GAYLETTER

I met Joseph formally last June at a GAYLETTER Interracial party. He sang one song, or maybe two, and I was totally transfixed. He gave me his business card and I put it in my ‘special people’ pile I keep in my drawer in my filing cabinet. When Abi assigned me to photograph him to help promote his new show, I was thrilled.

I immediately got a vision—Joseph in my bed, crisp white cotton boxers, new white Hanes ribbed tank top, clean/clean (in hair and make-up terms that means no make-up, freshly washed hair, no product). So I set about prepping, I spent all day Sunday buying the boxers at Brooks Brothers, I walked up and down Madison Ave. to the flagship store twice to get the right size….anything for my Joseph, I playfully thought.

So the shoot day arrived and it was gorgeous—so was Joseph, he arrived in all black, the same way he takes his coffee. We discussed many things as I sipped prosecco and snapped a few pics at the coffee table. Then it was time for the bedroom. I had my favorite Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi streaming on the stereo and daylight in the bedroom.

One camera had color film and one had black and white. I guess I got lost in the prosecco bubbles and the moment, pushing the camera shutters as Joseph reclined in various positions until the film ran out.

As he changed back into his street clothes, I looked around my space and had a sensation something special had gone on.

The following Saturday Abi, Patrick and I went to see Joseph’s show ‘I Am An Opera’ at Dixon Place. It’s written, composed & performed by Joseph himself. I was hypnotized by his voice, storytelling and stage presence. The seamless performance incorporated so many diverse elements it was dazzling.  

‘I Am An Opera’ is playing on April 19, 20, 26 & 27 at 7:30PM at Dixon Place, 161A Chrystie st. NY, NY. Click here for tickets!