Sonya is mentioned in Leigh Weimers column

Sonya is mentioned in Leigh Weimers column

Sonya Paz Mercury News – Leigh Weimers – March 7, 2005
March 07, 2005
San Jose Mercury News columnist, Leigh Weimers mentions Sonya Paz in the week of March 7th, 2005 column.

You’d think that when the Guadalupe River Park and Gardens folks announced — in September — that the park’s grand
opening would be held this coming Sept. 10, that would have pretty well nailed that date. But no. Look what city staffers
working on plans for a grand opening of the new City Hall picked as their date: Sept. 10.
That will have to be adjusted, of course. I’m not particularly jazzed about the opening of the Gonzodome, but the river
park has been in the works for decades, will be enjoyed by a lot more people, and deserves an exclusive opening. And
San Jose still deserves some sort of master calendar where people can check to avoid schedule conflicts.

APPLE CORPS: Always a local angle, even in New York. For instance, Melody Seiley of Scotts Valley was there last
week, participating in a trivia contest on the “Live with Regis and Kelly” show, and ended up winning a new Pontiac
Montana SV6 sport van. Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa’s show even is paying the taxes on it, unlike some others.
Local jazz saxophonist Geoff Roach also was a winner in the Big Apple, but it cost him $100,000. Roach, who leads the
group Octobop, was high bidder on the sax played by jazz legend Gerry Mulligan, offered at the recent auction of
musical memorabilia by Guernsey’s auction house. Proceeds went to the Mulligan family’s foundation for music
scholarships, prompting widow Franca Mulligan to write Roach, “When I asked Gerry (before he passed away) what
he would like to do with his instruments, he said, `They have been so much a part of myself, I would like to have them
played, not just be a showpiece in a museum.’ I am very grateful that Gerry’s wish came true.” (You can catch Octobop –
– and the sax — Saturday at Savanna Jazz in San Francisco.)

San Jose artist Sonya Paz was in the Big Apple last week, showing her work for a second time at the big Artexpo exhibit
at the Javits Convention Center. Paz also introduced a series of wristwatches — “Art, Captured in Time.” You’re in the
big time when you have your own watch line.

And New Yorker Rachel Sheinkin, who co-wrote TheatreWorks’ recent holiday hit musical “Striking 12” with
GrooveLily members Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda, has a new musical, “The 12th Annual Putnam County
Spelling Bee” moving to Broadway on May 2 (it’s currently at Second Stage). Sheinkin and GrooveLily will be back in the
Bay Area for TheatreWorks’ New Works Festival at the end of April, performing yet another new musical:
“Wheelhouse,” an autobiographical tale of three tunesmiths in desperate need of a tuneup as they travel across
America in a Winnebago.

IN PASSING: I was sad to return from vacation to learn that a couple of the city’s most stalwart citizens — Dick
Barrett and Sandy Ellenberg — had passed away. Barrett, my former columnist colleague here at the Merc, will be
remembered for his wit and his art (fellow watercolorist Charlotte Britton is working on a memorial program at the
Triton Museum). And Ellenberg leaves other lasting memories — in the smiles of the needy children whose faces his
reconstructive surgery restored. It doesn’t get much better than that.