Thinking in Rhythm

No Reason. I just thought it was clever. Things ain't what they used to be. (In fact, they never was.) The Profile (more than you really wanted to know) is here.

A short video. I paid more attention to the soundtrack than I did the short video. I was sitting in an automatic “touchless” car wash and thinking how the rhythm and flow of the water jets sounded so much like my own heartbeat. In the car wash one has a rather claustrophobic feeling of being inside of everything anyway. So the next time I went through I did about 2 and a half minutes of video with my pocket Fuji. I used the soundtrack of the actual car wash for a basis. I added a short clip of Harry James from “Feet Draggin’ Blues” at the first. Then I added a clip of a piece from Andes Manta a favorite group of mine, then my own heartbeat for a while. I had always liked the opening two measures by Gene Krupa in a live version of "Caravan" from Benny Goodman. I took those two drum solo measures and multiplied them up to the length I needed and then overlapped the carwash, the heartbeat, another bit of Andes Manta with Krupa under all of it, on out to white frame at the end. I think the reddish part at the end is some kind of spotless rinse squirted on near the end of the wash cycle. As you might gather, I probably won’t be doing this often.

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Willie Smith

This is a rather scarce 10" LP from Willie Smith. The card shows his signature along with that of Harry James around 1958 in Wichita, Kansas. Happy Birthday Mr. Smith and thanks for being so kind to a young kid who delayed your break for an autograph. Willie Smith was born William McLeish Smith November 25, 1910 in Charleston, South Carolina. Willie Smith,Johnny Hodges and Benny Carter were considered the top three alto saxophone players of the swing era. He also played clarinet and sang. From Wikipedia: Willie Smith's first instrument was clarinet and his education was in chemistry. He received his chemistry degree from Fisk University. Nevertheless in 1929 he became an alto saxophonist for Jimmie Lunceford's band. He would be one of the main stars in Lunceford's group and in 1940 had his own quintet as a side project.[1] His success with Lunceford had lost its charms by 1942 as he now wanted more pay and less travel. He then switched to Harry James's orchestra, where he made more money, and stayed with him for seven years. After that he later worked with Duke Ellington and Billy May. In 1954 he returned to Harry James's band. Added to all this he was involved in Jazz at the Philharmonic and worked with Nat King Cole. He died of cancer March 7,1967 in Los Angles, California. (Oh yes, the other autograph on that card is that of Harry James.)

These are the most popular pages: Alison Young Art Pepper Barney Kessel Bettie Page Curl-up-and-dye Edgar Degas and the lost Ginger Nude Ginger Panda Gnat Trap Little Annie Fannie Marilyn Resident Alien Sunday Funnies Things ain't what they used to be. (In fact, they never was.) The Profile (more than you really wanted to know) is here.

Harry James. He could do it all.

He led a big band for 40 years. Today, in 1983 we lost Harry James, swing-era bandleader/trumpet player. This is Harry with Ziggy Elman and Chris Griffin. For two years he led this trumpet section in the legendary Benny Goodman big band '37-'38. Then early in 1939, Harry James struck off on his own and fronted his own band for more than 40 years. His first singer was that guy from Hoboken, NJ... oh, you know, the one with the blue eyes....He went on to sing with Tommy Dorsey and made a few records on his own....ah well, I can't be expected to remember everything... Harry Married Betty Grable 1943 to 1965. They had two daughters. Here is a good bio about them. For those of you fortunate enough to have this old LP of Harry James, "One Night Stand" from Columbia (GL 522), you have the very best of James and his orchestra. Yes, there were recordings that were more popular, more famous. But this was the best jazz, the finest of the big band and yes, a fine example of Harry at his solo best. Now, get ready for this: It has never been released on CD. You must have the old LP. Neener Neener Neener.... Here's Feet Draggin' Blues... I saw the Harry James band a couple times circa 1960, in a roadhouse club near Wichita, Kansas. Once Betty Grable was sitting at a stage-side table watching the show. I think I have his autograph someplace. Jilla Webb was the vocalist. Here is an excellent web page about this legend of the big band era.

Can anyone identify this painting? Is it Francois Schuiten? Looks like his work but can someone confirm it?? Click for larger version. Yes, I refuse to use Kleenex until THIS stops.