ExGuyParis profile picture

ExGuyParis

C'est Moi.

About Me

I've been back in the US for two years, after five years in Paris. I'm still finding it a bit strange becoming an American again. On my last business trip to Paris we had a tour of the Centre Georges Pompidou. A number of things I enjoyed, but a number of things had me thinking "Huh?" Above is one of the things I liked ("Le Double Secret" by René Magritte). Ah, music... one of the most important things in my life.Most recent concert: East Village Opera Company, who perform opera and classical works with a rock twist. Simply superb, with two lead singers who are stellar.And in the not too distant past: saw Diana Ross at the Borgata in Atlantic City. Damn... she looks like she is 35. Gorgeous. And she sounded great. Saw Randy Crawford & Joe Sample at the Keswick Theater. It was the first time I saw Randy Crawford perform live, and she has been one of my top favorite singers for many years. The show was wonderful-- her voice is truly awesome, and seeing her with Joe Sample, whose Crusaders first introduced me to Randy Crawford, was an added delight. If you don't know the music of Randy Crawford... get to know it!Harry Connick, with a 12 piece (or so) band, at the Kimmel Center in Philly. A really awesome show; I'm surprised at how much I loved it. He is quite the pianist.Pink Martini again, at the Keswick, and yet again at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. I totally adore this group! Check them out:Manhattan Transfer at the Keswick. A great show, with a twist; there was a power failure about 8 songs into their performance. No lights, microphones, electric instruments, etc. The Keswick staff found some flashlights and shined them on the singers, and they did 8 or so a cappella songs. Awesome! Linda Ronstadt, for the first time ever. I think she has one of the finest voices I've ever heard, and it has held up remarkably well. Her concert was awesome.Annie Lennox. A transcendant experience.China Forbes (Pink Martini's lead singer) solo at the World Cafe.Etta James at the Keswick Theater: what a trip!The Moody Blues at the Tower Theater; still groovy after all these years.Ben Taylor & David Saw at the Tin Angel: superb. David Saw sings a song that I adore: All at Sea, and Ben Taylor's musical genes shine through.Visit Gaping Void!_______________________________________________________ ____

My Interests

Genealogy, Peekskill Military Academy, travel, France, music, wine, film, theater, the virtual world, rubber stamps.Most recent theater: Grey Gardens, Nixon/Frost, 110 in the Shade, Spring Awakening, Young Frankenstein, Cyrano de Bergerac (Broadway). Recently saw Le Reve in Vegas; loved it!

I'd like to meet:

It would require a time machine, but I would love to meet some of the swimmers in my gene pool! ......... Living people: artist Ron Mueck

Music:

Music is THE major force in my life; there is almost always something playing in my brain. The radio station that best fits my preference is FIP in france. I love Motown, Supremes, Lara Fabian , Carly Simon , Liane Foly , Prem Joshua , Pink Martini , Annie Lennox , Shimmerplanet , Vivaldi, Rahul Sharma, Wojciech Kilar, Randy Crawford , Cleo Laine , Mozart, Hotel Costes- Stephane Pompougnac , Chaka Khan, The Crusaders, Susaye Greene , Etta James, Shirley Bassey , Howard Tate , Rob Dougan , liturgical choral works (especially Beethoven's Mass in C), Eric Whitacre , David Mieloch , Ellis Paul , K. D. Lang, Linda Ronstadt, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell & Kim Weston, Gotan Project , Josephine Baker , Dusty Springfield, Hanne Bolle, Leonard Cohen, David Daniels, Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Solomon Burke , The Pirates of Penzance, Thelma Houston, Nick Drake, Bettye LaVette , Joan Baez, Sandy Denny, Everything But the Girl, Trio Esperana, Peter, Paul & Mary , Simon but mostly Garfunkel, Gran Bel Fisher, Mannheim Steamroller... and someone I discovered on myspace: Shawn Hlookoff

Movies:

Don't Look Now; The Exorcist; Grey Gardens; Singing in the Rain; anything Bette Davis, especially Now Voyager; The Horseman on the Roof; The History Boys; Cleopatra; Peter Greenaway; Luc Besson; Two for the Road, Mary Poppins; Young Frankenstein, Standing in the Shadows of Motown; The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind, Singing in the Rain, Gaslight, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Julie Christie, Fred Astaire, Leslie Howard, Anthony Hopkins, Jean Reno, Terrence Stamp, Greta Garbo, Helen Mirren. Dreamgirls, Children of Men. Just saw and LOVED Match Point.

Television:

Six Feet Under; the assorted CSI's; Boomtown; Ugly Betty; Pee Wee's Playhouse, Brideshead Revisited

Books:

The Go Between. Howards End. Perfume. Jasper Fforde stuff, all Peter de Vries, Christopher Moore, Andrew Vachss, and Harlan Coben. Loved A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon. This book, plus The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, makes me believe that he is one of the best fiction writers to surface in a long time.