Is that really you, Christopher O'Riley? (Say it ain't so!)

Bobby McFerrin is too cool. Photo credit: Szaniszlo Ivor

By Barry Johnson

UPDATE: We asked Christopher O'Riley's press agent to check on the authenticity of the comment that purports to be from O'Riley. Here's what he said: "Dear Mr. Johnson, Mr. O'Riley says he did NOT post the original comment." We have asked him subsequently whether or not  O'Riley is playing in Detroit in June, and if he would cross a musicians picket line during a strike. We'll see what he says. We think this post, as is, has some usefulness, perhaps, so we'll leave it up. But remember, O'Riley is denying that he left the comment in question!

Last night a comment landed on an Arts Dispatch post from a couple of weeks ago, "Christopher O'Riley and the non-apology apology." And it was from Christopher O'Riley himself!

OK, the slammer at the end of the previous sentence is a bit of a jest. I was immediately skeptical that O'Riley had really left the comment on a post that took him to task 1) for failing to research the circumstances of the musicians' strike at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and 2) for apologizing, when it finally came to that, for the wrong thing, namely wounding the feelings of fellow musicians, instead of  simply getting his facts wrong.

I did a little research, and I'm still not sure the REAL O'Riley left the comment,  [UPDATE: In fact, he says he didn't: See above!] though who'd be wandering the Internet posing as Christopher O'Riley on blog posts opposing his positions and then planting erroneous information about upcoming Christopher O'Riley concerts? [UPDATE: Apparently, someone.] But if he did, good for him! Especially since he allows us to break a little news: The Detroit Symphony will host an O'Riley concert in June. It's not even up on the DSO website yet. [UPDATE: We're still trying to get confirmation one way or another on this.]

But see for yourself. Here's what he said:

hey, barry-
thanks for posting my nirvana video link.
all my detroit friends will be happy, i'm sure, that i've got plans to play a recital presented by the DSO in June.
hope to see you all there!

I want to talk about the two parts of that comment: The Nirvana video he's talking about gets to the heart of O'Riley's original point on his NPR blog;  and we should talk a little about the politics of the recital itself,  because then we'll be able to embed a cool Bobby McFerrin video, and we LOVE Bobby McFerrin.