Thank You David Amram

I have been doing more gigs and radio interviews in the New York area again, including playing again at the Putnam County 4-H Fair. It’s a lot of fun. There are two days of great acts, tons of stuff for the kids to do and amazing exhibits. It was at this festival, a few years back, that I met an incredible musician named David Amram.

David can play most any instrument. To watch him is a great treat and I don’t know how he does it, but right in the middle of a song he can change instruments and not miss a beat. He makes it look easy. At the same time David has a fun and has a very playful way about him. He’s also written a book called, “Offbeat- Collaborating with Jack Kerouac.”

Each year, when I see David at the Putnam County 4-H Fair, he is very friendly and always says, “Hey pops.” We talk about music and pretty soon we have to go our own ways. But this year he invited me over to his home so he could give some instruments for the kids in the Gulf Coast. He gave me his card and told me to call him. The following week I gave him a call and we set a date. I invited John Dentato, my music publisher, to come along. John had been with MGM Records and John and David would know some of the same people.

It was raining very hard that day, as it has been all summer, here in the Hudson Valley. I picked John up at the train station and off we went to look for David’s farm.

We finally find the place, a nice small farm by a small stream. David greets us with a big smile and says, “Hi pops.” I introduce John to David and they go over a litany of folks that they both have run across over the years, mostly jazz folks. We sit down in his living room and somehow, four hours seems to just float away. When musicians get together this sometimes happens. Well after a while David says, “Let me see what I have.” He then proceeds towards his basement door and goes downstairs. I hear all this noise and hear David’s voice. Wanting to help out I walk down the stairs and David hands me a few of what looks like Africa drums and thumb pianos plus a electric bass and a small guitar. Not wanting to take any more of David’s time John and I shake David’s hand and thank him for the time and instruments. As we drive away we wave to him and in the back of my mind I am thinking I hope I can stay as open as David has been through the years as he keeps on making greater, fresh new music.

Still Pickin’

Bill Hudson

http://www.dragonfly.com/ is sending entertainers to the devastated areas in Louisiana and Mississippi