As the years come and go, and one marks the passing of various decades, depending upon one's personality, some celebrate the occasion in a most festive manner. Others, like me, choose to attempt to just let that particular birthday pass by without any real signs of acknowledgment. As 2017 approached, I had seen the number associated with that particular April birthday looming in the distance like a huge neon sign. And that sign reads: #70 is here!!! So, in the weeks before that date actually arrived, I wanted to attempt to put together some thoughts and feelings about just what turning 70 years of age means to me now. The remarkable thing, at least to me, was that, in getting ready to really think about all of this, when I looked at the NEWS page at the website, I suddenly realized that, 10 years ago, I had written an essay entitled "On Turning '60'"! Of course, I could not resist revisiting that page, and what I had written back then, and I found that some of what I had expressed, was still holding true today. But, of course, with age comes some deterioration, and one's life view, and world view changes.
    I was struck by one thing, given the chronology of events in the USA, and that was that in 2007, Barack Obama had run and won the election to become our 44th president. Of course, between 2007-2017, his 8 years in office had now passed, and, of all things, suddenly, Donald J. Trump, of all people, had somehow become the 45th president of the United States. I read the other day about how Bruce Springsteen had said that he was feeling "embarrassed" to be an American. Like him, I love my country too, and very much, and right now, I feel embarrassed and ashamed at what has been happening here! Not that everything was perfect during President Obama's term in office, but, for me, I felt very proud knowing that he, his beautiful family, and his assembled team were there, and were doing their best.

    Having grown-up mostly in the '50s, where the life expectancy was that we might make it to 65 years old, and the number '70' seemed so ancient, out of the question, and way in the distance. So, once again, considering that some of my dearest friends and colleagues have already passed away, not to mention countless musicians and artists who influenced the arc of my creative life have left us as well, it is some sort of a miracle that I'm still around. How much longer does one have? Who knows?
    I remember during my own teenage years, my father, lyricist Sammy Cahn, was asked to write the title song for Frank Sinatra's then forthcoming LP, "September of My Years. I bring this up because, at that time, Sinatra was about to celebrate only his 50th birthday, and my father was only 52 years of age. So, if September has you in your 50s, does being 70 put you into November, or later? What is one to infer from all this? For that same album, dad and Jimmy Van Heusen also wrote a wonderfully sad song titled, "It Gets Lonely Early." Both of these great songs are, in my view, beautifully autobiographical post-divorce songs for my father. If one listens to, and studies the lyrics, it becomes obvious. In the latter song, I think that even my sister Laurie and I enter into the story. So, as I make this crossing, amongst many other sentimental songs, these two come to mind.
    During many of the difficult moments that my father and I endured, in what was a most difficult father-son relationship, I think that, when my father felt the most despairing about the state of things between us, he would look at me most seriously, and then, quote a line from one of his favorite songs, "September Song," and ruefully say to me, "Steve.... the days dwindle down, the days dwindle down." He was, of course, saying that, time is precious, and if I don't straighten this all out, it will escape us. Notice that I said "I" and not "we"! In his view, it was all on me!!!

Oh, the days dwindle down to a precious few
September, November
And these few precious days I'll spend with you
These precious days I'll spend with you


    On the creative side of things, in 2007, "BORROWED TIME" was released. Then in 2008, a miracle occurred and the 2-CD "Live in Köln '94" Set, "THE SUITCASE" was also released. This was followed by a period of time where I felt very uncertain and lost, and was having a great deal of trouble snapping out of it. But, somehow I passed through that period and then: "PARTING SHOT"(2011), followed by "SUBTEXT"(2014) were released. In each case, because of various health ailments, I really believed that that recording was going to be my last, because I was so unsure that I could even make it through another one, physically speaking. Then another series of totally unexpected events happened as BGO Records(UK) released a compilation of my three Columbia albums from the late '70s, "TIGHTROPE-THE BLUE MAN-ARROWS" and this of course was a great shot-in-the arm for sustaining my career, such as it was. Then, in early 2016, BGO Records released a 2nd compilation, of my work with Eyewitness from the early '80s: "EYEWITNESS-MODERN TIMES-CASA LOCO." For me, having these reissues happen gave me time to think carefully, and try to come-up with plan to do something in the now. I was able to find the path to doing just that, and now, here in 2017, "BACKLOG" has just been released, after being recorded in 2016! It is hard to explain just how much it has meant to me, for my spirits, that these three new recordings got done. I appreciate that more than you can imagine!
    If you will allow me, let me quote loosely from the "On Turning 60" piece, with an inclusion about my near-mugging from 2016, because a portion still rings true today, probably amplified by the passage of another 10 years.

    What is it exactly that I am trying to share with everyone here today? Do I want to express to you all that I sometimes feel like as if I am completely invisible, floating through space, occupying space, but fundamentally unseen by all those who pass by? Do I tell you how strange it feels to have young people immediately, and all too respectfully, address me as "Sir"? What's up with that?
    Recently, I was almost mugged while walking up Broadway in my own neighborhood. What happened caused me to think very seriously about what this meant, and how those two teenagers perceived me, before attempting to kick my feet out from under me, knock me down, and then, rob me. I was lucky that, some semblance of my past athletic abilities remained enough to keep me upright, and, after a brief staredown, we kept walking in different directions. But, after some thought, I realized that they just saw me as "an old guy, with gray hair" - nothing more!!! Just a target to be attacked, and taken advantage of! That was a lot to digest that day, and it is now never far out of my thoughts as I continue to walk around the streets of New York.
    To continue, in viewing myself, I had my troubles with my self-image as age 40 neared. I would look back at photos of myself from that period, and wonder to myself "WHAT the hell was I complaining about?" At that time, I had felt pretty terrible about myself at age 47, and didn't appreciate those moments, not nearly enough! And, though some moments were so very difficult, I now see photos from those years, and wonder again, "WHAT the hell was I complaining about?" Not so long ago, at 55, I again felt terrible about myself, about life, simply everything. Now, I see photos from that period (like the one used at the BIOGRAPHY page, cradling the '335' and taken in July of '02), and I wonder again: "WHAT the hell have I been complaining about?"
    So, perhaps I am arriving at the point now? I guess that I am just trying to say to each of you: Savor the moment, enjoy it; treasure the times; embrace those around you; tell someone that you love them; tell someone that you miss them; do something about it; reach out to the diversity all around us, seize the day, and work hard, work very hard; while always trying to give your best. And, as Michael Caine's character, Dr. Larch, in "THE CIDER HOUSE RULES"(1999) advises his young intern/apprentice: "Be of use!" Yes, whatever it might be that you have chosen to do, make it something that makes this a better world....in the smallest way, in a bigger way. It is all the same. Do something, do something important!!!
    And then, of course, with the aging process, how can one not talk about the various HEALTH issues that do come with the relentless march of time. And, in the 10 years between 60 and 70, as I have shared here on several pages, in early 2013, I was diagnosed with Dupuytren's Contracture in my left hand, which completely changed my outlook on everything where playing the guitar was related. Fortunately for me, in my case, the actual manifestations of this affliction have not worsened to the point where I can't play. So, I have been able to to carry on as best as I can. Then there's the ongoing battle with high blood pressure, and trying to keep that stabilized. The ever-present men's prostate issues. Failing eyesight, the onset of cataracts and even laser retina surgery. And perhaps most pressing of all for me, the recurrence of the disc problems in my lower back, which finally acted-up again during the mixing sessions for "BACKLOG"! Since then, it has been a constant fight to avoid surgery including, all the diagnostic tools, a series of injections in my back, and physical therapy, coupled with great discipline concerning everything that I do physically, and the emotional/stress-related components of my life. When I look back at 2016, between June-December, it felt as though my life was just one doctor's appointment after another. It had a profound effect on my spirits. Civility necessitates that I leave out a few other medical details!!! Don't worry, it's O.K. to laugh!

    Finally, but hardly the least important component to this collection of thoughts was the presence of love during these past 10 years. In 2010, through the good graces of the cosmos, and the infinite wisdom of a dear friend, a great love arrived in my life for a brief time, but the joy that was experienced and shared then has ended-up lasting, in various forms, almost up to this moment. Though it was not without its difficulties, we remained in contact, but we did not see one another again for some 5+ years. Through two significant relationships for her, the feelings never seemed to vanish.
    Then, a moment appeared, and we sought to reconnect, and rekindle what had been there. How I wanted to be so much better at it, if possible. And, in early 2016, we were together again for a time. But, in those moments, I received the gift of her love, sweetness, boundless energy, friendship, kindness, intelligence, sense of humor and culture, and the warmth that made me feel that I had been given the glorious opportunity to try, yet again, to understand something about what it means to feel happy, or to experience happiness. I was so grateful to her for this, and for so much more. Her unique spirit, energy and ebullient presence during the "BACKLOG" recording sessions helped to make a most difficult process that much more special and meaningful.
    I guess if one is not looking, not trying so hard, it is possible that someone can come along. I don't expect that anything remotely like that will ever happen again for me. It would seem that this particular piece of spiritual wisdom might apply: "If it comes; let it. If it goes; let it."

    In 2004, I was inspired to begin to create a special TRIBUTES page. Initially it began as a way to honor the memory of very special musicians and artists who had recently left us. Over time, those wonderful people that I chose to write about could have come from almost any walk of life, and sadly began to include close personal friends.
    And so, as we are here, looking back over my past 10 years, those tributes began in 2007 with the deep loss of Michael Brecker and continued on to the present by saluting lives such as: Joe Zawinul, Tim Russert, Gary King, Joe Beck, Isaac Hayes, Freddie Hubbard, my close childhood friend Kim Weiskopf, the beloved Venezuelan Jazz DJ, Jacques Braunstein, Alan Rubin, one of my harmonic heroes, pianist-composer-arranger, Clare Fischer, guitarist Hugh McCracken, Phil Ramone, the wonderful CBS newsman, Bob Simon, one of the two guitarists with The Chantays, Brian Carman, Lew Soloff, Yogi Berra, Salsa keyboard/arranger giant, José M. Lugo, and more recently, Bobby Hutcherson, Toots Thielemans, the pioneering Jazz recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder, bassist Bob Cranshaw, legendary photographer, Chuck Stewart, the pioneering guitarist, the "Father of Fusion," Larry Coryell, flautist and Latin legend, Dave Valentín, and now, another visionary guitarist, Allan Holdsworth. If you decide to visit that page, I hope that you will enjoy reading about these very special people who left us.

    Finally, it was exactly 10 years ago that I wrote about the concept of a "green field" as metaphor for one's life, and what that meant to me. Somehow, on this day, sitting here now at 70 years old, it feels all the more relevant to again share this with everyone who chooses to take the time to read it, think about what was said, and then, perhaps, apply those thoughts to the state of one's own life. So, here it is again......


    The notion of a "green field" was born during a discussion with an old and dear friend about "death" or, perhaps better said, about the sense of "loss." I have never viewed myself as a particularly profound person, especially when speaking extemporaneously, but, in that moment I guess I just got lucky when I stated something resembling the following:

    "....When one is in their 20s, as we look ahead, far into life and the future, as we can see it from that perspective, the green field, which lies ahead of us, seems endless, and so full of possibilities and dreams. But, as one grows older, one experiences loss in all its varied forms, divorces and separations, sadly seeing your parents pass away, seeing one's friends and contemporaries die around us (sometimes those who were considerably younger), the view of that same green field changes. Suddenly, it has become a much shorter green field, and the opportunities that remain must be guarded and treasured in a far different manner, and, from a perspective of greater maturity and wisdom. At least we can hope for that.
    Like anyone else, perhaps, I fear a prolonged and/or painful death, but, death in and of itself, I do not fear. I don't know that one ever gets to do, or accomplish all that they would like, but, for my part, I have led a rich life, often times filled with beautiful and wonderful people. If it were all to end tomorrow, I could never feel cheated by anything, nor anyone, for I know that I have been a lucky man, and will leave behind my good work, and even some good deeds." You can only imagine just how much shorter my particular green field looks to me right now!

    As I sit here reflecting on turning 70, I would be the first to admit that, even in consideration of everything, this is not exactly where I imagined I would be in my life if I had ever arrived at such an age. It is not that I am disappointed, or disappointed in myself, I just know that I had envisioned a life for myself that was in much better balance. In the end, I have led a life that was almost always out of balance - tilting to one side or the other! I often reflect on this quote from the great Stan Getz, who said:

    "My life is music, and in some vague, mysterious and subconscious way, I have always been driven by a taut inner spring which has propelled me to almost compulsively reach for perfection in music, often - in fact, mostly - at the expense of everything else in my life."

    In this spirit, I would say to all of you, take advantage of what is in the now, don't belabor the past, and don't spend unnecessary energy worrying about the future. But, do plan for it, in order to make better use of it. To all the wonderful people who have graced my life during these past 10 years, please know that you are in my thoughts, not forgotten, nor will you ever be forgotten.
ADDENDUM: Suddenly, 5 years have passed, and birthday #75 has arrived!!! In 2019, and you can do the math, I recorded and released "PATCHWORK"(Tone Center) which, even then, I knew that this was going to be my last self-financed album. I could not afford to do such things any longer. I wasn't at all certain just where that would leave me, artistically speaking. But somehow, things popped into my imagination, and I did a series of interesting and impassioned one song projects that were never intended to be released in any formal way. I always shared the work via the NEWS page here as well as Facebook. Each piece was an homage to an important musician, sometimes a dear friend, who had deeply touched my musical life, my life.
    With the acknowledgment of birthday number 75, I greet it with the release in May, 2022 of another singular musical project, a one-song project that, this time, will receive a more formal release, both digitally and an actual physical "COLLECTOR'S EDITION" CD. If you choose to, you can read the full Saga here. In brief, it is an interpretation of Shuggie Otis' 1974 song, "Island Letter" from his album "INSPIRATION INFORMATION." In this effort, I worked with the most brilliant vocalist and vocal arranger, Mark Kibble, known for his immense contributions to the very beloved and universally respected Take 6. It is our hope that those who hear it will enjoy and treasure this performance always.

    On, March 14th, I saw the movie "BELFAST," and found it very moving - in the end, it was a very sweet film. Reviewers have said that the film is Kenneth Branagh's "love letter" to: childhood, the joy and innocence of childhood, to family, love, and of course to his city, Belfast in Northern Ireland. While watching and listening to several YouTube interviews with Kenneth Branagh, he spoke about at least 3 kinds of "love" displayed in the film - love between the grandparents, love between the parents, and "puppy" love between 9 yr. olds. For me, this was all very moving. I found that, looking at the film that way showed me something about myself, and my own life experiences in these all important areas. This is what I saw and concluded about my own life - with some retrospection and introspection.
    I can see that I have only been good at the youngest kind of love - having a crush on someone - perhaps loving someone from afar initially - and sometimes, making that "love" happen - even with great shyness on my part. But, when it comes to the more "adult" forms of love - as I have written before - I don't know that I was ever able to truly sustain that. None of my relationships, my marriage, etc. really lasted longer than 3 years, if that - and even those years were difficult. It all, once again, reminds me of what a profound influence my parents' divorce had on my life, affecting how I came to view relationships, and especially issues of trust within them. That divorce was not a good for thing for me - and has colored my life in that area, and not in a good way! In other words, for better or worse, I am not going to fully know that kind of "love" in this life - where a couple really becomes a team and grows together forward. I have had to accept that - not really in a sad way - just a philosophical way. I am fully aware that I will certainly never know the grandparents' kind of enduring "love" or deep friendship - something that goes way beyond the aspects of desire, passion or fun - way past that stuff. It is not in the cards for me to know that. But I do not feel badly about that. Seeing this wonderful film - led to all of that through reflection!!!
    Of course, sitting here now - with my 75th birthday coming up in April - I am yet again realizing that what has sustained me during the past 5 years, 5 years of such domestic and global unrest, is my unflagging desire and drive to simply do good and hopefully enduring work. This has been the theme that brought me to New York some 52 years ago, and it has never changed during all of these years. There have certainly been some dark moments. Moments when I felt lost and directionless, but one finds their way through them, only to emerge on the other side, hopefully the wiser for that passage. And so, on I go, one day at a time, one day passing into the next, not knowing where any of it is taking me. As this latest and most singular of projects nears its launching into the public arena, there is a blank canvas in front of me waiting to be filled with the ideas and concepts that are born of one's imagination.

     I am reminded of a couple of lines from director Billy Wilder's "SOME LIKE IT HOT" back in 1959, when Marilyn Monroe's character, Sugar Kane Kowalczyk said the following:

    "You know, I'm gonna be 25 in June. That's a quarter of a century. Makes a girl think."

    To which Joe (Tony Curtis) then asks: "About what?" And Sugar responds by saying: "The future."

    So, sitting here now, and turning 75, I could easily say: "Wow, 75! That's 3/4's of a century! Makes a guy think!" But, in my case, NOT about the "future" - meaning whatever long-term 'future' is left - but about reflecting back over this life.
    Like everyone else, I am uncertain about just where the future is going to take us...... Sometimes I think that this might well be a much better world if women ran everything, and the boys, with their missiles, weapons of war and other toys in hand, took a break for a few decades. Just a thought.....

    In advance, I want to thank everyone for their love and good wishes, and most of all for all the kind words for the various singular projects that I've done in the past year. After all these years, this remains as very special. Thank you all so much!!! PLEASE STAY SAFE and BE HEALTHY!!! Peace & Love from this former and still pretty much a hippie, Steve
[Photos: Steve @ 4 yrs. old, February 23rd, 1951 - Photo by: Sammy Cahn
Steve @ 69 in Avatar Studio 'C', April 26th, 2016 - Photos by: Richard Laird
Steve and Adela Blanco, together in New York - Photo by: Adela Blanco
The beautiful green field image is actually titled "Summer Resonance" by Doug West]
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