Performance schedule through the end of the year

Here's where I will be playing through the end of 2005, as far as I know right now:

• Nov 5: Fireside Coffee Lodge 9:00 PM - Midnight
• Nov 12: Fireside Coffee Lodge 9:00 PM - Midnight
• Nov 19: Fireside Coffee Lodge 9:00 PM - Midnight
• Nov 22: Mississippi Pizza 7:30 PM - 11:00 PM
• Dec 17: Fireside Coffee Lodge 9:00 PM - Midnight
• Dec 27: Mississippi Pizza 7:30 PM - 11:00 PM

Fire destroys collection of Kansas music

My earliest musical experiences were in my childhood home state of Kansas. The local bands were big influences. Through the years, a gentleman named Bill Lee in Lawrence, Kansas has been collecting records, tapes, photos, and other memorabilia of these artists, and a few years ago he founded the Kansas Music Hall of Fame. Last week, the apartment building where Bill lived burned to the ground, and Bill's entire collection was destroyed.

Read more about this here.

Fireside Jazz Jam this Saturday

As many of you know, I frequently play in the "house" rhythm section at the Saturday night jazz jams hosted by Darren Littlejohn at the Fireside Coffee Lodge in Portland. This week, Darren has asked me to be the host.

So, I'm casting an open invitation to my friends in the Portland jazz community to come out and play. That's Saturday, Oct 22, 9 PM - Midnight (approximately) at Fireside Coffee Lodge, 1223 SE Powell Blvd, (503) 230-8987.

Six-String Justice

My old friend Zerf has a new CD out called Six-String Justice. Zerf is a walking history book of the frontier days of Kansas, and his new CD has great tunes that incorporate the colorful characters and stories of those days. Zerf's a fine singer, musician, and composer. We go way, way back to my school days in Manhattan, Kansas.

If you'd like to get your own copy of this CD, surf over to Drover's Mercantile (a pretty cool establishment, by the way).

Armonica

The jazz world lost a powerful presence and strong voice yesterday. Portland area singer Armonica died of complications of an auto accident. I only played with her a few times, but I could see that she was a powerful and unique person. She always seemed to be in a great rush to get her thoughts out, and she demanded a very high level of attention and performance from her backing musicians. I am sorry that I did not get more chances to play music with her.

She made a terrific debut CD that you really should give a listen to. She has world-class backing musicians like bassists Ben Wolfe and Dave Captein, drummer Ron Steen. Check it out at her website.

The Mingus Method

Folks who know me know that I frequently cite Charles Mingus as an influence. Of course my own playing and composition can't touch his. But I've also been interested in some of the non-music-related aspects of his life.

One very interesting thing Mingus did was to develop the "Mingus Method" for toilet training a cat. Mind you, this is not a method for teaching the cat to use the litter box. With this method, you teach the cat to use the real, porcelain, human potty!

Here's the page on Sue Mingus' website:

http://www.mingusmingusmingus.com/main/words5.htm

So, this morning I ran across a website called "CitiKitty" that seems to have ripped off this idea entirely, and is selling a kitty toilet training kit for $29.

Judge for yourself:

http://www.citikitty.com/

So, I decided to write to Sue Mingus' website and tell her people about it. Here's what I wrote:

From what I can tell, this outfit has ripped off Charles' "Mingus Method" for toilet training a cat:

http://www.citikitty.com/index.htm

I hope Sue is getting royalties, or at least some props as to who really came up with the method.

Steve Pinkston
Bassist
Molalla, OR

And -- surprise, surprise -- Sue herself wrote back:

Have sent your letter on to my son, the lawyer! I suspect that it is one more great idea down the financial tubes. But thanks for the info....... Sue Mingus

To me, this is just about like getting a personal postcard from the Queen. Probably inconsequential, but it made my day.

What's important?

In the month or so since my last post here, we have experienced the awesome power of nature to humble man's constructs, plans, and conceits.

We've also seen the failure of our leaders to respond with the courage, strength, and intelligence that such an event demands. I hope that people will remember these days, and the actions -- and inactions -- of these leaders when they vote next time. Then again, Americans have a pretty short attention span. I know I certainly do.

I just got back from a too-brief visit to Santa Cruz, California, where I stayed with my dear friend Esther and her family. Esther is the widow of my longtime musical collaborator Paul Bass, and is a very gifted healer in her own right. I had some time to myself while there to reflect on a lot of things -- particularly what we value and how we relate to the world around us. Santa Cruz is kind of a hippy-trippy place, so it may just have been the stray patchouli fumes and random energy surges from all the crystals that adorn every car's rear-view mirror that was taking my mind those places -- I don't know. But it's clear to me that one can lose absolutely everything, and if you can still hold on to someone you love, and show them that you love them, then you have absolutely everything you need. Needless to say, I gave June a big hug and kiss when I got home.

I'm taking tonight off from the regular Saturday night jazz jam at the Fireside Coffee House in Portland. I wanted to end my vacation at home, eating pizza for dinner and just kicking back with June.

I thought it was important.

Final concert with 7th Street Jazz Band tonight

Well, tonight will be my final public concert with the 7th Street Jazz Band. We auditioned a new bass player last week, and I think he will work out, and probably be an even better fit (he plays string bass as well as electric).

If you're interested, tonight's concert is at the Carnegie Art Center, and downbeat is at 6:30 PM. For more information, click HERE.

Cool Thing of the Week: Mr. Fastfinger

Spotted by the ever-vigilant folks at Music Thing:


Mr Fastfinger's Guitar Shred Show is a brilliant Finnish interactive flash animation/toy telling the story of Mr Fastfinger, a mysterious guitarist who travels to the Mountain of Tapping Dwarfs. At one point, you have to use your widdly-widdly guitar skills to defeat the devil's accordion playing, before performing for a tribe of pink loincloth-wearing zombie dwarves. Its creator, Mika Tyyskä, is clearly a genius destined for superstardom.

Meshell Ndegeocello on the role of the Bass

I heard an excellent interview with Meshell Ndegeocello this morning on NPR. If you are not yet hip to this gal's playing and singing you have a new opportunity with the recent release of her new album, Dance of the Infidel.

In the interview, she talked a little about her philosophy of bass playing. One of her statements sounded like something I might have said myself:

"If you want foundation and groove, I'm the bass player for you. I don't want to solo -- I just like to groove. I want to create a space and bed for everyone else to do what they do. I'm very traditional, so to speak, as a bassist. I just lock it down, keep the chord changes clear; I'm the foundation -- that's my style"

-- Meshell Ndegeocello

Well, except that I do want to solo once in while. But I can relate to her vision of the role of the bassist. I have infinite respect for the bassists who can solo like Jaco or Vic Wooten. But for me, my job on the stand is to make sure everyone else knows where they're going. You should be able to listen to the bass and drums alone and hear very clearly where the chords are going. The roots and fifths play an important part in defining the chord, of course, but the passing tones and anticipatory phrases help carry the ear through the changes, too. I also have a little rule of contrast that I try to keep in my consciousness; the more "outside" or wild the soloists get, the simpler I will play. If the soloist goes into his upper register, I try to keep down low. If he goes down low, I can walk up to my high notes for a while. If they're keeping to roots, I can play the "flavor" notes a little more. You get the idea. By providing a contrasting musical idea, I think a kind of yin/yang balance can be achieved.

Listen to the full interview with Meshell and hear clips from Dance of the Infidel at NPR's website: CLICK HERE.