Hibakusha. And a family visit,

8/1

Another early morning meeting. This time Marsha, Pat O, Jamie and I meet with one more contractor candidate. For the sake of record.  Very smooth and polished. But we come away reconfirmed of our desire to work with Jerry who’s been there for us already  and brings the pragmatic approach we need.

Katherine K drops back to review her conversation with Mario and our collective sense that where this could lead is still not clear but clearly important.

Marc has found a new broken window to show me and winds up having me play a couple of guitars as well. Short break in a busy day with Pat O coming back in shortly for our weekly round up.

TK is in and out and up and down getting ready for tonight’s exhibit opening. From Above, Paule Saviano’s photographs of hibakusha, survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. Famed for his rock music photography, Paule’s exhibit has been shown around the world. (http://www.paulepictures.com/)

And I’ve got to negotiate time. My friend Milica is performing with the accordionist extraordinaire Bill Schimmel who once was our music director for an incredible one year odyssey. I still appreciate that he shares composition credits with me for Café Parusia, the performance piece commissioned for a national PHEWA biennial in Tucson. Working with him, who Andre calls beyond brilliant, was an inspiration. (http://www.billschimmel.com/index.php). I get there in time. It was great to hear her semi-punk Push with her on melodica and vocal and Bill on accordion.(https://www.youtube.com/user/milicaparanosic)

And enough time to get back to the opening. I get there as Paule is finishing his q&a.

Paule Saviano 

I look and his black and white hibakusha portraits are striking and haunting. When he’s finished, I give my welcome, drawing the connection between this event and the 1982 march against nuclear proliferation that was planned at West-Park. As always with TK, there is a combination of music, art and word. 

An origami lesson

With TK at the opening

And then time to get to the Open Mic. There’s a family from Gary, Indiana led by a one Midwest Mike

Midwest Mike and  Sam

with his daughter Sam,

son Maximilian

Maximilian

and friend  Adam dar Salam.

Joel and Adam

Each different and in varying combinations, talented. Not to mention David Lyons, who will also handle the sound, Pat O who grabs me with his Woody Guthrie Deportee, so relevant with the children pouring across our Mexico border being met with hostility, John Holland back for another round of originals, and newcomer Adrian Aiello.

Adrian

A diminutive Occupier named Ducky

Ducky

does a spoken word set and Joel takes us on another improv journey. And when Adam gets up to play, he persuades Joel to join him. As RL says, that’s why we do this. Country Joe slipped in behind me with his personalized ‘50’s rock and rockabilly. And RL invites Adam to join him and Pat on the final Stay Awhile to close the night.

It was great to have the family there, including the fact that it’s good to play for people who’ve never heard you before. And I was drawn to Shake Sugaree by Libby Cotton by way of Danny Kalb to finish.

It was a very long day.

Why don't you....Pat O, RL and Adam