"Right now, I'm working on finding a structure for the film," says Lawrence, who talks at the equivalent of 70 mph, interrupted by the occasional hearty chuckle. "I've got to take chances. I don't want to just string these [interviews] together. There has to be a story. It is not easy, but I've got the goods."
Those goods, preserved on state-of-the-digital-art equipment in Lawrence's meticulously organized second-floor office/studio at his home, include a sequence with Bell discussing and playing Bach's formidable, profound Chaconne, which he has never recorded. "Bach is a hero of mine, and of every other living and dead musician," Bell says from New York. "This was a nice opportunity to delve deeper into the Chaconne, and to have a snapshot of this point in my life."
He found Lawrence to be "an easygoing, jolly guy. And he has a genuine love for Bach. I'm assuming his affection will come through in the film," Bell says.
His involvement with the project didn't stop when the cameras did. He also represented the project with Lawrence in California this month at the 2008 Entertainment Gathering, an annual event that attracts a heady assortment of creative people. The roster included screenwriter Marshall Brickman, nature photographer Franz Lanting and singer/songwriter Todd Rundgren.
It was at the 2007 EG that Lawrence gave an initial presentation about his project, garnering some funding (he used his own savings to start the venture). He gave an update at this year's EG, and then introduced Bell, who played the Chaconne for the attendees.
The Indianapolis-born Lawrence, 63, traces his own fascination with Bach to his student days. "I think it was the Swingle Singers that really hooked me," he says. This a cappella jazz vocal ensemble, directed by Ward Swingle, made a splash singing ingenious versions of Bach pieces in the 1960s (they can be heard briefly on the soundtrack of the new film Milk).
Swingle flew from Paris earlier this year specifically for Lawrence's project. On film, he discusses his group's novelty - "People hadn't scatted Bach before" - and the versatility of Bach's music. "You can appreciate [it] in so many ways," he says. "It's mind-boggling." Swingle describes how he starts each morning performing something by Bach: "It lifts you up for the day, and you lead a better life as a result."
