Eric Heilner

Where is Eric (a brief explanation)

Where is Eric (a brief explanation)

I find the whole notion of having to promote myself “awkwardness inducing”. It feels like bragging.

“Hey! Look at me! Ain’t I great!?”

Nonetheless, in 2009 I started up a small mailing list to promote any gigs I was playing on. In the Subject of the emails I had “Where in the world is Eric” This was a take off on a children’s show in the 1990s “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego”. If you have a lot of free time you can look it up.   I soon simplified this to just plain old “Where is Eric?”


In the years that followed I started adding some brief comments – usually some sort of humorous self-deprecating humor and/or oddball observation. With rare exceptions I avoid politics. . . .

NOTE: If for some strange reason you want to see what I wrote back in, say, March of 2012, and you don’t feel like scrolling through 10 years of posts, you can click here to quickly view a particular post: Where is Eric – Index

Where is Eric-2022.12

:      The case of the missing ‘the‘

Dear readers: I had something else in mind for this month’s missive but (as you will see) I got sidetracked by the lengthy description of my first gig this month and my train of thought had left the station by the time I got back.

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Friday December 16, 8:00PM-11:30ish
Holiday Benefit Blues Jam for the Montclair Child Development Center at the Shillelagh Club
648 Prospect Ave, West Orange, NJ  (973) 509-1134
As I was typing this a thought struck me (fortunately it was only a glancing blow).  Should there be a “the” in the description just above – and if so should it be capitalized?  This is not a simple question.  Just for instance, the 60s rock group Cream (you remember them) insisted that their name was simply Cream and not “the Cream”.  Now I’m not  rock & roll historian, but I belief that this was the start of a trend.  Yes there were exceptions but most major acts in the 60s had that “the”: the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, etc.   But by the 70s you had Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, etc. 

Yeah, yeah, Led Zep got started in 1969, but I consider them to be a 70s band.   So there, nyah, nyah.

Next – assuming you have that “the” in your band’s name, what are the rules are for capitalization?  I’m not 100% convinced, but based on my extensive research (5 minutes) it appears that the “the” is not capitalized unless it’s the first word in the sentence (as all first words should be).  So why do some bands use “the” and others not?   AFAICT you use “the” if the name is a plural.  So if Jimmy Page had chosen a plural name then we would say the Led Zeppelins.  But this is only a preliminary result – if there are any professional grammarians out there reading this, I encourage you to help confirm this nagging detail.

Meanwhile, back to my original dilemma whether [the] Montclair Child Development Center (AKA MCDC) has a 1960s style name or 1970s?  My hunch was the 60s, but I’m a stickler for accuracy so just to be extra sure I went out to the website of [the] Montclair Child Development Center and . . . the results are mixed.  In the page heading there is no “the“, but everywhere else?  Yes indeed, we see that danged “the“.  So my first instinct was basically correct.  

And speaking of instincts, this Friday evening I hope you will follow your first instinct and head on over to the Shillelagh Club in West Orange and hear some great music. Al Gold has assembled a rotating cast of some of the finest blues musicians in the area and we’ll figure out what we’re playing when we hit the stage.  And in spite of it’s seeming ethnic identity, the Shillelagh Club hosts many of the areas top blues and r&r/r&b  bands.  The club has excellent bar food (I can recommend the burgers) and a lively friendly mix of folks.
https://shillelaghclub.com/

Fun fact: there is actually a band called the The.


Saturday December 17th, 9:00PM -1:00AM
Better Off Dead at Great Notch Inn,
400 US-46, Woodland Park, NJ 07424(973) 256-7742
It’s the annual Christmas Party Extravagonzo at “Da Notch”.  Once again I will humiliate myself and put on an elf’s hat and play some very strange off beat “holiday” music (hint – the holidaze are an excuse for various types of bad behavior).  And a rum-ba-ba-bum to you too.
http://www.betteroffdead.com
https://www.facebook.com/Great-Notch-Inn-45741843010/


And looking ahead to January . . .

Friday January 20, 8:00PM-11:30ish
Better Off Dead at Shillelagh Club
648 Prospect Ave, West Orange, NJ  (973) 509-1134
And speaking of Shillelaghs –  as you drive along Prospect Ave at night, you may feel like you’re in the middle of a forest.  But when your GPS says “you’ve arrived at your destination“, you will notice a parking lot lit up with bright green LED lights – which lets you know that indeed you have arrived at a great destination.  I’ll be making da music with [no “the“] Better Off Dead.
http://www.betteroffdead.com
https://shillelaghclub.com/


Saturday January 21, 7:30PM-10:00
New Music for a New Year at the National Opera Center
330 7th Ave, 7th floor, New York, NY 10001  (973) 509-1134
I’m psyched that the third “episode” of my string quartet will get its debut concert performance next month and will be performed by a truly outstanding string quartet ensemble The Rhythm Method (and yes, it appears that they capitalize the “The” in their name).   This concert is being produced by the Composer’s Collective of New York and (besides my piece) will showcase compositions by 7 other composers from the group.  Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.  You may purchase advanced tickets here.
https://www.operaamerica.org/national-opera-center/
http://www.composerscollective.org/#

Where is Eric-2022.10

:      The Ballad of Isaac Woodard

In 1946, Isaac Woodard, an African American World War II veteran honorably discharged from the Army, was making his way home to see his family in South Carolina on a Greyhound bus. During the ride, Woodard asked the bus driver if he could use the restroom. The white bus driver initially refused his request, but later in the trip he begrudgingly stopped in the town of Batesburg so Woodard could use the restroom.

The bus driver, furious over having to stop and reportedly not being addressed “sir” by Woodard, told the white police chief of Batesburg, Lynwood Shull, about Woodard’s behavior. Shull and a few other police officers forcibly removed Woodard, who was still in his Army uniform, from the bus and dragged him to the local jail. Inside the jail, Shull brutally beat the WWII soldier, permanently blinding him. Despite overwhelming testimony, an all white jury found Shull innocent. This incident proved to be a turning point in race relations in the US. Then President Truman was shocked – and in 1948 Truman signed Executive Orders 9980 and 9981, racially integrating the U.S. military and the federal government workforce.  The incident also inspired the poet Aaron Kramer to compose a short poem.

By the 1960s, what with the growing civil rights movement, the incident was largely forgotten.  However, in 1964 the composer Irwin Heilner (my dad) put Aaron Kramer’s poem to music and published it in issue #54 of Broadside Magazine.   You can listen to a version here – it’s 2 minutes of searing emotion (that’s Irwin singing – not too shabby there dad).

The Ballad of Isaac Woodard
by Aaron Kramer

Because the color of my skin is dark and yours is light,
The jury counted it no sin to rob me of my sight.
And so it is that you go free, Patrolman Lynwood Shull;
And so while night envelops me,
Your world is beautiful.
But though the sum will never rise and never set again,
My blindness lets me see what eyes have seldom shown to men.
I see a midnight on the lands,
Parched lives and prospering flowers;
I see black deeds upon white hands,
Black hearts in gleaming towers.
All this, and stranger things beside,
I see now, thanks to you:
I see great Justice turn and hide –
You’ve gouged her eyes out too.

As I read & listen to this I am reminded of the “Dictionary Scene” in Spike Lee’s movie of Malcolm X.  In the scene, Malcolm’s mentor in prison opens up a dictionary and shows Malcolm the definitions & synonyms/connotations of the words “black” & “white” – as we all know “black” has mostly negative implications in the English language.  I bring this up not as a some sort of historical revisionist critique of the poem’s using the word “black” to describe something that happened to a black person, but simply to note that there are unresolvable contradictions in the way we use language.  A more detailed discussion is way beyond my pay grade.

There is so much more that could be said here.  In 2019, a new book – Unexamined Courage by author Richard Gergel revived interest in Woodard – and PBS featured the book in their American Experiences series.  And – as always – if you’re curious there’s plenty of stuff on the internet.

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Friday September 30, 7:00PM-9:00
Better Off Dead at Ruthie’s BBQ
64 1/2 Chestnut Ave, Montclair, NJ  (973) 509-1134
The good news is that after a recent fire, Ruthie’s is back open for business.   The bad news is that Hurricane Ian is barreling up the East Coast and heading our way.  The good news is that it’s looking like Ian will be stuck in Florida so it won’t reach us until Saturday – OK it’s bad for Florida – so hopefully we’ll be playing outside on the world famous Ruthie’s Veranda.   If bad weather, we squeeze inside.   Remember to BYO. 
http://www.betteroffdead.com/home.htm
http://www.ruthiesbbq.com/

Sunday October 2, 4:00PM-???
Blues Jam @ DLV Lounge
300 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair, NJ  (973) 783-6998
The DLV Lounge is a Montclair institution going back over 40 years – and Al Gold’s Blue’s Jam at DLV Lounge is a Montclair institution going back, umm, over 4 years.  I’ll be playing with the house band – there may be other keyboard players showing up – so if you don’t see me on stage not to worry – I’ll be back.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2180687838833113

Monday October 24, 7:00PM-10:00
Better Off Dead at The Pharmacie Bar
398 Bloomfield Ave Chestnut Ave, Montclair, NJ  (973) 968-5303
This is a new venue in Montclair close to the new arts district – to be precise it is a re-opened venue.   This is  some sort of event going on – it’s billed as “Café No Sé: An Ilegal Mezcal Pop Up” (please don’t shoot the messenger).  It is open to the public – so come on down and join the fun.  According to their website the kitchen is not open yet, but there’s plenty of alcohol (please drink responsibly). 
http://www.betteroffdead.com/home.htm
https://www.pharmaciebar.com/

Saturday October 29th, 9:00PM -1:00AM
Better Off Dead at Great Notch Inn,
400 US-46, Woodland Park, NJ 07424(973) 256-7742
As the old blues song goes, I’ll put a spell on you if I don’t see you two nights before Halloween at “Da Notch”.  I hate putting on costumes, but I will don some minimalist something or other so as not to be a complete party pooper.  Last year I used a wizard’s hat that my then preteen daughter used the last time she went trick or treating.  When was that Hannah?  1999? 2000?  2001?
http://www.betteroffdead.com
https://www.facebook.com/Great-Notch-Inn-45741843010/

Where is Eric-2022.08

:      You Look A Little Pale

Warning – Long boring detailed medical story coming up .  There’s a punch line at the end, but you have to read through the gory (literally) details . .

Back in 2005 I noticed that I was running out of steam walking up the hill from the train station on my way home after work.  I chalked it up to age (Hey I’m 57, I guess I’m slowing down).  However this was not the case. 

At the time I had recurring sinusitis and was seeing an ENT regularly – Dr. LLoyd Zbar.  At my next scheduled appointment Dr. Zbar checked me out and my sinuses were doing fine, but then he said “You look a little pale.  I want you to get your blood checked for iron level.”   Dr Zbar wrote out a prescription, I got tested, and sure enough my iron level was low.  This was the single most brilliant medical diagnosis I have ever had direct experience with, and likely saved my life.  But hang on for a bumpy ride. . .

OK – so low iron?  Not to worry.  Low iron is typically due to some minor thing in your GI tract – easy to correct.  But after looking both ways (I’ll spare you the details) there was nothing obvious.  However, they did find some sort of mass in my stomach, maybe an ulcer?   I went to Mountainside Hospital next week and the docs did another more thorough test.  The results were inconclusive.  We went home and Lisa made me a nice sandwich.  I had taken two bites when I doubled over in agonizing pain.   Ambulance took me back to Mountainside ER, they doped me up and kept me overnight. 

The next day they decided that they needed to open me up to see what was happening.  Lisa was at her wits end – who was going to operate?  She called Dr Zbar, he made a few phone calls and found out that Mountainside had assigned their best team of surgeons – the Barbalinardo brothers.  The Barbalinardo brothers . . .  Now if you had talked to these guys outside of a medical setting you might take them for auto mechanics – they were Jersey guys through & through.  But they were also top notch surgeons and Mountainside’s A Team.  The surgery was scheduled for early evening.

In the middle of all this, a new doctor came in and introduced himself: “Hi, I’m Dr. K.  I’ll be your oncologist.  Do you have any questions?”   A WTF formed in my mind but I could not get it out in my drugged up woozy state.

Then surgery, a day & 1/2 in the ICU (I don’t recommend it), and back to a regular room.  I was still on pain killers but I was coherent.   The senior Barbilinardo came in and said “I have good news & bad news.  The good news is that you do not have stomach cancer.  The bad news is that you had a growth between your stomach and internal cavity – we had to take out half of your stomach”.    In other words, I had the equivalent of gastric bypass surgery.   The was truly ironic news.  All my life I’ve tried to bulk up a bit and gain some weight, but I’m a skinny runt just like my dad and will always be one.   Of all the people in the world who needed the equivalent of gastric bypass surgery, I was at the very bottom of that list.

Of course, having half a stomach meant that I had to change my eating habits.  Before the surgery I was known for my ability to pack away food, but no longer.  I now have to eat smaller portions more often.  For the first time in my life I started eating a regular breakfast, then a few hours later I have my “auxiliary” breakfast.  I cannot stuff myself anymore.   If I overeat it is physically painful – so in a sense I’m living a healthier lifestyle than before.

But meanwhile, what was going on?  What was this thing they took out of me?  Dr K said that it was a GIST – a Gastro-Intestonal Stromal-Tumor.   GISTs can return (i.e. they’re cancerous) but there is a medication called Gleevic which could possibly prevent its return – however Gleevic has side effects.  So what to do?   While I was recuperating Lisa did a bunch of reading/talking and found that the Dana Farber Institute in Boston had a whole department dedicated to GISTs, so we set up an appointment.

We drove up to Boston and met with one of the staff oncologists Dr M.  Dr M looked through my chart and then gave basically the same news that Dr K had given, namely that there was Gleevic which had pretty good (but no guaranteed) results in prevent a recurrence of a GIST but that it had side effects.  Now I had been doing some reading and said “I know a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, but according to the medical journals, GISTs are typically caused by one of several chromatic abnormalities.  Can we determine which abnormality it is?”  At this point Dr M did a visible double take.  “That’s a good point.  We can send a tissue sample out to the University of Oregon and they can do a genetic workup, but that will cost you $10,000.”   

Yikes.  As Lisa & I were driving back from Boston we basically decided what the hell, this is my life at stake.  We’ll take the money out of retirement savings if need be.  We got home late in the afternoon, and not 5 minutes later we got a call from Dana Farber.   “Hi, this is Dr M, I checked with my department head and we can cover this under your insurance.”   2 weeks later we get the results back – I had a “Wild Type” GIST.   It turns out that “Wild Type” is a catch all description used when they don’t know what the hell this thing is – but more significantly it would not respond to Gleevic.  So the only thing we could do was to watch and see if this thing came back.

And so began my regular trips up to Boston for CAT scans.  4x a year for first two years, 2x a year until 5 years, 1x a year until 10 years, then every other year.  At my last trip up in June, my oncologist for last 15 years, Dr. G, said it was no longer necessary – if this thing had not come back by now, the odds were remote that it ever would.  So yay!  No more!   But, but, but – do we still not know what this thing was you took out of me?  Dr G thought about it and said if there’s any tissue sample left at Mountainside they would try to get it into a research program.  So far no news.

Dr. Zbar retired several years back, but recently I bumped into him & his wife at the hardware store.  I told his wife that Dr. Zbar had likely saved my life, and then Lloyd said “Eric, you look a little pale”.

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I can reasonably promise that you will not require surgery after coming to one of my gigs.

Saturday August 20, 8:00PM-11:00ish
Better Off Dead at Shillelagh Club
648 Prospect Ave, West Orange, NJ  (973) 509-1134
Yes, that’s tomorrow night.   As you drive along Prospect Ave at night, you may feel like you’re in the middle of a forest.  But when your GPS says “you’ve arrived at your destination“, you will notice a parking lot lit up with bright green LED lights – which let’s you know that indeed you have arrived at a great destination.  In spite of it’s seeming ethnic identity, The Shillelagh Club hosts many of the areas top blues and r&r/r&b  bands.  The club has excellent bar food (I can recommend the burgers) and a lively friendly mix of folks.
http://www.betteroffdead.com/home.htm/
https://shillelaghclub.com/

Where is Eric-2022.06

:      We Gotta Get Out Of This Place

“If it’s the last thing we ever do . . .” 

Or so sang Eric Burdon and the Animals back in the 1960s.  I’m finding that sentiment resonates with me more and more these days, only in my case the “place” is our house (not to be confused with the House of the Rising Sun).   The problem I have is, literally, getting out of the house and walking/driving to where ever I’m headed with everything I need.   Somehow, the list of things I need with me keeps growing.  Let’s see . . . . . .

Wallet
Cash
Cell Phone
House Keys
Glasses (especially if I’m driving)
Car Key (which car?)
Mask (just in case)
Tissues
Did I take a pill for my seasonal allergies?
Properly attired for where I’m headed?
Address of my destination (if a new place)
Did I use the bathroom?
Turn off stove, oven?

Yikes!  And that’s not all.  If I’m going to karate did I bring my gear?  If I’m taking the train into the city, I like to bring my laptop with me to do some composing on the train.   Did I download the latest version of the piece I’m working on from the cloud?  Did I bring my good ear phones?  If I’m going swimming at the Y did I bring my googles, etc?  If I’m going for yoga, did I bring my mat?

Being absent minded, I rarely make it out of the house in one piece.  Invariably I’ll get down the front steps, then pat my back pocket and “Crap, I forgot my cell phone“.  I’ll get inside, search for my cell phone, then realize I put it in my inside jacket pocket.   Go outside, get in car and – “Dang it, I forgot to lock the door“.  Go out, lock front door.  Rinse & repeat.  Sigh.

My running joke about all this is that if my body parts were not attached to me there would be pieces of Eric scattered across the metropolitan area.  But I am getting better at this.  I’m finding that if I start getting fully prepped about an hour before I actually leave?  I may only have to make one trip back into the house.  Progress!

Hmm.  Now that I think about it, Pieces of Eric might not be a bad name for an album (if I ever do another one).

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Meanwhile, in other news my composition – Suite for Strings, Episode 2 – got 3rd place in the String Orchestra division of the ‘Città di Barletta’ International Composition Contest. This raises an interesting question. Can I now add the words “award winning” to my resume? Or does that only apply if you win first place? You can listen to it here.

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Meanwhile, I’ll make sure you leave in one piece if you come to one of my up and coming events:

Thursday June 9,  9:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Better Off Dead at The Great Notch Inn
400 US-46, Woodland Park, NJ 07424(973) 256-7742
http://www.betteroffdead.com
https://www.facebook.com/Great-Notch-Inn-45741843010/
It’s basically summer now and “Da Notch” will be in full gear.  We’ve prepped a few new songs for this show, hope to see ya.

Saturday June 11, 7:00PM-9:00
Arthur Neilson at Ruthie’s BBQ
64 1/2 Chestnut Ave, Montclair, NJ  (973) 509-1134
The weather app on my phone is saying 60% chance of rain on Saturday, so we may be inside, but either way we’ll be making some high energy music.  Remember to BYO. 
https://arthurneilson.com/
http://www.ruthiesbbq.com/

Sunday June 19, 6:30PM-7:30
Arthur Neilson at The Bitter End
147 Bleeker St, New York, NY  (212) 673-7030
A special event here – Arthur & company will be making a rare NYC appearance at the legendary Bitter End on Bleeker St in NYC.   The doors open at 6:00 and we will be doing one set starting 6:30.  There is a $10 cover charge and a two drink minimum if you sit at a table (one drink if you sit at the bar, no minimum if you stand).
https://arthurneilson.com/
https://bitterend.com/#/events?event_id=56678

Where is Eric-2022.05

:      What’s New Pussycat?

So here I am – 73 years old. I’m composing symphonies, reading Tolstoy & Cervantes, studying 20th century music theory, keeping up with current events, etc.  So what am I going to do in this month’s episode?

I’m gonna share some cat pictures.

Yes.  It has come to that.  But first – allow me to give some background.  In the last few years, what with the kids out on their own, Lisa & I have been idly speculating about about getting a pet.   The thing about pets is that they complicate your life – and we’ve been trying to simplify our lives.  So much for getting a dog.    OK – when they invent a dog that can walk & clean itself up we’ll reconsider.   How about reptiles, fish, rodents, etc?   Really, be serious.   That leaves a cat – but that is out of the question if one of the two inhabitants of the house is very allergic to cats – and so we continued along our pet-less way.   

Meanwhile, somewhere along the line our kids have acquired their own cats – and we became cat sitters when they went on trips.  Last summer we babysat our son’s cat for two weeks and there were no allergic reactions; that raised the possibility of getting one on our own.   Imagine our surprise when our son offered to let us keep him.   After a very brief moment the decision was made.   Yes!

So now Frisky is part of the family.  It’s amazing how quickly you bond with these little creatures.  Frisky wakes us up at 7:00 every AM (no exceptions for weekends), follows us around the house, annoys the hell out of us when he wants to be fed, falls asleep in our laps, and brightens our days.  If we go out, we have to time things around his feeding schedule, etc, etc.

And now here come the dreaded cat pictures.  NOTE: You may have to open in your web browser to see the pics.

First, here is Frisky reading the newspaper around the breakfast table:

And here he is contemplating a chair leg:

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I’ll spare you the videos.

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Meanwhile, in other news my composition – Variations on Aria of Asker – got honorable mention the International Composition Competition of the Vienna Classical Music Academy in the Chamber Music category.   Winning these competitions is a bit like winning the lottery, but it’s still a nice ego boost.   You can listen to it here.

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Friday May 6, 8:00PM-11:00ish
Better Off Dead at Shillelagh Club
648 Prospect Ave, West Orange, NJ  (973) 509-1134
As you drive along Prospect Ave at night, you may feel like you’re in the middle of a forest.  But when your GPS says “you’ve arrived at your destination“, you will notice a parking lot light up with bright green LED lights which let’s you know that indeed you have arrived at a great destination.  In spite of it’s seeming ethnic identity, The Shillelagh Club hosts many of the areas top blues and r&r/r&b  bands.  The club has excellent bar food (I can recommend the burgers) and a lively friendly mix of folks.
http://www.betteroffdead.com/home.htm/
https://shillelaghclub.com/

Friday May 13, 7:00PM-9:00
Better Off Dead at Ruthie’s BBQ
64 1/2 Chestnut Ave, Montclair, NJ  (973) 509-1134
With any luck the weather gods will smile on us as we play outside on the world famous Ruthie’s Veranda.   If bad weather, call ahead.   Remember to BYO. 
http://www.betteroffdead.com/home.htm/
http://www.ruthiesbbq.com/

Where is Eric-2022.04

:      Grim Times

Given the news these days, I’m finding it hard to come up with some light-hearted bit of trivia, so this month’s missive will be a bit of a downer as I muse briefly about the great Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich.  For those of you unfamiliar with him, Shostakovich is considered by many folks to be one of, if not the, greatest composer(s) of the 20th century.  But Shostakovich had the misfortune of living during the terror reign of Stalin.

Numerous biographies (and historical fiction novels) have been written about Shostokovish, so I’ll give the bare outline along with several details that jump out at me.   Shostakovich was recognized early on as a musical genius and in the 1920s and early 1930s his works were performed worldwide to great acclaim.  But his troubles started in the mid 1930s with the release of his opera Lady Macbeth of the Mstensk District.  The opera was performed numerous times bioth in Russia and internationally, but is very dark and the music is most definitiely not easy listening.  The turning point came in January 1936 when Stalin himself attended a performance of the opera – and Stalin walked out in the middle of the performance.  Uh-oh.  Several days later, he was denounced in Pravda; the article (possibly written by Stalin himself) said that the opera “ignored the demand of Soviet culture that all courseness and savagery be abolished from every corner of Soviet life”.  

From that moment on, Shostakovich was a marked man living in fear for his life.  For the next few years, he was convinced that he would be either sent to Siberia or executed.   He kept a suitcase packed with warm clothes and slept outside his apartment so that when the KGB came for him they wouldn’t disturb his family.  However, Shostakovich was too famous & important to be “disappeared”.  Long story short, he was given a chance to make amends and he composed a simple tuneful symphony (his 5th) which was sub-titled A Soviet Artist’s Reply to Just Criticism.  Dang – talk about groveling.  Of course this is a condensed version of events.  There’s a pretty good outline here if you’re curious.

I cannot imagine what it must be like to live in a society where a bad review could get you sent to prison or executed.  Living here in America, the worst thing that could happen to me if I got a bad review is my feelings might get hurt.   That said, even here in America if you write the wrong music it can land you in prison.

I think about these things in part because the New York Composer’s Circle (of which I’m a member) has been co-hosting concerts with a counterpart organization in Moscow – we put on a concert of their compositions here in New York and they hold a concert of our compositions Back in the USSR.  Here is their performance of my Divertimento for Violin & Viola a la Bartok a few years ago.   NYCC is currently attempting to hold another concert exchange in the fall.  So far, Putin has not shown any significant interest in controlling Russian music, but given the current situation there’s no telling what will happen in the future.

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You will not get sent to Siberia (or Alaska) if you come to one of my up and coming events:

Thursday April 14th 7:00PM – 10:00
Al Gold Blues Jam @ Picketts Village Bar
2208 Millburn Ave, Maplewood, NJ 07040 
Al Gold has been coordinating what is now the longest running blues jam in North Jersey.  While the location nay change, Al’s jams attract New Jersey’s top blues artists.  I will be playing with the house band, but there will likely be other keyboard players in the house, so if you want to see me playing be sure to show up early.  I have it on good authority that the food and drinks at Pickett’s are top notch.
Picketts Village Bar
Al Gold Blues Jam

Thursday April 21 7:00PM – 10:00
New Music for Voice & Instruments
Little Church Around the Corner
1 East 29th St, New York
My composition Short Story for Violin & Piano #1 will have its world debut performance at this month’s concert put on by the New York Composer’s Circle (NYCC).  On piano will be world renowned pianist Simon Mulligan and an extraordinary young violinist Marina Kifferstein.   This concert features a number of pieces by my fellow NYCC composers, my piece is in the second half of the program.  Admission is $20, $15 for seniors, and free for students.   Stick around for wine & cheese after the concert.

Friday May 6, 8:00PM-11:00ish
Better Off Dead at Shillelagh Club
648 Prospect Ave, West Orange, NJ  (973) 509-1134
With any luck the weather gods will smile on us as we play outside on the world famous Ruthie’s Veranda.   If bad weather, call ahead.   Remember to BYO. 
http://www.betteroffdead.com/home.htm/
https://shillelaghclub.com/

Friday May 13, 7:00PM-9:00
Better Off Dead at Ruthie’s BBQ
64 1/2 Chestnut Ave, Montclair, NJ  (973) 509-1134
With any luck the weather gods will smile on us as we play outside on the world famous Ruthie’s Veranda.   If bad weather, call ahead.   Remember to BYO. 
http://www.betteroffdead.com/home.htm/
http://www.ruthiesbbq.com/