This is my first Mother's Day without my Mom. What a surprise when I get this message in my email today from Ruth Ann Galatas who apparently had been working on a project with Rene Touzet before he died which featured his works including one played by my mom, Olga Diaz. So today on Mother's Day, I got to hear her voice and her piano again. This also features an introduction my mom made on Touzet and on this particular piece. It's not easy as you can imagine, and tomorrow, being my birthday, will be the first one in my life, that she did not sing my happy birthday first thing in the morning. So this email was very special to me today.

As an FYI, (and I'll post more information in the next few days), there will be a Tribute Concert for my Mother on May 30, 2009 at 3:00pm at the Roca Theater (located in Belen School) with all proceeds to go to Regis House, which was one of my mom's favorite charities. She was supposed to do a benefit for them this February, but sadly she had to leave us in December. So myself with pianist Robert Lozano have assembled a panoply of Cuban talent to stage a hell of a show playing all the works that my mom used to play and at the same time benefiting a great charity. I'll post more on this, but keep that date open. I'd love to see everyone there. Very rarely will you get so much talent under one roof. It should not be missed.

To all the moms out there, have a great mother's day. For those that still have their moms, enjoy them while you still have them.