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Saturday, May 09, 2009
DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER GREETING BILL HENDERSON AT U.C.L.A. DUKE ELLINGTON FEST APRIL 5, 2009
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Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Monday, April 06, 2009
MIKIE GREENWOOD PLAYING AT THE DUKE ELLINGTON CELEBRATON APRIL 5, 2009
http://astore.amazon.com/jazzbird06-20
KENNY AND BUBBA JACKSON DUKE ELLINGTON CELEBRATION APRIL 5, 2009
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TOM RANIER PLAYING SINGLE PETAL OF A ROSE DUKE ELLINGTON CELEBRATION UCLA APRIL 5, 2009
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UCLA STRING QUARTET PERFORMING AT THE DUKE ELLINGTON CELEBRATION APRIL 5,2009
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TOM RANIER PLAYING "SINGLE PETAL OF A ROSE" AT UCLA APRIL 5, 2009
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KAMANI SHIMANUKI SWINGS AT THE DUKE ELLINGTON CELEBRATION APRIL 4, 2009
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LESA TERRY BOPPIN AT THE DUKE ELLINGTON CELEBRATION UCLA APRIL 5, 2009
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DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER SINGS WITH THE UCLA JAZZ ORCHESTRA APRIL 5, 2009
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BARBARA MORRISON SINGING WITH THE UCLA LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE APRIL 5, 2009 UCLA
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KENNY BURRELL HONORS DEE DEE BRIDGEWATGER APRIL 5, 2008 UCLA'S DUKE ELLINGTON CELEBRATION!
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Tuesday, October 21, 2008
clare fischer's latin jazz ensemble, don shielton soloing, brent fischer conducting!
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Monday, October 13, 2008
KENNY BURRELL AND HIS LAWYER, THE ONLY GUY I KNOW WHO KNOWS ALL THE LYRICS OF THE ENTIRE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK!
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QUINCY JONES, KENNY BURRELL, BUDDY COLLETTE, PAGE CAVANAUGH ET. AL. !
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BARBARA MORRISON TRYING TO FIND ANOTHE PIANO PLAYER!
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BARBARA WILL BE YOSHI'S WITH DANNY CARONUPCOMING EVENTS
Here's my performance schedule
and thank you for your continued support.
Dates and Times Subject to Change
( ) = Tentative X = Open for Booking / = No Performance
Day
Date
To
Location
State/Country
Time Cap Avenue
SAT
10/18/2008
Los Angeles
CA
A Taste of Soul
SAT
10/25/2008
Ann Arbor
Michigan
8:00 PM
Fire Fly
WED
10/29/2008
Santa Monica
CA
6:30 PM
Casa Del Mar
FRI
10/31/2008
San Francisco
CA
8:00 PM
Yoshi's
SAT
11/1/2008
Bel Air
CA
8:30 PM
Vibrato
FRI/SAT
11/7/2008
11/8/2008
Fullerton
CA
8:30 PM
Steamers
SUN
11/9/2008
Long Beach
CA
TBA
TBA 'Women In Jazz Award'
SUN
11/9/2008
TBA
CA
Private- Leslie
Thurs
11/13/2008
Los Angeles
CA
6:30 PM
Crown Plaza 'RBD ' 'The Marla Gibbs Entertainment Award'
FRI
11/14/2008
Pasadena
CA
8:30 PM
Pasdena Jazz Institute
SAT
11/15/2008
Bakerfield
CA
Westcoast
Thurs
11/20/2008
Los Angeles
CA
TBA
The Mint 6010 Pico Ave
SAT
11/29/2008
Laguna Niguel
CA
9:00PM
Ritz Carlton
FRI
12/5/2008
Hollywood
CA
TBA
Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill My 35th Anniversay in Show Biz!
FRI
12/12/2008
Hollywood
CA
Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill
FRI
12/19/2008
Hollywood
CA
TBA
Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill
FRI
12/26/2008
Hollywood
CA
TBA
Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill
WED
12/31/2008
Hollywood
CA
TBA
Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill Happy New Year!
SAT
1/3/2009
Private
CA
West Coast - Private
FRI/SAT/SUN
1/16/2009
1/18/2009
Sonora
CA
TBA
FRI/SAT
3/6/2009
3/7/2009
Sonora
CA
TBA
Columbia College
SAT
3/14/2009
Long Beach
CA
TBA
Long Beach Muni Band 100 year Celebration
SAT
4/18/2009
Los Angeles
CA
Private
West Coast Music
SUN
4/19/2009
Cincinnati
Ohio
TBA
Xavier University
5/23/2009
CA
Private
Private-West Coast
THE GREAT PAGE CANVANAUGH ROLLING UP FOR PHOTO SHOOT!
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Page Cavanaugh
Home | CD | Page | Gallery | QandA | Trio | Birthday Video | Calendar | Contact | Press
Columnist Army Archerd and Nancy Sinatra Jr. Celebrate Page's 85th birthday with a party at the Beverly Hills Hotel!
Click video to play
The guests included Tom Hatton, Steve Tyrell, Army Archerd, Pinky Winters, Ray Evans, Jack Reilly, Corky Hale, Peter Levinson, Marilyn King, Nancy Sinatra Sr. and Nancy Sinatra Jr., Morris Diamond and Peter Menefee, to name just a few.
A cake was presented and Cavanaugh cut the first slice. Accompanied by bassist Phil Mallory, Cavanaugh sang "Three Little Bears," "My Last Affair," "Tea For Two," "San Francisco" and "It's Magic."
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Saturday, December 29, 2007
CHARMAINE CLAMOR is the most over hyped vocalist of 2007, especially in socal.
she's obviously performing for her filipino base audience and telling her story to the rest of the world via her debut CD FLIPPIN OUT.
she opens using MY FUNNY VALENTINE as her version of MY FUNNY BROWN PINAY to exemplify what it's like to go through an asian identity crisis.
all of us who were not born white go through this. this is 2008, we don't need to be reminded that BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL, BROWN IS BEAUTIFUL, YELLOW IS GLORIOUS on a debut jazz vocal cd.
AS FAR AS CONVEYING THE STORY OF SPANISH IMPERIALISM, FRED HO'S "SONG FOR MANONG" does this much better.
CLAMOR overly dramatizes every number. clamor is a fine filipina vocalist. there are many fine filipina vocalists.
but when you enter the world of ELLA, SARAH, CARMEN, SUE RANEY, SHIRLEY, ROBERTA GAMBARINI et al you're going to be judged accordingly.
just like i suck too. but one has to perservere as Bird did after getting hit by the cymbal. THE PATH TO WORLD CLASS JAZZ MUSICIANSHIP IS FULL OF PITFALLS. ONLY THE HARDY MAKE IT. BIRD PRACTICED 14 HOURS A DAY FOR 3 OR 4 YEARS. SONNY AND MOODY STILL PRACTICE A LOT. JOE LOVANO HEARD HIS DAD A GREAT SAX PLAYER WHILE IN THE WOMB. ROBERTA AND KURT ELLING HAVE TRANSCRIBED HUNDREDS OF SOLOS. THERE IS NO EASY ROUTE TO JAZZ PERFECTION.
CLAMOR should listen to BARBARA MORRISON sing CANDY.
ALTOIST JULIUS TOLENTINO IS EXCELLENT AS OF COURSE IS TIERNEY SUTTON'S RHYTHM SECTION WHICH CLAMOR BORROWED.
CHRISTIAN JACOB, TAMIR HENDLEMAN, GERALD CLAYTON, TOM RAINIER, JUST A FEW OF THE REALLY GREAT PIANISTS IN SOCAL.
with respect to the FILIPINO MUSIC, it's great. i've played MINAMAHAL KITA with filipino vocalists. it's a fine standard.
IT'S A GOOD DEBUT CD. IT'S BETTER THAN BEA BENJAMIN'S 1963 DEBUT WITH DUKE, STRAYHORN AND DOLLAR BRAND. BUT ONCE YOU ENTER THE WORLD CLASS JAZZ WORLD, YOU'RE GOING TO BE MEASURED BY THE HIGHEST STANDARDS.
Friday, December 28, 2007
SATHIMA BEA BENJAMIN'S A MORNING IN PARIS
This was a recording session in Paris arranged by DUKE ELLINGTON. DUKE was enthralled by ms benjamin when he heard her in Zurich in 1963. he arranged for her and her then boyfriend DOLLAR BRAND to make this recording in Paris.
ms benjamin's debut recording at the time received the benefit of DUKE, BILLY STRAYHORN and DOLLAR BRAND backing her.
frankly i don't care for pizzicato violin on the fills just like i don't care for PAQUITO D'RIVERA'S clarinet behind ROBERTA GAMBARINI. the range of violin and clarinet is simply too high for these fine vocalists, and to me it detracts from the vocal performance. IN MY OPINION THE VIOLIN RUINED WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD RECORDING.
SPRING WILL BE A LITTLE LATE THIS YEAR perked my ears immediately. not many vocalists perform this piece; so i was attracted to it right away. i seem to like tunes which have large intervallic leaps, for example ROBERTA'S DEEP PURPLE. SPRING is simply a great FRANK LOESSER tune.
when you are fortunate to have DUKE ELLINGTON comping for you (IN MY SOLITUDE), the violin has no business intruding. you don't even get to hear Duke. Listen to Duke comping behind Coltrane. Those are real compositions Duke is coming up with when comping behind TRANE.
STRAYHORN comps for Benjamin on A NIGHTINGALE SANG BERKELEY SQUARE, but again the violin is an intrusion. When you have Strays comping for you, why is the violin in there?
there must be a reason why this recording was not released for 45 years. IT SIMPLY IS NOT THAT GOOD despite the all star cast. Benjamin was a young singer at the time. she had a unique delivery, much like madeline peyroux. She may have entranced Duke, but she does nothing for me. Ms Benjamin's tempos are simply agonizingly slow. I frankly did not have the patience to get through the verses.
However i've like many of her later recordings since 1963. She was simply inexperienced in 1963, and i'm sure you'll find the same in Roberta Gambarini's earliest recordings. Bird's first recording DID NOT SHAKE THE JAZZ WORLD.
Friday, December 21, 2007
i don't want to be redundant, but i watch the BRAIN ON PBS every evening as i'm blogging or working on the computer.
consquently i don't really absorb everything from the program as i'm concentrating on quite a few things like writing this.
HOWEVER I WANT TO REPEAT THAT WORKING ON MUSIC MAY ACTUALLY BE YOUR FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH.
ever since i've been playing music on the streets, i meet all kinds of people, many professionals, doctors, lawyers, teachers et al who come up to me and say they wish they could do what i'm doing, PLAYING MUSIC ON THE STREET. well as you all know i'm practicing besides trying to present something enjoyable for people.
what the brain series tells you me that if you challenge your brain constantly like trying to play jazz or just music, taking piano lessons or lessons on whatever instrument you choose, including the harmonica, you will exercise you brain and force it to grow in a positive way. IT'S CORRECT SLOW REPETITION WHICH IS THE ONLY WAY TO PRACTICE. CLIFFORD BROWN DIDN'T CREATE "JOY SPRING" BY PLAYING IT FAST. HE CREATED IT NOTE FOR NOTE AND PLAYED IT SLOWLY OVER AND OVER AGAIN. SONNY ROLLINS DOESN'T CREATE THOSE SOLOS BY PLAYING LIGHTENING FAST. HE PRACTICES SLOWLY LIKE, HE'LL TAKE A MOTIF LIKE "THREE LITTLE WORDS" AND PLAY IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN CREATING VARIATIONS ENDLESSLY.
many jazz fans like you once played music, for example piano or instrument lessons when you were young, which is why you can get into jazz more easily than if you had never taken music lessons.
you might have quit as i did for 13 years, but now you might wish or want to get back to playing music, but it seems like a formidable task because you're not going to be a competent player overnight.
HOWEVER IF YOU HAVE THE TIME AND ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE, DO IT, AND TAKE IT A LITTLE BY LITTLE. PLAY SOMETHING LIKE TWINKLE TWINKLE AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUNDREDS OF TIMES UNTIL YOU CAN MAKE IT SWING. THEN LEARN TO PLAY IT IN ALL KEYS.
SOMETHING THIS SIMPLE WILL EXERCISE YOUR BRAIN AND PROBABLY EXTEND YOUR LIFE.
YOU WON'T BECOME CHARLIE PARKER OR OSCAR PETERSON, BUT YOU'LL HAVE LOTS OF ENJOYMENT AND PROBABLY LIVE LONGER. take lessons; there are plenty of jazz people like me who will help you. lessons are not just for kids. i have a student who's a former foreign service officer, a graduate of Tufts University. his entire family are musicians except him. so once i helped him get started into playing saxophone again. he didn't need any more lessons. he's just learning by himself. also on the internet you can take lessons from any number of people including LEE KONITZ. DAVE LIEBMAN WRITES ALL THE TIME. you can read his stuff. there are all kinds of saxophone players who blog like me. you can learn from DAVID VALDEZ, CASA VALDEZ, a great player, teacher in Portland.
THERE MUST BE PIANO TEACHERS TEACHING ONLINE. MY FRIEND ADAM LEVINE, FORMER HEAD OF GUITAR DICK GROVE SCHOOL OF MUSIC TEACHES ONLINE gtrlessons@aol.com he taught ADAM LEVY WHO'S WITH NORAH JONES, and you can hear him on my tracks usually on the jamwave.com charts click charts then jazz.
THIS IS WHAT I GET OUT OF THE BRAIN SERIES! YOU CAN'T BE PASSIVE AND SAY I WISH I COULD DO IT. JUST GO OUT AND DO IT!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
THE CALENDAR CLUB AT SANTA MONICA PLACE BROADWAY AND 3RD ST. PLAYS MY MUSIC ALL DAY.
I KNOW IT'S NOT WORLDWIDE EXPOSURE LIKE STARBUCKS, BUT YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. PEOPLE ARE ASKING ABOUT ME. SO IF YOU NEED CALENDARS, AND MUSICIANS WITH LOTS OF GIGS NEED CALENDARS WITH BIG BOXES TO PLACE THE DETAILS OF THEIR GIGS, GO TO CALENDAR CLUB AT THE SANTA MONICA MALL.
THE ARTIST RENDERING OF THE NEW SANTA MONICA PLACE WILL BECOME A REALITY IN A FEW YEARS. MORE OPEN SPACE ETC.
THERE ARE ACTUALLY OVER A 1000 CALENDAR CLUBS WORLDWIDE, BUT THE ONLY ONE WITH WHICH I'M IN CONTACT IS IN SANTA MONICA.
IT'S PROBABLY A FRANCHISE OPERATION BECAUSE YOU AND I CAN PROBABLY OPEN A CALENDAR CLUB IF WE HAVE THE MONEY.
ANYWAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
ROBERTA GAMBARINI RECEIVING GLOWING REVIEWS AT TANGLEWOOD, AUGUST 2007
SEE ROBERTA JAZZ FESTIVAL PHOTOS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS FROM MONTEREY, NORTHSEA, TANGLEWOOD, SEATTLE, DUKE ELLINGTON JAZZ FESTIVAL ET AL AT WWW.FLICKR.COM
Monday, September 24, 2007
CALIFORNIA AT WAR IS A TERRIFIC DOCUMENTARY BEING SHOWN THIS WEEK IN CONJUNCTION WITH KEN BURNS'S "WAR".
A FEW FACTS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED ME.
THERE WERE TEN THOUSAND PEOPLE AT A DANCE IN SAN FRANCISCO. NO MENTION OF THE BIG BANDS PLAYING, BUT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME BIG BANDS. NO STUPID D.J.'S IN THOSE DAYS. ALSO IN TALKING WITH SOCAL NATIVES, I LEARNED THAT DOZENS OF BIG BANDS DURING THE WAR YEARS USED TO PLAY NEAR WHERE I PLAY TODAY NEAR THE SANTA MONICA PIER.
THE DOC ALSO EMPHASIZED THE ROUND THE CLOCK ATMOSPHERE OF CALIFORNIA ENTERTAINMENT, MOVIE HOUSES, CLUBS, DANCE HALLS ETC. JUST LIKE NEW YORK CITY WHERE BEBOP REALLY EVOLVED. (SEE JAZZ GOES TO WAR POSTING BELOW.)
NOW THE SAME TYPE OF ATMOSPHERE, BIG BANDS AND ROUND THE CLOCK ENTERTAINMENT, JAM SESSIONS, SIMPLY DON'T EXIST TODAY. SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE MUSICIANS DEVELOP AS THEY DID DURING THE WAR YEARS. JAMMING AT SCHOOL IS NOT LIKE JAMMING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE WHERE PEOPLE DON'T CLAP OR BOO YOU IF YOU DON'T SAY ANYTHING, OR YOU GET REPRIMANDED IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE FOR NOT KNOWING THE CHANGES. ALSO A MUSICIAN LEARNS TO COMMUNICATE EMOTIONALLY WITH AN AUDIENCE IF THERE IS AN AUDIENCE INSTEAD OF THE STERILE ATMOSPHERE OF A CLASSROOM.
CONSEQUENTLY THE MUSIC WILL EVOLVE AND GROW DEPENDING ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
MORE BANDS ALSO ALLOWED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE SEASONED VOCALISTS.
YOU CANNOT DIVORCE MUSICAL DEVELOPMENT FROM ITS ENVIRONMENT FROM SLAVERY AND FIELD HOLLERS TO BEBOP DURING THE WAR YEARS.
LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENT TODAY. D.J.'S, RAP ??? MANUFACTURED SOUNDS. WHERE'S THE SOUL? WHERE'S THE SPONTANEOUS CREATIVITY WITH MELODY, RHYTHM AND HARMONY?
Sunday, September 23, 2007
THE LATEST ISSUE OF JAZZTIMES OFFERS A VERY THOROUGLY RESEARCHED ARTICLE ON THE DEMISE OF THE CD AND THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL MUSIC.
THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE CD IS GOING THE WAY OF VINYL AS CONVENIENCE SUPERSEDES SOUND QUALITY.
NEARLY 80 PERCENT OF THE JAZZ BUYING PUBLIC PREFER BUYING THEIR JAZZ AT STORES WHEREAS IT'S JUST THE OPPOSITE FOR THE GENERAL MUSIC BUYING PUBLIC, AND WITH OLDER JAZZ FANS DYING OFF, THE YOUNGER AND NEWER FANS RAISED ONLINE PREFER TO BUY ONLINE.
FEW HAVE TURNTABLES TODAY, AND PRETTY SOON FEW WILL HAVE CD PLAYERS.
ALSO THERE ARE FEWER AND FEWER STORES, AND WITH THE DEMISE OF TOWER, BLUENOTE TOOK A HUGE HIT.
I'M PHYSICALLY CLOSE TO BARNES AND NOBLE AND BORDERS, BUT I JUST AS SOON CLICK MY EBAY AND AMAZON ADS ON MY BLOGS.
MY SPACE AND WEBSITES HAVE ALLOWED ME AND OTHERS AND GET TO KNOW THE ARTISTS. NOW HERBIE HANCOCK MIGHT NOT CONVERSE WITH YOU ON THE INTERNET, BUT YOU CAN FIND HIM AT THE APPLE STORE IN THE BEVERLY CENTER, NEAR BEVERLY HILLS.
I MET ROBERTA GAMBARINI ON LINE AND THEN MET HER IN PERSON.
I WAS CURIOUS AS TO HOW SHE AND GERALD CLAYTON MAGNIFICENTLY HIT THE HALF STEP MODULATION ON THE OUT CHORUS TO "ONLY TRUST YOUR HEART" , AND GERALD TOLD ME ONLINE THAT HE AND ROBERTA SIMPLY TALKED ABOUT IT AND RECORDED IT IN ONE TAKE.
ALSO ROBERTA TOLD EVERYONE ONLINE THAT SHE AND HANK JONES RECORDED 17 TUNES ONE AFTERNOON IN NYC, AND THEY WERE ALL ONE TAKES, AND 10 ARE ON HER NEW CD "YOU ARE THERE". ( THE PIC ABOVE IS ROBERTA AND HANK AT THE RECENT DUKE ELLINGTON JAZZ FESTIVAL IN D.C.)
AND THE GREAT JOHN CLAYTON WAS GRACIOUS TO SAY HE WAS MY FAN AND MOODY PUTS ME IN HIS TOP 40. ALL THIS IS REALLY ENCOURAGING, AND YOU DON'T GET THIS EXPERIENCE BY BUYING JAZZ
VINYL AND CDS IN MUSIC STORES.
A FRIEND RECENTLY LOANED ME THE NEW JACK JOHNSON SERIES BY MILES DAVIS. I DON'T HAVE TIME TO LISTEN TO FIVE CDS OF FUSION; SO I SIMPLY HAD TO COPY IT AND LISTEN TO IT ANOTHER TIME.
PEOPLE EMAIL ME TRACKS OF MUSIC ALL THE TIME, AND I DO THE SAME FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
APPLE PREDICTS THEY WILL SELL TEN MILLION IPHONES THE NEXT YEAR. AND MY SPACE WILL GO OVER THE 200 MILLION MARK SOON.
I HAVE NO IDEA HOW PEOPLE FIND YOU AND BECOME YOUR FRIENDS ON MYSPACE, BUT THEY DO.
ESPECIALLY INTERESTING ARE FOREIGN MUSICIANS WHO FIND ME, AND IN TURN I LISTEN TO THEIR MUSIC.
I'M SURE HERBIE HANCOCK WOULD NOT LISTEN TO ME, BUT HE'S A MY SPACE FRIEND ANYWAY.
SO YOU MISS THE ART WORK AND LINEAR NOTES FROM VINYL AND CDS, YOU GET NEARLY THE SAME EXPERIENCE FROM WEBSITES. MOST ARTISTS GIVE YOU A BIO AND DESCRIBE THEIR MUSIC. ALSO THEY TELL YOU WHERE THEY ARE PERFORMING.
IN ROBERTA'S CASE, I WATCH HER CRISS CROSS THE WORLD, FOLLOW HER BY READING HER GLOWING REVIEWS EVERYWHERE. SO WHEN SHE COMES TO CATALINAS ON DEC. 2ND, I'LL HAVE EXPERIENCED JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE SHE'S BEEN THE PAST YEAR JUST BY READING HER
REVIEWS.
HAVE A GOOD SUNDAY. WE HAD OUR FIRST DAY OF RAIN IN MONTHS, BUT I STILL GOT IN 3 HOURS OF PLAYING.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
MY DREAM OF A JAZZ SUPPER CLUB AT THE OLD TOWER RECORDS WITH TWO GRANDS ON A ELEVATED STAGE HAS BEEN DASHED. SOME FURNITURE STORE OUTBID MINE.
we don't need anymore damn furniture stores here in santa monica.
as i write, this WYNTON MARSALIS is on ABC THIS WEEK. he's coming out with a CD concerned with social responsibility. (i think; i'm presently in a different room than my tv)
COUNT BASIE FEATURED IN THE SOUNDIES OF THE 40s. view posting below for a more detailed discussion.
BASIE, DUKE, CAB CALLOWAY, FATS WALLER, LENA HORNE, all stars of the SOUNDIES, AN HISTORICAL LOOK, PBS THIS MONTH, soundies a precursor to today's videos. see post below. www.mewbird.blogspot.com
A HISTORIAL LOOK AT SOUNDIES IS FEATURED THIS MONTH ON PBS.
conceived in 1940, soundies were a vehicle for quick entertainment. for 10 cents, one could view in a jukebox the stars of the day including many jazz stars, BASIE, DUKE, CAB, FATS WALLER et al.
now i've never seen one actually in a jukebox; i'm not that old. but WYNTON MARSALIS AND GEORGE DUKE both comment on the soundies in the doc. they aren't that old either.
these soundies though made by mimicking the live performance showed off GREAT BLACK MUSIC. and helped spread JAZZ.
of course JAZZ WAS THE POP MUSIC OF THE 40S. too damn bad it's not the pop music today, or i wouldn't have to play on the street everyday. frankly i love playing outside.
but you notice the soundies used a lot of beautiful ladies just like music videos today.
look DUKE composed WARM VALLEY, SATIN DOLL, SOPHISTICATED LADY, and more for all his lovely ladies. "one couldn't vocalize with duke's band unless you did certain things." (direct quote from one of duke's most famous vocalists)
i'm simply trying to do the same thing. most of my tunes are related to lovely ladies. www.jamwave.com click charts then JAZZ
just a gorgeous day today in santa monica 80 degrees www.santamonicatoday.com
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JOE WILLILAMS who began on the southside of Chicago to become a top male JAZZ VOCALIST. Joe shares a birthday with old blues
eyes himself FRANKIE SINATRA who admittedly learned a lot from BING CROSBY, and they both learned from LOUIE, ELLA AND LADY DAY.
IF YOU WANT ME TO RECORD ANY MUSIC OF the above singers, please email me at wenjaz1@aol.com
i think frank did THE THINGS WE DID LAST SUMMER which i've posted on jamwave, and i do IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS quite a bit.
to bad i can't get ROBERTA GAMBARINI to record some of their music, she's the BOMB. Tierney Sutton has done Frank as have many other singers. MICHAEL BOLTON DOESN'T COUNT even though he's on my blog hyping his Sinatra stuff. that's bogus. we want real singers, real jazz singers.
but you watch, Bolton like Kenny G will out sell all of us combined and make more money than we'll ever make. just like ROD STEWART, come on let's get some good jazz vocalists doing the GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK.
Monday, December 11, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TOSHIKO AKIYOSHI A 2007 NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS JAZZ FELLOW. Others in the same class, Ramsey Lewis, Phil Woods, Frank Wess.
Toshiko fell in love with the piano when she was 7 years old while living in Manchuria where she was born. Back in Japan as a teenager, she quickly got a job playing piano at a dance hall for American G.I.'s, heard TEDDY WILSON, wanted to play like him, got a scholarship to the Berkelee School Of Music (above), and just after a few months at Berkelee, she sat in for her idol BUD POWELL. she got a 4 night a week gig at the same club, and the rest is history.
A TREMENDOUS COMPOSER AND BAND LEADER OF THE TOSHIKO AKIYOSHI-LEW TABACKIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA, TOSHIKO STARTED THE ORCHESTRA IN SOCAL BECAUSE LEW WAS BORED WITH STUDIO WORK. GOOD MONEY, BUT WHAT A DRAG.
in fact many of the former band members in the Tonight Show Band are probably millionaires or close to it, but do you hear of any of them making waves on the Jazz Scene like the cats in New York.
we live in socal where it's really groovy, but if you don't challenge yourself everyday, trying to create new music, you're not going to reach the heights like the cats in New York or Chicago.
all of which leads to me to my CAMERON DIAZ BLOG www.jamwave.com/wenjaz1 which is really doing well. either she has a great fan base which she does, or my mailing list people are beginning to listen to the music as ten tunes from that blog got on the JAMWAVE TOP 50 immediately. she hasn't responded yet, and the contest ends on the 15th. if i win, i'll let you know. if i don't, well just more music to listen to.
what these blogs do is it forces me to continue to create new music which is good for my growth.
i have a new email address wenjaz1@aol.com and now i have to create a new mailing list from scratch. i lost a really valuable list of nearly 1000 names. if you ever have trouble reaching me, i have two reliable email addresses wenmew@verizon.net and wendellmew@netzero.com i have to use AOL because they have sufficient signature space to list the tunes, and i like to keep everyone informed of where their tunes are on the charts.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALSO TO THE LATE GREAT VOCALIST JOE WILLIAMS. i think Joe used to perform CENTERPIECE which Roberta Gambarini does very well on her grammy nominated CD EASY TO LOVE. Roberta also tears into SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET with great scatting and vocalese on the Stitt, Diz solos. Her pitch is excellent, and she swings like crazy.
If you can't buy her CD at Tower for five bucks, go to my blog www.wenjaz.blogspot.com and use Amazon or www.wendellmew.blogspot.com and use Ebay.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Monday, October 30, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE GREAT CLIFFORD BROWN WHOSE LIFE WAS CUT SHORT IN A TURNPIKE ACCIDENT. HIS SOLOS AND COMPOSITIONS LIKE "JOYSPRING" CONTINUE TO
SET THE STANDARD FOR ALL OF US. i have to 2 recorded versions of BENNY GOLSON'S "I REMEBER CLIFFORD".
listen also to one by ART FARMER, and i think FREDDIE HUBBARD may have recorded it. i'm not sure about another saxophone version. i doubt whether there is another Soprano Saxophone version.
meanwhile don't forget to VOTE for a change in government and policies Nov. 7th.
if you watched CNN'S BROKEN GOVERNMENT www.cnn.com yesterday, you would have seen how Congress screws around and only works two days a week for $160,ooo a year, and since republicans control, Bush gets away with murder which is actually what he did murder.
Iraq has cost us billions, but Cheny (Halliburton) is getting rich. Over 3000 dead so far and 25, 000 maimed for life.
i know i go to Veterans Hospital for health care. i may have cancer, and i won't know because you can't get an exam for months.
THE GOVERNMENT WASTED BILLIONS ON KATRINA, AND THEY STILL CAN'T HELP THE VICTIMS.
BUSH'S BRO MAKES MONEY OFF THE "NO KID LEFT BEHIND" PROGRAM BY SELLING SHIT TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
ROVE MAKES MILLIONS FROM ELECTIONS. HE BEGAN HIS POLITICAL DIRTY TRICKS WHEN HE WAS ONLY 17 YEARS OLD. HE IS LINKED TO WATERGATE DIRTY TRICKS, BUT HE'S A GENIUS WHEN IT COMES TO POLLING, RAISING MONEY, AND NEGATIVE TV ADS.
HE'LL CALL YOUR MOTHER YOU KNOW WHAT OR HIS MOTHER (COMMITTED SUICIDE) ANYTHING IF IT WILL GET VOTES.
HE WANTS TO WIN AT ALL COSTS ANY ELECTION AND DEFINITELY THE IRAQ WAR.
AT ALL COSTS MEANS MORE AMERICAN LIVES AND MONEY, MONEY.
if you want to continue to be raped by these guys don't vote.
just grumble to yourself when you can't send your kids to college, when the mortgage company forecloses on your because of higher interest rates, or when you can't get a loan to buy a home.
you'll soon become homeless and probably come to Santa Monica to join the throngs here. nice climate, great for outside camping.
i know many homeless. i employ 2 of them. you think you have a homeless problem, come to santa monica and share a bonfire, some feedings, some clothing, etc.
VOTE FOR JENNA LINKINS www.smartvoter.com for Santa Monica City Council. She promises to spend every waking moment on the homeless issue.
email wenmew@aol.com to get on the OBAMA TRAIN as Duke would say. i saw this OBAMA live. he can do it. he's smarter and more honest than any politician in my lifetime.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE GREAT CLIFFORD BROWN. HIS SOLOS AND COMPOSITIONS CONTINUE TO SET THE STANDARD FOR ALL OF US. LISTEN TO MY VERSION OF
BENNY GOLSON'S "I REMEMBER CLIFFORD". www.jamwave.com/birdmew
Then find a version by ART FARMER or a FREDDIE HUBBARD, and a version by another saxophonist or a flutist like JAMES NEWTON.
YOU WON'T GET TIRED OF THIS COMPOSITION. IT'S A FITTING TRIBUTE TO ONE OF THE GREATEST JAZZ MUSICIANS OF ALL TIME WHO'S LIFE WAS CUT SHORT BY A STUPID TURNPIKE ACCIDENT.
REMEMBER TO VOTE FOR A CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT AND POLICIES.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
SENATOR OBAMA WILL SIGN HIS BOOK THIS MORNING IN BELLEVUE, WA. HOME OF BILL GATES AND MICROSOFT. KING COUNTY WENT FOR KERRY. SO THIS RECEPTION WILL
HUGE. ALL THOSE SMART MICROSOFT PEOPLE SHOULD BE THERE.
BUT THEY WON'T BE BEAT THE GLAMOUR OF SO-CAL, GEORGE CLOONEY, ROB REINER, SHARON STONE, AL PACINO, MICHAEL DOUGLAS, PAM, CARMEN, PARIS, LINDSAY, DENZIL, WILL SMITH, HALLE ET AL at the USC RALLY 2:45 p.m. DOHENY MEM LIBRRARY, ALUMNI FIELD.
I'LL BE THERE WITH THE BEBOPPERS FOR OBAMA.
check out OBAMA BLAZES, OBAMA BOPS AND OBAMA'S BOSSA.
join the OBAMA EMAIL LIST at wenmew@aol.com
if you can't make it , tell your friends.
we're going all the way in 2008.
1200 people paid $125 to listen to Sen. Obama speak for 10 min. and have their books signed in my old stomping grounds, the S.F. Bay Area.
Thousands continue to greet the Senator on his whirlwind book tour which takes him to Washington State Thursday, then BACK TO SOCAL AND USC for a huge rally at 2:45 P.M. Friday, Doheny Library, Alumni Field.
George Clooney emailed Wednesday saying "an Obama candidacy would electrify the Democratic party.". Rob Reiner added "if Obama is elected, it would be like electing Abe Lincoln"...
WHO'S GOING TO SHOW FRIDAY? GEORGE CLOONEY, STEVEN SPEILBERG, FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA, SHARON STONE, BARBRA STREISAND,JULIA ROBERTS, DENZIL, HALLE, PAM, AL PACINO, MICHAEL DOUGLAS, DUSTIN HOFFMAN, ROB, WILL SMITH, PAM, CARMEN..DON'T know whether Paris or Lindsay know anything about politics, but they love to get their pics taken.
I'll be there with the BEBOPPERS FOR OBAMA, hopefully the great jazz musicians at USC'S THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC will join us.
if you can't make it, please email your friends.
if you wish to have them join my emailing list which is going to be huge as we march toward the White House the next two years, email wenmew@aol.com
listen to new tunes OBAMA BOPS, OBAMA BLAZES, AND OBAMA'S BOSSA.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
MICHAEL J. FOX FAKES PARKINSON'S? RUSH LIMBAUGH SAYS SO. WHAT A BUFFOON. MY FATHER DIED OF PARKINSON'S. ANYONE WHO FOLLOWS RUSH AND SEAN HANNITY
IS A MORON.
MAYBE FOX WILL BE AT THE OBAMA RALLY. YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF WHETHER HE HAS PARKINSON'S.
GEORGE CLOONEY EMAILS THIS MORNING "IF ..OBAMA IS A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, IT WILL BE THE MOST ELECTRIFYING THING FOR THE PARTY SINCE KENNEDY"
ROB REINER ADD "ELECTING OBAMA WOULD BE LIKE ELECTING ABRAHAM LINCOLN".
WHO KNOWS WHO WILL SHOW UP AT THE HUGE RALLY THIS FRIDAY AT USC 2:45 P.M. DOHENY MEM LIB AND ALUMNI FIELD.
SHARON STONE, BRAD, ANGIE, DENZIL, HALLE, JULIA ROBERTS, ET AL ARE ALL IN TOWN.
don't know whether PARIS OR LINDSAY know anything about politics, but they'll go anywhere to have their pics taken.
BEBOPPERS FOR OBAMA WILL BE THERE WITH OUR INSTRUMENTS. IT'S NEAR THE GREAT THORNTON SCHOOL OF JAZZ MUSIC.
THOSE OF YOU WHO CAN'T MAKE IT SIGN UP AT www.barackobama.com and email to all your friends nationally.
WE CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS TIME.
ACTUALLY WE HAVE TO. TIME'S RUNNING OUT ON THIS COUNTRY, HUMANITY AND CIVILIZATION.
IF YOU WANT THIS DEMOCRACY TO SURVIVE AND NOT GO THE WAY OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE JOIN IN.
Monday, October 23, 2006
SENATOR BARACK OBAMA DREW 4000 PEOPLE IN ARIZONA MONDAY AFTERNOON FOLLOWING HIS GREAT APPEARANCE SUNDAY ON MEET THE PRESS WHEN HE SAID HE'S THINKING
ABOUT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 2008.
i heard this morning that Hillary is ready to pack it in. She carries way too much baggage, and Obama doesn't even have carry on.
If Obama can draw 4000 in Az., then he should be able to double that this Friday at the CALIFORNIA AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM NOON, 600 STATE DRIVE, THE CORNER OF FIGUEROA AND EXPOSITION BLVD. 213-744-7432.
A GREAT SHOWING WILL SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE SOCAL PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY, THE GREATEST FORM OF GOVT. MAN HAS DEVISED, HUMANITY AND CIVILIZATION.
our system failed us when 4 egotistical men BUSH, CHENEY, KARL ROVE, RUMSFELD ET AL. LIED TO US, GOT US INTO THE IRAQ QUAQMIRE WHERE WE HAVE LOST TOO MANY LIVES, WASTED BILLIONS, AND OUR WORLD PRESTIGE HAS DIPPED BELOW ZERO.
i expect to see over 3000 white crosses on Vets Day on the Santa Monica Beach near the Pier. Over 24,000 men have been seriously injured. i KNOW because i go to the VA for my health care.
even if i had cancer, i wouldn't find out for months because you can't get a check up or exam.
Obama has called for more aid for the Vets.
i don't generally go to rallies or demonstrations to support anyone or anything. the last time was when i marched down Pennsylvania Avenue protesting the Vietnam War when i worked for the Peace Corps in Washington D.C.
i also marched against the war down Geary Blvd. n San Francisco walking all the way to the beach.
I WILL BE AT THE CA AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM EARLY FRIDAY MORNING WITH MY SAXOPHONE.
I HOPE EVERYONE WILL JOIN ME AS WE ARE FORMING THE BEBOPPERS FOR OBAMA.
I HOPE MEMBERS OF THE METHODIST CHURCH WHERE I PERFORMED FOR THE KATRINA BENEFITS WILL BE THERE.
I HOPE ALL THE GREAT JAZZ MUSCIANS FROM SO CAL WILL BE THERE AS WE CAN JAM ALL MORNING.
THE GREAT MUSICIANS AND VOCALISTS LIKE PROFESSOR TIERNEY SUTTON FROM THE THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC USC HOPEFULLY WILL THERE. AS WELL AS THE TROJANS TOP RANKED FOOTBALL TEAM. BUT CAL WILL BEAT THEM THIS YEAR.
IF SOME ACOUSTIC BASSISTS SHOW UP EVEN BETTER, AND SOMEONE MIGHT EVEN BRING A PIANO LIKE SHELLY BERG.
ALL IN ALL THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING FOR A CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT AND POLICIES.
A GOOD SHOWING WILL SHOW THE WORLD WE CARE ABOUT AMERICA.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
GEORGE CLOONEY IN DARFUR BRINGING WORLD ATTENTION TOO GENOCIDE IN DARFUR. 10,000 PEOPLE ARE MURDERED EVERY MONTH 2 MILLION ARE HOMELESS.
HOW WOULD LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED?
HAVE AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER NAMED AFTER YOU?
AS A FAMILY TIED TO THE OIL INTERESTS VIA GENERATIONS?
AS SOMEONE WHO SENT THOUSANDS TO DIE AND MORE THOUSANDS INJURED FOR LIFE?
OR AS SOMEONE WHO CREATED A PIECE OF MUSIC WHO BROUGHT SOME ENJOYMENT TO SOMEONE?
OR AS SOMEONE WHO'S MUSICIANSHIP OR COMPOSITION INSPIRED SOMEONE TO MAKE HIS LIFE BETTER ?
I RAISE THESE QUESTIONS AS A VERY GOOD FRIEND A FINE COMPOSER AND SAXOPHONIST, YOUNGER THAN ME IS BATTLING CANCER.
MANY OF US HAVE CANCER, AND WE DON'T KNOW IT.
Friday, October 20, 2006
HERE'S MR. CO-PRESIDENT, CO-SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND CO-VICE PRESIDENT.
i was channel surfing tonight and stumbled on Cspan and stopped to watch KARL ROVE make an impassioned speech, saying WE MUST WIN IN IRAQ AT ALL COSTS.
in my opinion this guy is totally insane. obviously he has no compassion for what he, bush , rusmfeld, cheney have done. 3000 dead and at least 8000 seriously injured.
of the quartet of dictators, only rumsfeld served, and he's such an elitist, he could care less about sending the peons of the masses to their death.
these guys lied to us, didn't analyze the results of what could happen, and got us into this horrible quagmire with dozens of americans dying weekly.
the only reason no one's protesting is that the burden is only personally felt by mostly the lower class of this country.
THAT'S WHY WE NEED THE DRAFT SO EVERYONE WILL FEEL THE PAIN AND BEGIN TO LEARN WHAT'S HAPPENING. DURING VIETNAM EVERYONE KNEW SOMEONE WHO DIED OVER THERE. I SERVED MY 3 YEARS, ONE YEAR BEING ONE OF THE MOST DEPRESSING IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
BACK TO ROVE, WHY IS THIS GUY SO CRAZY? WELL, MAYBE HE LACKED SOME LOVE.
HIS PARENTS WERE TOTALLY SCREWED UP. HIS BIOLOGICAL FATHER LEFT HIS MOTHER WHEN HE WAS AN INFANT; HOWEVER HE DIDN'T LEARN ABOUT THIS UNTIL HE WAS MUCH OLDER. THE FATHER WHO RAISED HIM EITHER CHEATED ON HIS MOTHER AND SUBSEQUENTLY LEFT HER. HIS MOTHER COMMITTED SUICIDE.
HE WAS A COMPLETE NERD IN HIGH SCHOOL, HUSH PUPPIES AND ALL, BUT A SUCESSFUL DEBATER AND WON HIGH SCHOOL POLITICAL OFFICES. BUT THE PRETTY GIRLS IN HIGH SCHOOL GENERALLY WENT FOR THE JOCKS, NOT H.S. OFFICE HOLDERS.
AT 17, HE GETS INVOLVED IN POLITICS AND BEGINS HIS LIFELONG PREOCCUPATIONS WITH DIRTY AND UNETHICAL TRICKS, WINNING AT ALL COSTS.
HE WORKS FOR AND HELPS A LOT OF MORMONS IN UTAH WIN OFFICES, BUT HE CLAIMS TO BE AN AGNOSTIC. YET THEY SEEM TO LOVE THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT. BUT ONLY FOR THEIR VOTE IT SEEMS.
HE MANAGES TO EVADE SERVICE IN NAM BY TRICKY STUDENT DEFERMENTS, BUT HE NEVER GETS A COLLEGE DEGREE.
BUT HE'S NO DUMMY WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICS AND THE PURSUIT OF POWER. HE'S A BRILLIANT FUND RAISER AND POLITICAL STATEGIST. HE'S PROBABLY A MILLIONAIRE, AND HE'S NEVER BEEN A BUSINESSMAN.
HIS BUSINESS IS POLITICS. HE RAISES MONEY. HIS CANDIDATES WIN. HE GETS PAID OFF. HE'S WON MANY, MANY RACES. A LOT OF POLITICIANS OWE HIM. ASHCROFT PAID HIM NEARLY A MILLION DOLLARS FOR HIS SENATE VICTORY.
BUT WHAT IS IT THAT HE WANTS? HE'S ALREADY ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, AND HE'S NOT ACCOUNTABLE.
BUT HIS POWER WILL BEGIN TO ERODE IF THE DEMOCRATS WIN NEXT MONTH. SO HE'S GOT TO WIN OR ACCEPT DEFEAT GRACEFULLY. BUT HE WON'T. HE'LL PLAGUE US TIL HE DIES.
THIS GUY HAS NO ETHICS OR PRINCIPLES. HE'S LINKED TO WATERGATE AND EVERY REPUBLICAN DIRTY TRICK SINCE THEN, NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING, YOU HAVE TO READ ABOUT THIS GUY.
WHY DO I WASTE MY TIME TELLING YOU ALL ABOUT THIS? MOST OF YOU PROBABLY DON'T CARE OR EVEN CARE ABOUT THE MUSIC.
WELL, I WELCOME YOUR THOUGHTS. I'M NOT AFRAID OF CRITICISM.
I REALLY DIDN'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING SINCE I LEFT THE NEWS BUSINESS, BUT I CAN'T CLOSE MY EYES TO WHAT THIS LITTLE QUARTET OF DICTATORS HAVE DONE TO THIS COUNTRY.
AND I SEE SOME HOPE FOR CHANGE . SENATOR BARACK OBAMA.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE IGENIOUS EDDIE HARRIS, INVENTOR, AUTHOR, COMPOSER. AT LEAST 50 JAZZ ARTISTS HAVE RECORDED HIS "FREEDOM JAZZ DANCE", INCLUDING
MILES DAVIS. GO TO www.eddieharris.com for more info.
By the way my myspace friend KIM JUNG IL has apologized and says he won't set off anymore nukes. Apparently China froze his bank accts. (he can't buy anymore porn.) and boarded one of his ships and confiscated his opium for export.
But can we trust him? Go to his myspace site and judge for yourself. I'll put him back on my top 24. Just click his pic.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
EVERYONE SHOULD EMAIL HILLARY CLINTON AND TELL HER TO GIVE IT UP TO SENATOR OBAMA. The Clintons's have had their chance. Monica distracted Bill so
he couldn't concentrate on the TERRORIST THREATS. You know Obama is NOT going to be distracted in that way.
If you missed Obama on Oprah, you missed getting to know Obama personally.
THIS CAT IS GENUINE. I BET IF HE HAD WANTED TO BE A JAZZ MUSICIAN, HE PROBABLY HAS THE TALENT.
His mother used to sing to him just as my mom sang to me. That's where it all begins.
You notice i've recorded I'M ALWAYS CHASING RAINBOWS AND OVER THE RAINBOW (i'm going to rerecord this today because somehow the listeners have put the tune atop the JAZZ CHART, and i don't play it that often.) for my mom's birthday on Oct. 24th.
I heard these tunes when i wave very, very young. i didn't know why she was singing these tunes. NOW I KNOW. even though her favorite is LAWRENCE WELK, i hope she likes my versions.
Anyway back to the Obama interview on Oprah. When i lived in Chicago, i watched Oprah at the very beginning. I DIDN'T LIKE HER AS A TV NEWS ANCHOR, but she's won me over as she's helped an awful lot of people. Now she's backing Obama which is just terrific.
If any of you feel as i do, you should use your email list as i have for Obama. Most of list are people who like JAZZ. i'm hoping they like Obama too and share with with people on their email list.
IT CAN HAPPEN. THE INTERNET CAN PUT OBAMA IN OFFICE.
I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT OBAMA. JUST JOIN HIS WEBSITE. www.barackobama.com. GOOGLE HIM, BRACKOBAMA, and you learn for yourself what an incredible person this man is.
This is a time in history when we need someone like Obama.
We've witnessed in our lifetimes the decline of our civilization, just like the beginnings of the decline of the ROMAN EMPIRE, GREED, AVARICE, ABSOLUTE SELFISHNESS, INCREDIBLE EXCESSES, (SEX AND VIOLENCE ON TV FOR THE MASSES)
Can anyone save this glorious experiment in democracy, a form of government in which one can come here dirt poor with no education and become a spontanous composer.
Well it took a little longer, a few generations. My ancestors arrived in the gold fields of California and San Francisco Chinatown with nothing, surviving the 1906 earthquake, my pregnant grandmother fleeing the flames in S.F. and making it across the bay to Oakland to start all over again, like growing vegetables in the dirt of Alameda. They had already been uprooted once the gold mining dried up in Placerville.
Have you ever asked yourself why you are the way you are? You could have been born into any race, any country, any society?
WHAT OBAMA LEARNED FROM HIS WHITE MOTHER WAS "PUT YOURSELF IN THE SHOES OF THE OTHER PERSON, AND ASK HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?"
O.K. LET'S TAKE HIS ADVICE.
Pretend i'm KIM JONG IL. i would let my people starve. i would enjoy all my women. i would keep exploding nukes until the world bailed me out.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
HELEN SUNG heard Harry Connick Jr. while studying classical music in college, then Tommy Flanagan's "CONFIRMATION" (BIRD), and she was hooked. Then 2
years at the Monk Insitute where she worked on swing and blues, she admits were her weaknesses.
Despite horrendous objections from her Chinese parents who wanted her to be a doctor, I THINK SHE WILL BE ONE OF THE GREAT JAZZ PIANISTS FOR OUR TIME. LISTEN TO HER VERSION OF MONK'S "UGLY BEAUTY" on myspace.
you know if i really listened to my mom which i never have, i'd still be doing 9-5 and never have posted 240 tracks of music online.
Monday, October 16, 2006
JOE KLEIN'S TIME COVER STORY THIS WEEK CRITICIZES SEN. OBAMA FOR NOT TAKING BOLD POSITIONS ON DIFFERENT ISSUES. IT'S FAR TOO EARLY TO TAKE
positions. Besides if Obama is going to win he's going to have to win over people with many diverse positions.
WE KNOW HE WON'T LIE AND GET US INTO A WAR. WE KNOW HE'S GOING THE MANAGE THE GOVERNMENT BETTER. WE KNOW HE'S NOT A PERVERT. WE KNOW HE'S INCREDIBLY HONEST AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT POLITICIANS ALIVE, AND I REPEAT THE MOST BRILLIANT PERSON I'VE WITNESSED IN PUBLIC LIFE.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SOMEONE WHO ALONG WITH TOOTIE HEATH AND AKIRA TANA GAVE ME MY MOST THRILLING EXPERIENCE PLAYING JAZZ, AND THAT'S BILLY HIGGINS.
Monday, October 09, 2006
THIS LITTLE PIPSQUEAK WHO WEARS ELEVATOR SHOES HAS CREATED ONE OF THE WORST HUMAN TRAGEDIES IN HISTORY. UP TO 15 PERCENT OF HIS POPULATION HAS DIED
from starvation.
Meanwhile he has 100 imported limousines, a stable of women for his sexual pleasure and flys in chefs from Italy to make his pizza.
WE SHOULD GET ONE OF THESE CHEFS TO POISON HIM.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
RICE NOW ADMITS SHE LEARNED OF TERRORIST THREATS 2 MONTHS BEFORE 9/11. WHY DIDN'T SHE DO SOMETHING? WAS SHE TOO IMMERSED IN CLASSICAL PIANO
literature? If she was a JAZZ PIANIST, I'M SURE SHE WOULD HAVE ACTED. WE JAZZERS ARE SPONTANEOUS PEOPLE. WE REACT IN A SPLIT SECOND TO DIFFERENT SITUATIONS LIKE UNEXPECTED WEIRD CHORDS. MAYBE RICE SHOULD GO INTO REHAB.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Saturday, September 23, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRANE. i tried to record as many tunes associated with Trane as possible. They are included in the email.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
ANGELINA JOLIE KNOWS THE KIDS OF THE WORLD NEED LOVE; as a teacher in the public schools, i know THE KIDS DEFINITELY NEED LOVE.
my tune I WANT LOVE is an anthem for the kids of the world. whether WHITNEY HOUSTON wants to do it doesn't matter. the melody and lyrics change daily.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
MY NEW TUNE "I WANT LOVE" has been submitted as a comeback tune for WHITNEY HOUSTON.
Since some of the finest lawyers in the country are receiving this email, i don't think i'll get ripped off. if i am, i'm confident we'll get our share.
the tune can be heard on myspace.com/wenjaz1, jamwave.com/birdmew and www.europamp3.org
Here are the tentative lyrics. since i'm a jazz musician, the melody will change.
I WANT LOVE
Am I a fool
to love
am i a fool
to care
am i a fool
am i a fool
to want to want
just you
Was i a fool
to love
was i a fool
to want
was i a fool
to love
just you
what was
(BRIDGE)
EVERYDAY
anger and pain
was always the same
much misery
and tears
worst fears
NEVER EVER A GAIN
there was much much pain
All i want
all i want
is lov-ing you
All i want is love
all i want is love
SOME
ONE
THERE
TO SHARE
WITH ME
WHAT WILL BE, WILL BE
will it happen
for me
will there be
will there be
another love
for me
another love
so true
with honesty
ALL I WANT IS LOVE
with honesty
and passion
joyful love
WILL IT HAPPEN
for me
will it happen
will it happen
for me
will it happen
for me
please
DEAR GOD!
@all rights reserved, wendell mew lyrics and music Sept. 20, 2006, Santa Monica, CA. wenmew@aol.com 310-434-9639
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Nearly a 1000 yrs. after the CRUSADES, 250 yrs. of senseless bloodshed, LET'S CHILL OUT AND LISTEN TO THE COMMONALITY OF EACH OTHER'S BLUES.
HERE WE ARE IN 2006, NEARLY A 1000 YRS. SINCE THE CRUSADES, 250 YRS. OF SENSELESS BLOODSHED, WHICH OF COURSE CONTINUES TODAY.
ALL THESE PEOPLES SHOULD JUST PLAY THE BLUES AND LISTEN TO THE COMMONALITY OF THE BLUES OF ALL DIFFERENT PEOPLES. THE BLUES REPRESENT PAIN, SUFFERING, HEARTACHE AND JOY OF ALL MEN. SO LET'S ALL LISTEN TO AND PLAY THE BLUES.
Friday, September 15, 2006
bush is going to be accused soon of knowingly torturing prisoners. will we be proud americans then? however i'm not going to say it's wrong to
to torture prisoners. as a young JAG lawyer, i used to say it violated the Geneva Conventions, but as an American citizen who knows that THIS TERRORISM IS DIRTY BUSINESS. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT. THE TERRORISTS ARE RUTHLESS. THEY (SEE THE MOVIE OBSESSION) ARE SO INDOCTRINATED INTO KILLING US THAT WE HAVE TO GET INFORMATION. WHO AM I TO SAY THAT THE INTERROGATORS DON'T KNOW THE BEST WAY TO GET INFO.
ALL I CAN SAY IS OUR FUTURE IS PURE HELL. SO PLAY AND LISTEN TO GOOD MUSIC.
HAPPY A BIRTHDAY TO THE KING OF VOCALESE JON HENDRICKS. BE SURE AND HEAR WHAT HE DID WITH THE KIND OF BLUE SOLOS. CAN'T FIND THE CD. PLS COPY FOR ME
SAINTS RUNNING BACK REGGIE BUSH AND HIS FAMILY ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE RECEIVED 100 THOU IN CASH AND GIFTS WHILE BUSH WAS AT U.S.C.?
What's new? Anytime you have a dominating, winning program, there's go to be some cheating. That's the American way. Highly paid corporate execs cook the books, their stock soars, and they get even richer. Also they leak info to friends like Martha Stewart, and their friends get richer. This is simply the American way. Halliburton is making huge sums on the war. Cheney gets richer.
Some people ask me why i gave up the law etc. for music. For one thing i love music, BUT YOU CAN'T CHEAT IN JAZZ. YOU CAN EITHER PLAY OR YOU CAN'T , AND IF YOU CAN'T, YOU STARVE LIKE ME. THAT'S O.K.; I WON'T GO TO HELL FOR CHEATING ANYONE.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Here's a Yalie like my bro (CENTRAL PARK WEST) unlike Bush who's making a real contribution. Bush gets us into a mess , and another Yalie has to tell
us what's happening. Cooper, the son of Gloria Vanderbilt, doesn't even have to work; yet he's risking his life to tell us what's happening. WE SHOULD LISTEN AND LEARN!!
HAPPY B, "I CAN'T BELIEVE I ACTUALLY PLAYED IN A CONCERT WITH CANNONBALL". "THANKS TO DR. BILL BELL, PROFESSOR EMERITUS COLLEGE OF ALAMEDA."
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Monday, September 11, 2006
KATIE COURIC'S SIGN OFF, remember i said who gives a shit? Maybe people care more about the sign off than "changing the hearts, minds of terrorists!!
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Friday, September 08, 2006
Here's the ultimate in elitism. For $250 you can go to Morton's The Steakhouse and view Wynton on a Sattellite hookup.
Now for $250, one can buy or rent or even watch Wynton on your large screen TV at home; buy kobe beef, barbeque, broil or fry it and still come out ahead. You don't have the luxurious atmosphere of Morton's, but MAYBE you do. i don't know where you live. Certainly some members of my family have an environment equal if not better than Morton's.
NOW COME ON, DO YOU HAVE TO PAY $250 TO SEE WYNTON ON TV. HE'S NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY MUSICAL CHANCES. HE'S NOT GOING TO PLAY ANY CLIFFORD BROWN SOLOS. IF HE COULD, HE WOULD HAVE ALREADY PLAYED THEM. HE'S IN HIS 40S.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
TIERNEY SUTTON , JAZZ VOCALIST OF THE YEAR L.A. JAZZ SOCIETY besides being Jazz Radio Programmers Jazz Vocalist of the Year.
Monday, September 04, 2006
I AND MANY OTHER JAZZ MUSICIANS WILL DEDICATE TODAY'S PERFORMANCE TO TENOR GIANT DEWEY REDMAN WHO PASSED AWAY 2 DAYS AGO OF A MASSIVE STROKE.
THE FATHER OF JOSHUA ONCE SAID, "YOU GOT THE TECHNIQUE, AND I HAVE THE SOUND, I WILL WIPE YOU OUT EVERYTIME" HE'S RIGHT, i've been searching for the sound and right notes all my life. unlike Miles, i may never find them.
Dewey said you can play all the notes you want, but "i got sound, and if i choose the right notes, you're dead".
LET'S CHOOSE THE RIGHT NOTES TODAY.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO COMPOSER, ARRANGER, EDUCATOR , BAND LEADER GERALD WILSON father of guitarist Anthony Wilson
Saturday, September 02, 2006
I KNOW IT'S A HOLIDAY WEEKEND, BUT IT'S ALSO HORACE'S BIRTHDAY. MAYBE WE'LL GET TOGETHER IN MALIBU TODAY AND RECORD NICA'S DREAM, PEACE, ECAROH ,
STROLLIN, SILVER'S SERENADE,SONG FOR MY FATHER, MOON RAYS..AS A DUO. THAT'S IF HE'S FEELING O.K.
IF WE CAN'T GET TOGETHER, I'LL SEE WHAT I CAN DO BY MYSELF . HOWEVER HORACE'S MUSIC IS NOT EASY.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Thursday, August 31, 2006
MARCUS WILLIAMS in Bali, Indonesia. how he found me, i'll never know, but check out his music. Go to www.myspace.com/wenjaz1 and click his pic.
DI FI in Santa Monica Wednesday to tell everyone to OPPOSE OFFSHORE DRILLING.
i wanted to play DIANE for her, but i haven't played it since the 8th grade even though i love Miles, Trane playing it..if it were Pelosi, i have no trouble with NANCY; she's already heard me play it in S.F.
IF WE DON'T BLOCK OFF SHORE DRILLING, OIL SLICKS ALONG THE GULF COAST AND SANTA MONICA, MALIBU, VENICE , ETC. ARE INEVITABLE.
WE DON'T NEED MORE OIL. WE MUST BE WEANED FROM OIL. IT'S THIS DEPENDENCY ON OIL THAT GENERATES
MORE TERRORISM AND OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
Just think when you ladies visit me, and we go for a romantic stroll at sunset along the beach, WE WOULD SEE OIL DERRICKS RUINING THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE ENVIRONMENT, if the oil people get their way.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
I FIRST PLAYED THIS MASTERPIECE AT ALAMEDA HIGH SCHOOL, and i got some of the loveiest high school teachers to dance to it.
Also in high school, i played this solo and our combo won a TALENT SHOW SEARCH FOR STARS with this number. but i haven't played it since, but i managed on soprano yesterday to play it, but i don't know what the chords are.
COMPOSER EARLE HAGEN was inspired to write this for his lead alto man after listening to THE RABBITT at Sweets Ballroom in Oakland. The rest is history. Some 500 artists have recorded this piece.
As i began trying to find the notes yesterday, i realized it's a hell of piece along the lines of Duke and Strayhorne.
Hagen was also was a fine trombonist and one of the most prolific film and TV composers ever since TV began. HE DID "I SPY" for Cosby, and in those days, Cos was lucky he got the gig because the southern affiliates were ready to leave NBC. again the rest is history.
i thought about HARLEM NOCTURNE immediatly when this POLE DANCER gig came up. i'm sure more ladies stripped to this tune than any other in the history of music. It probably made Hagen a millionaire a few times over, and it later became the MIKE HAMMER THEME SONG with Bud Shank on Alto. If TAKE 5 contributes about 4 million to THE AMERICAN RED CROSS each year, Desmond had no wife or kids, THEN HAGEN'S ESTATE while it won't match Gates's estate, is not too shabby.
LATER THIS MORNING I LOOK FOR MY ALTO AND WORK ON THIS PIECE. I MAY HAVE TO DO IT ACAPELLA, AND THAT'S HARD.
Monday, August 28, 2006
BIRD by DR. ALSTAIR BOURNE, a former Bird player. Imagine if the internet were around when Bird was alive, a new solo EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
BIRD'S BIRTHDAY IS COMING. WE BEGIN OUR CELEBRATIONS TODAY; SO PLEASE EVERYONE FOR YOUR OWN SANITY BEGIN PLAYING YOUR BIRD CDs BEGINNING TODAY.
Friday, August 25, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MYSPACE BUDDY WAYNE SHORTER
WAYNE composed two of my tunes on the charts INFANT EYES AND VIRGO listen below.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE LEGENDARY BUSTER SMITH, COMPOSER, ARRANGER, BAND LEADER WHO PLAYED TIL HIS DEATH IN1991 AT THE AGE OF 87.
Buster is probably best known as Charlie Parker's mentor. They had a father-son relationship, and in my opinion much of Bird's musical foundation must have been established the summer he played with Buster in the Ozarks. Bird also washed dishes where ART TATUM was playing when Bird first arrived in N.Y. There's no doubt Bird absorbed some of the notes spewed forth by Tatum every night.
Buster was also a pioneer band arranger. He taught himself how to read and write music. Mary Lou Williams learned from him. He contributed to the books of GENE KRUPA AND BENNY CARTER when he hit N.Y.
Buster also COMPOSED THE FAMOUS ONE'O CLOCK JUMP. The original title was BLUE BALLS, but they couldn't use that name on the radio. It was near one when it was first broadcast. So someone called it ONE O'CLOCK JUMP . The title stuck. Basie got the copyright, Buster was left out. BENNY GOODMAN wanted the chart for his band.
Buster besides teaching Bird, recruited Jo Jones and Lester Young. Prez was not a soloist in the beginning, but he was a great reader. People like Hershel Evans and Buster were soloists. Basie was not the leader of the Blue Devils. Walter Page was, and when Walter passed, Basie and Buster took over the band.
Buster was the arranger. He stayed with Basie til Claude Thornton gave Buster a thousand bucks to be his arranger. Basie kept Lester and became famous. Buster went back home to Texas around the Dallas area and played til he died even though, and he had an acccident and could no longer play reeds. He taught himself electric bass.
Buster is also the founder of the huge Texas Saxophone sound. They played outside a lot. He used a tenor reed on alto. Lester Young used a baritone reed on tenor. Prez of course changed his sound.
There's the big Chicago sound led by Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons. There's Hawk, Ben Webster. There's the Dexter, oddly enough from Socal where the Getz sound prevails.
Bird gets his big sound from Buster though not as big as Cannonball's. Cannonball was a big guy.
When Buster bought his first instrument a clarinet around 10 years old, he heard SIDNEY BECHET on the radio playing soprano saxophone. so Buster would try and sound on clarinet like Bechet did on Soprano. Bechet's sound is huge even compared to today's players. BUSTER had to pick a ton of cotton to earn $3.50 to buy the clarinet from a pawn dealer, a huge sum in the early 1900s.
BUSTER IS DEFINTELY ONE OF THE GREAT JAZZ EDUCATORS AND BAND ARRANGERS. Sometimes it takes a genius to teach a genius like Bird.
Buster was playing organ when he was 3 years old. Of course his mother, a pianist or his father a guitarist would play the pedals. Conseqently he was improvising at 3, probably like Bach, Beethove, Mozart and Patrice Rushen who was at USC at 3 years old.
SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUSTER !!! WE ALL LEARNED FROM YOU.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
ACTIVIST, COMPOSER, BAND LEADER, SAXOPHONIST FRED HO WHO HAS COLON CANCER, AND HE'S YOUNGER THAN ME. I HAVE RECORDED A LOVE SUPREME FOR HIM.
Listen at www.myspace.com/wenjaz1 and www.europamp3.org and www.jamwave.com/mewmortaraduo
Monday, August 21, 2006
Saturday, August 19, 2006
THE MIRACLES OF MYSPACE
Over 20 years ago, i had a chance to play with the great bassist MILTON SUGGS in Chicago who recorded with the incredible MARY LOU WILLIAMS. This is his son who was born 3 months after Milton passed.
i found him on MYSPACE, and at least i was able to tell what a great guy and bassist his father was.
many might think MYSPACE is lark, but i'm finding lots of inspiration from ERIC DOLPHY, ART PEPPER, DUKE, MILES, DIZ who have and who will come on my blog. The people who create these blogs for these JAZZ GREATS obviously love them and have taken great pain to include great music and information.
so you should visit MYSPACE and hang with all the great JAZZERS, everyone who i mentioned above and people like BOBBY WATSON, PATRICE RUSHEN, BOB JAMES, GEORGE DUKE, PAT MATHENY, WAYNE SHORTER, SUN RA, BRAD MELDAHL, MIGUEL ZENON, CEDAR WALTON, RON CARTER, HERBIE HANCOCK, BILL COSBY, DIANA KRALL etc. everyone's on MYSPACE.
why should HOT VOCALIST JANE MONHEIT bother to invite me to be her friend, when i'm a nobody. we'll maybe she'll listen to me, and i'll get a chance to back her. ha! ha !...
BUT YOU JUST NEVER, EVER KNOW WHAT'S GONG TO HAPPEN. THAT'S WHY PLAY EACH SOLO AS IF IT'S YOUR LAST.
THE TERRORISTS WILL HIT US AGAIN !!!
I HAVE OVER 160 TRACKS ONLINE. THEY'LL STILL BE THERE WHEN I'M DEAD.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
This cat has at least 1200 sidemen in Great Britain. The Brits don't have the manpower to watch them. There must be more than 1200 terrorists in this
country, and we have many, many more targets. There are thousands of terrorists overseas who can easily sneak a nuclear or otherwise deadly device onto the hundreds of container ships which arrive in S.F., Oakland, L.A., N.Y., N.J. and our other congested ports daily.
WE'RE GOING TO GET HIT AGAIN. SO ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF EVERYDAY. BEBOP DAILY. ENJOY JAZZ MUSIC !!!
THIS CAT HAS AT LEAST 1200 DANGEROUS FOLLOWER IS GREAT BRITAIN. THE BRITS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MANPOWER TO WATCH THEM. THERE MUST BE MORE THAN 1200
dangerous terrorists in this country, and we have many, many more targets than the brits. we have thousands of private airports where one can easily hop on a plane.
there are thousands of terrorists who can easily slip a nuclear or otherwise deadly weapon onto the hundreds of container ships which sail into S.F., L.A., New York and New Jersey harbors.
WE'RE GOING TO GET HIT AGAIN. SO ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF EVERYDAY. PLAY EACH SOLO AS IF IT'S GOING TO BE YOUR LAST. ENJOY JAZZZZ MUSIC !!!
B-L has at least 1200 dangerous cats in Great Britain. There's not enough manpower to watch them. There must be more terrorists here.
We have many more targets, and there are thousands of terrorists overseas who can sneak a nuclear or otherwise deadly explosive onto all those container ships arriving in ports of S.F., L.A. and New Jersey, New York etc.
WE'RE GOING TO GET HIT AGAIN. SO ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY. PLAY EACH SOLO AS IF IT'S GOING TO BE YOUR LAST. ENJOY MUSIC. ENJOY JAZZZZ !!!!
Monday, August 14, 2006
GARY GIDDINGS IN THIS MONTH'S JAZZ TIMES "Reagan-era conservatism symbolized by the arrival of Wynton Marsalis...."
i ask you "is that fair to little old wynton" who i interviewed when he was a teenager and while he was ironing his white pants in his hotel room before an appearance with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. ( i still have the cassette somewhere.)
Sunday, August 13, 2006
BIN LADEN'S PHILOSOPHY AND THAT OF THE RADICAL MUSLIMS MUST BE SYSTEMATICALLY DISSECTED AND SHOWN TO BE FRAUDULENT AND FALSE TO HIS FOLLOWERS.
This may not be the forum to begin a discussion about this, but it's perfectly obvious that these suicide bombers have never been exposed to JAZZ, nor have they ever been on myspace to meet and communicate with lovely ladies.
if they had these or similar experiences they wouldn't want to kill themselves and believe they'll get their vestal virgins whereever they're headed after they're dead.
i'm not equipped to analyze and dissect bin laden and the philosophy of the radical muslims. but we need the best minds in the world to do this, or we'll be dead. the buddng suicide bombers MUST BE SHOWN THAT WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN IS A CROCK OF SHIT.
we have great minds improving technology, space travel etc., but we don't seem to have great minds trying to help us to get along and live together peaceably even though we may share different philosphies and religions. that's always has been the case since man evolved.
it's always been perfectly obvious to me that if members of one's own family can't resolve differences, how can we expect nations, people with different philosphies, religions and forms of government to resolve differences, israel, the palestinians, bin laden, north korea, china, iran, russia, castro, venezuela etc.
EVERYONE THINKS THEY'RE RIGHT AND TO HELL WITH EVERYONE ELSE.
i'm beginning to get a little off base, but i just wanted to share some thoughts. you may have have some too.
it's pretty obvious none of us can do anything about this situtation.
FOR EXAMPLE,here's another problem which confronts me everyday. to digress a little the homeless situation in santa monica since i've been here nearly 7 years is atroccious and continues to get worse. some of these people are my friends. i employ one of them, a former 4 pt. UCLA music grad and touring professional bassist and drummer full time to help me with my instruments, my bose and music. unfortunately he's an alcoholic, and i don't know how to help him.
i don't have the answers. i know some of you must be bothered with some of these problems. i welcome your thoughts.
wenmew@aol.com
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Thursday, August 10, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUSSELL PROCOPE, long time reed section leader for DUKE ELLINGTON.
WHAT A REED SECTION, at times JOHNNY HODGES, JIMMY HAMILTON, PAUL GONSALVES AND HARRY CARNEY.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
RARE ART PEPPER TRACK "LOST LIFE" recorded Pete Douglas Half Moon Bay 1/97.(Cables piano?) www.myspace.com/artpepper;www.myspace.comwenjaz1-art peppe
RARE ART PEPPER TRACK AVAILABLE ("LOST LIFE" RECORDED 1/79 AT Pete Douglas's Half Moon Bay. Go to myspace.com/art pepper; myspace.com/wenjaz1
Monday, August 07, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RASAAHN ROLAND KIRK
i was fortunate to have seen and heard this virtuoso before he passed in 1977. Kirk as you know was blind near birth, but managed to become a master of playing at least 3 instruments at the SAME TIME in perfect harmony. you'll NEVER see or hear anyone like him again.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Thursday, August 03, 2006
HAPPY B-DAY TO THE FATHER OF VOCALESE EDDIE JEFFERSON. WAS WORKING THE NIGHT HE WAS MURDERED. SAW THE STORY MOVE ACROSS THE WIRES, WHAT A SCHOCK !!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE FATHER OF VOCALESE EDDIE JEFFERSON. i was working the night eddie was murdered at Baker's Lounge Detroit. i saw the story move
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
CHUCK BERGHOFER, AL VIOLA AND SAM MOST, a special treat from jazz veterans at 4pts. Sheraton LAX 8-2-06. Great standards from great veterans.
Berghofer (the soundtrack for BIRD with Barry Harris, Viola, Sinatra's favorite guitarist and SAM MOST, pioneering jazz flutist played One Note Samba, Falling In Love With Love, Everything Happens To Me, On Green Dolphin Street etc.suberbly.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
AUGUST IS CHARLIE PARKER MONTH, no ifs, ands , buts as JOE SEGAL OF CHICAGO'S JAZZ SHOW CASE WOULD SAY.
It's been over 60 years since Bird laid the groundwork for us, and no one, absolutely no one has equaled his 17 years of productive recording life. BIRD WILL SURVIVE THIS CIVILIZATION, TERRORISM, DISEASE AND WHATEVER ELSE DESTROYS US. BIRD IS ONLINE AS WE ALL ARE ONLINE. SOMEDAY ANY SURVIVORS OR MARTIANS WILL DIG INTO OUR VAULTS ONLINE AND DISCOVER BEBOP.
SO CELEBRATE BIRD WITH EVERYONE! IT JUST MIGHT IMPROVE THEIR LIVES.
Friday, July 28, 2006
A HUGE BIRTHDAY BASH FOR KENNY MONDAY NIGHT AT YOSHI'S IN OAKLAND featuring the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Hubert Laws, Joey D and more.
A HUGE BIRTHDAY BASH FOR KENNY AT YOSHI'S IN OAKLAND SATURDAY NIGHT, featuring the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Joey D, Hubert Laws and more.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Monday, July 24, 2006
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Sunday, July 16, 2006
THE GREAT PEPPER ADAMS WHO WOULD PLAY HIS SOLOS IN A KEY DIFFERENT THAT THE REST OF THE BAND HAD THIS ADVICE FOR UP AND COMING JAZZERS.."
.."enjoy what you do, but don't really count on making a living doing this (PLAYING JAZZ MUSIC ), because of it's something you approach cold-bloodedly, as if you're going to become a star, I don't think it can be worthwhile to you. It can be worthwhile only if you love the music and derive enough enjoyment from the music and the people you're involved with in the music to compensate for what is quite likely to be a life below the poverty line. (ain't that the truth?) as told to Ben Sidran, TALKING JAZZ, AN ORAL HISTORY.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Monday, July 10, 2006
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Saturday, July 08, 2006
RED RODNEY, Bird's front line partner for 3 yrs. comments on Bird's knowledge of chord changes.
..."i felt Bird didn't really play with the knowledge of chord changes. His instinct was so great, and his ear was so great and his ability on his horn was so great that he really didn't have to know."
ON BIRD'S TUNES. "Although Bird composed them, I noticed John Lewis was writing them down, and I often thought that John had to write it down and notate it because Bird couldn't do it as quickly or as well." Interview with Ben Sidran, TALKING JAZZ, AN ORAL HISTORY, p.48.
These comments tend to add fire to the debate as to whether one should try to generate more melodic improvisations like Bird or take a more chordal approach like Coltrane, although one of Trane's most beautifully melodic solos was on SOMEDAY MY PRINCE WILL COME with Miles which has been transcribed and recorded by Supersax and the L.A. Voices.
MY OWN FEELING IS, CLOSE YOUR EYES AND GO FOR IT. PLAY WHAT YOU HEAR.
Monday, July 03, 2006
TOTAL INEPTNESS -WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO APPRECIATE OUR MEWSIC. SO WE'RE GOING TO EUROPE (www.europamp3.org)
if i can get paid for everyone who clicks on this tune in Europe, i might be able put gas in my car amd get to a gig.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
PSYCHIATRIST, COMPOSER, PIANIST DENNY ZEITLAND OFFERS HIS THOUGHTS ON CREATIVITY, SPONTANEOUS COMPOSITION OR IMPROVISATION.
"......some of us have a kind of inborn musical talent and predilection for improvisation, which is this very special kind of spontaneous composition. Which seems to be so much at the heart of what jazz is about. I think the need to communicate, the need to be part of something greater than oneself, the need to be able to reach some eternal values, immutable values in the universe that we experience as often chaotic and full of change. These are probably some of the things. There is, to me, an absolutely transcendent quality about getting into jazz playing, when it's happening, that is so magical and so totally non-verbal that I don't have any words to describe it.
That it is so exhilerating and so estatic. I think in the true meaning of that word, where you really get beyond yourself, and you lose the positional boundries of who you are and you become merged with this marvelous experience. I think players have a hunger for that. If you tasted that you want to get more of it. And it has a lure, and there's the hope that every time you get into that space, that somewhere around the corner, some new aspect of yourself, or your music, of everything that, intellectually and emotionally, you've ever been involved with, with music, will somehow get a chance to just happen. Like a flowering of a plant that will suddenly have a new leaf or a new stem on it. And I think there's a tremendous lure for us as players....."
taken from Ben Sidran's "TALKING JAZZ"
I also want to wish HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE LATE COMPOSER, ARRANGER, EDUCATOR AND TROMBONIST BILL RUSSO, who gave me a chance to play DUKE ELLINGTON'S MASTERPIECE, "BLACK, BROWN AND BEIGE", which Russo had transcribed off Duke's record.
Monday, June 19, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ERIC DOLPHY JUNE 20TH. (painting from the Dolphy Estate) Stretch your ears; listen to ERIC.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
A GREAT JAZZ RADIO STATION FROM DIRECT TV ON SATELLITE DISH
i'm beginning my 7th year in socal, and much to my dismay when i arrived it was necessary to subscribe to cable tv in order to get any kind of tv signal. since ADELPHIA had a monopoly here, i had no choice but to accept them. and since they had wired the entire apt. building, one really had no choice. it was expensive, picture wasn't all that great, and customer service was lousy.
so yesterday i see the satellite dish man at my bldg.; so i began asking about his product. TURNS OUT DIRECT TV'S SIGNAL IS MUCH SUPERIOR TO ADELPHIA; MORE CHANNELS ARE AVAILABLE AT A LOWER PRICE. I WAS UNDER THE MISTAKEN IMPRESSION MY APT. HAD TO FACE A CERTAIN DIRECTION. THAT'S RIDICULOUS, THEY CAN PUT THE DISH WHICH IS NOT THAT BIG ON THE ROOF, BUT I FACE WEST. SO HE MOUNTED THE DISH ON MY BALCONY RAILING. DRILLS A HOLE, AND WIRE HOOKS UP TO A SMALL RECEIVER WHICH SITS ATOP THE TV.
GREAT PICS, LOTS OF CHANNELS, JAZZ STATION AT A LOW PRICE.
CALL MY FRIEND MIKE ASHIYAN 818-535-0073, AND HE'LL FIX YOU UP ANYWHERE, AND I MEAN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, EUROPE, CHINA, SOUTH ASIA, NEW ZEALAND, ETC.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
THIS IS THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF MY FAVORITE MOVIE "ROUND MIDNIGHT". (now i understand why my partner JODY MORTARA has never viewed it. she was a teen
HERE ARE SOME OF ACTOR-MUSICAL DIRECTOR HERBIE HANCOCK'S COMMENTS AS TOLD TO BEN SIDRAN.
" it was tedious, it was hard, it was exiting, it was inspiring, all those things. The one thing that dominated everthing is sincerity. Everybody that participated in this film, whether they were musicians or not, whether they were actors, whether they knew about jazz or not, really put their hearts into it. Everybody felt the significance of the music that we call jazz, and the dedication of the participants throughout the years. And they were all moved, they were all touched and excited, and the camaderie was so great, so strong, during the filming of that movie that many of the actors who had completed their part for the film would show up the next week or a few days later just to be on the set and hang out. Just to be a part of it. Nobody wanted to leave. They just wanted to stay there. "
WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO HANG WITH THEM?
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Saturday, May 20, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO GRAMMY WINNER BOB FLORENCE WHO IS SUE RANEY'S HUSBAND I THINK AND WHO I'M PRIVILEGED TO SHARE BIRTHDAY WITH.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Monday, May 15, 2006
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAY 12th TO A PIANIST MOST DESIRED BY MOST SINGERS, "WIG".
WIG, HORACE, GERALD, 3 GIANTS OF THE MUSIC
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE GREAT EDUCATOR, COMPOSER, PIANIST, ARRANGER KENNY BARRON (STANFORD JAZZ WORKSHOP the year wen was there)
Monday, May 08, 2006
Friday, May 05, 2006
THE BEST OF SUPERSAX AND THE L.A. VOICES FEATURING SUE RANEY (A MUST LISTEN)
i don't often burden you with CD or book recommendations. the only CDs i really recommended this past year were naturals, Bird at Town Hall in 45, Coltrane One Down and One UP, Monk and Trane (the forgotten Voice of America tapes at the Library of Congress, AND NOW THE NEARLY FORGOTTEN 83 GRAMMY NOMINEE CREATED BY MED FLORY AND FRIENDS.
if you buy this, you'll find yourself playing it over and over and marveling at the replaying of the Bird solos, the swing and gorgeous lead of SUE RANEY, the screaming CONTE CONDOLI, and admiring the overall musicianship of this creation.
you'll learn why Med had to reissue this himself as it was all but dead in the vaults of Columbia.
Enjoy and don't forget the marvelous book of photography JAZZLIFE by HERMAN LEONARD (mentioned below on this blog.)
