hello all...

The New York Event - before and after!
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Teratogen
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hello all...

Post by Teratogen »

my name is jason. i was at the cohen event in new york with my best friend, sean. on this board he is smccallon. i just wanted to let everyone know that it was an amazing experience (one of the best weekends of my life) and i wanted to acknowledge the appreciation i had for being able to be there and talk to a lot of you, especially bobbie and the whole gang of others sean and i talked with outside the international house late sunday night. it was very refreshing to have a conversation with other people about leonard as well as other music, and it reaffirmed my belief that leonard has got to be the best master of the english language in modern music today. thank you all once again and i can't wait for berlin! sean and i will hopefully be there.

jason
smccallon
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Post by smccallon »

Nice to see you finally on here!
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Wenslauw
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Post by Wenslauw »

Ah, nice to see you, Teratogen. I just talked to smccallon on the chatroom. You must be the dark haired guy outside the International House who was with smccallon. I was the tall guy. Probably smoking a cigar.

Wenslauw
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Partisan
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Post by Partisan »

I must say it is sad to keep hearing tales of a lack of social interaction in NY. However it is not as sad as the lack of appreciation that Wenslauw has for the fine cigars I know he smokes. If anyone ever sees him with a Montechristo 'A' again please confiscate it at once. It is for his own good.

p.
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Bobbie
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Post by Bobbie »

Hi there Jason... thanks so much for your comments - we all enjoyed that evening on the front steps of International House, too - one of the best parts of the entire weekend. It was so good to see "young blood" (I think that's what I referred to you and Sean as that night) -lol- ready to pick up the torch and carry Leonard on through to future generations. I think I mentioned to you and Sean that one day the two of you will be organizing an event! (don't kid yourselves.. it's a LOT of work!) But I think you're up for it.

Looking forward to seeing you again in Berlin.

Till then...
Bobbie
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Joe Way
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Post by Joe Way »

Hi Jason,

Just received a very nice email from your friend, Sean today. I agree with Bobbie, Henning etc. the future of the events is in good hands with you guys. I figure we could go into the '20's and '30's and looking at secondary venues at this point (I remember that Leonard did a concert in Thunder Bay in 1993!)

Also, we would like to thank you both again for sending us so much positive feedback as we planned the event. That meant a lot to all of us through some discouraging times.

It was great to meet you both, and we're looking forward to seeing you in Berlin, if not before.

Joe
"Say a prayer for the cowboy..."
smccallon
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Post by smccallon »

Joe,

I have not really talked to Jason too much about it, but I did mention to Bobbie that someday there has to be an event in Los Angeles. I would love to help out on that one someday for sure.
It would be wonderful to spend the time, effort, and energy into putting together one of these events.
Los Angeles, maybe someday!

:D

-Sean
http://www.livejournal.com/users/passthrufire
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Teratogen
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Post by Teratogen »

yes, wenslauw, i distinctly remember a gentleman smoking a cigar. and yes, i was the dark-haired guy with sean. haha. i totally looked out of place.... long black hair and unshaven goatee. but i guess it is a noticeable quality. others who do not know my name recognize me by my facial features. but anyway...

sean, i hear your news through the grapevine! bobbie, the two of us have dearly entertained the idea that after berlin there will be some events in los angeles, where leonard currently resides. and if sean is going to put a great deal of energy into helping to organize such events, that is where i see myself as well.

and now i would like to tell you all that i am a fellow musician. i chose not to perform at the event because, well, i have never actually performed live in front of people. my music is not so simple as an acoustic guitar, and i am not so talented to swallow my stage fright as so many other talented people did that weekend. after sean told me about the long list of those who covered leonard he said i should try to get my name on there, because i did a heavy version of "democracy." and after that weekend i decided i ought to just devote myself to covering an entire album's worth of cohen material. that might not happen for a while, for i am concentrating on some of my own new material. most of the music i do sounds nothing like cohen's music, but that's ok. i think that making music that is different from what may inspire me is a healthy thing. that is partially why sean and i cheered the loudest for the very talented zachary oberzan for performing such golden classics as "the future," "closing time," and "don't go home with your hard-on." there is no serious doubting that other songs that people performed ("famous blue raincoat," "suzanne," "chelsea hotel #2," etc.) are great, great songs. but the songs zachary performed can also never be denied! it was so refreshing to hear! sean and i shared a mighty handshake and exchange of thank-yous with zachary after his performance.

if anyone wishes to hear my "heavy" version of "democracy," i will be glad to send it to you, or if there's some way of getting it up on the website.... i don't know who to talk to about that. but first, i need to clean it up a bit... do some "re-mastering" on my computer.

and thank you all for your replies!

jason
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lizzytysh
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Post by lizzytysh »

The social interaction is one of the things I look forward to in Berlin. If it could be intentionally factored in, it would be wonderful. Say, for example, an evening [or even afternoon] of dancing to Leonard's music, where there really is a "far side of the gym." There are many songs of Leonard's that are very danceable, fast or slow. Dancing with someone, dancing 'alone' ~ who cares. Sitting on the sidelines, mingling and talking with each other, if or when we don't care to dance. A scheduled time where meeting and interacting with others is the whole of the agenda. I'd love that scene 8) .

A spontaneous, in-the-aisle dancing to one of Leonard's songs sprung up at the International House, and it was wonderful :D 8) . I distinctly remember Lizzie Madder :D being there, as we all danced alone, yet together. A chance for us to release our heightened energy, through movement, to sounds we love.

My schedule was all about making it from one point to another, by a particular time, which put me pretty literally 'on the run' the entire time. Meals were no exception. It was frustrating knowing there were people there, from here, whom I wanted to meet and talk with. Yet, that time never really presented itself, except in brief snippets, for me. On the 'run' with Andrea ~ as we were on Evelyn's walking tour ~ gave us a chance to talk briefly about my dream [way back] about coming to Italy, and how it will one day come true. It was so gratifying to finally meet her :D .

Yet, the crossing of a street, the turn of a corner, moving left or right to avoid running into someone, easily brought another person into proximity. Brief comments made or overheard brought new snippets of conversation. We still were on a deadline of getting to the Village on time for the Scavenger Hunt, had to keep up the pace, stay with the group, and be in place for the next thing being pointed out and explained.

Whilst walking fast, I had the chance to talk with John Bergeron about how his group came together.....and had to confess that I didn't know of him or his music until I joined the Forum, and the Event began to take form. He later gave me two of his CDs, so now once I listen, I'll be able to legitimately speak with regard to my own opinion. He said, "good or bad, I'd like to hear it." His openness and non-ego were refreshing. His youngest member [17] ~ unmistakably the 'tiny' one on the right wearing platforms ~ apparently has a magnificent voice that doesn't get showcased by her backup role in Leonard's songs. He compared her to a potential Celine Dion. However, she's growing into Leonard's music, as she has begun to 'get it' with various songs and to appreciate Leonard as we do. Ah, the life ahead for this singer 8) .

His 'front' angel has magnificent presence. With the smooth, perfect skin, lovely features, and softness of youth; long, straight, and shining 'blonde'ish hair; wearing long, simply-styled, sleeveless, black dress; in classical stance, she stands with her arms hanging straight down at her sides, looks straight ahead and, motionless and regal, sings perfectly, with rounded, beautiful tones. It's as though watching Venus in life form.

I can't recall his third singer [on the left] as well, or what he said about her [those on-the- run conversations as one negotiates the city streets, the stairs up and down at the subways, and the turnstiles into and out of them, the bumping into or near-missing of people hurrying the same or opposite direction, and oh yes ~ the group ~ are they going left or right!?!] except that she was still different from the other two. My view of her was more limited, but as I recall, her hair was shorter and her style pizazz-y.

St. Patrick's Cathedral ~ and Catherine in brass depiction on the door ~ glorious! We saw it; we had a group photo taken on the steps, the cathedral doors behind us. The videotape and 'mock' interview ~ by Ron, the journalist from Holland [as I silently pray, "please let the sound not be working on that camera"] ~ as we're 'people on the street' asked about the time we're having ~ truly what zany fun, all of it!

Many, many images ~ a kaleidoscope of them ~ vignettes and cameos ~ dance through my mind in no order whatsoever. Words come for giving them form, but then they pass before I'm at a keyboard, or even have time with a journal. I need a day of just me and writing to [ideally] get it all down. I don't see that happening. I hope to record what I can. Memories.

~ Lizzytysh
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lizzytysh
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Post by lizzytysh »

I finally met Sean :D , though I'd seen him about with Jason, as we sat on the couch beneath the windows, in the nook at the far end of a Columbia dorm hallway, and watched the corner TV, as the official, White House portraits of Bill and Hillary Clinton were unveiled and 'dedicated', and they each spoke. We laughed at the seating arrangement, with Bill seated directly next to Bush. As I like Bill Clinton [and it seemed Sean does too, right Sean?], it was an unexpected pleasure to be 'right on time' for this coverage. I was waiting for Evelyn, and he was waiting for Jason. Yet, time was again short, and conversation hastened to a close, and off we went in our opposite directions. It was great to meet you, Sean, and share in a bit of our history.

~ Lizzytysh
smccallon
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Post by smccallon »

Lizzy,

Yes, I have always enjoyed Bill Clinton especially for his humor and wit. It was nice to finally talk to you briefly as well. There were so many different directions to take in NYC that we all seemingly had diverse agendas. The small moments of interaction are what I tend to remember the most. I usually do not watch much of the news but I really wanted to see what the official portraits looked like. It seemed like it took forever to show them-mainly because of speeches by all the parties involved.
It was great to meet you and I appreciate the conversation we had. That will not be the last conversation though! :D

-Sean
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catherine
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Post by catherine »

It´s good to have you all back safe.
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