April 2009
8 posts
Marshall Samms' last bombing mission →
(From the 450th bombardment group’s website)
Bicycle built for two?
It’s spring, so like every other homeowner I know, I think about getting rid of some of our clutter. That inspires the idea of a garage sale. And the garage sale makes me think of what “big-ticket” draws we could offer, and that brings me to our tandem bike.
This is no ordinary tandem bike. This is $2,000 worth of sleek Cannondale high-tech machinery, only ridden twice. I bought...
Different learning styles
It’s been two months since I started J and J on piano lessons. Mrs. Victoria commented on how different their learning styles are. I guess that refers to Julia’s method of goofing around on the keys versus John being more end-result oriented. I have heard the first part of the Star Wars Darth Vader march theme at least 100 times.
I don’t know what their musical futures hold, but...
Baja Marimba band, Wes Montgomery on Bacharach... →
This brings back memories of listening to my mom sing “What the World Needs Now.” One of my most cherished gifts of all time was Steve giving me a Burt Bacharach three-DVD retrospective. OK, not jazz per se, but great music anyway. I’ll have to bring that along to Florida next time.
I wish I’d been able to see some of these videos before I interviewed Lee. It must have...
Baja Marimba band on Durante/Knotts show →
I’m back in the jazz project saddle after a month’s absence (Arizona vacation, online project, video editing) and found some recently-added clips of the musicians. It eats up so much time searching through but there’s great music being added every day, and it helps my project tremendously to be able to include a few moments of them.
This one has Lee “impersonating”...
Benny Barth Trio and Mel Torme on TV →
This one features Benny with Gary Long on piano, Perry Lind on bass. It was produced by jazz critic Ralph Gleason. When you call it up you’ll see several more from the same show.
February 2009
4 posts
January 2009
61 posts
Just friends — and please stop calling!
I was scanning cyberland for excerpts of Med’s acting to add with his interview and came across a Bonanza fansite boasting 3,200 members with names like “Adamsgirl” and “Joesmyhero.” One of the members, “Daydreamer,” had written a biographical sketch on Med, who played several roles during the course of the 14-year-long western drama. She complained she...
Disorder at the Border
I found a recording of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Disorder at the Border” at the library, along with recordings by Woody Herman, the Cannonball quintet in San Francisco and a Pat Metheny disc with vibraphonist Gary Burton. I’m lucky they have a pretty decent jazz collection there so I can follow along when the IU musicians talk about particular piece. The Cannonball quintet disc is...
A call to Med Flory...
I thought, since Lee Katzman’s collection of photos included some of Med, it would be good to put them up at the same time.
I called Med to pass on some of the good things John Bunch had to say about him, and in the conversation, asked about pianist Jimmy Rowles. (Both Lee and John Bunch had talked about him.) I didn’t see any mention of Indiana on Rowles’ biography. He played...
