Chalupa

Bonds re-signs w/ Giants - one year $16M. Wow.

Here's another hometown hero who lived his life under the radar..... http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/obit...es/16181247.htm Edward 'Chick' Davis, a pool-hall pro By Sally A. Downey Inquirer Staff Writer Edward "Chick" Davis, 99, a pool-hall owner and billiards expert, died Sunday at Statesman Health and Rehabilitation Center in Levittown. Growing up in South Philadelphia, Mr. Davis learned to play basketball and shoot pool at the YMCA on Christian Street. He played for semipro basketball teams in Philadelphia. He couldn't make a living, though, so he turned to his other talent, billiards, said his daughter, LaDeva M. Davis. His reputation grew, she said, and by the late 1930s he was competing in tournaments with pool legends like Willie Mosconi, Minnesota Fats, and former world champion Ralph Greenleaf. "If someone wanted to set up a high-stakes game at the Kentucky Derby," she said, "they would call him, and he and a friend would drive to Kentucky." Often in pool halls where black residents ordinarily were barred from playing, he practiced for tournaments in the moonlight after closing hours. Sometimes he faced danger from angry opponents, his daughter said, and learned how to avoid trouble. "A good run is better than a bad stand any day," he would tell his children. Eventually, Mr. Davis earned enough money as a pool player to open a pool hall at Broad and Bainbridge with a partner. He later owned and operated his own pool halls on South Street and Broad Street. He retired in the late 1980s. Though as a child he preferred playing marbles to hitting the books and dropped out of school in the seventh grade, he financed his son and daughter's college education. "He always urged us to 'get your piece of paper,' " she said, referring to a diploma. Last summer, Mr. Davis attended the dedication of a mural on South Street depicting a pool game he played with Willie Mosconi in the 1940s. The painting, which was sponsored by the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, is on the 1400 block of South Street, where one of Mr. Davis' businesses was. When he operated pool halls, his daughter said, he allowed men and women and blacks and whites to play. He taught anyone who wanted to learn the game, she said, and never permitted gangs, drugs or illegal activities. Mr. Davis was married to LaDeva Coleman Davis for 75 years. The couple raised their children in South Philadelphia and Germantown and moved to Levittown in the 1970s. She died in 2004. In addition to his daughter, Mr. Davis is survived by a son, Edward 3d; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

It makes a lot of sense for them. They have a lot of good starting pitching. Additionally, they think Brandon McCarthy is going to turn it up a notch this season. Garcia is due for $10M paycheck this season and then he hits the FA market. So they figure they are saving $10 million by making this trade and they get two bonafide(by their reasoning) prospects. The question(s) that should be asked - what's going on w/ the Phils? Now what do the Phils do w/ Lieber?? Is Gillick mortgaging the future for a shot at the playoffs this season??? Basically the Phils are renting Garcia for the year because we all know there's no way those stingy bastards will re-sign him. Gavin Floyd is a former #1 pick. He definitely has the pitches to make it as a big leaguer, though it remains to be seen if he has the mental fortitude. He started last season in the Phils starting rotation but let the fans get on him a little too much and wound up getting sent backdown. I think the Phils may have given up on him too early but I hope I'm wrong for their sake. I mean of their two prized young pitchers that came up last year - Floyd and Cole Hamels - everyone thought that Floyd was going to be the man last season, not Hamels. The other guy in the deal, Gonzales, came over from the WSox last year as part of the Thome trade. The Sox really like the guy and obviously see something in him that has not shown itself in his numbers thus far.

Geez, I had no idea he was still alive. Always loved the story he told in one of those Charlie Parker docs about how CP acquired the "Yardbird" moniker. R.I.P.

Here's your post http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...mp;#entry472805 I really love Grachan's albums on BN and BYG as well as his work w/ Jackie Mac BUT.... I have to say that I was VERY disappointed w/ his performance when I saw him here back in September. He was co-leading a trio w/ Khan Jamal and Yahya Abdul-Majid(Sun Ra Arkrstra). He barely played at all and when he did I could barely hear him and I was sitting not more than 25 feet from him. He didn't take any solos(at least none that I can remember) and was not really participating in the music. I dunno maybe he had a bad night or was pissed at something but he seemed to be so absent from the night's proceedings that I wonder if there is something else troubling him.

I ordered a copy from Eremite last week. I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to listen to it. Holy smokes! I bought this when I saw them back in early October and promptly put it in the "to be listened to" pile, where it is still waiting. Thanks for the reminder.

Boston also announced it will not offer salary arbitration to catcher Doug Mirabelli, infielder Mark Loretta and outfielders Gabe Kapler and Trot Nixon. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2683099

From a short article from philly.com http://blogs.philly.com/blinq/ Before we go dumpster diving for some weekend tunes, attention must be paid to the bow-tied gentleman holding it down on our left. Butch Ballard will be picking up a Mellon Jazz achievement award tonight before the Sonny Rollins concert at the Kimmel Center. Butch told Suzanne Cloud, president of the Jazz Bridge Project, that the $5,000 prize will go to a favorite charity. Does the name sound familiar? Maybe you remember Butch Ballard from playing with both Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Catch him with Charlie Parker or Nina Simone? Trane? Maybe you know the Frankford-born drummer, now 87, from a wedding or a bar mitzvah. Ballard's kept time for them all. Karl Stark wrote a closely observed profile of the man six years ago. I can't find it online in linkable form, but here's the nut: Ballard is one of the Philadelphia jazz scene's most storied elders. Still playing local jazz clubs and private parties, he remains sought after for his unique resume, upbeat attitude and a scintillating rhythmic style forged in two of the greatest big bands. "He's a chosen one," says Philadelphia-based singer Evelyn Sims, a frequent collaborator. "The last of the legends. " Ballard would never describe himself that way. But he does claim to know a thing or two about jazz's essential elements. "I always knew how to swing the band, and I always did it with the bands I worked with," he says. "That's my legacy - that's what I teach my students. `Make the band sound good. Don't sit back and entertain yourself. If you're not swingin' the band, it don't mean nothin'. " The All Music Guide described him as one who "could make a snare drum sound as if it was being hit by a ball bearing." Butch Ballard will be playing Dec. 7 at the Collingswood First Thursdays Jazz Concert Series. It's a party for his 88th birthday. (for info: 856-858-8914)

Agree w/ everything above. I would add that of the 4 or 5 times I've seen him this was by far the most enthusiastic crowd that I've seen Sonny play for and he definitely fed off their energy. The last time he played at the Kimmel back in October 2004 he did 6 songs and was out of there in under 90 minutes. This time he did around 10 songs(I lost count) and played for 2 hours and then came back and did an encore of "Tenor Madness", which he encored w/ the last two times I saw him. It was really great to see Butch Ballard get a special award. That guy is a living legend. He's played & recorded w/ Fats Waller, Duke, Pops, Count Basie, Ella(and many more). I think he's the only person, living or dead, who can claim that. One of the best nights of my life was getting a chance to watch a rehearsal for the Philly Jazz Legends Orchestra and then afterwards sit around w/ Butch, Leon Mitchell, Harrison Ridley, and a few other old timers and listen to their stories for a few hours. I'm so happy to see Butch get some l-o-n-g overdue recognition. Also, it was nice of Sonny to dedicate the concert to Rufus Harley. What a class act. Felser, sorry not to have caught up w/ you. I waited on the seal after the show until the crowd cleared out. It didn't occur to me that you might not know where it was located. Next time for sure.

@ 50% off I bought Henry Grimes trio - Live at the Kerava Jazz festival and Kidd Jordan/William Parker/Hamid Drake - Palm of Soul The Tower on South Street in Philly has already closed. The other remaining Tower in center city has little remaining in its jazz section. The classical section is gone. Ditto for world music. Rock is still pretty stocked.

Latest email from Ars Nova... Ars Nova Workshop presents: Wednesday, December 6 | 8pm BEN GOLDBERG QUINTET with BEN GOLDBERG, clarinet; ROB SUDDUTH, tenor saxophone; CARLA KIHLSTEDT, violin; TREVOR DUNN, bass; and CHES SMITH, drums + DUNMALL / LEVIN / ROGERS with PAUL DUNMALL, tenor saxophone; PAUL ROGERS, bass; and TONY LEVIN, drums Community Education Center | 3500 Lancaster Avenue $12 General Admission / $10 Student Read the Philadelphia Daily News preview: http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/16137991.htm Please join Ars Nova Workshop next week for a rare visit from two very unique ensembles. California-based clarinetist Ben Goldberg was a pupil of Steve Lacy's, and has performed with Andrew Hill, John Zorn and Roswell Rudd. He is featured on Wilco guitarist Nels Cline's latest recording, "New Monastary, A View into the Music of Andrew Hill". For this performance, Mr. Goldberg leads an all-star ensemble featuring Carla Kihlstedt, a remarkable violinist who is a member of ensembles as diverse as Tin Hat and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, bassist Trevor Dunn, best known for his contributions in Mr. Bungle, Fantomas and John Zorn's Electric Masada, and Ches Smith, who is a member of Marc Ribot's trio. 3/4ths of the extraordinary Mujiciian ensemble (which also features Keith Tippett) will begin the evening. Working together for decades, these players have made some of the most acclaimed contributions to European Free Jazz, performing with Alice Coltrane, Derek Bailey, Lee Konitz, and many others. The Wire adds that the "ensemble can surprise you with the ease with which it can slip in and out of different formal confines - from the rich and balladic, through the microtonal and muscular." http://www.arsnovaworkshop.com Listen at http://myspace.com/arsnovaworkshop. ---- Don't forget to purchase your Seraphic Light 3-concert subscriptions (at a significant savings!!) for HENRY GRIMES' SPACESHIP ON THE HIGHWAY featuring FRED ANDERSON and MARSHALL ALLEN, ROVA ORKESTRA performing COLTRANE'S ASCENSION, and the world premiere of the new DAVID S. WARE quartet. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.ticketweb.com/user/?region=penn...mp;event=703653. ---- And, don't miss a special matinee performance of Dave Burrell's new work, inspired by the Rosenbach Museum and Library's latest exhibition, Look Again. Saturday, December 2 | 2pm DAVE BURRELL TRIO with Dave Burrell, piano; Abayomi Awodesu, belaphon; and Juju Jones, percussion Rosenbach Museum & Library | 2008-2010 DeLancey Place RSVP: (215) 732-1600, ext. 113

Hey Ron I just discovered that Van Pelt has the Rubinstein Collection box set. That's 92 cds. If I listen to one disc a day on my lunch hour that'll take me to spring break. Holy crap.

See here. Wow. I might have to upgrade. Edit. Ordered.

I'll be there too. There are plently of parking options. There's a lot at the Kimmel, one at 15th & Spruce, across the street on Broad & Pine, and many more. What kind of food do yo want to eat? Price?? Monk's Cafe is great but I seriously suggest that you make sure to get a reservation or you'll be SOL.

Wow I thought I might be the only one slisdexic enough to read just that. Nope, not the only one. Me too.

Well his recordings of Chopin's Nocturnes are definitely worth seeking out. They hold up well in terms of performance and sound. I have the complete version that was re-issued on RCA on cd back in the early 80's. I'm sure they have re-mastered it by now.

$10.99 + S&H here... http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Pr...afeed.240716_CD

From the Jazzloft blurb.... These performances were recorded on a winter tour of Europe in 1967 : the first 5 tracks in Stockholm in October; and the next 5 tracks at Karlsruhe, Germany, in November. This exact line-up had only been together for a year at this time (Ron Carter was the last one to be added) Say what??? I thought Carter joined Miles in '63. So who's playing on the Plugged Nickel dates, Chief??

The Cow Palace show is available for pre-order..... http://www.gdstore.com/store.asp?page=dept...p;dept_id=10601

Wednesday, November 29 | 6pm + Saturday, December 2 | 2pm DAVE BURRELL TRIO with Dave Burrell, piano; Abayomi Awodesu, belaphon; and Juju Jones, percussion Rosenbach Museum & Library | 2008-2010 DeLancey Place All performances free with museum admission. RSVP: 215-732-1600 ext. 113 Read the preview in today's Philadelphia Daily News: http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/16105671.htm ABOUT THE PERFORMANCES "Veteran pianist Dave Burrell personifies the best of neoclassicism, uncompromising individuality and in-the-moment gusto." -The New Yorker Please join us as we premiere new work by jazz great and Rosenbach artist-in-residence Dave Burrell. Using the Rosenbach’s African American collections as an inspiration, Burrell has written a composition that provides a musical counterpart to the objects and ideas in the Look Again exhibition. This performance is co-presented by Ars Nova Workshop at the Rosenbach Museum & Library. Since the mid-1960s, Dave Burrell has contributed to nearly 150 recordings including pivotal works such as Archie Shepp's "Attica Blues," Pharoah Sanders' "Tauhid," Marion Brown's "Three for Shepp" and Grammy Award-winner David Murray's "Lovers" and "Ballads." A recipient of the Pew Fellowship in Jazz Composition, Burrell’s recent releases include "Expansion" with his Full-Blown Trio with William Parker and Andrew Cyrille, which was nominated as The Village Voice's #2 Jazz album of 2004, the reissue of 1970's "After Love" (Universal Records) featuring Roscoe Mitchell, and “Consequences”, his first recording with Medeski, Martin and Wood percussionist Billy Martin. ABOUT THE EXHIBITION African American History IS American History… From the horrors of the slave trade to the struggle for equality and justice, stories about race are among the central narratives of American culture from its beginning to the present. No significant historic era in this nation has gone untouched by the oppression of racism or the African American community’s struggle for dignity. It follows, then, that the extraordinary collection of American historical materials at the Rosenbach Museum & Library would include abundant evidence of the African American experience. The first major exhibition at this museum to engage this subject, Look Again attempts not to display merely a category of “African American collections” but, instead, to re-examine all of its American historical collections. By inviting you to join us in re-looking at and re-thinking the books, manuscripts, and fine and decorative arts in the collection through the lens of the African American historical experience, we ask you to explore African American history as inseparable from American history. http://www.arsnovaworkshop.com

I'd take Manny and his contract over Nancy Drew anyday.

The local Tower has it in stock for $23.99. W/ 40% that comes to $14.39 + tax. Hmmm.......

The Dragon 4 cd edition has Coltrane on these tracks: CD 1 1. So What 2. Green Dolphin Street 3. All Blues/The Theme 4. Trane Interview 5. So What 6. Fran-Dance CD2 7. Walkin'/The Theme

What's the 411 on this version??? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AAVCY...1598663-0644457 $16.99 +S&H

The problem w/ these age comparasion sites is that you inevitably wind up comparing your life to the people mentioned that you have already "outlived". A good way to give yourself a midlife crisis When my father turned 50 I gave him a birthday card that went something like.... Front: "You're 50! Say, did you know that by the time Mozart turned 50 he had written 20 operas, 41 symphonies, and was considered to be the greatest musician that had ever lived?" Inside: And he had been dead for 15 years.