A Gesture And A Word — A Songwriter’s Journey Toward the Great Whatever

After 25 years in the music business, musician and poet Rob Morsberger was finally getting some overdue recognition. The music press was praising his music - comparing him to Randy Newman, Tom Waits and even Stephen Foster. Then Rob’s world changed overnight. He was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and given 24 months to live. Rather than succumb to this grim reality, Rob used it to fuel the most prolific period in his songwriting career – determined to utilize his remaining time to explore through words and music the transient nature of life, the inevitability of death and the infinite magic in the detail of a single moment. A Gesture and a Word is a portrait of a man who exemplifies the saying, Ars longa – Vita Brevis (Art is long – Life is short).

Commentary and performances by Crash Test Dummies’ Brad Roberts; Suzzy Roche of The Roches; Stewart Lerman, Musical Director for Boardwalk Empire, Steely Dan guitarist Jon Herington and singer/songwriter Marshall Crenshaw, augment Rob’s own observations as he prepares himself for what he calls “The Great Whatever”. 

Directed by Dave Davidson

Produced By Dave Davidson & Dinah Quayle Davidson

Edited by Pamela Ralat

93 Minutes

You’ll receive a free Rob Morsberger CD with every “A Gesture and a Word” DVD purchase

You’ll select your free Morsberger CD when you add the DVD to your cart, but please browse our available selection of Morsberger’s works below.