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The
Occasional
February
15, 2002
The
Winter’s Solstice Tour this year was fantastic. The combination
and collaboration which took place between myself, Samite,
Liz
Story (Phil
Aaberg was with us in Cleveland and Scottsdale) along with David
Cullen and Jill
Haley made these the most satisfying concerts for me since 1986
when Micheal Hedges, Shadowfax and I toured together.
I met a lot of wonderful people: Damian and Mimi in Wilmington,
NC, Wendy and Usama in Harrisburg and Melody in Washington DC will
be friends for life. I thank all of you who came out to see us and
to stay after the shows to meet us and talk to us. This is some
of the most important part of touring for me now… just getting
to know the people who care and listen.
Again, thanks to all of you.
After the tour ended, Zade and I had
a concert in Monterey, California at the Steinbeck Theater; a private
concert for a conference being hosted by the Monterey Bay Aquarium
(an incredible exhibit to visit if you haven’t done so). I
didn’t know what to expect as this was not, by definition,
a
group of fans. It turned out that almost everyone there was a huge
Windham Hill fan and the audience couldn’t have been kinder
or more appreciative. Zade and I performed duets on Hawk Circle
and Beneath The Tree (Phil Aaberg
taught him the parts) and a wonderful time was had by all.
I then traveled up the California coast, stopping by Santa Cruz
and staying in my old home town, Mill Valley, CA. I ran into my
old friend, David Sheff at the DipSea Café and had my annual
physical. Dr. Belknap says I’ll be around for a while yet.
I visited with Dawn Atkinson who was my closest colleague at Windham
Hill when I still owned the company and we had dinner and talked
about production work she’s doing for Windham Hill (The Touch
CD is really lovely as is the new Winter’s Solstice CD that
she compiled).
The next day I was off to Palo Alto to meet Ralph Liddle. Ralph
is a film maker; a screen writer and director who I’d done
some music for years ago. In 1979 Ralph directed Attla: Spirit of
the Wind which won awards at the Cannes Film Festival. Buffy St
Marie and I did the music. He and I hopped into his old Toyota pickup
and headed for Death Valley, getting as far as Bakersfield that
night. Just after dark we passed through the VERY small town of
Wasco, CA where we stopped for dinner at La Cabanita Mexican restaurant,
run by Martin (his son Miguel was there bringing chips and salsa).
Obviously I’m not going to mention this if La Cabanita wasn’t
incredible. One of the best enchiladas on earth. If you’re
hauling down Rt. 99, by all means stop by. Freddy Fender eats there
and has autographed photos around… “before the next teardrop
falls.”
Ralph and I drove to Death Valley where we met up with old friend
Tom Bodett (yes, that Tom Bodett). Just before dark we hiked up
Golden Canyon past Manley Beacon, looked East to Zabriskie Point
and headed down Gower Wash just before dark. Over dinner we talked
about Ralph’s new film, Painkiller, and Tom’s new books
and radio show. Essentailly we knocked around the desert for a few
days, hiking as much as three old guys can. I got it in my head
to hike down from Augerberry Point to the valley floor. My upper
thighs were so sore for three days that I couldn’t descend
stairs.
On Sunday night we watched the Superbowl. If the 49ers can’t
win, the New England Patriots should, so the outcome was fine with
me. Then it was back to New York City and business at BMG and Universal
Records. I also met with Ann Branson who wants me to write a book
about my life and Windham Hill. I liked Ann a lot. I’m back
in Vermont as I write this, visting with Michael (FroggyBottom)
Millard and Corin Nelsen, long time friend and engineer in my studio.
It’s back to New York City day after tomorrow and then, friends,
I’m off for a couple of weeks of surfing in Mexico…. Obviously
I’m not looking for sympathy.
This afternoon Zade and I got together at Randi Ziter’s wonderful
piano and worked on arrangements of new songs for his debut CD which
we continue producing. In April Zade and I will be flying to Amman,
Jordan and playing concerts which will be attended by Queen Rania
in Amman and Aqaba. But it’s really what follows that which
I am looking forward to. After the formal concerts, we’re loading
a piano and my guitars into a truck and we’re heading out to
the small villages of Jordan. Understand that these people have
never had music brought to them and none of these people will have
ever actually seen a piano or a guitar in their lives. A number
of TV stations are interested in this story and I hope to tell you
soon that you’ll be able to see this in the US.
I am also working on a tour I’m calling “The Bridge.”
I want to bring four Middle Eastern artists (including Zade) to
the US to play eight major cities in the US with American players.
I want to get everyone together for two weeks before the tour and
really create collaborations between our cultures. I would produce
a CD and we’d be off to New York City, Philadelphia, Washington
D.C., Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
I have a bundle of meetings scheduled with a number of foundations
who I hope will be able to help us. If any of you are connected
with organizations that might be able to assist in this idea, do
let me know.
Thanks for listening… I’ll write again from Mexico.
Will
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