David Amram: Sunday Supper Q&A
David Amram with John Platt (Photo by Jeremy Rainer, WFUV)
The term is often overused, but David Amram is a true Renaissance man: multi-instrumentalist (piano, French horn, and miscellaneous bells and whistles picked up in his far-flung travels); sideman for jazz and folk greats (from Dizzy Gillespie and Charles Mingus to Bob Dylan and Odetta); composer of more than 100 orchestral works, including being the first composer -in-residence at the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein; conductor at orchestras around the world; and author of three memoirs, with one more in the works.
More than that, Amram at almost 94 is an American treasure, a living link to legends and an inspiration to several generations of younger artists, a generous spirit eager to share his wisdom garnered from years of "hangout-ology." He's also a world-class raconteur.
When he came to WFUV for a "Sunday Supper" conversation in Studio A, he had stories to tell about Dmitry Mitropoulos, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Jack Kerouac, Joe Papp, Pete Seeger, and more. He also performed his distinctive versions of Woody Guthrie's "Pastures of Plenty," music from the film "Pull My Daisy," and Phil Ochs's "When I'm Gone." It was a privilege to share an hour with this man of unparalleled talent and boundless enthusiasm with the WFUV audience.
