RonF

Thanks Chris and everyone for the photos. I just saw a nice piece on CBS Sunday Morning. That's about as close as I'm going to get to Central Park. I think The Gates are magnificent. Boy, do I envy you New Yorkers. B-)

This is from today's New York Times On The Web. No mention of Jimmy. Nothing. MUSIC Music Review | Leonidas Kavakos and Denes Varjon: Testing Violinist and Pianist With Enescu, Bartok and More Steve Burgh, 54, Music Producer, Dies Lazar Berman, Pianist Known for Powerful Style, Dies at 74 Sonny Day, Grand Ole Opry Accordionist, Dies at 80 San Francisco Opera Names a New Director

Concord Records, Inc FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Hammond B-3 Legend Jimmy Smith Passes December 8, 1925 to February 8, 2005 Jimmy Smith, the Hammond B-3 icon who creatively revolutionized the instrument in Jazz, died of apparent natural causes on Tuesday, February 8, at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona. Funeral arrangements are pending. "Jimmy was one of the greatest and most innovative musicians of our time. I love the man and I love the music. He was my idol, my mentor and my friend," fellow Hammond B-3 artist and friend, Joey Defrancesco said yesterday. Born in Norristown, Pennsylvania on December 8, 1925, Jimmy Smith ruled the Hammond B-3 organ in the 1950s & 1960s. He turned the instrument into almost an ensemble itself, fusing R&B, blues, and gospel influences with bebop references into a jubilant, attractive sound that many others immediately absorbed before following in his footsteps. Smith initially learned piano both from his parents and on his own. After service in the Navy, in 1948 he studied bass at the Hamilton School of Music and piano at Ornstein¹s School of Music in Philadelphia. He began playing the Hammond organ in 1951, and soon earned a great reputation that followed him to New York, where he debuted at the Café Bohemia. A date at Birdland and then a 1957 Newport Jazz Festival appearance launched Smith¹s career. He toured extensively throughout the 1960s & '70s. Smith's Blue Note sessions from 1956 to 1963 were extremely influential and are highly recommended. They included collaborations with Kenny Burrell, Lee Morgan, Lou Donaldson, Tina Brooks, Jackie McLean, Ike Quebec, and Stanley Turrentine, among others. Smith also recorded for Verve from 1963 to 1972, many of them featuring big bands and using fine arrangements from Oliver Nelson. These included the excellent Walk on the Wild Side. Jimmy Smith persevered in times when the Hammond organ seemed like it was down and out, and reigned as the master of the craft. The authentic sound of the Hammond still lives on in his protégé and good buddy Joey DeFrancesco. The pair recently recorded a studio album together, Legacy, to be released on Concord Records February 15. A national tour was in place for the B-3 soul mates to commence at Yoshi's February 16-20, along with a special Iridium engagement in New York, March 23-27.

Saw him at Concerts By The Sea in Redondo Beach 20 some years ago. Understandably, he wasn't very happy with a noisy table. He had some harsh but choice words for the boisterous morons. Then he'd just blow everybody away.

The source is a reliable voice in jazz promotion in NYC, currently working the new Joey DeFrancesco with Jimmy Smith CD. She wouldn't blow a false alarm. I must say, I'm surprised that it hasn't hit the wires. Her email arrived around 5 PM eastern.

Just heard from a good freind in New York.

I liked Mystic River because of one major difference. Sean Penn can act. Obviously if you don't like the movie you don't like it (& I do agree about Sean Penn). But - Hillary Swank can't act????, Morgan Freeman can't act???? Yep. At least not in this one. Thought Morgan was doing his usually workmanlike job (No Shawshank Redemption performace here imho). And Hillary Swank...totally unbelievable here. And that accent of hers was just plain bad.

Brownian, Wood engraving? Nice! Who is the artist? Who else you got?

Randy, Those Jesus figurines are WILD!

Way to go! Congrats!

I agree sal. Great film.

I remember the first time I listened to Capaldi on the last two minutes of Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave on Mason's Alone Together. I thought he was the best damned rock drummer I'd ever heard. Sad news.

Cool Mike. I'd be there in a heartbeat too.

Hang tough. It'll all be worth it when the baby arrives. Ain't nothin' in the world like it, dude. B-)

Great news, Johnny. Get some sleep while you can.

SHIT HAPPENS Taoism: Shit happens. Buddhism: If shit happens, it¹s not really shit. Zen Buddhism: Shit is, and isn¹t. Zen Buddhism #2: What is the sound of shit happening? Confucianism: Confucius says, "Shit must happen." Hinduism: This shit has happened before. Islam: Shit is the will of Allah. Catholicism: When shit happens, you deserved it. Protestantism: If it¹s shit, it¹s the Catholics. Presbyterian: This shit was bound to happen. Episcopalian: It's not so bad when shit happens, so long as you serve the right wine with it. Methodist: It's not so bad when shit happens--you¹re going to hell anyway. Baptist: You better believe it¹s shit! Congregationalist: Shit that happens to one person is just as good as shit that happens to another. Unitarian: Shit that happens to one person is just as lousy as shit that happens to another. Lutheran: If shit happens, shut up. Fundamentalism: If you¹re born-again, it can¹t be your shit happening. Fundamentalism #2: Shit can only be born again. Judaism: Why does this shit always happen to us? Calvinism: Shit happens because you don't work enough. Seventh-Day Adventism: No shit shall happen until Saturday. Mormonism: Shit is God¹s gift happening. Christian Science: If shit happens, it¹s all in your mind. Quakers: We didn¹t start this shit. Scientology: When shit happens, re-read "Dianetics" Jehovah's Witnesses: >Knock< >Knock< Shit happens. Jehovah's Witnesses #2: Shit has been prophesied and is imminent; only the righteous shall survive its happening. Moonies: Only super happy shit happens. Hare Krishna: Shit shit happens happens rama rama. Secular Humanism: Tomorrow it won¹t be shit. Utopianism: When it happens, shit does not stink. Creationism: God begat shit. Darwinism: This shit was once food. Stoicism: Shit is good for me. Idolism: This shit should be bronzed. Hedonism: There oughtta be more shit happening. Wiccan: Let shit happen. Satanism: SNEPPAH TIHS. Capitalism: That's MY shit. Communism: It's everybody's shit. Feminism: Men are shit. Chauvinism: The ladies love my shit... Commercialism: Let's package this shit. Impressionism: From a distance, shit looks like a garden. Existentialism: What is shit, anyway? Rastafarianism: Smoke that shit! Zoroastrianism: Shit happens half the time. Recovery program: Deal with shit one day at a time. Agnostic: Did someone shit? Atheism: I can't believe this shit! Nihilism: No shit.

Phil's arranging on Convergence Zone has been nominated for a Grammy. Go Phil! B-)

sheldonm, Antonioni's? Is it on DVD? I have to have it.

Toots, Yes, the poli-nuts hang out there most of the time but I suggest you double your security, buy firewalls, anti-poli software and anything else you can think of because: We Are Everywhere! (winking smilie)

There's a very nice new group on Nagel Heyer, Paradigm Shift, Shifting Times with Wycliffe Gordon, Marcus Printup, Joe Locke and Melvin Henderson among others. Great straight ahead.

Yeeeehaaa!

Boy, I'll bet those folks are making at least 75 cents a day. Well, maybe that's a little high. I wonder about the wages in Egypt, too. The whole picture stinks.

I looked on the inside tags at a local shop last week. I saw Levis that were made in Egypt, Mexico and Losotho?(sp)? Where the hell is that?

Can't seem to get a straight story on Levis. About 3 years ago, I thought I read that Levis were no longer being made in the United States. Now I have friends who say, Don't Buy Levis! They outsourced their entire company. What's the truth? Anyone know?

You're right about the smoke, sal. It's hot....all the way through. I heard Mulgrew at the VV about 4 years ago with a Lewis Nash Septet (including Regina Carter and Steve Nelson) Mulgrew is damn good. I know what Moose is saying, he's everywhere...even this year! But all understandable.