RonF

Thank you Al. All this time I thought I was crazy as a loon. My wife took me to see Meet The Parents a couple of years ago and I came as close to walking out of a movie as I ever have. I was insulted to the core. Stunk to high heaven. My wife thought it was kind of funny and there were some tense moments driving home. It was all I could do to keep from saying it was the worst movie I had ever seen. It well may have been.

All those times I was creeping around and you were wearing night vision goggles? Damn! Busted. Thanks for the work on the site, Jim.

Laundry done, house cleaned, a nice long nap and breakfast in bed with tulips. (winking smiley face)

She looks really young. Maybe that's why he can't lose the grin.

Yeah, the Nugs got spanked but they feel good about splitting those two games. The Spurs had to win. Denver has a very good record at home and honestly, they've become a damned good team. Do I think they can win the series? Yes. Do I think they will? No.

Don't know if anyone noticed the Nuggets knocking off the Spurs tonight. San Antonio was shocked. Many people are picking them to take it all. But if they'd been paying attention they'd know that Denver has been the hottest team in the league for several weeks. Could get intereting in Texas. B-)

Just venting about the Mack Gordon/Harry Warren song, At Last, performed so wonderfully by Etta James, Jimmy Scott and dozens more, now destroyed in a tasteless, dry catfood commercial. Makes my blood boil.

Really? News to me.

You're kidding right? 70 square feet?

Here's to an easy, hassle free move. I've been in the same place for 24 years and I have to say I'm envious. The East coast and all that it has to offer....sounds damn good to me. Keep us posted, dude. Safe travels.

Amazing photo! B-) B-)

Thanks for the summary Jim. Envious! Still wish I could the Gates. That's pretty much what our trips to NYC are all about - jazz, art, food.....and theater......non stop. B-)

For several years, Morley's been insisting he knows something about contemporary art. He doesn't.

You may be thinking of Darbar which is around 55th or 56th and 6th ave - it's pretty good but pricey. By golly I believe that's it. Thanks! Btw, I don't recall it being all that pricey.

maren, I have absolutely no business entering this conversation but about 5 years ago my wife and I ate at a very nice Indian or curry restaurant a block or two from (behind) Carnegie Hall. Are you familiar with that one? Have no idea what the street was. We thought it was great food. Course, we're from Colorady.

My thought exactly!

Deanna Witkowski is a very good piano player. All of her CDs are worth a listen. Piano trio lovers will also like Blackbird, the new CD from The Shelly Berg Trio.

Thanks Chris and everyone for the photos. I just saw a nice piece on CBS Sunday Morning. That's about as close as I'm going to get to Central Park. I think The Gates are magnificent. Boy, do I envy you New Yorkers. B-)

This is from today's New York Times On The Web. No mention of Jimmy. Nothing. MUSIC Music Review | Leonidas Kavakos and Denes Varjon: Testing Violinist and Pianist With Enescu, Bartok and More Steve Burgh, 54, Music Producer, Dies Lazar Berman, Pianist Known for Powerful Style, Dies at 74 Sonny Day, Grand Ole Opry Accordionist, Dies at 80 San Francisco Opera Names a New Director

Concord Records, Inc FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Hammond B-3 Legend Jimmy Smith Passes December 8, 1925 to February 8, 2005 Jimmy Smith, the Hammond B-3 icon who creatively revolutionized the instrument in Jazz, died of apparent natural causes on Tuesday, February 8, at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona. Funeral arrangements are pending. "Jimmy was one of the greatest and most innovative musicians of our time. I love the man and I love the music. He was my idol, my mentor and my friend," fellow Hammond B-3 artist and friend, Joey Defrancesco said yesterday. Born in Norristown, Pennsylvania on December 8, 1925, Jimmy Smith ruled the Hammond B-3 organ in the 1950s & 1960s. He turned the instrument into almost an ensemble itself, fusing R&B, blues, and gospel influences with bebop references into a jubilant, attractive sound that many others immediately absorbed before following in his footsteps. Smith initially learned piano both from his parents and on his own. After service in the Navy, in 1948 he studied bass at the Hamilton School of Music and piano at Ornstein¹s School of Music in Philadelphia. He began playing the Hammond organ in 1951, and soon earned a great reputation that followed him to New York, where he debuted at the Café Bohemia. A date at Birdland and then a 1957 Newport Jazz Festival appearance launched Smith¹s career. He toured extensively throughout the 1960s & '70s. Smith's Blue Note sessions from 1956 to 1963 were extremely influential and are highly recommended. They included collaborations with Kenny Burrell, Lee Morgan, Lou Donaldson, Tina Brooks, Jackie McLean, Ike Quebec, and Stanley Turrentine, among others. Smith also recorded for Verve from 1963 to 1972, many of them featuring big bands and using fine arrangements from Oliver Nelson. These included the excellent Walk on the Wild Side. Jimmy Smith persevered in times when the Hammond organ seemed like it was down and out, and reigned as the master of the craft. The authentic sound of the Hammond still lives on in his protégé and good buddy Joey DeFrancesco. The pair recently recorded a studio album together, Legacy, to be released on Concord Records February 15. A national tour was in place for the B-3 soul mates to commence at Yoshi's February 16-20, along with a special Iridium engagement in New York, March 23-27.

Saw him at Concerts By The Sea in Redondo Beach 20 some years ago. Understandably, he wasn't very happy with a noisy table. He had some harsh but choice words for the boisterous morons. Then he'd just blow everybody away.

The source is a reliable voice in jazz promotion in NYC, currently working the new Joey DeFrancesco with Jimmy Smith CD. She wouldn't blow a false alarm. I must say, I'm surprised that it hasn't hit the wires. Her email arrived around 5 PM eastern.

Just heard from a good freind in New York.

I liked Mystic River because of one major difference. Sean Penn can act. Obviously if you don't like the movie you don't like it (& I do agree about Sean Penn). But - Hillary Swank can't act????, Morgan Freeman can't act???? Yep. At least not in this one. Thought Morgan was doing his usually workmanlike job (No Shawshank Redemption performace here imho). And Hillary Swank...totally unbelievable here. And that accent of hers was just plain bad.

Brownian, Wood engraving? Nice! Who is the artist? Who else you got?