The Fox and his Hen house

You can't really see the energy and power generated by nuclear fusion, but you can see the reactor where it happens.  Such is the case with the nuclear talents of Charles Fox.   One can open their ears and their minds to hear the incredible gift of Charlie Fox, but to SEE it one must visit the factory where it is generated. Such was the case a few days ago when I was invited into the "sanctum" of the Fox.

The studio has all the tools one needs to write music, score films, compose operas and arrange orchestral beauty.  There is a huge mixing board in front of a large flat screen, cabinets filled with arrangements and charts, audio media of every kind and a play back system to access it. There are platinum records, prestigious awards and pictures of Charlie with every musical talent in a who's who of show business. 

In the opposite corner of the room from the mixer is a desk that could belong to any executive.  Perpendicular to the desk accessible with the turn of his chair is a 9' Steinway Grand Piano. Even among the Emmy and Grammy awards and impressive electronics this beautiful instrument stands out.  The only time a guy like me might see a 9' Steinway Grand is from a cheap seat at Disney Concert Hall.  In this case, however, I was not alone in my appreciation of this beautiful instrument, standing next to Charlie and me is Richard Sherman.  Not the Seattle Seahawk football player Richard Sherman but Richard M. Sherman the Disney composer and legend.  That word legend is kicked around a lot but if the word ever applied to any person it applies to both the men I find myself standing with at this moment.   

Richard and Charlie's "other woman"

As Richard walks around the desk to briefly play this beautiful piano, Charlie's wife walks into the studio.  She notices that I am stunned by what is happening before my eyes and says, "Oh I see you have met the other woman."  

Richard finishes a musical  riff with a bass chord that shakes the room.  As the vibration begins to slowly fade Richard says, "She is beautiful". As he starts to continue this musical romance, Elizabeth Sherman says, "You've played enough Richard." In my twisted mind I hear her say, "Get away from that other woman, Richard."  What I saw was the instant connection between a musician and a beautiful instrument.

My Dad used to say he was the luckiest guy in the world. Dad was wrong, he RAISED the luckiest guy in the world. I am the luckiest guy in the world. To stand next to two high priests in Fox Music Temple was exciting, humbling and inspiring.  Genius comes in many packages, and sometimes that package is not tightly wrapped.  To find the core of their genius you sometimes have to peel away layers of onion skin that protect that creative spark.  Not so with these two men.  To know them is to love them and I am blessed that I can call them both my friends.

However, there is nothing so inspired that a ventriloquist can't screw up.  The next day I sent and email to my friends to thank them for a wonderful evening.  I wrote to Charlie and Joan, "I was delighted to meet Charlie's "other woman".  Given that my dyslexic perceptions are sometimes corrected by auto text in my favor, this was a time when the computer corrections did not save me.  Rather than write "delighted to meet Charlie's "other woman" the text actually said "delighted to meet Charlie's "MOTHER woman".  I did not notice the error until after the email was sent.  I immediately sent another email explaining the error.  Joan wrote back to say, she was glad to read the corrected text and glad that there wasn't also another "mother woman" in Charlie's life.  Charlie simply signed his email response with the phrase Charlie and the Mother woman.  

It was just one moment in an evening with the Foxes, the Shermans, the Johnsons and the Willards (Fred and Mary).  Moments of extreme laughter, great show business stories and talk of music and comedy punctuated the dinner.  Those moments are not to write about here, but they are for me to hold close and cherish in the memory of my creative soul.  I celebrate the artistry of this company and embrace the blessing of having been put into an orbit that brings me close to such genius.  

As you were,

Jay

Charlie, Richard and Elizabeth (who asked me if I could photoshop her to appear taller)