Phoebe Legere's Blog of the Holy Mystery

My Trip To Tibet

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:00:18 PST

Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A, Opus 92 - I cry

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 07:47:13 PST

Went out to NYPAC to hear the Boston Symphony on tour with James Levine -
but Levine fell off the podium during ovations last week. Get well soon Maestro!

Last night David Robertson stepped in as Guest Conductor. He has star quality: I'm talkin dimples and long blond hair. I was sitting in the second row. Dave whipped those BSO music machines into a Beethoveenian fervor - Wicked fast tempo on the last movement - Allegro Con More than Brio and my dear I always cry during the Allergretto. How does LVB do it?. It's only music after all - little old Octaves and Scales....sigh.....

SUPER new work by Eliot Carter called THree Illusions. It was a commission from the BSO for their 125th Season. Three movements It was awesome with cool sounds from percussion and neat Pizz ideas from violins. Will try to buy this for more listening. Even AK liked it. Afterwards Chuck took us out for a huge Lobster dinner at a Portugese resto. I dream of owning a loft in Newark.

Also an Ultra smooth new work by Peter Lieberson with his wife Lorraine Hunt Lieberson singing. She's good. I love a good mezzo. Never went higher than a D but sounded like a counter tenor on top.

WOODSTOCK QUANTUM ENSEMBLE

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 07:50:00 PST

Click this to watch TH WOODSTOCK QUANTUM ENSEMBLE practicing for
our gig March 19 at the Colony Club in Woodstock

IONE"S Women and Identity Project Sunday March 12 -at the DEEP LISTENING SPACE

Francois Bayle, composer, pioneer of electronic music

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 22:38:25 PST

Just heard a concert of electronic music by Francois Bayle. He was a member of the legendary Groupe de Recherches Musicales, along with Luc Ferrari and Iannis Xenakis. He also founded the Acousmatheque, an archive containing thousands of electronic works.

The concert began with "Tremblement de Terre Tres Dous" ( Soft Earthquake) The sounds were flying around the room like
noumena - concretized abstractions of sensation and feeling.
Composer Daniel Teruggi interviewed Bayle who spoke in French so beautiful and so poetic I could not believe my ears.
M.Bayle said that his compostions were inspired by the great painters of the 20th Century. He wished to create abstractions "the structures of music composed for instruments are located in one place, my sounds are three dimensional!" he called his music, "a procession of...sound pictures...that fly through the space of the concert hall...an arc of harmonic energy...sounds that excite the animal ear...elctronic trajectories of analog heat... shimmering reflections....they open up the auditory perspective of their long corridors with infinite curves..."

I sat next to Joel Chadabe (Electronic Music Foundation). He introduced me to Joan La Barbara and Morton Subotnick.

Do I have a good life or what?

Patrick Zimmerli

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Sun, 26 Feb 2006 10:46:54 PST

My family is in town. I took them to hear the music of composer Patrick Zimmerli, who combines jazz and classical chamber music. Z. always has the finest most ferocious musicians. He was conducting from the Soprano Sax.

I was so glad my niece, nephew and sister could hear this fresh, creative, passionate, inspired new music. The kids were blown away. What a band: Tim Fain is a Byronesque violinist that gets everybody crazy with his intense, emotional playing and beautiful phrasing. The Samplist Harold Bott, Jr who studied with Jacques- Louis Monod was superb. Zimmerli wrote a work featuring super Violist Beth Gutterman - wow - I always loved that ax.

Zimmerli is writing an opera about James Joyce's daughter in installments. It's called Lucia. Interesting libretto by Christine Zorzi.

Don't miss them at Makor 39 W. 67th St. March 26.

When you see Zimmerli say, "Why don't you have Phoebe Legere sing with you?"

Jazz Emergent Part 2

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Sat, 06 May 2006 07:22:27 PDT

They saved the best for part 2. Nice band - 2 Japanese, 2 aftrican am and 1 whitey
amazing to hear the result of a couple of years of Juilliard ear training
on a super talented young jazz drummer. White Alto player obviously going to school with Bird,
sounded wonderful, excellent trumpet player, good ideas, but the cat who stole the show, a cat who
will have to be tops in his generation - the drummer..This was some of the sweetest,
most creative drumming I have heard - will stop by the jazz dept. Today and get his name.
Stay tuned. Must get him on my next record and I am sure Wynton is thinking the same thing.

Blogging from Paul Hall at Juilliard, Jazz Emergent First Half

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 06:06:44 PST

http://www.giovannisatriumnyc.com/

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 15:53:19 PST

Tomorrow, Friday Feb. 3, I start my February residency at Giovanni's Atrium- 6:00 - 9:00.

Don't ask me to sing anything Avant Garde please. This is strictly straight ahead.

Frank, Tony, Italian American Classics, American Songbook

Rigoletto: I worship Anna Netrebko

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 15:34:21 PST

Under the impassioned baton of Placido Domingo " Rigoletto " came to life last night. A packed house waited breathlessly for the entrance of Anna Netrebko, rumored to be a the greatest soprano of our time. When the Duke of Mantua, tenor Rolando Villazon, sang his "Questa o Quella" I almost lost consciousness. A thrill went through my whole body - it must have been something like my pal Stafford experienced when she had her nipples pierced. Pain, ecstacy, love... I swooned: Villazon is that rarest of commodities - A perfect tenor with a large package.

He sings" Fidelity is slavery, freedom is being a ladies man etc." etc. we've heard this crap before but never like this!
Hunchback Rigoletto always makes me a little uncomforatable.

Act 11 - Oh God the scenery! The costumes! How I love it! Gilda (Anna) is with her maid in her little hovel when daddy Hump appears. The first few notes were a little dark and muddy, after about a minute she warmed, the middle register is stronger than any soprano we've see in years - but that extension on top - PERFECT!!!! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAEEEE!

I love her. I love her.

At the end I expected at least two or three audience members to offer up themselves as a sacrifice so Gilda would not have to die.

Why don't people throw roses to these singing Divinities?

I guess this is the tailend of Russia's communist patronage of musicians coming to fruition.
Juilliard is still something like 95% Chinese and Eastern Europeans. Get hip America. Musicians need to be carefully nurtured from earliest hildhood,..it's a priesthood.

Another question - we have plenty of Opera Gaymen but where are the Opera Dykes?

OK see you at the Opera.
BTW Does anyone want to take me to intermission dinner at the Metropolitan Opera Restuarant? I'll order the cheapest thing on the menu - Clam Chowder - 11 bucks.

Symphony No.6 in F major Op.68, "Pastoral" (1808)

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 04:15:48 PST

Click the words Symphony No. 6 to watch our video blog live from Avery Fisher Hall.

At the pre concert lecture with scholar Charles Bornstein AK gave a fresh translation
to Beethoven's Allegro!!

This symphony is all built up from the interval of the fourth - fa-do. and a simple motto
- repeated, inverted, transmogrifed into an architecture of breathtaking beauty
by Ludwig Van- one of the most perfect musical intelligences of all time.

The Liszt death dance ( Totentanz) for Piano Orchestra was a marvel, performed with feeling, fire and stupendous physical strength by Canadian piano virtuoso Louis Lortie

and the last work on the program Prokofiev's Scythian Suite (1915) - a pungently exquisite work that came two years after Stravinsky's Rite of Spring - primitive, modern, creative - I loved it. Glisses in the violins, Pings in the triangles, cymbals, harps, very beautiful

Afterwards we ate Weiswurst at the Heidelburg Resto.

Juilliard is deep

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 15:51:03 PST

Started at Juilliard this week. It's a dream come true. Practicing everyday on those gorgeous Steinways.... hearing my music mix with all that Beethoveen and Mozart and Brahms in the air everywhere....

Went to Chamberfest 2006 last night, heard L'Histoire Du Soldat ,and a work by a composer named Jefferson Friedman. New Tonalism gaining energy...

Met John Corigiliano. He said he tries "to express truth and deep things - using very simple structures to make very complex sounds.... how clever ears are..."

Blog as Sapient Instrument

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 23:19:00 PST

Thing is, the blog can become a tool of perception and self knowledge just as incisive as Van Gogh’s reed pen or the peyote of the Native American Church. For instance, some people have this idea that the East Village was cooler and more creative in the late 80’s when we were kids. But you look at an entry like the one below, from 7 PM last night - Hoop, an Outside Genius, brought back my Celebrity Blow Job Painting from a Baird Jones Exhibition. In addition, Hoop delivered a white nude torso for me to embellish as part of his upcoming exhibit at the Fusion Gallery. Listen man, the East Village is still Superfun. My life is gorgeoua with the signs metaphors images and sounds of Godhead EVERY SINGLE DAY, even though I’m not screwing anyone particularly famous right now.
So I wish everyone would stop bellyaching about how the East Village has changed. Just open your eyes. Artists are everywhere.

Art Car Artist Hoop on 10th St.(Click This to Play Video)

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 19:27:09 PST

David Weinstein blogs into my cell phone at the end of our meeting

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 16:50:33 PST

Reporting from the Street

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 15:34:45 PST

Dancing With Angels (video)

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 18:56:12 PST

This headline is clickable. Peter Adair shot the film and I wrote the words and music.

I just returned from Tennessee where Charles and Richard introduced me to these Snake Handling Holiness folks and I loved them.
I would have included some Hopi Snake Dancers in the video but that is secret and they don't want to be filmed. I'm singing in Lakota there. You hear me fusing Yma Sumac, Pop and Native American singing. I thank the Creator for gifting me again and again and again with healing songs.

I will be performing Dancing with Angels with a great guitar shaman, Johnny Asia and with Gus Mancini at Pauline Oliveros' Deep Listening Space in Kingston, NY on January 26th at 8:30. The phrase Dancing with Angels was written in an email to me by Johnny after he received my Christmas card.

The Holy Mystery

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 09:10:44 PST

phoebesnakes
Originally uploaded by missphoebelegere.

Marquis De Slime Part 3 (movie)

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 09:05:17 PST

The 4 Nurses of the Apocalypse live in the Paris Catacombs.

Anointed

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 06:43:09 PST

I had an experience that aroused and expanded me. It was the type of thing that could only happen in the hills of Kentucky or else right here in New York City. You see, my first order of business Jan. 1, 2006 was to talk Jim into publishing Roulette TV as an RSS newsfeed. I rode down to the Roulette Foundation on the subway. As I was sitting there minding my own business, three men came on the car. They looked like rough characters. The zeal of the leader and his charismatic presence scared me. When he said, “Excuse me ladies and gentlemen!” I clutched my purse. The man beat 1-2-3-4 with his cane, and the homeless singers started shouting out inspired, pitch perfect, rhythmically vibrant gospel. “Oh Martha Don’t You Weep.” The fellows came over to where I was sitting and sang right to me. The leader, a baritone, sat down with me after the song. He said, “I felt your light from way across the car. Sister, We have all given up drugs and we are following God.” I said, “Bless you. It is beautiful. Please sing some more gospel.” They went into “This Little Light of Mine.” I could not contain myself, I felt the Holy Ghost moving on me and I started to sing. The subway doors opened and I stepped out at Canal Street, still singing, they followed me, singing in perfect harmony behind me. The people standing on the platform were stunned by what must have looked like a religious apparition: 3 black bums singing like angels and a white woman with blond hair down to her knees singing “Light, Light Light!” on a high C. “She’s got a voice on her” the leader said, and we sang together as I ran up the stairs. When I got to Jim’s I was still feeling wonderful, so great, because the spirit came on me right in the New York subway. Praise the Lord.

Sailing On The Sound (movie)

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Mon, 02 Jan 2006 13:31:07 PST

This short movie features my
mailbox, my paintings, my birthday emblems and my roses

All of your worries have you tied up in knots
You need to go on a spree
Let go of your thoughts
You need some sea air, need to feel the sea breezes
last Weekend in Greenport I saw Moses and Jesus

Sailing On the Sound
I was Lost but now I'm found
I think I'm going to Settle down
Put my Anchor down
Sailing on the Sound

Sloshing Round the Lobster Pound
On the Azure Pleasure ground
Have a drink and lounge around
You know that this is holy ground
Sailing on the Sound

Expedition to Tibet (movie)

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Mon, 02 Jan 2006 13:32:31 PST

I had to use my small camera because this was shot in sacred temples and at sacred sites at 18,000 feet +.
You can hear me panting from the altitude, but it's also the ecstacy and excitement of hanging out with people who are truly enlightened.

The Waltz

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 04:56:43 PST

From the first moment I knew that Ann-Katrin's New Year's party was going to be extraordinary. In the kichen she said, "Choose a glass that best expresses your personality." All of the glasses were decorated. I chose a white leaf. Then she gave me two small cards, a slver one and a gold one, She said "On one card write what you wish to leave behind and on one card what you want to have in the new year." The cards were threaded through with a red ribbon.

The loft is dominated by Ann - Katrin's spectacular art photographs of Prince Edward Island. There were interesting things everywhere - the most wonderful sculptures and party hats - a tree with handmade ornaments - everything was perfect and creative. The women were wearing extremely progressive , one- of- a -kind dresses and jewelry - things like asymetrical peplums and gold wire accessories. Katrins mother wore a fascinating turban as she played the Djembe. Katrin was wearing a long black taffetta ball gown and a beret! And each girl had her little cards pinned or dangling from her dress. Charming!

Everyone I met was brilliant - her teacher from Parsons School of Design, her trainer, and of course, Count Petrokov, an extremely tall man from Georgia....

Barnaby read my Tarot Cards. I was represented by the Moon card and the next card drawn, the most important - The Lovers. My future was looking very rosy indeed, until....

at the end, the card that is not you, but effects you all the time -a dreadful card - someone weeping, someone very sad. And then Barnaby drew the last card and said, and this card shows that none of this sorrow exists. Your karma is your own! Oh the person on the card looked so terribly terribly sad - Barnaby said "Do you know who it is?" and I recognized them instantly. Barnaby gave me with a beautiful drawing collage as a New Years gift..

Then it was time for New Years. We gathered in a circle on the floor and Carolyn, a beautiful brunette, started ringing a Tibetan bell and guiding us through a meditation. We could hear the raucous celebrations in the distance, but it seemed irrelevant. It was exquisite to meditate silently as the year changed over.

Then, because Katrin and Her mother often spend New Years in Vienna, we walzed to Stauss. Count Petrokov took me in his arms and started to twirl me. We were looking into each others eyes and the room was swirling and we were twirling and the world was a blur all around us, the only thing in focus was the Count's beautiful face, his dark eyes flashing and his sensual Slavic mouth smiling with all the ecstacy of a perfect moment.

Ann-Katrin called us out to her terrace, which hangs over the Hudson River. Katrin had a decorous little bonfire where we burned the things we wished to leave behind and kept the things we wanted for the New Year.

Then a big improvisation where I got so inspired I the spirit of God came on me and I started to dance, I must have danced for 20 minutes, leaping and spinning, I felt so good. Suddenly the people started to leave and it was time to say goodnight.

As I walked throught the West Village, which I adore with a lovers passion, I thought, " this has been the perfect New Years Ever. I've only had a few glasses of Champagne, I'm not drunk, and I feel clear and strong. It's time to go home "

I fell by Sweet Basil's and met a Jazz Promoter, went to another club called Employees Only, now seriously into a new mode,
some guy identified me as a celebrant and followed me all the way home begging me to go home with him. A good guy, handsome, clean, obviously employed, he said something about Hedge Fund, and I almost cracked but did not. I must have given him my card because he called me when I got home.

Stopped off at Ruby Fruit. ( girls club) I was really warmed up for dancing by this time and did some with a girl who looked like Gwenth Paltrow. Her girlfriend was not pleased.

Oh boy, I was deep into a New Year thing by this time.

Caravan

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Sun, 01 Jan 2006 09:17:26 PST

I played a private party 6 - 8 on a rebuilt 1913 Steinway which was near the window. I was looking out toward Central Park and the dark trees there. Played Caravan for about 45 minutes, spiraling higher and higher through the chords. I met a guy in "financial services" there with whom I exchanged ideas. The lady wanted to pay me cash in her bedroom. The bed looked nice.

Me playing the Blue Fender Mustang

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 22:50:34 PST

blueguitar
Originally uploaded by missphoebelegere.

Semper Fi

phoebe@phoebelegere.com (Phoebe Legere) — Mon, 02 Jan 2006 20:24:09 PST

Went down to Giovanni’s to see about a job. They gave me one immediately. There was a guy playing the piano; a handsome Columbian named Raphael. He sings in that passionate, "I'm dying of love" South American style. I liked him. He's talented.

V was at the bar. He said, I’ve been waiting five years for you to come back, I heard you went to Vegas.” So we started talking. V is a Marine.

We decided to adjourn to Little Italy for a Sicilian Cappucino. That’s coffee with Anisettte. I was very open with him. Told him about the wedding, my mother, lots of things.

He’s in fish. I mean literally. I asked him if I could go with him to the new Fish Market. He said, No. No way. Those guys are animals. I growled.
V was warm and strong. I feel safe with old school Italians. I need connection, warmth, family, relationship…call me a pussy, but I want to feel like I am part of something bigger – something I can count on. V also expressed interest in having me put together a website and PODCAST for him direct from the fishmarket. He offered to pay me in "trade." What would that be I asked. He said, " How about 5 pounds of frozen shrimp. " After some negotiation he agreed to furnish me with 6 pounds of frozen shrimp a year for the rest of my life. V has a large blonde moustache and blue eyes. Virile, direct, a good listener.

So now that I have Fridays at Giovannis I thought I should get another day. I went up to Helens. Talked to a handsome lawyer.
Who knows.
Here’s the letter I put in the package.

Dear Helens:

I have enjoyed many happy nights at your piano bar. In my opinion it is one of the best cabarets in the country. Your pianists are excellent.

It is with the greatest humility that offer my services as front room piano player. I am available early or late and will gladly accompany any singer who wishes to sing.

I read charts, transpose, and play by ear. I tailor my style to suit the moment and the room. From Broadway to Jazz Standards to Soft Rock classics, when it comes to taking requests, and supporting singers, I am your man.

Dae Bennett, Tony’s son, is just putting the finishing touches on my new CD.

Sincerely,
Phoebe Legere
Singer Pianist