fasstrack

Thanks. Did I mention it's for sale?

Hey, Chuck: I did that gig 2 summers ago. The restaurant is called Gull's Landing. We loved it, it was easily the hippest place to play on the World Class Scully Rolling Thunder Review. For the uninitiated, Tim Scully is sort of a combined jazz Father Flanagan-Gandhi. He gets local sponsorship and gets local bands and in my case a NY quartet (with one Dutchman) and gives each band a week of concerts in bandshells up the peninsula. He is a hero and thank the lord for him. But the restaurant really inspired us, I suppose because we were more background music than a 'show' and both played what we wanted (and took requests and nailed them). I remember everyone playing his ass off. BTW Lazaro Vega's recommendation was why this happened. I got to turn some guys on too. Last year Jerry Weldon went in with the same drummer I use, Rudy Petschauer. I believe Ed Cherry went this year or was supposed to. it's a classic case of cats hooking each other up for a fun gig. Only thing is I'm sorry I missed Joe Gloss. Maybe next summer.....

Subtitle: LA in the 1940s and the Lost African American Renassaisance Now that I made you look.... For some reason my addled brain read mention of this book on these pages (tried in vain to find the thread) and I purchased it thinking it was about the cats on Central Ave. in the 40s. It is decidedly not, though mention is made of people like Art Farmer, Dexter and Wardell, Bird, Tatum, etc. It is a well-written and researched cultural history of black communities in LA in the 40s. It offers nicely rendered fleshings-out of Eddie Anderson, Pigmeat Markham, the NAACP's John Kinloch, the war effort, and even the Late Hadda Brooks (who I had the pleasure of working with). I've enjoyed what I read, the prose is not heavy-handed and moves at a nice clip, but not enough to keep it because it's not primarily about the music scene. Here's the deal: I have this book less than one day and barely cracked it. I bought it at a local bookstore because I wanted to support a small local business and the owner I thought was a mensch. Because it was a special order they are refusing to to give me a refund or even store credit. (Very smart to be penny-wise and lose a customer). So the cover price is $26.95. I paid almost $30 all told. If anyone is interested in this brand spanking new book PM me and make me an offer (money only, no books, records or marriage proposals unless you can afford to keep me in the style to which I'll make sure to get accustomed to). Postage much be paid at your end. I want to get as close as possible to the dough I'm out. If not, the hell with it, I'll keep it as it's a fine book.

Guys, I never wrinkled my forehead worrying about whether the man 'swung' or not. I never had to force my foot to pat on the rhythm numbers, but whatever. His phrasing is what I'm interested in, and his genius of recognizing a song as a mini-drama. On ballads, as has been noted, he was a particular master of this art. I don't care if Only The Lonely was an exercise in self-immolation after Ava dumped him or whatever else people natter on about. The man owned those songs. We can all learn a lot from him (and Nat, Carmen, Shirley, Sylvia Syms, etc.). I know I can. His nocturnal doings (Jim) or 'bipolar' behavior (there's a BS term of convenience if ever there was one) are not of particular interest to me (nor, for that matter, the non-musical pecidilloes of Bird, Stan Getz, Miles, etc.), except that, as I mentioned, I read "A Drinking Life" and enjoyed the hell out of it. I see the connection and enjoy Hamill's newspaperman's ear fot terse prose. He's someone else i can learn a lot from.

Tell me about it. I'm so in the hole it's not even funny. But I can dream, can't I?

I'd like to hear that. What do you play? PS: That's nothing compared to the way club daters (and, sorry to say, also 'hip' jazzers) massacre Jobim. Oy vay.....

WTF? Calm down, dude. All I was doing was trying to recommend a book I'm enjoying. C'mon, man, that was uncalled for.

Just started this in the library and it's a cinch I'll buy it. Pete Hamill understands as well as anyone the night and Sinatra's power over it and our heartstrings, and can explain in simple, crisp, and beautiful prose. I also loved A Drinking Life. Bravo, Mr. Hamill, once more.

Indeed. Hope he finds a way out of the pain. The world needs him to take down those who need it, not himself with self-destruction.

Just wrote another one, and again the terrain shifts. I have enough for two recordings now. Hear that, labels?

I hear you but disagree, Chuck, because I write songs and this one is a ballad with a lyric I wrote (with good suggestions from my friend Frank Reilly which I used). It's gotten a positive reaction from musicians and singers far older and wiser than me, non-musical people who heard the demo, and audiences. Ultimately I like it, and I'll live with the consequences regardless. I also have a piece I want to do that's completely composed, not a note of jazz in it, and in 4/8. I have a wide range of interests and know some terrific musicians who are willing to go along for the ride, so why not? The unifying theme in the artists I most admire and my own playing and writing such as they are is a love of melody, human feeling, and storytelling. I also like music that makes me move my body. Some people call that swing. If something doesn't seem like it fits in on one project I'll leave it in the can til it does. The mistake people make is not recording music. It's putting it all together on any release, 1st or 100th, in a way where it makes no musical, dramatic, or logical sense. But I've found that the Boy Scouts were right: be prepared. Bring more than you need and get it down. You can always use it later. Finally, I love good songs and good singers as much as good players. My attitude playing before the public is not "check out my far-out version of this song. Ain't I a creative MF?", it's "Isn't this a great song? I want to play it for you."

Good player. I played with him a few times, just sitting in. Never worked with him. Nice player, though.

Hey, Paul. Yes, it went beautifully, with a cast of troupers. I'm about a little more than half finished but some nice things are in the can. We didn't miss a beat and took care of business. More later, when I finish. Thanks everyone.

I did meet her 2 years ago. She seemed cool, I dug her work, and I had trouble with the first one on my demo. Funny, I'm gonna end up using the 1st anyway because she's good, knows the tune and it's not like I can afford Andy Bey. Usually poor people into the arts really understand and help each other. This wasn't usually, obviously. You're on the right track, though, Jim. The tip-off should've been when she asked if I had a budget to fly her in from Nashville. That's when I should've had sense enough to catch that red flag and move on, but I didn't. Then again I made it abundantly clear that I wasn't flying her or Barbra Streisand in from anywhere---and she accepted that (but still asked and i still said uh uh). "Too Late Now..." Straight ahead and aim for pure tone.....

Yeah, no shit. You hadda see the attitude on that bitch (the manager). I went out to do some shopping just to unwind, figuring everything was cool, and get home to a frantic message from some woman I never heard of and never dealt with before. I called her back and she told me there was no possible way to get from Newark to the studio in Paterson and I had to get her 'artist' there. (Bullshit. There's always a way, and if said singer had taken the time between hustling to care enough to work these things out I would've been too happy to pick her up at the airport myself and put her up on my couch or with friends or something. But she was sandwiching my project in-between other whistlestops in her brilliant career. She blew off my rehearsal and now, after with every fucking thing else I needed to see to like paying a guy to do 2 Sibelius charts since I have just gotten into the program and anyway am a computer moron, getting the bugs out of the material, rehearsing the cats (that was fun with these madmen) just troubleshooting, I'm delivered an 11th hour demand by this devil-woman to arrange to get her ass there ('or else she won't be there' were the exact words)right after I got off the phone and given her directions and the name of the place. And we wasted time practicing her tunes in her key without her. I called the singer and left a message for her to stay home. She lost a gig on an album I think may do something and made an enemy out of a good guitarist, songwriter, and guy. Smart, lady. Next time no girl singer. At least not without a non-torture clause in writing.....

Talk about improvising! The singer just bailed. The night before. Had her manager call to demand, not ask, that I get her from Newark to the recording. (She had previously asked if I had a budget to fly her in. I made very clear from jump street that I had a small budget and it didn't allow for travel expenses. We left off that we would do the recording around when she would be in NY. I had to lose two musicians I wanted to accomodate her schedule. Then she casually dropped on me she wasn't making the rehearsal because she took another gig. Even that I dealt with by asking the very nice engineer if we could get there early). With all the other shit on my mind just what I needed. I told her to stay home and called another singer. Anyway I have a backup demo of my ballad with another singer. If she doesn't get the message in time I'm doing a record today. We can record the other material at a later date. Not only one monkey but 2 monkeys don't stop no show. Jazz is taking a fuck-up and turning it into gold.

Rehearsed the easier things today and that went well. A laugh-fest with those maniacs, lemme tell yiz (not that I'm not a nutburger). It should be fun. The stuff that needs more attention shall get it and recorded when it feels right. Thanks for your good wishes. Means so much

That's exactly right. That's why I got him. He da man.

Tomorrow I make at least 1/2 of a debut leader CD. (1/2 b/c I ain't killin' myself or the band doing 7 pieces in a day or recording anything that doesn't feel ready) I have a good cast and material. 6 more of my cockamamie pieces in different shades and moods, plus In the Still of the Night and Last Night When we were Young and maybe one throwaway with James Chirillo. Besides me: John Eckert, trumpet; Ralph LaLama, tenor (3 or 4 tunes only); xxxxx, vocals*; M'freghu, piano; Bim Strausberg, bass; Rudy Petschauer; drums. James Chirillo is my eyes and ears in the booth and if you knew him and knew me you'd know why. I hope some of y'all will actually buy this music when it comes out. I'm taking name. (Or not ) Please do wish me luck. I want this to kick ass. (the name of the vocalist has been removed to spare her embarrassment since I'm a gentleman. See below for how she screwed me)

Didn't he get some ministerial post in Brazil?

Exactly. Bastards. And at these prices...

Who should I say sent me?

Frank Strozier "Long Night" (Jazzland?). hauntingly beautiful playing by Strozier and the right changes and generally very memorable comping by Chris Anderson on piano.

Another big "thumbs up" for this CD as well. Really showcases Bobby and what he was all about. Also, the recording he did with Frank Wess and Tootsie Bean is a killer. Yes. Indeed. 'Undecided' is a MF on this. (William Ash is on guitar, BTW).

Huge (also insert tip of cap icon) The last sentence was Bobby's chief complaint. Only he didn't merely complain, he lived and played by that creed.