GA Russell

No, senor.

After twelve years of therapy, my psychiatrist said something that brought tears to my eyes. "No hablo ingles"

The Supreme Court has forbidden the OSHA vax mandate, but allowed the mandate for healthcare workers. https://www.zerohedge.com/political/supreme-court-blocks-bidens-osha-vaxx-mandate

If the Japanese are such technical giants, why are they still eating with sticks?

I used all my sick days, so I'm calling in dead.

Well, in any labor dispute, both sides hold out till the last minute. Gamesmanship and all.

Welcome back Allen!

Allen Austin-Bishop Wait Impacting January 7th, 2022 Format(s): Jazz, Smooth Jazz Artist Title Time Allen Austin-Bishop Wait 03:03 Allen Austin-Bishop Buffalo Ghost 05:53 Allen Austin-Bishop Evergreen 04:23 Conversational and sumptuous jazz vocals with Allen Austin-Bishop's 'Wait' Allen Austin-Bishop is starting 2022 with a nod to the genius of Mr Stephen Sondheim The single ‘Wait’ gives us Allen’s unique take on a song from Mr Sondheim’s musical, Sweeney Todd. In addition, to Wait, Allen also offers up two songs from popular artists Elbow (“buffalo ghost”) and the legendary Barbara Streisand (“Evergreen” from a Star is Born). Allen Austin-Bishop, once again, is accompanied by an accomplished, tasteful and subtle band comprised of pianist Dorian Ford, bassist Mao Yamada, percussionist Rob Hervais-Alderman, saxophonist Katie Edwards, and celloist Fifi Homan. Together the ensemble brings a freshness to these varied songs giving them a warm atmospheric vibe. “After seeing Sweeny Todd, on Broadway, I was hooked. And it’s no accident that my first two albums, “Sorry Grateful and “No One is Alone”, take their titles from Sondheim’s songs. We recorded Wait over the summer and thought, given Mr Sondheim's recent passing, now was a good time to release the song.” – Allen Austin-Bishop Allen was born in Newark, New Jersey, but for some time, has been based in London. Allen made his recording debut in 2017 with “Sorry Grateful”, a collection of standards. Among its highlights are his versions of “Misty,” “The Shadow of Your Smile,” “Happiness is a Thing Called Joe” and “When I Fall in Love”. More recently, Allen brought us festive cheer with his first holiday album entitled “Christmas” which included songs from popular artists such as The Sugababes, S Club-7, John Legend, Joni Mitchell, and the legendary Mel Torme. www.austinbishop.com Contact: allen@austinbishop.com

Don Sutherin died today at 85. RIP. Sutherin was a teammate of Don Maynard's with the Giants in '58, and it was Sutherin who persuaded Maynard to join the Ticats in '59.

Ken (and anybody else), I don't pay attention. What's the objection to him?

I played golf. I did not get a hole in one, but I hit a guy. That's way more satisfying.

I'm struck to see this thread revived today, because Chris was the first person I thought of when I saw that Marilyn Bergman had passed away. As I recall, he disliked the Bergmans personally, and made a nasty comment here about them!

Former Ticat Don Maynard died today at 86. RIP. I had his bubble gum card in '61 when he was with the Titans. He Made His Catches Count - Don Maynard: 1935-2022 | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site (profootballhof.com)

What are the three words you don't want to hear when love making? "Honey, I'm home."

I was watching the Discovery Channel the other day, and I discovered something. I need a girlfriend.

Episode Twenty-One https://artpepper.bandcamp.com/track/straight-life-episode-twenty-one-2?from=fanpub_nfnb_trk

Eugenie Jones Revels in Variety Both Musical & Geographical On "Players," Set for March 11 Release By Open Mic Records Self-Produced Double Album Finds Vocalist-Songwriter Spanning the United States Jazz Scene, Recording in Four U.S. Cities with 32 Different Musicians CD Release Shows Planned for the Royal Room, Seattle, 3/12; the Cloakroom, Harlem, NY, 4/2; the Jazz Forum, Tarrytown, NY, 4/3 January 4, 2022 “Wide-ranging” takes on a new meaning with the March 11 release of vocalist/composer/lyricist Eugenie Jones’s Players on her own Open Mic Records. Jones’s third album is the result of an odyssey that took her from her Pacific Northwest base (Seattle) to the Deep South (Dallas), the bustling East Coast (New York), the Midwestern Plains (Chicago), and back again, working in the process with a jaw-dropping spectrum of major jazz musicians that includes (among others) bassists Reggie Workman and Lonnie Plaxico, trombonist Julian Priester, keyboardist Shaun Martin, drummer Dan Weiss, and percussionist Bobby Sanabria. The multiple settings and ensembles are not incidental; making music in each region of the United States is the double-disc recording’s central concept. “It was way beyond anything I’d ever done,” Jones says, who produced the album and shared A&R duties with Workman. “And while it was a foreboding prospect, once I make up my mind, I’m very tenacious about doing what it takes to achieve my heart’s desire.” The diversity of Players extends to its tunes as well. Its Dallas session alone (featuring bassist Lynn Seaton and drummer Quincy Davis along with Martin) includes the Gershwins’ joyous swinger “I Got Rhythm” and two distinctive Jones originals: “There Are Thorns,” an anthem of determination, and the darkly soulful “One More Night to Burn.” Chicago’s output includes two Irving Berlin pieces in contrasting styles; “You Can Have Him” has a late-night lounge feel, while “Blue Skies” has an urgent, funky cast, highlighted in a Fender Rhodes solo by Kevin O’Connell. In Seattle, Jones explores Billy Strayhorn’s moody ballad “Multicolored Blue,” Nina Simone’s blues-drenched “Do I Move You," and four of her own tunes, using three completely different lineups across the six tracks. Meanwhile, the New York session focuses on Jones’s originals, but these range from a hard-edged Latin groover (“Ultimo Baile En Casa,” featuring Sanabria) to a mellow, Quiet Storm-like ballad (“As Long As”) that trumpeter Marquis Hill underlines in a beautiful solo. The common bond, of course, is Jones. Her full alto voice, impeccable delivery, inventive rhythm, and expressive technique form an indelible stamp on songs of every type, across every city and musician. Imbuing her original compositions with remarkable verve and passion, she also breathes startling new life into the standard repertoire, claiming the familiar tunes as completely her own. Eugenie Jones was born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, in a singing family: Her parents, Eugene and Tommie, were members of the choir at Friendship Baptist Church. Surrounded as she was by music, however, Jones at first had other plans for herself. She earned an MBA and moved to Seattle, where she started both a family and a successful career in marketing communications. In 2008, when Tommie passed away, Jones wanted to hold on to a piece of her mother. That drew her back to singing, which in turn drew her to the rich local jazz scene in Seattle. After spending several years honing her craft with the finest musicians in the Pacific Northwest, she recorded Black Lace Blue Tears in 2013. It was greeted with widespread acclaim on release, becoming the first vocal album ever to win the prestigious Earshot Jazz NW Recording of the Year. 2015’s Come Out Swingin’ was similarly celebrated, breaking Jazz Week’s Top 50 and winning Jones another Earshot Jazz award (NW Vocalist of the Year). Even as she thrived as an artist, however, Jones brought her considerable skills as a businesswoman to the local music industry. She founded two nonprofits, the education-centered Music Discovery Center (MDC) and the event-producing Music for a Cause. Under the latter auspices, she serves as Executive Producer of the Jackson Street Jazz Walk, an annual block party community event that both commemorates Seattle’s contributions to African American music history and raises funds for local community service organizations. This combination of creativity, skill, and resourcefulness leaves no doubt that Jones has the capacity to outdo even the impressive accomplishment of Players. “As a lifelong learner in pursuit of being better today than I was yesterday,” she says, “I will always look to answer that internal question of ‘what’s next.’” This winter and spring, Eugenie Jones will be bringing the music of Players to the cities where it was recorded, starting with a hometown show at the Royal Room, Seattle, Sat. 3/12, then cross-country to the Cloakroom, Harlem, NY, Sat. 4/2, and the Jazz Forum, Tarrytown, NY, Sun. 4/3. Additional dates will be announced soon. Photography: Steve Korn Eugenie Jones "Players" EPK  Eugenie Jones Web Site ‌ ‌

Basically my wife was immature. I'd be home in the bath tub, and she'd come in and sink my boats.

TTK, I enjoyed the whole show! The first few tunes were a little too exotic for my taste, but once we got past Yma Sumac, every song was perfect!

Some birds mate for life. There is no divorce in the aviary world. That's why they fly into windows. It's the only way out.

Everyone is welcome to contribute!

It's snowing here in Raleigh today. This often happens once a year in January. Earlier the wind chill was 29, but it feels to have dropped in the past hour.

Shortly before he died, I ordered from his website two autographed copies of his sheet music for my sisters for Christmas. I don't recall what the songs were.

My recollection is solely of teen boys who were heavy metal fans.

Happy New Year, my friends!