The New York Times published a fascinating, heart-wrenching feature yesterday, called The Lives They Loved. They asked readers to send a photograph of a loved one who died last year; I submitted a picture of my close friend Diane Izzo.
Tag "diane-izzo"
The luminous, witty, and prodigiously talented Diane Izzo died a couple days ago, of complications resulting from brain cancer. I’d been a fan of her music for years, and was lucky to forge a friendship with her, occasionally play in her backup band, and recently to collaborate on a film that she and her husband Marco were producing.
I’m grateful that in the last few years I was able to make several trips to Taos to visit Diane and Marco–ostensibly to work on the film, which was really fun–but even better was spending time talking and laughing with those two, enjoying the profoundly beautiful New Mexico sky and mountains, and meeting their many remarkable friends.
Diane was a great inspiration to me. The planet won’t be the same without her.
Update: Jim and Greg weigh in.
I went back to Taos, New Mexico last October, doing more cinematography on the film Black and Gold, directed by my friends Marco Zas and Diane Izzo. Here are some still photographs I shot.
The trailer for “Black & Gold,” directed by Diane Izzo and Marco Zas, and shot by me, is now online. More about the film at its new site.
Insightful and wisecracking Tuk, another lovely Taoseño I shot last week for Black and Gold, a film in progress by Diane Izzo and Marco Zas. Pt. 1 is here.
For the last 5 days I’ve been in Taos, shooting stills and video with my friends Diane Izzo and Marco Zas. They’re making a film with the working title Black and Gold. Here’s a picture of Vincente Martinez, one of the fabulous Taoseños we shot. More to follow.
Diane Izzo. Photo: Jim Newberry
My friends Diane and Marco have had some really bad breaks, and they could use a little help. Please come to the SAIC ballroom this Sunday; for $20 you’ll be contributing to a worthy cause and getting the chance to hear some fantastic music (check out the stellar lineup below). Here’s more info from the benefit organizers:
Diane Izzo is a singer/songwriter with roots and many, many friends in Chicago. Her debut CD, the Brad Wood-produced ONE, was released here to much acclaim at the tail end of the 90s “Chicago scene.” She continued to write and perform her contemplative, evocative music here until she and her partner Marco decided to leave the big city behind and settle in sunswept Taos, NM, where they caretake a ranch sttlement that once housed Aldous Huxley and shipped paintings for Georgia O’Keefe.
Last year, a congenital condition caused Marco’s kidneys to fail and he had a transplant. Two months ago, en route to his dialysis appointment, Diane suffered a grand mal seizure while driving their van. An MRI revealed a mass on her left frontal lobe.
Diane had that tumor removed yesterday. She is recovering well and they await biopsy results. In the meantime, Diane and Marco, like so many Americans, have no health insurance and would face sure financial catastrophe if not for help from their friends.
On Sunday, November 9 please join Robbie Fulks, Califone, the Waco Brothers w Sally Timms, Vernon Tonges and Beau O’Reilly and the Crooked Mouth String Band at the School of the Art Institute Ballroom for a benefit for Diane Izzo.
$20 buys you an evening of excellent muscianship and celebration.
Show at 7. SAIC ballroom is located at 112 S Michigan in Chicago.Go to www.dianeizzo.com for more info and to buy tickets online through The Hideout/Ticketweb, and use the PAYPAL link to donate funds directly to Diane and Marco.
Produced by the Curious Theater Branch.
Also, be sure to check out Diane’s music here. I don’t know why she isn’t better known; she’s a brilliant songwriter with a gorgeously haunting voice.
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