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Jay.Harvey
Member since 10/08/2007
"Autobiographical Fragment" (1991)
Back when Lady Day wrung the tunes
Of Tin Pan Alley through the bent moan
Of her life, and "cultural heritage" began
To mean each rising generation would get
A major war to call its own,
In the city of automats, blackouts, Rockettes,
Of hotly pursued happiness, habitual squalor and wealth,
I first chimed in with musician parents
Bawling out my post-war health
To a nuclear family in the new nuclear era.
On the home front, man had been a rationing animal at best,
Till the double-fronted war collapsed out of range
Of my father's carillon -- first east, then west.
Recitals for midtown Fifth Avenue's lunch hour
Lulled me toward the future, its nets snagging
In Vermont, Pennsylvania, Michigan, its power
Tugging me toward middle life at Indiana's center.
Whoever said that there's no river you can enter
Twice has my heart as surely as if Billie had sung it.
Here are the sticky-note-sized life facts: Born in New York City in 1945 to musician parents. First home: 320 W. 77th St. (two doors down from Miles Davis' most significant residence years later -- a meaningless coincidence that nevertheless pleases me). Grew up in Vermont, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Studied trombone and piano, participated in bands, orchestras and choirs through college. Edited college paper, professional journalism since 1971 (Flint Journal); joined Indianapolis Star staff on Labor Day weekend, 1986.
B.A. in English, Kalamazoo College
M.A.T. in English, Harvard University
Married 1972; two sons, ages 29 and 25.
Area/city:
Indianapolis
Occupation:
journalist
High school:
Central High School, Flint, Mich.
College:
Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Activities:
Pretending to have a book in me, such as "How to Enjoy Playing Tennis for 50 Years Without Improving" or "In Defense of Dilettantism" or, maybe, the much-needed "Six Steps Toward a Better Memory: A Four-Step Plan."
Interests:
Indy Jazz Fest cut short by rain
The 10th annual Indy Jazz Fest seemed to be wearing its anniversary best and struttin' its stuff during most of its third and final day ...
Jazz flourishes in the sun
A bountiful day at the Indy Jazz Fest also brought beautiful weather in tow, and the combination of new and aging talent proved stimulating from ...
Eventually, Indy Jazz Fest stirs to life
Jazz festivals have long been artistically hybrid events, free to celebrate the music's historical receptivity to whatever has been in the air musically. Listeners with ...
Triple splendor at Clowes
Bobby McFerrin, Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnette Where: Clowes Hall When: Friday night Bottom line: Three musical giants blend their gifts of on-the-spot artistry. By Jay ...
Monterey party rocks the house
REVIEW Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Stars Where: Madame Walker Theatre. When: Thursday night. Bottom line: Rapport on the bandstand feeds off rapture in the ...
Remembering Charlie Smith
Charlie Smith's death Feb. 8 deprived Indianapolis jazz of a true original. Jazz fans are obsessive about finding originality in the music, as that's what ...
From unfashionable burbs to the ISO
The choice of presenting composers from what might be called music's suburbs - perhaps "shtetls" better conveys their true position of isolation and oppression - ...
Review: Happy Apple at the Jazz Kitchen
Anyone who spotted the name "Happy Apple" on the Jazz Kitchen's marquee Wednesday night and walked in expecting some easy listening was soon disabused of ...
Theatrics in music: outreach vs. distraction
You have to give a nod of acknowledgment to most attempts to create new audiences for classical music -- or to build the loyalty of ...
Rhyne journey
Consider a visit to the Jazz Kitchen on a Wednesday night when the multifaceted Rob Dixon convenes his Dixon/Rhyne Project. It's a format that held ...
Thanks for the kind words. You know your album reviews are some of my favorite things to read.
Jay -- did you come to the Symphony concert last weekend? What did you think of Gaffigan/Josefowitz?
CG
I went to the Saturday concert and I did like the Dvorak and the Knussen. However Leila "phoned it in." She played beautifully but never looked at the audience and went off stage as soon as possible. The audience responded tepidly -- who wouldn't -- she obviously was anxious to get home. I also didn't like the Schumann but I didn't like it because I could hear in my head how Mario does it. I had to go home and listen to his recording of it with his Basel orchestra. I did really like the Dvorak -- Gaffigan seemed like a pretentious little twirp to me but that seemed to fit the Dvorak.
Congrats on Theodore's new job.
Cassie