I Meet Leonard Nimoy

We had just completed a very emotional and moving cue. The door to the control room opened with its usual clank, and there, walking to the conductor’s podium, was a man with a face you can never forget.

Even without the fake ears.

The orchestra broke into thunderous applause. Nimoy quickly waved us down, thanking us with obvious sincerity for the contribution we were making to this installment of the Star Trek legacy.

When the break was called he lingered out on the scoring stage giving several of us the opportunity to chat with him. A truly gracious human being.

After we were called back to work he returned to the control room where we could see him through the glass, his arm affectionately draped around his wife of many years.

I tell you, the feeling you get from this production team, from the top down – I spoke at length with the producer – was absolutely top-drawer. No false airs, no Hollywood slickness, no pretension.

For the entire week it was like having a family reunion, a barn-raising, and a jam-session all rolled into one.

Now, to my surprise, the film will not be released until May. I think the time delay has a lot to do with the secrecy surrounding the project. Usually the music is the last element of the film to be added, and it usually gets recorded a month or two prior to the release date.

I imagine that this production is moved up due to commitments of some or other of the principles.

As for the music itself, it’s tremendous. Full of little innovations, challenging, and yet fun to play, it’s not always so in Tinsel-town.

Now last night I attended the annual bash the Recording Musicians of America (RMA) throws for its members and the industry. At dinner I sat with one of our first-call percussion players – who happens to be a son of a very accomplished violinist of years back – discussing time, amongst other things.

He was saying how useful it is to him, as a percussionist, to have a concertmaster in front of the orchestra who really projects an accurate sense of time.

I found that very interesting.

Here’s a guy who’s got a metronome clicking away in his ear, who’s spent his life dealing with rhythm, who has as good a view of the conductor as anybody, and yet who keeps an eye on the concertmaster chair to see what else he can learn.

We talked about a former colleague and concertmaster in town, now retired. His name was Israel Baker. Israel had that awareness of time my friend was looking out for. I sat with him on numerous occasions, and benefited greatly from his example.

His technique was unassailable, and he was Always thinking. When I sat with Israel I not only performed my best, I came away slightly better. And again, a more generous, likeable man you could never meet.

Well, that’ll have to be it for now. Time to head off for the day’s record session; for Keyshia Cole, if that name means anything to you.