 sj |
||
|
||
--seed's new music therapy gigs
|
|
|
Subject: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 12 Jun 09 - 04:27 PM This is a shortened version of a message I sent to a bunch of the Muddies whom I have run across on Facebook. Friday I performed at the Alta Bates Comprehensive Cancer Center in Berkeley--where I am being radiated to get rid of the alien inhabiting my prostate--one of my nurses before I started my treatments five weeks ago learned that I did some performances at a variety of health care facilities and told me that the center is always happy to have volunteer performers. He gave me the name and phone number of the director of volunteer services at the center and I called her. She invited me to perform at a "survivorship celebration" Friday (June 5) at 3:00. So that afternoon at 2:30 I went to the center, found Irene,the director of volunteers, who found me a room to warm up in, then came back at 3:00 to accompany me to the reception area/waiting room for the center and for the chemo treatment area. I started with "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone," a banjo lead followed by a harmonica lead and once through the lyric, then again through the banjo part but changing it slightly and turning it into "Has Anybody Seen My Gal"--followed by vocal of same, and another harmonica run'through, and when I finished I got a nice hand from the couple of dozen patients and medical staff there. Some of the other songs I chose to perform weren't quite as warmly received, mainly because I did things I like to do rather than things they might like to hear and sing along to, but "Beware, Oh Take Care" and the Seeger/Hays version of "Alberta" I learned from a Doc Watson CD both got good response. After my performance there, Irene told me that some people in the chemo treatment area would like me to come back there and play, and this was a whole different story. There I was close to the nursing station, and there were patient rooms around me, their doors open, and I could see the faces of the patients and their family members, and I started with "This Little Light of Mine," and Irene and one of the staff nurses stayed close by and sang along. There was fine response from the patient rooms and from the nursing station. Then I sang "Study War No More" to similar response, and the nurse standing by asked if I could sing "The Banks of the Ohio," and when I questioned its appropriateness for the audience, she suggested "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," and when I told her I was uncomfortable doing death and dying songs in the setting, she pooh-poohed my discomfort, so we did it, again to fine response. I later did "Simple Gifts," which wasn't a big hit, but the whole performance was, and they invited me back. I told them I had another month of five days a week of radiation in the late mornings, so if they could schedule me for early afternoon, I could come in as much as they liked during that time. When I was getting ready to leave, I got a nice hand from the patient rooms, plus many verbal messages of appreciation. I think I will make copies of the song folders I have assembled for the brain injury center (my weekly gig), and bring them along when I next go there. And my own nuclear oncologist, upon hearing about my upstairs gig, invited me to bring the music to the radiology waiting room. |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: catspaw49 Date: 12 Jun 09 - 04:48 PM I am having a real problem with Facebook and have for a good while so I am going there rarely. I tried to send you a response but the only one that "took" was in a public view and I thought it was not the place. Here at the 'Cat might be better but instead of going through it all again I think I just want to say this.............. Seed, you're one of the coolest people I know. Your unabbreviated tale had me in tears and even now I feel a few coming on. I guess what I can say easily is that I'm proud to know you. I mean it. There are a few people on the 'Cat that I have known here for a long time and I can't can't believe how very wonderful and "cool" these people are. You took a position on that list over ten years ago and you've maintained it well. You once said that I had all of the tiny wattage your transmitter was up to.......I send you all my best thoughts today from my own weak signal unit. But I am sincere in saying you're one of the very best and knowing you is a privilege. Spaw |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 12 Jun 09 - 05:53 PM Jeez, Pat, get aholt a yerself. And turn down that microwattage: my receiver has even less capacity than my transmitter. I don't consider myself even sick--I haven't felt a thing, and the radiation isn't causing me much in the way of problems. The docs, nurses, techs, clerks, and all are about the nicest people this side of Canada, and my wife's insurance is covering it all (praise the goddess and wish she could help the uninsured). All in all, it's one of the most interesting, most pleasant experiences in my life. Sure, I hope the treatments zap the bugger and think my chances are great and I'll be glad when they stop shooting me up with testosterone suppressant, not that there has been much use for it or evidence of its presence in the last few years, anyway... "Doc, will I get my sex life back after this treatment?" "Of course, I don't see any reason you shouldn't return to your former self." "Crap! I was afraid of that." Charles |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: Janie Date: 12 Jun 09 - 08:49 PM Thanks for sharing this with us, Charles. I'm not sure if we are "friends" on Facebook, and don't frequent that site often. I'd be interested in reading the "unabbreviated tale" that Pat refers to. If it is ok with you, I'll pm you with my Facebook name and ask that you let me see it. (And maybe I already can but don't know how.) This evening I was standing outside of the office where my private practice is located, looking at the Hospice that is across the street. I found myself wondering if it would be appropriate to offer to volunteer to go over and offer to do some soft and non-intrusive a cappella singing occasionally. I haven't been over to the facility, but am assuming they have a central foyer where the sound of my voice might simply drift up the stairs or down the corridors, and be easy to tune out. I don't play an instrument, but have a very low pitched voice that doesn't pierce at all. My older sister took pleasure and comfort from my younger sister and I singing to her when she was dying. But she was my sister, and the three of us had sung together our whole lives. I"m just not sure. It is clear that your offerings are greatly appreciated in the settings in which you have sung, but I understand that a Hospice setting might be a bit different. Any thoughts? |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 12 Jun 09 - 09:09 PM Janie DW Ditty, here and on Facebook, plays and sings at a hospice and in a response to my long post there had this to say about playing there: I noticed at the Hospice just how many musicians go there on a regular basis. They certainly do not need to invite people back who are not bringing some good to the patients. So, yes, go and sing. I'm sure you will be greatly appreciated. Charles |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: catspaw49 Date: 12 Jun 09 - 09:10 PM yOU NEVER COULD TAKE A COMPLIMENT WITHOUT DOWNPLAYING IT YOU OLD FART! lOOK, i WASN'T WORRIED ABOUT YOUR HEALTH, i WAS COMMENTING ON WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND HOW that IS VERY SPECIAL AND i JUST LOOOKED UP AND SEE THE CAPSLOCK IS ON THANKS TO MY SON tRIS............ I'm not redoing that either........Next time I send you a compliment I'll send a condiment instead......maybe some basil or rosemary.... Spaw |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 12 Jun 09 - 09:20 PM Pat, condiments would be nice--some pickled ginger or shredded coconut for when I can start eating curry again. Just don't send condoms--that would really be cruel. You have a strange computer there, Spaw. When you are in capslock and hold down the shift key, you get lower case letters. Weird, but I guess appropriate for you. At least, I should congratulate you for going lower case everywhere you were supposed to capitalize--a very nice touch. Charles |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: catspaw49 Date: 12 Jun 09 - 09:38 PM I thought they all were like that........... Anyway....Good job onya'! Spaw |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 13 Jun 09 - 12:31 AM My computer is like that. It's how I get chords like Am and Em. I hope your treatments are a success. Once I was performing in a nursing home and I sang the Berrymans' 'Forget Me Not.' I mentioned that the song contains many 'substitute nouns' for when we can't remember a word. examples: whatchacallit, gizmo, what's-his-name. The residents liked it. |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 13 Jun 09 - 06:47 AM Mr. Bseed
WONDERFUL - Thank you for sharing.
I misted up - reading your tale. What a GREAT opportunity.
I wish you the very best in your treatments.
Post a follow-up to the therapy gigs.
Sincerely,
I also beleive you worked another "Mudcat Miricle" upon old CatSpew - that was the longest continuous AnyThing I have ever read from him without flatulent profanity. |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 14 Jun 09 - 01:47 PM Folks, about music therapy "gigs": I'm not sure that's the right word; in its original usage it seems to me there is an assumption that there's money involved. As far as I recall, the only times I was involved in that kind of performance I was one of a half dozen or so members of my Monday night jam group playing at a rather posh nursing home where one of our group member's elderly aunt was spending her last days. We received $100 total for each of a couple of gigs there, which bought us post-performance dinners at a Chinese restaurant. The check was made out to one of our members who reported it as professional income so he could deduct the cost of an instrument. We also received free meals at a couple of performances early in our existence and the above mentioned member said we could claim to be "the best group in our price range," but that probably wasn't true. Nashville musician Walter Forbes joins us from time to time and he joked when asked to rate us that there are lots of groups worse than us who were making millions. I'm realistic about my own skills: I'm nowhere near professional level. I'm a pretty good singer and a mediocre banjo player, I'm better at harmonica than at banjo, which isn't saying a whole lot. I'm pretty good at selling a song and communicating with an audience whose faces I can see. What I'm getting at here is that if I want to perform for audiences, I have to find audiences who don't have to pay for my services... and who aren't expecting professional performances. So as happy as I am to share my music with folks in hospitals and nursing homes--for their sake--I take great pleasure in doing so. I may be performing a useful public service, but for selfish reasons as well as altruistic. Oh, and Garg: Thanks for the message. And please recognize that Catspaw contributes a hell of a lot more here than fart jokes. Charles |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 21 Jun 09 - 11:35 PM Last week I finally established a schedule for my music at the cancer center. The previous week I had discussed playing in the radiation center with my oncologist and he thought it was a great idea for me to just play in the waiting room whenever I felt like it, so i've been bringing my banjo in when I go in for treatment, arriving a half hour early and playing until they call me in, and if I feel like it, for another half hour after being zapped. And on Friday, not having heard back from Irene, the director of volunteer services, I asked the receptionist in the radiation center to give her a call and tell her I'd like to see her. She came right down and after a bit of discussion, told me that the best time for me to play in the chemo clinic would be 4 p.m., so I came back at 3:30 and played another 20 minutes in the radiation area for warm-up for the chemo gig. The staff in the chemo clinic was happy to see me back, got me a chair, and I started playing (again with "This Little Light of Mine," and the same nurse sang along with me. It's a great song for the kind of occasion, and I might start all the gigs up there with it. I got a good hand from staff and patients, and I went on to a few more songs: "The Mountains of Mourne," "Man Piaba," and a couple of others, sandwiched around a slow banjo waltz--as far as I know without words: "The Shepherd's Wife Waltz" I learned from Mary Z. Cox's playing--a year or so ago I'd had her CD in my clock radio and I woke up listening to it for a few days and once after so waking, went into my computer room, picked up my banjo, and played it almost flawlessly (obviously a simple tune), and have been playing it in jams since, teaching it to my co-jammers. So that's how I'm set up now, playing around my daily radiation treatments, and coming back on Friday afternoons for the chemo gigs. I'll finish my treatments in three more weeks, but I'll continue to come in as much as I can (although I may play in the afternoons at the radiation center, also, except for Thursdays when I play at the brain injury center in Marin County. And maybe I'll talk to Irene about playing in the chemo waiting area as well as the clinic. Charles |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: Janie Date: 22 Jun 09 - 12:00 AM And Charles, holding you in my thoughts and prayers as you go through your own treatment. May what you offer in playing for others resound with your own healing and light. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: olddude Date: 22 Jun 09 - 07:56 AM You better get better real quick Charles, we have to do some music together my friend. You said you need to write so I am going to keep kicking you until you do. It is wonderful that you are playing for everyone but that is the kind of person you are. Always taking a personal tragedy and finding something good to help someone else that is just the way you are my friend God Bless Dan |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 22 Jun 09 - 12:38 PM Dan, I've been brainstorming an idea for a song and have a pretty good idea about a tune and dramatic melodic development, but I'm danged if I can get a poetic hook for it... but the idea is only a couple of days old (but when I'm really in a writin' rhythm the whole thing seems to flow effortlessly, and now it's like wading through mud). But I'd like to emphasize that I don't consider myself sick: the radiation is beginning to take a toll on me, but I have never had a physical awareness of the cancer, and I am totally confident that the treatment will be successful. Charles |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: olddude Date: 22 Jun 09 - 12:50 PM Well you have my number and email my friend use it anytime and stay well Dan |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 01 Jul 09 - 05:14 PM More notes about my music therapy sessions at the cancer center. Today, I got zapped right away, and then broke out the banjo for a small group in the nuclear medicine clinic waiting room. I did a series of Woody Guthrie songs--"Union Maid," "Do-re-mi," and "So Long, It's Been Good to Know You," got called in to see the doc, came out and did "San Francisco Bay Blues"and a couple of others, then ended with "Gentle on My Mind." I plan to start playing in the large general waiting room. In these gigs I just sit with the clients and their family members and helpers, get out the banjo and play and talk with whoever is sitting there and the folks behind the counter, then do a song or two and talk with whoever's there and wants to talk. I play and sing rather quietly so anyone who isn't interested can tune me out--but so far no one has asked me to stop. It's really nice--I can see myself doing house concerts in much the same way. The key is keeping it informal, making it about the audience and the songs and not much about myself, except as comes up in conversation. And as much as I love my weekly jams, I like these music therapy sessions even better. Even in a group as sympatico as my Monday night jam there is a certain amount of tension over song choice, who gets breaks when, getting the banjo in tune when someone starts a song in a different key without a break for retuning, and so on. |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 02 Jul 09 - 07:56 AM Mr. Seed - this thread always gives me a warm glow. The postings are wonderful.
The non-sequitar, un-staged-theatre, aspect strikes my whimsey.
Beautiful.
Sincerely, |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: olddude Date: 02 Jul 09 - 10:04 AM absolutely wonderful Charles, this is a wonderful thread my friend just wonderful |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 03 Jul 09 - 04:09 PM Garg and Dan, thanks for the kind words. Yesterday I learned that location, location, location aren't necessarily the most important assets for a performance: timing, timing, timing are just as vital. After playing post-zap in the nuclear oncology waiting room to a crowd varying between two and ten, plus the staff behind the reception window, and getting wonderful response to some Kristofferson songs and other tunes, I went upstairs to the snack bar and bought a cinnamon twist and an oatmeal cookie and went into the general waiting room, got some of the free coffee, and sat down to eat. Upon finishing I approached a group waiting for appointments or family in the Chemo area and asked if they minded if I picked the banjo and sang a tune or two, and was welcomed. It was about 11:30 when I started playing, and after I did a couple of tunes--well received by those left of a rapidly diminishing group--it occurred to me that just before lunch is not a great time for such a gig, since there are no lunch time appointments, and I made the ego saving observation that I hadn't, perhaps, driven the crowd away by myself. I went home, played with the dogs, checked messages and threads, had a bit more lunch, and just before 3:00 headed back to the clinic, down to the nuke area, and played quietly for a few minutes to almost no audience, not a worry because I was warming up for my four o'clock gig in the chemo treatment room (moved from Friday to Thursday because of the holiday), then went up to the waiting room above, sat down, played and sang one tune, and a Japanese American man about my age sat by me, thanked me for the song, asked me about my instrument (my banjorine, the 17 fret five-string I once left on top of my car after a gig, drove away, and didn't figure out for a week or two why I couldn't find it around the house or in the car, then remembered the process whereby I lost it... then got it back a year or so later when it appeared at The Fifth String, a Berkeley story where I had reported it missing, in the hands of Keb' Mo', who had just bought it in a pawn shop, had brought it, planning to replace the worn and somewhat ratty fibreskyn head on it. Jim Hyatt, the store owner, recognized it, told Keb' who insisted he wanted to give it back to me. Jim called me, told me the banjo was in the store, and put Keb' on the phone to talk to me. He wanted to just give it back to me, but I insisted I pay him what he had paid for it and told him I'd be at the store in a few minutes. I grabbed my checkbook and headed out the door, but decided that I'd give Keb' a banjo of equivalent value, one I didn't play much--a Gold Tone Hoab, a five string built around the 13 inch pot of the Gold Tone bass banjo--so I grabbed the Hoab and headed to the store. Keb' was there with his manager, Debbie, and we shook hands and talked about the transaction and agreed upon the exchange, then Keb' wanted to hear me play it... and after a bit we were jamming, joined by Jim, and played a rousing "Amelia Earhart." Then came the heart-breaking part of the exchange: Kevin and Debbie invited me to accompany them to a Taj Mahal benefit that night in San Francisco--but I had to refuse because of a prior commitment to my wife. Keb' and Taj being great friends, the event would certainly have ended with my meeting Taj, and possiby a post concert jam. How's that for timing, timing, timing? Back to the earlier discussion: I answered the man's questions about the instrument (which now bears Keb' Mo's signature along with a couple of other faded ones--Holly Near and Ronnie Gilbert, who signed it just after Utah Phillips, whose signature had totally faded away before Keb' found it--and then he sat and told me the story of his life and of his son, who was in for chemo, and I only finally managed to break away just before 4:00 when I was scheduled to play in the treatment room. It was actually a pleasant conversation, and I'll have to admit that I carried my end of it as well, and he came into the treatment area and after my half hour concert, I passed his son's treatment room and he was there, and I said goodbye and he thanked me for the concert. I have another week of radiation treatments, but plan to continue to play weekly concerts in both waiting rooms, but I think I'll try early afternoons for both waiting rooms as well as the 4 pm Friday concerts in the chemo treatment area. Charles |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 04 Jul 09 - 02:35 PM I see I should have edited (prufrid) that before posting to make sure the story within the story was clearly delineated (particularly as to when I returned to the outer narrative)--and I'm still not sure whether "location, location, location" and "timing, timing, timing" should be considered singulars or plurals, and I should have changed Jim Hyatt's "story" to his "store." And I'm sure none of you give a damn about what I just now wrote, but I had to have some excuse for refreshing this. Charles |
|
Subject: RE: --seed's new music therapy gigs From: maeve Date: 04 May 10 - 05:45 AM How's it going, Charles? I too value this thread. maeve
-Joe Offer- |
| Share Thread: |