Saturday, February 04, 2006

Bon Voyage


I had already sold my house in Studio City, (Los Angeles) California and did my last concert in the USA, which took place at a club called Dante's on Riverside Drive, in the silverlake district(Burbank) To my surprise, people like Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughn and Carmen McCrae came out to say farewell. Because Carmen and Sass were already dear friends of mine, I wasn't so surprised but Tony Bennett, I had never met until that night. Tony Bennett was the icing on my Bon Voyage Cake. However, they were there amongst so many others to wish me farewell. It was incredible. I had made up my mind to leave the states for good, never wanted to look back. Away from the politics of the American Music Business and the overt racism. I needed to be where people really appreciated me and my art.

As well known as I had become, as a composer and singer, I couldn't get a record deal in the States. I didn't fit the profile, so I left. I went to Tokyo, Japan to record my first Album on the Alfa Record Label entitled" Little Dreamer". It was and still remains a beautiful album and still sought after. One might say, it is an underground hit. Some have been known to pay over $40.00 a copy, (when one could find it, that is). When I returned to the states from Japan, I got constant airplay on the #1 Jazz Station KKGO, for years. Funny thing is , the music isn't really Jazz. Still, no American distributor would handle my product. So, I left the USA once again, more disenchanted than before. But, that's another story which I assure you, will be shared at another time.

A few weeks after my Bon Voyage Party took place, I received a call from a Gentleman named Gigi Campi. He was calling from Italy. He proceeded to introduce himself and get on with the reasons he was calling. He began by telling me, he had searched high and low for me and that I proved to be very difficult to find. He continued on by complimenting me on a song I had composed and sang on an Album entitled "Body Heat. Produced by Quincy Jones.

The song he was referring to is entitled "Everything Must Change"which has become a modern day Classic. This song was the first Gold album for me and Quincy. Over the years I have recieved (Four Gold and Four Platinum Albums) for this song.

Mr. Campi told me he wanted to say something first before getting into the other reasons for his call. And that was, his wife for over forty years, had recently passed and my song was her favorite song. He went on to say that it had also become his families favorite as well. It appeared that they found some solice in it, that helped them cope with the passing of their dear one.
I didn't really know what to say. It was a very delicate moment. What he said next, really blew me away. He said that I had become a part of their family and that my lyric had been etched on his wifes tombstone. He promised to take me to the gravesite and show me when I arrived in Italy. I was deeply touched. I didn't know it then but Gigi was a very famous producer of legendary Big Bands.

He went on to say that there was a project underway that he had started some years ago. It was based on Pope John Paul ll's poetry which he wrote when he was a young Priest in Poland. This project was going to be called One World, One Peace. The music being written for the Pope's poems was done by two very famous Italian writers. The arrangers were Lalo Schiffrin, the composer of the Mission Impossible theme and Francey Bolland.

The famous Sarah Vaughn and I were going to be featured together as vocalists in this unprecedented undertaking. Sarah was one of my most adored singers ever. To work with her in this venue was a dream never dreamnt. I was surrounded by greatness. What a Gig!!

Gigi said he would send me the music and contracts. I received the package in the mail shortly afterwards. Things were now underway. What a coincidence or was it? I was ready to move to Europe not knowing exactly where and then the Pope's project happens.

I packed my bags, got a one way ticket on a plane bound for Nice France, then on to San Remo Italy where I would meet Gigi Campi. We would then go to Milano, then on to Rome.

5 Comments:

Blogger Bighner@gmail.com said...

finnegan

As is often said" It's a small world" Our meeting is akin to bumping into each other. Thank you for correcting my spelling of Dante's. I'm glad to meet you.
My dear Sister will be quite pleased to know she's instrumental in the hookup.

I agree with you "Everything Must Change" is the jewel on "Body Heat"

Allow me to correct you in the spelling of my first name. Benard not Bernard.

More to come.

10:58 AM

11:44 AM  
Blogger Neetee said...

Hey Bro! I LOVE reading about your adventures. It’s funny you know, just because I’m your sister, I don’t know about a lot of the details. Mom bragged about you incessantly. She was so proud of you! I was too, but I guess I was in my room drawing. Haha.

When I was younger, I waited for you to come home from your travels so that we could have fun again. I missed out on the stories. I knew that whatever you were doing was cool.

When I was a teenager and the Jazz Greats would come to our house to jam, I’d never come out of my room to be with everyone, remember? I loved listening to it all through my bedroom wall in my own little world. Of course you know that I’m different now. You’d probably have to send me home. Haha!

Anyway, reading your stories now is wonderful! It’s like listening through my wall.
Love you!

12:01 PM  
Blogger floots said...

I got a strange mix of awe, vicarious pleasure and feeling at home. You tell it all so naturally that it's a pleasure to share it.
(The thought of Neetee hiding in her room made me smile too.)
Thank you - keep it comin'

12:59 PM  
Blogger Bighner@gmail.com said...

floots

Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate your visit.

Stay tuned, there's more to come

6:50 PM  
Blogger Lori Witzel said...

Benard -- I found you through Floots' blog, and how I could have missed finding you until now I'll never know.

If there was HTML code for "bowing respectfully to a master" I'd have inserted it here.

Yes, of course I've loved "Everything Must Change"...but how exciting that you've kindly pulled the curtain back a bit for all of us. What a wonderful post, and wishing more happy travels for you.

6:24 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home