Justin Kolb’s Rewirement

MARGARETVILLE - John Boudreau, a concert pianist who became a graphic designer, knew Justin and Barbara Kolb from the auction houses. After fifteen years away from playing concerts, John told Justin that he was going back to the stage. Justin not only told him it was a good idea, he attended every one of his concerts from that point forward. It is no surprise to see Justin and Barbara at concerts in the towns surrounding Fleischmanns. They are truly lovers of the arts and are encouraging audience members and patrons. Again and again I hear of Barbara helping artists and art organizations succeed. John put it well, "they are generous with their love and support." The Kolbs have travelled three or four hours to attend a concert when John was performing. "They earnestly want people, musicians, friends, students to develop, grow, and win."

The first song of the evening was performed by Maggie Parent, Tom  Fetterman, Bonnie MacSaveny; Tim Mukherjee. Bonnie sang a dear version of "They Can't Take That Away From Me," reworked to honor Justin. "The way you raise your hat, the way you raise the key, the memory of all that, no no they can't take that away from me. The way he twirls his cane, the way he dons his vest, the way he's earned his fame, ... he won't be on the stage tonight, with his flashy dulcet tones, still I'll always, always keep the memory of... the way Barbara turns the page, the way she'll dance til three, the way they brighten our lives..." And right she is, they can't take that away from us.

Maggie Parent knew Justin and Barbara for a few years, when Justin found out she played the violin. In his direct manner he asked, "Ya any good?" It was the start of a musical collaboration, as she put it at the party, "I love Justin and Barbara dearly. Sort of like family, but better." She and John Boudreau played a piece by Phillip Glass that was one of Justin and Maggie's favorite duets. She told the audience that she chose it so that Justin would know that they are "carrying on with [him] at [their] sides."

One of the great joys of the evening were the slides of Justin and Barbara's lives which played on the screen at the front of the room through the night. Some of you will remember my piece about Justin, "The Kid Can Play." How nice it was to see photographs of Justin as a young boy on stage at the piano, or in uniform, in Europe during the Vietnam War and the Cold War, as he played concerts while secretly working for the government. In the photographs he looks just as I imagine him, when he met with the CIA at the end of his enlistment and was offered a job in "the pickle factory." I confirmed the face in my mind's eye, the ever present twinkle in the eye as he asked, "Can I get hurt doing this?" And of course his thanking them and taking his separation from government work when the answer was, "probably not." There is no doubt about the wisdom of his youth to have focused on "probably" rather than the "not."

Justin thanks the guests and performers, explaining that his wife Barbara managed his career for fifteen years. "I used to tell people, 'it's a dirty business. You have to sleep with your manager,'" Justin quipped. "Then one day Barbara said, 'this is it, I'm going back to being a mosaicist...' So, we have this agreement, she will be my secretary one day a week and we'll catch up on all the administrative stuff. But now, as you know, there's no hanky panky or otherwise she'll sue me. It's a strange life ladies and gentlemen.... Barbara managed my career. I owe her everything from the concert hall in Budapest to the Baseball Hall of Fame, I owe to this woman." 

The room turned from laughter to cheers from the very soul, for this couple who have given us and each other so much and will continue to do so, now in a new way. Justin says he is going into "rewirement," rather than "retirement." And we expect that is exactly what his life, to our lives will be. He continued to thank people in his own, uniquely humorous way... "I'd like to thank  Andy Cahill, talk about control. Andy called me up, with her ... husband Ron. At one time they were big time promoters... and she said, 'we have to have a party.' ... I said, 'no party,' as I thought a party would be kinda silly, at my age. 'But would you have people bring presents?' and she said, 'no." So, I said 'no party.' So, behind my back, Andy pushed and shoved the wonderful people on the committee, who are my close, close, best friends, after Barbara." He went on to name Maggie Parent, Tim Mukerjee, Loren and Susan Daniels, Marilyn and Adam Ippolito and Brian and Penny of Union Grove. There is a huge host of folks who are thankful to Andy and the committee for giving us the opportunity to thank these two treasures of the Catskills, while hearing such great music from Andy, Loren, Tim, Maggie, John and Bonnie. The music expresses well the love we all feel towards Justin and Barbara Kolb.

Adam Ippolito started his toast to the couple by saying, "I think I feel a lot of love in the room." Truer words were never spoken. The room was overflowing with love for a couple who have given their love and support to the arts community with generosity and warmth. "Together he and Barbara have worked diligently to create huge community projects such as the Belleayre Music Festival and the Phoenicia Festival." Adam spoke of the joy the projects brought us, as well as the culture and economic benefits they have brought to the Catskills. He pointed out that Justin provided music education to the children in the local schools. "So it is no surprise that he has started a scholarship fund for kids in Delaware County who want to continue their music education after high school.."

Justin introduced Lee Wecker, a retired executive from the New York Times. It was his idea to establish a scholarship.

Those who came to the rewirement party gave abundantly to the scholarship fund. There was so much to be thankful for that night, not the least of which was the entertainment and the hospitality from Brian and Penny of the Union Grove Distillery. To learn more about or donate to the Justin Kolb's Music Scholarship Fund, go here: https://tinyurl.com/JKolbMusic