All posts tagged: love

Longing for the Roman Moon

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Once again, as soon as I rolled my luggage back into my NYC apartment, I was struck with a longing to return to Italy. I am experiencing a feeling of homesickness for a country where I was not born and a longing for friends I did not grow up with. I cannot imagine living without this musical community. Now that these people are part of my life, I must endure this temporary separation from them. I have left pieces of my heart, and hope these traces of my love and respect will keep a little of my energy there with those I adore so very much. Roman Moon Music © Gianni Leone & Francesco Manfredi Lyrics ©2012 Laurie Early                               I let go and I fall silent yearning for you then from darkness recall the bright glow of the Roman moon All those nights you were mine I gazed lost in your eyes hypnotized by their shine star-lights stolen from April’s skies Every moment …

Holiday Cheesecake (Dexter Gordon Style)

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The holiday celebration season is upon us! This time of year I am usually scouting the local Italian bakeries for a “Pastiera” (a ricotta cheesecake made with wheatberries) that is sometimes available around Christmas. Luckily my daughter is baking one, and I can scratch that difficult search off my “TO DO List.” So, for this month’s post, rather than dwelling on all the distressing, sad, and confusing things going on in the world, I have instead decided to write about another cheesecake; one that contains no calories at all! Here is the story of my favorite lyrics from 2016 — words I was instantly inspired to write after hearing Dexter Gordon’s tune “CHEESECAKE”. Background: In the middle of July, during a particularly stressful week, a link to “Cheesecake” arrived as an unexpected IM, instant message. What a joy! It exudes such an upbeat, positive energy. I was so grateful to receive it. (Thank you to the friend that sent it to me, you know who you are.) As I continued listening and thinking about what might have made Dexter call …

Let Me Sing This Dance With You

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This past Sunday I had the opportunity to sing a few jazz standards accompanied by Murray Wall on double bass (contrabass); he’s a wonderful musician. It was so much fun. No microphone, no piano, no drum, and a no distractions.  We had a small audience who also seemed to be sending out the “no judgments” vibe which was very sweet. It was a showcase-style performance with four other women, and we had a ball singing in this simple rotating format. It was conceptualized by one of the performers, and dubbed “Beauties and the Bass” by another.  A lovely group dynamic. After the performance, I spent a few moments talking to another friend. She was part of the audience, but had also assisted a couple of the singers with their choreography (suggesting hand gestures, slight movements to try while singing, and other things like that.) She is a very graceful person, and we spoke about her possibly dancing to one of my original songs sometime in the near future.  As we were talking I was immediately reminded of the following song that I wrote …

Straight to You

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Wherever you are…is home. Straight to You [Written for Leonid Volskiy on his piece “Clearing the Cobwebs Away”] ©2012 Laurie Early This train, rocking me gently, glides on metal rails that will not take me to you and so I ride until I reach the ocean, and a crossing dangerous and blue This train, only goes so far and now that I’m aboard for love I’ll never go back I’ll stay on course for I must hold you though the sea will end this track Now, I’m flying, I’m floating, I’m rising, I’m soaring, my heart’s above the water headed home, love, straight to you I’m flying, I’m floating, I’m rising, I’m soaring, I’m heading home now, straight to you. I know you will be waiting when my loyal heart has crossed this ocean so vast we’ll lie in sunlit fields of tall grass and I’ll hold your face at last Yes, I’m flying, I’m floating, I’m rising, I’m soaring, my heart’s above the water headed home, love, straight to you. I’m flying, I’m floating, I’m …

This Tear

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This Tear ©2013 Laurie Early Yes, it is painful to want something you can’t have but worse not to hunger at all. I can’t live without passion, or my love for you, so if that means tears, let them fall….. This tear, this tear, this tear forming in my eye this tear, this single tear, the first of many I will cry. I tried to hold it back, I tried to keep it in, I tried to keep this tear inside, but oh no, this tear, won’t obey me, and it won’t hide. This tear, this tear, this tear rolling down my cheek this tear, this quiet tear, says all the words that I can’t speak. I want to run away from love I can’t explain, but there is no escape when tears don’t dull the pain, and I fear, after this tear, I’ll never be the same. This tear, this tear, this tear falling into space this tear has left me now, as others rush to take its place. I can’t control my heart, my …

NY Sunset - photo by Laurie Early

Clark Terry Lives

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Last month I was writing a post for my music page (something else I was going to share with you for the month of March,) but then, the unexpected happened…Clark Terry passed away. So, instead, I decided to write about him and to dedicate all my creative efforts in 2015 to his memory; a way of thanking him for the inspiration, education, and joy he gave to me and thousands of other people around the world. In terms of inspiration, I am certainly talking about his overall musical inspiration: his incredible trumpet technique; his unique sound; his original compositions; and his mentorship. However, I also include the inspiration he intrinsically exuded as a human being, as a man, as a nurturer, a teacher, as someone who freely shared his knowledge of music and life. He accomplished so many things in his 94-years on earth, and I believe that the energy and love he invested here will live on– through the recordings of his marvelous performances (that we are so lucky to have in this technological age); through the legacy of his compositions (which will forever be played …