Hot Ptah

I happened to notice that the Music Exchange in Kansas City has several of these Time/Life silver boxes in 8 TRACK TAPE format, for those still using that form of technology. I saw the Duke Ellington and Sidney Bechet there for sure.

Isn't much jazz today that's worthy?? That is one majorly fucked up statement. Very true! I suspect that many members of the classical music establishment feel that way about jazz. Many just don't have the opportunity to express it publicly, or are too discreet to say it out loud in front of a crowd.

Certainly true in Kansas City, although to be fair, the presenters try to "push the envelope" as far as they feel they can--presenting Steve Lacy, Lee Konitz, and other artists who are not as commercial as some who could be chosen. I give them credit for that.

Another voice from the hinterlands here--in Kansas City there is quite a good subscription series for classical music, the Harriman Jewell series, affiliated with the liberal arts college William Jewell College. They presented Wynton and the JLC orchestra in their "variety" sub-series a few years ago (the "special" part of the subscription where modern dance and other non-classical music artists are presented). The leader of the series came out onstage before the Wynton/JLC concert and said something to the effect that there isn't much jazz today that is worthy of being presented by Harriman Jewell, but we can depend on Wynton Marsalis. This remark was greeted with warm applause. The Wynton/JLC concert was spotty. There were some good moments, but it was rarely exciting or inspiring. Even within the narrow confines of the music being presented, the orchestra did not live up to the potential of the music. The tenor players could not effectively exchange fours on a Charlie Parker composition, for instance. It certainly was not cutting edge. Ironically, the only really exciting part of the entire evening was the encore, when Wynton came out with only bass and drums and played a truly blistering version of King Oliver's "Snake Rag". I have to give him credit, that was outstanding. My point is that the classical audience, and many students from William Jewell College (who also make up a large part of the audience at these concerts) received a vision of "what is jazz today" which is inaccurate and unneccessarily negative. Now, isn't it up to the Harriman Jewell staff to select something better? Yes, but....if you are not keeping current with jazz, Wynton and JLC get so much publicity that it is easy to pick them, and you can be assured that your audience has heard of him. If the same amount of publicity went to a more consistently inspiring, exciting artist, jazz might have a different image around the nation.

National League Washington Nationals Kenny Washington

Wanda Jackson A Jackson In Your House Joseph Jarman

Black Dog Jimmy Page Patti Page

That was your chance to "dispatch" him in some way!

MG, why don't you do it? You would be great at it!

Jeff "The Frugal Gourmet" Smith Jimmy Smith Al Smith

Concord in Carl Jefferson's day often listed the sidemen on the cover. Muse is another label that often did so.

Is there room outside of your window to place one of those humane cages/traps? I have found them to be very effective. A little peanut butter on the trip mechanism inside and you will catch the squirrel in a metal cage. You can then safely carry the cage by the handle and release it miles away. I know of people who have killed the animals once they were in the cages, by immersion in a bucket of water or by leaving it next to an auto exhaust. Needless to say, I am not recommending these methods.

Babs Gonzalves Paul Gonsalves Jo Jones

Mountain Girl Leslie West Jim Morrison

I have certainly made a fool of myself in my personal encounters with musicians. I once met Don Moye and was so stunned that I stammered out some highly laudatory comments about how much I had enjoyed his playing on several albums. He gave me a withering stare and a comment which left no doubt that he saw me as an annoying fool. Since then I have been very cautious about even talking to jazz musicians. I once sat on a barstool next to David Murray for 30 minutes, between his sets, and did not say a word, because I thought that anything I might say would appear to be annoying and/or stupid. I have met some jazz musicians who were gracious and welcoming.

Andy Etchebarren Elrod Hendricks Johnny Orsino

Bob Boone Tony Muser Tony Pena

Roosevelt Grier Pam Grier Greer Garson

Harry "Sweets" Edison Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton Marvin "Bad News" Barnes

Recent article from Kansas City Star on the types of cicadas we have in Kansas City, and how loud they are this summer: Posted on Tue, Aug. 22, 2006 When it’s really hot, cicadas sing out even louder and prouder. By EDWARD M. EVELD The Kansas City Star At some point this summer, cicadas moved from backup vocals to headliner. They’re so loud you can be in your car, windows up, air conditioning on freeze, radio blaring, and still hear them. Dogs glance warily at the trees before agreeing to go for a walk. It’s the males making all the noise, accomplished by muscle contractions that vibrate membranes in their abdomens. It’s said they’re vying for the attention of females. “I’ve noticed incredibly large numbers,” said Lee Burgess, entomologist with the Missouri Department of Agriculture. “It’s a heck of a year for them.” Why? “They had a big hatch for some reason,” said Burgess about the 10 or so cicada species common in the area. “And they absolutely love hot, dry weather. They’re one of our most heat-driven insects. That’s when they shine the most.” These ear-splitting cicadas are the regular “dog day” varieties, which begin to emerge at the summer solstice and grow in number and voice through the season, finally dwindling at the end of September. Burgess said he recalls 1990 as another year when the weather boosted a cicada din. These are not, however, the “periodical” cicadas, which emerge en masse and on cue here every 17 years, said Bob Bauernfeind, a Kansas State University Research and Extension entomologist. The next appearance for those cicadas is set for 2015, and they emerge in May to provide early-season sound effects. Sometimes the dog day cicadas are called “annual” cicadas, a term that could be misleading because they don’t have one-year life cycles, Bauernfeind said. They’re annual in the sense that we hear them every year, but cicadas spend several years feeding underground before climbing out, sprouting wings and looking for mates. Dog day cicadas may stay below ground for two to four or more years, depending on the species. Pay close attention, Bauernfeind said, and you can discern calls of different species. Some sound like “zwick, zwick,” others more like “zuh-wee, zuh-wee.” Another species, which prefers grasslands and shrubs to tall trees, makes a throaty, rattling sound, he said. Presumably, female cicadas are quite discerning when it comes to sound. But, Bauernfeind said, he was once in the field collecting cicada specimens and came across a road crew using equipment that made a buzzing sound. “Every time we run the machine,” the crew said, “cicadas congregate all over it.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cicadas, locusts and grasshoppers When some people say “locust,” they usually mean cicada. When entomologists say “locust,” they mean grasshopper. Why do people incorrectly refer to cicadas as locusts? One theory is that when colonists arrived in America and encountered a brood of cicadas, they thought they were locusts from the Bible story and the incorrect name stuck. “I suspect the problem is the noise-making,” said George Byers, professor emeritus of entomology at the University of Kansas. “Grasshoppers, or really locusts, make noise and cicadas make noise. I think people just don’t make the distinction.”

Johnny Goryl Rich Rollins Dave Boswell

Some of my favorite Coleman Hawkins, for listening pleasure: Also, an early 1930s cut by Horace Henderson and his Orchestra: "Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day". This song features Henry "Red" Allen most prominently, but the first time I heard it I was struck by the memorable tenor sax solo. Peering at the tiny liner notes, I read that it was Coleman Hawkins!

Fred Lynn Jim Rice Mike Greenwell

Coco Laboy Bob Bailey Bill Stoneman

Wendell Marshall Marshall Royal W. Royal Stokes George Brett Hal McRae Frank White