Saw Dave Brubeck in 1975. I was in college, broke, my buddy let me in for free about half way thru the show. I'd been waiting and listening outside one of the upper level entries. Everything I thought he would be. Keep it quiet in the street below.
Before I had my stroke last year, I used to walk the North York Moors, and did three photographic exhibitions for the National Park Centre at Danby with the theme ' ... in all seasons'. I have walked past Rosemary Farm and jumped over the tiny Parsley Beck with the driving winter snow and spiteful North Sea wind in my face ... and I sang, belting and with all the anger, regret, and love that I sometimes allow to surface. It didn't matter, of course, what it sounded like - nobody in their right mind was within two miles of me then anyway. It was what I felt that mattered. I want you to see a Australian panel show. Don't bother with the performance - she isn't very good to be honest. But watch the effect this song - my favourite all-time song - has on the panel. This is the most ancient, unfathomable, incomprehensible song in the Anglo-Saxon world. Whether you're 12,000 miles away, whether you've got arms covered with tattoos or not,, this song never ever goes away. And I have sung it there at the top of my voice, alone on those moors. An utterly awesome experience.
