fasstrack

W/o defending Alex's ill-conceived FB remarks on Wayne or the stilted video speech in which he looks enbalmed, I can say the following: I've known Alex Hoffman for a few years. He's a talented tenor player and a bright, quiet guy who reads a lot of philosophy. He once framed a minor argument at a jam session by going to the piano and demonstrating his voice-leading theories. I doubt he'd wanted to have created the imbroglio he did. Just a nice, thinking young cat who should've done that a bit more before opening his yap this time.

I sat down earlier and read this. I really recommend it. It reconnected me with those magical feelings one feels when finding a great teacher, especially one-on-one. It's like your excitement over entry into fresh territory is bouyed and calmed by the wisdom of a supportive guide. Often this is a personal hero. That doesn't mean there are no rocky sessions, egos, etc. But as a former student of many jazz luminaries I can tell you what that feeling was like sitting down with someone like Warne, especially that first time. Tingles. Good work.

Yes - that's the one I read. Yes, read it too. Well worth-it.

Interesting stuff. I'm glad it's online. There's been too little written about Warne.

Never smoked cigarettes and cannot stand being around them. The funny ones I stopped years ago.

Sinatra's version on September of my Years is a classic.

I never listened much to Feder, but my friend Jeff, who was a radio junkie was a big fan of his storytelling. So when I found his memoir at a used book store I bought it, I found it to be very revealing and well written He was great. His show was called Hard Work. He took over the Sunday morning time slot of Larry Josephson. He's a manic, ceaseless talker and it could be a bit much sometimes, but I loved his storytelling too. Did you read what he had to say about BAI? His written insights are worth perusing. That blog piece was from '05 and things have only gotten worse. I spoke to a friend who has two shows on and asked him what the hell is going on there, it sounds awful. His reply: 'We're on the verge of either a huge breakthrough or a huge fall'.... What year did Shepp play there? I heard him there, not sure if it was that band. Must've been between '71-'73.

Here's a link to Mulgrew's comments on 'interview music', etc. http://tedpanken.wordpress.com/

Only 57. Too sad for words. Two standout sideman performances I remember: With Woody Shaw, Village Vanguard 1982, and with Steve Turre, Merkin Hall around 10 years ago. I also loved his album Wingspan from the '80s. RIP.

I meant Mulgrew of course.

He's suffered a massive stroke-2nd stroke in 2 years. Keep a good thought.

Grow it yourself is the answer, I guess....

Another, more current, article about the sad truth. http://www.current.org/2013/05/wbai-fails-to-meet-payroll-pay-rent/

This reminds me of the paraquat scare. Anyone remember that?

This blog post from former BAI on-air personality Mike Feder was about racism and mismanagement at the station. http://www.federfiles.com/archives/000063.html

Didn't Pacifica install the current management at BAI?

I went to Free Music Store events also. Bill Farrar also had a fine show, Jazz Sampler, for years. There have been so many great shows through the years that it's truly sad to listen these days both to content and begging.

Read them. Aha, I see your point. BTW, I never could stand Null, and saw right through him. Talk about egos....

Best birthday wishes Larry!

Care to elaborate on the self-serving lies? I wouldn't say it's been moribund for 25 years. There was still great radio produced in the '80s and '90s. It was when Bernard White and crew got their hooks in it that things went downhill IMO.

He may be a slime bag (I never met him). But he does good radio. I wonder what happened to the No Show at NYC. I assumed his health took a nose dive.

I was too, and I thought Fass was an old bore. Where is Post today? Post was on WNYC for years. His last show was called the No Show. I think he is unwell. As a teen I was addicted to his BAI show The Outside.

The sad Shabazz story seems to have no end. Heartbreaking.

For fellow New Yorkers I don't have to tell you about WBAI's (at 95.5 FM and owned and licensed by the Pacifica Foundation) history as an important, if dysfunctional voice for progressives, the civil, women's, and gay rights movements, and the generally voiceless.The news department did really important investigative work during the Vietnam, Watergate, Iran-Contra, etc. Also free-form radio cut its baby teeth there, and it has done truly outstanding arts programming through the years. (Those outside of range may listen online at www.wbai.org) Because WBAI sits in the middle of the FM dial it it is prime real estate---and as such has always been fought over by various slightly more than zealous inner factions. This power struggle---and other pressures within and without--- contributed to the notorious management lockouts of staff in 1977 and 2000. But the station survived. In recent years the splintering, mis-management, an ill-advised move to 120 Wall Street (b/c of the expense of the studios), and saddest of all, poor quality of its air has caught up with WBAI. Listenership is but a sliver (with little outreach to younger potential listeners reared on the Web), and fundraising for this listener-sponsored station has been so poor that BAI was evicted from 120 Wall St. and now is 'couch surfing' at City College. The Empire State Building management is waiting to evict them from the transmitter room any day also b/c of rent arrears. Fundraising---traditionally 3X a year---is now relentless (and seemingly ineffective). Premiums offered for donations as high as $125 strain credulity in content (9-11 conspiracy theories). Scheduling changes drove good programmers away (case in point: left economic analyst Doug Henwood).The old lefties accuse BAI of selling out (the health guru Gary Null---widely viewed by them as a rainmaker and capitalist was recently put back on the air). Others (and I tend to agree) poo-poo excuses like Hurricane Sandy for BAIs current 'crisis'----when it was a long time coming. The faction wars used to be fun. Now they're sad. I truly feel for the on-air personalities still doing good radio (IMO Simon Loeckle, Ibrahim Gonzalez, Max Schmid, Sidney Smith and others) having to float in the river Styx. And I don't see how the station can last much longer. Or can it? Would it be better off left to die and perhaps rise again in a viable form? Any thoughts?

Wasn't inept, just corny as hell. Guess she figured she had to do her cutsie BG bit on that one . Lame.