It is on us now to hold each other up, to stand together, to build a wall of support and strength by locking hands and arms and hearts and resisting the venomous cruelty surrounding us. It is in this act, this conscious, fervent, radical support for each other, that I have found my greatest joy and hope this year.
My family and I moved to Nyack in 2021 when the effects of the COVID lockdown made our life in Manhattan unsustainable. I had visited Nyack as a teenager – in fact, my first paid professional gig was as the Associate Musical Director for a show at the Elmwood Playhouse in 1985 – and had always found it a charming, quirky and arty little haven on the Hudson River. But forty years later, I wasn't sure how to find my people here, how to be part of the community.
And then Liz Roberts got in touch. Liz and I had gone to high school together, though I wouldn't say we knew each other particularly well, but she had heard I'd moved back to the county and hoped I might be interested in Proyecto Faro, a non-profit for which she is co-executive director. And the moment Liz began telling me about Proyecto Faro's work and mission, I knew I had to be involved.
The short version is that Proyecto Faro serves the immigrant community in Rockland County – legally, logistically, emotionally; wherever there is a need, PF is working to meet it. It's heroic, deeply human work, and it is exactly the kind of community-based, boots-on-the-ground, sleeves-rolled-up commitment to helping those in need that we need to get us through these next years. I told Liz I would do whatever I could to help.
And so I called Sierra Boggess, who had just done a concert with me at Groton Hill; and I called Joy Woods, who had just done Songs for a New World with me in London; and I called Grace McLean, who had done a great gig with me in DC this summer; and I called my band, and I called my sound designer Jon Weston, and I called Elliott Forrest, who (when he's not the voice of WQXR) is at the heart of the performing arts scene in Rockland County and a true mensch; and we all set about transforming an old Dutch Reformed church in the middle of town into a first-class concert venue.
Three hundred people packed the Angel Nyack, and we fed off their electric energy, one incredible performance after another, and some surprises: my wife Georgia coming up from the audience to sing "Sanctuary" with me and Sierra; a full audience four-part harmony singalong to "Kindness Patience and Respect"; and a rousing trombone solo in "The Shed Shack" delivered by jazz legend Alan Ferber from his seat in the third row!
(We didn't have a photographer, so these are just some stills taken on various iPhones in the audience, but I wanted to put them here to help commemorate this extraordinary evening.)
I started 2025 wondering how to brave the onslaught of mendacity and corruption in our politics and connect with my community, and I ended the year feeling like I was part of a movement, part of a grand plan to fight back and stand strong against a torrent of violence and hate. I was so moved by how the people of Nyack came together to support this show and raise money for this incredible, vitally important organization. I hope you will consider joining them – you can donate to Proyecto Faro by clicking here.
SETLIST
------
JRB: Piano and vocals
Sierra Boggess, Joy Woods & Grace McLean: vocals
Georgia Stitt: guest vocalist
Alan Ferber: surprise trombone
Jamie Eblen: drums and guitar
Hidayat Honari: guitars
Sam Minaie: basses
Alison Shearer: flute and saxophones
Elliott Forrest: producer
Jon Weston Design|Theatrical Sound (Michael Eisenberg, John Millerd, Marcus Myler): sound
Safe & Sound (Dave Reiss): lighting and sound equipment
Claudia Stefany: stage management
Katie Rosin Green/Kampfire Media & PR: public relations
Katherine Cartusciello: assistant to JRB
Special thanks to Susan Wilmink and the whole team at the Angel Nyack for being so amazingly helpful and accommodating!