Peter Johnson

Hot DAMN!!!!!! What is this track (playing on KCR right now) with the orchestra/big band? I must have it!!!

Wouldn't even know where to start... And that's a good thing...

Full circle. Terribly sad that many of the greats have gone, but I have to think they'd be delighted at the legacy they've left and to know there are so many of you carrying the torch. Damn, if I had a B-3 in the house I'd fire that baby up right now and play like nobody was listening...

God, what is there to say. Thanks for the music, Jimmy...the band in the sky just got another key player. R.I.P., with tears in my eyes...

Wow, wow, wow, that's great stuff! Terrific shots, terrific website. Well done!

God damn! Just out of the blue? How much ass does that kick! Well done, BB!

Damn--rules rules rules! We have enough we have to live by in our daily lives! If you're comfortable buying something from someone with 1 post, knock yourself out. If you're not, don't. What's complicated about this?

Pretzels and flat coke...courtesy of Chez U.S. Air! (redeye to Philly)

Terrific news! All the best to you, Melissa and Milo!

Solution: Buy the Dex select--you will NOT regret it!

Haven't looked, haven't looked, promise...but Gail called me and told me I had a CD in the mail in Philly. Damn, foiled by the bicoastal scourge. She told me she sent it off, so hopefully it will be here in a day or two...

Well done, Mike--that's great stuff!

Well, I just got back from the show. Nice set, overall, but I think the Dr. and the boys were feeling a little jetlagged--the show saw slowwwwww. Not bad, just slow. The crowd couldn't have helped; very subdued. I guess it was a Tuesday, but I've seen Poppa Lou in NYC on a Tuesday and the crowd was as raucous as any other night. Anyway, I caught most of the song titles, with some "blanks". The doctor was in fine amusing form as always and clearly appeared to be having fun in spite of the aforementioned jet lag. Bear with me--anyone who's seen my BFT responses knows song titles ain't my strong suit! First song was "You Don't Love Me Anymore," a slow-burnin' ballad that was a nice mellow way to kick off the night--a perfect accompaniment to my Stoli martini (up with olives) and basket 'o bread which I was enjoying, particularly in light of the fact that I was there by myself and didn't have to make conversation with anyone ("did you hear that?" "Look at the expression on his face!" etc. etc. etc. ad nauseum). I had a great seat on a stool (hard on the back!) looking over all the combovers, directly at eyelevel with the doctor who was kickin' bass like a muthafukka. Great, traditional "fast part" (jazz musicians, what do you call that part of the ballad?) with a lot of creative stop work by the doctor. Guitarist was verrrry boring on the first one; he seemed like he was trying to feel his way around the fretboard. Oh well. Mid tempo, bossa nova version of "They Can't Take That Away from Me" was next. Nice, but just nice; nothing earthshattering other than the drummer's ability to hit a rim shot on the 1-4-7-10-13-15 beats for about twenty minutes. I was nearing the end of my first martini at this point, which made me sad, and think "I need to get some water," as it at this point seemed as though it was going to be a long-ish night. Well, as if in answer to my doldrums, the doctor kicked in a rousing version of "Backtrack," a song "from my new LP. Did I just say LP? Dammmmmmmn, I can't fool y'all with my age, I guess....sheeeeeit....I should put some grecian formula on my beard." Well, he had me then and there--this was an uptempo stop-time (reminiscent of Baby Face, very palpable influence) with a nice bit of 70's funk thrown in for good measure (I'm starting to sound like a Dusty review. Ouch.) This song couldn't have lasted long enough for my taste--the guitarist finally got his shit together, and we were treated to an excellent drum solo--but almost before it started, it was over. I ordered another martini, thinking (it had been an hour at this point) that I better get the order in before they started closing out the tabs. Silver's Serenade was next--beautiful. Just gorgeous. I sat there, closed my eyes, and let the sounds wash over me...the doctor used a nice light stop setting on the organ which was completely captivating. Well done. Next song was (all right! There's my drink!) "It's Too Damn Hot," Cole Porter updated for the early eighties. Seriously--there was a serious 80's vibe to their arrangement. This is apparently on the new record as well; no solos, interestingly. Two songs slid past without recognition. They were both ballads. .5 martini left. And the Willow Weep was next. Sllloooowwwww. Since my internal clock still hasn't adjusted, almost fell asleep during this song, which was followed by an unnamed midtempo nondescript song. Yes! Martini's gone, but a new uptempo song by the doctor himself: "If you see or hear that we're here"! Nice, nice stuff--solos all around, battles, serious bass, creativity--nice stuff. The show closed out with a ballad--no idea what it was. At this point I had really had it with the white man's overbites I was seeing all around me and was really pining for the Vanguard, where people would just sit and listen and not elbow their friends ("isn't this kewl?"), etc. The song ended, polite applause, the house lights and music came up, I grabbed my jacket and strode forth, having paid my bill in advance of the rush, along the monorail tracks slowly into the fifty-degree night back to the 25th floor of my office tower where I, your faithful scribe, pen these words tonight. On balance--I wasn't wowed by the show, but of course I'm delighted I went. I'll go to hear the doctor any chance I get. I wonder if my perception wasn't skewed a bit by the fact that I miss the east (and my internal clock hasn't quite readjusted)? We'll know soon enough. Go see Lonnie Smith while you can.

At least once/month for the last four years! I agree re the provincial addytude ( ) though. I knew several people in my office who had never left the state of Pennsylvania.

Was he related to Hank Mobley?

Thanks for map, Peter! NOW I'll know how to get to NYC! That north-by-northeast drive can be a b___!

1.5 hours...

Well how do you like that? I move 2,500 miles across the country, I'm lying in bed this morning feeling sorry for myself about the fact that the VV is no longer an hour and a half away, what will I ever do to satiate my jazz jones, and then *BAM* the DJ tells me that the turbanator is playing two shows at Jazz Alley, tonight and tomorrow night! No Poppa Lou--just the Doctor with Peter Bernstein on guitar and Billy Drummond on drums. I'm so there--definitely tonight, maybe tomorrow as well. Any Seattle board members heading to the show(s)? It would be great to catch up in person...

Alta Vista sayeth: in the summer the water from the cold tap becomes less and less cold I sayeth: In the hot summer The water from the fountain Hurts like a mo-fo

Did you get my PM, John?

Forgive me if this has already been mentioned, but I'm grooving to the second disc ("Sessions") of Marvin's "I Want You" right now. The bonus material is fantastic and really gives insight into how they put the record (unjustly maligned; one of my favorites of his) together.

Ravi Shankar said that, right? No, I think it was Norah Jones...

Hey John! I just landed in Seattle this afternoon--hit with a PM if there's anything I can do! Good luck! Peter

Completely agree...your head (seriously) might explode, otherwise... [no smiley] Thank you , John C...wish you were still with us...