Voltron

Not translating to online pic all that well, but knowing where you are I am sure it tastes awesome.

Congrat on the award Wayne!

Here's a little greeting from the OG. Merry Birthday Wayne! Cheers:

Have a great day, Steve! Cheers!

This week at SF Jazz, we saw some jazzy classical and some classy classical jazz. On Wednesday we saw the Calder Quartet with Christian McBride, performing Bartok's quartet nos. 1 and 4. The quartet played #1 themselves and it sounded amazing in Miner Auditorium. Then Christian McBride came out and improvised for awhile on his own, which was good as always even if a little incongruous for the program. All five came out for the second half of the show, which featured quartet #4. There are five movements, which were played just by the Calders, but in between each movement the Calders and/or Christian would play an interlude. They were some short early pieces by Bartok called Microcosmos, something by another composer I am spacing, and some improvisations as well. Finally, they all played Bartok' Romanian Dance together. All in all, a really nice program. Last night, we saw The Cookers, and it is hard to imagine another group with this much jazz history on one stage today: Billy Hart (drums), Cecil McBee (bass), Eddie Henderson (trumpet), David Weiss (trumpet), Billy Harper (tenor sax), Donald Harrison (alto sax), and George Cables (piano). They were on fire from rehearsal (according to SF Jazz folks) through their two sets that totaled almost 2.5 hours. They are playing 11 cities in 14 days to promote their new album, which they pulled from for the second set. The first set had amazing renditions of Cecil McBee's Peace Maker, Billy Harper's Croquet Ballet (originally recorded with Lee Morgan), and a Freddie Hubbard tune. Powerful stuff that had some old timers in the audience fleeing due to high decibel levels and the blast of the trumpets and saxes. I was in the fourth row and leaned in most of the time. As an indication that this was a special night, Bobby Hutcherson was in attendance and stayed and clapped with his oxygen canula in place all the way through the incredible encore, Billy Harper's Priestess (with amazing bass intro by Cecil McBee and drum solo by Billy Hart). Seriously good stuff.

My screen looked like that the other night after a couple too many drams of whisky. Sorry Haj

SolidSteel is a good company, but Italians will be Italians...

One of these is in my immediate future to toast your good health, Jimmy the Dean. Have a great one! Cheers!

I don't really care about people dissing Apple and expect that -- as trite as it might be. Crappy has no common sense and and his post was juvenile and obnoxious given that I and others were saying we just bought the thing.

But as you can see from most of the posts on this page, Crappy, I did just buy one.

Fuck you Crappy

Fuck it, they don't deserve the best.

Wow, I didn't realize you were still on the road until recently! Sounds fun but very grueling.

6+ / silver / 128GB ordered today after checking them out at the store. Still wish that I could have gotten a Note but the family connectivity and ecosystem won out.

Sounds absolutely fantastic Steve! I just saw Brian Blade Fellowship Band at the small space at SF Jazz last week and it was amazing (even though I was personally in a shitty mood). Very much looking forward to Eric Harland and Voyager in January at SF Jazz. Two of the best drummers drumming, or ever.

Ninja Owl is going to haunt my dreams.

Needs moar chips. And bacon!

Also RIP Polly Bergen. Quite the death toll in hollywood this year. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/arts/polly-bergen-dies-at-84-emmy-winning-actress.html?_r=0

Wonder Woman x 6! Awesome record, Karen. Have fun and run safe!

Well done, Chris! Got in a little late, but donation made!

Massive congrat! Go

RIP Eric the Midget Actor. http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/eric-the-actor-lynch-dead-wack-packer-1201310444/ #byefornow

Seeing that picture from his later years reminds me that I sat at a table next to Mr. Kiel at Aqua Restaurant (also RIP) in SF. He was with an exceptionally short and petite blond woman and somebody who might have been interviewing him or at least entertaining him. He really was a giant of a man and it was something to behold when he unfolded himself and stood up to leave.

Way way too moderne

I still have one if you want to go back in time.