Jane Olivor

Jane Olivor is a singer, pianist and song writer. She has been a personal inspiration for many years and her music has been a centering force for most of my adult life. She is the only performer that I have seen in concert in four different decades. Trisha and I went to a Jane Olivor concert on our first date.

I remember one evening in April 2004 when my six year old son, Hunter, wondered: "What does an angel sound like?" I walked over to the CD player and turned on Vincent, sung by Jane Olivor.

I talk about the reasons Jane has inspired me and her impact on my life in my upcoming book, Safari Into the Black and White Jungle. I won't spoil it by repeating very much here. Instead, I will give a short biography for those who may not be familiar with her or her music. The pictures that follow were all taken by me.

A native of Brooklyn, Jane's musical career started as a piano student but was derailed at age 12 by a disastrous accident which almost severed her right hand when it was cut by a glass door. So her voice became her musical outlet. Starting in Greenwich Village, she worked her way to Carnegie Hall to Paris and then to a television stage with millions of viewers. She was invited to sing The Last Time I Felt Like This, her duet with Johnny Mathis, at the live awards ceremonies in March 1979. The song was the theme of Universal's movie Same Time Next Year and received an Oscar nomination in the "Best Song" category. It is still heard on popular music stations today.

Jane's first album, appropriate titled First Night, was released in 1976. Chasing Rainbows was released in 1977 and Stay the Night followed in 1978. Her fourth album was The Best Side of Goodbye, released in 1980. I had them all and played them frequently.

I first saw her in concert with Charles Aznavour in late 1979. Then again in 1980 at the South Shore Music Circus in Scituate, Massachusetts . In 1981 she performed at the Cape Cod Melody tent and the Warwick Musical Theatre in Rhode Island . In Warwick she gave three concerts in two days. I attended them all. Her In Concert album, which was to be her last in nearly 20 years, was recorded on a brutally cold January night in 1982 at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston . I remember it like it was yesterday. The significance of that concert to me was a song entitled Pretty Girl which Jane not only wrote but she also played it on the piano. It was her first public performance on the piano since the age of 12!

Sadly, Jane Olivor disappeared from view shortly thereafter. She took a hiatus from public performances to care for her husband who was diagnosed with cancer. A six month leave quickly expanded to a year, then two years, then ten. Her loyal fans never lost hope that she would return.

One day in 1993 my friend Anne Williams, a radio personality on one of the Boston radio stations, called to tell me Jane Olivor was about to give a small comeback concert for a few of her friends and loyal fans at restaurant in Provincetown. I couldn't believe it! Sereda and I drove to P'town hoping the rumor was true and, if so, that we would be able to get tickets. We got in and found an intimate setting of 20 or 30 tables and it was really Jane! I admit, though, I wasn't sure at first because she had frosted her hair.

I was so excited. She talked of a new album she was working on and of her late husband's passing as well as some of the challenges she had faced over the preceding decade. Her voice was as beautiful as ever. I had tears in my eyes during half the concert.

Then, as abruptly as before, she disappeared from the limelight again. A new album a few years later, Love Decides, followed by a Christmas album and a re-release by Columbia of some of her old songs gave her loyal fans a glimmer of hope. There was no sign of a concert tour.

Finally, in 2002, Jane announced a comeback tour starting with two concerts at Hunter College in New York City on consecutive evenings. I was able to attend them both. In 2003, She performed a few concerts around the country culminated by a return to the Berklee Performance Center in November where she recorded a new live album, Safe Return, complete with a spectacular DVD. When I met her in May, 2004, for the release of Safe Return, I thanked her for the DVD noting that if she was to disappear again, her fans could now see her any time the want. She winked. That was the idea.

I saw her in concert one more time at Keswick Theatre near Philadelphia in late 2004. Her live performances since 2005, many of which were fundraisers for charity organizations, have been infrequent and scattered around the country. I almost saw her in San Francisco in 2006, but her second concert of a two-night performance was cancelled at the last minute. Her website has not been updated much in the last three years.

Learn more about Jane Olivor here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Olivor

http://www.edkeane.com/about%20the%20artists/Jane%20Olivor/Jane-Olivor.htm

http://www.stevenhousman.com/Interviews/JaneOlivor.html

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/cabaret/olivor.html

http://www.outsmartmagazine.com/issue/i12-00/music.html

buy her latest CD:

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PRODUCT&PROD_ID=674296&cid=64666&fp=F

buy her DVD (absolutely terrific!!):

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PRODUCT&PROD_ID=674296&cid=64666&fp=F

her albums:

http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/olivor_jane/albums.jhtml

Having given you all of this information, the essence of Jane Olivor is embedded in her songs. The wording in an old concert brochure put it most succinctly: "In the end, there is nothing you need to know about Jane Olivor that her voice cannot make you feel."

Update: May 2008 --

Online at
http://www.cabarets cenes.org/ cab_revs/ 2008/may08/ olivor_jane5- 08.html
with a older photo of Jane.

Jane Olivor
The Razz Room
San Francisco, CA

My pre-show prep work alerted me to the fact that Ms. Olivor was oft
compared to Barbra Streisand, but I wasn't quite prepared for the
uncanniness of the comparison at my first introduction to this
phenomenal vocalist. Her physical look, her Brooklyn accent and her
vocal inflection all screamed very early Streisand but softer, sweeter
without the heavy baggage of icon-ness. But once the similarity ebbs,
you discover the beauty and power in Olivor's performance.

Olivor has had a storied career herself and this show contained both
the bouncy, positive upbeat life philosophy (Irving Berlin's "Sun in
the Mornin'") and beautifully sung ballads ("Stay the Night") that
have endeared her to her fans. Olivor doesn't have to sell songs –
they breathe a life of their own with her pitch perfect, soft as a
summer breeze delivery. She offered slightly altered arrangements of
the classic "Some Enchanted Evening' and "Isn't It Romantic" to great
effect. A lovely rendition of the haunting "Vincent" was followed by
Michel LeGrand/Bergman' s "Little Boy Lost" from the '70s movie Pieces
of Dreams. She soared on "Last Time I Felt Like This," the Academy
Award nominated duet performed with Johnny Mathis. The highlight of
the show for me were two magnificent Burt Bacharach songs: "Where
Knowledge Ends" and "Alfie"— showstopper material adeptly performed,
enhanced by Alex Rybeck on the piano.

Olivor has a stunning voice that demands rapt attention to every lyric
and nuance. She's now comfortable onstage and is as fine an
interpreter and stylist as you'll see. We're glad she's back
performing in intimate settings like the Rrazz Room.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
May 22, 2008
www.cabaretscenes. org

Seventh Heaven

Under Construction...more to come....brb

http://www.martinfootandankle.com/Seven%20Sisters%20diaper%20drive%20Brochure.pdf
BERCHTOLDS
The Berchtold Family
792 Chestnut Hill Drive
Columbia, PA 17512
Phone: (717) 684-3308
E-Mail: lisaberchtold@earthlink.net

Business Plans

Under Construction...more to come...brb

Rewrite your resume to emphasize the skills needed to make your venture succeed. A business plan is like a management team resume with financial projections. An investor wants to know that the people behind the idea have the expertise to make it happen.
To present an effective business plan, here are some things you should know and do to improve your content and presentation:

http://www.users.cloud9.net/~kvivian/html/business_plan_-_to_do.html

And here’s what to avoid:

http://www.users.cloud9.net/~kvivian/html/business_plan_-_avoid.html

Some 2006 Photos

Bennett Springs MO, April 2006
Delilah's Farm, May 2006
Seattle Skyline, June 2006
Delilah and her fainting goat, July 2006
Birthday in Tacoma WA, September 2006
Delilah's first annual Halloween Bash, October 2006
Thanksgiving with Easy Eddie & Chef Billy, November 2006
Will you marry me?, December 2006

Is the PartyPoker over?

I had a little bit of trouble getting to sleep last night thanks to the roving PSO welcome wagon (a/k/a NewJane and JoyBell) who came knocking on my hotel room door sometime after midnight.

After battling the Minnesota snow and 15-degree wind chill, their smiling faces and personal warmth were appreciated…no matter the hour.

In any case, I managed to crawl down to the breakfast area in time to grab the last copy of USAToday, where I found the following editorial under the title, “Is the PartyPoker over?”

“It’s a long shot that more than a handful of the millions of Americans who gamble on the Internet ever heard of the Safe Port Act, which President Bush is expected to sign today. But they’re about to feel its reach.

A measure hastily tacked on to the port security bill is designed to crack down on offshore, online casinos by banning payment with credit cards or electronic fund transfers.

Even before Bush signs the bill, it’s had an impact: The larger online casinos saw their stock prices plummet on foreign exchanges, and several said they’d stop taking bets from U.S. customers. Considering that U.S. bettors generate more than 50% of industrywide revenue, many operators could go bust.

That’s no tragedy. Gambling can have devastating social consequences. And when people can do it 24/7 from computers, it can lead to financial trouble and social isolation. For students caught up in the current poker craze, it can invite educational failure.

But whether the act is the right remedy is another matter. There’s reason for doubt.

First is the question of whether the plan is workable. That won’t be known for a while. The government has 270 days to write regulations, and that will be a formidable task.

U.S. Banks and other credit card issuers can be restricted easily. But third parties outside U.S. jurisdiction – notably a company called NETeller – take electronic transfers from banks and pass them on to gambling sites, charging high fees in the process. That’s not easily stopped.

Then there’s the question of whether the government should be telling adults how they can spend their money. Barring a casino from operating in a state to keep gambling distant is one thing. Meddling with people’s bank accounts is another.

Restricting gambling for minors would have been a amore sensible place to start. That would have addressed the most vulnerable population and served as a useful test.

Regardless, the new law will be an interesting experiment. It might rein in the gambling craze, or it might just shift more of it to less responsible operators. Either way, it’s a safe bet that this is the first hand to be played in a much longer game.”

From USA Today, Friday, October 13, 2006

Seattle Trip Report Part #1

From Boonville, Missouri: 01:02:03 PM on 04/05/06, hmmm…

Seattle Trip Report Part #1

Greetings to my family and friends:

I apologize to those who expected to hear from me earlier than this. I have landed in a motel (where I’ve been since this past Sunday) blessed with the ‘wireless Internet connection from hell’. It is a weak signal to begin with. And anytime two or more guests try to get on at the same time, both seem to get dumped. On top of that, they put me in the furthest room from the router and they claim they can’t move me because they are booked every night until next week. Apparently they are expecting big crowds for the annual Boonville Folk Festival, Catfish Fry & Pig Roast. Problem is…I don’t see any cars in the parking lot, just pick up trucks and a few 18-wheeler cabs. I decided to write up a summary of my trip so far and transmit it from the lobby. Hey, it beats tornado warnings! Those, unfortunately, are scheduled for tomorrow…

Anyway, I left Cambridge, NY two weeks ago today when Rob Klengler picked me and deposited me at the home of Steve Schunk and Doug Rackow in Highland, NY. It was a bit ironic for two reasons. First of all, one of the current Easton Mountain residents was taking me away to the home of a former Easton Mountain resident. To understand the significance of this, you should know that I came to Cambridge to volunteer at Easton Mountain. Now the inmates, I mean residents (he said fondly), are partly responsible for whisking me out of town. Secondly, right about this time last year Rob was climbing on his touring bicycle near Seattle to begin his cross-country trek. His destination: Easton Mountain. My destination is Seattle. So I’m making essentially the same trip in reverse. Rob’s web site (klengler.com) is the featured site on my web site this week. Go there and read about his bicycle adventure and see some great photos. Read more about Easton Mountain on my site as well. This and subsequent trip reports (together with photographs, of course) will eventually be posted there under the button “D’s Village”. Read on please.

I probably should start at the beginning and explain why I am headed to Seattle. It is one of the few places in the U.S. that I have never visited. Until now, I have slept in 40 states. After this trip, it will be at least 45 (missing only Utah, New Mexico, South Dakota, Alaska and Hawaii). But that’s not why I’m headed there. The Great Northwest, particularly the Kitsap Peninsula where I will be staying, is a spectacularly beautiful area. For many years I have had it on my list of places to see (Curious? Visit their site here: http://www.visitkitsap.com/ ). But that’s not why I’m going there now. Yes, there’s a woman involved, but not in a way that you might imagine.

“Your stories need to get told”, she said. “I would be glad to bring you out this way on a train, and if you are not deeply involved with a job or a project there, you might consider an extended visit to write...me casa es su casa!” She was telling me in a polite way that this book I’ve been working on since 2003 isn’t likely to get completed unless I decide to focus on finishing it. All I wanted was 15 minutes on the phone to interview her for the book. That, and I wanted her to visit my web site to read what I wrote on the Delilah page and tell me it was acceptable to her. “I don’t want to be the next James Frey”, I told her.

On the telephone, she seemed to be hinting, not so subtly, “If you want to interview me, then come here and do it.” I explained that it is no longer safe for me to fly due to the propensity for my legs to form blood clots on long trips. “Take the train,” she responded, “and you may book any trip you wish. Please include as many gorgeous sights and stops as you possibly can.” Then she added, “You may stay as long as you like.” Of course, I asked her why she would make such an offer to this tired old man. I will save her response for the book. Obviously, I have accepted her kind invitation. As always, however, I chose to take an indirect route (sketchy nomad that I am) in order to accomplish multiple objectives.

My itinerary is as follows:

March 23-26 Highland, NY; March 27 on the train between Poughkeepsie, NY and Chicago, IL; March 28-30 Chicago, IL; March 31-April 2 Columbia, MO; April 3-9 Boonville, MO; April 10-15 Lebanon, MO (April 15 is Carolyn & Dave’s wedding at Bennett State Park in SW Missouri); April 16 Columbia, MO; April 17 on the bus between Columbia, MO and Chicago, IL; April 18-19 on the train between Chicago, IL and Seattle, WA; April 20-24 Seattle, WA (until Delilah returns from her Africa trip – see her website for details: http://www.delilah.com/ ). April 24 -??? Port Orchard, WA (to see a photo of the place I will be staying, go to Delilah’s site, click on “Photo Gallery” on the top right of her home page, then click the albums entitled “The farm” (a/k/a D’s Village) and “Landscaping”).

En route I can be reached by cell phone, and from now until mid-day April 10, I will be at the Boonville Comfort Inn 660-882-5317, room #224.

I just got some good news! The manager of the motel called to say he moved the wireless Internet access point to his room, which is directly under mine. I will end Part #1 of my Seattle Trip report here and try to get to my e-mail before the other guests complain. I’m wondering if my threat to sit in the lobby with my laptop persuaded him make the switch. Or maybe he figured if I can’t move the complaining guest, then I’ll move the source of the complaint. Now, that’s customer service!

In my next part of the trip report I will talk about my visit to Chicago, the chess tournament on the University of Missouri campus, the InsideOUT anniversary celebration, my journey to the spot where Carolyn and Dave met (plus some details about how they met), and the walks along an old railroad bed called the Katy trail. I’ll try to do that tomorrow, tornados permitting. Perhaps I’ll attach a few digital photos.

Thinking about the Boonville Folk Festival got me thinking about Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul & Mary fame. “Y’all going to the toad suck?” he asked. “Yes. And I been practissin’, cause last year I swallered one an’ got disqualified.” Maybe I’ll get to see my first toad suck this weekend. I’ll bring my camera, just in case.

Much love to my family and friends. Special thanks to Delilah Rene and Steve Schunk for making this adventure possible. Remember that every day is a Gift, and that Real friends are friends forever.

Best wishes,Frank Niro, 4/5/06