Over the past few months the Independent Ear has featured conversations with some of today’s Brooklyn jazz movers & shakers, as well as a series of conversations on the legendary East. In this installment we journey back to the mid-1950s, a time when Brooklyn reputedly had a hotter jazz club scene than much – if not all – of Manhattan.

Recalling our Independent Ear conversation a few months ago with proto-rapper and hip hop scenester pioneer Fab Five Freddy, he spoke with great excitement about a group of jazz hipsters and scene makers who would gather to play chess, discuss world politics, and spin jazz records. Those gentlemen of jazz fandom included Fab’s dad Freddy Braithwaite, Sr., sculptor Jimmy Gittens, and Jimmy Morton. Randy Weston spoke often of this group of black jazz fans during the course of the many interviews for our book African Rhythms. In ’98 when I worked with Randy Weston to re-create his classic suite “Uhuru Afrika” on the stage of the historic Majestic Theater on Fulton Street, part of that project included a panel discussion with a group of Brooklyn jazz vets – including Jimmy Morton – and the walls were adorned with several blow-ups of Jimmy Morton’s photos from Brooklyn jazz haunts. These included a rare shot of Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, and Etta Jones onstage together – noted also for being in color, which was unusual for the times.

When we began our ongoing Brooklyn jazz project for the Weeksville Heritage Center, Jimmy Morton was at the top of our interview list. One mild afternoon last winter we tracked the affable Mr. Morton down at his comfortable Queens abode. Now living in retirement Jimmy Morton still makes his share of jazz gigs and remains active. He proved once again that often the most vivid insights into a jazz scene come not only from those who make the music, but also from those who partake of that music.

Interview begins with subject showing us his classic jazz photo collection on his walls of photos he took at jazz clubs in Brooklyn.

We’re looking at one of your photos; please tell us about this particular photo.

Jimmy Morton: This was taken at Tony’s (in Brooklyn), and its Max Roach, Miles Davis, Gigi Gryce, Charles Mingus.

Takes us into another room of his apartment with an array of his photos.

This is Kenny Dorham, Art Farmer…

These are all from Tony’s?

These are all from Tony’s… except one.

It was called Tony’s Grand Dean?

Yeah. Did you read the book, Thelonious Monk – An American Original?

Robin Kelley’s book.

Thelonious Monk biographer Robin D.G. Kelley

He did the research and he found this ad from a 1954 Amsterdam News, and it says “Jimmy Morton, the fabulous MC.” He was looking for an article about Monk, and the reason he couldn’t find any is because Monk’s cabaret license had been taken away. So, although [Monk] was playing at Tony’s, [Tony’s] could not advertise [Monk].

How often did Monk play at Tony’s?

Very often, because we took him whether he had his cabaret license or not.

Was Monk using Willie Jones on drums at that time?

Yeah [shows photo of Willie Jones performing with Monk.]

Re-viewing the Ken Burns “Jazz” series via DVD (more on that in a forthcoming reassessment) I noticed the omission of Monk’s many nights performing undercover in Brooklyn when he lost his cabaret card. The film suggests Monk simply sat out the ban at his Manhattan home.

So Monk played at Tony’s a lot?

Yeah. I lived in Manhattan at that time and I drove him home a lot of times because I was about the only one going to Tony’s that didn’t live in Brooklyn.

…Displays photos he took at Tony’s with Carmen McRae, Arthur Taylor…

The one next to Arthur Taylor is a singer who sounded so much like Billie Holiday it’s probably why she never became anybody; her name was Billie Stewart. This other one is Etta Jones.

Who’s playing with Etta Jones in this picture?

Monk, but there’s a story behind that: Wynton Kelly stopped by in his Army khakis at the time and Etta pleaded with him, saying, and “you know how trying it is to sing with Monk.” She said, “Please play for me.” And Wynton Kelly not only played for her when she asked him to, but he played for her for the rest of the night. We had to figure out a way to pay him because we had already paid Monk. That’s Scoby Stroman dancing, with Leroy Applin; that’s Charlie Rouse behind him and Arthur Taylor behind him…

Tony’s was located at the corner of Grand & Dean Streets?

Grand Avenue and Dean Street; the building is still there, but it’s nothing [presently]. It was a local bar. In Robin’s book he refers to it as a small, black-owned café. We’ve got a friend named Vincent Jones, we used to call him Zandu, if he saw this article he would go crazy, because first of all it was owned by Italians named Bordello; in fact Roger Bordello had a liquor store on Bergen Street between Grand and the next street over.

Vincent Jones knew this family, and he was the one who talked them into letting Tony’s be a jazz spot, and Vincent was the one who brought all the acts in. He was a dancer, and they used to bring him out onstage in a coffin. He had a partner that would be dancing and she would dance and he would come out of the coffin. He used to get mad at me because I was taking all those pictures of young musicians, “and you never took any pictures of my act.” I loved the act, but I never took any pictures of it.

When you talk about jazz, most people start talking about Harlem. There was a time when I believe there were more jazz clubs in Brooklyn than there were in Manhattan. [Saxophonist] Bilal [Abdurahman]’s book [In The Key of Me] lists 24 Brooklyn jazz clubs, and I think Tony’s is included.

I’ll tell you how Tony’s happened. This same Vincent I was telling you about, he was heavily involved with Tony’s. There was a fellow named Freddy Brathwaite, we were very good friends. A Brooklyn artist named Jimmy Gittins was also involved, and between Vincent, Freddy and Jimmy, they ran Tony’s. I was in law school at the time and when I shoulda been home studying; I was hanging out at Tony’s listening to the music. And though it only cost a dollar to go in, I’d never pay because I knew those guys.

Most bands announced themselves, but every now and then you’d get a band that would say ‘I’m not supposed to be announcing anything.’ So they said to me, ‘you don’t pay when you come in, so announce the bands.’ And that’s how I became an itinerant MC, simple as that. I started announcing the bands and then people used me for other things. It all started by me going to Tony’s and knowing the guys running Tony’s, and they started me MCing.

When you were coming up in Brooklyn, did you hang out with musicians?

No, because at my early stages, when I was a kid, I didn’t know any musicians. This didn’t happen until I was almost a teenager and I started listening to jazz. I tuned in on the AM radio and you’d get certain big bands broadcasting. I was always a Benny Goodman fan, and Artie Shaw. Most of the big bands were white bands; the ones that could swing really were good bands.

So you came up through the big bands?

Yes.

What about in the 1940s when people like Max Roach, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, started experimenting with the music, did you get into that new thing?

Yeah, well the Putnam Central, on Putnam Avenue… Charlie Mingus and Max Roach had a studio in that building where the Putnam Central [jazz club] was, and they were among few musicians who wanted to put out their own records. Mingus and Max started producing their own records.

That was Debut Records, right?

That’s correct.

So Max and Mingus were actually making records in the same building as the Putnam Central club?

Yes, their studio was upstairs over the club. That building belonged to some union, I think it’s still there and still functioning.

Since the studio was upstairs over the club, were they recording musicians who were playing in the club?

I don’t think so, I think they did mostly their own music – between Mingus and Max, they did their own thing. There was a group called The Greatest Quintet Ever, with Mingus and Max [plus Monk and Bud Powell], and when Mingus heard the original recording he felt that the bass line was underplayed – he didn’t hear the bass enough. So he took the masters to his studio and when you hear that record now, the bass line is refined; they were able to do that because they had their studio.

Describe what Tony’s looked like physically.

Tony’s was a local bar that had a small kitchen and a back room, nothing fancy or pretty about it. Most of the pictures you just saw was the back room at Tony’s. These pictures you just saw were originally slides, and the original slides Fab Five Freddy has.

When these performances were happening at Tony’s, what kind of audience did they get there?

They were mostly Brooklynites, mostly local people came. Every now and then people from Harlem might come by. There were French jazz people who heard about Tony’s – Andre Renard would come by. It was unusual for white people to be there. Usually I would end up questioning them, wondering how they got there. There was a popular columnist at that time called Dorothy Kilgallen, and she began to mention Tony’s in her column, and all kinds of strange people began showing up that ordinarily wouldn’t even be there. She mentioned it in her column and it was getting to be known. Tony’s was a local Brooklyn club, but when it got to be more than that it disbanded, which I never understood, when they could have kept going.

How long did Tony’s operate?

I went there for the first time in 1953.

What year did Tony’s open?

It opened about 1952-53 and stayed around until about ’55.

What year did you start MCing at Tony’s?

I started about 1953. What was strange about those times is that most of the famous jazz people were almost all into drugs; so what would happen at the intermission, I couldn’t find anybody. I’d be running around… I knew Brooklyn because I was born and raised in Brooklyn; I’d be running up and down Dean Street looking in hallways, trying to get the musicians back to work after the intermission was over.

What were you doing professionally at the time?

One of the things I blew by hanging at Tony’s… I was in law school, I was going to St. John’s at that time, and I flunked out of law school because when I shoulda been studying, I was jazzing! But as far as employment was concerned, I was a welfare investigator, I was an investigator for the department of hospitals at Bellevue, I was a corrections officer at Rikers Island, and I finally wound up working at the [state] Supreme Court where I retired after 28 years in Bronx County.

When you were MCing at Tony’s, describe how you would introduce the bands.

I met Etta Jones when Art Blakey brought her to Tony’s, and we already had a singer at the time, and I was very upset; I said “who’s this person, we didn’t hire her…”, until I heard her sing! When I heard [Etta Jones] sing, I said we didn’t need the first guy that we hired… But I used to introduce [Etta Jones] and I would say “hush, it’s the bewitching hour… you’re about to be inundated with the golden tones of Etta Jones…” That’s how I used to bring her on.

But as far as the jazz went, Oscar Pettiford sometimes sat in, and I’d introduce Charlie Mingus and I’d say “…Charlie, your work is cut out for you because Oscar Pettiford just played, and you’re playing behind him…” Mingus had a strange attitude, he’d say “…Man, he didn’t even play a bass…”, Pettiford played a cello at the time. Mingus was hard to get along with – he was a good musician – but I didn’t think he was a nice person, we always were fighting about everything.

Max [Roach] I knew from the time he played in the band at Concord Baptist Church, he started way back in Brooklyn, and we always had a good relationship. In fact, towards the end of his life I visited him at the assisted living place in Brooklyn; I was there when Gil Noble recorded his “Like it Is” show, and Randy [Weston] was playing the piano for Max, and Max looked like he was almost nodding out.

How many nights a week did Tony’s have performances?

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday… In fact, that ad that’s on the wall that was Easter Sunday, and instead of the usual time I think we started at 5:00 p.m. It was really only three nights.

How many sets a night?

Maybe three: 8:00, 10:00, and a final set at 12:00.

Where would the musicians go after their gigs at Tony’s?

They had a place on Nostrand Avenue, a chain coffee place whose name escapes me now, but everybody used to go there because it was open at all hours and you could get food at a reasonable price, so that was a hangout. There were people in Brooklyn who the musicians knew and they would go to their houses after the gig.

When we were working on his book Randy told me a story about bringing Monk to your place about 3:00 a.m. to use your piano.

My sister was a church organist, and I was living with her at that time and the piano was hers. Randy knew there was a piano there and he brought Monk, and Max because there was a piano there. When it was over my sister was so impressed that Monk was there!

What are some of your fondest memories of nights you spent at Tony’s?

I’m sure Randy [Weston] told you about it, but they had a fight there once that was almost like a movie scene. What Randy didn’t know is how the fight started. It started because they put me on the door – I was never on the door – if I was on the door all the time I would have known who the local gangsters were. The fact that I was not on the door usually, I didn’t know the local gangsters, and they wanted to come in without paying and I wasn’t going to allow that. So we got into it at the door, and it grew and grew until the chairs were flying … the place looked so bad I was amazed when I came back the next night and the place had been put back together; they had repaired the chairs… all the damage that had been done the night before – as bad as this fight was, we didn’t miss one night! I remember the bass player, who I think was Mingus, was holding up his bass, protecting his bass. I think Monk kept playing.
[According to Weston’s account, despite fist fights and wrestling matches all around the club, chairs flying and the whole riotous bit, Monk never batted an eye and just kept right on playing despite this maelstrom around him.]

I drove [Monk] home a couple of times and we talked about things other than music. As strange as everybody thought he was, I thought he was very informed about most things. He could talk about anything you wanted to talk about , IF he felt like talking, because if he didn’t feel like talking you got nothing out of him.

Did you do any MCing at any other places in Brooklyn?

Yes, there was a place on Eastern Parkway and Bedford Avenue – I think they called it Town and Country, and I MC’ed there. Based on what happened at Tony’s, I became an itinerant MC. I would be MC’ing at all kinds of places (laughs).

How would you say the jazz clubs in Brooklyn were different from what was going on in Harlem?

Because I’ve been to the Baby Grand in Manhattan, and the Lenox Lounge in Manhattan – I just believe the Brooklyn audiences were different. I used to say the guys in Brooklyn wore their hats different than the guys in Manhattan. You could almost tell the difference from the way they broke their hats down; they just had a style that was Brooklyn, and Harlem had a style that was Harlem. And they had an antipathy towards each other; they’d say ‘that cat is from Harlem’, and they’d say it as if he was in trouble [laughs]. Or the guys from Harlem would say ‘this dude is from Brooklyn’…

I MC’d the thing in Prospect Park, the thing called Celebrate Brooklyn, and Eubie Blake was in the audience; some of the music was his music. They took the mic to Eubie and asked if he had any comments about the shows, and he said he felt there should be more mention of the people who wrote the tunes. So I told him, you may not have been listening, but I had been mentioning the authors – and especially his tunes. I thought it was great for him to just be there.

Who were some of the other noted musicians playing in Brooklyn at that time?

JM: The Modern Jazz Quartet came to Tony’s – with Milt Jackson, John Lewis… I used to have a hassle with John Lewis because he didn’t like the way I introduced the Modern Jazz Quartet. He said ‘this is not a baseball team.’ I said, I don’t tell you how to play the piano, don’t tell me how to MC. Everybody that was anybody in jazz, in the 50s, came through Tony’s, they made an appearance at Tony’s. Mingus had a way that he wanted to be introduced, but most others I was free to do whatever I wanted to do. I didn’t disrespect anybody.

What other involvement have you had with jazz in Brooklyn? Were you a member of any of the listening clubs or jazz enthusiasts organizations in Brooklyn?

No, but as of now I’m involved with the Andy Kirk Research Foundation with Donald Sangster; he’s the chairman and I’m one of the vice chairmen, and I’m a letter writer.

What kind of work is the Andy Kirk Foundation involved in?

We’re trying to get jazz as part of the curriculum in the school. In fact we went to Bilal Abdurahman’s widow’s house in an attempt to get her to let us use his book. Bilal’s book needed editing as far as correct presentation is concerned, but the information in it is invaluable.

When I was coming up, most of the schools had some kind of music program. The first classical music I heard was in school, and I don’t hear any talk about music in schools now, and that’s one of the things the foundation is trying to do is put music in the school system. Students all should have a knowledge of the music, who played it, and where it came from. One of the things the Andy Kirk Research Foundation wants to do is preserve the history of the music. One of the things we’ve tried to get started is an archives. We had meetings at Medgar Evers [College] talking about these archives. Ray Abrams’ brother was saying how most of Ray’s stuff went to York College in Queens, and we said ‘Ray Abrams is a Brooklyn person, everything about him is Brooklyn, and it should be in Brooklyn.’ Medgar Evers sounded like they were listening, but nothing ever happened.

What about the Willie Jones Foundation?

He’s one of the reasons I got involved with Medgar Evers [College]. I thought the archives was going to come to pass, and Willie Jones was heavily involved with Medgar Evers and the then-president, who is no longer there. The president said he knew Willie Jones, he knew how active he was at one time, and he would have no objection to the archives being named after [Willie Jones]. So I felt like my reason for going there [Medgar Evers] had been accomplished. But the archives never became a fact. There was a lot of conversation that had Medgar Evers doing some building, on Bedford Avenue across from where they are now, they had some new construction going up, and they told us there would be some room set aside for the archives, but then we heard they didn’t have room for the archives. They had an architect map out all they were going to need for an archives, and the more I saw how much this was going to cost, the less I felt this was going to happen. And it never really happened.

What has become of the Willie Jones archives?

Ray Abrams stuff went to York College; his brother was going to do something about it if anything ever happened with Medgar Evers. In the midst of all of this he [Ray Abrams brother] died, so there was nobody pushing for this anymore. I gotta give Donald Sangster credit, he’s been trying since I’ve been involved with him to get the archives going. Wade Barnes, who has a band, has been talking about using the Slave Theater on Fulton Street, to do some things. Everybody is trying, but I don’t know who is succeeding. I give Sangster credit in that he doesn’t give up.

Since you have these classic photos of Brooklyn jazz, what about your own archives?

Whenever I hear about anybody writing – like Robin Kelley [Thelonious Monk book], and Fab Five being involved with Robin, I told him if he wanted to use any of my pictures he could use them, all I wanted was credit. So he gave me one of the books and inscribed it “Robin Kelley, with gratitude and respect.”

So where did Robin get your pictures?

From Fab Five [Freddy]. In the [Monk] book he talks about Willie Jones in Monk’s band.

Have you kept a lot of your photos and slides?

The originals are the ones you were looking at earlier; Fab Five has the slides.

How did Tony’s publicize their performances?

They had placards out front, and the regulars knew who was there. The time Art Blakey brought Etta Jones there, we already had a picture outside of who was going to be the singer appearing there. The budget was light and they couldn’t pay two singers, but once Etta started singing, she was the one who got paid.

Did the musicians who played at Tony’s play for the whole weekend, for weeks at a time, or what?

It would usually be for the weekend; whatever group they hired would be Friday, Saturday and Sunday. But of course since they only paid [union] scale, if they could find a better gig somewhere else, they went to the other gig.

Other than Tony’s and Putnam Central, which you mentioned, what are some of the other important Brooklyn jazz clubs?

The Continental on Nostrand Avenue; Kingston Lounge…

What was important about the Kingston Lounge?

Kingston Lounge was a class act. The Kingston Lounge was Rector Bailey’s spot, and they put on class shows. Most of the time when I went to the Kingston Lounge I was in the audience, not MC’ing. Elmo Hope was playing at the Continental and the legs of the piano stool were coming off the stage. I grabbed the legs and pushed it back up on stage and he never missed a note! The Crescent Lounge on Reed Avenue and Fulton Street; the Turbo Village was Halsey and Reed Avenue that was a nice jazz joint – not fancy, but quality jazz. The East…, I don’t know whether it was more political or musical. The Willoughby Temple, I think I saw Jackie McLean there, and there was an old Brooklyn bass player I grew up with named Franklin Skeete.

Do you have any other Brooklyn jazz memories you’d like to share with us?

The Arlington Inn had good local musicians that played there, but none of the big names. That’s about it… I still make it around if there’s something or someone I want to see.

I found that I usually got along with people; I tried not to be aggressive or abrasive, and I was very aware of what musicians were going through at that time – I know they were not being paid what they should have been paid, and sometimes gigs were few and far between, and I respected all of that and I treated them with respect.

Harlem jazz scribe Ron Scott, a past participant in our series of conversations with black jazz writers “Ain’t But a Few of Us,” and a regular contributor to the Amsterdam News among other outlets, wrote this appreciation of a truly unsung master jazz pianist, Johnny O’Neal. A native of Detroit Johnny O’Neal is most assuredly part of the pantheon of Detroit pianists. A former Jazz Messenger, O’Neal is one of those many unsung jazz artists deserving of your – and wider – recognition. In addition to the regular Johnny O’Neal gigs Ron chronicles here, you might also catch him in the DC area as part of the Jazz Knights lovely Monday night jazz series at Vicino’s in Silver Spring, MD. There are a number of such unsung masters out here toiling in the jazz fields and we intend to feature some on an occasional basis in The Independent Ear.

JOHNNY O’NEAL PURE PIANO
By Ron Scott

Pianist Johnny O’Neal has two regular weekly gigs; one on Saturday the “Round Midnight Session, starting at 12:30am at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club-Lounge (West 104th Street and Broadway), and on Sundays the “After Hours” session at 12:30am to closing at Smalls Jazz Club (183 West 10th in the West Village).

Those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of seeing him should definitely do whatever it takes to catch his performance. Art Tatum was the best pianist to touch the keys. O’Neal is a close second bar none. His unique genius style swings from the down-right home blues to gospel, stride, crazy improvisational straight-ahead jazz and his ballads will pull your heart strings to capacity.

So why this incredible pianist is just playing late night gigs is baffling to me, he is assuredly a marquee performer with all the goods. His talent is beyond approach, he possesses that old school performance motto; great playing ability, he is extremely engaging with a little humor and wit. Like Ray Charles he plays and sings his butt off.
During his recent gig at Smoke O’Neal wowed the audience with tunes like “This Could be the Start of Something Big.” This was not the Broadway Show tune that we were accustomed to he transformed this tune into a rousing uptempo jazz burner. The song was filled with his unique rich tones that transitioned into fierce melodic notes with wild crescendos before he easily came back to the familiar melody.

On the ballad “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone” he opened with an acappella intro with a smooth transition to scatting and then a cascading run of the piano keys and he was off into a signature O’Neal reconstructed ballad.

Eubie Blake’s song “I’ll Give A Dollar for a Dime” is one of O’Neal’s favorites, on this ballad his piano playing and vocals send vibrations to your soul.
He was amazing on Duke Ellington’s composition “Please Be Kind,” O’Neal noted it was a tribute to Art Tatum. On this tune like the rest he has the ability to stretch the basic melody into an exciting journey of rich crescendos, and acrobatic rhythms before returning to the original melody.

He closed the set with a down home gospel song “While the Blood is Running Warm in Your Veins.” The only thing missing was the southern Baptist preacher.
“I don’t like to be predictable,” stated O’Neal. I never write down what tunes I will be doing during a set. I just call out the tunes as we go along.” The Detroit pianist knows over 1,500 songs that he can play in any key. His improvisational interpretation of the American songbook and jazz repertoire is a unique gift.

The noted saxophonist Lou Donaldson [a man not generally given to heaping high praise] was also in the house that evening. After his set Donaldson walked up to O’Neal and said, “Man you can play, you are king of the piano.” Not only is O’Neal a genius on the piano but he an exceptionally nice person. In 2004 O’Neal portrayed the great Art Tatum in the Academy Award nominated film Ray. Upon hearing him play it immediately becomes clear why he was selected for the role.

O’Neal was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in 1997. In Alabama he worked with local jazz musicians before moving to New York. As a member of the Art Blakey Jazz Messengers he toured extensively throughout the U.S., Europe, South Africa and made five trips to Japan. His mentors are pianists Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson. It was Peterson who recommended him for the role in Ray. “When I think about the people that came before me it keeps my humility in check,” said O’Neal.

New Mexico is one of the less publicized beauty spots of this country. Past experiences in Santa Fe and Albuquerque have been very agreeable. Last weekend’s experience there as a small part of the annual New Mexico Jazz Festival was just one such occasion. Good friend and erstwhile saxophonist-composer Tom Guralnick is one of the unsung jazz arts presenting heroes. From virtually nothing Tom has carved out a scene for jazz and creative music in Albuquerque via his visionary performance space known as Outpost Productions. I first met Tom when Outpost was selected as one of the charter members of the former Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest National Jazz Network. Back then Tom was in the early stages of building a scene in Albuquerque and Outpost occupied a small abandoned storefront. Since then Tom has carved out an aesthetically-pleasing, comfortable 160-seat Outpost performance space that is somewhat reminiscent of Ruth Price’s comfortable former Jazz Bakery space in SoCal. (Interesting sidebar: old friend and jazz activist Yvonne Ervin, now based in Tucson, AZ, was on hand for some of the festivities in Albuquerque last weekend and is currently consulting with the new Jazz Bakery phoenix project; stay tuned…)

Some years ago the former Santa Fe jazz festival event morphed into the New Mexico Jazz Festival, which just celebrated its 6th running under the co-leadership of Tom Guralnick, Bob Martin (director of Santa Fe’s Lensic Performing Arts Center), and another old friend Bumblebee Bob Weil of the Santa Fe Jazz Foundation. So the NMJF now operates on a principle of presenting programs in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe during its annual July run. I was out there principally to participate in a book interview and signing with Randy Weston for our book African Rhythms on a lovely Saturday afternoon at the Outpost space in Albuquerque, an interview conducted by our distinguished friend, poet and retired NEA exec. A.B. Spellman (author of the essential book Four Lives in the Bebop Business). Later that evening Randy’s African Rhythms Quintet played a beautiful concert before a packed and deeply appreciative audience to close the NMJF ’11 at Santa Fe’s lovely Lensic Performing Arts Center (after some scrumptious fish and shrimp tacos at Bumblebee and his wife B.J.’s comfortable Baja Grill that is).

Tom Guralnick (left) and Bumblebee Bob Weil (center), Bob Martin (right) onstage at the Lensic

On Sunday afternoon Outpost presented a screening of ethnomusicologist and musician Steven Feld‘s deeply-penetrating film “Hallelujah!”, a study of the artistry of the late Ghanaian drummer-percussionist Kofi Ghanaba (aka Guy Warren), an old friend and colleague of Randy. It was a pleasure and honor to participate in the ensuing 3-way post-film discussion with Feld and Randy. If you’re not familiar with Ghanaba, don’t sleep… his was one of the deepest engagements with jazz music of any native African musician, including several recordings under his Western name Guy Warren.

The late Ghanaian drummer–percussionist-visionary Kofi Ghanaba (aka Guy Warren) in a scene from Steven Feld’s documentary “Hallelujah”

Another of the great pleasures of the trip to New Mexico was catching up with my dear friend, the great flutist-composer-conceptualist James Newton. James and his fabulous spouse live in a beautiful home north of Albuquerque, an abode festooned with an amazing art collection, including a significant number of Elizabeth Catlett’s works. Newton is living a sort of bi-state life as he continues to teach at UCLA, but as far as residence its obvious that his New Mexico abode is definitely where his heart is. On the drive up for one of his wife’s sumptuous meals (he’d duly forewarned me that she could “burn”) we had a chance to catch up. How’d he wind up in New Mexico? It seems the influence of his friend and NBA legend Michael Cooper of Laker fame was indelible and Newton soon fell in love with New Mexico climes. Flute-wise Newton’s singular artistry has been slowed by a lingering hand ailment, but that has merely accelerated his composition work. Newton has for many moons effectively straddled the jazz and contemporary classical music worlds and his latest release “Sacred Works” (New World Records) is a beautiful declaration of his mastery of the latter. Newton continues to compose prodigiously and reports that he has made progress in physically rehabbing his hand and is far from done with that golden flute. So again… stay tuned…


Multi-poll winning flutist-composer-educator James Newton

Carl Grubbs

Carl & Earl Grubbs with JC

Saxophonist-composer Carl Grubbs first came to my attention in the 1970s through the twin-saxophone ensemble he co-led with his late brother Earl called The Visitors. Part of their notoriety came from their being part of John Coltrane‘s family. But from the Visitors releases it was obvious that both Carl and Earl Grubbs artistry could stand on its own; there was no sense of their pandering to the Coltrane legacy. Since that time Carl has settled in Baltimore, where he is quite active. Equally so is his activist wife Barbara Grubbs. Together they founded Contemporary Arts Inc., which recently received a Residency Program grant from Chamber Music America to foster an extensive residency by Baltimore reedman-composer-bandleader Todd Marcus. That such a grassroots organization as this, outside the usual media capitals and engaging a young, emerging artist like Marcus would garner such a grant was good news and raised some questions, so a sort of oral history with Barbara Grubbs seemed in order. And besides that, a lot of folks tend to sleep Baltimore and its rich jazz history; so here’s a chronicle of some contemporary jazz activity in Charm City.

What is the mission and activities of Contemporary Arts Inc.?

Founded in 1997 by Carl and Barbara Grubbs, Contemporary Arts Inc. is a nonprofit 501© (3) arts organization. After many years of involvement with performing arts organizations in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., the founders have brought together the musical and artistic expertise of Carl Grubbs, internationally renowned Saxophonist, composer and educator and the administrative skills of Barbara Harrell Grubbs, retired educator. Carl Grubbs, Artistic Director, and the Artistic Committee of Contemporary Arts Inc have the responsibility for program development.
From 1997 – 2003 Contemporary Arts Inc collaborated with Govans Economic Management Senate, Inc. and Loyola College to bring SAX: Music and Dance Camp to the community. In 2004, GEMS withdrew from the partnership and St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center, Inc. became a partner in the collaboration and the fiscal agent for Contemporary Arts Inc. In 2002 Contemporary Arts Inc. was incorporated in the state of Maryland. The organization obtained its 501© (3) tax exempt status in 2004. Since 2004 WEAA. /MSU 89.9FM radio has served as the media partner for the camp program.
The mission of Contemporary Arts Inc is to preserve and advance the appreciation of the Jazz art form throughout the community through education and performance. Contemporary Arts Inc has as its primary objectives under its mission:
• Preserve Jazz, voted by the U.S. Congress, “America’s National Treasure” as an American art form
• Provide role models and opportunities for aspiring artists of all ages
• Focus on the educational, creative and artistic well-being of children
• Provide opportunities for education and entertainment to general audiences, musicians, students and other live music enthusiasts
• Collaborate with professional artists and other like-minded organizations regionally, nationally and internationally
• Expose the community to new exciting performing arts
Accomplishments – Since our inception we have:
? Provided music and dance training and appreciation to over 1,000 youth participants
? Provided tuition-free scholarships to students attending local public and private schools in the Baltimore metropolitan area
? Provided referrals to families to enroll participants for private music lessons
? Provided Field trip learning experiences Examples: Open rehearsal of the BSO (2000); Smithsonian exhibit, “300 Years of the Piano” (01); US. Navy Commodore Jazz Band Concert (US Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.)(02); Franklin Institute, IMAX Theater, PULSE: A STOMP Odyssey, Philadelphia, PA (03); New Haven Lounge jazz concert for participants and parents (04); The Maryland Science Theater (05); Walters Art Gallery/An Die Musik – Lunch and Jazz workshop/concert with Ernest Dawkins Trio of Chicago (06); The American Visionary Arts Museum – tour, lunch, jazz concert by Vann Durham, Blues harmonica (07); NASA Goddard Space Flight Center – tour and lunch (08) and the Hippodrome Theater (09)The Baltimore Museum of Art (10)
? Provided opportunities for participants to interact with internationally renowned professional artists which include Odean Pope, Saxophonist and Pew Foundation recipient and (00), Elmer Gibson, Pianist (01), Rene McLean, Saxophonist (02) Ronnie Burrage, Drummer (03) Sel Kardan-Peabody (04) Cleveland Chandler (04); Frederick Joiner, trombonist, composer, educator (05) Elizabeth Borowsky, Miss Patuxent 2005, Classical pianist (05) Aaron Walker, Drummer/Percussionist (06) Chris Sullivan, bassist (07) and Nassar Abadey, drummer (08) and the Philadelphia Clef Club Youth Jazz Ensemble (09) Donald Harrell, Drummer/storyteller(10)
? Presented The Annual Coltrane Celebration on the anniversary of the birthday of John Coltrane for the past five years in collaboration with An Die Musik Live, Baltimore City with such guest artists as Reggie Workman, Odean Pope, Salim Washington, Francis Davis and Ashley Khan,
? Presented the 2009 & 2010 Baker Award recipients in performance during Free Fall Baltimore (in collaboration with The Enoch Pratt Free Library, downtown branch
? Established partnerships with St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center and WEAA/MSU Radio, the Baltimore County Department of Aging, ARTLink – Waverly community, Baltimore City Dept. of Human Resources, the Howard County Dept. of Recreation and Parks, Randallstown H.S. in Baltimore County , An die Musik LIVE and the Enoch Pratt Free Library.
? Concluded the Maryland Traditions Project Grant with the recording of the CD, Maryland Traditions in Jazz, featuring the Carl Grubbs/Lafayette Gilchrist Ensemble, performing the music of Eubie Blake, Chick Webb, Billie Holiday, Albert Dailey and Carl Grubbs.
? PresentedThe Makanda Project Band of Boston in concert (a partnership with An die Musik)(2009,2010) Performing the music of Ken Makanda McIntyre
? Presented The Elmer Gibson Trio in concert (a partnership with An die Musik)(2010)
? Presented the Warren Oree and The Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble
? 2008 – 2011Jazz Academy Summer Camp with the Howard County Recreation and Parks. Carl Grubbs, Camp Director at Hammond H.S. for campers 8 – 16, M-F,
? 1997-2011SAX: Music and Dance Camp Program, Loyola University Maryland. . Artist-in-Residence and visiting artists: John Lamkin (Trumpet), Adam Hopkins (Bass), Rob Levit (Guitar), Eric Allen (drums), David McDuffie, chess master
? 2009 – 2011Jazz Improvisation Workshops for instrumental students, with Carl Grubbs at Randallstown H.S. Sept. 2009 – April 2011. Twelve workshop sessions will at times include visiting artists. Three concert performances for parents and the community
? Jazz at Senior Centers in Baltimore County is a collaborative effort with the Baltimore County Department of Aging. Performances at six senior centers will feature the Carl Grubbs Ensemble, St. Paul School Jazz Band and other local youth jazz ensembles
? Administering the 2011CMA Residency Program grant and our partnership with The Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra

How did you develop this partnership with the Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra and why did you feel he and his band were so ideally suited for this project?

Todd Marcus (bass clarinet) with his quartet

Initially I contacted the Director of the program to get information as to how Contemporary Arts Inc could submit our artists to participate in the Residency Partnership program. However, our artists were not suitable for the program.
CMA is looking to support small ensembles that have a history of performing together and provide these ensembles the opportunity to expand their performances to many different audiences and youth. It was suggested that we support another ensemble, The Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra.

I have great knowledge of The Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra, the musicians in the group, and their continued efforts to bring the music to audiences over a period of time. In addition Todd Marcus, in the early stages of his career, had been a student of Carl Grubbs. Todd is actively involved in promoting the Orchestra and finding supporters to provide a means to financially continue their work. In addition, over a year ago Todd became a volunteer of Contemporary Arts Inc. We do have a working history.
I contacted Todd and he readily agreed to the partnership opportunity that this grant provided. I am also aware of his work ethic and that made our working relationship so very rewarding. Carl and I have on many occasions attended performances of the band at a variety of venue in the Baltimore area.

The Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra is ideally suited for this project because of the length of time they have been together, their board experience in teaching and conducting clinics in the U.S. and abroad and their repertoire which includes standard tunes and original music. The music they perform is consistent with the mission of our organization; to preserve the traditions of the jazz art form as well as to encourage the creation of new music.

Two of the goals of this project are kind of the Holy Grail for jazz presenters: “..to engage youth in jazz and build greater support among the general public.: How do you foresee this project engaging youth and developing audiences?

The project is organized so that the Jazz Orchestra (9 members or any other grouping) will provide clinics and concerts. Currently Contemporary Arts Inc conducts three projects that are designed to engage youth; The Jazz Academy, a two-week jazz camp in Howard County, The SAX: Music & Dance Camp Program, a two-week jazz, music and dance program on the campus of Loyola University and the Workshops in Jazz Performance and Jazz Improvisation held at Randallstown H.S. in Baltimore County during the school year. The orchestra will provide clinics at these locations. During these sessions, clinicians will provide information, and demonstrate performance techniques. Participants will have the opportunity to perform with professionals.
The orchestra will provide a clinic on July 15th at the Jazz Academy, Atholton Middle School., 1 – 2:30 pm.
The orchestra will conduct a clinic/concert at St. Paul’s School in Brooklandville, MD, a private institution.

How did you determine the particular sites where the programs of this project will take place, and how do they in particular meet your stated goal of presenting the music outside the “traditional performance venues.

Clinics and concerts are supported by participating community partners who have committed their venues for these activities. As a means of bolstering our current programs for youth therefore clinics/concerts have been scheduled for Atholton Middle School, Loyola University Summer Camp Program and Randallstown H.S.
Randallstown does not have a jazz band, so the clinics will be directed to music students with an interest in jazz. A Concert will be held at the school for the student body. Carl Grubbs is Jazz Band Director and therefore recommended St. Paul’s school as a participating community partner. Other community partners are Jubilee Arts Inc and the Maryland Academy of Music with whom Todd Marcus has a relationship.

The Jazz Orchestra will also perform a concert at the Reisterstown Senior Center.
Non-traditional concert venues included are: Jubilee Arts, Kittamagundi Community Church, St. Paul’s School, Randallstown H.S., and Reisterstown Senior Center.

Traditional venues for the concerts are the Creative Alliance at the Patterson and An Die Music LIVE. Concerts at these venues will bring revenue to assist us in matching the funds we receive from CMA.

Ultimately what do you hope the impact of this project will be on the Baltimore community, and what would you say to encourage other organizations to pursue similar projects in their communities?

This award has brought a great deal of excitement to the members of our organization as we see it as giving us national notoriety for the work we do in the community.
This project has garnered the support of a variety of performance arts venues, schools, senior centers who have committed their resources to this partnership. That we have been able to acquire the support of such diverse community partners is encouraging and speaks to their interest in providing jazz arts education and appreciation to their clients and persons of all ages. Our community partners are Randallstown H.S. in Baltimore County (a public school) and St. Paul’s in Brooklandville (a private school); Jubilee Arts (a non-profit community organization); the Maryland Academy of Music (a private organization). To further the participation of youth in the community, clinic/concerts will be offered at the two camps sponsored by our organization; Jazz Arts Academy in Howard County (July) and SAX: Music and Dance Program on the campus of Loyola University Maryland (Aug.). Youth participants from school and camp programs will be invited to participate in upcoming concert performance. Through the sponsorship of our organization the band will perform at Reisterstown Senior Center in Baltimore Co.
The Baltimore community can take note of these collaborations and take this as a sign that through perseverance, they too can obtain the necessary support required for the growth and development of up and coming jazz artists, jazz presenting organizations and the continuance of jazz in non-traditional places throughout the communities. The key words for the creation and development of this project have been relationships and determination.

To loosely paraphrase an age-old bromide, Know and recognize the truth and the truth will set you free. The only way to defeat racism is to recognize it’s existence and confront it head on. That my friends is one of the cornerstones of the Independent Ear. Yes there are times when taking positions in recognizing racism in this music is unpopular in some corners. Yes, unfortunately there are those who – high-minded or free of racist impulses or not – somehow fail to recognize racial disparities. Have you ever heard an African American, or any American of color for that matter, come close to forming their lips to suggest that we live in a post-racial society, that we’ve reached the end of racism? Yet that ridiculous notion is afoot in this age of Obama.

Recently I called an otherwise well-meaning jazz magazine editor to raise questions on what I felt was a real imbalance in the images in said magazine purporting to represent jazz music that particular month. The editor’s response was the kind people of color have become all too used to, some variation on how the editor doesn’t “see color” and apparently doesn’t take into account a need to present some measure of balance in the publication. While it seems that all too many in the so-called “majority” populace in this country either don’t, or try hard not to, look at things through the prism of racial perspectives. However years of discrimination — overt or covert — has taught people of color to view life in this country quite differently. Frankly, were we talking about European classical, country & western, heavy metal (though one could make a case for Screamin’ Jay Hawkins as a godfather of that form), or bluegrass music, then perhaps such an imbalance of images (i.e. overwhelmingly white) is excusable owed to the nature of those musics and the great majority who perform them. But we’re not, we’re talking JAZZ MUSIC here… no need to belabor the obvious birth source of that great music. Again, why do people of color always have to point out these disparities?

The brilliant pianist-composer-bandleader Orrin Evans has lately devoted several substantive Facebook messages to issues related to racial disparities as he sees them. As a result a certain writer has branded Orrin a racist. Why is it so disturbing to some folks when these issues and disparities are exposed and laid out for all to see? Why is the response of so many of the so-called “majority” populace in this country, when called to task on issues of racism, respond with some variation of ‘oh, I never knew that/didn’t recognize that/don’t see that?’ Writer and broadcaster Gregory Thomas has recently embarked upon a series of articles in All About Jazz (www.allaboutjazz.com) on subjects relative to race & jazz. In Thomas’ current part 3 of his series, he speaks with the accomplished jazz and film writer Gary Giddins, who recognizes that “Racial sensitivity is not going to go away in our lifetimes. It’s just there – it’s part of America… I’m not sure if the idea of color-blindness is the best virtue when we know there is an inequity in how people get hired. The inequity has to do with racism.”

Greg Thomas was a contributor to the Independent Ear’s ongoing series on black jazz writers, Ain’t But a Few of Us. So naturally we had some questions for him about his current series on race & jazz in AAJ.

Writer Greg Thomas on his best behavior – with his lovely bride

What prompted you to begin this series on Race and Jazz, and how many parts do you anticipate contributing?

I began the series on Race and Jazz Race and Jazz for several reasons. One was to prompt discussions by the jazz community that go deeper than most conversations about race on radio or network and cable television, or even print publications. Another was because I wanted the freedom to write without the usual space and editorial constraints.

Yet another reason is to amplify a conception of culture as a more accurate and acceptable basis for understanding group and individual dynamics rather than the idea of race, a concept tied to skin color and power relations. [Editor’s note: indeed, the whole concept of “race” is an artificial, man-made construct.]

And most of all, I’m doing this 12-part series because I think the key to the resolution to the “race” problem, both in jazz and the society, is found right in the values and practices of the music itself. So, the main motivation is to show how jazz can help us overcome one of the most intractable issues of our time, which has been a problem in the United States since before the nation became a nation.

You’ve certainly spoken the truth, yet some folks would rather not deal with the truth. But ultimately what do you hope readers will take away from your series?

I hope readers gain insight into the various ways race has informed and deformed the jazz discourse over time. Jazz, as a cultural product of black folks in the United States, had to be shaped in part by race, since the idea—and the beliefs and behavior which come from that idea—is central to the history of the nation. So jazz, of necessity, is informed by race, but I think “culture” is the true key to unlock the power and magnificence of this great art form.

But since culture, as I explicated in detail in the second essay of the column, is so often confused with race, “race” ends up deforming the conversations and thoughts of many who discuss jazz history, jazz in contemporary times, as well as the larger meaning and values of the music.

What kind of comments and feedback have you gotten from this series thus far and how would you respond to that feedback?

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive, both in the comments section under the essays, and on Facebook. I tried to answer each comment for the very first column entry, so I urge folks reading this to check out the back and forth for the “Jazz vs Racism” essay. The hyperlink above, in my answer to your first question, will take readers to a page at All About Jazz in which each one of the Race and Jazz columns can be accessed.

In one interesting case, a Facebook friend of mine, Darryl Cox, and I had a philosophical disagreement. In a nutshell, I see the glass as half full, and he sees it as half empty, and we had an exchange that amplifies those points of view. In another, Joan Cartwright, founder and director of Women in Jazz South Florida, asked how the column addresses economic fairness as well as jazz and sexism. Again, I suggest that folks check out my responses in the comments section of the first essay to see my answer to her query.

It’s understandable that folks want to address the issues that most concern them. But I wanted to put a spotlight on race and jazz, past and present, to confront the predicaments and silences and disparities caused by race. Class, gender, and other issues are important too, no doubt, but I’m clear on my theme and intent. And those other admittedly related issues will be confronted as they arise organically. For instance, in the third column, the racism that underlies the lack of recognition and economic opportunities of black writers on jazz is discussed.

These days, many folks, as I say in the column, “sweep race under the rug.” I’m pulling the rug away, and exposing some of the dirt, so it can be seen and swept away. I also want the column to serve a maintenance function. All adults who have to clean for themselves know that a one-time sweeping is just that: one-time. Dust and dirt must be cleaned away consistently. So for those already aware of these issues, and who have themselves envisioned and lived their own resolutions to the “race” situation, the column can serve as a way to not only discover but to maintain resolutions to the problem.

As I just mentioned, my third column [has just posted at www.allaboutjazz.com]. It features an interview with Gary Giddins, one of the top jazz writers and critics of the last 30+ years. He identifies disappointing racial disparities in major newsrooms and in specific awards given by the Jazz Journalists Association. He defends the contributions and worth of the work of Amiri Baraka, Stanley Crouch, Albert Murray, and others. So, unlike the first two columns, which dealt with, one, my personal experience in overcoming the temptation of racism, and, two, past examples of how cultural reality and the power of jazz supersede “race,” this third essay is tackling race and jazz in the present-day.

The subject matter may be controversial, but we’ll roll and swing with things no matter what.

What must we do to encourage young writers of color to contribute to the jazz reportage and literature on this music?

Imagine a summer camp for young writers of color, where they would be baptized into the fires of jazz, until they spoke in aesthetic tongues that they don’t fully understand right now. We would show how jazz is tied to others types of roots, pop and fine art music, to various genres they may be more familiar with. We’d have them experience the music live, not just on record, because that way they can have a more sensual engagement with the music. The music has to get in their bodies and their emotions, not just in their heads based on the music’s historical importance. But we’d also play audio and videos of the masters of the idiom, so they can know what the art form sounds like, looks like and feels like, at the very highest levels. Ideally, we’d also have master classes with true living masters of jazz—that would drive home the message too. We’d also show them the ties that bind together the music and the other cultural expressions and practices that give meaning to their lives in the United States, and even globally.

So, education is essential. As is business and entrepreneurship. You and I have talked about the horrible state of the black audience for jazz. We also know that the recording and music industries are in flux, big time. These are problems that can present business opportunities for those with the guts, foresight and vision, and ability to bring resources to bear to address them. If young writers of color see a vibrant scene happening, they are more likely to be drawn to it. Let’s not just wring our hands about the predicaments, let’s swing into action to confront them. Young people, especially those attuned to hip hop entrepreneurship, will be more interested if we, an older generation, act boldly and take risks that can pay off big, or that may have us go down in flames. The risk-taking that doesn’t pay off in the short run—if it doesn’t kill you—can be what Albert Murray, in The Hero and the Blues, wrote of Thomas Mann’s Joseph character: “. . . he proceeds as if each setback were really a recoil action for a greater leap forward, as if each downfall were a deliberately designed crouch for a higher elevation.”

Talk about your recent affiliation with the New York Daily News, how you’re starting to fill the jazz reportage gap at that paper, and your plans for that affiliation.

I have Gary Giddins to thank for urging me to go after a spot writing about jazz at the Daily News.

Howard Mandel, who leads the Jazz Journalists Association, held a town hall meeting in the Big Apple during the APAP conference in January 2010. During this discussion, Gary Giddins talked about the days when all sorts of publications covered jazz, way, way more than today. He specifically mentioned that he thought someone should try to write for the New York Daily News. They hadn’t covered the music in years, which made no sense for the largest circulation daily in the jazz capital.

Later that year I called Gary to discuss this issue further and he urged me to go for it. He said that writers just assume that if a publication wanted to cover jazz, they’d be doing so already, and hence don’t even try to break in. He recalled his own experience at the Village Voice, where he approached them, and as soon as he began writing about jazz, the paper’s advertising revenue from jazz clubs increased.

So I tracked down a retired black executive of the Daily News whom I had met back in the late 1990s to pitch my desire to write for the paper, in terms not only of my fit and experience as a jazz writer but also in business terms. I said to this former Vice-President: why is the Daily News leaving all jazz-related ad revenue to the New York Times and other publications that still cover the music regularly? Although the music industry overall is hurting and the city and the country is coming out of a recession, New York still has a viable, active jazz scene, and several jazz publications are thriving here. I told him they were missing out on advertising dollars.

That’s how you can really get their attention.

The retired Daily News executive liked both aspects of my pitch, so he put me in touch with a key person—a sister—still inside the Daily News, who hooked me up with Robert Heisler, the Features Editor. Fortunately, he digs jazz and likes my writing. (I later found out that the Editor-in-Chief likes jazz too.) In January, my first feature focused on Chick Corea, who was about to perform with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. The piece was a home run, and elicited great traffic and feedback. Since then they’ve published close to 20 pieces by me, including features on Esperanza Spalding, Jimmy Heath and Benny Golson, Miguel Zenón, Dianne Reeves, Barbara Carroll, Milton Nascimento, Marcus Roberts, the 50th anniversary of Impulse!, the Bill Charlap trio, the pairing of Jason Moran and Meshell Ndegeocello for a “Fats Waller Dance Party” in Harlem, Latin jazz artists and the Grammy cuts controversy, the 10th anniversary of the Juilliard Jazz program, and more.

Just last month, I had a whole page devoted to jazz CD reviews, which I’ll be writing on a monthly basis for the paper.

I share these details in the hope that younger writers of color (and even discouraged ones of my generation and older) will take my example and use it as a model upon which they can learn and succeed. I’ve been in the proverbial shed for a long time as a journalist, over 20 years in fact. So perseverance, strategic planning, excellent execution and consistent follow-through are the keys, along with talent and developing and tapping into a social and professional network.

Right now I’m still working on a freelance basis with the paper; I’m striving to become a staff writer there, while making entry into other publications of note that pay well. Man, I’ve got a family to feed and a daughter a few years from college, so I ain’t got no time to waste!