Evan Jacover (dot com!) » Friends

Reunited and it Feels A Little Stiff in My Joints

Evan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:27:22 +0000

One of my grandmother’s oldest friends, Clara, moved to Durham a few years ago to be closer to her daughter. I’ve known Clara as long as I can remember, and my grandmother has known her longer than that. We used to go over to her house to break the fast after Yom Kippur with a big vat of borscht.

Since we were going to be in North Carolina for Thanksgiving, Clara’s daughter and my mom arranged for the two of them to meet up in Asheville. I can’t remember seeing my grandma happier. (“I didn’t think I’d ever see her again.”)

GRAM: Clara, you look great!
CLARA: You look great!
GRAM: Good! We’re both lying!

LaPorte, Indiana

Evan — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 02:50:16 +0000

My old college buddy Joe is working on his directorial debut: a documentary called LaPorte, Indiana. I can’t decide whether or not the premise is simple or ambitions. I suppose it’s both, and that’s what’s so great about it. I described it as “Peoples Is Peoples: The Movie.”

But don’t take my word for it. Watch the trailer, and then, if you’re feeling moved to do so, help them finish it.

Knocked Up in ’09

Evan — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:07:53 +0000

I found out Claire and Dan were having a baby when Claire casually took off her sweater… revealing this T-shirt underneath:

Some news is best spread by T-Shirt, saving the awkward, “We have some news…” moment. Maybe I’ll print up some “My grandma’s in the hospital” and “I got a good interest rate” shirts. Place your orders now!

Recording Kids Music Is Fun

Evan — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 02:29:12 +0000

Joanie asked if I’d play a song at her daughter Natasha’s baby-warming party. That sounds weird. It was actually a 3-month birthday, I think.

Anyway, I decided I shouldn’t just play any old song, I should write one for Natasha. And now, for her second birthday, I finally got around to recording it.

Recording music for kids is the best. You can put whatever you want in there. Banjo? Sure! Whistling? Definitely! Sasquatch growl? Do you even have to ask? I wanted to put a gong at the end, but Aric wasn’t around and I couldn’t figure out how to use his soft-synth-sampler-deluxe. Maybe next time. Until then, here’s “Natasha”:

Natasha – 2:54

Thanks to Renee for the whistling. I’m a lousy whistler.

Natasha
by Evan Jacover

I don’t really know you but I’m pretty sure that you’re the coolest girl I’ve ever met.
And one day when you talk to me we’re gonna have a whole lot of fun I suspect.
Apples in a basket, apples in a pie
Apples in a tree, how did they get so high?
An apple hit me on the head and gave me a clue that I should sing a song to you.

And you’re the reason that the monkey does his monkey dance.
And you’re the reason that the cheetah learned to run so fast.
And if you ask the walrus why he grew his big moustache-a…
He’d say he grew it for Natasha.

My wish for you is that what makes you happiest is when you’re seeing other people smile.
‘Cause when you’re in a room I’ve got a feeling that they’re gonna be smiling for a while.
A pile of dirt and a whole lot of love.
An inchworm’s dancing with a ladybug.
They do the foxtrot, jitterbug and bugaloo too. All they want to do is dance for you.

And no one knows why your daddy only bowls strikes and spares
Or why your mama wears stilts walking up and down the stairs
But if you ask your grandma why she made all those hamentashen…
She’d say she made them for Natasha.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You may wonder why the Unicorn never shows her face
Or why the Loch Ness Monster stays hidden deep inside a lake.
And if you’re wondering why noone’s ever seen the Sasquatch-a…
It’s ’cause he’s waiting for Natasha.

Idiot Camp

Evan — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:11:23 +0000

A few weeks ago I went on an annual trip to Michigan with some old friends from high school. Each year it offers all of us a chance to get together and act like idiots. There is usually at least one trip to the Walmart in town where various shenanigan utensils are purchesed: bb guns, screen printing supplies, watermelons+Crisco, or in the case of last year, a model rocket kit. After immediately losing the two actual model rockets, we began looking around for other things to strap rocket engines to.

Behold the launch and recovery of the RacketRocket:

Why I Don’t Have Terrible Taste In Music

Evan — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:57:07 +0000

Every couple of years Trevor recommends music to me. It’s not often, but he has an amazing track record. When we were sophomores in college, he introduced me to John Prine (and, by proxy, Iris DeMent.) Prine has gone on to become my favorite performer. A few years later he suggested I listen to Chuck Brodsky. Now I own all his albums.

Yesterday Trevor asked if I had been listening to M. Ward. I hadn’t. Trevor’s three for three. It’s nice to have a friend like that.

Here are two M. Ward songs for all of you:

Thanks, Doodlers!

Evan — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 14:33:40 +0000

I was at a loss for what sort of artwork to put on the CD itself so I decided, as I often do, to let my friends do the work for me. I sent an e-mail to a select few asking them to draw a doodle a for me in exchange for a free CD. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough room to give credit to these fine artists in the CD packaging itself, but the Internet has no word limit so I will give credit here.

A. Joe Beshenkovsky says, “It’s a plant! In a pot! I tried some other things but my artistic skills have withered away like so much old skin.” Joe and I worked together at the TV station at Columbia University. I think it looks quite nice.

B. Gordon Wright is as classy as the top hats he draws. He’s also a heck of a singer. If all goes according to plan, you can see Gordon play at the upcoming CD release show for this bad boy. In the meantime, visit his website.

C. Rachel Hansen and I really bonded taking driving classes together when we were 16. I was a bad driver then and I’m a bad driver now. Also, she drew a fish.

D. Keira Dubowsky may win the “person-I’ve-known-the-longest-who-drew-a-doodle” award as we’ve been friends since we were 12. She sent this worried man through the mail and he got to me just in the nick of time.

E. Shama Dardai has been drawing ninjas as long as she can remember. She drew this one so fast you can actually see the speed lines. But he is a gentle ninja and isn’t actually attacking the little fellow in “F.” Fear not.

F. Mara Levinsky is a jerk for not living in Chicago. But just when I think she’s forgotten where she comes from, she goes ahead and gets a Yorkie and names him “Dempster” after a street in Evanston. Then she draws him along with a Ron of Japan lotus flower.

G. Julie Irons didn’t actually draw this picture. “Today I confiscated a drawing from one of my fifth graders who was doodling when he should have been checking his answers. I told him he had two options: I take it home and throw it away, or I take it home and send it to you. Guess which one he chose?”

H. Joanie Friedman actually wins the person I’m known the longest award. We grew up around the corner from each other. Sorry Keira, I guess I was wrong. She also knows me very well — drawing the Chicago skyline.

I. Rachel Hansen actually drew three doodles and it was so hard to choose one that I had to put this snowman in as well.

J. Jon Stoper drew this fisherman who is apparently fishing for elephants judging by the monster hook on that bad boy.

K. Karen Van Ausdal crafted what is perhaps the most pleasant doodle on this whole CD. Why? Because she is perhaps the most pleasant lady on the whole CD.

L. Jen Eckart not only took the photos for the CD, she drew this picture of me… with an eye patch… wearing a “Proberty” t-shirt. We were members of a barely-existent band and we wanted it to have the worst name ever. Hence, “Proberty.”

M. Shama Dardai also drew several pictures. She, like this elephant, is a saint. Unlike this elephant, her wings aren’t tragically undersized.

N. David Huyck is an actual artist that I know from high school. Not that the others on this list aren’t artists, but he’s a real-life illustrator, and an amazing one at that. Visit his website, “Bunch of Monkeys,” and kill a few hours perusing his work. Good times.

O. Joanie Friedman drew this… box of magicians? And that’s all I have to say about that.

P. Dave Innis is an amazing artist, but I’m not sure he has a great handle on bovine physiology. We’ve all seen cows bowling, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen one with udders and horns.

So there you go. It is, frankly, my favorite part of this whole CD.