Day 1. Barry Harris class. Old and new friends.
“I’m gonna laugh you right out of my life”
Day 2. Fat Cat. Jam session with friends!
“I’m in the Mood for Love”
…great show at Iridium: Happy Birthday to Jon Hendricks!
Day 3. Home
“Conception” George Shearing
Day 4. Pasquale’s Place
So many songs today!!! Let’s say we learn a new one: “Heaven’s doors are open wide” Tadd Dameron.
…and the night’s still young, ready for the vocal jam session tonight!
So the night was young and I happened to sing two songs with Steve Ash on piano (who was playing two days ago with the great Jon, Michelle and Aria Hendricks, Kurt Elling, Kevin Burke, Kevin Mahogany!) “Blue Monk” and “Love me or leave me”. Beautiful atmosphere in that little restaurant. Steve is a great and humble pianist. That’s the magic of NYC! Let’s face (the music and dance) another day!
Day 5. Another day full of songs. A great show, a shared birthday party, birthday cake and a gift. Some new friends and new voices. The song that was looking for me today was “The moon was yellow”. Enjoy the music!
And, by the way, the evening was mainly in a soulful place for music and poetry. Everyone wrote a poem, here’s mine:
“This is autumn in New York
My first autumn in New York
Music and love through canyons of steel.
Black moon
Yesterday
A yellow soul of amber
Today.
Lybra’s arms like branches
leaves
notes
on an’ around the staff.
Silky Black Ink
Dreamy Yellow Song
(Thank you all)”
Day 6. Hard to choose a song today! Johnny O’Neal sang so many and with such a beautiful spirit! Let’s choose one: “If I’m Lucky”.
Loved Louis Armstrong picture:
Day 7. Today I have my new song – suggested by Pasquale Grasso: “Beautiful moons ago”.
Gigs at Analogue Bar and 11th Street Bar. Music and tap dancing! Great day again.
Day 8. That was Annie Ross IN PERSON. I had the opportunity to listen to and talk to her. A blessing. She is intense. Delicate and strong. An ancient soul in a young city. Very moving and beautiful choice of songs. I liked “Lazy”.
Day 9. “‘Deed I do” at Yaala’s class. Then singers’ jam session in Chelsea and little branch. FUN!
Day 10. Statue of liberty, history of the American Natives and Ground Zero. The song is “You Must Believe in Spring”. Jam session with Steve Ash and other wonderful musicians. Days go by…
Day 11. Everything flows so fast… Other concerts and jam sessions at Fat Cat, Arturo’s and Saggio! In a few hours I could sang with Michael Kanan, Pat O’Leary, Alex Hoffman, Emanuele Basentini, Marco Di Gennaro and listen to a lot of beautiful singers. Lot of songs, happy.
“Falling in love with love”
Day 12. Time flies. Other day of music. Jazz chorus and then gig with guests. “Con Alma”
Day 13. Afternoon with friends, playing. What a blessing! Then gig of Marion Cowings and chance to sing with Sascha Perry and Ari Roland. Music is a blessing! “I’ll take romance”
Day 14. Strolling in Central Park then singing in the 5 stars Hotel at Times Square. “All or nothing at all”.
Day 15. Art art art galleries. The high line and Sheila Jordan. Plus poet Golda Solomon. Great show. “Dat dere”.
Day 16. Strolling and sailing and music and music again. Jimmy Wormworth, Harold Mabern. Great energy Harold! “With a song in my heart”
Day 17. Day in Harlem. Friends music and delicious food. Bill’s place and the blues. “There’s no you”
Day 18. Tonight I had the chance to sing two tunes that I love in the same stage where Billie Holiday was performing when John Hammond listened to her for the first time in 1933 and where Fats Waller used to perform too. There is some magic in what happened, a lot of luck on my part and surely a beautiful musical evening. Thanks to Luca Pisani, Marco Di Gennaro and Bill Saxton. I feel very grateful. “What price love”
Day 19. Many books today. Stroll in the sun, small rehearsals and dinner with beautiful friends. “St. Louis Blues”.
Day 20. OpenHouseNewYork: incredible visits around the city among music, low line projects, libraries, rooftop views. Then Johnny O’Neal, Peter Bernstein, Pasquale Grasso Trio. What a day! Perfect song: “Sunday in New York”
Day 21. “Lullaby in rhythm”. Music from the morning til the morning after. Joe Magnarelli, Grant Stewart, many friends, George Braith, Billy Kaye and late late jam at Fat Cat with good friend Stefano Doglioni, Luca Pisani and good drummers swinging by. The night is old, time to dream now.
Day 22. Birthday in New York. “Autumn in New York”with the verse.
Day 23. “Flamingo”. Great day, as this song is.
Day 24. New tap dance shoes. A book about zen “if our minds have no limits they can resolve all contradictions”. Art at Moma and music: rehearsal, 4 gigs in a row and a song with Johnny O’Neal! “Whispering” (and “Exactly like you”)
Day 25. Abbey Lincoln “Throw it away”
“In practical life wisdom is necessary. All things go to the person whose mind is peaceful and full of wisdom. Wisdom means learning not to suffer from a failure, and learning to reduce one’s desires”.
Day 26. “September in the Rain” (there’s still ‘Exactly like you’ in the air and Time after time in my voice.) Great day with friends and amazing music ❤
Day 27. Plans keep changing, feet keep moving, lips and heart sing. Session with kind friends that are great musicians and last gigs around the city. I will miss you NYC! “She”
Day 28. Travelin’ back. A man rapping with his voice and a stick made my day! Sunset on the airplane. This little dream is fading… “Stardust”
([hopefully someday] to be continued…)
graziadigrace 