Ann Ruckert

A Party for Christine Lavin

Sunday at 2 p.m., people started to arrive. A cast of thousands or so it felt like. We had cooked for days (they hit the food like locus) and were having our champagne and watched as Christine Lavin, our star arrived, followed by a star-studded group.

Chris was generous to a fault and had almost everyone perform, but of course the highlight was Chris singing songs from her new CD, Just One Angel, and reading from her new book, Cold Pizza for Breakfast: A Mem-Wha. Such an easy read, and fun. Every one who performed was wonderful in their own way.

I was especially taken by David Ippolito’s rendition of the John Wallowitch tune, This Moment, which is on Chris’s new CD.

David Rashe was a delight and a surprise, more known for acting (rather deep work as a foremost interpreter of playwright David Mamet on stage and an actor in movies made by Woody Allen, Paul Mazursky and more). He sang Christmas in L.A., also from the CD. George Wurzbach not only performed one of his songs, but helped other people by jumping in on the piano when needed.

In attendance were many other talented folks who did not perform. The rooms were in an uproar all day, performers and artists are the best audience. And so the season starts.

How To Survive With Your Soul Intact

 

James Gavin, a fine author and close friend, has written an excellent article for The Daily Beast about jazz musician Allen Mezquida, who draws the animated cartoon Smigly.

Smigly is a YouTube series with a topical and highly emotional theme: How does one survive today’s onslaught of rejection while keeping one’s soul intact? 

Dumped by corporate America, Smigly sits on the landing of his apartment, blowing his saxophone while a neighbor jeers: “You know the tune, ‘Go Get Lost!’” He chokes on a nut, and his girlfriend won't look up from her laptop. He becomes a ventriloquist, and gets laughs only when the dummy pees on him. 

Mezquida draws Smigly to tell his own story. It’s one that weighs heavily on artists these days: the need to reinvent oneself in a digital age, or risk disappearing. 

Here’s an episode of Smigly, "I Heart Jazz." Check out others at Smigly.TV.

 

Why I Loved the Grammys!

 

Last night was the 52nd Grammy Awards show and I loved it. I know that most of you did not. I would like to discuss this with you. It reminds me of when Elizabeth Taylor received a very large diamond ring from Richard Burton, her husband. She was presented to Princess Margaret of England, who asked to see the ring, to which the princess blurted out: “How gauche!” Elizabeth asked would she like to try it on? Well yes. When it was on HER hand she remarked, “Oh, how lovely!”

First, the show employs a lot of musicians. NARAS during Grammy week and all through the year employs more musicians than any other entity. All union, with benefits, and when musicians are in trouble, Music Cares is there for the rescue. 

Once you are nominated or win, forever after you are introduced or announced as “Grammy winner” or “Grammy nominee.” We are all proud of this as it is a peer organization and it’s one member-one vote. You must be a working performer or industry pro to vote. It means a lot to us. The day after the show record sales peak. I want a healthy industry for all of you to be part of. 

The glamor and showmanship was great. I was amazed and delighted at Pink’s bravery as she sang upside down. I loved Lady Gaga and the clothes she wore. The pride Jay-Z had for his wife and the look on his face as she won. Love always makes me smile. I not only liked the way Maxwell sang with American music icon Roberta Flack (who looked amazing), but how he spoke of her before and after the show. Such respect and admiration (my mind flashed to the Roberta Flack School in the South Bronx that she funds…quietly and gracefully. I also thought of how supportive she was of the Fugees, especially when they sampled her work without permission. She could have recalled all of the recordings but did not. Instead she had a radio station—where she was a deejay—play them often and gave them a big break). 

All of the Grammy show was big production numbers and after the Michael Jackson tribute, I cried (everyone who ever worked with him loved him). I was exhausted after the show, but delighted and thrilled to see so many folks working and happy. I know how many hours of practicing it takes to have a solid career in music. I always say there is plenty of room in the music business at the top. It is only crowded at the bottom. Keep practicing.

The Best Holiday Season Ever!

This holiday season is the best ever! My whole life (which is now a significant time spent) I’ve watched films about other people's exciting lives, and thought some day when I grow up I will live like that. I envisioned the perfect Upper Westside apartment, interesting friends, loving family and my home filled with great music. 

Yesterday that all happened at my Sunday brunch (my concept for a series of Sunday brunches was a small group of eight, at my dining room table, great food and great conversation). It got away from me yesterday, 25 people were here and the guest list was a dream. 

Who to speak with first was the question, where to turn, so much food. I cooked for days, and people walked in with goodies, the best of all was that my darling James Gavin brought me a present, two wonderful musicians from Brazil. My heart just stopped, Mauricio Maestro…I had been a fan for years...and Kay Lyra, young, beautiful and talented. Together they were spell-binding and they performed for us for an hour. Wow! 

Mauricio Maestro and Kay Lyra perform...

for guests in my living room!

---

Hugh McCracken, America’s great guitar player, his wife Holly Mershan (I first saw her on TV singing Blame It on My Youth over 25 years ago), Susan Slavin, David Kibbe, Beth Raven (the great percussionist, producer, et. al) everyone was spell bound, we had trouble letting go of the moment. Frank Beacham was so enraptured, I had to say, “Did you bring a camera?” He was in heaven.

It was a brunch that was supposed to be from 2-5 with a possible hour. The last of the folks left at 11 p.m. We ate all over again--blame it on Brazil! A perfect day at Ruckerts. I am the luckiest woman in the world. Thank you everyone for making my dreams come true.

Pierre Cossette Was a True Showman with Big Ideas

Pierre Cossette, the light-hearted talent agent and producer who brought the Grammys to television, was a true showman on a major scale. I worked with him for 40 years, which included many of the Grammy telecasts. I will always remember Pierre as not only a master of his show business craft, but a fine man, a loving father and a wonderful husband.

Pierre was a gleeful man who remembered everyone’s name and genuinely appreciated their work. Each Grammy show, in addition to year-round planning, took four weeks of our time on site at the venue. That was a long time to be together. Pierre introduced every production meeting with a joke. When the show was finished, he sent every participant a gift. That was followed with a warm personal phone call. Even after I left the Grammy show, Pierre stayed in touch—not the norm for NARAS.

In fact, Pierre was always available to everyone. His published number was listed in the New York phone book. Anyone could call him.

After our Grammy meetings at Radio City Music Hall or the Shrine Auditorium, Pierre would always talk of big production numbers to wow the audience. He would remind us that Flo Ziegfeld could do a stadium show with smoke and mirrors—“bands to the left and bands to the right.” That was his goal for every Grammy telecast.

The idea of the "big show" extended to Pierre’s personal life. He'd jokingly introduce his wife Mary, as "the mother of five." In fact, Mary brought her five children to the marriage. Pierre and Mary were married at Norton Simon’s house and it was literally a three-ring circus. Norton later jokingly referred to Pierre’s friends as “circus people.”

Much is being made of Pierre’s representation and work with stars like Frank Sinatra, Ann-Margret, Andy Williams, Vic Damone and Anna Maria Alberghetti, or his help starting Dunhill Records, or his producing Tony Award-winning shows on Broadway.

But I will miss him just as Pierre, a fun-loving friend who brought the Grammys to television and had the good sense to make it a great show.

 Pierre Cossette

Peter Seeger's 90th Birthday Concert Should Be Viewed by Everyone

On May 3, 2009, a concert celebrating Pete Seeger's 90th birthday was held at Madison Square Garden. It featured a who's who of American musicians including Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Ani DeFranco, Arlo Guthrie, Tony Trishka and Bela Fleck, Ben Harper, Bruce Cockburn, Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Richie Havens, Roger McGuinn, Steve Earle, Taj Mahal, Tom Morello, Warren Haynes, Ruby Dee, Tom Chapin, Tom Paxton, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and many more. 

Fortunately, PBS recorded the concert and it's now showing around the country. Everyone should see it. Pete Seeger has not only had an extraordinary musical career, but his life continues to resonate to people of all ages—as seen in this remarkable concert.  Pete was blacklisted, but never let it stop him, even when his income was reduced to almost nothing. He continues to resist the trappings of fame, viewing his music as a larger instrument for social change.  

Perhaps Bruce Sringsteen said it best in this tribute to Pete at the concert.