Lynne Bernfield: psychotherapist / author / consultant / speaker / musician / performer and media artist

11-15-11 Interview

Continuing my series of interviews with the creative team and stars of Bonnie and Clyde The Musical which opens on Broadway December 1, 2011- is my interview with the composer Frank Wildhorn. Frank says “As soon as my hands hit the keys, although I didn’t know what I was doing, I knew I was making music.” He was 14 and living in Hollywood Florida where his family had relocated, and although terrifically enjoying all the things his new Florida home had to offer, Frank’s future was sealed; he would make music. One after another mentors came into his life; a friend’s musician father cautioned him to avoid having ‘something to fall back on’ as his parents had urged, because he said “if you do, you’ll fall back on it.” Miraculously, famous, talented and accomplished mentors like actor/director John Housman and lyricist Leslie Bricuse came into his life and “took him under their wing” Listen to the mysteriously directed life and the glorious music of Frank Wildhorn.

9-27-11

Benny Green is in love with jazz music. A student of the roots of jazz, Benny says that while the people who created it were often despised, their music was beloved, even by those who despised its creators. And so he calls it a “victorious music.” As a small child Benny picked out notes on the piano that he heard on the Thelonious Monk records his father loved to play. His fate was sealed – he would be a jazz musician – the real thing. Benny says he was fortunate enough to be “lead” to teachers, mentors, and “musical parents” like Ray Brown, Oscar Peterson Freddie Hubbard, Art Blakey, and Betty Carter, who validated his place in jazz music. Listen to this gentle yet passionate musician talk about the music and the culture of jazz, and hear his remarkable fingers on the piano when I play a couple of cuts from his most recent CD called Source..

8-30-11

Interview with the talented and engaging jazz pianist Eric Scott Reed who made the seasoned musicians at the Newport, CA Marriott Jazz Party take notice by playing both rapid fire jazz and achingly sweet melodies, like his version of the classic Thelonious Monk tune ‘Round Midnight’ from his tribute album to Monk called The Dancing Monk, which I will play as well original compositions from his CD Stand. Two year old Eric began fooling around with his neighbor’s piano while they were babysitting for him. He was always surrounded by the music his parents loved and his experience with his neighbors piano led him to try to play whatever he heard on the radio or the record player. He would pick out the notes he heard and it wasn’t long before he was playing full songs. His parents finally decided to give five year old Eric piano lessons. Listen to Eric talk about his parents, who although raised poor and black in the south, were able to give him and his siblings love, acceptance, discipline and faith. And in Eric’s case to have nurtured a thoughtful and talented professional musician who is dedicated to sharing the gift of his music in every way that he can.

3-28-11 – Interview

Family stories say that at the age of 2 or 3 little Graham Dechter would sing along with the records his parents played or the music his film arranger Dad was composing. “It just came naturally” he says. It was not that he thought of becoming a musician, it was that he always was a musician. And he discovered his own way to make music. His first piano teacher objected when ­­five year old Graham refused to bring in the Bach piece he was asked to learn and instead brought in a John Williams film score – like Raiders of the Lost Ark. So Graham changed teachers. And although he learned piano and violin it wasn’t until he picked up the guitar – “just to fool around with,” that he discovered his instrument. Listen to Graham talk about the way he learned to play by ear and the unique way he found to play the guitar which is “not how any other guitar player plays” and of course listen to the compelling music he makes on that instrument.

Show # 150 3-29-11 Holly Hofmann

Is the flute a jazz instrument? Can a female flutist play jazz with the boys? When Holly Hofmann began her career most people – especially male jazz musicians – said an emphatic “no” to both questions. And they backed up their opinion with cruelty and rejection. But the talented Holly had been playing flute since she was six years old, she spent every night after dinner learning jazz licks from her jazz guitarist father. And Holly’s family motto is we aren’t quitters, so Holly persevered, and along the way garnered support from some wonderful people including legendary bass player Ray Brown, with whom she toured and recorded. Listen to her inspiring story and some wonderful music from her CD “Live at Birdland.”

3-15-11 Anat Cohen

Like her two brothers Anat Cohen is a jazz musician – she plays clarinet and saxophone. Music was always a part of her family life and her parents, who spent years chauffeuring their three children back and forth to lessons and concerts, never suggested that they find another way to spend their lives. For Anat music is not simply her work, it “is never not a part of my life.” When you watch and listen to Anat play you can feel her joy, see that the music inhabits her body – she is one with it. And not only the music she is playing but the music others are playing around her. Although she admits that making a life with music can be challenging – “the source of her pleasure and her misery,” – it is worth whatever sacrifice she makes for it – and we, as her audience, are grateful that she does. Listen to cuts from Anat’s CD “Notes From The Village.”

January 4, 2011

Interview - Frank Wildhorn says “As soon as my hands hit the keys, although I didn’t know what I was doing, I knew I was making music.” He was 14 and living in Hollywood Florida where his family had relocated, and although terrifically enjoying all the things his new Florida home had to offer, Frank’s future was sealed; he would make music. One after another mentors came into his life; a friend’s musician father cautioned him to avoid having ‘something to fall back on’ as his parents suggested, because he says “if you do, you’ll fall back on it.” Miraculously, famous, talented and accomplished mentors like actor/director John Housman and lyricist Leslie Bricusse come into his life and “take him under their wing” Listen to the mysteriously directed life and the glorious music of Frank Wildhorn.

December 7, 2010

Discussion – In this show I am recapping the concepts of Cover Story and Undercover. I explain that it can be dangerous to begin to recover denied parts of ourselves and I describe The Growing Edge, off of which we must leap whenever we attempt new behavior.

Interview – David Brunetti says he was “just musical.” When their church gave David’s family the piano they were replacing, he simply sat down and began to “pick out songs.” His musical ability came easily and naturally but he majored in acting in university. And although he wanted to be “Al Pacino,” David just kept getting jobs a musical director. Finally realizing that he could combine his two talents, David created his coaching practice called Acting Songs. He wrote a book about his technique and while he is based in New York, David now teaches all over the world. In addition every year here is invited to teach a master class in “acting songs” at the Asolo Repertory Theater in Sarasota FL.

November 30, 2010

This show is dedicated to the memory of Charlie Prawdzik, a musician’s musician. Looking more like an accountant than a jazz musician, when Charlie sat down at the piano you had no doubt that the music was going directly from his soul to his fingers. Able to play pretty much any song, in style, tempo or key Charlie made virtuosity look easy. And if you were a singer you wanted no one but Charlie backing you up. Listen to his self-effacing style and his wonderful music.

September 14, 2010

Mark Neuenschwander is an extremely talented, very well respected, successful working musician. Ironically he never expected to live a life dedicated to music. It seemed to sneak up on him. Self effacing, Mark says over and over that he wasn’t born to do this. Continually told how smart he was, Mark believed he had to be an engineer or a physicist or a combination of both, but music just kept getting in the way. Mark’s is the story of a man who kept trying to be what they told him he should be, but who kept bumping his head against what he actually is – until finally realizing and allowing himself to embrace what he is, and enjoy the “tremendous” joy of doing what he loves to do and getting paid for it.