Make it happen soon!

Coltrane's Dear Lord

Sanity Clause

I want to return!!!!

Horace Silver Quintet - Cool Eyes

Christmas deco continued

More to come

Continuing our Christmas preparations,today was package and Card day. We got a package ready to mail to my brother and did all the cards . Couldn't have done it without the hard work of our assistant Nani(on the table) More to come

Life is Good

Yesterday was busy. It started with our usual Sunday big breakfast. I have been fixing Omelets on Sundays for more years than I would care to remember. Anyway , as I said in my last post Sharon and I were going to continue getting into Holiday mode by putting up a tree. So, after breakfast we spent a few hours working on that . Later in the afternoon we also had the good fortune of being asked to another one of our neighbors great Sushi dinners (see Domo Arigato -may -post) Life is good

Holiday cheer!

Thanks to my friend Jane Smith the holidays arrived today. The two of us are always on the lookout for the appearance of the first seasonal ales. She found them first (as she did last year ) and bought me a supply. Let the festivities begin. We are planning to put up the tree this weekend so we are rolling now!

Fun Stuff

Why we live Hawaii!

Living amid the unknown

Wednesday, November 28, 2007 9:25 AM HST

By Gloria Baraquio

I'm living off the grid in Kalapana and, needless to say, life has been interesting. I'm starting to realize how much I love hot showers and how much I appreciate filtered water. I'm starting to understand why electricity is so important to so many and why some cannot live without a TV. I'm starting to understand why windows and walls might be more functional than simple screen lining. I'm starting to see what simplicity really is -- which isn't necessarily living life by candlelight and silence ------
read more at
http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/articles/2007/11/28/features/features02.txt

BigTown

A few months ago I did a post about my friend David Watson and his soon to be released CD. If you remember, he is an excellent Jazz musician and the CD has now been released . for more info go to

http://cdbaby.com/cd/davidlwatson3

It was recorded at the System Two Studios in New York. Check out the guys on the CD * David Watson Vocals* Mike LeDonne piano *

Bob Cranshaw Bass ( Cranshaw has played with Sonny Rollins Lee Morgan, Wes Montgomery, Coleman Hawkins, Johnny Hodges, Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, Thelonious Monk, Jimmy Heath, James Moody, and Buddy Rich, as well as toured with George Shearing, Joe Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, and Oscar Peterson. Say no more!) *

Mickey Rocker Drums he has played with
Dizzy Gillespie ,Eddie Gomez ,Tommy Flanagan ,Jimmy Heath, Jerry Dodgion,Sonny Rollins , Alfred Lion , Milt Jackson, Randy Johnston, Duso Goykovich, Bobby Jones ,Horace Silver, Ray Brown , Joe Pass , Stanley Turrentine,McCoy Tyner ,Sarah Vaughan ,Harold Vick, Phil Woods ,Joe Williams,Cedar Walton, Zoot Sims, Donald Byrd , Randy Brecker,Ray Bryant, Benny Carter, Chick Corea ,Duke Pearson,Robert Schimmel, Shirley Scott, Junior Mance ,Blue Mitchell,Roy Eldridge, Ella Fitzgerald ,Frank Foster ,Thad Jones ,Pepper Adams ,Garnett Brown , George Gershwin, Gene Harris,Herbie Hancock,The Modern Jazz Quartet, The N.Y. Hardbop Quintet ,Joe Henderson,Bobby Hutcherson ,Nat Adderley, Gene Ammons Count Basie, Hank Jones ,
and more!
There are 11 tracks on the cd with a nice balance of swinging and ballads. On a few tracks LeDonne switches to Organ. Nothing better than blues and a b3 . A lot of the material was created by David . He has a wonderful story telling style that can melt you heart on thoughtful ballads or swing seriously.
You can tell this group has spent time together because they are tight!

This recording was done in New York and lives up to the Jazz legacy created there.

It is way past time for this!

Published on Friday, November 2, 2007 by The Nation

Calling the Question — In the House — on Impeaching Cheney

by John Nichols

Broadcast media’s gate-keeping “stars” have done just about everything in their power to keep the matter of presidential accountability off the radar of the American people. That was evident during the most recent Democratic presidential debate, when NBC anchors Brian Williams and Tim Russert meticulously avoided following up on Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s three references to impeachment but somehow found time to grill the contenders on UFOs and what costume Barack Obama would be wearing on Halloween.

Pollsters are almost as bad. Rarely are questions about impeachment included in statewide or national surveys.

Despite the lack of media coverage, however, when citizens are asked what they think about holding members of the Bush administration to account, they respond with an enthusiasm far greater than that displayed for impeaching Richard Nixon at the height of the Watergate scandal. It is this reality — as opposed to the state of denial fostered by so much of the media and the political class — that Congressman Dennis Kucinich will act upon next week, when he offers a privileged resolution on the House floor to bring articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney.

Kucinich will face an uphill fight in a chamber led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat who continues to say that impeachment is “off the table.”

The Ohio congressman and long-shot presidential contender may not be following the rules of engagement as dictated by major media and his party leaders. But when Kucinich raises the issue of impeachment, he will be speaking for a great mass of Americans who agree with his argument that, “Congress must hold the Vice President accountable.”

How great?

A fresh poll conducted for Vermont’s WCAX television station finds that citizens of that state enthusiastically believe that Congress beginning impeachment proceedings against President Bush.

Sixty-one percent of the Vermonters surveyed favor taking steps to impeach the president, while just 33% oppose doing so.

The numbers are even higher for impeaching Cheney. Sixty-four percent of Vermonters favor beginning the process of holding the vice president to account, where only 31 percent are opposed.

The greater level of support for impeaching Cheney parallels the few nationwide figures that have been ascertained. When the American Research Group conducted a national survey in early July of this year, it found that 54 percent of American adults wanted the House to begin impeachment proceedings against Cheney — with 76 percent of Democrats, 51 percent of independents and a striking 17 percent of Republicans favoring the step.

Forty-six percent of Americans surveyed backed impeachment proceedings against Bush — with support for impeachment at 69 percent among Democrats, 50 percent among independents and 13 percent among Republicans.

What is notable is that, when Time magazine surveyed Americans in the late spring of 1974, after the Watergate scandal had evolved into a full-scale crisis of confidence in Nixon’s presidency, only 43 percent favored impeachment.

A media that actually had a sense of history, not to mention reality, would focus on the fact that Americans are more supportive of a congressional intervention to thwart Bush and Cheney’s wrongdoing than they were of moves to hold Nixon to account just months before the former president resigned in disgrace.

Now, it falls to Kucinich to speak the reality that, “The momentum is building for impeachment. Millions of citizens across the nation are demanding Congress rein in the Vice President’s abuse of power.”

Says the congressman, “Despite this groundswell of opposition to the unconstitutional conduct of office, Vice President Cheney continues to violate the U.S. Constitution by insisting the power of the executive branch is supreme… The Vice President continues to use his office to advocate for a continued occupation of Iraq and prod our nation into a belligerent stance against Iran. If the Vice President is successful, his actions will ensure decades of disastrous consequences.”

Kucinich introduced articles of impeachment against Cheney several months ago, and his H. Res. 333 has attracted almost two dozen co-sponsors. All Democrats, they are Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Robert Brady (D-PA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Rep. Henry Johnson (D-GA), Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Rep. James Moran (D-VA), Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA), Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and Rep. Albert Wynn (D-MD).

Frustrated by the refusal of Democratic leaders to set up a process for holding hearings on his proposal, Kucinich will use an arcane House rule allowing for the prodding of the process with privileged resolutions to try and force consideration. Once introduced, a privileged resolution must be addressed within two legislative days.

Kucinich is expected to offer his privileged resolution on Tuesday. He expects to continue pushing it until the House acts. That action is likely to be a successful move by Democratic leaders to table the measure. Such a vote could be instructive, however, in that it would provide a rare measure of the willingness of at least some House members to respond to the popular will — which is that Dick Cheney be held to account.

© 2007 The Nation

Always did love this

Dog Class

With this Halloween costume contest last Saturday, dog class is officially over .
Though we didn't win I have to admit this was kinda fun . It is really interesting how much Red likes doing this class every week.
I am convinced he absolutely knows when we are preparing to leave . So , like it or not, we are enrolled for next session in February. Hope he won't get too depressed until then

love this

Notso Fun

Saturday Red and I went to his last class (we will be starting another in February) This was a "fun match" which is a mock dog show event. We were given numbers and had to preform a series of turns , stopping and starting and a number of other tests.Then ,the whole class re- entered the judging area for the long sit stay and down stay tests . Of course Red could not sit and stay for longer that 30 seconds . Then real disaster struck . On the initial down stay command he went down but was up again in a few seconds. When I tried again he went down but rolled around on his back, his legs flailing at odd angles. By then I could not get him to go down .This all occurred in about 30 seconds (but seemed like 9 days) All the other dogs had been preforming admirably Lying and staying perfectly still but those directly near us were getting a little restless. Then the instructor said NUMBER 3 PLEASE MOVE YOUR DOG TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TEST AREA HE IS DISTRACTING THE OTHERS!!! I then told Red , oh great, now we are going to have to put on dunce caps and stand in the corner. Some things never change

Really were there!

Nice version of Wise one by Steveeolio

Art Tatum Jazz Giant

PLEASE READ!

The Mega-Lie Called the "War on Terror": A Masterpiece of Propaganda

By Richard W. Behan, AlterNet
Posted on September 27, 2007, Printed on September 28, 2007
http://www.alternet.org/story/63632/

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the state can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie ... The truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the state." --Joseph Goebbels, minister of propaganda in Nazi Germany, 1933-1945

Since Sept. 11, 2001, the administration of George W. Bush has told and repeated a lie that is "big enough" to confirm Joseph Goebbels' testimony. It is a mega-lie, and the American people have come to believe it. It is the "War on Terror."

read on at
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/63632/

Ronnie Cuber

Blues#12

Neighborhood

Back in the old Neighborhood and what a whirlwind it was. Seven days of eating ,checking out old haunts and visiting friends . At the same time it was great to rediscover just how much fun San Francisco is .

some highlights were

Spicy Snapper at the Pacific Café Restaurant
http://www.inetours.com/Pages/Dining_Archive/Pacific_Cafe.html * Great Salmon at the Acme Chop house http://www.acmechophouse.com/ followed by attending the Giants game in seats 6 rows behind their dug out! http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/ballpark/index.jsp * A trip to the Beach Chalet Brew Pub http://www.beachchalet.com/ * Riding old Street cars! http://www.streetcar.org/ * Visiting the wonderful GGNPA park System http://www.parksconservancy.org/* Discovering a great place that specializes in Steaks and burgers http://www.bullsheadburgers.com/index.html * And visiting the house we used to own (the blue one in the photo).

We have enough airline miles for another trip
and after we lose the weight we gained
we will return

One of many stops we made in San Francisco

San Francisco .

Returning to San Francisco for a one week visit. Before moving to Hawaii it was my home for 25 years. Hope to have something interesting to report afterwards .

Fun Stuff

Continuing the Prisoner/six of one celebration

The Prisoner appreciation Society

The Prisoner is considered by many to be the most unusual and thought-provoking television series ever made. When it was first shown in England in 1967 there had certainly been nothing like it before and, many would argue, nothing has surpassed it since. The series first aired in the United States on June 1st, 1968 on the CBS network and was repeated in the summer of 1969. The series is now unbelievably 40 years old but retains its vitality . This is helped in part by six of one the Prisoner appreciation society now celebrating our 30th anniversary.For more information visit

http://www.sixofone.co.uk/

Classes

The notion of a dog training class as a place where they are trained is only half of the picture. Today was training class day. We are now in our third level of classes. Each level lasted 10 weeks. Even with all that training behind us it is not until now that it is dawning on me it is not just Red who has to learn. In order for it all to work I have to be a good trainer. Slowly I am learning that this is more complicated than I expected. At the end of level one a friend of mine asked what I had learned . I replied I do not have enough patience. I now realize that is not my only shortcoming. I guess I will need a few more classes.

from http://www.garysmulyan.com/

"...Smulyan's tone seems to get bigger and his ideas more expansive from album to album"
Doug Ramsey Jazz Times

"...exhibits his charachteristic bold sound, magisterial line invention, easy chair warmth, and robust swing"
Zan Stewart Stereophile

"... Smulyan's bari is sweet as silk, and smooth as butter"
CD Reviews Magazine

"...Smulyan never compromises his robust sound and urbane wit"
Mark Stryker Detroit Free Press

" ...a pointed improviser..." Ben Ratliff New York Times

"...one of the best baritonists..." Gary Giddins Village Voice

"... Pepper Adams' heir on baritone sax..."
Bob Blumenthal Boston Globe

"... His phrasings and inflections are flawless... he has mastered the ability to play changes with the same fluency that Pepper Adams did..."
Tim Price Saxophone Journal

"...romps through beboppish solos with amazingly clean articulation ..." Newark Star Ledger

LIke it

What Else?

Another day another earthquake, thats what! At least it wasn't as strong as that monster in Peru. That is the earthquake that triggered our short Tsusnami alert yesterday. Small world. Wish it would stop shaking!

WHAT ELSE COULD HAPPEN !!!

Things are not always easy here in”Paradise”. For the past several days we had been tracking a Hurricane headed towards our end of the Island. At its strongest it was a category 4 storm with 140 mph winds. We dutifully prepared for the worst then waited. To make matters worse when the storm was about to hit us we had a 5.4 earthquake nearby. It was one of the many quakes associated with the erupting volcano not to far from us. As I type this I am thinking it makes us look really loony for moving here!
Anyway the storm weakened, went south of us, and eventually amounted to nothing.
The earthquakes come an go and the eruption is in a remote area. Today just when everything was settling down an earthquake in Peru caused a brief Tsunami advisory for the Islands but it has been canceled .I am reminded of something my dad used to say during a rough period in his life

WHAT ELSE COULD HAPPEN !!!

Later That Night

It was quite a sight as they opened while we watched! The only disappointment was the lack of a strong fragrance. Aside from that it was quite a night!

Opening stage one

It is remarkable how the blooms changed before they opened fully.

Special

We are excitedly waiting for our Night Blooming Cereus buds to open. Early in the evening the buds open out into beautiful large cups about a foot long and have a mildly spicy fragrance. The Cereus was originally brought to Hawaii from Mexico in 1830 on the Brig Ivanhoe. It is widely known for the quarter-mile hedge it forms at the Punahou School in Honolulu. Hope to get a photo to post. This is going to be special.

The jungle

It all started with a small plant given to us by friends who were moving. Not really knowing what it was we stuck it in the ground. Turns out it was a Passion fruit vine which proceeded to grow and grow and over take a small tree next to it. Having visions of the fence falling down and the tree being strangled we decided to remove it. Have to keep the jungle pushed back!

Try

As you can see we have Bananas to keep up with also. Like the pineapples they all seem to get ripe at once . Until we moved to Hawaii I didn’t realize how many different types there are. These are the apple variety. They are much smaller and sweeter that the bananas I remember as a kid in Indiana. It is a good thing that you can eat two or three at a time. That way we may devour them before they go bad . Will try anyway

Enjoyment

Here is the proof! A ten-pound beauty that we are currently enjoying. Further evidence that all the effort has paid off. We have given many more away that we have eaten but that is part of the enjoyment.

love Mose!

were things ever this simple?

Important stuff

Yum

It’s pineapple time again. Another season of digging ,planting, fertilizing and weeding(believe it or not) has produced more than 50 fruits. We didn’t expect this many, mainly because we had to remove so many old plants last time. I guess we have been doing this long enough to have enough plants at various stages of maturity to keep fruits coming at a steady pace. Already we have eaten two and given 3 away. Giving them away is a must. Don’t want them to go to waste and they always ripen faster than we can eat them. YUM !

Real Stuff

More classic stuff

Sentimental

After finishing a household chore today I got to thinking about this broom I was using. There is not much of it left but it still works. The reason it is so small is because it is fairly old. Bought by my grandmother many years ago I ended up with it. When she had to move out of an apartment and into nursing home family members descended on the place battling for various items. Rather than joining in I took an old broom dust pan and this whisk broom. This was around 1970 but the broom is probably older than that even. My wife Sharon thinks it odd that I have not thrown it out a long time ago but how can I! I mean come on! I am Hopelessly sentimental.

Dreams

The other day I received several emails from My friend Dave. We go back a long way to Indianapolis. Each had a photo attached and when I opened the first I was jolted back to the 60s . It seems that he had been to Indianapolis to go to the 500 race where he got a shot of the front of Shortridge, my High School. To me this photo is the stuff of which dreams are made, literally! I have had countless dreams that take place in and around this building. It is sweet to see an updated real image! Thanks Dave, you have come through once again!

CRUMB CARDS: EARLY JAZZ GREATS

by Robert Crumb $10.95
ISBN-10: 0971008035
ISBN-13: 9780971008038
Publisher: Kitchen Sink
In 1982, Yazoo Records issued a 36-card set devoted to early jazz greats. Illustrated by cartoonist Robert Crumb in an atypical painterly style, America's homegrown genuises were featured in loving portraits of jazz in this distinctive set of trading cards. This set has now been re-issued. It features such luminaries as "Bix" Beiderbecke, Coleman Hawkins, "Jellyroll" Morton, Louis Armstrong, "King" Oliver, Jack Teagarden, "Duke" Ellington, Sidney Bechet, "Fats" Waller, Bennie Moten, Benny Goodman, and 25 others.

I have had these cards for 20 years but just recently figured out who produced the artwork!

Another Early Jazz Great

New Shapes

Paradise

Meanwhile ,back in the garden.I say garden but it is really a forest. Sharon and I slaved away again today. We are hopelessly behind so periodically switch to a new area Just for our mental health. Yesterday and today we decided to work on the invasive weeds in the area to the left. Here in Hawaii things can grow so fast that we often “finish “an area, move on and by the time we go back around to it again it is totally inundated again . This is why we frequently move around as to not get totally frustrated. Ah the trials of living in Paradise!

Sister Sadie / GRP ALL STAR BIG BAND

Love a good Big Band

I SAID

At the start of this whole venture I intended to be more creative and diverse but it does not seem to be happening that way. I do have quite a few interests but tend to lack a way of presenting more of them . I said a few weeks ago that I was going to try and do something more that just throwing youtube videos at this blog! Having said that I just can't resist these little bits of jazz history. This whole experience has made me really appreciate those who must come up with creative stuff on a deadline basis! Will make an effort to do better but for now I have to go check youtube!

John Coltrane & Stan Getz: Rifftide (Hackensack)

Have never seen this before !

Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto - Corcovado

Another video in this series from 60otaku

Domo Arigato

In our neighborhood we actually know each other. We might not all get along but at least we know with whom we don’t agree. One really nice aspect of this is our good fortune of an invitation to one of our neighbor’s glorious sushi dinners. This is a privilege and something not to be missed and last night we had the pleasure again! As you can see in the photo everything is perfect. Our hostess not only prepares all the dinner,she even made the special fish plates it is served on. It all tastes as good as it looks! Can’t wait for the next invitation! Domo Arigato

Sid Caesar - What is jazz?

Wes Montgomery - Four On Six

I wonder how many of these there are?

Awe Inspiring Hike

Back from Honolulu! We have not been off Hawaii Island (aka the Big Island)for 5 years and nowhere near a city the size of Honolulu. I had to go for a medical test which turned out to be ok but we managed to have some fun too. But that is not the story of my post.
Today we drove up to Volcanoes National Park and what a special place it is! We have been there many times and today chose to hike part of the trail system around a volcano crater known as Kilauea Iki (Little Kilauea) It is adjacent to Kilauea crater but is much smaller. The Volcano vent in it erupted in 1959 fountaining as high as 2,000 feet. Today we worked our way half way around the crater. You can hike down onto and across its floor of which we plan to do t next time. It is awe inspiring even after all the fire has left! For more information visit http://www.nps.gov/havo/

Short Break

Going to take a short 3 day break in Honolulu. Maybe I will be able to come up with something more than posted You Tube videos upon returning.

Duke Ellington & John Coltrane - In A Sentimental Mood

Wonderful Stuff !

Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles living for the city

Talk about Swinging!

Priceless!

Gotta love it!

Too Cool!

Did Somebody Mention Jazz?

Good Canine Citizen!

For 10 weeks Red (and I) have been going to obedience class. During that time we have learned the building blocks to make a “a good canine citizen” Every Saturday we have met ,rain or shine to learn ten areas that we would be tested on. Then ,during the week we practiced like mad to try and master all of them.
Today was test day. We arrived at the training area early to prepare (which means getting red tired out) to help him concentrate. Well, concentrate he would not! There were probably 20 other dogs there to make sure he was really distracted! After all the weeks of drilling, he would not pay one bit of attention to me. As we entered the test area I was muttering “This is hopeless”But when we started he went through everything flawlessly! Other dogs had balked on one phase or another but not Red!

So here we are in our moment of glory! Now we have just two weeks until the next level class starts AAAIIIIEEEE!!!!!

Latest Change in our Garden

WILL IT EVER BE THIS GOOD AGAIN?

Rowan Atkinson---Genius!

Early Jazz Greats

Sharon and I were married here 36 years ago April 10

Another Blast form the past

What a sound!

Re forestation Progress

For a few years now Sharon and I have been working to restore the forest on our second acre next door . The front of it had been cleared over 10 years ago to improve the ocean view. Since then it developed into a real mess of tangled vines and weeds. After weeks and weeks of pretty intense labor (not to mention a rash that took quite a while to clear up) it was cleared. We since have added native plants and over time have roughly worked out planting areas and even some paths! Maybe one day we will even figure out what we are doing! Even if we don’t we have achieved a fairly good record of keeping plants healthy. This is more rewarding than I ever imagined!

Weaver of Dreams Sonny Rollins1959

Illusion

Monday night just as I was getting ready to go on line our power suddenly went off . It seems that some nitwit had been speeding nearby and knocked down a power pole. The power company replaced the pole and power was restored in a respectable 4 hours. The rural area where we live is pretty independent. I guess having a volcano erupting nearby is a part of that. Many areas are “off the grid” meaning no power , phone or public water supply. Our house has power,phone and catchment water .Water runs from the roof to a 10,000 gallon tank. It is then filtered and pumped into the house . Back to the power outage. When it happens not only does the power go ,the water does too ,because the pump will not work . This situation always makes me think how interesting it is that One minute you have all that energy brings - tv – stereo –computer- internet etc - etc and the next you have candle light . Makes me wonder at the illusion of it all!

SF REVISITED

STRANGE BUT LIKEABLE

Cathedrals and Minsters in England

JAZZ JAZZ JAZZ

Coltrane's The Wise One

More Portmeirion

A legend in Jazz

Louis Armstrong was one of the first great Jazz soloists and one of its most creative innovators. Throughout the many years of his career thousands were inspired by and tried to emulate his playing. He increasingly came to represent to the world the spirit of American jazz and its international appeal. Daniel Louis Armstrong started his musical career several years before he actually played the trumpet. At the age of seven he and a group of friends would sing on street corners for pennies and nickels. On December 31, 1913 he celebrated New Year’s Eve by shooting his step-father’s gun in the street. He was arrested , and while at the waif’s home in New Orleans he began playing the Trumpet. There were four salient features which made his an outstanding player-his superior choice of notes to shape unique melodic lines, his outstanding tone quality, his sense of swing, and his famous repertory of vibratos. His music had the make-up of any great music experience – expressive fervor, intense artistic commitment ,a natural sense for structural logic and superior instrumental skill . In the early 1900’s jazz was just coming into being. The public’s attitude towards the “new music” was unfavorable. Generally speaking ,jazz, including Armstrong’s playing was being heard in red light districts. There were many players but no outstanding soloists. Louis Armstrong was the first. His trumpet playing was not the only factor in his success. His unique singing also played a major role. He had a charm with his audience that was unsurpassable. Later in his career his singing became as important as his playing. He had become a complete entertainer. As his popularity grew, appearances abroad became frequent. Also in addition to his music, he was active in movies, Television, and even Broadway. He was a giant star.
Louis Armstrong ; a legend In Jazz.

A few weeks ago Sharon’s cousin and his girlfiend----um womanfriend ----- er --- ladyfriend , visited us. As we were showing them the sights they took quite a few photos . One of these turnd out to be the best shot of the two of us in a long time. I just know this is because of our new lightweight selves! You have to go back many years to find us as trim as we are now. We have worked at this for a year and a half now. Every morning starts on the scale. Just a daily remider not to let things slip. Although not so strict now we still try not to eat too much of the wrong foods. It has all been worth it and this photo is the proof!

Earl Grey & Darjeeling .end of an era

To Earl Grey and Darjeeling and the end of an era

DARJEELING
1989-2007 GONE TO RUN WITH THE KITTIES IN HEAVEN

The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics

for anne chuck jones award winning cartoon

from me to kg

to kg

Whoops-----my brain just drifted off to Portmeirion again! Review from Amazon.co.uk Synopsis "The Times" called Portmeirion 'the last folly of the Western World' while the "Guardian" saw it as 'a giant gnomes' village'. For eccentric architect Clough Williams-Ellis, the man who designed and built the resort, it was 'propaganda for good manners,' a statement of how planned development could enhance rather than destroy its environment. And for the quarter of a million visitors a year who make the trip to this Italianate village in North-West Wales, it's quite simply one of the most magical places on Earth. It was here Noel Coward wrote his comedy "Blithe Spirit", Patrick McGoohan filmed the legendary 1960s TV series "The Prisoner" and George Harrison celebrated his 50th birthday. It's the kind of place where Larry Adler gave informal concerts to other guests and hotel staff, Ingrid Bergman could be found talking movies with Bertrand Russell, and where royalty - from Edward VIII to King Zog of Albania - would join the general public in seeking escape from the modern world. Here too was born the world-famous Portmeirion Pottery, founded by Clough's daughter, Susan William-Ellis, and still one of Britain's leading ceramics companies nearly a half-century on. The book "Portmeirion" is published to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the opening of the resort in 1926. Lavishly illustrated with many unpublished and rare photographs, plans and drawings, it is the first book to cover the whole story of the village, the extensive gardens both at Portmeirion and Plas Brondanw, the Williams-Ellis family home, Portmeirion Pottery as well as Clough himself.

Laurel and Hardy - Blotto

One of the funniest comedy bits ever!

Pepper Adams in the UK

my man!

Kenny Garrett with Miles Davis

Hard drivin stuff!

A few months ago I did a post about my friend David Watson and his soon to be released CD. If you remember, he is an excellent Jazz musician and the CD has now been recorded. Although not released yet ,demo copies are here!

Title track Sample

It was recorded at the System Two Studios in New York. Check out the guys on the CD * David Watson Vocals* Mike LeDonne piano *

Bob Cranshaw Bass ( Cranshaw has played with Sonny Rollins Lee Morgan, Wes Montgomery, Coleman Hawkins, Johnny Hodges, Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, Thelonious Monk, Jimmy Heath, James Moody, and Buddy Rich, as well as toured with George Shearing, Joe Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, and Oscar Peterson. Say no more!) *

Mickey Rocker Drums he has played with
Dizzy Gillespie ,Eddie Gomez ,Tommy Flanagan ,Jimmy Heath, Jerry Dodgion,Sonny Rollins , Alfred Lion , Milt Jackson, Randy Johnston, Duso Goykovich, Bobby Jones ,Horace Silver, Ray Brown , Joe Pass , Stanley Turrentine,McCoy Tyner ,Sarah Vaughan ,Harold Vick, Phil Woods ,Joe Williams,Cedar Walton, Zoot Sims, Donald Byrd , Randy Brecker,Ray Bryant, Benny Carter, Chick Corea ,Duke Pearson,Robert Schimmel, Shirley Scott, Junior Mance ,Blue Mitchell,Roy Eldridge, Ella Fitzgerald ,Frank Foster ,Thad Jones ,Pepper Adams ,Garnett Brown , George Gershwin, Gene Harris,Herbie Hancock,The Modern Jazz Quartet, The N.Y. Hardbop Quintet ,Joe Henderson,Bobby Hutcherson ,Nat Adderley, Gene Ammons Count Basie, Hank Jones ,
and more!
There are 11 tracks on the cd with a nice balance of swinging and ballads. On a few tracks LeDonne switches to Organ. Nothing better than blues and a b3 . A lot of the material was created by David . He has a wonderful story telling style that can melt you heart on thoughtful ballads or swing seriously.
You can tell this group has spent time together because they are tight!

This recording was done in New York and lives up to the Jazz legacy created there. Stay tuned for a release date!

Donald Rumsfeld's hands

very clever!

john zorn - naked city - batman

Crazy Stuff!