Jon Hammond Band one night only in Louisville Kentucky
Jon wrote this tune “Lydia’s Tune” in Paris France after flying there on the Concorde Jet in 1981 from JFK to CDG in 2 hours and 36 minutes reaching Mach II speed. From Jon Hammond’s album “Late Rent”.
Alex Budman tenor sax
John Bishop guitar
Ronnie Smith Jr. drums
Jon Hammond at the organ and bass http://www.jonhammondband.com
Category:
Music
Category:
Music
Benny Golson aka The Kenny and Benny Show, because at the time the hr-Bigband had Kurt Bong
and Herbert Bings, this was the historic night that as Jon Hammond says:
“The Kenny and Benny met Bing and Bong !”
Photo of broadcast
Kenny and Benny Meet Bing and Bong – JH — with Kenny Burrell and Benny Golson at hr1
Louisville Kentucky — Jon Hammond Band enjoying a celebration drink of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey after a successful one nighter at The Jazz Factory club
L to R John Bishop, Alex Budman, Ronnie Smith, Jon Hammond – Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olub20ZlmMI
Jon Hammond Band one night only in Louisville Kentucky
Jon’s tune “Pocket Funk” featuring drummer Ronnie Smith Jr. on this one
Alex Budman tenor sax
John Bishop guitar
Jon Hammond at the organ and bass
*From Jon’s album “Late Rent” http://www.jonhammondband.com/ — at Louisville Glassworks
Kenneth Earl “Kenny” Burrell (born July 31, 1931) is an American jazz guitarist. His playing is grounded in bebop and blues; he has performed and recorded with a wide range of jazz musicians.
Burrell was born in Detroit, Michigan to a musical family and began playing guitar at the age of 12. His influences as a guitar player include Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, and Wes Montgomery. While a student at Wayne State University, he made his debut recording as a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s sextet in 1951, later he recorded the “Ground Round” single at Fortune Records in Detroit. He toured with Oscar Peterson after graduating in 1955 and then moved to New York City in 1956.[1]
A consummate sideman, Burrell recorded with a wide range of prominent musicians. He also led his own groups since 1951 and recorded many well received albums.[1]
In the 1970s he began leading seminars about music, particularly Duke Ellington’s. A highly popular performer, he has won several jazz polls in Japan and the United Kingdom as well as the United States.
He has recorded about 106 albums, including Midnight Blue (1963), Blue Lights, Guitar Forms, Sunup To Sundown (1990), Soft Winds (1993), Then Along Came Kenny (1993), and Lotus Blossom (1995).
In 2001, Burrell performed “C Jam Blues” with Medeski, Martin & Wood for the Red Hot Organization’s compilation album Red Hot + Indigo, a tribute to Duke Ellington, which raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS awareness and fighting the disease.
As of 1996, Burrell has served as Director of Jazz Studies at UCLA, mentoring such notable alumni as Gretchen Parlato and Kalil Wilson.[2] Burrell teaches a course titled “Ellingtonia”, examining the life and accomplishments of Duke Ellington. — with Kenny Burrell at Hannover
The Hamburger Dom[1] is a large funfair held in Hamburg, at Heiligengeistfeld fair ground, in Northern Germany. With three fairs (spring, summer and winter) per year it is the biggest and the longest fair throughout Germany. It attracts approximately ten million visitors annually.[citation needed] This Volksfest (lit. peoples fair) is a funfair. It is located in the center of Hamburg on the Heiligengeistfeld.
[edit]History
A market in or in front of Hamburg’s Cathedral (German: Hamburger Dom) was first recorded in 1329, at the beginning only in special seasons like Christmas. With the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century the fair was also held at other times. After the demolition of the cathedral (1804–1807), the market was held on the Gänsemarkt (geese market) in 1804, but kept the name Dom. Since 1892, the funfair was held at Heiligengeistfeld (lit. field of the Holy Spirit) and the name was used for all fairs in the area.[2]
Winterdom or Dommarkt (winter fair or cathedral market): 30 days in late autum
Sommerdom or Hummelfest (summer fair or Hummel market):[3] since 1947: 31 days during summer
Frühlingsdom (spring fair): since 1948, 30 days in spring
[edit]References
^ The German term Dom (Italian: Duomo) is the synecdoche, used – pars pro toto – for most persisting or former collegiate churches and cathedrals alike. Therefore the uniform translation of this term into English as cathedral is correct in this case, but in many other cases it is inappropriate.
^ Eckardt, Hans Wilhelm (2005). “Hamburger Dom”. In Fanklin Kopitzsch and Daniel Tilgner (in German). Hamburg — at Hamburger Dom
Frankfurt Germany — R.I.P. Jon Lord pictured holding the new Hammond Sk1, Joe Berger and Jon Hammond
Frankfurt Germany — R.I.P. Jon Lord pictured holding the new Hammond Sk1, Joe Berger and Jon Hammond
aka Ham-Berger *Jon’s T-Shirt DuckDuckGo, alternative to
Google, the only non-following search engine from Gabriel Weinberg http://duckduckgo.com/ – here at Frankfurt
Musikmesse — with Jon Lord and Joe Berger
Frankfurt Germany — The old fighters – Professor Klaus Maier Father of Hammond Suzuki Deutschland and Jon Hammond at Frankfurt Musikmesse
friends since my first Musikmesse 26 years ago and his super talented dynamo son Michael Falkenstein – JH *with DuckDuckGo shirt, alternative to Google ! http://duckduckgo.com/ — with Klaus Maier at Musikmesse Frankfurt.
Fort Myers Florida — My last sighting of main man Lou Colombo R.I.P. on February 23, 2012 with his band just days before he left the planet – remembering Lou Colombo – Jon Hammond
L to R Gil DiBenedetto tenor saxophone and clarinet, Lou Colombo, Nelson Foucht on trombone, Richard “Richie” Iannuzzi drums *unseen F.L. “Woody” Brubaker piano
New York NY — Carnegie Delicatessen, this is the last place I ran in to Bill Graham R.I.P. It was about 3 in the morning, Bill loved the Corned Beef there! I also met Milton Berle there. Jon Hammond http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie_Deli
The Carnegie Deli is a restaurant located in midtown Manhattan on 7th Avenue between 54th and 55th Streets and was opened in 1937 adjacent to Carnegie Hall. Now in the third generation of owners, the Parker family’s delicatessen is among the most visited restaurants of its type in the city, according to the New York Convention & Visitors Bureau. USA Today has called the restaurant the “most famous” deli in the United States.[1] It is operated by Sandy Levine, whose business card indicates he is the “MBD” = Married Boss’s Daughter, namely, Marian Parker.
A corned beef sandwich from the Carnegie Deli.
The restaurant offers pastrami, corned beef and other sandwiches containing at least one pound (0.45 kg) of meat, as well as traditional Jewish fare such as matzoh ball soup, potato pancakes, chopped chicken livers, and smoked salmon. The restaurant also offers other, non-Jewish (or at least non-kosher) food such as ham, sausage, and bacon. Available for order are cheesecake portions of over a pound per serving. The restaurant’s motto is: “If you can finish your meal, we’ve done something wrong”. In addition to the large servings, the restaurant is also known for its surly waiters, who allegedly try to impart some of the stereotypical gruffness of New York to visitors.
The Carnegie Deli was the favorite hangout of comedian Henny Youngman, and Adam Sandler included a reference to the deli in “The Chanukah Song” in 1996. The walls of the deli are nearly completely covered with autographed pictures of celebrities who have eaten there. Menu items have been named after famous patrons, including a corned beef and pastrami sandwich named after Woody Allen after the deli served as a filming location for Broadway Danny Rose. A number of items on the menu feature Broadway themes and Yiddish vocabulary, including dishes like “nosh, nosh, Nanette” (after the musical, “No, No, Nanette”) and “the egg and oy” (“The Egg and I”). There are also some humorous items in the menu, like the famous liver sandwich named “50 Ways to Love Your Liver” after the Paul Simon song “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.” It is a place many reporters in the city frequent, including staffers from Black Rock (aka the CBS Building) like Bob Simon.
Owner Milton Parker, who died in 2009, had written a book (with Allyn Freeman) called How to Feed Friends and Influence People: The Carnegie Deli, providing the history of the family’s ownership. The book is sold at the cashier’s station.
A Reuben sandwich from the Carnegie Deli.
The deli opened several branch locations in the 1980s, including two New Jersey branches in Secaucus and Atlantic City and one in the Washington DC suburbs in Tysons Corner.[2] However, most of these branches have since closed and are no longer in operation. One, in Beverly Hills, California, was financed by oil billionaire Marvin Davis and designed by restaurant designer Pat Kuleto at a cost of $4 million to be the “best deli in the world,” in response to Davis’ complaint that the delis in California were not as good as those in New York.[3]
Currently, the deli operates a second location in Las Vegas, Nevada, which opened at The Mirage in 2005. A third location opened in 2006 at the Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey and serves as the “healthy choice” restaurant at the park; however, the menu is smaller and only has the restaurant’s most popular items. A fourth deli, limited to corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, is at Foxwoods Resort Casino. The fifth location is at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and opened November 22, 2009.
In addition to the retail operation, the restaurant sells cheesecakes and merchandise such as t-shirts and baseball caps online — at Carnegie Delicatessen & Restaurant
New York NY — Ed Sullivan Theatre – CBS Studios for LATE SHOW with David Letterman, featuring Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra – Jon Hammond http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Sullivan_Theatre (Theatre/Theater…go figure!):
The Ed Sullivan Theater, located at 1697-1699 Broadway between West 53rd and West 54th, in Manhattan,[1] is a venerable radio and television studio in New York City. The 1200-seat theater — of which 461 seats are used for TV audiences — has been used as a venue for live and taped CBS broadcasts since 1936.[2]
It is best known as the longtime home of The Ed Sullivan Show and the site of the first U.S. Beatles performance. Since 1993, it has been the home of the Late Show with David Letterman and is on the list of National Register of Historic Places. The interior has been designated a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.
The 13-story, brown brick and terra cotta office building[3] with a ground-floor theater was designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp.[1] It was built by Arthur Hammerstein between 1925 and 1927,[1] and was named Hammerstein’s Theater after his father, Oscar Hammerstein I. The original neo-Gothic interior contained pointed-arch stained-glass windows with scenes from the elder Hammerstein’s operas; during a 1993 renovation, these windows were removed and stored by CBS in an arrangement with the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.[3] Its first production was the three-hour musical Golden Dawn, the second male lead of which was Cary Grant, then still using his birth name, Archie Leach.[3] Arthur Hammerstein went bankrupt in 1931, and lost ownership of the building.[3]
It later went by the name Manhattan Theater, Billy Rose’s Music Hall, and the Manhattan once again.[citation needed] In the 1930s, it became a nightclub.[citation needed] After CBS obtained a long-term lease on the property, the radio network began broadcasting from there in 1936, moving in broadcast facilities it had leased at NBC Studios in Radio City.[3] Architect William Lescaze renovated the interior, keeping nearly all of the Krapp design but covering many walls with smooth white panels, his work earning praise from the magazine Architectural Forum.[3] The debut broadcast was the Major Bowes Amateur Hour.[3] The theater had various names during the network’s tenancy, including Radio Theater #3 and the CBS Radio Playhouse.[citation needed] It was converted for television in 1950, when it became CBS-TV Studio 50.[citation needed] In the early and mid-Fifties, the theater played host to many of the live telecasts of The Jackie Gleason Show.
Newspaper columnist and impresario Ed Sullivan, who had started hosting his variety show Toast of the Town, soon renamed The Ed Sullivan Show, from the Maxine Elliott Theatre (CBS Studio 51) on West 39th Street in 1948, moved to Studio 50 a few years later. The theater was renamed for Sullivan at the beginning of the 1967-68 season, though it is still TV Studio 50 in CBS’ numerical list of New York television facilities.[4]
In the 1960s, Studio 50 was one of CBS’ busiest stages not only for Sullivan’s program but also for The Merv Griffin Show,[5] as well as several game shows. In 1965, Studio 50 was converted to color, and the first color episode of The Ed Sullivan Show originated from the theater on October 31, 1965. (The program originated from CBS Television City in color for the previous six weeks while the color equipment was installed. One earlier color episode of the program originated from Studio 72 at Broadway and 81st on August 22, 1954.[6]) What’s My Line?, To Tell the Truth and Password also called the studio home after CBS began broadcasting regularly in color; previously, they had been taped around the corner at CBS-TV Studio 52, which later became the disco Studio 54. The first episode of regular color telecasts of What’s My Line? was broadcast live on September 11, 1966.[citation needed] Line and Truth remained at Studio 50 even after they moved from CBS to first-run syndication in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The programs eventually moved to NBC’s Radio City Studios at Rockefeller Center.[citation needed]
The Ed Sullivan Theater was also the first home for The $10,000 Pyramid, with its huge end-game board set at the rear of the stage, in 1973. Other short-lived game shows produced at the Ed included Musical Chairs with singer Adam Wade (1975), Shoot For The Stars with Geoff Edwards (1977) (which was an NBC show), and Pass the Buck with Bill Cullen (1978).
The CBS lease on the building expired in 1981[5] and, now a Reeves Entertainment teletape facility, it hosted the sitcom Kate & Allie, which ran from 1984 to 1989 (as it happened, on CBS). In 1990 David Niles/1125 Productions signed onto the lease, with the theater to house his HDTV studio and new Broadway show Dreamtime. On October 17, 1992 an NBC special celebrating Phil Donahue’s 25 years on television taped in the theater. In February 1993, during Dreamtime’s successful run, [1] CBS bought the building from Winthrop Financial Associates of Boston. Niles was given four weeks to vacate. Due to the economics of moving the show and the lack of a comparable available Broadway theater, Dreamtime closed. The quick sale and vacancy of the building earned the realtor the Henry Hart Rice Achievement Award[7] for the Most Ingenious Deal of the Year for 1993.[8]
[edit]The Late Show
The Ed Sullivan Theater in 2007.
When David Letterman switched networks from NBC to CBS, CBS bought the theater in February 1993 for $4 million from Winthrop Financial Associates of Boston.[9] The theater was reconfigured into a 461-seat studio, with lighting and sound adjustments. The architectural firm that did the work, Polshek Partnership, notes on its web site that “to preserve the architectural integrity of the landmark, all interventions are reversible.”[10]
In 2005, it took nearly four months to retrofit the theater with the cabling and equipment necessary to broadcast high definition television.[citation needed]
Near the beginning of the first Letterman show in the fall of 1993, a quick reference was made to Sullivan’s legacy, by splicing together several short clips of Sullivan introducing various acts, including, presumably, the singing group The Lettermen. This resulted in a fake clip of Sullivan saying, “And now, here on our stage… David… Letterman!” Letterman also joked that his crew opened an old closet in the theater which contained a 45-year old woman screaming, “Ringo!”
[edit]Other uses
The Ed Sullivan Theater also serves as the home of the Survivor reunion at the conclusion of each even numbered season beginning with season six (The Amazon). The theater also hosted marquee-top concerts by a few artists, including Phish in 2004, and Sir Paul McCartney in 2009. On July 15, 2002, Dave Matthews Band performed on the roof of the building, the day before the release of their latest album “Busted Stuff”. On June 22, 2010, the theater’s roof was used once again, serving as the site of a concert featuring Eminem and Jay-Z. The theater also served as an emergency Back-up stage for The Rosie O’Donnell Show for a week of shows in October 1996 when a handful of Studios at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Center headquarters experienced complications from an electrical fire. — at Ed Sullivan Theater
New York NY — Port Authority Bus Station Lanes from Lincoln Tunnel – Here they come! (and go) special lanes leading to and from Port Authority from Lincoln Tunnel going in to the State of New Jersey – Jon Hammond http://www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/lincoln-tunnel.html
Soon after the Port Authority of NY & NJ acquired the Holland Tunnel in 1930, New York and New Jersey authorized the agency to proceed with its plan to build what was then called the Midtown Hudson Tunnel. Creating a 1.5-mile-long structure, even above ground, would be no small accomplishment, but to build it under a riverbed was a monumental task. Hundreds of huge iron rings, each weighing 21 tons, had to be assembled and bolstered together on-site to form the lining of the tunnel.
The work of the sandhogs—as workers who dig tunnels are still colloquially known—was dangerous, claustrophobic and tedious. Just entering and exiting the tunnel was time-consuming. Crews entered air locks, one at a time, after which the doors at each end were sealed. An air pipe started hissing, and the men’s ears would pop as the air pressure climbed until it equaled that of the adjoining lock. The workers were then able to safely open the connecting door and crowd into the next section, where the entire ordeal would be repeated. Once at the forward end of the tunnel, the men had to work swiftly because they could handle the pressure only briefly. Compression and decompression had to be reached in safe, short increments.
Inside the tunnel, rock drills roared, tram cars rattled back and forth and air lines hissed as the shield pushed the tunnel forward until it could be braced like the hull of a ship. Through this din, men bolted rings into place, poured cement behind the new lining to seal out the river, prepared for the next shove, and dynamited in front of the shield when the going got tough.
While one crew worked from the Jersey side, another proceeded toward them from the New York side. Alignment of both ends vertically and horizontally took considerable engineering skill and care. The first “hole through” was achieved on August 3, 1935, when a hydraulic engineer in the New Jersey end was pushed by his feet through an opening to meet the New York crew.
The first tube of the Lincoln Tunnel-the center tube-opened to traffic two years later, on December 22, 1937. The north and south tubes opened on February 1, 1945, and May 25, 1957, respectively.
On December 18, 1970, the Port Authority of NY & NJ opened the Exclusive Bus Lane (XBL), a 2.5-mile contra-flow bus lane that travels along NJ Route 495 leading from the NJ Turnpike to the Lincoln Tunnel (LT). When opened, the XBL was the first contra-flow bus lane on a freeway in the United States, and it led to the later implementation of several similar operations here and in other states. Each weekday morning, the 2.5-mile XBL dedicates a westbound travel lane to eastbound buses, essentially making the Lincoln Tunnel a mass-transit facility for morning commuters. The XBL serves over 1,700 buses a day, carrying more than 62,000 passengers to midtown Manhattan every weekday morning.
E-ZPass, an electronic form of toll collection, was first introduced at the Lincoln Tunnel on October 28, 1997.
The Port Authority of NY & NJ continues to operate and maintain this facility, while seeking new and innovative ways to process an ever-increasing volume of traffic safely and more efficiently. Future plans include the rehabilitation of the “Helix,” the series of entry ramps to the tunnel on the New Jersey side. — at Lincoln Tunnel.
Keys To Happiness – Jon Hammond Plays Excelsior Accordions
lydia’s tune, concorde jet, paris, air france, excelsior accordions, organ jazz, louisville kentucky, kenny burrell, benny golson, tv show, radio, local 802
Jon Hammond Band one night only in Louisville Kentucky
Jon’s tune “Pocket Funk” featuring drummer Ronnie Smith Jr. on this one
Alex Budman tenor sax
John Bishop guitar
Jon Hammond at the organ and bass
*From Jon’s album “Late Rent” http://www.jonhammondband.com
ENCORES: Louisville Kentucky Jazz Factory – JON HAMMOND Band
Jazzin By Martin Z. Kasdan Jr.
Last year San Francisco-based organist Jon Hammond joined his buddy, Louisville guitarist John Bishop, for a night at the Jazz Factory. Hammond has just released Late Rent, on Ham-Berger-Friz Records, available at http://www.cityhallrecords.com/artist/HAMMOND,%20JON.htm if you can’t find it locally. In an e-mail to me, Hammond described this as “a record that took me 25 years to put together. The disc opens with “Late Rent,” a loping swinger and is followed by “Pocket Funk,” with a slightly Latin feel. “Late Rent” is reprised in a live take at the end of the CD. Lee Morgan’s funky “The Sidewinder” is the only cover tune on the album, although, as Hammond acknowledges in his liner notes, “White Onions” is “a bluesy Hammond/Finnerty composition reminiscent of `Green Onions.’”
In closing, happy holidaze to one and all. You can send greetings to me at mzkjr@yahoo.com
Steinway Hall (German: Steinway-Haus) is the name of buildings housing concert halls, showrooms and sales departments for Steinway & Sons pianos. The first Steinway Hall was opened 1866 in New York City.[1] Today, Steinway Halls and Steinway-Häuser are located in world cities such as New York City, London, Berlin and Vienna. A flagship Steinway Hall is on 57th Street in Manhattan in New York City, near Carnegie Hall.
New York NY — Power Corner – Intersection of Central Park South and Fifth Avenue, across from The Plaza Hotel on one corner, Apple Store Fifth Avenue and CBS News Broadcast Center, The Sherry Netherland Hotel
and A LA VIEILLE RUSSIE where people actually buy FABERGE, Antique Jewelry, and Russian Art – Jon Hammond
La Vieille Russie is a New York antiques gallery specializing in European and American antique jewelry, and in Russian works of art. A family business since its establishment in Kiev in 1851, it has been in its present Fifth Avenue location at 781 Fifth Avenue at 59th Street, opposite the southeast corner of Central Park, since 1961. Featured are artworks by Carl Fabergé, created for members of the Romanov court and other wealthy patrons in turn-of-the-century Russia. A La Vieille Russie has bought and sold many of the Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs…
With the onset of World War II, the gallery relocated from Paris to New York. Initially, it was one of the first tenants at Rockefeller Center in 1934, then moved to another Fifth Avenue location in 1941, and finally to its present location in 1961 on New York’s famed Fifth Avenue, at 59th Street opposite the south entrance of Central Park. — at The Plaza Hotel.
New York NY — 9 West 57th Street, the famous Solow Building – in 1985 this is where I was called to a meeting with then Sony President John O’Donnell in the Sony Corporate offices on the 43rd Floor where he offered me a 7 year contract for my cable TV show “The Jon Hammond Show” to be exclusive on Sony on the new Software Division. At the time the only acts signed to this division on Sony Label were Tina Turner, David Bowie and an experimental project called “Private Dances” – Jon Hammond
The Solow Building, located at 9 West 57th Street, is a Manhattan skyscraper designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill’s Gordon Bunshaft and built in 1974. It is located just west of Fifth Avenue, sandwiched between the 57th and 58th Street, next to such prominent buildings as the Bergdorf Goodman department store and the Plaza Hotel. Consisting of 50 stories and 689 ft. (210 m), the building’s only competitor by height in the neighborhood is the GM Building, located one block north and east. Floors above the 23rd floor offer a virtually unobstructed view of northern Manhattan and a complete view of Central Park.
One of the notable aesthetic attributes of the building is the concave vertical slope of its north and south facades, on 57th and 58th Street. This is similar to another of Bunshaft’s creations, the W. R. Grace Building, which is no coincidence, as he had used the initial, rejected façade design for the Solow Building in his design for the Grace Building
The Solow Building features some of the most expensive rents in Manhattan. The Solow Building Company occupies a permanent lease of the top floor of the skyscraper. Well-known tenants include the U.S. Headquarters of the French Corporate and Investment Bank Natixis and private equity firms Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (42nd fl.), Apollo Management (43rd fl.), Silver Lake Partners (32nd fl.) and Highland Capital Management (38th fl.).
Several law firms and hedge funds occupy a majority of the remainder the space, including Och-Ziff Capital Management (39th fl.) and Highbridge Capital Management (27th fl.). The corporate offices of Chanel (44th fl.), MBNA (50th fl.) and Cendant (Cendant changed its name to Avis Budget Group in 2006) (37th fl.) are also located in the building.
Amenities
The building features an underground parking garage, currently available retail space on the north side bordering 58th Street, an underground space occupied by the Brasserie 8½ restaurant, a 2 floor trading floor on floors 2-3, a newsstand in the lobby, and 24 high-speed elevators subdivided into sets of floors.
[edit]Name Issues
In 1971, Avon Products, Inc. rented 21 floors, quickly expanding to occupy 25 floors, and the building was soon being referred to as “the Avon building” (a moniker that persists and can still cause confusion nearly 40 years later). In 1975, the building’s owner, Sheldon Solow, sued Avon for misappropriating the building’s trademark without compensation. Although Avon moved out of the building in 1997, in May 2005 the lawsuit finally went to trial and was subsequently dismissed two months later.[3]
[edit]In popular culture
“The Red 9″ in front of the Solow Building
The large red sculpture of the digit 9 in front of the building was included in the project as a response to the complaints that the building’s sloping reflecting walls revealed unappealing sides of the neighboring historic buildings that were previously obscured. The brightly colored sculpture was to distract the eyes of passersby from noticing these walls. This famous New York sculpture was designed by graphic artist Ivan Chermayeff.
The restaurant Brasserie 8½ was featured on the show Sex and the City.
Chandler Bing a character from the sitcom Friends worked in this building during the series.
Namesake of the Nine West shoe store chain.
In Superman, a jewel thief is apprehended by Superman while scaling the side of the building while wearing suction cups on his hands and knees[4].
Featured in the film Zoolander with a giant computer generated M, which served as Mugatu’s fashion headquarters.
In the film Cloverfield, the monster’s hand slides down the facade of the building when knocked down momentarily by a carpet bombing run.
In the film Lost in America, the final scene where Albert Brooks’ character David Howard meets advertising executive Brad (“This little town car…Will drive you away…”) occurs in front of this building.
Was featured in the film Bride Wars behind the “Plaza Hotel”. — at 9 West 57th.
New York NY — Artist Yayoi Kusama looking at the people looking at her in window of Louis Vuitton on Fifth Avenue and 57th St. today – Jon Hammond
s a Japanese artist and writer. Throughout her career she has worked in a wide variety of mediums, including painting, collage, sculpture, performance art and environmental installations, most of which exhibit her thematic interest in psychedelic colors, repetition and pattern. A precursor of the pop art, minimalist and feminist art movements, Kusama influenced contemporaries such as Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg.[1] Although largely forgotten after departing the New York art scene in the early 1970s, Kusama is now acknowledged as one of the most important living artists to come out of Japan, and an important voice of the avant-garde.
Born in Matsumoto, Nagano into an upper middle-class family of seedling merchants,[2] Kusama started creating art at an early age, going on to study Nihonga painting in Kyoto in 1948. Frustrated with this distinctly Japanese style, she became interested in the European and American avant-garde, staging several solo exhibitions of her paintings in Matsumoto and Tokyo during the 1950s. In 1957 she moved to the United States, settling down in New York City where she produced a series of paintings influenced by the abstract expressionist movement. Switching to sculpture and installation as her primary mediums, Kusama became a fixture of the New York avant-garde, having her works exhibited alongside the likes of Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg and George Segal during the early 1960s, where she became associated with the pop art movement. Embracing the rise of the hippie counterculture of the late 1960s, Kusama came to public attention after she organised a series of Body Festivals in which naked participants were painted with brightly colored polka dots.
In 1973, Kusama moved back to her native Japan, where she found the art scene far more conservative than that in New York. Becoming an art dealer, her business folded after several years, and after experiencing psychiatric problems, in 1977 she voluntarily admitted herself to a hospital, where she has spent the rest of her life. From here, she continued to produce artworks in a variety of mediums, as well as launching a literary career by publishing several novels, a poetry collection and an autobiography.
Kusama’s work is based in conceptual art and shows some attributes of feminism, minimalism, surrealism, Art Brut, pop art, and abstract expressionism, and is infused with autobiographical, psychological, and sexual content. Kusama is also a published novelist and poet, and has created notable work in film and fashion design. Major retrospectives of her work have been held at the Museum of Modern Art and Tate Modern, whilst in 2008 Christies New York sold a work by her for $5.1 million, a record for a living female artist
Born in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture as the fourth child in a prosperous and conservative family,[4] whose wealth was derived from the management of wholesale seed nurseries,[5] Kusama has experienced hallucinations and severe obsessive thoughts since childhood, often of a suicidal nature. She claims that as a small child she suffered severe physical abuse by her mother.[6] In 1948, she left home to enter senior class at Kyoto Municipal School of Arts and Crafts, where she studied Nihonga painting, a rigorous formal style developed during the Meiji period; she graduated the following year.[7] She hated the rigidities of the master-disciple system where students were supposed to imbibe tradition through the sensei. “When I think of my life in Kyoto,” she is quoted, “I feel like vomiting.”[8]
[edit]Early success in Japan: 1950–1956
By 1950, Kusama was depicting abstracted natural forms in watercolor, gouache and oil, primarily on paper. She began covering surfaces (walls, floors, canvases, and later, household objects and naked assistants) with the polka dots that would become a trademark of her work. The vast fields of polka dots, or “infinity nets,” as she called them, were taken directly from her hallucinations. The earliest recorded work in which she incorporated these dots was a drawing in 1939 at age 10, in which the image of a Japanese woman in a kimono, presumed to be the artist’s mother, is covered and obliterated by spots.[9] Her first series of large-scale, sometimes more than 30 ft-long canvas paintings,[10] Infinity Nets, were entirely covered in a sequence of nets and dots that alluded to hallucinatory visions. In the early 1960s Kusama began to cover items such as ladders, shoes and chairs with white phallic protrusions.[11] Despite the micromanaged intricacy of the drawings, she turned them out fast and in bulk, establishing a rhythm of productivity she still maintains. She established other habits too, like having herself routinely photographed with new work.[12]
Since 1963, Kusama has continued her series of Mirror/Infinity rooms. In these complex installations, purpose-built rooms lined with mirrored glass contain scores of neon coloured balls, hanging at various heights above the viewer. Standing inside on a small platform, light is repeatedly reflected off the mirrored surfaces to create the illusion of a never-ending space.[13]
[edit]New York City: 1957–1972
After living in Tokyo and France, Kusama left Japan at the age of 27 for the United States. In 1957 she moved to Seattle, where she stayed for a year[14] before moving on to New York City, following correspondence with Georgia O’Keeffe in which she became interested in joining the limelight in the city.[15] During her time in the U.S., she quickly established her reputation as a leader in the avant-garde movement. In 1961 she moved her studio into the same building as Donald Judd and sculptor Eva Hesse; Hesse became a close friend. During the following years, she was enormously productive, and by 1966, she was experimenting with room-size, freestanding installations that incorporated mirrors, lights, and piped-in music. She counted Judd and Joseph Cornell among her friends and supporters. However, she did not profit financially from her work. Around this time, Kusama was hospitalised regularly from overwork, and O’Keeffe convinced her own dealer Edith Herbert to purchase several works in order to help Kusama stave off financial hardship.[16]
Kusama organized outlandish happenings in conspicuous spots like Central Park and the Brooklyn Bridge, often involving nudity and designed to protest the Vietnam War. In one, she wrote an open letter to Richard Nixon offering to have sex with him if he would stop the Vietnam war.[17] Between 1967 and 1969 she concentrated on performances held with the maximum publicity, usually involving Kusama painting polka dots on her naked performers, as in the Grand Orgy to Awaken the Dead at the MOMA (1969), which took place at the Sculpture Garden of the Museum of Modern Art.[18] In 1968, Kusama presided over the happening Homosexual Wedding at the Church of Self-obliteration in 33 Walker Street in New York, and performed alongside Fleetwood Mac and Country Joe and the Fish at the Fillmore East, New York City.[19] She opened naked painting studios and a gay social club called the Kusama ’Omophile Kompany (kok).[20]
In 1966, Kusama first participated in the 33rd Venice Biennale. Her Narcissus Garden comprised hundreds of mirrored spheres outdoors in what she called a ‘kinetic carpet’. As soon as the piece was installed on a lawn outside the Italian pavilion, Kusama, dressed in a golden kimono,[21] began selling each individual sphere for 1,200 lire ($2), until the Biennale organisers put an end to her enterprise. Perhaps one of Kusama’s most notorious works, Narcissus Garden was as much about the promotion of the artist through the media as it was an opportunity to offer a critique of the mechanisation and commodification of the art market. Various versions of Narcissus Garden have been presented worldwide venues including Le Consortium, Dijon, 2000; Kunstverein Braunschweig, 2003; as part of the Whitney Biennial in Central Park, New York in 2004; and at the Jardin de Tuileries in Paris, 2010.[22]
During her time in New York, Kusama had a decade-long sexless relationship with the American artist Joseph Cornell, Kusama’s only recorded romantic attachment to date.
[edit]Return to Japan: 1973–present
Yayoi Kusama’s Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees at the Singapore Biennale 2006 on Orchard Road, Singapore.
In 1973, Kusama returned to Japan in ill health, where she began writing shockingly visceral and surrealistic novels, short stories, and poetry. Kusama checked herself into the Seiwa Hospital for the Mentally Ill and eventually took up permanent residence. She has been living at the hospital since, by choice. Her studio, where she has continued to produce work since the mid-1970s, is a short distance from the hospital in Shinjuku, Tokyo.[23] Kusama is often quoted as saying: “If it were not for art, I would have killed myself a long time ago.”[24] She continued to paint, but now in high-colored acrylics on canvas, on an amped-up scale.[25]
Yayoi Kusama said about her 1954 painting titled Flower (D.S.P.S),
One day I was looking at the red flower patterns of the tablecloth on a table, and when I looked up I saw the same pattern covering the ceiling, the windows and the walls, and finally all over the room, my body and the universe. I felt as if I had begun to self-obliterate, to revolve in the infinity of endless time and the absoluteness of space, and be reduced to nothingness. As I realized it was actually happening and not just in my imagination, I was frightened. I knew I had to run away lest I should be deprived of my life by the spell of the red flowers. I ran desperately up the stairs. The steps below me began to fall apart and I fell down the stairs straining my ankle.[citation needed]
Another quote of hers:
“…a polka-dot has the form of the sun, which is a symbol of the energy of the whole world and our living life, and also the form of the moon, which is calm. Round, soft, colorful, senseless and unknowing. Polka-dots become movement… Polka dots are a way to infinity.”[26]
Her organically abstract paintings of one or two colors (the Infinity Nets series), which she began upon arriving in New York, garnered comparisons to the work of Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Barnett Newman. When she left New York she was practically forgotten as an artist until the late 1980s and 1990s, when a number of retrospectives revived international interest.[27] Following the success of the Japanese pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 1993 – a dazzling mirrored room filled with small pumpkin sculptures in which she resided in color-coordinated magician’s attire – Kusama went on to produce a huge, yellow pumpkin sculpture covered with an optical pattern of black spots. The pumpkin came to represent for her a kind of alter-ego or self-portrait.[28] Kusama’s later installation I’m Here, but Nothing, (2000–2008) is a simply furnished room consisting of table and chairs, place settings and bottles, armchairs and rugs, however its walls are tattooed with hundreds of fluorescent polka dots glowing in the UV light. The result is an endless infinite space where the self and everything in the room is obliterated.[29] The multi-part floating work Guidepost to the New Space, a series of rounded “humps” in fire-engine red with white polka dots, was displayed in Pandanus Lake.
[edit]Works
[edit]Writing
In 1977, Kusama published a book of poems and paintings entitled 7. One year later, her first novel Manhattan Suicide Addict appeared. Between 1983 and 1990, she finished the novels The Hustler’s Grotto of Christopher Street (1983), The Burning of St Mark’s Church (1985), Between Heaven and Earth (1988), Woodstock Phallus Cutter (1988), Aching Chandelier (1989), Double Suicide at Sakuragazuka (1989), and Angels in Cape Cod (1990), alongside several issues of the magazine S&M Sniper in collaboration with photographer Nobuyoshi Araki.[30]
[edit]Film
In 1968, the film “Kusama’s Self-Obliteration” which Kusama produced and starred in won a prize at the Fourth International Experimental Film Competition in Belgium and the Second Maryland Film Festival and the second prize at the Ann Arbor Film Festival. In 1991, Kusama starred in the film Tokyo Decadence, written and directed by Ryu Murakami, and in 1993, she collaborated with British musician Peter Gabriel on an installation in Yokohama.[31]
Red Pumpkin (2006), Naoshima
[edit]Fashion
In 1968, Kusama established Kusama Fashion Company Ltd., and began selling avantgarde fashion in the “Kusama Corner” at Bloomingdales.[32] In 2009, Kusama designed a handbag-shaped cell phone called C-top, and My Doggie Ring-Ring, an accompanying dog-shaped holder, for a limited edition of Japan’s mobile communication giant KDDI Corporation’s “iida“ brand.[33] In 2011, Kusama created artwork for six limited-edition lipglosses from Lancôme.[34] That same year, she worked with Marc Jacobs (who visited her studio in Japan in 2006) on a line of Louis Vuitton products, including leather goods, ready-to-wear, accessories, shoes, watches, and jewelry.[35]
[edit]Commissions
Narcissus Garden (2009), Instituto Inhotim
To date, Kusama has completed several major outdoor sculptural commissions, mostly in the form of brightly hued monstrous plants and flowers, for public and private institutions including Pumpkin (1994) for the Fukuoka Municipal Museum of Art; The Visionary Flowers (2002) for the Matsumoto City Museum of Art; Tsumari in Bloom (2003) for Matsudai Station, Niigata; Tulipes de Shangri-La (2003) for Euralille in Lille, France; Pumpkin (2006) at Bunka-mura on Benesse Island of Naoshima; Hello, Anyang with Love (2007) for Pyeonghwa Park, Anyang; and The Hymn of Life: Tulips (2007) for the Beverly Gardens Park in Los Angeles.[36] In 1998, she realized a mural for the hallway of the Gare do Oriente subway station in Lisbon. Alongside these monumental works, she has produced smaller scale outdoor pieces including Key-Chan and Ryu-Chan, a pair of dotted dogs. All the outdoor works are cast in highly durable fiberglass-reinforced plastic, then painted in urethane to glossy perfection.[37]
In 2010, Kusama designed a Town Sneaker-model bus, which she titled Mizutama Ranbu (Wild Polka Dot Dance) and whose route travels through her home town of Matsumoto.[38] In 2011, she was commissioned to design the front cover of millions of pocket London Underground maps; the result is entitled Polka Dots Festival in London (2011). Coinciding with an exhibition of the artist’s work at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 2012, a 120-foot reproduction of Kusama’s painting Yellow Trees (1994) covered a condominium building under construction in New York’s Meatpacking District.[39] That same year, Kusama conceived her floor installation Thousands of Eyes as a commission for the new Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law, Brisbane.[40]
[edit]Exhibitions
Repetitive Vision (1996) installation at Mattress Factory Art Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
In 1959, Kusama had her first solo exhibition in New York at the Brata Gallery, an artist’s co-op. She showed a series of white net paintings which were enthusiastically reviewed by Donald Judd (both Judd and Frank Stella then acquired paintings from the show).[41] Kusama has since exhibited work with, among others, Claes Oldenburg, Andy Warhol, and Jasper Johns. Exhibiting alongside European artists including Lucio Fontana, Pol Bury, Otto Piene, and Gunther Uecker, in 1962 she was the only female artist to take part in the widely acclaimed ‘Nul’ (Zero) international group exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.[42] She represented Japan at the Venice Biennale in 1993, and in 1998–1999 a major retrospective exhibition of her work toured the U.S. and Japan. Major exhibitions of her work include Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art, Fukuoka, Japan (1987); Center for International Contemporary Arts, New York (1989); “Love Forever: Yayoi Kusama,1958–1969″, LACMA, 1998 (traveling to Museum of Modern Art, New York, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis and Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo), 1998–99; Le Consortium, Dijon, 2000 (traveled to Maison de la Culture du Japon, Paris; Kunsthallen Brandts, Odense, Denmark; Les Abattoirs, Toulouse; Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna; and Artsonje Center, Seoul, 2001–2003); “KUSAMATRIX”, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, 2004 (traveling to Art Park Museum of Contemporary Art, Sapporo Art Park, Hokkaido); “Eternity – Modernity”, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (touring Japan), 2004–2005; and “The Mirrored Years”, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, 2008 (traveling to Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, and City Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand, 2009). In August 2010, Kusama exhibited at the Aichi Triennale 2010 [1], Nagoya. Her works are exhibited inside the Aichi Arts Center, out of the center and Toyota car polka dot project. As of July 2011, several of Kusama’s most intimate works are on display at the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid, Spain.
As part of FINA Festival 2007, Kusama created Guidepost to the New Space, a vibrant outdoor installation for Birrarung Marr beside the Yarra River in Melbourne. In 2009, the Guideposts were re-installed at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, this time displayed as floating “humps” on a lake.[43]
An exhibition of Kusama’a work opened at the Tate Modern in London on February 9, 2012.[44] Described as ‘akin to being suspended in a beautiful cosmos gazing at infinite worlds, or like a tiny dot of fluoresecent plankton in an ocean of glowing microscopic life’,[45] the exhibition features work from Kusama’s entire career.
[edit]Collections
Kusama’s work is in the collections of leading museums throughout the world, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; Tate Modern, London; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Centre Pompidou, Paris; and the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.
[edit]Recognition
Yayoi Kusama’s retrospective exhibition at Tate Modern, London in early 2012.
Kusama has received numerous awards, including the Asahi Prize (2001); Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2003); and the National Lifetime Achievement Awards, the Order of the Rising Sun (2006). In October 2006, Yayoi Kusama became the first Japanese woman to receive the Praemium Imperiale, one of Japan’s most prestigious prizes for internationally recognized artists.[46]
[edit]Art market
Kusama’s work has performed strongly at auction: top prices for her work are for paintings from the late 1950s and early 1960s. As of 2012, her work has the highest turnover of any living woman artist.[47] In November 2008, Christie’s New York sold a 1959 white “Infinity Net” painting formerly owned by Donald Judd,[48] No. 2, for $5.1 million, then a record for a living female artist.[49] In comparison, the highest price for a sculpture from her New York years is £72,500 ($147,687), fetched by the 1965 wool, pasta, paint and hanger assemblage Golden Macaroni Jacket at Sotheby’s London in October 2007. A 2006 acrylic on fiberglass-reinforced plastic pumpkin earned $264,000, the top price for one of her sculptures, also at Sotheby’s in 2007[50]
In the 1960s, Beatrice Perry’s Gres Gallery played an important role in establishing Kusama’s career in the United States. Ota Fine Arts, Kusama’s longtime Tokyo dealer, has worked with the artist since the 1980s.[51] Since 2007, Kusama is also represented by Gagosian Gallery and Victoria Miro Gallery; before moving to Gagosian, she had been with Robert Miller Gallery, New York.[52]
[edit]In popular culture
Superchunk, an American indie band, included a song called “Art Class (Song for Yayoi Kusama)” on its Here’s to Shutting Up album.
Yoko Ono cites Kusama as an influence.
The recently built Matsumoto Performing Art Center in her hometown Matsumoto, designed by Toyo Ito, has an entirely dotted façade, likely influenced by her works.[original research?]
She is mentioned in the lyrics of the Le Tigre song Hot Topic.
[edit]Bibliography
Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Net: The Autobiogrphy of Yayoi Kusama, 2011, English, Translated by Ralph McCarthy, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., ISBN 978-0-226-46498-5.
Jo Applin, “Resisting Infinity”, Yayoi Kusama, exch. cat., Victoria Miro Gallery, London, 2008
Izumi Nakajima, “Yayoi Kusama between Abstraction and Pathology”. In: Griselda Pollock (ed.), Psychoanalysis and the Image. London: Routledge, 2006.
“Collection of Print Works: Yayoi Kusama, 1974–2004″, Japanese/English, Abe Corporation, Tokyo Japan.
“Eternity-Modernity: Yayoi Kusama”, 2005, English/Japanese, Bijutsu Shuppan-sha Ltd, Tokyo, Japan.
“Manhattan Suicide Addict: Yayoi Kusama”, 2005, French, Les Presses du Reel, Dijon, France.
“Kusamatrix”, 2004, English/Japanese, Kadokawa Shoten, Tokyo.
“Yayoi Kusama Furniture by graf: decorative mode no.3″, 2003, Seigensha Art Publishing, Inc, Kyoto, Japan.
“Yayoi Kusama”, 2003, German, Kunsthalle wien, Vienna, Austria.
“Infinity Nets”, 2002, Japanese, Sakuhinsha, Tokyo, Japan.
“Yayoi Kusama”, 2001, French, Les Press du Reel Janvier, Dijon, France.
“Yayoi Kusama”, 2000, English, Phaidon Press Ltd, London, UK.
“Love Forever: Yayoi Kusama, 1958–1968″, Los Angeles County Museum of Art 1998, Lynn Zelevansky, Laura Hoptman, Yayoi Kusama
“Violet Obsession”, 1998, English, Wandering Mind Books, Berkeley, California, U.S.A.
“Hustlers Grotto”, 1998, English, Wandering Mind Books, Berkeley, California, U.S.A.
J. F. Rodenbeck, “Yayoi Kusama: Surface, Stitch, Skin”. In: Catherine de Zegher (ed.), Inside the Visible. The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston & MIT Press, 1996.
“Yayoi Kusama Print Works”, 1992, Abe Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
“Yayoi Kusama: Driving Image”, 1986, Parco shuppan, Tokyo, Japan.
“A Book of Poems and Paintings”, 1977, Japan Edition Art, Tokyo, Japan.
Judy B. Cutler, “Narcissus, Narcosis, Neurosis: The Visions of Yayoi Kusama”. In: Hirsh, Jennie, and Wallace, Isabelle D., eds. Contemporary Art and Classical Myth. Farnham: Ashgate, 2011 — with Yayoi Kusama at Louis Vuitton NA.
pocket funk, louisville kentucky, organ jazz, jon hammond, yayoi kusama, loui vuitton, 9 west 57th street, La Vieille Russie, Radio TV Show
FP Blues Louisville Soundcheck Jon Hammond Band, original composition (Shuffle) Blues with guitarist John Bishop, Alex Budman tenor saxophone, Ronnie Smith Jr. drums, Jon Hammond organ / ASCAP Publishing http://www.jonhammondband.com
Category:
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Tags:
FP Blues shuffle jon hammond band organ jazz louisville kentucky
Jon Hammond Band soundchecking in Louisville Kentucky, original composition CANNONBALL 99 ONE MORE TIME (Shuffle) Blues with guitarist John Bishop, Alex Budman tenor saxophone, Ronnie Smith Jr. drums, Jon Hammond organ ASCAP Publishing http://www.jonhammondband.com
Category:
Music
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cannonball 99 one more time jon hammond band organ jazz louisville kentucky
Nash Metropolitan Car Sighted — Jon Hammond
Vintage 1953–1961 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Metropolitan
The Nash Metropolitan is a car that was sold, initially, only in the United States and Canada,[1] from 1954–1962.
It conforms to two classes of vehicle: economy car and subcompact car In today’s terminology the Metropolitan is a “subcompact”, but this category had not yet come into use when the car was made.[8] At that time, it was variously categorized, for example as a “small automobile” as well as an “economy car”.
The Metropolitan was also sold as a Hudson when Nash and Hudson merged in 1954 to form the American Motors Corporation (AMC), and later as a standalone marque during the Rambler years, as well as in the United Kingdom and other markets.
Frankfurt Germany — This cake and party/gig from previous year was really great also! Special thanks to Bernie Capicchiano for this wonderful photo – Jon Hammond
Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hozrJpHvV-4
Chocolate on Chocolate Cake at 2011 Musikmesse Warm Up Party in Jazzkeller Frankfurt with Jon Hammond Band and special guests for this special occasion celebrating 25 years in Musikmesse. Special acknowledgement of Wilhelm P. “Charly” Hosenseidl R.I.P. who was the Director of Musikmesse years 1989-2008 now Directed by Wolfgang Luecke, special thanks to Messe Frankfurt Projekt and Presse Team!
Jon Hammond Band:
Joe Berger guitar
Tony Lakatos tenor saxophone
Giovanni Gulino drums
Jon Hammond – XB-2 Hammond Organ – special thanks Hiromitsu Ono Chief Engineer Suzuki Musical Instruments designed my instrument which took me all around the world many times
“Late Rent” Jon Hammond theme song for Jon Hammond Show MNNTV and HammondCast Show KYOU Radio San Francisco CBS Radio Network
Thanks Joe Lamond President CEO NAMM, TecAmp Jürgen Kunze and Thomas Eich – Puma Combo bass amp powering Jon Hammond’s organ
Dankeschoen to Yücel Atiker, Tino Pavlis, Poehl, Bernie Capicchiano, Michael Falkenstein Hammond Suzuki Deutschland, Peggy Behling, Christine Vogel Messe Frankfurt,
Saray Pastanesi Baeckerei & Konditorei for Chocolate on Chocolate Cake — at Jazzkeller
Frankfurt Germany — Yes it is my biggest Birthday cake of my whole life and also for 26 years consecutive Musikmesse Frankfurt in the good old Jazzkeller Frankfurt! We had a really beautiful party / gig there this last time and I am already looking forward again to the next one which will be on Tuesday night 9th April 2013.
Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKI42G_CLeQ
Jon Hammond Band celebrating 26 consecutive years Musikmesse Warm Up Party in Jazzkeller Frankfurt on Jon’s 59th birthday, finale song Over The Rainbow
Tony Lakatos tenor saxophone, Giovanni Gulino drums, Joe Berger guitar,
Jon Hammond at Sk1 Hammond organ / bass
special thanks Thomas Eich TecAmp – 2 x 12″ Neodymium Speakers with TecAmp power amp on my organ
Chocolate on Chocolate Cake by Saray Pastanesi Baeckerei & Konditorei Bakery — at Jazzkeller
Frankfurt Germany — Special Guest Lee Oskar on the Jon Hammond Band this year at Jon’s annual Musikmesse Frankfurt Warm Up Party in Jazzkeller Frankfurt, with Tony Lakatos tenor saxophone, Joe Berger aka The Berger-Meister guitar, Totó Giovanni Gulino drums and Jon Hammond at the Sk1 Hammond organ Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD8I5axpmy8
“LATE RENT” Jon Hammond Show Theme Song
as seen on MNN TV New York City Cable TV
with Tony Lakatos tenor sax, Joe Berger guitar, Giovanni Gulino drums,
Jon Hammond at the Hammond Sk1 organ,
special guest Lee Oskar harmonica.
This performance marks 26 years consecutive attending Musikmesse Frankfurt and
it was also on the birthday of Jon Hammond March 20th, 2012 with a big chocolate on chocolate cake baked by Saray Pastanesi Baeckerei & Konditorei bakery on Mainzer Landstrasse 131. 60327 Frankfurt am Main — at Jazzkeller
Jon Hammond Band in Jazzkeller
Frankfurt Germany — Jon Hammond Band – When I Fall In Love in Jazzkeller Frankfurt – Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bwqe0YbzSY
Annual Musikmesse Warm Up Party in Jazzkeller Frankfurt hosted by Jon Hammond Band
Tony Lakatos tenor sax
Joe Berger guitar
Jon Hammond XK-1 organ
Giovanni Gulino drums
When I Fall In Love
special thanks Eugen Hahn Jazzkeller Frankfurt Team, Musikmesse, Waichiro Tachikawa Suzuki Hammond, Michael Maier Falkenstein Hammond Deutschland, Video Camera by Jennifer
Jon Hammond is a member of AFM Local 802 Musicians Union and Local 6 http://www.jonhammondband.com/
Bay Bridge at Dusk from AT&T Park
San Francisco California — San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge seen from AT&T Park at dusk – Jon Hammond http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT%26T_Park
AT&T Park is a ballpark used for Major League Baseball. It is located in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, at the corner of Third and King Streets, it has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball since 2000.
Originally named Pacific Bell Park, then renamed SBC Park in 2003 after SBC’s acquisition of Pacific Bell, the stadium was ultimately christened AT&T Park in 2006 following SBC’s merger with AT&T.
The park also hosts the annual Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, a college football bowl game, and other occasional sporting and musical events. For the 2011 season, the park served as the home of the California Golden Bears football team.Originally designed to be a 42,000 seat stadium, there were slight modifications before the final design was complete. When the ballpark was brought to the ballot box in the Fall of 1996 for voter approval, the stadium was 15 degrees clockwise from its current position. Also the center-field scoreboard was atop the right-field wall and the Giants Pavilion Building were two separate buildings.[8] Groundbreaking on the ballpark began on December 11, 1997, in the industrial waterfront area of San Francisco known as China Basin in the up and coming neighborhoods of South Beach and Mission Bay. The stadium cost $357 million to build and supplanted the Giants’ former home, Candlestick Park, a multi-use stadium in southeastern San Francisco. A team of engineers from UC Davis was consulted in the design process of the park resulting in wind levels that are approximately half those at Candlestick. Fans had shivered through 40 seasons at “The ‘Stick” and looked forward to warmer temperatures at the new ballpark.[9] But because AT&T Park, like its predecessor, is built right on San Francisco Bay, cold summer fog and winter jackets in July are still not unusual at Giants games, despite the higher average temperature.
When it opened on March 31, 2000, the ballpark was the first Major League ballpark built without public funds since the completion of Dodger Stadium in 1962.[10] However, the Giants did receive a $10 million tax abatement from The City and $80 million for upgrades to the local infrastructure (including a connection to the Muni Metro).[11] The Giants have a 66-year lease on the 12.5-acre (51,000 m2) ballpark site, paying $1.2 million in rent annually to the San Francisco Port Commission.[10] The park opened with a seating capacity of 40,800, but this has increased over time as seats have been added.
New York NY – Intrepid Air Sea Space Museum — Jill Nicolini of PIX TV 11 interviewing Eddie Money – Jon Hammond *you can see rain drops hit Ed’s jacket, we had to move inside the tent due to the rain – Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXhO9eJyniU
Jon Hammond’s HammondCast of Eddie Money aboard Intrepid Aircraft Carrier for The Fallen Heroes Fund with David A. Winters President http://www.fallenheroesfund.org/ Eddie: “We are donating all of the money from this single to the Intrepid Fallen Hero’s Fund. This is for the widower’s and the widowees of the Iraq/ Afghanistan conflict.” “One More Soldier Coming Home”
Also appearance by Jill “Just Jill” Nicolini WPIX Ch. 11 PIX TV and tour of aircraft by Eric Boehm Curator, Aviation and Aircraft Restoration http://www.HammondCast.com/ Eddie Money on HammondCast — at Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Anaheim California – Winter NAMM Show — This is how we
crank up the G37 Guitar Combo Leslie Speaker, with The Berger-Meister Joe Berger! Jon Hammond on sound police watch here, sounds good! — with Joe Berger at Anaheim Convention Center
Hamamatsu Japan — Shopping for electronics in Hamamatsu. I’ll take one of these Giant Panasonic TV’s, it’s only 42,000 Yen! / ¥ – Jon Hammond — in Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka
Hamburg Germany — DOWNTOWN BLUESCLUB im Landhaus Walter by the famous Stadtpark – Jon Hammond Band *Note: I played a gig here 10 years before this gig, and we came in 2 days after “10 Years After” (band) played there. Nice joke from main man Uwe Mamminga, thanks Uwe! It’s almost been another 10 years, let’s do it again – Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWCZouqgUaI
*Note: Excellent Audio, Smoking Performance, Looks Fantastic..unfortunately batt runs out mid-Joe Berger solo:
LUTZ BUCHNER-tenor sax
HEINZ LICHIUS-drums
JOE BERGER-guitar
JON HAMMOND-XB-2 Organ/Bass — with Joe Berger at Downtown Bluesclub
Hofheim am Taunus — Tony Lakatos and Jon Hammond onstage at Jazzkeller-Hofheim, Jon’s annual Musikmesse-Session gig, we invite Gisela Stang every year, maybe someday she will come to our concert! – I play through the same Peavey bass amp onstage every year, solid amp folks! I am honored to be on page 68 – Jazzkeller Hofheim 50 Jahre BOOK, check it out – Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NvqV6Y_TNA
Mercy Mercy encore zugabe Jon Hammond Band Jazzkeller Hofheim Tony Lakatos Joe Berger heinz Lichius Jon Hammond organ http://www.HammondCast.com/ — at Jazzkeller Hofheim
Frankfurt Germany — 2 Hats On The Bandstand – Jon Hammond and Tony Lakatos – Jazzkeller Frankfurt, Jon’s annual Musikmesse Frankfurt Warm Up Party a few years ago. — at Jazzkeller
Paris France — circa 1981 – that’s my friend Raul Rekow, long-time percussionist on Santana Band onstage Palais des Sports, Saint-Ouen, France, 23 Septembre 1981 – I was there in wings of the stage with my (then) new Nikon shooting up a bunch of Tri-X B&W film – Jon Hammond *Alex Ligertwood was on the band then, Graham Lear drums, you can see Carlos there in the foto, Richard Baker organ before Chester joined the band – David Margen bs., Orestes Vilato & the great Armando Peraza – I was staying at Intercontinental Hotel, back at the hotel after the gig Armando asked me to point him in the right direction for “The Latin Quarter” – he walked there and went dancing all night long – reappeared next morning, by foot, go Armando! – JH — with Carlos Santana at Palais des Sports
Paris France — Aug. 1 Happy Birthday 70th in absentia Jerry Garcia! – I shot this picture on my very first trip to Europe 1981 on October 17th at The Hippodrome – Brent Mydland was still on the band on Hammond organ, we talked that night. Shown here Jerry, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, was a great gig! Jon Hammond http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Garcia
Jerome John “Jerry” Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician who was best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead.[1][2] Though he disavowed the role, Garcia was viewed by many as the leader or “spokesman” of the group.[1][2][3][4]
One of its founders, Garcia performed with the Grateful Dead for their entire three-decade career (1965–1995). Garcia also founded and participated in a variety of side projects, including the Saunders-Garcia Band (with longtime friend Merl Saunders), Jerry Garcia Band, Old and in the Way, the Garcia/Grisman acoustic duo, Legion of Mary, and the New Riders of the Purple Sage (which Garcia co-founded with John Dawson and David Nelson).[1] He also released several solo albums, and contributed to a number of albums by other artists over the years as a session musician. He was well known by many for his distinctive guitar playing and was ranked 13th in Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” cover story.[5]
Later in life, Garcia was sometimes ill because of his unstable weight, and in 1986 went into a diabetic coma that nearly cost him his life. Although his overall health improved somewhat after that, he also struggled with heroin and cocaine addictions,[3][4] and was staying in a California drug rehabilitation facility when he died of a heart attack in August 1995.
Jerry Garcia’s ancestry was Galician (Spanish), Irish, and Swedish.[6] He was born in San Francisco, California, on August 1, 1942, to Jose Ramon “Joe” Garcia and Ruth Marie “Bobbie” (née Clifford) Garcia.[7][8][9] His parents named him after composer Jerome Kern.[7][10][11] Jerome John was their second child, preceded by Clifford Ramon “Tiff”, who was born in 1937.[12][13] Shortly before Clifford’s birth, their father and a partner leased a building in downtown San Francisco and turned it into a bar, partly in response to Jose being blackballed from a musician’s union for moonlighting.[14]
Garcia was influenced by music at an early age,[15] taking piano lessons for much of his childhood.[16] His father was a retired professional musician and his mother enjoyed playing the piano.[7] His father’s extended family—who had emigrated from Spain in 1919—would often sing during reunions.[13]
At age four,[17][18] while vacationing in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Garcia underwent amputation of two-thirds of his right middle finger.[19][20] Garcia was given the chore of steadying wood while his elder brother chopped, when he inadvertently put his finger in the way of the falling axe.[20] After his mother wrapped his hand in a towel Garcia’s father drove him over thirty miles to the nearest hospital.[19] A few weeks later, Garcia—who never looked at the finger after the accident—was surprised to discover most of it missing when the bandage he was wearing came off during a bath.[21] Garcia later confided that he often used it to his advantage in his youth, showing it off to other children in his neighborhood.
Garcia experienced several tragic events during his youth. Less than a year after losing the segment of his finger, his father died. While on vacation with his family near Arcata in Northern California in 1947, his father went fly-fishing in the Trinity River, part of the Six Rivers National Forest.[22] Not long after entering he slipped on a rock underfoot, plunging into the deep rapids of the river. The incident was witnessed by a group of boys who immediately sought help, beckoning a pair of nearby fishermen. By the time he was pulled from the water, he had already drowned. Garcia later claimed to have seen his father fall into the river, but Dennis McNally, author of the book A Long Strange Trip: The Inside Story of the Grateful Dead, asserts that he did not, instead forming the memory from hearing the story repeated many times.[11] Blair Jackson, who wrote the biography Garcia: An American Life, lends weight to McNally’s claim, citing that the newspaper article describing Jose’s death made no mention of Garcia being at the scene—even misidentifying him as his parents’ daughter.[22]
Following the accident, Garcia’s mother took over their late father’s bar, buying out his partner for full ownership. As a result, Ruth Garcia began working full-time, sending Jerry and his brother to live just down the road with their maternal grandparents, Tillie and William Clifford. During the five-year period in which he lived with his grandparents, Garcia enjoyed a large amount of autonomy and attended Monroe School, the local elementary school. At the school, Garcia was greatly encouraged in his artistic abilities by his third grade teacher: through her, he discovered that “being a creative person was a viable possibility in life.”[23] According to Garcia, it was around this time that he was opened up to country and to bluegrass by his grandmother, who he recalled enjoyed listening to the Grand Ole Opry. His elder brother, Clifford, however, staunchly believed the contrary, insisting that Garcia was “fantasizing all [that] … she’d been to Opry, but she didn’t listen to it on the radio.” It was at this point that Garcia started playing the banjo, his first stringed instrument.[24]
In 1953, Garcia’s mother was remarried to a man named Wally Matusiewicz.[25] Subsequently, Garcia and his brother moved back home with their mother and new stepfather. However, due to the roughneck reputation of their neighborhood at the time, the Excelsior District, Garcia’s mother moved their family to Menlo Park.[25] During their stay in Menlo Park, Garcia became acquainted with racism and antisemitism, things he disliked intensely.[25] The same year, Garcia was also introduced to rock and roll and rhythm and blues by his brother, and enjoyed listening to the likes of Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, B. B. King, Hank Ballard, and, in a few years, Chuck Berry.[26] Clifford often memorized the vocals for his favorite songs, and would then make Garcia learn the harmony parts, a move to which Garcia later attributed much of his early ear training.[26]
In mid-1957, Garcia began smoking cigarettes and was introduced to marijuana.[27][28] Garcia would later reminisce about the first time he smoked marijuana: “Me and a friend of mine went up into the hills with two joints, the San Francisco foothills, and smoked these joints and just got so high and laughed and roared and went skipping down the streets doing funny things and just having a helluva time”.[15] During this time, Garcia also took up an art program at the San Francisco Art Institute to further his burgeoning interest in the visual arts.[17] The teacher there was Wally Hedrick, an artist who came to prominence during the 1960s. During the classes, he often encouraged Garcia in his drawing and painting skills.[29]
In June of the same year, Garcia graduated from the local Menlo Oaks school. He then moved with his family back to San Francisco, where they lived in an apartment above the newly built bar, the old one having previously been torn down to make way for a freeway entrance.[30] Two months later, on Garcia’s fifteenth birthday, his mother purchased him an accordion, to his great disappointment.[15] Garcia had long been captivated by many rhythm and blues artists, especially Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley: his one wish at this point was to have an electric guitar.[30] After some pleading, his mother exchanged the accordion for a Danelectro with a small amplifier at a local pawnshop.[31] Garcia’s stepfather, who was somewhat proficient with instruments, helped tune his guitar to an unusual open tuning.[27]
After a short stint at Denman Junior High School, Garcia attended tenth grade at Balboa High School in 1958, where he often got into trouble for skipping classes and fighting.[32] Consequently, in 1959, Garcia’s mother again moved the family to get Garcia to stay out of trouble, this time to Cazadero, a small town in Sonoma County, 90 miles north of San Francisco.[32] This turn of events did not sit well with Garcia. To get to Analy High School, the nearest school, he had to travel by bus thirty miles to Sebastopol, a move which only made him more unhappy.[33] Garcia did, however, join a band at his school known as the Chords. After performing and winning a contest, the band’s reward was recording a song—they chose “Raunchy” by Bill Doggett.[34]
[edit]Recording career
[edit]Relocation and band beginnings
Garcia stole his mother’s car in 1960, and as punishment, joined the United States Army. He received basic training at Fort Ord.[15] After training, he was transferred to Fort Winfield Scott in the Presidio of San Francisco.[35] Garcia spent most of his time in the army at his leisure, missing roll call and accruing many counts of AWOL.[36] As a result, Garcia was given a general discharge on December 14, 1960.[37]
In January 1961, Garcia drove down to East Palo Alto to see Laird Grant, an old friend from middle school.[38] He had purchased a 1950 Cadillac sedan from a cook in the army, which barely made it to Grant’s residence before it broke down.[38] Garcia proceeded to spend the next few weeks sleeping where friends would allow, eventually using his car as a home. Through Grant, Garcia met Dave McQueen in February, who, after hearing Garcia perform some blues, introduced him to local people and to the Chateau, a rooming house located near Stanford University which was then a popular hangout.[39]
On February 20, 1961, Garcia entered a car with Paul Speegle, a 16-year-old artist and acquaintance of Garcia; Jack Royerton, a poet from Indiana and childhood friend of Garcia; Lee Adams, the house manager of the Chateau and driver of the car; and Alan Trist, a companion of theirs.[39] After speeding past the Menlo Park Veterans Hospital, the car encountered a curve and, traveling around ninety miles per hour, collided with the guard rail, sending the car rolling turbulently.[40][41] Garcia was hurled through the windshield of the car into a nearby field with such force he was literally thrown out of his shoes and would later be unable to recall the ejection.[40] Lee Adams, the driver, and Alan Trist, who was seated in the back, were thrown from the car as well, suffering from abdominal injuries and a spine fracture, respectively.[40] Royerton suffered a mild concussion and shattered his ulna. Garcia escaped with a broken collarbone, while Speegle, still in the car, was fatally injured.[41]
The accident served as an awakening for Garcia, who later commented: “That’s where my life began. Before then I was always living at less than capacity. I was idling. That was the slingshot for the rest of my life. It was like a second chance. Then I got serious”.[42] It was at this time that Garcia began to realize that he needed to begin playing the guitar in earnest—a move which meant giving up his love of drawing and painting.[43]
Garcia met Robert Hunter, who would become a long-time lyrical collaborator with the Grateful Dead, in April 1961.[1][7] Garcia and Hunter began to participate in the local art and music scenes, sometimes playing at Kepler’s Books.[7] Garcia performed his first concert with Hunter, each earning five dollars. Garcia and Hunter also played in a band called the Wildwood Boys with David Nelson, a future contributor to some Grateful Dead albums.[17]
In 1962 Garcia met Phil Lesh, the eventual bassist of the Grateful Dead, during a party in Menlo Park’s bohemian Perry Lane neighborhood (where Ken Kesey lived).[44] Lesh would later write in his autobiography that Garcia resembled the composer Claude Debussy, with his “dark, curly hair, goatee, Impressionist eyes”.[17] While attending another party in Palo Alto, Lesh approached Garcia to suggest that he record some songs on Lesh’s tape recorder (Phil was musically trained, though he did not start playing bass guitar until the formation of the Grateful Dead in 1965) with the intention of getting them played on the radio station KPFA.[17] Using an old Wollensak tape recorder, they recorded “Matty Groves” and “The Long Black Veil”, among several other tunes. Their efforts were not in vain, leading to a spot on the show, a ninety-minute special on Garcia. It was broadcast as: “‘The Long Black Veil’ and Other Ballads: An Evening with Jerry Garcia”.[17]
Garcia soon began playing and teaching acoustic guitar and banjo.[17] One of Garcia’s students was Bob Matthews, who later engineered many of the Grateful Dead’s albums.[45] Matthews went to high school and was friends with Bob Weir, and on New Year’s Eve 1963, he introduced Weir and Garcia.[45]
Between 1962 and 1964, Garcia sang and performed mainly bluegrass, old-time and folk music. One of the bands Garcia performed with was the Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers, a bluegrass act. The group consisted of Jerry Garcia on guitar, banjo, vocals, and harmonica, Marshall Leicester on banjo, guitar, and vocals, and Dick Arnold on fiddle and vocals.[46] Soon after this, Garcia joined a local bluegrass and folk band called Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions, whose membership included Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, a rhythm and blues fan. Around this time, the psychedelic LSD was gaining popularity. Garcia first began experimenting with LSD in 1964; later, when asked how it changed his life, he remarked: “Well, it changed everything [...] the effect was that it freed me because I suddenly realized that my little attempt at having a straight life and doing that was really a fiction and just wasn’t going to work out. Luckily I wasn’t far enough into it for it to be shattering or anything; it was like a realization that just made me feel immensely relieved”.[15]
In 1965, Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions evolved into the Warlocks, with the addition of Phil Lesh on bass guitar and Bill Kreutzmann on percussion. However, the band discovered that another group was performing under their newly selected name, prompting another name change. Garcia came up with the name by opening a Funk and Wagnall’s dictionary to an entry for “Grateful Dead”.[15][16][17] The definition for “Grateful Dead” was “a dead person, or his angel, showing gratitude to someone who, as an act of charity, arranged their burial”.[47] The band’s first reaction was disapproval.[15][16] Garcia later explained the group’s reaction: “I didn’t like it really, I just found it to be really powerful. [Bob] Weir didn’t like it, [Bill] Kreutzmann didn’t like it and nobody really wanted to hear about it. [...]“[15] Despite their dislike of the name, it quickly spread by word of mouth, and soon became their official title.
[edit]Career with the Grateful Dead
The corner of Haight and Ashbury, center of the San Francisco neighborhood in which the Grateful Dead shared a house at 710 Ashbury from fall 1966 to spring 1968.
Garcia served as lead guitarist, as well as one of the principal vocalists and songwriters of the Grateful Dead for their entire career. Garcia composed such songs as “Dark Star”,[48] “Franklin’s Tower”,[48] and “Scarlet Begonias”,[48] among many others. Robert Hunter, an ardent collaborator with the band, wrote the lyrics to all but a few of Garcia’s songs.
Garcia was well-noted for his “soulful extended guitar improvisations”,[2] which would frequently feature interplay between himself and his fellow band members. His fame, as well as the band’s, arguably rested on their ability to never play a song the same way twice.[3] Often, Garcia would take cues from rhythm guitarist Bob Weir on when to solo, remarking that “there are some [...] kinds of ideas that would really throw me if I had to create a harmonic bridge between all the things going on rhythmically with two drums and Phil [Lesh's] innovative bass playing. Weir’s ability to solve that sort of problem is extraordinary. [...] Harmonically, I take a lot of my solo cues from Bob.”[49]
When asked to describe his approach to soloing, Garcia commented: “It keeps on changing. I still basically revolve around the melody and the way it’s broken up into phrases as I perceive them. With most solos, I tend to play something that phrases the way the melody does; my phrases may be more dense or have different value, but they’ll occur in the same places in the song. [...]“[50]
Garcia and the band toured almost constantly from their formation in 1965 until Garcia’s death in 1995, a stint which gave credit to the name “endless tour”. Periodically, there were breaks due to exhaustion or health problems, often due to unstable health and/or Garcia’s drug use. During their three decade span, the Grateful Dead played 2,314 shows.[3]
Garcia’s mature guitar-playing melded elements from the various kinds of music that had enthralled him. Echoes of bluegrass playing (such as Arthur Smith and Doc Watson) could be heard. But the “roots music” behind bluegrass had its influence, too, and melodic riffs from Celtic fiddle jigs can be distinguished.[citation needed] There was also early rock (like Lonnie Mack, James Burton and Chuck Berry), contemporary blues (such as Freddie King and Lowell Fulson), country and western (such as Roy Nichols and Don Rich), and jazz (like Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt) to be heard in Jerry’s style. Don Rich was the sparkling country guitar player in Buck Owens’s “the Buckaroos” band of the 1960s, but besides Rich’s style, both Garcia’s pedal steel guitar playing (on Grateful Dead records and others) and his standard electric guitar work, were influenced by another of Owens’s Buckaroos of that time, pedal-steel player Tom Brumley. And as an improvisational soloist, John Coltrane was one of his greatest personal and musical influences.
Jerry Garcia in 1969
Garcia later described his playing style as having “descended from barroom rock and roll, country guitar. Just ’cause that’s where all my stuff comes from. It’s like that blues instrumental stuff that was happening in the late Fifties and early Sixties, like Freddie King.” Garcia’s style varied somewhat according to the song or instrumental to which he was contributing. His playing had a number of so-called “signatures” and, in his work through the years with the Grateful Dead, one of these was lead lines making much use of rhythmic triplets (examples include the songs “Good Morning Little School Girl”, “New Speedway Boogie”, “Brokedown Palace”, “Deal”, “Loser”, “Truckin’”, “That’s It for the Other One”, “U.S. Blues”, “Sugaree”, and “Don’t Ease Me In”).
[edit]Side projects
In addition to the Grateful Dead, Garcia had numerous side projects, the most notable being the Jerry Garcia Band. He was also involved with various acoustic projects such as Old and in the Way and other bluegrass bands, including collaborations with noted bluegrass mandolinist David Grisman. The documentary film Grateful Dawg chronicles the deep, long-term friendship between Garcia and Grisman.[51]
Other groups of which Garcia was a member at one time or another include the Black Mountain Boys, Legion of Mary, Reconstruction, and the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band. Jerry Garcia was also an appreciative fan of jazz artists and improvisation: he played with jazz keyboardists Merl Saunders and Howard Wales for many years in various groups and jam sessions, and he appeared on saxophonist Ornette Coleman’s 1988 album, Virgin Beauty. His collaboration with Merl Saunders and Muruga Booker on the Grammy-nominated world music album Blues From the Rainforest launched the Rainforest Band.[52]
Garcia also spent a lot of time in the recording studio helping out fellow musician friends in session work, often adding guitar, vocals, pedal steel, sometimes banjo and piano and even producing. He played on over 50 studio albums the styles of which were eclectic and varied, including bluegrass, rock, folk, blues, country, jazz, electronic music, gospel, funk, and reggae. Artists who sought Garcia’s help included the likes of Jefferson Airplane (most notably Surrealistic Pillow, Garcia being listed as their “Spiritual Advisor”), Tom Fogerty, David Bromberg, Robert Hunter (Liberty, on Relix Records), Paul Pena, Peter Rowan, Warren Zevon, Country Joe McDonald, Ken Nordine, Ornette Coleman, Bruce Hornsby, Bob Dylan and many more. He was also one of the first musicians to really cover in depth Motown music in the early 1970s and probably the most prolific coverer of Bob Dylan songs. In 1995 Garcia played on three tracks for the CD Blue Incantation by guitarist Sanjay Mishra, making it his last studio collaboration.
Throughout the early 1970s, Garcia, Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, drummer Mickey Hart, and David Crosby collaborated intermittently with MIT-educated composer and biologist Ned Lagin on several projects in the realm of early electronica; these include the album Seastones (released by the Dead on their Round Records subsidiary) and L, an unfinished dance work.
Garcia also lent pedal-steel guitar playing to fellow-San Francisco musicians New Riders of the Purple Sage from their initial dates in 1969 to October 1971, when increased commitments with the Dead forced him to opt out of the group. He appears as a band member on their début album New Riders of the Purple Sage, and produced Home, Home On The Road, a 1974 live album by the band. He also contributed pedal steel guitar to the enduring hit “Teach Your Children” by Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. Garcia also played steel guitar licks on Brewer & Shipley’s 1970 album Tarkio. Despite considering himself a novice on the pedal steel, Garcia routinely ranked high in player polls. After a long lapse from playing the pedal-steel, he played it once more during several of the Dead’s concerts with Bob Dylan during the summer of 1987.
Having studied art at the San Francisco Art Institute, Garcia embarked on a second career in the visual arts. He offered for sale and auction to the public a number of illustrations, lithographs, and water colors. Some of those pieces became the basis of a line of men’s neckties characterized by bright colors and abstract patterns. Even in 2005, ten years after Garcia’s death, new styles and designs continued to be produced and sold.
[edit]Personal life
Garcia met his first wife, Sara Ruppenthal Garcia, in 1963.[17] She was working at the coffee house in the back of Kepler’s Bookstore where Garcia, Hunter, and Nelson performed. They married on April 23, 1963, and on December 8 of that year the only child they had together, their daughter Heather, was born.[53]
Garcia and his fellow musicians were subjected to a handful of drug busts during their lifetime. On October 2, 1967, 710 Ashbury Street in San Francisco (where the Grateful Dead had taken up residence the year before) was raided after a police tip-off.[17] Grateful Dead members Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan were apprehended on marijuana charges which were later dropped, although Garcia himself was not arrested.[54] The following year, Garcia’s picture was used in a campaign commercial for Richard Nixon.[55]
Most of the Grateful Dead were arrested again in January 1970, after they flew to New Orleans from Hawaii.[17] After returning to their hotel from a performance, the band checked into their rooms, only to be quickly raided by police. Around fifteen people were arrested on the spot, including many of the road crew, management, and nearly all of the Grateful Dead (except Garcia, who arrived later, and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, who was not taking drugs at the time).[17]
During August 1970, Garcia’s mother Ruth was involved in a car accident near Twin Peaks in San Francisco.[17] Garcia, who was recording the album American Beauty at the time, often left the sessions to visit his mother with his brother Clifford. She died on September 28, 1970. That same year, Garcia participated in the soundtrack for the film Zabriskie Point.
Carolyn Adams, also known as ‘Mountain Girl’, gave birth to Garcia’s second and third daughters, Annabelle Walker Garcia (February 2, 1970) and Theresa Adams “Trixie” Garcia (September 21, 1974). Adams and Garcia married in 1981.[53]
In 1975, around the time Blues for Allah was being created, Garcia met Deborah Koons, the woman who would much later become his third wife and widow.[17] He began seeing her while he was still involved with Adams, with whom Koons had a less-than-perfect relationship. Garcia and Adams eventually went different ways.
While touring in late 1973 the band began to use cocaine. During the band’s hiatus in 1975, Garcia was introduced to a smoke-able form of heroin. Influenced by the stresses of creating and releasing The Grateful Dead Movie in 1977, Garcia’s cocaine and heroin use increased. This, combined with the drug use of several other members of the Grateful Dead, produced turbulent times for the band: the band’s chemistry began “cracking and crumbling”,[17] resulting in poor group cohesion. As a result, Keith and Donna Godchaux were asked to leave the band in February 1979. With the addition of keyboardist Brent Mydland, the band was reaching new heights. Though things seemed to be getting better for the band, Garcia’s health was descending. By 1983, Garcia had lost his “liveliness” on stage. The so-called “endless tour,” the result of years of financial risks, drug use and mistakes, also became extremely taxing.
Garcia’s use of heroin increased heavily over the years, eventually culminating in the rest of the Grateful Dead holding an intervention in January 1985.[17] Given the choice between the band or the drugs, Garcia readily agreed to check into a rehabilitation center in Oakland, California. A few days later in January, before the start of his program in Oakland, Garcia was arrested for drug possession in Golden Gate Park; Garcia subsequently attended a drug diversion program. Throughout 1985, Garcia fought to kick his habit while on tour, and by 1986, was completely clean.
Precipitated by an unhealthy weight, bad eating habits, and recent drug use, Garcia collapsed into a diabetic coma in July 1986, waking up five days later.[3][4] Garcia later spoke about this period of unconsciousness as surreal: “Well, I had some very weird experiences. My main experience was one of furious activity and tremendous struggle in a sort of futuristic, space-ship vehicle with insectoid presences. After I came out of my coma, I had this image of myself as these little hunks of protoplasm that were stuck together kind of like stamps with perforations between them that you could snap off.”[16] Garcia’s coma had a profound effect on him: it forced him to have to relearn how to play the guitar, as well as other, more basic skills. Within a handful of months, Garcia quickly recovered, playing with the Jerry Garcia Band and the Grateful Dead again later that year.[17] Garcia frequently saw a woman named Manasha Matheson during this period. Together they produced Garcia’s fourth and final child, a girl named Keelin Noel Garcia, who was born December 20, 1987.[53] (Jerry, Keelin and Manasha toured and shared a home together as a family until 1993.) After Garcia’s recovery, the band released a comeback album “In the Dark” in 1987, which became their best ever selling studio album. Inspired by Garcia’s improved health and a successful album, the band’s energy and chemistry peaked in the late 1980s and 1990.
During the summer of 1990, keyboardist Brent Mydland died of a drug overdose. Mydland’s death greatly affected Garcia, leading him to believe that the on and off stage chemistry would never be the same. Before beginning the fall tour, the band acquired keyboardists Vince Welnick and Bruce Hornsby. The power of Hornsby’s keys musically drove Garcia to new heights on stage. As the band continued through 1991, Garcia became concerned with the band’s future. He was burnt out from four straight years of high powered touring. Jerry thought a break was necessary, mainly so that the band could come back with fresh material. The idea was put off by the pressures of management, and the touring continued. Jerry’s decrease in both his stamina and his interest to continue touring, may have caused him to use again. Though his relapse was relatively brief, lasting through the summer, the band was quick to react. Soon after the last show of the tour in Denver, Garcia was confronted by the Grateful Dead with another intervention. After a somewhat disastrous meeting, Garcia invited Phil Lesh over to his home in San Rafael, California, where he explained that after the meeting he would start attending a methadone clinic. Garcia said that he simply wanted to clean up in his own way, and get back to making music.[17]
After returning from the Grateful Dead’s 1992 summer tour, Garcia became extremely sick, evidently a throwback to his diabetic coma in 1986.[17] Refusing to go to the hospital, he instead enlisted the aid of an acupuncturist named Yen Wei Choong and a licensed doctor to treat him personally at home. Garcia recovered over the following days, despite the Grateful Dead having to cancel their fall tour to allow him time to recuperate. Following this episode, Garcia quit smoking, became a vegetarian, and began losing weight.
Garcia and girlfriend Barbara Meier, who had met in December of the previous year, separated at the beginning of the Dead’s 1993 spring tour. In 1994, Garcia renewed acquaintances with Deborah Koons, with whom he had been involved sometime around 1975. They married on February 14, 1994, in Sausalito, California. The wedding was attended by family and friends.[17] Garcia had divorced Adams in January of that year.
By the beginning of 1995, Garcia’s physical and mental condition began a decline. His playing ability suffered to the point where he would turn down the volume of his guitar, and he often had to be reminded of what song he was performing.[17] Due to his frail condition, he began to use again just to dull the pain.
In light of his second drug relapse and current condition, Garcia checked himself into the Betty Ford Center during July 1995. His stay was limited, however, lasting only two weeks. Motivated by the experience, he then checked into the Serenity Knolls treatment center in Forest Knolls, California.[4][56]
[edit]Death
On August 9, 1995, at 4:23 am, just eight days after his 53rd birthday, Garcia’s body was discovered in his room at the rehabilitation clinic.[4][56] The cause of death was a heart attack.[57] Garcia had long struggled with drug addiction,[4] weight problems, sleep apnea,[4]a long standing cigarette habit and diabetes all of which contributed to his physical decline. Phil Lesh remarked in his autobiography that, upon hearing of Garcia’s death, “I was struck numb; I had lost my oldest surviving friend, my brother.”[17] On the morning of August 10, Garcia was rested at a funeral home in San Rafael, California. Garcia’s funeral was held on August 12, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Belvedere.[17][56] It was attended by his family, the remaining Grateful Dead members and their friends, including former basketball player Bill Walton and musician Bob Dylan, and his widow Deborah Koons,[56] who barred Garcia’s other two wives from the ceremony.[17]
On August 13, a municipally sanctioned public memorial took place in the Polo Fields of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, and was attended by about 25,000 people.[17] The crowds produced hundreds of flowers, gifts, images, and even a bagpipe rendition of “Amazing Grace”[56] in remembrance.
On April 4, 1996, Bob Weir and Deborah Koons spread half of Garcia’s cremated ashes into the Ganges River at the holy city of Rishikesh, India,[17][58] a site sacred to Hindus. Then, according to Garcia’s last wishes, the other half of his ashes were poured into the San Francisco Bay. Deborah Koons did not allow one of Garcia’s ex-wives, Carolyn “Mountain Girl” Garcia, to attend the spreading of the ashes.[59]
[edit]Musical equipment
Garcia played many guitars during his career, which ranged from Fender Stratocasters and Gibson SGs to custom-made instruments. During his thirty-odd years of being a musician, Garcia used about 25 guitars.[60]
In 1965, when Garcia was playing with the Warlocks, he used a Guild Starfire,[60] which he also used on the début album of the Grateful Dead. Beginning in late 1967 and ending in 1968, Garcia played various colored Gibson Les Paul guitars. In 1969, he picked up the Gibson SG and used it for most of that year and 1970, except for a small period in between where he used a Sunburst Fender Stratocaster.
During Garcia’s “pedal steel flirtation period” (as Bob Weir referred to it in Anthem to Beauty), from approximately 1969 to 1974, he played a ZB Custom D-10 steel guitar, especially in his earlier public performances. Although this was a double neck guitar, Garcia often would choose not to attach the last 5 pedal rods for the rear or Western Swing neck. Additionally, he was playing an Emmons D-10 at the time of the Grateful Dead’s and New Riders of the Purple Sage’s final appearances at the Filmore East in late April 1971. Also, he had been given a Fender Pedal Steel (probably a 1000 model) prior to owning the ZB Custom, but did not play it much.[citation needed]
In 1969, Garcia played pedal steel on two notable outside recordings: the track “The Farm” on the Jefferson Airplane album Volunteers; and the hit single “Teach Your Children” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young from their album Déjà Vu, released in 1970. Garcia played on the latter album in exchange for harmony lessons for the Grateful Dead, who were at the time recording their acoustic albums Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty.[61]
In 1972, Garcia used a Fender Stratocaster nicknamed Alligator for its alligator sticker on the pickguard.[60] The guitar was given to him by Graham Nash. This was due in part to damage to his first custom-made guitar, made by Alembic. This guitar, nicknamed Wolf for a memorable sticker Garcia added below the tailpiece, cost $1500 – extremely high for the time.[62]
In the late eighties Garcia, Weir and CSN (along with many others) endorsed Alvarez Yairi acoustic guitars. There are many photographs circulating (mostly promotional) of Jerry playing a DY99 Virtuoso Custom with a Modulus Graphite neck. He opted to play with the less decorated model but the promotional photo from the Alvarez Yairi catalog has him holding the “tree of life” model. This hand-built guitar was notable for the collaboration between Japanese luthier Kazuo Yairi and Modulus Graphite of San Rafael. As with most things Garcia, with his passing, the DY99 model is rendered legend and valuable among collectors.
Wolf was made with an ebony fingerboard and featured numerous embellishments like alternating grain designs in the headstock, ivory inlays, and fret marker dots made of sterling silver. The body was composed of western maple wood which had a core of purpleheart. Garcia later had former Alembic employee Doug Irwin replace the electronics inside the guitar, at which point he added his own logo to the headstock alongside the Alembic logo. The system included two interchangeable plates for configuring pickups: one was made for strictly single coils, while the other accommodated humbuckers. Shortly after receiving the modified instrument, Garcia requested another custom guitar from Irwin with the advice “don’t hold back.”[62]
During the Grateful Dead’s European Tour, Wolf was dropped on several occasions, one of which caused a minor crack in the headstock. Garcia returned it to Irwin to fix; during its two-year absence Garcia played predominantly Travis Bean guitars. On September 28, 1977, Irwin delivered the renovated Wolf back to Garcia.[62] The wolf sticker which gave the guitar its name had now been inlaid into the instrument; it also featured an effects loop between the pick-ups and controls (so inline effects would “see” the same signal at all times) which was bypassable. Irwin also put a new face on the headstock with only his logo (he later claimed to have built the guitar himself, though pictures through time clearly show the progression of logos, from Alembic, to Alembic & Irwin, to only Irwin). In the “Grateful Dead Movie” Jerry is playing Wolf and this film provides excellent views of Wolf.
Nearly seven years after he first requested it, Garcia received his third custom guitar from Irwin in 1979 (the first Irwin was “Eagle”, the second was “Wolf”).[63] The first concert that Jerry played Tiger was August 4, 1979 at the Oakland Auditorium Arena.[63] It was named Tiger from the inlay on the preamp cover.[64] The body of Tiger was of rich quality: the top layer was cocobolo, with the preceding layers being maple stripe, vermilion, and flame maple, in that order.[64] The neck was made of western maple with an ebony fingerboard. The pickups consisted of a single coil DiMarzio SDS-1 and two humbucker DiMarzio Super IIs which were easily removable due to Garcia’s preference for replacing his pickups every year or two.[64] The electronics were composed of an effects bypass loop, which allowed Garcia to control the sound of his effects through the tone and volume controls on the guitar, and a preamplifier/buffer which rested behind a plate in the back of the guitar. In terms of weight, everything included made Tiger tip the scales at 13½ pounds. This was Garcia’s principal guitar for the next eleven years, and most played.
In 1990, Irwin completed Rosebud, Garcia’s fourth custom guitar.[65] It was similar to his previous guitar Tiger in many respects, but featured different inlays and electronics, tone and volume controls, and weight. Rosebud, unlike Tiger, was configured with three humbuckers; the neck and bridge pickups shared a tone control, while the middle had its own. Atop the guitar was a Roland GK-2 pickup which fed the controller set inside the guitar. The GK2 was used in junction with the Roland GR-50 rack mount synthesizer. The GR-50 synthesizer in turn drove a Korg M1R synthesizer producing the MIDI effects heard during live performances of this period as heard on the Grateful Dead recording ‘Without a Net’.[65][66] Sections of the guitar were hollowed out to bring the weight down to 11½ pounds. The inlay, a dancing skeleton holding a rose, covers a plate just below the bridge. The final cost of the instrument was $11,000.[65]
In 1993, carpenter-turned-luthier Stephen Cripe tried his hand at making an instrument for Garcia.[60] After researching Tiger through pictures and films, Cripe set out on what would soon become known as Lightning Bolt, again named for its inlay.[67] The guitar used Brazilian rosewood for the fingerboard and East Indian rosewood for the body, which, with admitted irony from Cripe, was taken from a 19th century bed used by opium smokers.[67] Built purely from guesswork, Lightning Bolt was a hit with Garcia, who began using the guitar exclusively. Soon after, Garcia requested that Cripe build a backup of the guitar. Cripe, who had not measured or photographed the original, was told simply to “wing it.”[67]
Cripe later delivered the backup, which was known by the name Top Hat. Garcia bought it from him for the price of $6,500, making it the first guitar that Cripe had ever sold.[67] However, infatuated with Lightning Bolt, Garcia rarely used the backup.
After Garcia’s death, the ownership of his Wolf and Tiger came into question. According to Garcia’s will,[53] his guitars were to go to Doug Irwin, who had constructed them.[68][69] The remaining Grateful Dead members disagreed—they considered his guitars to be property of the band, leading to a lawsuit between the two parties.[68][69] In 2001, Irwin won the case. Irwin, being a victim of a hit-and-run accident in 1998,[69] was left nearly penniless. He placed Garcia’s guitars up for auction in hopes of being able to start another guitar workshop.[68]
On May 8, 2002, Wolf and Tiger, among other memorabilia, were placed for auction at Studio 54 in New York City.[68] Tiger was purchased for $957,500, while Wolf was bought for $789,500. Together, the instruments were bought for 1.74 million dollars, setting a new world record.[69] Wolf is in a private collection kept in a secure climate controlled room in a private residence at Utica, N.Y., and Tiger is in the private collection of Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay.[70]
[edit]Legacy
Garcia appeared in the 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind as an extra during the scenes in India in a crowd shot.[71] During the following year, the Grateful Dead would occasionally improvise the theme from “Close Encounters” in concert.
In 1987, ice cream manufacturer Ben & Jerry’s came out with Cherry Garcia, which is named after the guitarist and consists of “cherry ice cream with cherries and fudge flakes”.[72][73][74][75]
Garcia was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Grateful Dead in 1994.
Famous guitar player and known Jerry fan Warren Haynes wrote the song “Patchwork Quilt” in memory of Jerry. Grammy award winning reggae artist Burning Spear paid hommage by releasing the song ‘Play Jerry’ in 1997.
In the episode titled “Halloween: The Final Chapter” on the show Roseanne, aired shortly after his death on October 31, 1995, a tribute to Jerry Garcia was made, and the character name of the baby was Jerry Garcia Conner.
In 2003, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Jerry Garcia 13th in their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.[5]
In 2005, Rapper Proof from the group D12 released an album named after Garcia, Searching for Jerry Garcia. The album was dedicated to the Grateful Dead and released ten years to the day of Garcia’s death.
Ween recorded the song, “So Long Jerry” during the sessions for their 12 Golden Country Greats album, but it was left off the album, eventually appearing on the “Piss Up a Rope” single.
According to fellow Bay Area guitar player Henry Kaiser, Garcia is “the most recorded guitarist in history. With more than 2,200 Grateful Dead concerts, and 1,000 Jerry Garcia Band concerts captured on tape – as well as numerous studio sessions – there are about 15,000 hours of his guitar work preserved for the ages.”[76]
On July 30, 2004, Melvin Seals was the first Jerry Garcia Band member to headline an outdoor music and camping festival called the Grateful Garcia Gathering. The festival is a tribute to the Grateful Dead’s guitarist Jerry Garcia. “Jerry Garcia Band” drummer David Kemper, joined Melvin Seals & JGB in 2007. To date, other musicians and friends of Jerry’s have also included Donna Jean Godchaux, Mookie Siegel, Pete Sears, G.E. Smith, Barry Sless, and Jackie Greene to name a few musicians.
On July 21, 2005, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission passed a resolution to name the amphitheater in McLaren Park “The Jerry Garcia Amphitheater.”[77] The amphitheater is located in the Excelsior District, where Garcia grew up. The first show to happen at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater was Jerry Day 2005 on August 7, 2005. Tiff Garcia was the first person to welcome everybody to the “Jerry Garcia Amphitheater.” Jerry Day is an annual celebration of Jerry in his childhood neighborhood. The dedication ceremony (Jerry Day 2) on October 29, 2005 was officiated by mayor Gavin Newsom.
On September 24, 2005, the Comes a Time: A Celebration of the Music & Spirit of Jerry Garcia tribute concert was held at the Hearst Greek Theatre in Berkeley, California.[78] The concert featured Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, Bruce Hornsby, Trey Anastasio, Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, Michael Kang, Jay Lane, Jeff Chimenti, Mark Karan, Robin Sylvester, Kenny Brooks, Melvin Seals, Merl Saunders, Marty Holland, Stu Allen, Gloria Jones, and Jackie LaBranch.
Also in 2008, Georgia-based composer Lee Johnson released an orchestral tribute to the music of the Grateful Dead, recorded with the Russian National Orchestra, entitled “Dead Symphony: Lee Johnson Symphony No. 6.” Johnson was interviewed on NPR on the July 26, 2008 broadcast of “Weekend Edition”, and gave much credit to the genius and craft of Garcia’s songwriter. A live performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Johnson himself, was held Friday, August 1.[79]
Seattle rock band Soundgarden wrote and recorded the instrumental song “Jerry Garcia’s Finger”, dedicated to the singer, which was released as a b-side with their single “Pretty Noose”.
The argentinian band Massacre included a song called “A Jerry Garcia” (To Jerry Garcia) on their album “Juguetes para olvidar”.
Numerous music festivals across the United States and Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK hold annual events in memory of Jerry Garcia. — with Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir and Phil Lesh at Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes
Josh Oh trouble ahead. Jerry in red
Jon Hammond
Works at Musikmesse
Randy Mills
Ohio University
Josh Oh
Frenchie at H.A.M. Industries subsidiary of F.M.U
Teruo Goto
Works at Dirty old Musician.
Kim Crockett
Arroyo High
Michael D Hinton
The COLLEGE of MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE
Friends
Yashko Golembiovsky
Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles (ACA)
Michael Hardy
Glen Ellen, California
Barry Arnaut
US NAVY AVIATION
Kristin Hunt
Frankfurt Germany — Arriving early for one of my many gigs (207 gigs there) at Jazz-Kneipe Frankfurt, during the days I was living in Paris France 1993. I would usually take the train in from Paris. Gig was 22:00 (10PM) to 3:00 in the morning. You can actually see the musicians names on the program, some of them are no longer with us: Izio Gross Trio, (me) Jon Hammond Trio, Piano George (R.I.P.), ‘Jogy Jazz Classics’, Mirko Stranojevic Quartet, Daniel Tochtermann Trio – the address was Berlinerstrasse 70 in back of the Frankfurter Hof Hotel – now it is an upscale restaurant called “Heimat”. I contacted the new owner to see if we could do something there during the Musikmesse next year – Oliver Donnecker, but he said “There is no space left for musicians and also we have a high priced concept.” – good memories from there, thanks for the gigs Regina! (and all the pizza)! JH — at Berliner Straße 70 Frankfurt
BB King Rules! King of The Blues – Jon Hammond http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BB_King
Riley B. King (born September 16, 1925), known by the stage name B.B. King, is an American songwriter, vocalist, and famed blues guitarist.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at No. 6 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. and No. 17 in Gibson’s Top 50 Guitarists of All Time. According to Edward M. Komara, King “introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending and shimmering vibrato that would influence virtually every electric blues guitarist that followed.”King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987
BB King and Jon Hammond
King was born in a small cabin on a cotton plantation outside of Berclair, Mississippi, to Albert King and Nora Ella Farr on September 16, 1925.
In 1930, when King was four years old, his father abandoned the family, and his mother married another man. Because Nora Ella was too poor to raise her son, King was raised by his maternal grandmother Elnora Farr in Kilmichael, Mississippi.[4] Over the years, King has developed one of the world’s most identifiable guitar styles. He borrowed from Blind Lemon Jefferson, T-Bone Walker and others, integrating his precise and complex vocal-like string bends and his left hand vibrato, both of which have become indispensable components of rock guitarist’s vocabulary. His economy and phrasing has been a model for thousands of players, from Eric Clapton and George Harrison to Jeff Beck. King has mixed traditional blues, jazz, swing, mainstream pop, and jump into a unique sound. In King’s words, “When I sing, I play in my mind; the minute I stop singing orally, I start to sing by playing Lucille.” King grew up singing in the gospel choir at Elkhorn Baptist Church in Kilmichael. At age 12, he purchased his first guitar for $15.00[4] although another reference indicates he was given his first guitar by his cousin, Bukka White. In 1943, King left Kilmichael to work as a tractor driver and play guitar with the Famous St. John’s Quartet of Inverness, Mississippi, performing at area churches and on WGRM in Greenwood, Mississippi.[5][6]
In 1946, King followed his cousin Bukka White to Memphis, Tennessee. White took him in for the next ten months.[4] However, King shortly returned to Mississippi, where he decided to prepare himself better for the next visit, and returned to West Memphis, Arkansas, two years later in 1948. He performed on Sonny Boy Williamson’s radio program on KWEM in West Memphis, Arkansas where he began to develop a local audience for his sound. King’s appearances led to steady engagements at the Sixteenth Avenue Grill in West Memphis and later to a ten-minute spot on the legendary Memphis radio station WDIA. King’s Spot became so popular, it was expanded and became the Sepia Swing Club.
Initially he worked at the local R&B radio station WDIA as a singer and disc jockey, where he gained the nickname Beale Street Blues Boy, later shortened to Blues Boy and finally to B.B.[7][8] It was there that he first met T-Bone Walker. “Once I’d heard him for the first time, I knew I’d have to have [an electric guitar] myself. ‘Had’ to have one, short of stealing!”, he said.[9]
[edit]Career
[edit]1949–2005
In 1949, King began recording songs under contract with Los Angeles-based RPM Records. Many of King’s early recordings were produced by Sam Phillips, who later founded Sun Records. Before his RPM contract, King had debuted on Bullet Records by issuing the single “Miss Martha King” (1949), which did not chart well. “My very first recordings [in 1949] were for a company out of Nashville called Bullet, the Bullet Record Transcription company,” King recalls. “I had horns that very first session. I had Phineas Newborn on piano; his father played drums, and his brother, Calvin, played guitar with me. I had Tuff Green on bass, Ben Branch on tenor sax, his brother, Thomas Branch, on trumpet, and a lady trombone player. The Newborn family were the house band at the famous Plantation Inn in West Memphis.”[10]
Performing with his famous guitar, Lucille
King assembled his own band; the B.B. King Review, under the leadership of Millard Lee. The band initially consisted of Calvin Owens and Kenneth Sands (trumpet), Lawrence Burdin (alto saxophone), George Coleman (tenor saxophone),[11] Floyd Newman (baritone saxophone), Millard Lee (piano), George Joyner (bass) and Earl Forest and Ted Curry (drums). Onzie Horne was a trained musician elicited as an arranger to assist King with his compositions. By his own admission, he cannot play chords well[12] and always relies on improvisation. This was followed by tours across the USA with performances in major theaters in cities such as Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit and St. Louis, as well as numerous gigs in small clubs and juke joints of the southern US states.
In the winter of 1949, King played at a dance hall in Twist, Arkansas. In order to heat the hall, a barrel half-filled with kerosene was lit, a fairly common practice at the time. During a performance, two men began to fight, knocking over the burning barrel and sending burning fuel across the floor. The hall burst into flames, which triggered an evacuation. Once outside, King realized that he had left his guitar inside the burning building. He entered the blaze to retrieve his beloved guitar, a Gibson semi-hollow electric. Two people died in the fire. The next day, King learned that the two men were fighting over a woman named Lucille. King named that first guitar Lucille, as well as every one he owned since that near-fatal experience, as a reminder never again to do something as stupid as run into a burning building or fight over women.
King meanwhile toured the entire “Chitlin’ circuit” and 1956 became a record-breaking year, with 342 concerts booked. The same year he founded his own record label, Blues Boys Kingdom, with headquarters at Beale Street in Memphis. There, among other projects, he produced artists such as Millard Lee and Levi Seabury.
In the 1950s, B.B. King became one of the most important names in R&B music, amassing an impressive list of hits including “3 O’Clock Blues”, “You Know I Love You,” “Woke Up This Morning,” “Please Love Me,” “When My Heart Beats like a Hammer,” “Whole Lotta Love,” “You Upset Me Baby,” “Every Day I Have the Blues”, “Sneakin’ Around,” “Ten Long Years,” “Bad Luck,” “Sweet Little Angel”, “On My Word of Honor,” and “Please Accept My Love.” In 1962, King signed to ABC-Paramount Records, which was later absorbed into MCA Records, and this hence into his current label, Geffen Records. In November 1964, King recorded the Live at the Regal album at the Regal Theater in Chicago, Illinois.
King won a Grammy Award for a tune called “The Thrill Is Gone”;[13] his version became a hit on both the pop and R&B charts, which was rare during that time for an R&B artist. It also gained the number 183 spot in Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. He gained further visibility among rock audiences as an opening act on The Rolling Stones’ 1969 American Tour. King’s mainstream success continued throughout the 1970s with songs like “To Know You is to Love You” and “I Like to Live the Love”.
King was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980, and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2004 he was awarded the international Polar Music Prize, given to artists “in recognition of exceptional achievements in the creation and advancement of music.”[14]
B.B. King in concert in France 1989
From the 1980s onward he has continued to maintain a highly visible and active career, appearing on numerous television shows and performing 300 nights a year. In 1988, King reached a new generation of fans with the single “When Love Comes to Town”, a collaborative effort between King and the Irish band U2 on their Rattle and Hum album. In 2000, King teamed up with guitarist Eric Clapton to record Riding With the King. In 1998, King appeared in The Blues Brothers 2000, playing the part of the lead singer of the Louisiana Gator Boys, along with Clapton, Dr. John, Koko Taylor and Bo Diddley.
[edit]2006–present: farewell tour and later activities
Aged 80 at the time, on March 29, 2006, King played at Hallam Arena in Sheffield, England. This was the first date of his United Kingdom and European farewell tour. He played this tour supported by Northern Irish guitarist Gary Moore, with whom King had previously toured and recorded, including the song “Since I Met You Baby”. The British leg of the tour ended on April 4 with a concert at Wembley Arena. And on June 28, 2009 King returned to Wembley arena to end a tour around Great Britain with British blues icon John Mayall. When questioned as to why he was embarking on another tour after already completing his farewell stint, King jokingly remarked that he had never actually said the farewell tour would be his last.[15]
In July King went back to Europe, playing twice (July 2 and 3) in the 40th edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival and also in Zürich at the Blues at Sunset on July 14. During his show in Montreux at the Stravinski Hall he jammed with Joe Sample, Randy Crawford, David Sanborn, Gladys Knight, Lella James, Earl Thomas, Stanley Clarke, John McLaughlin, Barbara Hendricks and George Duke. The European leg of the Farewell Tour ended in Luxembourg on September 19, 2006, at the D’Coque Arena (support act: Todd Sharpville).
In November and December, King played six times in Brazil. During a press conference on November 29 in São Paulo, a journalist asked King if that would be the actual farewell tour. He answered: “One of my favorite actors is a man from Scotland named Sean Connery. Most of you know him as James Bond, 007. He made a movie called Never Say Never Again.”
In June 2006, King was present at a memorial of his first radio broadcast at the Three Deuces Building in Greenwood, Mississippi, where an official marker of the Mississippi Blues Trail was erected. The same month, a groundbreaking was held for a new museum, dedicated to King.[16] in Indianola, Mississippi.[17] The museum opened on September 13, 2008.
B.B. King at Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto, Ontario (May 2007)
In late October 2006, he recorded a concert CD and DVD entitled B.B. King: Live at his B.B. King Blues Clubs in Nashville and Memphis. The four night production featured his regular B.B. King Blues Band and captured his show as he performs it nightly around the world. It was his first live performance recording in 14 years.
On July 28, 2007, King played at Eric Clapton’s second Crossroads Guitar Festival with 20 other guitarists to raise money for the Crossroads Centre for addictive disorders. Performing in Chicago, he played “Paying the Cost to Be the Boss”, “Rock Me Baby” and “Thrill is Gone” (although the latter was not published on the DVD release) with Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan and Hubert Sumlin. In a poignant moment during the live broadcast, he offered a toast to the concert’s host, Eric Clapton, and also reflected upon his own life and seniority. Adding to the poignancy, the four-minute speech — which had been underlaid with a mellow chord progression by Robert Cray throughout — made a transition to an emotional rendition of “Thrill is Gone”. Parts of this performance were subsequently aired in a PBS broadcast and released on the Crossroads II DVD.
Also in 2007, King accepted an invitation to contribute to Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard Records). With Ivan Neville’s DumpstaPhunk, King contributed his version of the title song, “Goin’ Home”.
In 2007 King performed “One Shoe Blues” on the Sandra Boynton children’s album Blue Moo, accompanied by a pair of sock puppets in the video.
In June 2008, King played at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee; he was also the final performer at the 25th annual Chicago Blues Festival on June 8, 2008, and at the Monterey Blues Festival, following Taj Mahal. Another June 2008 event was King’s induction into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame alongside Liza Minnelli and Sir James Galway.
In July 2008, Sirius XM Radio’s Bluesville channel was renamed B.B. King’s Bluesville.
On December 1, 2008, King performed at the Maryland Theater in Hagerstown, Maryland.[18] On December 3, King and John Mayer were the closing act at the 51st Grammy Nomination Concert, playing “Let the Good Times Roll” by Louis Jordan. On December 30, 2008, King played at The Kennedy Center Honors Awards Show; his performance was in honor of actor Morgan Freeman.
European Tour 2009, Vienna, July 2009
In Summer 2009, King started a European Tour with concerts in France, Germany, Belgium, Finland and Denmark.
In March 2010, King contributed to Cyndi Lauper’s album Memphis Blues, which was released on June 22, 2010.
King performed at the Mawazine festival in Rabat, Morocco, on May 27, 2010.[19]
On June 25, 2011 King played the pyramid stage at The Glastonbury Music Festival. On the June 28 he opened his new European tour at The Royal Albert Hall, London, supported by Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, Ronnie Wood, Mick Hucknall and Slash.
Barack Obama and B.B. King singing “Sweet Home Chicago” in February 21st 2012
On February 21st 2012, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama hosted, “In Performance at the White House: Red, White and Blues”, a celebration of blues music held in the East Room of the White House and B.B. King was among the performers. Later on that night, President Obama, encouraged by Buddy Guy and B.B. King, sang part of “Sweet Home Chicago”.[20]
On March 22, 2012, King played a concert at the Chicago House of Blues, where Benson made a guest appearance and both King & Benson held a jammin’ session for over 20 minutes, it was also the celebration of Benson’s birthday.
King performed on the debut album of rapper and producer Big K.R.I.T., who also hails from Mississippi.[21]
On July 5, 2012, King performed a concert at the Byblos Festival, Lebanon.
Over a period of 63 years, King has played in excess of 15,000 performances.[22]
[edit]Equipment
More info about the guitar, see Lucille (guitar)
B.B. King uses simple equipment. King played guitars made by different manufacturers early in his career: he played a Fender Telecaster on most of his recordings with RPM Records (USA).[23] However, he is best known for playing variants of the Gibson ES-355. In 1980 Gibson Guitar Corporation launched the B.B. King Lucille model. In 2005 Gibson made a special run of 80 Gibson Lucilles, referred to as the ’80th Birthday Lucille’, the first prototype of which was given as a birthday gift to King, which he has been using ever since.[24].
He uses Lab Series L5 2×12″ combo amp. King has been using this amp for a long time. The amp was made by Norlin Industries for Gibson in the 70′s and 80′s. Other popular L5 users are Allan Holdsworth and Ty Tabor of King’s X. The L5 has an onboard compressor, parametric EQ, and four inputs. He also has used a Fender Twin Reverb.[25]
He uses his signature model strings Gibson SEG-BBS B.B. King Signature Electric Guitar Strings with gauges: 10-13-17p-32w-45w-54w and D’Andrea 351 MD SHL CX (Medium .71mm, Tortoise Shell, Celluloid) Picks.[25]
[edit]B.B. King’s Blues Club
Sign outside B.B. King’s Blues Club on Beale Street, Memphis
In 1991, B.B. King’s Blues Club opened on Beale Street in Memphis, and in 1994, a second club was launched at Universal City Walk in Los Angeles. A third club in New York City’s Times Square opened in June 2000. Two further clubs opened at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut in January 2002[26] and another in Nashville in 2003.[27] A club in West Palm Beach opened in the fall of 2009[28] and an additional one, based in the Mirage Hotel, Las Vegas, opened in the winter of 2009.[29] In 2007, a B.B. King’s Blues Club in Orlando opened on International Drive. The Memphis, Nashville, Orlando, West Palm Beach and Las Vegas stores are all the same Company.
[edit]Legacy
King is widely regarded as one of the most influential blues guitarists of all time, inspiring countless other electric blues and blues-rock guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Peter Green, Derek Trucks, Duane Allman, Elmore James and Stevie Ray Vaughan.[30]
[edit]Philanthropy
In 2001, King signed on as an official supporter of Little Kids Rock, a non-profit organization that provides free musical instruments and instruction to children in underprivileged public schools throughout the US. He sits on LKR’s Honorary Board of Directors.
[edit]TV appearances
B.B. King has made guest appearances in numerous popular television shows, including The Cosby Show, The Young and the Restless, General Hospital,[31] The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Sesame Street,[32] Married… with Children, Sanford and Son, and Touched by an Angel. He has also made a cameo in the movie Spies Like Us.[33]. He voiced in the last episode of Cow and Chicken.[citation needed]
[edit]Personal life
King has been married twice, to Martha Lee Denton, 1946 to 1952, and to Sue Carol Hall, 1958 to 1966. Both marriages ended because of the heavy demands made on the marriage by King’s 250 performances a year.[4] It is reported that he has fathered 15 children and, as of 2004, is the grandfather to fifty grandchildren.[4] He has lived with Type II diabetes for over twenty years and is a high-profile spokesman in the fight against the disease, appearing in advertisements for diabetes-management products along with American Idol season 9 contestant Crystal Bowersox.
King is an FAA licensed Private Pilot and learned to fly in 1963 at Chicago Hammond Airport in Lansing, IL (now Lansing Municipal Airport – KIGQ).[34][35] He frequently flew to gigs, but under the advice of his insurance company and manager in 1995, King was asked to fly only with another licensed pilot; and as a result, King stopped flying around age 70.[36]
His favorite singer is Frank Sinatra. In his autobiography King speaks about how he was, and is, a “Sinatra nut” and how he went to bed every night listening to Sinatra’s classic album In the Wee Small Hours. King has credited Sinatra for opening doors to black entertainers who were not given the chance to play in “white-dominated” venues; Sinatra got B.B. King into the main clubs in Las Vegas during the 1960s — with B.B. King at Bb. Kings Blues Bar Grill
BB King, Shuffle, Blues, Jon Hammond, Louisville Kentucky, Organ Group, Birthday Cake, Musikmesse, Frankfurt, Local 802, Musicians Union, Jazz, Music
Jon Hammond Band soundchecking in Louisville Kentucky, original composition “Czechoslovakian Salsa Song” with Alex Budman tenor sax, Ronnie Smith Jr. drums, John Bishop guitar, Jon Hammond organ http://www.jonhammondband.com
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Kunio Miyauchi Why did this photo shoot Jon? It is a picture that a healing!
Jon Hammond Good morning Kunio! This is one of our favorite places to walk. Like my friend Narada Michael Walden says, walk to stay alive! Have a wonderful day & week, very best wishes from California, Jon
San Francisco California — Jon Hammond Band Lunchtime Gig in front of San Francisco City Hall – shown James Preston drums Jon Hammond at 1965 B3 Hammond organ
Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V98fwDJSHWw
2,062
Presented by City Hall San Francisco & Local 6: JON HAMMOND Band on front lawn of the beautiful SF City Hall during lunch hour free concert. JON HAMMOND at the B3 Organ along with Harvey Wainapel tenor, Steve Campos flugel horn, Barry Finnerty gtr. & James Preston drms. of Sons of Champlin band playing JH Band original “Nu Funk” (Hip Hop Chitlins). *Note: Jon’s organ bench fell out of the truck on Polk St. (was recovered) One of Jon’s famous sayings: “It’s easier to find an Organ with no Bench than a Bench without an Organ” ! http://www.jonhammondband.com/ — with James Preston at San Francisco City Hall
Cammy Blackstone Hey! That’s my office! When were you there?
Jon Hammond Sorry missed you Cammy! That was when Willie Brown was the Mayor and the Honorable Terence Hallinan was our District Attorney. Hope we can do it again sometime, and see you next time – cool venue! Jon
Musikmesse Frankfurt Germany — In memory of Wilhelm-Peter “Charly” Hosenseidl – far right, Press Conference with Charly Hosenseidl – Jon Hammond also Sabine Nold, Cordelia von Gymnich and Dr. Peters – JH
*Obit: Charly Hosenseidl dies aged 62 http://www.mi-pro.co.uk/news/read/charly-hosenseidl-dies-aged-62/012291
While the storms couldn’t keep the crowds away, Musikmesse got off to sad start today as it was revealed that Wilhelm-Peter “Charly” Hosenseidl sadly passed away earlier this month aged 62.
Hosenseidl spent his final years as an entertainer, having had trouble settlng into a life of inactivity after retiring from his position as brand manager for Messe Frankfurt – the company with which he enjoyed a 24-year career.
In 1989, Hosenseidl was able to combine his love of music with his expertise in the trade fair sector in becoming director of Musikmesse. It was during his time at the helm that Prolight + Sound was founded in 1995.
By 2001, he was busy as brand development manager and introduced Prolight + Sound Saint Petersburg. Later, in 2002 he founded Music China, and then Prolight + Sound Shanghai in 2003. — at Messe Frankfurt
San Francisco California – Local 6 Musicians Union — My friend Earl Watkins the late great jazz drummer being sworn in yet again on Board of Directors of Local 6 – secret swearing in ceremony in our rehearsal hall – Jon Hammond *Member Local 6 / Local 802
**Obit: http://www.afm6.org/archives/the-end-of-an-era-earl-watkins/
Saturday night, June 23, 2007. Earl Watkins decided to go out. He went out…See More — at Musicians Union Local 6
San Francisco California — Jon Hammond at John Lee Hooker’s Boom Boom Room with the boys – Tony the Door Man and Oscar Myers just after John Lee passed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lee_Hooker
John Lee Hooker (August 22, 1917 – June 21, 2001) was a highly influential American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.
Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally a unique brand of country blues. He developed a ‘talking blues’ style that was his trademark. Though similar to the early Delta blues, his music was metrically free. John Lee Hooker could be said to embody his own unique genre of the blues, often incorporating the boogie-woogie piano style and a driving rhythm into his blues guitar playing and singing. His best known songs include “Boogie Chillen’” (1948), “I’m in the Mood” (1951) and “Boom Boom” (1962), the first two reaching R&B #1 in the Billboard charts.
There is some debate as to the year of Hooker’s birth[3][4] in Coahoma County, Mississippi, the youngest of the eleven children of William Hooker (1871–1923),[6] a sharecropper and Baptist preacher, and Minnie Ramsey (born 1875, date of death unknown); according to his official website, he was born on August 22, 1917.
Hooker and his siblings were home-schooled. They were permitted to listen only to religious songs, with his earliest exposure being the spirituals sung in church. In 1921, his parents separated. The next year, his mother married William Moore, a blues singer who provided Hooker with his first introduction to the guitar (and whom John would later credit for his distinctive playing style).[8] John’s stepfather was his first outstanding blues influence. William Moore was a local blues guitarist who learned in Shreveport, Louisiana to play a droning, one-chord blues that was strikingly different from the Delta blues of the time.[5] Around 1923 his natural father died. At the age of 15, John Lee Hooker ran away from home, reportedly never seeing his mother or stepfather again.[9]
Throughout the 1930s, Hooker lived in Memphis, Tennessee where he worked on Beale Street at The New Daisy Theatre and occasionally performed at house parties.[5] He worked in factories in various cities during World War II, drifting until he found himself in Detroit in 1948 working at Ford Motor Company. He felt right at home near the blues venues and saloons on Hastings Street, the heart of black entertainment on Detroit’s east side. In a city noted for its pianists, guitar players were scarce. Performing in Detroit clubs, his popularity grew quickly and, seeking a louder instrument than his crude acoustic guitar, he bought his first electric guitar.
Hooker playing Massey Hall, Toronto Photo: Jean-Luc Ourlin
Hooker’s recording career began in 1948 when his agent placed a demo, made by Hooker, with the Bihari brothers, owners of the Modern Records label. The company initially released an up-tempo number, “Boogie Chillen’”, which became Hooker’s first hit single.[5] Though they were not songwriters, the Biharis often purchased or claimed co-authorship of songs that appeared on their labels, thus securing songwriting royalties for themselves, in addition to their own streams of income.
Sometimes these songs were older tunes which Hooker renamed, as with B.B. King’s “Rock Me Baby”, anonymous jams “B.B.’s Boogie” or songs by employees (bandleader Vince Weaver). The Biharis used a number of pseudonyms for songwriting credits: Jules was credited as Jules Taub; Joe as Joe Josea; and Sam as Sam Ling. One song by John Lee Hooker, “Down Child” is solely credited to “Taub”, with Hooker receiving no credit for the song whatsoever. Another, “Turn Over a New Leaf” is credited to Hooker and “Ling”.
In 1949, Hooker was recorded whilst performing in an informal setting for Detroit jazz enthusiasts, his repertoire included down-home and spiritual tunes which he would not record commercially.[11] The recorded set has been made available in the album “Jack O’Diamonds”.
Despite being illiterate, Hooker was a prolific lyricist. In addition to adapting the occasionally traditional blues lyric (such as “if I was chief of police, I would run her right out of town”), he freely invented many of his songs from scratch. Recording studios in the 1950s rarely paid black musicians more than a pittance, so Hooker would spend the night wandering from studio to studio, coming up with new songs or variations on his songs for each studio. Because of his recording contract, he would record these songs under obvious pseudonyms such as John Lee Booker, notably for Chess Records and Chance Records in 1951/52,[13] as Johnny Lee for De Luxe Records in 1953/54 as John Lee, and even John Lee Cooker,[14] or as Texas Slim, Delta John, Birmingham Sam and his Magic Guitar, Johnny Williams, or The Boogie Man.[15]
His early solo songs were recorded under Bernie Besman. John Lee Hooker rarely played on a standard beat, changing tempo to fit the needs of the song. This often made it difficult to use backing musicians who were not accustomed to Hooker’s musical vagaries. As a result, Besman would record Hooker, in addition to playing guitar and singing, stomping along with the music on a wooden pallet.[16] For much of this time period he recorded and toured with Eddie Kirkland, who was still performing as of 2008. Later sessions for the VeeJay label in Chicago used studio musicians on most of his recordings, including Eddie Taylor, who could handle his musical idiosyncrasies very well. His biggest UK hit, “Boom Boom”, (originally released on VeeJay) was recorded with a horn section.
Later life
Toronto, August 20, 1978
He appeared and sang in the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers. Due to Hooker’s improvisational style, his performance was filmed and sound-recorded live at the scene at Chicago’s Maxwell Street Market, in contrast to the usual “playback” technique used in most film musicals.[17] Hooker was also a direct influence in the look of John Belushi’s character Jake Blues.
In 1989, he joined with a number of musicians, including Carlos Santana and Bonnie Raitt to record The Healer, for which he and Santana won a Grammy Award. Hooker recorded several songs with Van Morrison, including “Never Get Out of These Blues Alive”, “The Healing Game” and “I Cover the Waterfront”. He also appeared on stage with Van Morrison several times, some of which was released on the live album A Night in San Francisco. The same year he appeared as the title character on Pete Townshend’s The Iron Man: A Musical.
Hooker recorded over 100 albums. He lived the last years of his life in Long Beach, California.[18] In 1997, he opened a nightclub in San Francisco’s Fillmore District called “John Lee Hooker’s Boom Boom Room”, after one of his hits.[19]
He fell ill just before a tour of Europe in 2001 and died on June 21 at the age of 83, two months before his 84th birthday. His last live in the studio recording on guitar and vocal was of a song he wrote with Pete Sears called “Elizebeth”, featuring members of his “Coast to Coast Blues Band” with Sears on piano. It was recorded on January 14, 1998 at Bayview Studios in Richmond, California. The last song Hooker recorded before his death was “Ali D’Oro”, a collaboration with the Italian soul singer Zucchero, in which Hooker sang the chorus “I lay down with an angel”. He was survived by eight children, nineteen grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren, a nephew, and fiance Sidora Dazi. One of his children is the musician John Lee Hooker, Jr.
Among his many awards, Hooker has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in 1991 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Two of his songs, “Boogie Chillen” and “Boom Boom” were included in the list of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. “Boogie Chillen” was included as one of the Songs of the Century. He was also inducted in 1980 into the Blues Hall of Fame. In 2000, Hooker was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
[edit]Music
Hooker’s guitar playing is closely aligned with piano boogie-woogie. He would play the walking bass pattern with his thumb, stopping to emphasize the end of a line with a series of trills, done by rapid hammer-ons and pull-offs. The songs that most epitomize his early sound are “Boogie Chillen”, about being 17 and wanting to go out to dance at the Boogie clubs, “Baby, Please Don’t Go”, a blues standard first recorded by Big Joe Williams, and “Tupelo Blues”,[20] a stunningly sad song about the flooding of Tupelo, Mississippi in April 1936.
He maintained a solo career, popular with blues and folk music fans of the early 1960s and crossed over to white audiences, giving an early opportunity to the young Bob Dylan. As he got older, he added more and more people to his band, changing his live show from simply Hooker with his guitar to a large band, with Hooker singing.
His vocal phrasing was less closely tied to specific bars than most blues singers. This casual, rambling style had been gradually diminishing with the onset of electric blues bands from Chicago but, even when not playing solo, Hooker retained it in his sound.
Though Hooker lived in Detroit during most of his career, he is not associated with the Chicago-style blues prevalent in large northern cities, as much as he is with the southern rural blues styles, known as delta blues, country blues, folk blues, or “front porch blues”. His use of an electric guitar tied together the Delta blues with the emerging post-war electric blues.[21]
His songs have been covered by Buddy Guy, Cream, AC/DC, ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, Tom Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Van Morrison, The Yardbirds, The Animals, The Doors, The White Stripes, MC5, George Thorogood, R. L. Burnside, The J. Geils Band, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, The Gories, Cat Power, and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. — with John Lee Hooker
Hamburg Germany — the great tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman – Jon Hammond *whenever I would see Dewey he would tell me he was dying. Unfortunately/sadly this time he was right, soon after he was dead http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewey_Redman
Dewey Redman (born Walter Dewey Redman in Fort Worth, Texas, May 17, 1931; d. Brooklyn, New York September 2, 2006
Redman attended I.M. Terrell High School, and played in the school band with Ornette Coleman, Prince Lasha and Charles Moffett. After high school, Redman briefly enrolled in the electrical engineering program at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, but became disillusioned with the program and returned home to Texas. In 1953, Redman earned a Bachelors Degree in Industrial Arts from Prairie View Agricultural and Mechanical University. While at Prairie View, he switched from clarinet to alto saxophone, then, eventually, to tenor. Following his bachelor’s degree, Redman served two-years in the US Army.
Upon his discharge from the Army, Redman began working on a master’s degree in education at the University of North Texas. While working on his degree, he taught music to fifth graders in Bastrop, Texas, and worked as a freelance saxophonist on nights and weekends around Austin, Texas. In 1957, Redman earned a Masters Degree in Education with a minor in Industrial Arts from the University of North Texas.[4] While at North Texas, he did not enroll in any music classes.
Towards the end of 1959, Redman moved to San Francisco, a musical choice resulting in an early collaboration with Donald Rafael Garrett.
Dewey Redman at Moers Festival, June 2006, Germany
Redman was best known for his collaborations with saxophonist Ornette Coleman, with whom he performed in his Fort Worth high school marching band. He later performed with Coleman from 1968 to 1972, appearing on the recording New York Is Now, among others. He also played in pianist Keith Jarrett’s American Quartet (1971–1976), and was a member of the collective Old And New Dreams. The American Quartet’s The Survivor’s Suite was voted Jazz Album of the Year by Melody Maker in 1978.[8]
He also performed and recorded as an accompanying musician with jazz musicians who performed in varying styles within the post-1950s jazz idiom, including bassist and fellow Coleman-alum Charlie Haden and guitarist Pat Metheny.
With a dozen recordings under his own name Redman established himself as one of the more prolific tenor players of his generation. Though generally associated with free jazz (with an unusual, distinctive technique of sometimes humming into his saxophone as he played), Redman’s melodic tenor playing was often reminiscent of the blues and post-bop mainstream. Redman’s live shows were as likely to feature standards and ballads as the more atonal improvisations for which he was known.
Redman was the subject of an award-winning documentary film Dewey Time (dir. Daniel Berman, 2001).
On February 19 and 21, 2004, Redman played tenor saxophone as a special guest with Jazz at Lincoln Center, in a concert entitled “The Music of Ornette Coleman.”audio link
Redman died of liver failure in Brooklyn, New York, on September 2, 2006. He is survived by his wife, Lidija Pedevska-Redman, as well as sons Tarik and Joshua, who is also a jazz saxophonist. The father and son recorded two albums together. — with Dewey Redman at Fabrik Hamburg
Tenor Saxophonist Tom Scott and Jon Hammond..both with hair!
Jon Hammond
Works at Musikmesse
Timo Bergström
Gymnasiet svenska normallyceum
Jon Paris
New York, New York
Jimmy Lyon
Works at Having As Much Fun As Possible, Inc.
Ulrich Vormehr
Narada Michael Walden
President at Tarpan Studios
Hal Oppenheim
Kenji Nakai
Los Angeles, California
Corey Prentice
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
Dan Saraceno
Alan Skwarla
Duquesne University School of Law
Glenn Caz Cazenave
Owner-Operator at PC HuB
Adele Guerrero
UCLA
Donald Parks
The Ohio State University
Alan Hickman
Carl Green
Sonoma State University
David Schwartz
Helena Johnson
Andy Daddario
Works at Warner Bros. Entertainment
Kiera Les
Model, Runway & Print at Ford Models
Brian Wildman
North Olmsted, Ohio
Sommer Helmut
Bassman at Alive&kicking simple minds tribute band
Александр Шустер
Netanya, Israel
Robert Panerio
University Place, Washington
Pamela Lefko
Works at TUSD
Craig Adams tom scott.. didnt he play with the blues brothers.. i know that name
Tom Scott (musician) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org
Tom Scott (born May 19, 1948) is an American saxophonist, composer, arranger, conductor and bandleader of the west coast jazz/jazz fusion ensemble The L.A. Express.
Oslo Norway – City Hall — Dig this beautiful room inside Oslo City Hall folks! – Jon Hammond interview with Lord Mayor Per Ditlev-Simenson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SEJhqXVqiU
A special visit with Lord Mayor of Oslo PER DITLEV-SIMONSEN in Oslo Norway on Jon Hammond’s HammondCast Show for CBS’ KYCY/KYOU 1550 AM — at Oslo City Hall
Oslo Norway – City Hall — In this shot you see the famous art of Edvard Munch – I believe it is the painting that was stolen and eventually recovered – now hung in a very secure manner folks! Inside Oslo City Hall – photo by Jon Hammond and interview with Lord Mayor Per Ditlev-Simenson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SEJhqXVqiU
A special visit with Lord Mayor of Oslo PER DITLEV-SIMONSEN in Oslo Norway on Jon Hammond’s HammondCast Show for CBS’ KYCY/KYOU 1550 AM — with Edvard Munch at Oslo City Hall
1966 Junior Jazz Champion Jon Hammond at age 13 – Giulietti Classic 127 Accordion was personally delivered to Jon by the greatest John Molinari – R.I.P. John Molinari http://www.accordia-records.com/molinari_biography.htm
John Molinari was one of the greatest masters of the accordion. His natural talent, love of the instrument and years of dedicated study led to an extremely successful musical career. He was an artist who possessed a brilliant and masterful technique with a remarkable solo repertoire that ranged from popular to folk to classical.
John Molinari was born in San Francisco (1912), the only son of Italian immigrants. At the age of four his parents gave him a little two bass semitone accordion. By the time Molinari was twelve he was already performing at dances and weddings. As a teenager he appeared as a featured act in Vaudeville theaters throughout California. Later he studied piano and theory with Adolph Fink, the well-known student of Antonín Dvořák.
During World War II John toured the South Pacific with USO Camp Shows entertaining the Allied Troops. After the war his engagements extended to the concert halls and supper clubs throughout the United States and Canada. John appeared with famous opera soprano, Jamilla Novotna, the Andrew Sisters, Vaudeville stars Veloz and Yolanda, and on national radio with Fred Waring.
In 1952, on the strength of his recordings, John toured Hawaii and Iceland. It was also in 1952 that he turned down a major contract with MCA because it would have meant extensive time away from his young family. Instead, he worked for MCA in Northern California and limited his touring to featured supper club appearances, including the Waldorf Astoria in New York and the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.
In 1967, 1969 and again in 1972, through the efforts of his friend and colleage, Veikko Ahvenainen, John toured Europe, Scandinavia, the Baltic States and the Soviet Union. John remained, for the most part, in the San Francisco area where he performed and taught until his death in 1989.
Friends and admirers will long remember John Molinari for his marvelous technique and interpretation that have placed him among the leading artists of the accordion. John’s recordings date back to 1949. He played his own arrangements exclusively. We hope you will enjoy listening to his unique style. — in Sacramento, CA
New York NY 596 10th Ave Mr. Biggs — Jon Hammond Band gig just after I returned from living in Paris France for one year with Ray Grappone drums, Todd Anderson tenor sax and Barry Finnerty guitar – this was the gig that Barry went home on the first break and never came back. He said he ‘couldn’t find his keys’ – Jon Hammond at the organ http://www.jonhammondband.com/ — with Todd Anderson at Mr Biggs Bar and Grill
New York NY 30 Rockefeller Plaza NBC TV Studios — Jon Hammond with Jon’s friend long-time NBC Stage Manager Jeff Samaha at Tom Brokaw’s http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Brokaw NBC Evening News Anchor Desk. Jeff was Stage Manager for David Letterman Show along with Biff Henderson before David moved over to CBS – JH — at 30 Rockefeller Plaza
Zurich Switzerland — Tenor Saxophonist Christian Muenchinger on Jon Hammond Band gig in Moods Jazz Club
Jon Hammond in Hamamatsu Japan with Mr. Tanaka Director of Tourism
アメリカからのミュージシャンが浜松市観光インフォメーションセンターに寄って下さいました。
その方は、Digital B3 Organ Specialisit のMr. Jon Hammond さんです。
浜松では鈴木楽器製作所さんや浜松市楽器博物館を訪問されたそうです。
浜松がとても気に入って、滞在を楽しんでいらっしゃいました。 http://hamamatsutic.hamazo.tv/e2334330.html
Jon Hammond gets a new pair of super comfortable summer Rieker shoes from main man Rudolf Molzberger at Schuh-Krolla in Frankfurt, rockin’! — at Münchener Str. 16 60329 Frankfurt
Astounding performance by master accordionist Frank Marocco “There Is No Greater Love” uptempo closer in Trio with drummer Harold Jones and bassist Kash Killion – Peter DiBono announcing at San Francisco Accordion Club approximately 10 years ago – video by Jon Hammond In Memory of Frank Marocco with permission of Frank’s daughter Cindy Marocco Thoburn and Frank’s manager Elke Ahrenholz. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Marocco January 2, 1931 — March 3, 2012 Official Frank Marocco website http://www.frankmarocco.com courtesy of HammondCast http://www.HammondCast.com
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Frank Marocco, Master Accordionist, Jazz, TV, Radio, Movies, Music, Documentary
Get Back In The Groove by Jon Hammond – at soundcheck in Louisville Kentucky
with John Bishop guitar
Alex Budman tenor saxophone
Ronnie Smith Jr. drums
Jon Hammond organ / bass
from Jon’s album “Hammond’s Bolero” also on “Late Rent” with Jon Hammond playing guitar http://www.jonhammondband.com
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Louisville Kentucky, Soundcheck Get, Back In The Groove, Jon Hammond Band
Get Back In The Groove by Jon Hammond – at soundcheck in Louisville Kentucky
with John Bishop guitar
Alex Budman tenor saxophone
Ronnie Smith Jr. drums
Jon Hammond organ / bass
from Jon’s album “Hammond’s Bolero” also on “Late Rent” with Jon Hammond playing guitar http://www.jonhammondband.com
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Louisville Kentucky, Soundcheck Get, Back In The Groove, Jon Hammond Band
Hamamatsu Japan – Suzuki Hall — I love this photograph, Suzuki World Headquarters Team, everybody is smiling I made announcement “This picture is for my Mother” *Note, my Mom loved to see it! Thank you very much all my friends in Suzuki for this very special time together!
Sincerely, Jon Hammond
*Actual Concert – special thanks for beautiful photograph Shigeyuki Ohtaka – Hamamatsu Japan – Suzuki Hall — First time I play here with the great Suzuki harmonica star Tanaka Koei – aka ‘Suzuki Harmonica Santa’ – I am playing Mr. Manji Suzuki’s personal Hammond B3mk2 Organ with the high-power Leslie model 3300W (W for=WOOD) 300 watts solid state power with tube preamp stage – very nice folks! *listen here Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHjhlSwRkws
Suzuki Headquarters and factory special concert for President Founder Manji Suzuki with introduction by Master of Ceremonies Waichiro ‘Tachi’ Tachikawa, Jon Hammond at the new B3mk2 Hammond organ with Koei Tanaka chromatic Suzuki harmonica Part 2 of 3 parts: “Days of Wine and Roses” in Hamamatsu Japan.
*Koei: Born in Tokyo on April 22, 1971. Koei started playing the 10-hole diatonic harmonica at age 15. Until his 20′s. This young musician was playing blues and R & B around the world. He also had a keenness for learning jazz chromatic harmonica as well. Koei plays transcendental mellow delicate and soulful sounds that are unique, which has attracted the attention of many world harmonica players. He is also the official Endorser for SUZUKI HARMONICA.
In 2007, sound and sound control technology is evaluated to be adopted into the harmonica sound presets that are available in European Yamaha synthesizers.
2008, Harmonica in hand Koie set out to take his talent around the world where he made a guest appearance in concerts with our European premier harmonica players.
In 2009, America’s largest harmonica festival “Harmonica SPAH.2009″ saw his perform the first Japanese solo album “sound of the sky (Notes FromThe Air)” presentation.
2010, the Asian Games was held in Singapore, Pacific Ocean Harmonica “Asia Pacific Harmonica Festival” Guest performance were staged by Koei at the closing ceremony.
In 2011, Koei performed at concerts and seminars in Malaysia and Singapore Since 2008, the “harmonica Santa” began operations In Uganda, which encourages the use of harmonicas in children. This young musician began his work in East Africa visiting many schools and orphanages where there were AIDS orphans, street children to name a few. Music Therapy activities he continued to have In 2009, by visiting Cambodia and South Africa in 2010.He was also in Sri Lanka in 2011 at the invitation of the local Gov. Authorities where he visited many schools conducting workshops — at Hamamatsu
*Note: Just to right of Koei’s right arm, you can see a set of the famous Suzuki Tone Chimes! I like them very much..incredible pure sound and fun to play solo or ensemble, Jon Hammond
Hamamatsu Japan – Suzuki Hall — First time I play here with the great Suzuki harmonica star Tanaka Koei – aka ‘Suzuki Harmonica Santa’ – I am playing Mr. Manji Suzuki’s personal Hammond B3mk2 Organ with the high-power Leslie model 3300W (W for=WOOD) 300 watts solid state power with tube preamp stage – very nice folks! *listen here Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHjhlSwRkws
Suzuki Headquarters and factory special concert for President Founder Manji Suzuki with introduction by Master of Ceremonies Waichiro ‘Tachi’ Tachikawa, Jon Hammond at the new B3mk2 Hammond organ with Koei Tanaka chromatic Suzuki harmonica Part 2 of 3 parts: “Days of Wine and Roses” in Hamamatsu Japan.
*Koei: Born in Tokyo on April 22, 1971. Koei started playing the 10-hole diatonic harmonica at age 15. Until his 20′s. This young musician was playing blues and R & B around the world. He also had a keenness for learning jazz chromatic harmonica as well. Koei plays transcendental mellow delicate and soulful sounds that are unique, which has attracted the attention of many world harmonica players. He is also the official Endorser for SUZUKI HARMONICA.
Hamamatsu Japan — Jon Hammond with the hammer down on Mr. Manji Suzuki’s personal Hammond B3mk2 organ – special concert – Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF_j3ShpNPk
Suzuki Headquarters and factory concert special for President Founder Manji Suzuki with introduction by Waichiro ‘Tachi’ Tachikawa, Jon Hammond at the new B3mk2 organ Part 1 of 3 original composition “Lydia’s Tune” in Hamamatsu Japan. — in Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka
Jon Hammond original composition “Six Year Itch” from Jon’s album
“Hammond’s Bolero” – here in Louisville Kentucky at soundcheck
with Ronnie Smith Jr. drums
Alex Budman tenor saxophone
John Bishop guitar
Jon Hammond organ http://www.jonhammondband.com
JH INTL ASCAP
Folks, last night I went to see the Woody Allen movie “To Rome With Love” with my girlfriend. The entire theater was empty except for the 2 of us. Don’t stay away from the movie theaters folks! Also I highly recommend this film.
In Memory of Frank Marocco – enjoy this wonderful performance of the late great
accordionist in Solo and Trio approximately 10 years ago – Harold Jones – drums, Cash Killian – bass, Jon Hammond
Harold Jones – drums, Kash Killian – bass
Announcement at end by Peter DiBono
with permission of Frank’s manager – Elke Ahrenholz - http://www.frankmarocco.com January 2, 1931 — March 3, 2012 http://www.accordionradio.com
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Louisville Kentucky, Get Back In The Groove, Woody Allen, To Rome With Love, Accordion, Frank Marocco, Jon Hammond, Cherokee, Organ, Jazz, Soul, Suzuki, Hamamatsu
In Memory of Frank Marocco – enjoy this wonderful performance of the late great
accordionist in Solo and Trio approximately 10 years ago – Harold Jones – drums, Cash Killian – bass, Jon Hammond
Harold Jones – drums, Kash Killian – bass
Announcement at end by Peter DiBono
with permission of Frank’s manager – Elke Ahrenholz - http://www.frankmarocco.com January 2, 1931 — March 3, 2012 http://www.accordionradio.com
Category:
Music
Tags:
Frank Marocco Accordion Cherokee Jazz Documentary Memory Radio TV Movies
Hamamatsu Japan — Jon Hammond with the hammer down on Mr. Manji Suzuki’s personal Hammond B3mk2 organ – special concert – Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF_j3ShpNPk
Suzuki Headquarters and factory concert special for President Founder Manji Suzuki with introduction by Waichiro ‘Tachi’ Tachikawa, Jon Hammond at the new B3mk2 organ Part 1 of 3 original composition “Lydia’s Tune” in Hamamatsu Japan.
Jon Hammond original composition “Six Year Itch” from Jon’s album
“Hammond’s Bolero” – here in Louisville Kentucky at soundcheck
with Ronnie Smith Jr. drums
Alex Budman tenor saxophone
John Bishop guitar
Jon Hammond organ http://www.jonhammondband.com
JH INTL ASCAP
The U.S. city of San Francisco, California, is the site of over 410 high-rises, 44 of which stand taller than 400 feet (122 m). The tallest building in the city is the Transamerica Pyramid, which rises 853 ft (260 m) and is currently the 31st-tallest building in the United States. Another famous San Francisco skyscraper is 555 California Street, which is the city’s second tallest building. It is also known as Bank of America Center.
Many of San Francisco’s tallest buildings, particularly its office skyscrapers, were completed in a massive building boom that occurred from the late 1960s until the late 1980s. This boom was dubbed a “Manhattanization wave” by residents of the city, and led to local legislation passed that set in some of the strictest building height limit requirements in the country. This led to a slowdown of skyscraper construction during the 1990s, but construction of taller buildings has resumed recently as the building height requirements have been relaxed and overlooked in light of recent economic activity. The city is currently going through a second boom, with 34 buildings over 400 feet (122 m) proposed, approved, or under construction in the city. San Francisco boasts 21 skyscrapers that rise at least 492 feet (150 m) in height. Overall, San Francisco’s skyline is ranked (based upon existing and under construction buildings over 492 feet (150 m) tall) second in the Pacific coast region (after Los Angeles) and seventh in the United States, after New York City, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, and Dallas.[A]
Due to a housing shortage and the subsequent real estate boom, the city’s strict building height code has been relaxed over the years, and there have been many skyscrapers proposed for construction in the city; some, such as the One Rincon Hill South Tower, have already been completed. Several other taller buildings are proposed in connection with the Transbay Terminal redevelopment project. The San Francisco Transbay development consists of 10 skyscrapers set to rise over 400 feet (122 m) tall, with three of the towers scheduled to rise over 1,000 feet (305 m). If constructed, these towers would be the first buildings in San Francisco to qualify as supertalls, and would be among the tallest in the United States. Many other tall proposals have been submitted as well, including the Sun Tower, which is planned to rise on Treasure Island — at Skyline
Getting drivers to slow down for the Bay Bridge S-curve might seem like an unusual challenge, but some states have been dealing with troublesome curves on interstate highways for decades, using everything from speed cameras and flashing lights to grooved pavement and unusual lane markings to get drivers to slow down and pay attention.
Some of these tactics will be used on the S-curve after a series of accidents, including a fatality Monday morning, sparked a public outcry for safety improvements at the temporary detour on the Bay Bridge. At least 43 accidents – or an average of five per week – have occurred on the curve since the detour opened to traffic Sept. 8.
“People just don’t want to slow down,” said Russ Rader, a spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which researches traffic safety. “The question is: How do you make them?”
Many cities have dangerous curves on highways that have earned infamy and nicknames because of the large number of accidents. In Cleveland, the 90-degree curve on Interstate 90 nearing downtown is called “Deadman’s Curve.”
Opened in 1959, the curve quickly became a problem. Like the Bay Bridge, the speed limits on either side of the curve are 50 mph – which drivers usually exceed, said Jocelynn Clemings, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The sharp turn requires drivers to slow to 35 mph. To get drivers to reduce their speeds, the department has, over the years, put in “a lot of flashing signage” along with grooved pavement that makes a loud vibrating sound when drivers pass over it, and extra arrows, or chevrons, on the pavement.
While drivers are more aware, she said, “There are quite often accidents of varying severity,” and the Department of Transportation plans to “flatten” the curve sometime in the next decade, she said.
Kansas City has two troublesome curves that it has tamed with speed sensors and flashing lights that warn drivers on Interstate 70 to slow down. Trucks frequently overturned at the Jackson and Benton curves, prompting the Missouri Department of Transportation to install a special warning system about 20 years ago.
The system uses a sensor planted in each lane to read the speed of vehicles approaching the curves. If they’re speeding, flashing lights over their lane activate and a sign blares: “Driving too fast when lights flashing.”
“We’ve had a pretty noticeable reduction in accidents,” said Jesse Skinner, an interstate corridor engineer with the Missouri Department of Transportation.
Elsewhere, the department also has used radar signs – one for each lane of traffic – that read and display drivers’ speeds next to signs showing the speed limit.
“People drive what (speed) they feel comfortable driving,” Skinner said. “If you want them to slow down, you have to get their attention.”
Caltrans also employed flashing lights and prominent signs to do just that at “the Fishhook,” the sharply curved intersection of highways 1 and 17 in Santa Cruz, and the curve was widened recently to make it easier to navigate. Colin Jones, a Caltrans spokesman, said the devices improved safety at the interchange but noted that drivers changing highways are more likely to slow down than those driving across a bridge and entering a curve.
Anne McCartt, vice president of research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, said the key to slowing drivers is enforcement of speed laws. Speed cameras, which use radar to measure speed and then automatically issue a ticket, can be especially effective in an area like the S-curve, or where it could be difficult for police to pull over speeders.
“The advantage of automated enforcement is that it can happen anytime of the day or night, wherever it is needed,” she said.
McCartt also recommended stricter enforcement of speeds on the entire bridge, saying that it is unrealistic to expect drivers to slow from speeds in excess of 50 mph to 35 mph for the curve.
Caltrans officials already have installed extra signs and flashing lights, and plan more safety improvements to slow motorists, including reflective striping near the top of the bridge’s barrier walls, a large overhead sign warning of the curve and of the reduced speed on the upper deck of the bridge, and radar boards flashing drivers’ speeds. Caltrans spokesman Bart Ney said the agency also is considering installing grooved pavement or rows of pavement markers to warn drivers they are approaching the curve.
Sorry William, you missed the McIntosh model 225, better luck next time! – Jon Hammond
MC225 – *Random Reviews: “Bottom Line:
The 225 matches excelently to My Klipsch Belle’s and My Klipschorns. The 104 db/watt efficiency of these systems is a must for an amplifier of this size. 118 db peak passages are possible without clipping – a must for any realistic reproduction of music. Try to get 118 db peaks from any of the low efficiency speakers ( less than 100 db/watt ) and you end up with an impossible situation.
The 225′s have fixed bias, this should be critically set as I have found that amplifier signatures change with as little as 5ma. differences. The Sovetek 7591A’s (not XYZ) are better sounding tubes than the NOS stuff being sold.”
“Over many years of experimenting with many products -solid state vs tubes I much prefer the tube sound. I recently purchased a 30 year old MAC 225 Amp and was amazed at the quality of the sound.My then current Cary SLA70 did not compare. I was hearing things I had never heard before on some favorite CD’s with the MAC 225.Can I realistically improve the sound of my system by moving up to a MAC 240 or 275? Replies are appreciated. Also to maintain the MAC 225 sound signature should I continue with my Audible Illusions MOD 3 Pre amp(Tube) or move to a Mac 33 pre amp (Solid State). Any comments,suggestions or recommendations are appreciated.”
“I have been using MC-225 for more than 5 years and that is the part I think I will use it for my whole life (I guess my next generation can still use them by replacing some parts). It gave you great and smooth sound especially in the mid to high range. Very impressive for playing songs by female singer. Don’t think that 25 watts is small, it can still gives you very solid bass and sound stage.
Currently I have two sets of MC-225 to drive ProAC Tabelette 50 Sig. Other components include:”
Radio Day By The Bay — Jon Hammond with Celeste Perry Radio/TV Personality and another lady of Radio/TV – annual Fund Raiser for California Historical Radio Society at KRE Radio in Berkeley California
Frank Marocco, Cherokee, Accordion, Jazz, Elke Ahrenholz, Jon Hammond, TV, Radio, Movies, Louisville Kentucky, Air Dolomiti, Italian Alps, Musikmesse, NAMM Show
Jon Hammond original composition “Six Year Itch” from Jon’s album
“Hammond’s Bolero” – here in Louisville Kentucky at soundcheck
with Ronnie Smith Jr. drums
Alex Budman tenor saxophone
John Bishop guitar
Jon Hammond organ http://www.jonhammondband.com
JH INTL ASCAP
The U.S. city of San Francisco, California, is the site of over 410 high-rises, 44 of which stand taller than 400 feet (122 m). The tallest building in the city is the Transamerica Pyramid, which rises 853 ft (260 m) and is currently the 31st-tallest building in the United States. Another famous San Francisco skyscraper is 555 California Street, which is the city’s second tallest building. It is also known as Bank of America Center.
Many of San Francisco’s tallest buildings, particularly its office skyscrapers, were completed in a massive building boom that occurred from the late 1960s until the late 1980s. This boom was dubbed a “Manhattanization wave” by residents of the city, and led to local legislation passed that set in some of the strictest building height limit requirements in the country. This led to a slowdown of skyscraper construction during the 1990s, but construction of taller buildings has resumed recently as the building height requirements have been relaxed and overlooked in light of recent economic activity. The city is currently going through a second boom, with 34 buildings over 400 feet (122 m) proposed, approved, or under construction in the city. San Francisco boasts 21 skyscrapers that rise at least 492 feet (150 m) in height. Overall, San Francisco’s skyline is ranked (based upon existing and under construction buildings over 492 feet (150 m) tall) second in the Pacific coast region (after Los Angeles) and seventh in the United States, after New York City, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, and Dallas.[A]
Due to a housing shortage and the subsequent real estate boom, the city’s strict building height code has been relaxed over the years, and there have been many skyscrapers proposed for construction in the city; some, such as the One Rincon Hill South Tower, have already been completed. Several other taller buildings are proposed in connection with the Transbay Terminal redevelopment project. The San Francisco Transbay development consists of 10 skyscrapers set to rise over 400 feet (122 m) tall, with three of the towers scheduled to rise over 1,000 feet (305 m). If constructed, these towers would be the first buildings in San Francisco to qualify as supertalls, and would be among the tallest in the United States. Many other tall proposals have been submitted as well, including the Sun Tower, which is planned to rise on Treasure Island — at Skyline
Getting drivers to slow down for the Bay Bridge S-curve might seem like an unusual challenge, but some states have been dealing with troublesome curves on interstate highways for decades, using everything from speed cameras and flashing lights to grooved pavement and unusual lane markings to get drivers to slow down and pay attention.
Some of these tactics will be used on the S-curve after a series of accidents, including a fatality Monday morning, sparked a public outcry for safety improvements at the temporary detour on the Bay Bridge. At least 43 accidents – or an average of five per week – have occurred on the curve since the detour opened to traffic Sept. 8.
“People just don’t want to slow down,” said Russ Rader, a spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which researches traffic safety. “The question is: How do you make them?”
Many cities have dangerous curves on highways that have earned infamy and nicknames because of the large number of accidents. In Cleveland, the 90-degree curve on Interstate 90 nearing downtown is called “Deadman’s Curve.”
Opened in 1959, the curve quickly became a problem. Like the Bay Bridge, the speed limits on either side of the curve are 50 mph – which drivers usually exceed, said Jocelynn Clemings, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The sharp turn requires drivers to slow to 35 mph. To get drivers to reduce their speeds, the department has, over the years, put in “a lot of flashing signage” along with grooved pavement that makes a loud vibrating sound when drivers pass over it, and extra arrows, or chevrons, on the pavement.
While drivers are more aware, she said, “There are quite often accidents of varying severity,” and the Department of Transportation plans to “flatten” the curve sometime in the next decade, she said.
Kansas City has two troublesome curves that it has tamed with speed sensors and flashing lights that warn drivers on Interstate 70 to slow down. Trucks frequently overturned at the Jackson and Benton curves, prompting the Missouri Department of Transportation to install a special warning system about 20 years ago.
The system uses a sensor planted in each lane to read the speed of vehicles approaching the curves. If they’re speeding, flashing lights over their lane activate and a sign blares: “Driving too fast when lights flashing.”
“We’ve had a pretty noticeable reduction in accidents,” said Jesse Skinner, an interstate corridor engineer with the Missouri Department of Transportation.
Elsewhere, the department also has used radar signs – one for each lane of traffic – that read and display drivers’ speeds next to signs showing the speed limit.
“People drive what (speed) they feel comfortable driving,” Skinner said. “If you want them to slow down, you have to get their attention.”
Caltrans also employed flashing lights and prominent signs to do just that at “the Fishhook,” the sharply curved intersection of highways 1 and 17 in Santa Cruz, and the curve was widened recently to make it easier to navigate. Colin Jones, a Caltrans spokesman, said the devices improved safety at the interchange but noted that drivers changing highways are more likely to slow down than those driving across a bridge and entering a curve.
Anne McCartt, vice president of research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, said the key to slowing drivers is enforcement of speed laws. Speed cameras, which use radar to measure speed and then automatically issue a ticket, can be especially effective in an area like the S-curve, or where it could be difficult for police to pull over speeders.
“The advantage of automated enforcement is that it can happen anytime of the day or night, wherever it is needed,” she said.
McCartt also recommended stricter enforcement of speeds on the entire bridge, saying that it is unrealistic to expect drivers to slow from speeds in excess of 50 mph to 35 mph for the curve.
Caltrans officials already have installed extra signs and flashing lights, and plan more safety improvements to slow motorists, including reflective striping near the top of the bridge’s barrier walls, a large overhead sign warning of the curve and of the reduced speed on the upper deck of the bridge, and radar boards flashing drivers’ speeds. Caltrans spokesman Bart Ney said the agency also is considering installing grooved pavement or rows of pavement markers to warn drivers they are approaching the curve.
Sorry William, you missed the McIntosh model 225, better luck next time! – Jon Hammond
MC225 – *Random Reviews: “Bottom Line:
The 225 matches excelently to My Klipsch Belle’s and My Klipschorns. The 104 db/watt efficiency of these systems is a must for an amplifier of this size. 118 db peak passages are possible without clipping – a must for any realistic reproduction of music. Try to get 118 db peaks from any of the low efficiency speakers ( less than 100 db/watt ) and you end up with an impossible situation.
The 225′s have fixed bias, this should be critically set as I have found that amplifier signatures change with as little as 5ma. differences. The Sovetek 7591A’s (not XYZ) are better sounding tubes than the NOS stuff being sold.”
“Over many years of experimenting with many products -solid state vs tubes I much prefer the tube sound. I recently purchased a 30 year old MAC 225 Amp and was amazed at the quality of the sound.My then current Cary SLA70 did not compare. I was hearing things I had never heard before on some favorite CD’s with the MAC 225.Can I realistically improve the sound of my system by moving up to a MAC 240 or 275? Replies are appreciated. Also to maintain the MAC 225 sound signature should I continue with my Audible Illusions MOD 3 Pre amp(Tube) or move to a Mac 33 pre amp (Solid State). Any comments,suggestions or recommendations are appreciated.”
“I have been using MC-225 for more than 5 years and that is the part I think I will use it for my whole life (I guess my next generation can still use them by replacing some parts). It gave you great and smooth sound especially in the mid to high range. Very impressive for playing songs by female singer. Don’t think that 25 watts is small, it can still gives you very solid bass and sound stage.
Currently I have two sets of MC-225 to drive ProAC Tabelette 50 Sig. Other components include:”
Radio Day By The Bay — Jon Hammond with Celeste Perry Radio/TV Personality and another lady of Radio/TV – annual Fund Raiser for California Historical Radio Society at KRE Radio in Berkeley California
Radio Day By The Bay — Cheryl Jennings and Stan Bunger annual Fund Raiser for California Historical Radio Society at KRE Radio in Berkeley California – Jon Hammond
Radio Day By The Bay — He’s got ‘The Fever’…Radio Fever!
Jon Hammond
Radio Day By The Bay — A lucky buyer got this beautiful classic radio for only 50 bucks at the annual Fund Raiser for California Historical Radio Society at KRE Radio in Berkeley California – Jon Hammond
Jon Hammond’s new little SONY TFM-6060W 2 Band Radio will be going on a trip around the world – Travel Radio just got acquired by a traveler! – Radio Day By The Bay – KRE Radio Berkeley California annual fundraiser for California Historical Radio Society
Classic Motorola AM Radio in Turquoise Blue- this one went for big bucks at the Auction at annual fundraiser for California Historical Radio Society – RADIO KRE Berkeley – Jon Hammond
Cheryl Jennings of KGO-TV conducting Oral History Interviews in control room of KRE Radio — at Radio Day By The Bay annual fundraiser for California Historical Radio Society – Jon Hammond
NAMM Oral History Session Jon Hammond recorded January 13th 2011 Anaheim CA
Jon Hammond | NAMM.org Oral History Interview Date: January 13, 2011 Full Version
Jon Hammond has successfully created a career based on his musical talents and his passion for the music industry! As a musician Jon has performed with many legendary players and as a clinician and product artist he has introduced many innovative products to music stores and their customers over the last 30 plus years. Jon is closely identified with the two main products of his career, the Excelsior Accordion and the Digital B3 Organ.
Subject Info Jon Hammond Interview Date: January 13, 2011 Job Title: President and Founder Jon Hammond & Associates Jon Hammond has successfully created a … of his career, the Excelsior Accordion and the Digital B3Organ. (accordions, electric organs, Hammond B-3, Hammond Organs, …
Jon Hammond has successfully created a career based on his musical talents and his passion for the music industry! As a musician Jon has performed with many legendary players and as a clinician and product artist he has introduced many innovative products to music stores and their customers over the last 30 plus years. Jon is closely identified with the two main products of his career, the Excelsior Accordion and the Digital B3 Organ.
Special Thanks: Joe Lamond president and chief executive officer of NAMM
Hiromitsu Ono Suzuki Musical Instrument Chief Engineer
Betty Heywood, director of international affairs at NAMM
Manji Suzuki President and Founder of Suzuki Musical Instruments Hammond Suzuki here with Jon Hammond at the New B3mk2 Organ in Suzuki Hall Hamamatsu World Headquarters
Six Year Itch, Louisville Kentucky, Jon Hammond Band, Organ, Soul Jazz, Local 802, Musicians Union
Louisville Kentucky, John Bishop, Ronnie Smith Jr., Jon Hammond, One Night Only, Alex Budman, Late Rent, NDR Jazz, Axel Dürr, Knut Benzner, B3 Organ, XK-3c, XK-1, XB-2, Accordion, ASCAP Network, Blues
Jazzin By Martin Z. Kasdan Jr.
Last year San Francisco-based organist Jon Hammond joined his buddy, Louisville guitarist John Bishop, for a night at the Jazz Factory. Hammond has just released Late Rent, on Ham-Berger-Friz Records, available at http://www.cityhallrecords.com/artist/HAMMOND,%20JON.htm if you can’t find it locally. In an e-mail to me, Hammond described this as “a record that took me 25 years to put together. The disc opens with “Late Rent,” a loping swinger and is followed by “Pocket Funk,” with a slightly Latin feel. “Late Rent” is reprised in a live take at the end of the CD. Lee Morgan’s funky “The Sidewinder” is the only cover tune on the album, although, as Hammond acknowledges in his liner notes, “White Onions” is “a bluesy Hammond/Finnerty composition reminiscent of `Green Onions.’”
In closing, happy holidaze to one and all. You can send greetings to me at mzkjr@yahoo.com
*Video: “Late Rent” in Jazz Factory, Louisville Kentucky, cam: Jennifer
