Al Cohn...Jazz Ace on Tenor

Tenor Sax people are unique. For one thing, it is hard to get a good, big sound... what one might call a fantastic tone out of a tenor saxophone. But listening today to a favorite of mine on tenor sax helped me a lot. The guy I am speaking of is a feisty tenor man named Al Cohn. He along with the clever Zoot Sims were two superb tenor men. I enjoy so much the engaging sounds of attractive tenor playing. Today, the jazz music of Al Cohn on tenor made my life just right.

The Great Clarence Clemons Passes

A giant loss happened to the music world last Saturday. When Clarence Clemons the super saxophone guy passed on June 18 it was rough news to swallow. The man was such a tremendous mainstay in the mighty E Street Band of the great Bruce Springsteen. I always loved the big sound of that special saxophone guy. For so many years he was right there with Bruce playing his fantastic horn. This gentleman will be really missed by all of us.

A Fantastic Father's Day!

It's been a FANTASTIC Father's Day for me and my people. Went over to my son's house in Atlanta. My wife and I had a wonderful time with our son, his wife (our daughter-in-law) and his two daughters. It was a lot of fun. He grilled good pork and we had good green beans, corn and a fine pie my daughter-in-law made. My son gave me a great DVD...the 'True Grit' film with Jeff B., Matt Damon, Hailey S. and Josh Brolin. Wife and I watched it late this afternoon. Dear Lord this has been a magnificent day!

Happy Father's Day, To My Daddy!

Culture blog on my Daddy....On this Father's Day I say, "Happy Father's Day" to my Daddy. I have many memories of this remarkable man who raised me in the town of Cairo in the Southwest Corner of the State of Georgia. Many factors have contributed to the total package that I am as a man. But I remember most of all my FATHER who planted a huge work ethic in me and a remarkable sense of being able to enjoy life. Daddy was a guy who had five brothers. He was born in Jefferson County, Florida in a community called Metcalf that was near Tallahassee. About 1925 my Daddy and the family moved up to Cairo. My grandfather went into the shoe repair business. My Daddy worked so many, many jobs in his life but he was a believer in working hard and he inserted that mindset into me even when I was young. The Great Depression and the harsh 1930s were rough on my Daddy and his people. He married my Mama in 1940 and I came along in '44. Oh...my Daddy was drafted into the Army in 1942 and he stayed with that until 1946. After that Daddy worked in a gas station, then got into the flooring business. A change came about because he got into the business of jewelry in the early 1950s. Later he went into a new calling. He worked himself hard and learned the artisan's craft of picture framing. Did well. Later, he started selling antiques (furniture, lamps, etc.) The thing I most remember is how my Daddy always worked real hard and really attacked this business we call LIFE. He also loved Jazz and he taught me how to enjoy the Fantastic Jazz Piano men like the remarkable Art Tatum When I went in the Air Force, my Daddy and Mama drove a car (with me) all the way to California. I was fixin' to go overseas to The Far East. I remember the great times on that trip...Had lots of fun, especially in Colorado and Nevada, fascinating states. The fact is when I got across the pond and got lonely and sometimes got sad I always remembered my blood, my family and my culture. I realized I was so happy to be a man of Georgia. On this Father's Day of 2011 I salute my Daddy and all the great Daddies of the world. Yes, like Louis Armstrong used to sing, 'It's a Wonderful World.'

My Mother and Times in Southwest Georgia

Culture blog day....When I was a teenager growing up in the Southwest Georgia town of Cairo it was so fantastically hot in the summertime. Also, we had so many gnats (pesky, pesky bugs) that it made us folks pretty crazy. But many times I had great experiences, My Mother was a social worker and a lot of times she would take me on some of her trips to see people. I now know as an elderly soul that these experiences were so wonderful for me. Long before social networking, folks like my Mama helped me to understand the marvelous culture of the state of Georgia. I miss you Mama...Mother believed in getting a good social education planted in the souls of boys and girls. My Mother always treated all people the same. She had a belief that being "stuck up" was a kind of moronic attitude and she did not want her son to be carrying around that kind of baggage. Southwest Georgia is a mysterious, beautiful place with its incredible passion, fine music and most of all truly remarkable people. When I rode with Mama we talked about so many things but I remember us talking on good writing and music so much. She was a big fan of the John Steinbeck book of the regular guys called 'Of Mice and Men.' She said that story of the two interesting characters provided so many interesting insights. My Mama also liked John Steinbeck's masterwork, 'The Grapes of Wrath.' I figure the point was my Mama had lived through the brutal Great Depression of the 1930s so the 'Grapes' book of Mr. Steinbeck's had great resonance for her. I can see my Mama now as we would sit down in our kitchen and have some good, juicy tomato sandwiches and big glasses of iced tea for lunch. Indeed memories like these mean so much to me a man growing up in the remarkable Southern culture that is truly a huge part of the state of Georgia. I miss you, Mama. But I gotta say right now I am so thankful for the job you did in making me a Georgia man with a lot of passion and meaningful understanding.

Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons: Good Jazz Guys

Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons.....These two men are what we call profound mainstream jazz tenor players. Their free-wheelin' style using the brash big tones of the tenor saxophone....My, My....What great big remarkable sounds come about. This fine Tuesday, I listened to Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt playing a lively up-tempo tune called 'You Can Depend on Me.' It was what I like to call super jazz listening. The kind of music that makes a man want to stand up and just ROCK OUT! Jazz music helps the emotions of the soul so very much. And let me say right now...the Boss Tenor Saxophones of Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt are so profound and TRUE.

'Night Train to Munich' ....A Jewel of a Film

Recently. I saw a sparkling, clever movie (1940) called 'Night Train to Munich.' The film had a skillfully-developed interesting story. This was a tale about the time when the Germans moved into Prague and things got rough. Because of the tension, the scientific type Dr. Bomasch decides to skedaddle to merry olde England. He takes his fine daughter Anna with him. When they get settled in the English set-up, all goes a bit awry. And all sorts of things are triggered. Quite soon all goes south and it's stuck time in a morbid concentration camp. A British agent, played by the brilliant young Rex Harrison, moves into the swing of things trying to save them. Train scenes in this film are great a bit similar to the grande guignol aspect generated by the master Hitchcock in his wily, 'Strangers on a Train.' A remarkable segment of the sly film takes place on a large cable car sort of hovering in the wild Swiss Alps. In addition to the aforementioned Rex Harrison this film jewel also has stellar performances by Margaret Lockwood as Anna and the intense, quite creative Paul Henreid as Karl Marsen, a German officer luminary. I believe the milieu of this film set in 1940s Europe is well sketched and the acting and directorial superb work make for quite a delightful adventure film.