Here I am with Mary-Sue Tobin, a celebrated Portland saxophonist, at this time she is my Vice President, I am 29 years old, taking over a festival older than myself with a crew better established in Portland than myself, all of them around age 40 and up.
This was a dicey decision. I truthfully have never watched this video because it is painful. Not long after this, things got ugly.
In this video, we are vibrant, excited, full of vision and camaraderie, there is no infighting, and I’m looked upon as a young visionary.
Ego trips everyone up.
My InterArts memoire is going to be epic. That experience, from No.Fest in 2008 to CPJazz, by the time I dissolved the project in 2014, the journey had become overwhelming and I retreated home.
The tale of InterArts is one of community creation, inspiration and perspiration, backstabbing, professional fumbling, wild imagination, creative conquests, and fools errands.
One thing that I enjoy about this is seeing Lenny Bruce in my mannerisms. I was absolutely obsessed with him around this time, and his style works quite well for my personality. It is especially told in the snapping of my fingers. It’s a beatnik thing that nobody does anymore. It comes across violent in our world of micro-aggressions, while for myself it is exuberant and shows my passion.
I think I’ll show this to Kitty.