16 Years

Oct 3, 1989 I rolled into NYC with my basses, records (yes, VINYL!), a few clothes, and whatever else was packed into my little Honda wagon.

I had left Kansas City in January of '88 to get on a cruise ship that spent 7 days a week circling the Hawaiian Islands (thank you, God for that one!).

My purpose there, besides gaining some much needed experience (I was a wee 20), and having the days to "woodshed" (and yes, bike/swim/hike/etc) was to save some $ and move to NYC, which I had visited once, for a week, in the summer of '87.

After a year and a half in Hawaii, it was time for the big move. I had saved up $7,000, half of which I spent on the car that I would drive to NY (and which would later be stolen). I had an apartment to move into as a third roomie with two actors in a huge place north of the Geo Washington Bridge, Manhattan.

I didn't know shit.

Still don't.

But I did have one thing going for me: the ability to walk through it, whatever it was going to be.

It just felt like, if I showed up in NY, eventually good things would happen.

And good things did.

But I must touch on the here and now...

Wow - I have to share this random playlist that the iPod is doling out to me. Its a 20 GB and I have 3622 songs on it.

I don't want to go backwards, but I just HAVE to give it up to Nat King Cole singing "What Is There To Say?" just now. Sounding SOOOO great. What a genius that guy was.

And now another, and totally different form of genius: James Brown singing "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag".

Anyway, check it out:

1- Frank Sinatra on Capitol '61 (Billy May arr. - badass!) - On the Sunny Side of the Street
2- Joao Gilberto "Legendary": O Barquinho
3- Joao Gilberto "Legendary": Este Seu Olhar:
4- Glenn Gould: J.S. Bach Fugue #10 in e min, Well Tempered Clavier
5- Joao Gilberto: "Amoroso/Brasil":Bahia Com H
6- Bill Evans "Portrait in Jazz": What is This Thing Called Love
7- Sonny Rollins "The Bridge": The Bridge
8- Jonathan Kreisberg "Nine Stories Wide": Summertime
9- Paul Chambers "Mosaic Box Set": Four Strings
10- Jos Van Immerseel: Mozart, Pno Sonata in Bb Maj ii. Adagio
11- Nat King Cole "After Midnight Sessions": What is there to Say?
12- James Brown "20 All time greatest hits": Papa's Got a Brand New Bag.

OK, that's enough.

1 - This 3 disc set on Capitol with Frank arranged by Billy May, Nelson Riddle is some of the swinginest stuff he did.
2,3 - This out-of-print CD compilation of Joao's first three records combined into one 40 track set is THE standard of Bossa Nova. 5 stars.
4 - Glenn Gould was a freak of nature, showing us what was possible on piano, with seemingly absolutely no technical or tempo limitations. Unbelievable.
5 - This tune - it's funny the Pod played it randomly #5 out of 3,600, because it keeps popping into my head. I haven't learned it yet, but it is high on the list!
6 - Also funny that a tune came up in the first 10 from this record. I had just been thinking about my time in Spain from '97 - '99. A club I played in alot would always play this record REALLY loud over the p.a., and it sounds GREAT way up LOUD!
7 - Sonny Rollins, one of the greatest jazz improvisors on tenor sax of all time, Jim Hall on guitar - 'nuf said!
8 - Kreisberg has done the boat gig with us a few times, mostly last year. Very talented cat. Almost has TOO much to say! But one to watch for sure.
9 - The Mosaic re-release of 4 of P.C.'s solo records (mostly on Blue Note from the late 50's) is a high-water mark for be-bop bass playing. Not to mention great contributions from the likes of Donald Byrd and John Coltrane.

...to be continued...