Hello, I'm Lee Feldman, or at least I will be Lee for a few minutes on Sunday evening, June 13, at 8 p.m., at the Living Room, 154 Ludlow St. in Manhattan.
As I hasten to explain, most of the time, Lee Feldman is Lee Feldman. He is a composer and pianist whose musical activities have at least three distinct sides. He writes and records songs that sound quirky and eccentric at first, but as you listen closer, a disarming candor comes through. Lee's surrealism comes straight from the heart. His tunes are not slices of life as much as they are pieces of cake.
On the other hand, Lee is an accomplished interpreter of Western classical music. He knows how to make a Beethoven sonata roll and roar. On the third hand, if you will, he makes music for films and video projects.
Being Lee must be a demanding gig. And being the generous guy he is, Lee has offered some of his friends and associates a chance to "be Lee" for a while. In fact, this will be the second annual Be Lee Festival. So on Sunday night, nine other musicians, including yours truly, will take turns not just playing Lee's tunes but "being Lee," assuming his persona, to the extent we can.
Though of course we'll be playing his tunes, too. I'll be playing a tune called "Always Till Always," which is from Lee's first album, "Living It All Wrong." I'll be on piano, and on percussion will be Santo Mollica.
The other protagonists of the evening will include such interesting characters as Amy Allison, Howard Fishman, Jim Allen, Pete Galub, Carol Lipnik and others. And Lee will be there too, doing what he does best.
Have I given you the idea that this will be a unique evening of music and extreme psychological transference?
My only question is, while I'm Lee, who is going to be me? Any takers out there? I'm in decent shape and have hardly been used, and I make a good rice and beans...