Stewart Taylor, a terrific musician (principal trombone, Montreal, Israel Philharmonic) grew up a few blocks from me in a hole in the wall town in Michigan. We were friends. Good ones. Close ones. We went to school together, Michigan State and played in all the same ensembles. He went on to Manhattan School afterward and I joined him across the street at Columbia. The last real evening we spent together was the night of big NYC blackout - decades ago. He was with his brother and I took the Staten Island ferry back to the city and got home about the time all hell broke loose.
I last saw him last about 15 years ago after at a concert at Lincoln Center in the city. He had changed a lot. So had I. It was awkward after all those years but bonds don't die, they just need some energy.
I am writing this because one of his daughters wrote me the other day asking for some "early years" thoughts as he was retiring for good and she wanted to do something special. So just a heads up, the picture of the old World's Fair site has some meaning....and I found my scrapbook full of treasures so beware.
Our high school band played a concert at the Fair in the Tiparillo Pavilion. Bay City Day. One of the pieces we played was called "Guess Conductor" and was to a truncated arrangement of the Poet and the Peasant. Stewart was the schmaltzy "guest/guess conductor". Nervous as all get out. Being the ham that he was, it was great fun for the band who got to look at his face and slapstick. The audience was another story as he had his back to them so much of the humor was lost; and it was a NYC audience at that (Queens to be exact) so things were that much tougher.
What I do remember, have always remembered (and maybe it is just youthful remembrances) is the energy...our energy..his energy.
Notwithstanding a hiatus in contact, we had some pretty good times and memories as fresh as yesterday. Stewart, you have been busy your whole life. Time for you and your kids and their kids.
