by Hunter Gordon, Newtown, PA

In college, probably 1980 or 1981, I somehow got involved in the start-up of a club that ended up bringing the Paul Winter Consort to the University. There were only 3 or 4 of us in the club so we all pitched in, and the PWConsort needed someone to help as a roadie. The percussionist had an elaborate rig to set up. I spent much of the day with him and the rest of the group, lugging stuff into the gothic chapel where the concert was to be held. As I got to know the percussionist, he told me that he’d been with Paul Winter for 5 years, but that he was thinking of quitting the group. He was worried about how to do it, how to break the news to Paul. He was somewhat distracted by the thought. During the show, the only thing I had to do was help move a large wooden instrument into place when it was to be played.

Afterwards, I helped break down the percussionist’s setup. It was during that time, as the group was packing up, that the percussionist broke the news to Paul in front of the rest of the group. As I recall, Paul came up to him and said something like, “Great show.”

His response was along the lines of, “Yeah. Good for my farewell concert.”

I felt like I was eavesdropping on an uncomfortable family conversation as he told Paul that he was leaving the group. Fortunately, it turned out to be a bittersweet moment, not a dysfunctional family argument. But it showed me how much a group of musicians can become like a family. And since there are plenty of bands that show the dysfunctional side of the family, I’m glad I got an inside look at a functional one.