Christiern

Snow's fine. As so often is the case, we didn't get as much of it as the gleeful weather reporters predicted. From my perch, it looks great. Y'all will have to come back soon.

You may be right, Mike--I had attributed it to a printer problem.

I have just written an imaginary book, copies of which will be made available soon.

They usually don't even give credit to the people from which they were "borrowed."

One last Gates photo, from this morning (Tuesday, March 1, 2005)...

And there was still plenty of orange this morning....

Then the weather changed. They managed to remove many gates, but some remained...

They started taking down the gates the day before yesterday, as scheduled, but the weather intervened... Here's another one from the last day (Sunday):

Now that the Gates are disappearing, here are some follow-up photos... On the last day (Sunday), I finally made it to ground level with my camera:

The so-called "Driggs collection" is without a doubt a treasure trove of jazz-related photographs, but it is a collection that was amassed in a most shameful way. The truth is that while Frank probably purchased some--perhaps, many--of the photos, he has systematically stolen pictures and photo albums from people and institutions for many years. I have personally experienced that, and while my loss was disturbing, I am most disgusted by the photos he "borrowed" from artists and surviving relatives, but never returned. I have known Frank for over forty years, and there have been times when I valued that friendship, but that was before I realized what he was doing. I have to say that his unethical (putting it mildly) business practices makes it difficult for me to feel good about the preservation of all these priceless pictures. This is not a man who should be glorified--he is, quite frankly, a disgrace to the jazz research profession. So here I strongly disagree with my friend, Dan Morgenstern. I think the collection should be sold, for it must be preserved and made available, but the proceeds from such a sale should mainly go to an appropriate charity. It would be quite fitting, for example, if the money were used to start a fund for needy retired musicians and surviving relatives. Sad to say, such people are not difficult to find.

You should forward such e-mail to spoof@ebay.com ...and don't click on any of the scam e-mail's buttons!

Let's see, what will we call it? Photo filches? Sorry Allen.... back to buy bad books...

I think its a pseudonym for Lawanda Grunch, the poet whose works had such enormous influence on Sol Yaged.

That is, indeed, a woman, Allen. And I bet you know her name. I have to confess that I can't ID the other members of this band.

So who are these people, and what is in the $1.43 thermos bottles?

Here's another shot...

As did I! Considering how much time I spend on this board, and how many people here I have grown to think of as my friends, it was really nice to step out of the virtual and into the real contact! I'm glad you both had a good trip, and really happy that you're feeling somewhat better, Alison. Now, someday Christiern and I, separated by the enromous distance of ~80 blocks, may chance to meet!!! You can say that again -- today, in fact!!! Let's see to that, Maren. As for the timing of Jim and Alison's trip, here's what I saw from my windows this morning...

Alberta Hunter and I were discussing Robeson and his politics one day. "I know what happened," Alberta said, "Lady Astor was always coming to see him, and she is the one who put those crazy ideas into his head." Hmmmmm Could be that she planted the seed, but the ground had obviously been fertilized by Robeson's own experiences.

I am not pleased with the sound on the four sessions I sold to Bates (all of which were issued on Fontana and Black Lion. There was a Cliff Jackson solo album; a Bud Freeman Quartet; a session with Roy Eldridge, Freeman, Elmer Snowden, Jo Jones, Ray Bryant; and a Howard McGhee date with George Coleman and Junior Mance. I could not afford the studio I really wanted, so I had to settle for one that was owned by a bass player who tended to boost his instrument of choice. Two-track did not give one much of a remix option.

The "sizzle" Schaap gave us could have been greatly reduced, perhaps eliminated, without loss of signal. It was an abomination as sound restoration goes.

...and here are the last two photos. That's Robeson, Jr. with his grandma and mom, respectively.

... and talk about cute baby pictures, here are two of Robeson, Jr. Alberta told me that they (American blacks in London) used to get a big kick out of seeing a white nanny push Robeson's pram in Hyde Park...

Ok, here are two more. These pages show father and son.

And here is the little booklet. That's a 1929 calendar that contains a page for each month. You also see the back photo, which is of Robeson, Jr. If anyone is interested, I will gladly post the rest of the pictures.

In 1928, Alberta Hunter starred with Robeson in the London production of "Showboat." That Christmas, the Robesons sent Alberta a home-made card. Actually a little home-made book containing several photos of Robeson and his family. Alberta gave this to me in a box of photographs and I will eventually get it into the hands of the Robeson family (or museum). Here is the envelope (front and back):