Gigs in September

Just a couple of quick notes: I'll be backing up pianist Ted Clifford most Sundays in September at what has become a pretty regular gig for us -- the Jazz Brunch at LV's Uptown. Details HERE. Check my Yahoo Calendar for exact dates.

And, Since I'm on vacation this week, I'll be able to play the role of "house bassist" at the regular Tuesday night jazz jam at Mississippi Pizza on September 5th. These jams draw some of the best players in Portland and are always great fun. You never know who's going to stop by and sit in. Details are HERE.

Is summer over already?

Well, my bursitis ("Bass Player's Elbow?") is finally better, after taking steroids and other anti-flam type meds. It did not affect my playing much, other than not being able to do octave down-slides. It did affect almost everything else I did with my left arm, however, so I'm very glad to be feeling better.

The semi-regular gig I've been playing at LV's Uptown has been going well. It's a very nice room, I get to play in the daytime instead of late at night, and the food is excellent. And the best part is that I get to play with Ted Clifford, who is an excellent jazz pianist. It seems like every week we find new connections through the music, and take new paths through the tunes. For me this is what it's all about.

I'm always learning something new, too. Last week, I discovered a sweet spot on my E string for plucking with my right hand. By plucking with the side of my fingertip, an inch or so closer to the bridge from my usual position near the bass pickup, I get a very upright-like growly tone that works very well on long sustaining notes in ballads. I had been playing near this spot, but I luckily found the exact place last weekend. It will probably change when I change strings, but now I know what I'm looking for and how to find it.

Oh yeah -- the subject line. Summer is almost over, and I'll be glad for the return of the rain. We've had more 90-degree-plus days this year than I can remember since we've been here. I know some people consider hot & sunny to be the perfect weather conditions, but you just can't take that kind of attitude in Oregon. This weekend is going to be 90+ again, and I hope that will be the last of it.

Hey guitarists -- Funtwo is awesome.

And finally, R.I.P Maynard Ferguson.

Bursitis

OK, I'll admit that I did not really know what bursitis was. That was before I got it in my left elbow. I had noticed a kind of dull pain right behind my elbow joint for a week or so, but hadn't paid much attention to it, but then last Wednesday night it started swelling and hurting like hell. It was even red and hot to the touch. My doctor prescribed some steroid pills, which I did not really want to take, but I went ahead and toke them like a good patient. They do seem to be helping my elbow, but the side effects are horrible. I'm hungry all the time, alternately jittery and mopey, trouble sleeping. I don't think I could endure a long period on steroids.

Ted Clifford and Steve Pinkston at LV's Uptown

UPDATE: We've been extended! Ted and I will be back at LV's this Sunday, July 23rd. All the other details are the same (see below). We had a great turnout on the 16th, so the manager invited us back. We will probably be invited back (or DIS-invited) on a week-by-week basis for a while. Many thanks to everyone who came out!

I'll be appearing with the fine jazz pianist Ted Clifford this Sunday, July 16th 10:00 AM to Noon at LV's Uptown. We'll be playing mostly jazz standards, with the unique flavors and spontaneous twists that Ted and I always create together.

If you're looking for a pleasant activity for a Sunday morning, please come out and join us. LV's Uptown is a very nice venue to listen to jazz, and they serve a delicious and decadent brunch buffet-style for 16 bucks, with smoked salmon, blintzes, fresh fruit and pastries, and much more. Details are at: http://www.lvuptown.com/menu.htm#Brunch

ADDRESS:
310 SW Lincoln
Portland, OR 97201
503.221.0140
http://www.lvuptown.com/

LV’s Uptown is located adjacent to the University Grill at University Place, Portland State University’s conference center on the site of the former Doubletree Hotel. The address is 310 SW Lincoln St, which is on the south side of Lincoln street between First Ave and Fourth Avenue, about 5 blocks south of the PSU Campus.LV's features free parking for patrons – that rarest of rarities in downtown Portland.

We hope to see you there!

A Place Called The Bla-Bla Cafe

A remarkable book has just been published, titled A Place Called The Bla-Bla Cafe.

I performed many times at this venue on Ventura Blvd. in L.A. with singer/songwriter Lisa Nemzo, both as a trio (with Marylee Tyson on cello) and as a full rock band. It was a very magical place, sometimes frustrating as hell and other times simply sublime. I have very good memories of the place, which provided a place to be heard for many rising stars in the 1970s.

And yes, there is even a mention of yours truly in the book, in a funny anecdote written by Lisa Nemzo.

For more information, or to order your own copy, go to http://www.bla-bla-cafe.com/

Bye-bye Fireside Jam

Well, the Fireside Jazz Jam is no more. Apparently, a combination of factors has led to the owner of the establishment cancelling the regular Saturday jazz jam that I've played at regularly for quite some time now at the Fireside Coffee Lodge at 12th & Powell. This is still a very nice, mellow place to hang out, have a cup of jitter juice, and access the internet; they just won't have a bunch of jazzbos and their friends hanging out on Saturday night anymore.

The good news is that Portland Jazz Jams is sponsoring a new weekly jam session at Proper Eats in the St. Johns area of Portland. This will be on Thurdays, and will have acoustic bass players only, so I'm out of luck on both counts. But it should be a good session and I'd encourage all jazz fans and players to come out and support this new venue. More information HERE.

Xeno's on April 14

New date added! I'll be playing as a duo with the fine pianist Ted Clifford on April 14th at:

Xeno's
8527 N Lombard St
Portland, OR 97203
(503) 735-9125

We'll start at about 7:00 PM. This should be a fun gig; Ted and I play together frequently at the Saturday night jazz jam at the Fireside Coffee Lodge, but this will be our first chance to play as a duo.

Steve on TV

Now, I know this is really no big deal, BUT, a local public access cable show featured footage of yours truly this weekend. You can see the program online at:

http://portlandjazzjams.blip.tv/

It's the show called "PJJ-TV #7 - Fireside Jazz Jam - 01"

You'll probably have to update your QuickTime player to the most recent version to view it.

Performance Schedule

UPDATE:
I will have a light schedule at the Fireside through the end of March. I'm playing tomorrow night (Feb 25th), then again on March 11th and 25th. On March 4th Dan Presley (of Tall Jazz fame) will be filling in the bottom end, and on March 18th Brian Lowe will be sitting in. Two Saturdays off in a month -- wow!

sick

I'm sick.

I don't get sick often, but this is for real, and I hate it. I think one of the guys at my day job brought a virus into work with him, and now I have a stinking cold.

There are benefits, of course. Sympathy is one, although that wears off pretty quick when your spouse is emptying wastecans full of damp, infectious Kleenex. Rest is another -- you're supposed to get a lot of sleep. But I always feel like I should be getting something done...like, um, updating my blog.

NYQUIL! Now yer talkin' some fun! Since I don't drink alcohol, Nyquil is one of my little guilty pleasures. That little shot of booze you get, along with the witch's brew of god-knows-what and the green color and horrible anisette taste, make it my party-drug of choice when I get my annual cold. And man, does it put me to sleep. At least for about 4 days, until I get habituated to it. June says I should just save money and take a shot of tequila at bedtime, but that would be wrong.

Along with this is a side problem that is actually more long-term and worrisome. My arthritis has started showing up in my finger joints. So far, it has not directly affected any of my primary bass-playing fingers, but that may be inevitable. The best thing I can do is to keep moving as much as I can, and take anti-inflammitories when I need to.

Our health is precious, and can be taken away at any time. I think of those people I've loved, who I've lost too early, and I feel very lucky to have lived so long. I realize that there are many who would gladly trade my little aches and pains for theirs. I try to appreciate each day, and those people in my life that make each day a joy.