fasstrack

Good movie. saw it first run. They had a panel discussion with Leibman and Airto and others in the theater. Someone should've taped it. A guy from the audience either slammed or deified Chick Corea, I forget now. But one of the musicians made the point that if you're thinking of this music as jazz and judging itaccordingly you are up the wrong tree. Miles himself commented that his 'new music' (talking about a later band) was closer to the spirit of jazz than a lot of what 'jazz' players were doing then. Miles has as much to say dead as alive, seemingly, so I guess this 'circus' will go on and on (like This Love of Mine)

Good movie. saw it first run. They had a panel discussion with Leibman and Airto and others in the theater. Someone should've taped it. A guy from the audience either slammed or deified Chick Corea, I forget now. But one of the musicians made the point that if you're thinking of this music as jazz and judging itaccordingly you are up the wrong tree. Miles himself commented that his 'new music' (talking about a later band) was closer to the spirit of jazz than a lot of what 'jazz' players were doing then. Miles has as much to say dead as alive, seemingly, so I guess this 'circus' will go on and on (like This Love of Mine)

I was there and don't even remember Santana. Canned Heat and Butterfield were great. I remember Crosby, Stills, etc. (very out-of-tune), Sly raising his fist, Janis Joplin, and John Sebastian. But no Santana, I swear. What did they play? BTW: This never made it into any movie, obviously, but I was right up front for Hendrix, and he pointed to a sweet thing in one of the front rows and dedicated a song, saying 'a dirty old man's gonna lick your bicycle seat'.....

I spoke to a reporter for a Westchester paper, the Journal News. He had written an article yesterday about the amount of White Plains pliticos getting free cars as perks. I figured he'd see the irony. He wouldn't write about this, but said he'd get my letter to the editor published. I don't know if it's worth it now, with everything else I have to deal with. I was drug that I got zero response from Craigslist, except some lady trying to sell me something. This is why nothing ever changes. Pass the Vaseline. It's over, I guess.............

'Oooow, Ms. Plaster Caster. Where'd you learn to Apply Plaster, a Correspondence Course?' That one is on a bootleg, I think.....

I'd be very surprised if that is legal. I know in California, they have to give you your stuff, even if you just tell them to park their new car up their ass. Unfortunately, it is legal. Or else everyone in the world is a moron, an idea I like very much......

I was just listening to clips from a date of an Italian singer with Chris Anderson and David Williams and Billy. Billy and Chris were close and Billy stayed at his house in NY, so the music they made had an extra dimension. I'll try to add a link so people can check it out. I was just listening to clips from a date of an Italian singer with Chris Anderson and David Williams and Billy. Billy and Chris were close and Billy stayed at his house in NY, so the music they made had an extra dimension. I'll try to add a link so people can check it out. http://www.naimlabel.com/recording-you-don...at-love-is.aspx

That's a great idea! What's the program called and how I get info?

There are a lot of problems with what you propose. Assuming you could get enough people interested to raise enough money to pay a lawyer to dig into this, what is the legal basis of your complaint? The laws are in place. When you violate them, you pay a penalty. Only solution: change the laws. Unlikely. Have you looked into whether your city has some kind of permit allowing people who drive as part of their jobs to avoid these fines? I can't imagine every delivery truck that double parks for 5 minutes is subject to ticketing. There must be some system in place allowing for deliveries, etc. My 2 cents. It's only unlikely if you try and try again and get nowhere. If it's not impossible it's worth a shot. To answer your question about legal basis and getting people involved: 1: the timing couldn't be better b/c people are very pissed off and feel betrayed by bankers, politicians, and pretty much anyone in authority. Everyone's getting hammered especially with cars, b/c cities, always greedy and always viewing drivers as prime income, are broke, thereby more desperate. I, insane as it sounds, would like to get some young attorney as crazily idealistic and moralistic as myself, to look into a class action suit (or more than one) based on misuse of police forces. The sworn duty of police is to protect the public and uphold laws. They have the latitude to give drivers breaks but almost never do b/c they are told to collect for the city----in towing and tickets. Turning cops into collectors is misuse of the force IMO. Theay all want to work traffic, b/c they won't get shot and get overtime when they go to court. It's a scam everyone wins but the poor driver. Towing and impounds are my big beef. If you're wrong pay the fine (although it should be tiered if we were a compassionate society), but grabbing your car and holding it hostage is little more than legal theft. The laws have to be changed. Poor people dependent on cars are stuck if they can't afford to get the car out. If they plead hardship, they're told too bad. This happened to me and I know what I'm talking about. It's bullshit, nothing but greed. My car, which I need for work and now medical reasons, is sitting in a private lot since May 1 in a city I despise, White Plains, NY, with equipment I need to work (my amplifier) b/c I don't have the money to get it out. I gave up on the car, now I just want my stuff and they won't even give me that. I don't want anyone ever to go through what I did. I'm tired of 'I'm doing my job', 'my hands are tied', 'can't fight City Hall'. Bullshit! Who says so? That's how they get over on us, when the sheep lie down in the meadow. At the very least, until laws can be changed (by lobbying, and especially voting and getting rid of politicians who play ball with the thieves) there should be a pool of money generated by members of this proposed organization to help drivers who are working poor and get caught up in these Kafkaesque situations get their cars back. They can pay into it themselves modestly and then there are always 'angels'. We all have to pay for our mistakes. But make it affordable. And have a heart for people who are honest but struggling, b/c there's a lot of us out there now. There's a reason America is shit in the eyes of the world---several, actually, but when anyone asks if we have compassion for our people and we come up short people will shake their heads, and rightly. We're better than that. We just have to stop lying down and weed out the greedmeisters. And for the record, drunk drivers, people who flout the law and drive with suspended licenses, etc. should have the book thrown at them. I'm talking about poor working people who make mistakes and get the Vaseline passed their way.

I like Pete's playing, and he's a gentleman. I know him since he's 21.

I thought I did already, but: www.soundclick.com/joelfass The newest song is a co-write with Jimmy Norman, You're my Foundation. He wrote with Bob Marley and Hendrix before, and no, I don't have any ganga. (sp?) The other song with lyrics is a ballad called Not a Bad November. I don't play on either, but on all others. The personnel isn't all up, so: trumpet, flugelhorn, John Eckert, Ralph LaLama, tenor, Rudy Petschauer, drums (except Topsy), Bim Strausberg; Yosuke Inoue, bass, M'Ferghu, Janis Friedman, Steve Ash, piano, Vicki Doney, vocal (Not a Bad...) On Topsy: James Chirillo, guitar (first solo), John Beal, bass, Eddie Locke, drums The date with the two horns was a rush job I'm not happy with, and the only reason it's up is it's good enough to present the tunes.

I got not a single email (from putting this on Craigslist). I'm disappointed. Should I just accept things for the crappy way they are? I don't want to. I need a young lawyer with Christ complex to spearhead this. Any ideas?

Best to let it ride. I probably shouldn't have even posted this, a bit self-absorbed. There are more important things in everyone's lives than perceived snubs. This is not important and I apologize for wasting people's time. I promise to waste your time more productively.

Bill Black, a singer who made one solo CD with guitar, mostly ballads, after going out with, I think, Krupa. He had a deep hurt and great voice. It's very expensive, an import. Also, forgive a plug of local musicians/friends, but Michael Howell on guitar has been kicking ass lately when I hear him.

She showed me what she was about: herself. And she has plenty of company. To quote an old, similarly perturbed, friend: 'I think I'll resign from the human race and become a snail'......

And/or Finland I think. Basically they set the fine as a percentage of gross income. Say 0.1% of one's monthly income, for instance, which would be quite different for someone very rich, vs. someone working for double-minimum wage (or less). The notion is that this is "fair" because the percentage is the same. And I rather like this idea, myself. Make the fat cats feel it just as much as those who don't make much. Otherwise a $35 parking ticket, or a $120 speeding ticket amounts to nothing more than a drop in the bucket for some Executive VP or CEO. Do you think I'll get any real response to this? I really hope I do. I doubt we'll catch up to Finland anytime soon, but I feel many people are fed up but just don't have a vehicle. They're also caught up in treading water, but that's how the pocketpickers get over.

pieces of $%()? I send out 3 mass emails a year---either when I have a topic I feel strongly about or, much more rarely, to promote a gig----and am too polite to tell the people who endlessly deluge me with their self-absorbed BS to get stuffed, though I'm dying to. So I get a message from a singer with a big head icily telling me to bugger off, take me off your list. Went to hear her on gigs, have mutual friends, etc. I most certainly will take you off my list, lady. The list of human beings i know....

Care to recommend some? There's one in NY called I think Art Attack that's very good and is online. Chicago Jazz institute----not sure if they have one but their website is world-class. Cobi Narita has one, FWIW. There has to be tens if not hundreds all over the country. Lazaro? There's all kind of people in local scenes all over the country who, if they don't have newsletters, they're doing something----usually under the radar---to present or promote good music and musicians. And they do it with a hell of a lot more class than Jazz Times or DB IMO.

It's been picture perfect for almost an entire week in NY after a lot of rain. The 4th was perfect and so's today.

I think Denmark, or Norway has a tiered ticket structure. It definitely seems like this sort of activity -- speed traps, etc., -- picks up toward the end of each month. It's picking up now b/c everyone's broke, especially cities. When times get tough, the greedy get greedier.

Read newsletters instead. The big magazines became whores long ago, I guess b/c they felt they have to to survive. But they anticipate trends and try to be right and overwrite about stars while ignoring countless talents as or more deserving. The self-preservation instinct has superceded the good they once did regularly long long ago. DownBeat embarrassed itself years ago and IMO never recovered. Jazz Times never knocked me out with the insightfulness of their coverage. A popularity mag, nothing more. Read newsletters. And support them. They are done low-cost and from the heart, report on local or underexposed talent, and deserve your money more.

I'm suggesting that cities and towns stop towing and impounding first and asking questions later. Legal larceny it is, and people should not be taken advantage of. If you have a legit ticket, pay it. If you think it's not, fight it, but IMO it's a stacked deck if you're poor. But people should not have to countenence whatever mistakes they made being capitalized on by thieving cities and towns who figure everyone's too busy keeping their heads above water and will basically accept the passed Vaseline. If people stop complaining and act to change laws and protest and don't let up things might change. Maybe not overnight, but some forward motion is better than lying down and taking it. People need to keep hammering the point that it's just about the money and it's unfair. And make a few politicians get off their asses or risk losing their jobs. That usually works, but you have to keep the pressure up and the flame on the right asses. I'm not in the position to lead this, BTW. But if I'm the impetus for anything happening and I can attract gifted, organized activists that can help others that went through what I have I'll be thrilled.

Especially if you are working poor and dependent on driving this message is for you. I am looking for like-minded people who believe the reason for excessive ticketing, towing, impounds is money for cities. Period. People who are tired of having their mistakes endlessly taken advantage of by city fathers using police as collectors for the city's undeclared, unfair, and regressive taxes on drivers. Have you had a nightmare experience? Is your car still in the tow pound? Are you tired of being a 'chump', a 'pigeon' because the city feels they can do what they want since no one will rise up? THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS! I want to form an organization with the goal of pressuring politicians to make the laws regarding driving, parking offenses fairer to the working poor. I would like to hear from people who would like to be activists to lobby to change the laws and participate in protests and civil disobedience. Perhaps a pool of money could be created to help poor drivers whose cars get taken and lack funds to retrieve them. I would also like to hear from attorneys whose God is not money and would like to make a difference in the lives of people already struggling in very tough times. Please contact me at fasstrack@yahoo.com PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ALONG!!

I got to play with Frank maybe 4 or 5 times, in sitting-in situations, in the last decade. I'm very lucky, b/c to experience a master first-hand, and to play unison melodies with him, wow! The thing that strikes me about Frank, and the other octogenarians out here now and playing great, is the utter smoothness. Frank has this creaminess in his sound and utter assurance in the way he deals notes off. It's more than control, it's ownership. I can hear his influences like Byas and others, but it's the mastery of control and the ease with which he executes beautiful ideas, things he's played hundreds of times but just slants a little this time. He's so relaxed. That's how to do it, and what I wanna be when I grow up. He's a national treasure.

Get anything solo by Chris Anderson. And prepare for a unique journey. Did anyone mention Hawk's Picasso? Well, I guess someone did now. Also Sonny Rollins, too many to mention. Aside from the great Mr. Pass, there has been outstanding solo work from many, and will always be, since the instrument is a natural for it. I won't even cite examples or names, as there are simply too many.