Bulletins From BA #06

Bulletins From BA #06

15 October 2012

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

“Museo Evita”

La primavera (spring) has at last arrived in Buenos Aires and I’m really ready for it. Not that el invierno (winter) here is all that grim. Indeed, the past three months have been fairly mild; although it is somewhat amusing to watch the porteños, world-class wusses when it comes to cold weather, layer up in quilted outerwear at the slightest provocation.

But with la primavera comes more foliage, more birding, and more women’s spring fashions, featuring less actual clothing. From my admittedly limited perspective, women in BA are generally a pretty stylish lot and do not mind at all if you notice. The men, however, except for older gentlemen in suits and scarves, normally tend to dress like Americans; that is to say, schlubs. Like me.

Fashion aside, the past few weeks have been pretty interesting. Anne has been out of town quite a lot on bidness and tending to family affairs, so I have been left solo to run amuck. It’s been fun. I enjoyed homemade empanadas (¡Más excelente!) with an engaging assortment of characters at the casa of a tango instructor/author and her partner, played music at an Embassy event at which hundreds of American expats (including me) cast their absentee ballots for the Nov. 6 election, and - hang on to your sombreros - had my first actual gig.

The short version: The husband of AJ’s predecessor, which makes him my predecessor, I suppose, was muy amable (very kind) in giving me potential contacts in Buenos Aires. One of those contacts is Stephen Page, an ex-Marine Security Guard married to an Argentine mujer (woman). Being a poet (as well as a Detroit Tigers fan and all-around good guy), he arranged a poetry/music event featuring the two of us and an expat Vietnamese-American poetess.

The setting for this auspicious occasion was the Ernesto Sabato Fundación, the late Señor Sabato being one of Argentina’s most celebrated writers. It was a high-class catered affair with wine and excellent hors d'oeuvres, and the place was packed. I confess to a bit of nervousness at the notion of performing tango on the acordeón for an audience of porteños, but I played respectably and they were most gracious. Even managed to sell a few CDs. En total, the event was un gran éxito (a great success) and the Fundación organizers were very pleased.

In other news, things are shaping up nicely here at apartamento 9-A of our edificio (building), the Victoria del Libertador. (Seriously; we even have a sign.) The Embassy “Welcome Kit” is gone, art is on the walls, and we’re getting a big-ass TV to replace the one we shipped that doesn’t work here. (Blew the mission on that one, I did.) Now if we can score one more twin bed from GSO, we’ll be ready for visitors.

Also, too, all of my security clearance paperwork has finally been submitted into the system, so, with a bit of luck, I might actually start working at the Embassy relatively soon. Meanwhile, I have a pile of music, tango and otherwise, that requires a boatload of practice.

Best of all, Anne is off the road for a while, so we can, you know, do stuff together. And just in time for la primavera.

¡Adelante!

Rodger

Bulletins From BA #05

Bulletins From BA #05

24 September 2012

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

“BA-Statuary 1” "BA-Aguas Corriente”

Well, it’s just been crazy busy around here since the last posting, although I’m pleased to report that much has been accomplished in several areas.

Domestic – A.J. and I finally received our ridiculously large shipment (131 boxes) from the States; so for three days, we did basically nothing but unpack, arrange/store stuff, and break down boxes for collection by the cartoneros. These are the folks (sometimes entire families) who pick out recyclables and haul them away on large pushcarts. I must say, we did a pretty good job arranging this shipment. There was definitely more “Oh, I’m so glad to see that.” than “What the hell were we thinking?”

Employment – I have applied for a position as “Rover Secretary” at the Embassy; basically the same gig I had in South Africa where I worked in the Temp Pool. I had to reapply for a Top Secret Squirrel Security Clearance, so if you get a call from the Feds, don’t panic. Just tell them what a hard-working, law-abiding, all-purpose American I am. You know it’s true.

Tourism – We have seen much more of Buenos Aires, including arguably the most beautiful building in town, that being El Palacio de las Aguas Corriente (The Palace of Flowing Waters); or, less highfalutinly, the water works. Completed in 1894, the palace still functions as a pumping station and houses water company offices, as well as a small museum. Featuring, I might add, an excellent display of toilets.

We also took a bus tour organized by the CLO (Community Liaison Office), spending several hours shlepping from one tourist highlight to the next. It was fun, and gave us a better feel for the topografía de la ciudad and a preview of places we might want to visit again.

Culture – Anne and I had the great good fortune of scoring tickets to a musical event entitled “Troilo Compositor,” a tribute to Anibal Troilo, the extraordinary bandoneonist, director de orquesta y… compositor. The program took place at Teatro Maipo, a charming place in el distrito de los teatros, with, as is the accepted custom in Buenos Aires, seats designed by Torquemada. Not just uncomfortable, mind you. Agonizing.

[Sidebar and Rant: This is one of the most sophisticated cities in the world - “La París de Sudamérica” - and a magnet for performing artists. In my opinion, forcing audiences to endure truly horrible seating is disrespectful, not just to paying customers, but also to performers. It’s difficult to focus attention on the stage when you are in pain. Custom, my ass.]

The concierto was, thankfully, magnificence itself. Thirteen músicos virtuosos, the youngest of whom is my age (65), each played a Troilo composition on Troilo’s actual bandoneon. (The bandoneon is an accordion-like instrument that is the instrumental soul of tango.) Fourteen players were scheduled to appear, but one maestro had passed away only days before the show. His performance on a previous concert video was shown, however, and brought the house down.

I have heard the bandoneon live on a few occasions, but this was an altogether different experience. These men brought literally centuries of experience, emotion, and musical intelligence to the stage. The porteños in the audience, many of the same older generation as the músicos (musicians), listened deeply and responded with fervent respect and enthusiasm.

For my part, I came away with a profound appreciation for the bandoneon and the music of Anibal Troilo. Not that I have any inclination to seriously take up the instrument; it’s a bit late in the game for that. But I was inspired to absorb as much of the essence of the evening’s music as possible and incorporate it into my own playing. And to keep playing until the end. Música es vida.

¡Adelante!

Rodger

Bulletins From BA #04

Bulletins From BA #04

31 August 2012

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

"BA Buildings (1)"

So, last week we are walking home after a lovely brunch with colleagues in the 29^th floor apartment of Anne’s boss. Great view, interesting people, excellent chow… all in all, a delightful morning. Naturalmente, it could not last. A large bird, we suspect an opportunistic pigeon, was waiting in the trees. I won’t subject you to a detailed description; suffice it to say that the fowl’s accuracy was unerring and the payload copious. But in the city, where pigeons and people must coexist, this sort of thing will happen.

So, this past Saturday, Anne and I were walking along Avenida del Libertador and decided to stop and take a photo of a statue of Evita Duarte Peron. As we approached, we became aware that we had been splattered yet again with a noxious substance. Naturalmente, I suspected fowl play. (Sorry, but it had to be said.) Fortuitously, a couple behind us was Johnny-on-the-spot offering to help us clean up the gunk. And, if possible, rob us blind.

Here’s the official State Department description: “A common scam is to spray mustard or a similar substance on the tourist from a distance. A pickpocket will then approach the tourist offering to help clean the stain, and while doing so, he or an accomplice robs the victim.” Now, A.J. and I are not a couple of rubes. We’ve made our way through two tours overseas and pay close attention to security briefings. So, we held on to our stuff and walked away. It was a disconcerting experience, but only a hassle, not a tragedy.

[Sidebar: The perpetrators were subsequently apprehended by sharp-eyed members of the Policía Federal Argentina (A.P.F.) and our accounts taken by a young, solicitous, and muy guapo (handsome) policeman named Dominguez. What became of the perps, I cannot say. But Anne and I returned to our apartment, changed clothes, and resolutely sallied forth once more.]

Our destination was El Ateneo Grand Splendid, possibly the most beautiful librería (bookstore) on the planet. Espléndido, indeed. (I’ve posted a few photoz that only begin to it justice.) If you ever come to Buenos Aires, this place should be in your Top 10… maybe Top 5. I plan to return and perhaps, if I learn to read español well enough, purchase a text on la historia del tango.

[Sidebar: At El Ateneo, I acquired a double CD set of orchestral tango music by Osvaldo Pugilese y Su Orquesta. Maestro Pugliese (1905-1995) did not fool around: Grand piano, multiple bandoneons, and acres of strings. Wondrous music, and muy dramático even by Argentine standards.]

Speaking of music, we recently attended a concert, co-sponsored by the Cultural Affairs Office, featuring four pianists - three Americans and one Argentine. The concert was held at the Fortabat Museum, which houses the private art collection of María Amalia Sara Lacroze Reyes Oribe de Fortabat Pourtale, aka Amalita Fortabat (1921-2012), former patron of the arts and richest woman in Argentina. The museum is located on Dique (Dock) 4 in the Puerto Madero area, a huge landscape of reclaimed waterfront that inevitably warrants further investigation.

Capsule Concert Review: The speeches seemed to go on and on, and the seats absolutamente aspirado (sucked), but the musicians presented a varied, entertaining, and extremely well accomplished programme. And, during el intervalo (intermission), we took the opportunity to view some of la colección de arte, which is truly maravillosa. Señora Fortabat did not fool around.

¡Adelante!

Rodger

Bulletins From BA #03

Bulletins From BA #03

11 August 2012

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Submitted for your consideration: Some miscellaneous, perchance diverting newsy items, with a “hat tip” (h/t) to a few of our steadfast readers. Disfruten (Enjoy).

This Week in Adult Education… Español lessons are paying off big time. I have recently added the following muy useful phrases to my repertorio: “Perdóneme, mi español es patético.” (Pardon me, my Spanish is pathetic.); “Lo siento, tiene el numero equivocado.” (I’m sorry, you have the wrong number.); y “Por favor, cuidado con la caca de perro.” (Please, watch out for the dog poop.)

Incidentally, I have it on good authority that the choice of “Argentine” vs. “Argentinian” when referring in English to a citizen of Argentina can be a delicate topic. So, in the interest of etymological diplomacy, I consulted several allegedly reputable sources. Though by no means unequivocal, the consensus is that Argentine is the correct demonym (noun) and Argentinian the correct adjectival form. (h/t: Lisa Q.)

Sports Report… The Olympics were not quite as big a deal in Argentina as in Los Estadios Unidos (EE.UU.), but coverage was still extensive, especially for basketball, field hockey, and tennis player Juan Martín Del Potro. But the most impressive athlete I’ve seen here was a young hombre in dark clothing on roller skates delivering a pizza while talking on his cell phone. At night. In the rain. I gave him a 9.5. (Would have been a 10, if he had been wearing sunglasses.)

Breaking News… The American Embassy has been relegated to 2^nd Place in the ongoing “Ugliest Building in Buenos Aires” competition. Your new leader? La Biblioteca Nacional (National Library) de la República Argentina. A building designed in the “brutalist” style. Truly.

Fun Facts About Animals… The carpincho (capybara), source of fine pelts for deluxe fashions (re: Bulletin #02), is the world’s largest rodent. They are gentle, gregarious, semiaquatic herbivores, typically weighing up to 68 kilos (150 lbs.). In Venezuela, carpinchos are harvested for food during Lent, owing to a 16^th century Papal dispensation classifying them as “fish.” Or so the story goes. I think they’re cute and I want one. (h/t: Megan R.)

Speaking of wildlife, the parks of Buenos Aires are home to several species of parrots. We haven’t done our birding due diligence yet, but there are a boatload of green parrots (technically, parakeets) inhabiting the trees around the embassy, just hanging out and yakking it up; which is very entertaining, by the way. I suspect they’re talking caca about the perros.

Musical Notes… (sorry, can’t help it)… Osvaldo Pugliese (1905-1995) was a legendary pianist, composer, and tango orchestra leader. He is so beloved among porteño musicians that any bad mojo, in which they believe mightily, can be repelled by saying “Pugliese, Pugliese, Pugliese” muy rápido. (h/t: Jeff H.)

Finally... The first (and smaller) of our two shipments from the States has arrived and our joy knows no bounds. Well, some bounds, but at least I’ve been reunited with my trusty toolbox, Anne with her good kitchen knives, and we now have bath towels that actually absorb water.

[Sidebar – For the uninitiated, FSOs (Foreign Service Officers) and their families newly arrived at post are issued a “Welcome Kit,” a giant footlocker chock full of household stuff. It’s actually a very nice service and we are sincerely appreciative. That said, some of the items are of better quality than others; for instance, our ironing board has a major dent in the center and a port list. Not good. But, it is a crisis of luxury, so we make do. And when the last (and exponentially larger) of our two shipments finally clears customs, we’ll pack up the ol’ WK and bid it a fond adios.]

¡Adelante!

Rodger

Bulletins From BA #02

Bulletins From BA #02

08 August 2012

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

"BA-Cementerio de la Recoleta"

Buenos Aires is by far the biggest city we have ever lived in. Of course, the second biggest is Atlanta, so that’s not much of a comparison; but this place is big. Really big. Like Nueva York - only bigger - big. Happily, la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (official name) is also topographically flat. Really flat. Like… well, you get the idea. It is a ciudad for walking. So, A.J. and I have decided to spend a good chunk of our weekends hoofing it around town; and, since we’re new here, we figured we might as well start with some tourist hotspots.

Last Saturday, we strolled to Basilica Nuestra Señora del Pilar, a Jesuit church built in 1732. The church is adjacent to Cementerio de la Recoleta, a muy famoso necropolis that dates from 1822 and is the final resting place of many notable personas. We arrived early (i.e., before Noon) ahead of the rush of visitors, which included many Argentinians. What a fascinating experience.

When we revisit this place, I think we will engage the services of one of the many “tour guides” who hover at the entrance. But for our first go, we elected to wander about in what is, quite literally, a city of the dead. And while many of the tombs are impressive indeed, housing the remains of presidents, generals, and the well connected, we found ourselves drawn to the neglected, melancholy resting places of those who have been forgotten.

Not forgotten, by any measure, is the most famous resident of Cementerio de la Recoleta, one Eva Duarte de Perón, aka “Evita.” This past 26 July marked the anniversary of her death at the age of 33 and Señora Perón is still much loved by many Argentinians and reviled in equal measure by others. Sixty years on, she, her husband Juan Domingo Perón, and Peronismo remain the subjects of passionate debate. The woman led a short, but appropriately theatrical and cinematic life.

Interestingly, the Duarte family vault where she is entombed is a modest affair. By the time we made our way to it, however, the crowds were out in force, so lingering became a less attractive option. I can tell you that the edifice is of black stone, and decorated with a multitude of flowers, mostly red.

In addition to the cemetery, our Saturday perambulations took us to some other interesting places. Por favor, permítanme a brief, but short, summary:

Buenos Aires Design – A commercial mall “dedicated entirely to design, construction, equipment and decoration.” Home furnishings; some very appealing in design, all expensive.

El Barrio de Recoleta – A wonderful neighborhood, full of tiendas (shoppes) and excelente fruit and vegetable markets. We also happened upon a very, very high-end leather store where I tried on a chaqueta (jacket) made from the skin of carpincho (capybara), a large aquatic rodent. Yeah, I know… laugh if you will, but it was the finest garment I have ever put on my body. Simply exquisite, but a tad pricey at 4700 pesos ($1000 and change). I had to take a pass.

Palais de Glace – This fabulous domed building, originally built in 1910 as a Belle Époque ice skating and social club and later converted to an elegant ballroom for tango, currently houses arts exhibitions. We took in “Muestra Anual de Fotoperiodismo Argentino” (Annual Show of Argentine Photojournalism). Lots of good work, including a photo essay of an old man caring for his dying wife that moved me to tears. (www.palaisdeglace.gob.ar)

Life is so short and there is so much to see.

¡Adelante!

Rodger

Bulletins From BA #01

Bulletins from BA (Buenos Aires) #01

28 July 2012

¡Hola! there... Rodger French here.

Getting settled in the “Paris of South America” has proven reassuringly easy. We scored a nice 9^th floor apartment in the posh barrio (neighborhood) of Palermo, a leisurely stroll from the U.S. Embassy. Our balcony overlooks Avenida del Libertador, which, at 10 lanes wide, is still not the largest street in town. (Being a pedestrian here requires keen spatial awareness and choreographic fearlessness.) We’ve scoped out nearby markets, established phone and intertoobz communications, and now await delivery of our worldly possessions by air and sea.

Embassy folk, officers and local staff alike, have been thoroughly supportive and seem somewhat not unimpressed by the fact that A.J. has an accordion-playing spouse. The accordion is, of course, my secret weapon and I intend to unleash its full mojo… just as soon as I resurrect my chops, since moving betwixt hemispheres has not been conducive to practicing, or regularity of any kind. But, all things in due course, as we make Buenos Aires our home for the next three years.

Would that I could regale you with tales of days lounging in the cafés as an International Man of Leisure and nights prowling the milongas as an ersatz gringo tanguero, but such, alas, is not the case. What I can relate so far is that Buenos Aires (BA) es muy grande (very big), muy ruidoso (very noisy), and teems with los coches (cars), los niños pequeños (small children), y los perros (dogs).

[Sidebar: Dogs are ubiquitous here and paseaperros (professional dog walkers), some with as many as 20 pooches on leash, are a quotidian feature of urban life. It is highly diverting to traipse through Plaza Seeber near the embassy, where large, well-ordered packs of wildly assorted canines congregate daily to sniff, woof, and generally enjoy la vida perro.]

Otras observaciones: BA has a bazillion restaurants, and beef hot off the parrilla (grill) is as excelente as advertised. Also, Argentina is awash in Italian ancestry, so delicious pasta and pizza abound. (Regrettably, Argentinians make little use of spices, notwithstanding salsa chimichurri, which is muy bueno.) Mealtimes take some getting use to. An early dinner might begin at 20h00, más o menos (more or less), although 22h00 (that’s right, 10 PM) is more typical. The innumerable milogas, where devotees of tango congregate, don’t get revved up until well after Midnight. Apparently, no porteño (resident of BA) ever sleeps more than three hours at a stretch.

I think I’m going to like it here.

Anne is also finding her groove and the months spent at FSI studying español are paying off. Her accent has been widely praised and she has been stellar in communicating with Señora Esme, our building’s invaluable encargada (person in charge). Inspired by her (Anne, naturalmente), I have enrolled in Spanish class at the embassy, the better to facilitate interaction with the doormen, shopkeepers, and boliviano street vendors encountered on a daily basis. There is much work to do, but by the time we depart post in 2015, my Spanglish should be off the hook. Like, totalmente.

I am also arranging appointments to “take a coffee” with an eclectic assortment of expats, musicians, and other like-minded characters, both for social reasons and the better to connect with people possibly interested in musical collaborations. And, for what it’s worth, my grande scheme includes finding a teacher with whom to study accordion and a tailor to fabricate a custom, tanguero-esque black suit. When opportunity beckons, I intend to be ready.

Finalmente, sí - thank you for asking - we do have guest accommodations: Room for two in actual beds and a third, if one doesn’t mind an actual sofá. (I’ve field tested it; es más aceptable.) We’re not in host mode just yet, but I’ll keep you posted.

Onward. (¡Adelante!)

Rodger

Dispatches from DC #16

11 July 2012

Hello there... Rodger French here.

On the off chance that any of you are wondering what has become of your erstwhile correspondent, please be advised that I am alive and relatively well, notwithstanding a strained gluteus medius and an inappropriately timed head cold. A.J. and I emptied out and exited our excellent digs in Arlington, VA almost two weeks ago and have taken to the open road in a rental car; the “Toaster” (my favourite vehicle of all time) having been sold and destined to an interesting future in Guatemala. Long story.

The highlight of our journey so far was a thrilling nighttime drive through the mountains of West Virginia during the infamous “derecho” of June 29 that took out electrical power for four million people. This qualified as high adventure indeed, in as much as it entailed dodging trees blowing across Interstate 64W.

The rest of the drive from VA to AL via WV, KY, and TN was pretty routine, although we too were subject to triple-digit temperatures and the warmest June in, like, recorded history. But we’ve had some very nice visits with family and are taking care of sundry matters before returning to DC, there to depart for Buenos Aires, Argentina on July 16, a prospect that still seems somehow spectacularly surreal.

We are scheduled to touch down at Ministro Pistarini International Airport on the morning of July 17, there to be wisked away to our deluxe intown apartment, where we will be greeted by a tango orquesta típica and feted with malbec wine and an enormous asado (roughly, BBQ). Or perhaps not… In any event, I will endeavor to establish a high-speed intertoobz connection in our domicile ASAP, the better to start inflicting your inbox with the next edition of these possibly diverting travelogues, to wit:  “Bulletins From BA.”

Speaking of which, we have a new mailing address, complete with a U.S. Zip Code. If any of you decide you simply must send us something – anything - let me know and I will pass it on to you. Meanwhile, be well, stay cool, and look to the southern hemisphere for word.

Onward. (Adelante.)

Rodger

Dispatches from DC #14

15 December 2011

Hello there... Rodger French here.

What with the Holidaze now in full swing, I thought it felicitous to extend best wishes and append this update; kind of like those Christmas letters one gets from friends, only without the cute photoz of the kidz. Or paw printz of the dogz. Or coherent paragraph transitionz.

Thanksgiving was very relaxed, as we avoided the national transportation nightmare and instead had a quiet dinner at a nice local restaurant with friends. We also avoided the national consumer nightmare known as "Black Friday" and instead had a quiet dinner at another nice local restaurant with other friends. Good food, good company, and zero drama. This is our current scheme for Christmas, only with movies thrown into the mix.

You Russian music fanz will be gratified to know the Washington Balalaika Society Orchestra's fall concerts went swimmingly, with the accordion duet being particularly well received. And those of you in the DC area can catch The Rodger French Trio as we periodically tour the finer coffee houses and cantinas of Alexandria, VA. (And yes, we're on Facebook. Thanks for asking.)

[Holiday Special: Looking for a thoughtful, high-class, yet inexpensive gift for Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa/Solstice/Boxing Day... whatever? You are in luck: "Main Squeeze Deux - Lenny DeLuxe presents Another Album of Select Accordion Solos" is now (still) available at www.cdbaby.com.]

Big news in the 'hood: The city of Arlington is installing a robot (traffic signal) at the corner of N. Pollard St. and Wilson Blvd., a very nasty intersection spectacularly disadvantageous to pedestrians. At last we'll be able to access the excellent burger joint across the street without threat of vehicular annihilation. (This is no joke; a pedestrian was recently hit at this very intersection and another was killed just two blocks away.)

In a hopeful harbinger of general economic recovery, new bidness tenants have moved into the Hawthorn Building: Zapatat Tattoo Removal. I've been predicting for years - really, I have - that tattoo removal was going to be big. The young and supple of skin can get away with these things, but the older you get... well, (sadly, tragically), gravity always wins. To each her/his own, of course, but I've never been a fan of permanent "skin illustrations;" several years in the U.S. Navy, decades before the current tattoo-mania, no doubt colouring my perspective.

In other news, I'm making preparations for a trip to the ATL for the Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival (Feb. 3-5). And, in case you're wondering (which you are likely not), there are no plans afoot for Yet Another DeLuxe Vaudeville Orchestra Annual Reunion Concert. I will also be traveling to Madison County, NC to check in on my modest mountain habitat and try to bring some semblance of organization to way-too-much stuff. This is increasingly imperative because...

(...pause for dramatic effect and actual paragraph transition...)

Anne is being posted as Information Resource Officer (IRO) to Buenos Aires, Argentina for three years. What's more, instead of leaving the States in October 2012 as originally scheduled, it looks like we're outta here in July. Between now and then, she will spend several months immersed in Spanish language classes at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), where I plan to study as well.

Naturally, I'll keep you posted as the situation develops. And, for what it's worth, the next round of international postings is tentatively titled "Bulletins from BA."

Felices Fiestas. Adelante.

Rodger

Dispatches from DC #13

31 October 2011

Hello there... Rodger French here.

I've lately had the privilege of being asked to play at memorial services for two rather extraordinary women, one of whom I knew pretty well, one of whom I never met. So, in remembrance of the recently departed, please permit me to offer a few thoughts.

Josephine Catron Carson: October 9, 1946 - September 19, 2011

Jo Carson was the finest writer I've ever known. More erudite observers than myself have written about her contributions to the world of letters and you would not regret doing a search and having a look-see. Her work is simply wonderful. And Jo was also a really interesting character. The stories told at her memorial reflected a life lived well, with a keen intellect and great good humour.

I had numerous interactions with Jo over the course of 30+ years and she was never shy about offering encouragement and constructive criticism, sometimes whether you asked for it or not. I sincerely appreciate that she made me a better bandleader. (Her critique of the early days of The DeLuxe Vaudeville Orchestra? "Too many damn tangos." She was correct, of course.) She also told me that she liked my writing (specifically "Greetings From Ghana" and "Postings From Pretoria"). I can only begin to express how much that means to me.

Jo was felled by colon cancer that had gone untreated for too long. But even while dealing with that pain and terror, she managed to brilliantly orchestrate her passing. Her last days were spent surrounded my friends and well-wishers, among them some of the most creative artists in the country. Her memorial service was moving, inspirational, and a really good show.

And the accordionist played a tango in her honour.

[Sidebar - The service also featured perhaps the best line ever spoken in a church. Citing Jo's fatal illness, one of the speakers opined that Jo's passing should be used by members of the congregation as an incentive to "stick your head up your ass and take a good look around." Righteous.]

Emily Clevenger Haseltine: May 31, 1912 - August 15, 2011

In addition to playing accordion with the Washington Balalaika Society Orchestra, I occasionally sub with a smaller group, Ruuskie Musikanti. It was in this context that I learned about Emily, who had taken up the balalaika at the age of 84 and performed with the WBSO for several years.

Over the course of 99 (!) years, she also raised four children (followed by eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren), spent fifty-four years in the church choir, and worked enthusiastically on civil rights and immigration issues as a volunteer coordinator. She was, by all accounts, a great lover of life, a bit of a scamp, and a wonderful and entertaining person. I left the service wishing I had had the opportunity to make her acquaintance.

Reflecting on this posting also reminds me of words spoken at a memorial in Atlanta some years ago for a musician friend who passed on unexpectedly and too soon. The gist was that it is shortsighted to put off visiting people you love and respect; the end can come anytime and you may spend the rest of your days regretting your lack of initiative. And then the speaker proffered this simple advice: "Spend the money. Go."

Amen.

Onward.

Rodger

Dispatches from DC #12

07 September 2011

Hello there... Rodger French here.

Extended Posting Alert - Italian Vacation Edition

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

"Italia 2011" and "Italia 2011 2"

As some of you may be aware, Anne and I recently returned from a two-week vacation in Italy, specifically the real estate around Lago Maggiore, including the towns of Intra, Pallanza, and Verbania as well as the villages of Cavandone and Vignone. Check out the basic geography, if you like (www.lagomaggioreonline.it/cartine_lago_maggiore.htm). In the summer, the area is a mecca for tourists, mostly Italian (Milanesi), English, German, and Swiss. It is exactly what you'd expect: unreasonably beautiful scenery replete with indigenous shoppes, restaurants, cafés, and geletarias. In a word, classic.

Those two weeks, fraught with activity, passed by so quickly that the experience has acquired a dreamlike patina, making it somewhat difficult to write about. (Like, just what the world needs: another fulsome Italian travelogue, am I right?) So I've elected to organize my scribbling into three categories, offer some possibly apropos facts/impressions, and hopefully not bore the hell out of anyone. Andiamo.

I. Food & Friends - Northern Italian cuisine is basic, simple food prepared from really fresh ingredients. We dined primarily at the home of our dear friends and hosts Gino, Lisa, and Edoardo (one of the "boychiks" chronicled in DfDC #11) in Vignone, with several outings to Cavandone to the home of and restaurant run by Claudio and Patrizia. (Their son Claudio, an enthusiastic neophyte juggler, being the other "boychik.")

We also ate at the home of Renato, Gabriella, and Arianna, had pizza with "Mingus" and Letezia, lunched with Gigi and his friends, supped with Gino's sister Anna and her friends, chowed down at the La Palma hotel in Stressa, took in a "pig festival," eccetera, eccetera. The expected food coma failed to materialize, but summer fare is lighter after all. We had wine with everything (the only time I drink wine in measurable quantities is when I'm in Italy), and Mirto, an exotic liquore from Sardinia, a bottle of which came home with me. And espresso, naturalmente.

[Bad News: There is now a McDonald's in Intra. Merda. That's the only fast food franchise I spotted in the area, but dang... Good news: The tradition of a two-hour-plus break for lunch (pranzo) is still going strong.]

II. Music - I brought my eccellente Italian accordion, massive flight case and all, and had several opportunities to play.

- Recorded tracks for six songs for Gino's next album (hopefully completed by Christmas) in his studio/wine cellar, affectionately known as "The Cave." (www.ginosansonne.com)

- Sat in with Trio Elétrico (Renato, Fabio, and Carlo), an absolutely terrific jazz group; talk about the deep end of the pool. The venue was the rooftop bar of the La Palma Hotel, overlooking Lago Maggiore. It was a perfectly cinematic evening, with clear skies, a lovely breeze, and Isola Bella lit up like a psychedelic wedding cake. Magical. I'm also pleased to report that A.J., who never lies, reported I held my own as a jazz accordionist. Cool. Renato (www.renatopompilio.com) is one of the two best musicians I have ever worked with; the other being jazz pianist Eric Byrd (www.ericbyrd.com).

- Played at a festa in Cavandone that also featured Gino and Dr. Wim, a German dentist turned jazz cat (www.drwimsjazzaffair.de); spent my 64th birthday somewhere up in the Italian Alps fielding requests from some very hospitable folks; friends of someone, I'm sure.

- Took in a performance of Eduardo (aka "Dado") and his band Sformat, a four-piece (guitar, bass, drums, vocals) Rock & Roll outfit. Dado, who is a great-looking young guy and future chick magnet, sings very well and has good stage presence. The band, which includes a woman drummer, has lots of energy, is appropriately loud, and does a quite credible job playing mostly classic American songs. (Jimi Hendrix lyrics sung phonetically are especially entertaining.) I enjoyed them very much.

III. Tourist Notes - Lago Maggiore is ridiculously spectacular and the ferry is the most convenient way to access major tourist attractions. Among our points of disembarkation:

- Giardini Botanici Villa Taranto (www.villataranto.it/eng/default.asp): These botanical gardens were established by a Scotsman who bought an existing villa and its neighboring estates and substantially rearranged the landscape. The gardens are a great place to spend an afternoon, particularly if it is unseasonably hot. I especially liked the dahlias.

- Isola Bella (www.borromeoturismo.it): The Borromeo family was/is rich and influential; e.g., one of them married into the Medicis and another became an actual saint. Naturally, they own several islands in Lago Maggiore. Isola Bella is the sight of a 17th century palace and gardens built with splendor uppermost in mind. It is sumptuous, it is fanciful, it is completely over the top. And Napoleon stayed there.

- Isola Madre (www.borromeoturismo.it): Larger and more tranquil than Isola Bella, Isola Madre is perfect for strolling, taking in the greenery, and getting hit up by the peacocks and other exotic fowls. A lovely place.

- Stresa (www.stresa.com): Located on the Gulf of Borromeo (This family even has its own gulf? Classic.), Stresa is chock full of hotels, grande and otherwise, catering to throngs of summer turisti. The town centro is small, easily navigable, and a great place to shop; although between 12h30 and 15h00, not so much. So just do lunch.

There's a boatload more to report, of course, but I don't want overdo it, since you've been kind enough to read this far. Anne and I are fully aware of and appreciate our buona fortuna in having such wonderful friends in a place so worth visiting. If you have been to Italy, you understand. If you haven't, and if at all possible, spend the money and go.

[Bonus Tourist Tip - Unless you have no alternative, avoid JFK International Airport in New York City like the plague. Absurd layout, heinous connections, and waiting for takeoff is like being in line at the DMV.]

Onward.

Rodger