I am very sad about Michael Jackson dying so suddenly and so young. He was vivid in our life for a time as my daughter Melody used to lipsync to his records and mimic dancing just like him. (If you click on title you can watch my favorite Michael Jackson songvideo Thriller.) And if you'd like to watch another fantistic dance video, here's Bad.
My husband Victor and I were once lucky enough to be given tickets to the Grammy Awards by Joe Tarsia, owner of Sigma Sound, a legendary recording studio in Philadelphia where many singers, groups and bands including the JACKSON FIVE recorded Top Ten records. Victor happened to be at Sigma for an TV commercial audio mix for a commercial we had produced for a client of our production company, Hot Productions. Joe Tarsia couldn't make it so he asked Victor if we might want them. The tickets were for that very night. Victor called, asked if I wanted to go and of course I said yes.
That year it was held at Radio City Music Hall and therefore an hour and a half train trip from Philadelphia. I rushed to get ready and we made a train that got us there right on time.
It was an amazing experience. Red carpets on all the streets lined on both sdes with very young people in matching jackets stretching from Radio City Music Hall to the Hilton Hotel - where next awaited three huge after-Grammy parties. The tickets entitled us to attend them too.
Our seats for the Grammy's were in the balcony. The highlight of the night was a performance by Michael Jackson. Until that moment, watching him live in person, I had no idea how truly great he was. I will never forget it and it was totally thrilling.
Moving on to the rest of the evening, we had taken a room at the Hilton and attended the parties which, for this insane music lover, were exciting as hell. We saw hundreds of musicians, stars mingling in the three ballrooms, the hallways and at the bars. Each ballroom had a different music genre featuring a famous group. Tito Puente's Orchestra, a rock group whose name I don't remember and - my least favorite, a big band Swing orchestra that also played Jazz.
We also ran into a singer who was the former girl friend of Edd Kalehoff, long time close friend and famous music composer/producer. Edd and Victor are presently working together on a Broadway Musical written by Victor, while Edd is composing the original individual ballads and raucous dance number music. It's called Fast Food. They have been working on the music and script four years now and someday it will get produced. I'm positive and praying. Too many Broadway show people have expressed interest, a famous Broadway director. actors and choreographer - and the fact that the music composition is almost finished.
Getting back to the night I saw Michael Jackson perform - since we had run into Edd's ex, I decided to hang out together with her and her date/her attorney, through the rest of the party as Victor had to go to bed to get back to Philadelphia early the next day to finish up our project. The party was too much fun and the evening was about to take a turn for the better.
While Victor was sleeping, the ex and her date and I spent the most time in the Latin music ballroom where the music was hot, very danceable and the most fun. And we where we spied Armand Assante who was at the Grammy's because the soundtrack from his film in which he starred Belizaire the Cajun was nominated for a Grammy. He had his own entourage. We kept looking at him and he kept looking and smiling at us. Years later Armand starred in a takeoff of Tito Puente's life Mambo Kings.
Eventually, we decided to meet each other, started talking, continued to talk, dance a little and spent the rest of the party together. Next up we went to the all night restaurant, The Brasserie for more talk and food and keep the happy party going. Finally, we all returned to the Hilton Hotel for breakfast around 6 am.
I went back to our hotel room to freshen up and Victor was just getting up. I told him I was still with Edd's ex and was going back downstairs for breakfast while not mentioning Armand Assante. Victor said he would join us there before heading back to Philly. When Victor came into the restaurant, Armand was sitting in the booth facing him while I was sitting across the booth. Victor spied Armand and kept looking as he walked past. He saw me and did a double-take. His reaction was really funny but he joined us and listened to hear the explanation of my adventure of the previous night. Such a great night, seeing Michael Jackson in person, meeting up with old friend, Edd's ex and topping it off with the thrill of meeting Armand, who was charming, funny, interesting and beautiful.
I stayed in touch with Armand and even once had dinner with him at a West Side restaurant in NY with Edd's ex. I saw Armand one more time and after that we sent Christmas cards to each other for many years. I'm sure he still lives on the farm he owned in upstate NY.
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