heading west for vacation

Visiting friends, my brother and his family, should be fun. If you happen to be in the vicinity of San Diego on Tuesday the 28th, stop by Rosie O'Grady's Pub. A buddy of mine hosts a jam session Tuesdays and I'll probably sit in. More later...

ok, ok, the WBC was a success

random thoughts during the championship game
(Japan defeated Cuba 10-6)

If I was the Cuban manager, I'm not so sure that I would've pulled the starter so fast. Although that said, it's probably all hands on deck out of the bullpen.

Gotta love the crowd shots in Havana watching on the jumbotron. Probably "required viewing" for the entire island.

Is it just me or do all Japanese pitchers have unusual deliveries?

Joe Morgan is the baseball version of John Madden. He adds nothing of value to the broadcast. What value is there in him saying "Oh well I could understand them (the espen deportes announcers)" then talking on and on about how he was in Mexico listening to the spanish language broadcasts. So what did they say? Elighten us! He couldn't do it, his frown said "I have no idea what they were talking about..." I wish the on-field reporter hadn't bailed him out.

Japan's defense is shakier than I expected, they seem to be anticipating thier victory—c'mon it's 27 outs!

The first and ninth innings not withstanding, the Cubans have put on a pitching clinic.

2009 until the next WBC? Then every four years after that? The Cubans are right, do this thing every two years.

cuba in the final!

It was painful to watch Ortiz's last at-bat. Mainly because it was a thumbnail sketch of the fatal flaw in the DR's (and also the USA's), game. Endowed with, on-paper, a devastaing offense, and lacking in defense and pitching. The MLB game features the long ball and downplays the other elements of the game. Unable to scratch out runs when it counted and unable to prevent small ball tactics.

Ortiz was in the exact situation that he generally thrives in. Heck, he even got his pitch and was able to get solid wood on it—but he got under it. There's that old adage about baseball being a game of inches. Had Ortiz's bat been up an inch or so, there's no doubt that we'd be talking about the DR's 4-3 victory instead.

Go Korea!

bud selig's nightmare?

While I'm watching the US losing to Mexico tonight, I can't help but think what a disaster it would be if the World Baseball Classic final ended up as Cuba vs. Korea. I personally would enjoy it. But think about it; how many Cubans will watch it? The average Cuban can't afford a decent meal, never mind a TV. Although come to think of it Fidel will probably require everyone to watch; how fast can they get a jumbotron set up in Havana? How many Koreans will watch the final at 3AM local time? It's too bad that North Korea wasn't invited, it could've set up an "Axis of Evil" final.

can I have a mulligan?

Alright so the WBC is better than I was expecting. A lot better. The players appear to be in mid-season form. Well, the latin players anyway. I was talking to Moose the other day and he tells me "I can't believe the latin fans. They're totally into it!"

Of course they're into it. These are the same people that brought us the drug cartels. The latin persona is steeped in extremism. These people make the North Koreans seem reasonable. Well, maybe not, but close.

Anyhow, I've seen a side of David Ortiz that is downright frightening. I'm used to seeing him don the uniform of the good guys. Watching him suit up for someone else is sobering. That stare, the murderous swing of his bat, the inevitable trot around the bases. If I'm pitching against him, I don't care if the bases are loaded, I walk the guy—every time.

re-listening...

I'm finding that I am increasingly unable to say that I don't like something when I hear something that I don't care for. More and more I'm finding that the truth is that I'm not ready to hear it. Case in point; years ago when I was first getting interested in jazz I was told to check out Kenny Burrell. This was during a time when I was under the spell of Joe Pass. I picked up At the Five Spot Café, listened to it, and couldn't hear what the fuss was about.

Fast-forward about 15 years; I get an iPod and begin ripping all my CDs so I can listen to them in my car—by the way this is a great way to rediscover music that you may have forgotten about. Last weekend I was driving home from a gig and I set the iPod to shuffle. Next thing I know I'm listening to something that I only dimly recognize. I check and notice it's a track from the Kenny Burrell recording, and I'm really digging it! So later the next day I cue up the album and listen to it some more. Lo and behold I'm now ready to digest it and to appreciate Kenny's playing—there's a subtlety about his lines that's hard to pinpoint and I just wasn't ready to hear it before.

Oh well, gotta go listen to some other stuff I forgot about...

renato...

Most everyone has a friend that, even though you may not seem them for a while, you are able to pick right up where you left off. There's no hangups about why haven't you called. It's a very refreshing thing, life takes you down a different path for a week or a month or even a year or more, and then next time you get together it's just as if you were hanging out last week. I have a musician friend that's like that.

Renato and I used to play together a lot. But things change, groups dissolve, gigs dry up and then next thing you know you're running with a different circle of musicians. I love to play jazz, but as an electric bassist there's generally more work avaiable for me playing r&b. Renato on the other hand mostly plays straight-ahead jazz—which primarily utilizes acoustic bass. So although we enjoy each others playing we don't often get a chance to play together.

We did however have such a chance last night. I was asked to pull together a trio for a fundraiser and naturally I thought of Renato right away. I tell you what, I have to find a way to get more gigs with Renato, his playing is really special. There's a joy, a goofyness, a fun sense of controlled abandon to his playing.

He's the type of guy that you could call up and have a conversation like;

"Hey, Renato what's new?"

"Not much, I totalled my car but everything's beautiful man!"

The whole time he has a big smile on his face, he just exudes positivity and you can hear it, feel it and see it when he plays. I have got to stop worrying so much....

tonight...

I'll be playing with the Sonny Watson Quartet at the Manhattan Club in Milford (not Millis as previously reported). I've not been able to find out any information about this venue—not even yahoo yellow pages has a listing. But I do have an address;
189 Main Street
Milford, MA

BTW: Evidently the signage is non-existant, oh and we're on the 4th floor...though I'm told there IS an elevator. The hit's at 7:30, in case you're interested in checking it out.

is this thing on?

I've been really busy with gigs this week...this is unusual for this time of year, but then again during the lean months you take what you can get.

Played last night at a fundraiser for an amazing organization called Bottom Line. They help Boston High School students obtain a college education. Not the financial end of it exactly, more the mentoring and guidance end of it. Most of the students that they work with don't have role models that made it through college. Check 'em out—and if you are able to give them a donation.

I'll be playing in Millis, MA tomorrow night. Don't know exactly where, I think it's at a place called the Manhattan Club, but attempts to google it have been fruitless. I'm still waiting for directions or an address or something from the band leader...ah the joys of being a sideman.