Paul Pena Has Left the Room
Via Chris Corrigan I belatedly read that musician Paul Pena passed on October 1st."I regret I must report Paul Pena was found dead of pancreatitis in his apartment by his friend Pancho at about 8 PM, Saturday, October 1st, 2005. I’m still awaiting details. But he’d been told he had three months to live years ago; it was not a big surprise."
Spider Robinson goes on to give a great review of this amazing artist's life. I first heard Pena's music while sitting in an apartment in Baku, Azerbaijan. My mind was in an exceedingly open space, having spent the last 10 days in Central Asia. When Paul's music hit me between the ears it was as if I connected with some old, inner piece of me. I went on to devour everything I could find of his work, including the amazing Genghis Blues movie on DVD chronicalling his trip to Tuva in 1995, following the unfilled wishes of Richard Feynman.
In 2001 and 2002 I attempted to contact Pena, knowing he was sick and, as I understood, in financial straights. Never got a response. I kept having the feeling I should reach out in some way to repay what he gave me through his music.
To this day when I need to ground, to reconnect, to slow down, I put on the Genghis CD. And I feel a debt to Paul.
Categories: PaulPena, GenghisBlues
posted by Nancy White at 12:10 PM
3 Comments:
Ohmigosh. OK, I have to check out the Paul Pena music.
But Spider Robinson. Wow. I just "signed up" to the site and encouraged addition of RSS (and coming to Northern Voices to find out all about it). Gosh. I'd lost track.
I read "Star Dance" in the original serialization. I lost track of Spider and now I see he has completed an unpublished Heinlein novel. What a wonderful place is the blogosphere. Thanks.
Paul Pena rocks. Now I'm really gonna cry when watching Ghengis Blues again. (Orcmid, I recommend at least renting it.)
I had the opportunity to hear Paul play live several times in the year after the movie came out, once in a very intimate setting at Clarion Music where he play traditional songs of Cape Verde.
Celebrity deaths don't usually affect me, but I find, this time, deeply moved at the news of his passing.
Orcmid, you can borrow the DVD from me. I have the CD too if you want to listen to the music. I've been playing it a lot this week. :-(
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home