MAX WEINBERG JOINING THE OPERA?

Put great artists from Rock, Jazz, and Classical Music together, and you can wing anything and get a one of a kind performance!  Witnessing this is a pure privilege.

Last night, I was a bad girl.  I whipped out my little iPhone and hit record during Chris Botti’s show at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ.  I just had to capture this moment.

Not only is Chris an amazing trumpet player, but he is very engaging with the audience.  Tons of personality. And not hard on the eyes.  He’s the Ken Doll Version of Miles Davis.  (That is a compliment…he’s got the looks and the soul.)

Botti’s tour presently includes the Musical Goddess, Lisa Fischer.  Chris respectfully introduces her in the show as Grammy Award winner for “Best Female Vocalist”.    And continues, that when she won it at the start of her career, afterwards, she received a phone call from some dude that wanted her to join his band.  Mick Jagger.  She’s been with The Stones for 16 years now.  I am in awe of her talent.  And she is beautiful inside and out!

Me and Lisa Fischer

I was fortunate enough to have her sing several tracks of two of my albums, including my latest, “Emotional Jukebox”.  She fucking rocks!  Her range is astounding.  Her tone is pure.  Her presence is ballsy and gracious.  In the studio, my jaw stayed wide open in disbelief as she belted out wild child soulful cries, creative melodies, and contrasting controlled sexy subtleties, track after track.  Wish I had gotten that on my shitty iPhone recorder!

Listen to “Mother’s Little Helper”

(Funny little story – when I asked Lisa to sing on “Mother’s Little Helper”, she asked in her sweet, calm voice, “Oh.  What song is that?”  I thought it was so cute!  I guess she and the Stones had never done that song on tour.  So I taught her!  Yay!  Maybe they will next tour! She slams on it!)

Listen to “Broken Promise Land”

 (My less optimistic answer to Springsteen’s Promise Land)

The Neighborhood of the Basie hosts a bunch of talent, like Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, Max Weinberg, and of course, the token frustrated, not quite as famous, me.  (Who was drooling to get up there and share this magical moment.)  (I was just there 2 weeks ago performing with Pat Benatar.)

Max Weinberg and Linda Chorney @ Count Basie Theater

Uh, oh.  Sorry Max, I only got that one shot, and it looks like your eyes are kinda closed.

My bad.

(Maybe your impression of Forrest Gump?…”and then I met Linda… again.”)

But at least one of us was lucky enough to be a part of the performance you are about to see, recorded on the finest piece of shit camera.  (So please excuse the quality.)

It is my favorite piece (that I can’t even pronounce), from my favorite Opera, (which I can pronounce!) “Turandot!”

With the okay from Chris….

Here to perform “Nessun Dorma“, Chris Botti and his band, with special guests Lisa Fischer, Carolyn Cambell on violin; and invited to the stage, from da hood, Max Weinberg!

When you see performers having a blast, and a moment, you get to have it, too!  You can’t tell from the crap footage, but there was so much joy on Max’s face.  It was awesome.

And although that was the finale of the show, the highlight for me was when Lisa came out and sang one of  my all time favorite writers, Burt Bacharach’s “The Look of Love”.  She began acapella with a soaring, goose bump making, completely original playing with the melody intro. Lisa and Botti blew me away.

So I gots this crazy idea!  My little dream team.  Chris, Lisa, Max, and Moi to do a Best of Bacharach Album.  No one since Dionne Warwick has been able to nail the vocals.  I’m not expecting Lisa to fill her shoes.  Ms. Fischer can strap on her rock and roll boots and do her own thang.  And if that album ever comes out, maybe we can all get some Grammys!   Or we could do an Opera?  Nah.

Lisa Fischer~ Chris Botti ~Linda Chorney. (I look totally yucky in that picture. But I only got one shot of that, too. That's show biz!)