few of their NYC-area hits include “I Like Them (Bald),” “Alto’s Lament,” and “Taylor, The Latte Boy.”

Jinny Sagorin and I recorded their song “There’s Nothing I Wouldn’t Do” with pianist Doug Hammer a few years ago.

Originally from South Africa, Jinny has lived in the Boston area for the past two decades.

You can check out her website by clicking here if you are curious.

In recent years Jinny has expanded beyond musical theater and cabaret to becoming a cantor.

We both share a sense that music can be very sacred (as well as silly, sexy, heartfelt, and open-minded).

Will (with broken elbow), Jinny and Doug — Photo by Jeremy Schmahmann

And performing in a synagogue, library, church or retirement community can be just as satisfying as performing in a bar or club — although we have both done plenty of that, too!

I first met Jinny when I was co-hosting an open mic at The Cambridge Center For Adult Education in Harvard Square (where I also was employed as an events manager and PR person).

Eventually we put together an entire program of songs called LIFE MATTERS.

Jinny also invited me to perform as a special guest when she debuted her solo CD, IT’S FOR YOU, to a sold-out crowd at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston.

And she has performed many of my original songs when I have done showcases of my own work.

In addition to being a performing artist, Jinny is also a visual artist.

Here’s an example of a work of art she created for an annual show called ART/Word in which she is a regular participant.

Thank you to Marcy and Zina for writing this song.

Thank you to Jinny and Doug for recording it with me.

Painting by Jinny Sagorin

Thank you to Stephen C. Fischer a.k.a DigitalFisch for designing the graphic to accompany it.

Thank you to Dr. Jeremy Schmahmann for taking the photo of me, Jinny and Doug.

And thank YOU for reading this blog post!

PS: If you feel like streaming this song on your favorite digital music platform, please click here for links.

PPS: I haven’t mentioned the current challenges here on planet earth (wars, heat waves, forest fires, floods, spreading diseases, rising costs, lack of food/fertilizer/fuel, political upheaval, etc.) in recent blog posts.

But I remain vividly aware of them.

And I continue to find inspiration and hope from the courageous candidates and hard-working GOTV (get out the vote) organizations at work around the USA.

As you are probably well aware, there are a bunch of very inspiring human beings stepping up at the local, state and national levels these days.

Let’s support them — with tiny donations of time and/or money— as much as we are able.

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.