vivaldi rocks

want to take a trip back in time?

hard to find a good time machine that is as reliable as a toyota these days. or a delorean.

but i was able to head back to the sixties wednesday just by driving 15 minutes over the bridge to fort myers.

and there were frankie valli and the four seasons.

no. we're not talking about a revival tour where the beach boys come out with a little deuce coupe walker.

this was the off broadway tour of "jersey boys."

what a treat. if you were from a good sized city and remember when you got your first mcdonalds franchise, you are going to love this music.

if you were a teenager in the early 60's you may legitmately be nostalgic about the music of your youth. and you are long past due for your colonoscopy and prostate exams.

i never did get giddy over the beatles. but i loved the four seasons.

i really wondered whether dawn would go away. and left confused about the burning question of if big girls cry or not.

i was as weird a young person as i am as an old codger. i loved classical music as a kid. ravinia was five minutes from my house and i could hear issac stern and itzakh perlman live for $2 if i didn't hop over the fence and see them for nothing.

hard to beat the chicago symphony for summer entertainment. so WLS was not always taking precedent over WFMT.

but i really got hooked on motown.

the four tops. temptations. smokey robinson really was a miracle.

there were others. driving into the city to "downtown" with the top off of the volkswagen convertible. willow weep for me would bring a tear or two. and you had to wonder if california girls really were that special if you were 16.

so the four seasons were part of my youth. both vivaldi's version and the 45 rpm. if you were hearing these on cassettes or cds you are a different generation.

so jersey boys was a nice nugget to find. if you haven't seen it, and you remember seeing burma shave signs on a road trip, catch it when it comes to a city near you.

it may not let you buy ibm and xerox for a few dollars a share. but it should bring a smile to your face. i know sami and my brother would have loved it. my dad would have frowned and put on vivaldi.

they were all with me as i watched. and that made it even more special.

especially with that colonoscopy to look forward to.