Goodbye, Steve Jobs; Hello (Again), Eiko & Koma

By Victoria Looseleaf

When last we wrote about Eiko & Koma in March, they were in the midst of their retrospective tour, Regeneration (click here to read about the duo, their backgrounds, their work, the art of Butoh…). We also mentioned that this astonishing couple would be returning to Los Angeles to perform a piece commemorating the events of September 11 at the Skirball Cultural Center.

Well, better late than not at all. Here then are two video clips from that performance, Water, an achingly gorgeous, hour-long exploration of life, death, serenity and sadness, with music composed and performed by Robert Mirabal. (On one hand we wished no cameras had been allowed, on the other, we wouldn’t have been able to shoot any of this footage, albeit unedited and occasionally shaky. Whaddya gonna do?)

And while today is a holiday, Columbus Day, and banks and post offices are closed (but weirdly, not the stock market, which seems to have inexplicably shot up, while the Occupy Wall Street movement continues, and continues to spread, including publishing its own newpaper, the Occupied Wall Street Journal), we also have time to reflect. Indeed: We just finished listening to Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms and Mozart’s final work, his haunting and powerful Requiem, both performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl as part of the last concert broadcast of the 2011 season – the Bowl’s 90th – on Classical KUSC. (Click here for more on our lovefest with the Phil).

This emotionally charged music helps us mourn the passing of Steve Jobs (iGrieve, iSad, iRemember, iEtc.), an extraordinary visionary who left us way too soon, at age 56. And yes, it’s totally true, we are among the many millions who have an obsessive attachment to our Apple products: As we toil away on our iMacs, listening to the constant stream of chirps coming from our iPhones (in fact, we learned of Jobs’ death at an afternoon screening of the strictly mediocre film, Margin Call, after which everyone took out their cells to get more info), and iPads – the iPod is reserved for plane trips – we are forever grateful that Steve Jobs graced the planet with his presence, his genius and that uncanny gift he had of being able to give us what we didn’t know we wanted/needed until he, in fact, created it.

Thank you, Steve. You’ll be mightily missed but are forever with us – in our pockets, on our laps, in our ears, on our desks. And a million thanks to Eiko & Koma for sweeping us along with you on your many enlightening and healing journeys.

Oh, and while we’re at it: We’d like to thank you, dear readers, for bringing us into your digital lives every day. To quote Warren Beatty from Bonnie and Clyde, “Ain’t life grand!” And one final merci – an extra special shout-out to Warren’s sister, erstwhile hoofer and fabulous actor/writer/New Age diva, Shirley MacLaine, an Academy Award-winner who will receive the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award next June. Congratulations, Ms. Shirley, we love you madly!