Robert J

While doing some, ah, um.. research I came across this nifty etymology of drink (and a magazine I never heard of as well). Will serve me well in my writing (when the well runs dry, that is). http://www.moderndrunkardmagazine.com/issu...on_the_cuff.htm

Anyone have an advance listen? AAJ reviewed it. In opposition to many critics - I liked "Melody at Night, With You", even if it sounded like George Shearing at times Be interesting to hear the longer live format piano solo. I like the idea of how he incorporates themes from previous parts of the improv. Still begs the question of how much is truly spontaneous.

Found some stuff on this guy's site. His own transcriptions and from others. For all instruments. http://www.lucaspickford.com/trans.htm

A better question is: Shoes on, or off? When I pracice at home my piano is on hardwood and I try to keep it clean for my better half. But I realize that when barefoot I don't play as well. I think because I like to kick the beat on the floor or the piano itself when I am with a band or performing solo. Though I am a terrible dancer. Eyes usually open, but glazed. Closed on stage when the lights are blinding.

Some small independant recordings for not-very-much-money-but-kind-of-fun things: keys for a funk band, pop band, jazz fusion band, accompanying a few vain and misguided jazz vocalists, etc. No illusions here. Also, now that I recall: electro-acoustic recording for the CBC, soundtrack for education video for large art gallery, 13 episode sound-track for a kid's detective show on YTV, boogie-piano for a book show on TVO.

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Johnnie Johnson, a rock 'n' roll pioneer who teamed with Chuck Berry for hits like "Roll Over Beethoven" and "No Particular Place to Go," died Wednesday. He was 80. Johnson, a native of Fairmont, W.Va., died at his St. Louis home. The cause of death was not immediately known, said publicist Margo Lewis. He had been hospitalized a month ago with pneumonia and was on dialysis for a kidney ailment, said John May, a friend and fellow musician. Johnson performed as recently as two weeks ago and was planning to teach a music class in the coming weeks in Fairmont, May said. "He left the indelible imprint of his sound," May said. "He was able to transition through any musical style because he just loved to play music." Johnson has been called the "founding father of rock 'n' roll," though he was never a household name, known mostly as Berry's piano player and collaborator. Still, he was inducted into Cleveland's Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 in the "sidemen" category. Johnson was given an honorary doctorate in music degree from Fairmont State College, now Fairmont State University, in 2002. Johnson began playing piano at 4. He moved from West Virginia to Chicago after World War II, where he played jazz and blues in clubs. He moved to St. Louis in the early 1950s, forming his own R&B band, the Johnnie Johnson Trio. When a band member became ill on New Year's Eve 1952, Johnson hired Berry to fill in. The two began a long collaboration on songs that defined early rock 'n' roll -- "Sweet Little Sixteen," "No Particular Place to Go," "Roll Over Beethoven." Johnson often composed the music on piano, then Berry converted it to guitar and wrote the lyrics. Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" was a tribute to Johnson. Berry was on a plane returning from a visit to Europe on Wednesday and unavailable for comment, a spokeswoman said. Several top musicians credited Johnson's influence on their careers, and over the years he recorded and performed with Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, John Lee Hooker and Bo Diddley, among others. The 1987 rock documentary "Hail! Hail! Rock and Roll" was in part a tribute to Berry and Johnson. Johnson and Berry parted ways in the early 1970s, and in 2000, Johnson sued Berry, seeking a share of royalties and proper credit for what Johnson said were more than 50 songs the men composed together. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in 2002, ruling that too many years had passed since the disputed songs were written. The lawsuit contended that Berry took advantage of Johnson's alcoholism, misleading him into believing that only Berry was entitled to own the copyrights "and reap the monetary benefits." Johnson is survived by his wife and children. Funeral arrangements were incomplete.

Holy smokes - these master classes are great! I hope Hank Jones lives forever.

That's what the song sounds like with too much muggles.

The one word that bugs me in Toronto jazz radio, and it must be a Canadian-ization of a British pronunciation (Bev, back me up here - the CBC has been trying to be the BBC forever) is the word that describes someone who plays the saxophone. Not every dj does it, but just enough to bug me. Now even the young college dj's have taken it on. It gets pronounced as "sax-aww-fonist". Always thought it too high-brow, having grown up on Detroit jazz dj's. "That was sax-aww-fonist Lee Konitz..." My argument is, why don't these same people descibe someone who plays the vibes, in the same way? I have yet to hear "vibe-raww-fonist".

Dmitry and his lovely wife last year on a visit to NY. We saw Randy Weston at the Jazz Standard. Ted O'Reilly, though we've never had a face to face conversation. I went to numerous jazz concerts in Toronto he hosted or recorded. I feel I meet Weizen every-time my I quaff 2 or more Schneider-Weisses

I found this in their archives. I used to religiously listen to this John Schaefer show all the time in university, via Detroit public radio. He turned me on to a ton of avant garde that I only read about. I never would have known what Philip Glass, John Adams, Rhys Chatham, Steve Reich etc etc sounded like. Expanded my musical universe immensely. I see the station has archived a few of the shows. http://www.wnyc.org/music/articles/30718

BW - oops - lack of coffee, you are right on the math ass-backwards there. I live in Oakville, west of Toronto. It's about 33 kms (20.5 miles - I know I got this one right) into the city each way. So say 66 kms per day. One fill up and a bit just to get to downtown Toronto, approx $54/week = $216 month in gas alone. Parking is about $20/day - if you are lucky about $300 month. Plus the aggrevation of a 1-1/2 hour drive not counting snow days. So its not that bad. I was working at home for the last 3 years up until a month ago, so I saved that extra $200 before. I get to read on the train, and I write about 2-3 longhand pages, so it's productive as well. When I stayed with relatives in Rye NY I saw that the monthly fare using the MTA Metro North Train for an equivalent distance to GCS was $197US.

Not much better in Canada. Today 86.5 cents/litre (86.5 x 3.79 [equivalent US gallon] = 3.28 cdn. At US exchange this is $3.99 US a gallon. Thankfully my wife and I train it in to work - though that costs $390@month for both. Still far less than driving.

I felt this same way when I joined the BNBB in 2000. Felt responsible for anything I might say that would make me look like a boob. Took awhile to graduate from lurker status. In fact I think I got shut down on one of my first posts for some factual error (those BN-ers were tough ). Kind of odd actually, since I now have things published by me on the web with my real name - many of them music related. Perhaps time to add the other 5 letters of the alphabet to my name here. (Though I guess it can be inferred if you hover over my avatar signature). Getting back to the original post. I can vouch for Ted. He brings a wealth of information to this board with his broadcasting, recording and publishing experience. Check his (brief but meaty) webpage on his profile.

The YH trio album. Never understood the title

I can also say this. My dad had a few of the albums, including the maligned Beatles one (it's not that bad, there's more electric piano on it if I recall). I had a specific year of RL that in retrospective, maybe changed me more than I thought. When I was 15 and moving away from my mullet and metal collection, Ramsey Lewis, Oscar Peterson and the MJQ were my turning points. But mostly Lewis. I also had the Chess set, and another collection on LP that had a picture of him with his family - like a portrait. I also worked hard to learn the In Crowd solo. I remember even having the balls to play it for some event at my YMCA. In fact my dad has - and I have it somewher - a sheet music collection of RL, which helped my transcriptions. I just loved that funky blues sound he got. I also remember going to a leadership training camp in northern Ontario for 2 weeks - I was later a camp counsellor elsewhere. There were some camps of the Christian Right persuasion represented there that abhorred this long-hair playing jazz until I pulled out a funky Wade in the Water, a la Ramsey. And then they surrounded my piano and started singing. That's an odd memory! While I don't think he's the greatest pianist out there, and I haven't pulled out one of his records in a long time, I think he has a historical significance. The long version of the In Crowd still has a great fun vibe. I love how they bring the volume down to a whisper at the end and then back up again. Very effective. I have a copy of the Young/Holt trio featuring the RL rythym section and with capable pianist Hysear Don Walker - whatever happened to him?

Awesome news guys! Greg - What about Toronto? Joey's here all the time, as his touring guitarist Jake Langley is from Toronto. I believe the next gig is in May at the "Mod Club" where Joey's played before. I can drum up the support no prob for Organissimo in Canada!

Have a good one. Fill yer cup.

It's keberobeats88 - I think a reference to the Herbie Hancock/Bill Laswell "Future 2 Future" recording. Still, beets are good for you, and you can't make borscht without em.

I recently revisted that album - More - and I agree with you. There's some excellent work on that album and some decent acoustic work by Gilmour. Jim - there's some wacky B3 moments on More as well, like the Wright/Mason duet. Speaking of Gilmour, I used to think highly of this album, but have not heard it in awhile.

Wasn't there a troll on the BNBB that kept going on about some heavy metal stuff all the time, I think in the musician's forum, or am I thinking of something else?