Honesty

Octopus Car Wash -- September 11, 1995 -- Central Avenue (old Rt.66) and San Mateo, Albuquerque, (it's no longer there, or anywhere) -- photo by Mark Weber ----- when Horace Tapscott was in town for a couple concerts we were driving past that car wash and Horace said, in his elliptical way: "I see. Car wash. Octopus really gets it done."

Octopus Car Wash — September 11, 1995 — Central Avenue (old Rt.66) and San Mateo, Albuquerque, (it’s no longer there, or anywhere) — photo by Mark Weber —– when Horace Tapscott was in town for a couple concerts we were driving past that car wash and Horace said, in his elliptical way: “I see. Car wash. Octopus really gets it done.”

The Thursday Jazz Radio Show

November 5, 2o15 Jazz @ Noon every Thursday (starts at 12:07 after the satellite news) Host MARK WEBER KUNM Albuquerque, USA 89.9 FM (Mountain Standard Time) also streaming on the web KUNM.org Current time zone offset: UTC*/GMT -6 hours (*Coordinated Universal Time)/Greenwich Mean Time)

HONESTY

I’ve been thinking a lot, lately, about contrivances in music: What is contrived rather than natural? What is real and what is smoke and mirrors? What is borne upon feelings and what is manufactured?

“All I know is that I pursue the object that will hold the answer to a question that troubles me, but such are the dilemmas by which we daily struggle, are they not?” — the fastidious and indefatigable Hercule Poirot  (David Suchet)

It’s a lot to ask of an artist musician to expect pure unadulterated honest statements every time they step on stage but in jazz there are various strategems to trigger pure creativity. Learning the music and mastering the instrument probably come second, after desire. Along the line you train your mind to let go and trust to luck. (Luck itself is an interesting concept, you come across it a lot in Northern European mythology.) I used to ask musicians what their minds were doing when deep off into an improvisation, which now strikes me as dumb question. They all answered that they had turned themselves over to the moment, which is something the psychologists call the flow state. What we call the Zone.

The Buddhists have long distrusted the activities of the over-active mind.

Consulting dictionaries:
Contrived: deliberately created rather than arising naturally [Oxford American].
To plan ingeniously, devise, invention by stratagem [Funk & Wag as redacted by MW].
To bring about by effect or by plan, forced, artificial, strained, concoct, to devise, mechanical [Webster’s].

I always come back to what Robert Creeley pounded into my head when he was on my show many years ago. Robert kept repeating: “What is useful?” “How can we make it useful, Mark?” “What is necessary, what use is it?”

When I was coming on the set, Dave Pike was all over Los Angeles (jazz) radio, in fact, this shot comes from a live KKGO broadcast from Kinsey Auditorium, Exposition Park, Museum of Science & Industry -- January 11, 1981 -- Ron Eschete, guitar; Luther Hughes, bass; Ted Hawke, drums; Tom Ranier, piano & alto saxophone; Dave Pike, vibraphone -- photo by Mark Weber -- ("coming on the set" is an idiom I learned from Horace Tapscott who used it often to refer to a person's entry into the jazz world of Los Angeles, or, as Horace pronounced it: Los Angle-eez)

When I was coming on the set, Dave Pike was all over Los Angeles (jazz) radio, in fact, this shot comes from a live KKGO broadcast from Kinsey Auditorium, Exposition Park, Museum of Science & Industry — January 11, 1981 — Ron Eschete, guitar; Luther Hughes, bass; Ted Hawke, drums; Tom Ranier, piano & alto saxophone; Dave Pike, vibraphone — photo by Mark Weber — (“coming on the set” is an idiom I learned from Horace Tapscott who used it often to refer to a person’s entry into the jazz world of Los Angeles, or, as Horace pronounced it: Los Angle-eez)

This band really hit hard, coming out of Oakland, I wish there were recordings available, they knocked me out: Robert Porter Quintet -- February 14, 1981at The New College, San Francisco -- Paul Stephen, sax; Smiley Winters, drums; Nantambu Mwanga & Bill Douglas, basses; Robert Porter, trumpet -- photo by Mark Weber ------- I remember catching a plane the next day back to Southern California hearing the news that Michael Bloomfield was found dead in his car on the backside of the Haight

This band really hit hard, coming out of Oakland, I wish there were recordings available, they knocked me out: Robert Porter Quintet — February 14, 1981 at The New College, San Francisco — Paul Stephen, sax; Smiley Winters, drums; Nantambu Mwanga & Bill Douglas, basses; Robert Porter, trumpet — photo by Mark Weber ——- I remember catching a plane the next day back to Southern California hearing the news that Michael Bloomfield was found dead in his car on the backside of the Haight

Conte Candoli Quintet -- March 29, 1981 @ Gilberto's, Cucamonga, California -- Larry Covelli, tenor sax; John Dentz, drums, Frank DeLaRosa, bass; Frank Strazzeri, piano; Conte Candoli, trumpet -- photo by Mark Weber ---- a little spot way out on Rt. 66 about an hour east of Los Angeles that had Sunday afternoon jazz, a tradition for us in the 9-5 working class, a little something to cool down before Monday morning back on the dreaded job . . . .

Conte Candoli Quintet — March 29, 1981 @ Gilberto’s, Cucamonga, California — Larry Covelli, tenor sax; John Dentz, drums, Frank DeLaRosa, bass; Frank Strazzeri, piano; Conte Candoli, trumpet — photo by Mark Weber —- a little spot way out on Rt. 66 about an hour east of Los Angeles that had Sunday afternoon jazz, a tradition for us in the 9-5 working class, a little something to cool down before Monday morning back on the dreaded job . . . .

Chuck Niles, Bruno Carr, Dolo Coker ------ a jazz disk jockey, a drummer, and a pianist -- Los Angeles -- December 28, 1980 -- photo by Mark Weber

Chuck Niles, Bruno Carr, Dolo Coker —— a jazz disk jockey, a drummer, and a pianist — Los Angeles — December 28, 1980 — photo by Mark Weber

Larry Gales Trio -- February 22, 1981 -- Kinsey Auditorium, Los Angeles -- Phil Wright, piano; Sherman Ferguson, drums, Larry Gales, bass -- photo by Mark Weber

Larry Gales Trio — February 22, 1981 — Kinsey Auditorium, Los Angeles — Phil Wright, piano; Sherman Ferguson, drums, Larry Gales, bass — photo by Mark Weber

Bud Shank brought a quartet into Gilberto's -- January 18, 1981 -- Bill Mays, piano; Bob Maize, bass; Jeff Hamilton, drums -- photo by Mark Weber ----------- In Bill Mays memoir STORIES OF THE ROAD, THE STUDIOS, SIDEMEN & SINGERS: 55 YEARS IN THE MUSIC BIZ (2o14) -- a great read, Bill reveals that it was him playing "the critical opening notes of the song that a contestant would try to guess on the TV show NAME THAT TUNE" ----- Bill Mays lived in Los Angeles in the 70s up till 1984 when he relocated to the Chelsea neighborhood on Manhattan (Sheila Jordan lives in Chelsea!)

Bud Shank brought a quartet into Gilberto’s — January 18, 1981 — Bill Mays, piano; Bob Maize, bass; Jeff Hamilton, drums — photo by Mark Weber ———– In Bill Mays memoir STORIES OF THE ROAD, THE STUDIOS, SIDEMEN & SINGERS: 55 YEARS IN THE MUSIC BIZ (2o14) — a great read, Bill reveals that it was him playing “the critical opening notes of the song that a contestant would try to guess on the TV show NAME THAT TUNE” —– Bill Mays lived in Los Angeles in the 70s up till 1984 when he relocated to the Chelsea neighborhood on Manhattan (Sheila Jordan lives in Chelsea!)

I laugh to see this photo, me N George went on a lot of capers together ---- George is a St Louis trumpeter, where trumpets are a religion, he lived in San Francisco in the late 70s & 80s -- he's making us breakfast at his & wife Clara's apartment in the Lower Mission, San Francisco, I was crashing at their place that long weekend for the New Jazz Fest that he was producing: George Sams, we'll listen to some of his music on this show -- photo by Mark Weber -- February 13, 1981----

I laugh to see this photo, me N George went on a lot of capers together —- George is a St Louis trumpeter, where trumpets are a religion, he lived in San Francisco in the late 70s & 80s — he’s making us breakfast at his & wife Clara’s apartment in the Lower Mission, San Francisco, I was crashing at their place that long weekend for the New Jazz Fest that he was producing: George Sams, we’ll listen to some of his music on this show — photo by Mark Weber — February 13, 1981.

Waiting to go on stage: guitarist Michael Anthony and drums Cal Haines ---- April 7, 2o13 -- photo by Mark Weber ----- Michael & Kathie moved to Albuquerque from Los Angeles in 1980, she was a dancer on the Carol Burnett Show where they met (Michael was in the studio band) and if you watch Flintstones re-runs that's Michael on guitar there as well, also, he's the guy playing that quaint ukulele on hit song "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" from movie BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID ----- Cal once played percussion for Aaron Copland, a fact I never let him forget! wow

Waiting to go on stage: guitarist Michael Anthony and drums Cal Haines —- April 7, 2o13 — photo by Mark Weber —– Michael & Kathie moved to Albuquerque from Los Angeles in 1980, she was a dancer on the Carol Burnett Show where they met (Michael was in the studio band) and if you watch Flintstones re-runs that’s Michael on guitar there as well, also, he’s the guy playing that quaint ukulele on hit song “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” from movie BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID —– Cal once played percussion for Aaron Copland, a fact I never let him forget! wow

Marilyn Crispell with the Bobby Zankel Quartet (Tyrone Brown, bass; Newman Taylor Baker, drums; Bobby Zankel, soprano & alto saxophones) -- June 29, 1997 Knitting Factory, NYC -- photo by Mark Weber ------ My first thought when I think of Marilyn Crispell is: Introspective

Marilyn Crispell with the Bobby Zankel Quartet (Tyrone Brown, bass; Newman Taylor Baker, drums; Bobby Zankel, soprano & alto saxophones) — June 29, 1997 Knitting Factory, NYC — photo by Mark Weber —— My first thought when I think of Marilyn Crispell is: Introspective

Steve Turre Santified Shells -- Bataan Park, Albuquerque -- September 10, 1995 ---- photo & line drawing by Mark Weber -- the musician in the foreground is trombonist Frank Lacy -- the music maestro Turre has created for his conch shell orchestra is deja vu other-worldly, something remember'd from inside our cells . . . .

Steve Turre Santified Shells — Bataan Park, Albuquerque — September 10, 1995 —- photo & line drawing by Mark Weber — the musician in the foreground is trombonist Frank Lacy

One of the great spiritual questers of our time ---- laid to rest at Pinelawn Memorial Park, Babylon, Long Island, New York -- July 5, 1995 -- photo by Mark Weber

One of the great spiritual questers of our time —- laid to rest at Pinelawn Memorial Park, Babylon, Long Island, New York — July 5, 1995 — photo by Mark Weber

Tuba study 2003 by Mark Weber ----- today we'll listen to the New York Tuba Quartet's arrangement of Charlie Parker's "Au Privave" on vinyl Lp called TUBBY'S REVENGE (1976)

Tuba study 2003 by Mark Weber —– today we’ll listen to the New York Tuba Quartet’s arrangement of Charlie Parker’s “Au Privave” on vinyl Lp called TUBBY’S REVENGE (1976)

Sweet Basil's jazz club in Greenwich Village, 88 Seventh Avenue South -- July 1, 1997 -- photo by Mark Weber

Sweet Basil’s jazz club in Greenwich Village, 88 Seventh Avenue South — July 1, 1997 — photo by Mark Weber

8 Comments

  1. Marty Krystall

    Larry Covelli and I played in the CETA jazz band in the 70s. That was a federal program administered by Local 47, but we didn’t get paid for 10 weeks. The Musicians Credit Union gave us loans until our bread arrived. Cat Anderson was in the legit CETA orchestra. Did you ever hear Horace play the blues? The only time I got to play with him was when he agreed to work with our Thelonious quartet at Chino Men’s Prison. As usual, the most fun we had was at a rehearsal at his house, just the two of us running down Monk tunes for a few hours and discussing the counter melodies and parts. Then, at the prison gig, we started with Misterioso and Horace took the first solo. And he was burning! He really lifted the stage. Then, just at the climax of his last solo, the prison bell rings, there is a lockdown and we pack up and leave. To me, that is the story of jazz in America.

  2. Kirk Silsbee

    The late Oakland-born drummer Oliver Johnson (John Handy, Jean Luc Ponty, Steve Lacy, David Murray) was a deep student of San Francisco drum griot Smiley Winters–someone whom, like Oliver, is seldom spoken of these days. While I shouldn’t be surprised that you have a photo of Smiley the legend, Mark, it’s a nice little piece of serendip. Like your weekly jazz show, your blog is a continually unfolding kaleidoscopic wonder.

    • John Wiitala

      Any Bay Area people out there who can identify the drummer in the Robert Porter Band picture? I can tell you: it’s not Smiley Winters.

  3. wayne mikosz

    Hey! Octopus Car Wash still exists on Anaheim Ave. near Washington, in Alb.

  4. Mark Weber

    Regarding the identification of Smiley Winters: I’m awaiting George Sams to chime in. The poster for the event lists this set as The Robert Porter Quartet (although they played as a double double-bass quintet as photos reveal). So, I just now dug through my George Sams file and see a review of the New College Jazz Fest by an excellent jazz observer Arthur Moorhead in CITY ARTS (March 1981) and he says: “Oakland trumpeter Robert Porter’s quintet was outstanding on Saturday night. Porter is a very lyrical, blues-oriented player, and his ensemble was the most swinging unit of the festival (granted, it’s easier to swing if you’ve got a couple of bassists and a ferocious, propulsive drummer like Augusta Collins behind you.)” That sounds fairly conclusive. I can’t find my field notes right now, and I wonder if Smiley Winters wasn’t somewhere about on that set? There has to be a reason why I made that notation. There wasn’t a program for this event so I didn’t grab it from there, because as we all know, programs are not always correct. I’ll have to look at the photos again. Thank you Mr Wiitala for bringing this to our attention. We have to get these things right.

  5. Mark Weber

    Tom asked me to take the van and go pick up Steve Turre’s band at the hotel and bring them to Bataan Park, and riding along with Frank Lacy in the shotgun seat he got to riffing off of something he’d just been watching on the TV in his hotel room, some new type of wrestling, “Have you heard of grappeling? I was watching these dudes on TV.” No, none of us had heard of grappeling. “Man, don’t let no grappeler get ahold of you, he’ll turn you every which way but loose. Those guys are down with that grappeling. They’ll grapple you every kind of way, and just when you think you’re getting loose they’ll double-grapple you!” He kept on riffing and had the entire van in stitches.

    (Tom Guralnick, the producer of the event)

  6. Mark Weber

    ——————-playlist——————————-
    KUNM Albuquerque
    November 5, 2o15
    Host MARK WEBER

    THE AMARYLLIS JAZZ RADIO SHOW
    1. Marilyn Crispell, Gary Peacock, Paul Motion “Voice from the Past” –Feb.2000 cd AMARYLLIS (ECM)
    2. Michael Anthony, Cal Haines, Micheal Glynn “September in the Rain” –15may2o12 cd FIRST TAKE TRIO
    3. Chris Connor w/Ray Ellis Orch –1956 “My Ideal”
    4. Sonny Criss w/ Dolo Coker, Larry Gales, Jimmie Smith “My Ideal” –20oct75 cd OUT OF NOWHERE
    5. Larry Gales Sextet “Round Midnight” cd A MESSAGE FROM MONK — 9june90
    6. Frank Strazzeri Trio “Doncha Go ‘Way Mad” –24nov89
    7. New York Tuba Quartet “Au Privave” –1976 Lp TUBBY’S REVENGE
    8. Steve Turre Santified Shells “Funky-T” –1995 cd RHYTHM WITHIN
    9. George Sams & Andre St James duet “Tortuous” — May 1988 Lp NOMADIC WINDS (Hat)
    10. Dave Pike & Charles McPherson “Scrapple from the Apple” –1988 in Holland w/Rein de Graaff
    11. Bud Shank Quintet “Out of this World” –29may56 w/Brookmeyer
    12. Steve Lacy Sextet LIVE AT SWEET BASIL’S — July 1991 “The Door”

  7. Mark Weber

    *The General Theory of Relativity was submitted by Einstein in 1915 and is the current accepted idea —– that being a unified description of gravity as a geometric property of space & time —– The theory is a hundred years old this year

    **dates on my playlists always refer to the recording date, not the release date

    ———————-playlist———————

    November 12, 2o15
    KUNM Albuquerque
    the general relativity jazz radio show
    Host MARK WEBER

    1. George Cotsirilos Trio “A Walk for Ethel” — Feb.2o13 cd VARIATIONS
    2. Gerry Mulligan & the Sax Section “Crazy Day” GERRY MULLIGAN SONGBOOK — Dec.1957 w/ Lee Konitz, Allen Eager, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Freddie Green, Henry Grimes, Dave Bailey, and Mulligan — arranged by Bill Holman
    3. Warne Marsh & Lee Konitz “Body & Soul” –15mar76 Lp LONDON CONCERT (Wave)
    4. Pepper Adams & Zoot “Inanout” –Dec.1968 album ENCOUNTER! (Prestige)
    5. Ray Bryant Trio + Candido “Night in Tunisia” –3may56 w/Jo Jones, Wyatt Bull Ruther
    6. Curtis Fuller Quintet (w/ Zoot) “Besame Mucho” –Aug.1961 cd SOUTH AMERICAN COOKIN’
    7. Ray Bryant Trio + Candido “Cubano Chant” — ibid.
    8. Elvin Jones Quartet (Charlie Mariano, Richard Davis, Hank Jones) “Feeling Good” –25feb65 cd DEAR JOHN C. (Impulse)
    9. Michael Kanan Trio “Leave Me”(Tristano) –Jan.1999 cd CONVERGENCE
    10. Larry Newcomb Quartet “Olhos de Gato”(Carla Bley) –cd LIVE INTENTIONALL –c.2o15
    11. Warne Marsh & Susan Chen “Mean to Me” –1985 — cd BALLAD FOR YOU
    12. Liberty Ellman “Moment Twice” –Nov.2o14 cd RADIATE
    13. Bob Moses w/Jimmy Slyde(tap dance) & Scott Robinson(bass clarinet); Rossen Zahariev, trpt — “Ask Me Now” –July 1998 cd NISHOMA
    14. Bill Kirchner “When You Are Old” –7oct14 cd AN EVENING OF INDIGOS

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