2018-02-04 - 11:00 p.m.

I just thought of my old high school music teacher. Rather, he was never actually my teacher as I never had a class with him, but he was the mentor really- the person who first taught me about jazz fusion.
He was the faculty moderator of our theater troup in which I sang jazz standards.
So he was indeed a teacher to me-
just not for any class graded.
I took Symphony and Music Theory and Philosophy 101 at St. John's University my senior year of high school and this fantastic , supportive HS teacher at my all girls Catholic HS was my mentor in music and philosophy.

Those were some of the most fulfilling classes I recall taking- ever. As I pushed myself hard to be able to not only get in (the Symphony course was by audition only. I FAKED It... well I did pass the audition and say faked it as I could theoretically read music if thinking of it mathematically and the rules of construction for writing made sense, but I didn't know how to actually sight read to play piano although was better at sight reading vocally. So the best player of our school played it for me a few times and I watched her and learned it by ear and practiced and then went in propped the music up and acted like I was reading it. I was playing completely by ear. The teacher HAD to know... but still respected that to let me take the class.

Anyway.. I digress.

As I listen to the fusion album of the bass player which he crafted then published in 2008 on Spotify and wish I had the CD so I could hear all the nuances in speakers.. some tones are dropped...some of the guitar and bass I think would be richer if I could hear this in a stereo capturing the tracks better than a speaker on a laptop, it brought to mind Mr. Henry.

But regardless, the music made me think of that teacher. Damn it is good. Perfect for relaxing to while winding down before falling asleep.

Funny I realized just a while ago it is SuperBowl Sunday and I spent the day doing my taxes. That seems a bit messed up! EVEN to me!
So unaware of pop culture as I would not have know but for hopping on FB to try to find evidence of a donation or two made through there which were added to deductions.

Anyway, since I no longer live in NY
and he is no longer in my world I have no hesitation of sharing who he is!

So I found his bio and it was just a delight to read.

https://www.interplayjazzorchestra.com/henry

Last I was in touch was over 20 years ago.

Damn

We used to write letters through my college years. He transitioned from Mr. To Steve to me over those years.
I visited with him a couple of times when back from college.

You know, I have so few regrets in life but one is that when I had a date to bring with me we did not go and crash both my HS prom for just a brief period and then the wedding Mr. Henry was playing at- I still recall it was at the Marriott (I forget town, Garden City? No I think it was the same darn one my best friend and I used to sneak in to use the pool....I forget Malverne? )
Darn, she lived close to it and we would swim there. It was a blast. Can now kinda understand however why my mom didn't support me hanging with her... LOL. At the time I did not get the issue. It was such a great EMPTY pool we had to ourselves! Times I believe WERE a bit different then! I mean this was 35 years ago! In the LI posh burbs.. I mean now you have to worry about sex trafficking in that kind of environment, but really 25 years ago that was not anything I was at all aware of. It may have been a risk then as well as now for two young teen girls to go hang out in a hotel pool-but now, and not sure if this is wisdom with age or if times really HAVE changed, as now it seems like that would be a much riskier thing to do than it did back then!
Anyway, Mr. Henry had invited me to come to the wedding he was playing at, knowing I did not have a prom ticket. My brother's friend, same one who went to see David Letterman show with me when I got tickets, was over and dressed and ready to go with me. He had been my dance partner at the dance which was at my HS and the fundraiser for our forensics team. I worked on organizing that and at the last moment my brothers and this friend came through for a couple of my class mates who were also dateless until last minute. They were in college at the time so it was very sweet of them to do that for us! Well, Mom thwarted the plan of crashing Mr. Henry's gig, and clearly my mistake that night was letting her in on my plans. My brothers always tried to encourage me to not tell mom all, but I always did anyway, somehow surprised whenever she had issue with some plan.

I recall when Steve wrote me a letter from a cruise working on about how he met his wife. She was singing and he was playing in the band, and I was so happy that she sang while he played for my wedding years later.

So it's so lovely to read of their family. The found bio is five years old now, but sure pretty much still same as he is rooted. He was at that same high school teaching last I spoke with him.

Just so nice to be reminded of him and see how he has been doing.

Power of internet.

Now back to listening as I fall asleep.

One day I will have to find my old friend Steve's compositions. He was working broadway pits last I spoke to him, so writing for musical theater is not a surprise to me at all. I think I will have to connect him with my son actually. YES! I must.

OH MY! Yes he has to meet Soren!

�

�