BeBop

I was living in the People's Republic of China in January, when the coronavirus outbreak became news. (Excuse the vague "became news". Remember, I was getting my news from the PRC government, so I don't really know about dissemination/perception outside.) I've been through three quarantines of varying length, to leave PRC, in Hong Kong SAR, and in the United States. None have been a big deal to me, especially in the latter two, where some corner of the internet was available to me, some relatively unfiltered news. There is, though, a sense of deja vu to it all. In China, the business started closing, the parks, the libraries...then in Hong Kong, when I was there...and the Houston Rodeo is closed now, same experience, two months on. As it seems PRC seems to be making progress against the virus, it has been easier to accept each subsequent isolation, loss of access to people and businesses, resources.

I'm an irregular here, perhaps even moreso than on BNBB or JazzCentralStation, rec.music.bluenote (always the same user name), but I'm glad it exists for my rare free moments when I have internet access. And someday, I will be long-term resettled off The Continent.... Here, no Deep.

My recorded GPS waypoint shows it in the Andino Shopping Center, Bogotá. I'm pretty sure this location closed, along with the other "survivors" I visited in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and (recently) Hong Kong. The only open locations I have seen lately have been in Japan (Kansai, Tokyo).

I lived near Sacramento in my formative days, so probably started shopping at Tower around 1967. I still shop at Tower in Kansai and Tokyo area...frankly more for music-related books and magazines than for the recorded music they sell these days. After then closure of the US stores, I still shopped in Colombia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Thailand, Whatever the condition of the business and physical location, it was a small touch of "home". I can't swear to it - my ability to read Japanese is almost non-existent - but Tower's prices are as high as any place I have seen. And the selection runs absolutely mainstream.

Ah, but who wants the real story. ;-) (From memory, not exact quotes) "We weren't Jewish, but we were Jew-ish..." "The landlady used to do the cooking and pygmies came all the way from Africa to dip their arrows in the soup." "We used to mix LSD and chopped liver and take trips to Israel." It's pretty much like that throughout, if you haven't read. Maybe that'll save you a few quid. The Japanese military uniform reminds me of Red Rodney in his (non-Japanese) military uniform and related shtick. (OT)

Ronnie Scott's Some of My Best Friends are Blues

Happy 84th, Victor, in absentia. I hope it's a great one.

It's been a while, Tim. Nice to see your name pop up again.

For me, a good reed is hard to find. A really good reed. As Jsngry notes, the product has declined since the seventies. I tend to play reeds out-of-the-box to determine if they are even worth breaking in (or trying to cut and salvage). Many hit the trash can right away. Maybe I toss a few with potential, but, hell, they are cheap and life is short. Playing time even shorter, and I cam feel mine waning, unlike Wayne. I usually practice on "okay" reeds and keep the good ones for special times. (I don't gig, ain't no gigs in Africa; but for jamming and playing with others.) Dry reeds suck - may squeak, hard to blow - so most players try to keep them wet.

Bob was a KJAZ deejay, host of the "only Lester Young program in the history of the universe" (or some such thing), co-host with Dr. Herb Wong of other programs. He also taught jazz appreciation at Piedmont Adult School. And God knows what else. A character and a nice guy. I mostly knew personally him through the education bit. Sorry I can't make the link look right. https://www.berkeleyside.com/2020/01/22/remembering-robert-vernon-houlehan-beloved-kindergarten-teacher-radio-host-wine-lover?utm_source=Berkeleyside+and+Oakland+email+newsletters&utm_campaign=ac99029051-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_BRIEFING&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_aad4b5ee64-ac99029051-333265469&goal=0_aad4b5ee64-ac99029051-333265469

I will miss having him here on Earth but will cling to his music.

It's that time again. Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday, nephew.

Horrors! where the children might find them?