Sunday, August 31, 2008

Hurricane Update

Resources:
Visible Satellite

Image

Loop

Infrared Satellite

Image

Loop

NOLA.com

WGMB FOX44 Baton Rouge

WVLA NBC33 Baton Rouge

WWL-TV News

FOX8 Live

KLFY Lafayette News

KADN Fox15 Lafayette

WKRG5 Gulfport

Emergency.Louisiana.gov

City of New Orleans Emergency Preparedness

Mississippi Emergency Management

New Orleans a Ghost Town

Some late info...

A Low-Tech Vacation on Kaua'i

A visit to the very cool Waimea Plantation Cottages...

A Mongolian Visits Hawai'i

Culture shock?

Sunday Music Digest

An early review of the Detroit International Jazz Festival:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080830/ENT04/80830009

"What's Going On" with New Orleans' Dirty Dozen Brass Band...

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080831/ART10/808300271

Ringo's recent All-Starr Tour cashed in at casinos

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20080831-9999-1a31dice.html

A visit to the Okra Festival in Alabama (yes, they had music there)

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080830/NEWS/80830004

And Edgar Winter rocks the House of Blues in Dallas

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/083108dnentedgar.2a4da036.html

Saturday, August 30, 2008

NYC Waterfalls' Hours Reduced

"New York City is addressing residents' complaints about salt from the waterfalls exhibition by cutting in half the hours per week they flow, News 4 New York has learned.

Four waterfalls built as an art spectacle on Manhattan's East River became the subject of an eco-uproar for the damage their mist is doing to the waterfront greenery."

Kaua'i Beach Shut by Black Tip Shark Sighting

Ke‘e Beach on the north shore of Kaua'i was closed yesterday afternoon due to a shark sighting in the area.

New Hawai'i Stamp

From our friends at Hawai'i Magazine, a preview of the new USPS stamp coming out Tuesday.

Restoring Kahoolawe, Part 2

Volunteers!

Saturday Music Digest

Preview of a new CD by Edgar Winter

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-edgarwinter_0828gl.ART.State.Edition1.4d7f02f.html

More music coming to Lowell MA and Nashua NH

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080828/ENCORE01/308289995/-1/OPINION01

Randy Newman in New Orleans

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/22700341/bad_mood_rising

John Fogerty sighting

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/28/proud-moment-with-dylan-inspired-fogerty/

And Bix Beiderbecke, restored:

http://www.jazzpolice.com/content/view/7874/79/

Friday, August 29, 2008

In Search of Coconut Pie in Hawai'i

From our friends at Hawai'i Magazine, looking for the best haupia.

50 Years Ago Today...

On August 29th, 1958, George Harrison joined John Lennon's band The Quarrymen.

"Sgt' Pepper" As You've Never Heard It Before

"MusicRadar has located two breathtaking YouTube clips in which you can hear the real genius of The Beatles at work."

Hawaiian Music Digest

Yet another in an occasional series...

A look at Hula Records:

http://honoluluweekly.com/entertainment/2008/08/old-roots-new-roots/

Ukulele lovers stand tall

http://www.telegram.com/article/20080829/NEWS/808290375/11021970s

Hawaiian music legends Cecilio and Kapono reunite:

http://starbulletin.com/2008/08/29/features/genegabus.html

And Hawai'i Magazine picks John Cruz as one of its "Best of Hawai'i" winners

http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/blogs/hawaii_today/2008/8/27/best_of_Hawaii_John+Cruz

New Orleans Throws Satchmo a Birthday Party

He would have been 107 years old.

Friday Music Digest

Archiving music with veteran producer Opal Nations:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/27/DDKH12IO3M.DTL

Interview with the trumpet group New Orleans 100

http://www.psfk.com/2008/08/new-orleans-100-interview-with-trumpet-group.html

The Midnight Juggernauts remix Johnny Cash?

http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=122&title=midnight_juggernauts_remix_johnny_cash_f&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

The latest version of "Guitar Hero"...Christian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/aug/28/christian.guitar.hero.to.hit.shelves

A look back at early jazzman King Oliver

http://www.jazz.com/encyclopedia/2008/7/17/oliver-joe-king

And a tribute to recently-deceased Swedish jazz artist Esbjörn Svensson...

http://www.jazz.com/encyclopedia/2008/8/20/svensson-esbjrn

Thursday, August 28, 2008

More NYC Waterfall Problems

Hmmm...

Speaking of Slack Key...

Auwe! Slack Key legend Led Kaapana, whom some of us saw live at Lowell in 2000, celebrated his 60th birthday by playing some music with Peter Moon, then went to the Likelike Drive-In to get some grinds.

From KGMB via Auntie Maria:

"While inside eating, a local boy who some had seen circling the car, broke in and stole Ledward's Bird's Eye Maple Ibanez guitar."

Slack Key On Tour

Ono Kaua'i slack key guitarist Cindy Combs will be doing some gigs at several libraries on O'ahu. As I recall she did this last year too.

Kailua Dog Fest

"The first-ever Da Kine Canine Festival will take place in Kailua on Saturday, September 6, 2008 from 8 am – 11 am"

Thursday Music Digest

Two new books about what Bob Wills called "the biggest little instrument in the world-mandolin"

http://www.mandolincafe.com/news/publish/mandolins_00930.shtml

An intriguing new reggae release from Jamaica

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/onhold/20080826T210000-0500_139513_OBS_LADY_SINGS_THE__REGGAE__BLUES.asp

The monetary value of a rock star's John Hancock?

http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/08/27/the-write-way-to-make-a-fortune/

A look at "Love", the Beatles project featuring Cirque de Soleil:

http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=31501

"Hula-The Art of Hawaiian Dance"

http://gohawaii.about.com/b/2008/08/27/aloha-festivals-2008-celebrates-hula-the-art-of-hawaiian-dance.htm

Yesterday, it was ukulele madness in New Zealand. Today, it's ukulele madness next door in Australia

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=621724

And a look at an interesting band from N'Orleans, The 'Vettes.

http://offbeat.com/artman/publish/article_3286.shtml

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Must Be Tough

Area forecast discussion

National Weather Service Honolulu HI
400 PM HST Wednesday Aug 27 2008

Synopsis... moderate trade winds are expected through the end of the week. A slight decrease in winds is expected during the weekend...but look for winds to increase again next week. Trade wind showers will favor windward and Mauka areas.

Discussion... good model agreement with a high pressure ridge north of the state being the main weather feature during the forecast period. A low pressure system moving in from the west will help to disrupt the ridge...despite the fact that the low is expected to move north along the west side of the ridge. This interaction will reduce the trade winds over the islands a bit this weekend. The band of clouds upstream of the islands remains over Oahu and Maui County this afternoon.

As a result...have made some minor modifications to various areas with regards to probability of precipitation for the first part of the night. Rainfall over the windward areas was in the neighborhood of a quarter to a third of in from Kauai to Maui...with no rain reported by The Big Island rain gages. The most rain fell at the Ulupalakua gage on Maui where the gage reported 0.49 inches between 1 and 2 PM.

Hfo watches/warnings/advisories... none.

Sky Pilot

SYDNEY, Aug. 28 (AP) - (Kyodo)—A skeleton thought to belong to a World War II pilot has been discovered dangling in the jungle canopy in Papua New Guinea, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported Thursday.

"Hi, Dick!"

Final snapshot, this time from Center Sandwich village...sharp-eyed TV fans will immediately recognize this view as coming from the opening title sequence of "Newhart" (the Vermont inkeeper show that was all a dream). Said show is slowly coming out on DVD, but it will be milked for all it's worth before the epic finale comes out.

Even though "The Stratford Inn" was in Vermont, several of the camera shots in the opening sequence were in fact filmed in Sandwich and neighboring Holderness.

"Dick" and "Joanna" drove by this intersection in one of those opening shots. Bear left as they did to get on Skinner Street, or turn right for Mead Base and Sandwich Notch.

"I Am SHOCKED!"

Sandwich, New Hampshire Part 2:

Just down the road (south) apiece from where I took the vista of Mt. Chocorua, this is the house that was the home to Mr. and Mrs. Claude Rains in the 1960s. I previously showed a shot of their headstones in nearby Moultonborough.

Claude of course was an actor of some note, best known as the speaker of the post title in the classic film "Casablanca".

Visit To A Small New Hampshire Town

A business assignment took me today to one of the cooler little towns here in central New Hampshire, Sandwich. It's located just to the north of Squam Lake (aka "Golden Pond") and just south of the "front range" of the White Mountains, the Sandwich/Whiteface/Chocorua range, which are the first mountains above 3,000 feet in elevation.

Here's the first of several vistas I saw today during my visit. This is looking northeast to Mt. Chocorua, one of the most photographed peaks in the US (although never from this angle as I took this shot from a location I cannot divulge). Chocorua used to be called "The Matterhorn of America" even though it is many times lower and is named after a legendary Chief.

In the 1800s, one of the hiking trails to the summit of Chocorua actually had a toll booth, and the first time I climbed it via another trail in the 1960s we had to park and pay on private land to get to the (public) trailhead.

Best of Fried

A visit to the Texas State Fair fried food contest.

"Mr. Gonzales’ deep-fried pineapple — the fire — is topped with banana-flavored whipped cream that’s been frozen in liquid nitrogen — the ice. The concoction is then covered with syrupy strawberries.

It’s safe to eat, and Mr. Gonzales said kids will enjoy a fun side effect: After placing the frozen whipped cream in your mouth, you can blow smoke out of your nose and mouth when you exhale."

Taro Patch

The role of taro in the 50th state.

Wednesday Music Digest

Ukulele madness in New Zealand (2 links)

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0808/S00277.htm

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/thepress/4669872a6530.html

For a "retired" musician, Brah Hugh Masekela hasn't slowed down a bit!

http://www.newcitychicago.com/chicago/8082.html

Joss and Colosio revive the art of stupid music:

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/country-swing-makes-comeback-new/story.aspx?guid=%7BCE8FE3E7-88E0-4A36-86C7-668F87BBFB49%7D&dist=hppr

Jazz and Hip-Hop: can they really mix?

http://www.jazz.com/jazz-blog/2008/8/26/jazz-and-hip-hop-one

NPR goes to the Monterey Jazz Fest:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14571634&ps=sa

And New Orleans musicians shine in Denver-

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/26/irma-thomas-henry-butler-start-etown-new-orleans-s/

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

SuperFerry Update

"The future of the Superferry on Kaua‘i still remains up in the air."

We Travel the Spaceways

NASA's Mars Exploration rover Opportunity is heading back out to the Red Planet's surrounding plains nearly a year after descending into a large Martian crater to examine exposed ancient rock layers.

"We've done everything we entered Victoria Crater to do and more," said Bruce Banerdt, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. Banerdt is project scientist for Opportunity and its rover twin, Spirit.

Photo here

http://www.physorg.com/newman/gfx/news/hires/marsroveropp.jpg

Kukuiula Ground Broken

A few days back I mentioned the new Kukuiula development off of Lawai Road in Koloa; this morning the ground was broken.

50th State to Ban Plastic Bags

Counties in Hawai'i are moving ahead with measures to ban plastic checkout bags at retail businesses due to environmental concerns. ...

Another Grand Canyon Rescue

Helicopter rescue...

Honolulu's Uncle Tom Moffatt-Forever Young

One of the "Poi-Boy" DJs from the old K-POI that I gew up with living in Kailua was "Uncle" Tom Moffatt, who was also an early friend of Col. Parker; Tom in fact introduced Elvis to the Sandwich Islands. Now he has a new compilation out.

Tuesday Music Digest

Music in Motion

http://www.sunherald.com/prnewswire/story/770730.html

A real live rock and roll fantasy camp:

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/music/articles/2008/08/25/20080825fantasycamp.html

Blues and gospel music meet in South Africa

http://www.tonight.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4577815&fSectionId=365&fSetId=251

Sir Paul about to perform in Israel

http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Paul_McCartney_Will_Perform_In_Israels_Capital_23016.html

And a look at Victor Spinetti, who acted in "A Hard Days Night" and "Help!"

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/08/25/george-s-mother-used-to-fancy-me-says-victor-100252-21597610/

Monday, August 25, 2008

When Good Lizards Go Bad

Where's Jonny Quest when you need him?

Another "Keely" Smith?

This one's a lady wave-rider...

R.I.P. Drummer Buddy Harman

Got this sad news via e-mail from original NRBQ drummer Tom Staley this morning:

"Besides "Pretty Woman" and "Little Sister", Buddy was also the drummer on all the Johnny Burnette Trio and Everly Brothers stuff. His creation on "Cathy's Clown" earned him an immediate pass into heaven."

Buddy was also an original member of a great 1980s band called The Nashville Superpickers, which also included former Bob Wills fiddler Johnny Gimble, steel guitar great Buddy Emmons, and world-class harmonica cat Charlie McCoy. Click on the post title for the NY Times obit...

Monday Music Digest

Another young ukulele master...watch out, Jake!

http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=8887938A

Kentucky radio station sells all its music on vinyl

http://www.kentucky.com/news/state/story/500147.html

77 year young jazzman Sonny Rollins sighted:

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/jazz/1123099,SHO-Sunday-jazz24.article

A Moroccan music fest in the Bay Area

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/23/MNVT12DQ9V.DTL

And a small Maryland guitar factory gets some financial aid:

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/08_24-07/BUS

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Hawai'i Pollen in Peril

Bee mites wipe out island hives.

Hawai'i Wins Little League Gold Medal

Final score: 12-3. As was the case with the 'Ewa Beach team, the Waipahu team ended up going undefeated thru the tournament.

Box score will be added to the Post title hyperlink shortly.

UPDATE: Click post title for box score, and link below for interview

http://www.littleleague.org/worldseries/game32.html

Another Island Athlete

Overshadowed by the running of Jamaica's Usain Bolt and the swimming guy from elsewhere in the US, Kaneohe's Bryan Clay won the Gold Medal in the "traditional" Summer Olympic competition.

Pineapple Sunday

In the World Championship, Hawai'i has scored in every inning, and currently leads Mexico 7-3. They just finished batting in their part of the 4th inning, and despite getting some insurance runs thanks to a home run, they also left the bases loaded-for the second time in the game.

Little Feat Meets Big Al

Little Feat has covered Big Al Anderson's "Something in the Water" with Bob Seger and Brad Paisley. Click post title for details.

Mauna Kea's First Telescope Retired

Built in 1968.

Kaua'i Goes Hog Wild

"The trouble,” one tour guide quipped, “is that we have only one KFC on the whole island of Kaua'i.”

Sunday Music Digest

Preview of a Guitar Fest Down Under

http://www.australianstage.com.au/news/industry-news/the-2008-adelaide-international-guitar-festival-1796.html

When the blues were green

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121944074133664619.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Little Feat sighting

http://www.jambands.com/Features/content_2008_08_22.09.phtml

Sing it again, Kinky!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/21/AR2008082101003.html

And a university in Texas gets Maynard Ferguson's music library:

http://www.star-telegram.com/performing_arts/story/854441.html

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Hawai'i Wins Little League US National Championship

What a comeback...the Waipahu team went into the top of the (final) 6th inning losing to Lake Charles 5-1, but scored 6 runs and then shut down the Boozoos to win 7-5. Auwe!

Waipahu now plays Mexico for the World Championship Sunday afternoon. As soon as the box score is ready, I will add a link to this post.

UPDATE-Box score added. Click post title.

And some more LL reports

http://www.littleleague.org/series/2008divisions/llbb/gamestories/23Saturday/game30/game30.htm

New Kaua'i Commercial Center

I took this picture across the street from our Kaua'i rental home in 2003; at the time this was one of the last prime undeveloped parcels of land on the South Shore. Click the post title to see what's happening to it.

Little League World Series Update

The International Division champion is Mexico, which defeated Japan.

In progress, the US Championship...Hawai'i leads Lake Charles 1-0 in the 4th inning; the winner plays Mexico Sunday for all of the marbles.

Arbor Day

Click on the post title for the website of the New Hampshire-based Elm Research Institute, which has developed a tree resistant to Dutch Elm Disease. We have been planting these here in central NH with great success over the past 10 years.

Saturday Music Digest

Preview of the R & B Foundation music awards

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/rhythm--blues-foundation-announces/story.aspx?guid=%7B30E58C68-1C65-4AE3-B3F3-8A5964755D07%7D&dist=hppr

Boz Scaggs sighting

http://newsok.com/boz-scaggs-way-always-leads-down-other-roads/article/3286887/?tm=1219354120

Live streaming music from Tipitina's in New Orleans!

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=103359

NRBQ friend David Sanborn kicks off Asian tour:

http://old.thejakartapost.com/detailheadlines.asp?fileid=20080822.A04&irec=3

And results from the US Air Guitar Championships.

http://www.thebaybridged.com/2008/08/22/local-guitarist-becomes-national-air-guitar-champion/

Friday, August 22, 2008

I Was Right About the Comet

Long-suppressed civilian training films unearthed!

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=OMtIQOAuzSw

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=M897lps5eBw&feature=related

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=k5yS8IuLCn8&feature=related

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=2BLYsKdmUpQ&feature=related

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=HW3VBhrgMek&feature=related

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=zr7Hpszm37c&feature=relatedhttp://au.youtube.com/watch?v=hZqEpUw6ilQ&feature=related

Doors Closing

The possible end of a bitter lawsuit between former members of The Doors...

Walkin' the Turtle

A Windward O'ahu resident takes his tortoise out for a walk...

Catching Up With Irma Thomas

Nice interview with the Soul Queen of New Orleans.

The Beatles' Hawaiian Guitar Maker

Most music fans are familiar with Rickenbacker guitars, especially the ones John Lennon played. What many do not know is that the small company originally built guitars for the playing of Hawaiian music.

Friday Music Digest

Hapa Haole Fest swings into Waikiki

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080822/GETPUBLISHED/80821064/-1/LOCALNEWSFRONT

"Neo-hippies stoke festival fever"

http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080822/ENT/808220313/1005

Delbert McClinton sighting

http://www.fwbusinesspress.com/display.php?id=8257

A jazz vocalist from Wall Street?

http://www.newsadvance.com/lna/lifestyles/features/article/from_wall_street_to_jazz_beats/7599/

And Britney Spears live!

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/11ed201165

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Little League World Series Update

Could be good-the two finalists for the US Little League World Series Championship are set. Last night Hawai'i got in, and tonight Lake Charles Louisiana joined them. The game is on Saturday afternoon.

Fauna 2008


Hawai'i SuperFerry Report Card

Plans are in the works to start service to the Big Island in 2009...but no clue as to when (or if) the SuperFerry will ever sail to Kaua'i again...

Waterfall of Death!

One of the new New York City Waterfalls is killing trees.

That's Not Large, That's Big!

A tasty review of the last show of this year's tour by Lyle Lovett and his 15 piece Large Band, which this time out was slightly enlarged by a couple of members of his opening act, Asleep at the Wheel!

Thursday Music Digest

Guitar's little brother

http://www.koreatimes.com/article/articleview.asp?id=469121

Profile of an interesting-sounding new band called Jazz 21

http://www.lewisvilleleader.com/articles/2008/08/20/plano_star-courier/news/34.txt

And another strange sounding musical act-Lounge Against the Machine?

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/aug/21/meet-richard-cheese-hell-grate-you-make-you-laugh-/

A preview of the upcoming Joy of Jazz Festival in South Africa

http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/2873/266/

And AT & T is now delivering streaming music performances

http://www.stockhouse.com/News/USReleasesDetail.aspx?n=7020595

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

"Take Out The Papers And the Trash!"

"Yakety Yak" indeed-the government is giving Kailua residents new trash containers.

"Looks Tasty!"

Click on post title for the ever evolving menu for the soon come Hampton Beach Seafood Fest.

Clams!

Hawaii Little League Team Advances

Next game is for the US Championship Saturday.

Click post title for box score (hint...home runs did the trick)

Today's Scary Flying Story

As Don Rickles used to say: "Hello, Dummy!"

"A bumbling inspector with the Transportation Safety Administration apparently has some explaining to do, after nine American Eagle regional jets were grounded at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Tuesday.
Citing sources within the aviation industry, ABC News reports an overzealous TSA employee attempted to gain access to the parked aircraft by climbing up the fuselage... reportedly using the Total Air Temperature (TAT) probes mounted to the planes' noses as handholds.

"The brilliant employees used an instrument located just below the cockpit window that is critical to the operation of the onboard computers," one pilot wrote on an American Eagle internet forum. "They decided this instrument, the TAT probe, would be adequate to use as a ladder."

Grand Canyon Flood Update

Good news, as the 11 missing hikers have been found safe and sound.

Dave Matthews Band Member Dies After ATV Accident

"A founding member of long-running Virginia jam band the Dave Matthews Band has passed away, a rep for the band has revealed in a statement released to Access Hollywood. He was 46 years old."

Riding the Underground

3 subway road trips in New York City...

New "Bird" in the Skies Over Kaua'i

Jack Harter Helicopters, which pioneered helicopter tours on Kaua'i 46 years ago, has a new toy. Click the post title to read all about it. The Harter website is below:

http://www.helicopters-kauai.com/

Music Review: "Pineapple Express" Soundtrack

Sad to say, it only has one "Hawaiian" song on it, and that's Gabby's "Hilawe" as done by Arthur Lyman. Review includes song samples.

Wednesday Music Digest

Saints go marching in in New Orleans

http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080820/NEWS05/808200303/1006/NEWS01

Speaking of that city, here's a profile of local songwriter and singer Marc Broussard:

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080820/DW10/808200309/-1/DW

Earl Scruggs and Steve Martin let it rip on "Foggy Mountain Breakdown"-keep an eye on their great guests!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icMTVV5Lwaw

RIP British guitarist Terry Wallace...

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2008/08/19/brum-s-guitar-ace-terry-wallace-dies-at-66-97319-21559710/

And finally, "Picture yourself in a class in the '60's"

http://www.nj.com/life/ledger/index.ssf?/base/living-1/121920691329410.xml&coll=1

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Hawai'i Papaya Production Down

Ruh-roh!

Yaz in Hospital

Longtime Red Sox great Carl Yastrzemski has undergone successful triple bypass surgery and is now in recovery at Mass General Hospital, Yaz spokesman Dick Gordon confirmed a short time ago.

Climbing New Hampshire's K-2

The second-highest mountain in New Hampshire, Mt. Adams, is harder to ascend than its higher neighbor. I still have a copy of the 1967 AMC "mountain book" which describes the Adams Slide Trail in scary detail.

Little League World Series Results

Here's the handy link to the games, standings, ad infinitum.

Jazz Online

3 new internet jazz stations...

Grand Canyon Flash Flood

11 hikers are still missing...

Guitar Fest

Review of the 26th Annual Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Fest on Waikiki Beach. I listened to the live stream of this in 2007 and it was ono.

Click the post title for the entire review; click the link below for info on upcoming fests.

http://www.slackkeyfestival.com/

Na Pali Fire on Kaua'i

"A brush fire in a remote Kauai valley that started early Sunday morning continued to burn last night, closing a popular hiking trail and forcing about 35 people to be ferried out of the area by firefighters."

Tuesday Music Digest

What's going on at legendary N'Orleans club Tipitina's:

http://www.edmondsun.com/opinion/local_story_231224944.html?keyword=secondarystory

A "guitar photocopier"

http://www.techdigest.tv/2008/08/a_guitar_photoc.html

Planning a rock party for 2012

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-olympics-subcommittee-0818aug18,0,5117900.story

"Music Rising" in Canada:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/show/CTVShows/20060919/music_rising/20080814/

And the Roots of America Festival in NYC turns 25:

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/events/nightlife/2008/08/25/080825goni_GOAT_nightlife

Monday, August 18, 2008

Honolulu Monorail Update

Latest info...

Jack Johnson in the Heartland

Reviewed from KC

West Waipahu Little League Wins Again

South Dakota jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the top of the 4th, but Waipahu stormed back with 3 runs in the bottom of that inning. SD came back with 1 run in the top of the 5th, but Waipahu got 2 more runs in the bottom of the 5th. Keelen Obedaza hit a home run.

Click post title for the box score! The Hawaiian LL team is now 3-0 in the tourney.

Duke's Ocean Fest

Paying tribute to a legendary Olympic swimmer (no, not the guy who just won 9 medals) and surfer.

Kaua'i Movie Tour

Movie news...

Monday Music Digest

Elvis fan displays his wares

http://www.bentoneveningnews.com/news/x1822518202/Elvis-fans-collection-is-on-display

Sighted: Andy Fairweather Low, former George Harrison pal:

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/The-best-of-Andy-Fairweather.4398034.jp

The future of live music performance:

http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=163071&sc=84

Another appreciation of the late Jerry Wexler-

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/business/story.html?id=2e9cd34c-10ba-4925-bdbb-ba92018a57cb

And a look at a good cause-the House of Blues Foundation.

http://www.knpr.org/psa/detailNEW.cfm?EventID=4191

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Little League World Series

O'ahu's team from Waipahu is now 2-0, after beating Tampa FL tonight 10-2.

Our New England team, Shelton CT, is 1-1.

Lanikai Wins Canoe Race

"Lanikai completed the 26-mile course from Kailua Beach to Duke Kahanamoku Beach in 2 hours, 48 minutes, 42 seconds."

Iolani Palace "Invaded" Again

Hawaiian activists break into the Palace again, and try to chain their "king" to the throne. One small problem-they can't find the Throne Room!

UPDATE: Throne Room info.

http://www.iolanipalace.org/blg.html

Cruising Kaua'i By Sailing Canoe

The only way to travel!

"Unlike most of the tour boats operating in Hawaii today, Kupaaloa has no motor; it mirrors the simple, sturdy canoes of the ancients."

Big Up!

A profile of Jamaica's Usain "Lightning" Bolt, the fastest man in the world. Lightning comes from the beautiful part of the island known as Trelawney Parish, which has produced many world-class track and fielders.

He's already won one Gold Medal in Beijing, and has a couple more races to run!

Top Big Island Hotels

As rated by the OC Register.

Guitar Center Drum-Off

The winner will receive prizes worth over $45,000 and earn the title of Guitar Center's Drum-Off Champion '08 ...

Coffee Pickers Needed on Kaua'i

The Kaua'i Coffee Company is hiring for their 16 week harvest season.

Sunday Music Digest

Noah and the Whale have trouble with their ukulele

http://www.nme.com/news/noah-and-the-whale/38957

Nashville hosts an exhibit of rock and roll photography:

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080817/ENTERTAINMENT0507/808170313/1005/ENTERTAINMENT

Ole Miss is bequeathed a blues collection...

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080816/NEWS01/80816006

Philly jazz update:

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=30314

And a new movie called "The Rocker" features...a naked drummer?

http://www.amny.com/entertainment/movies/ny-ffmov5800120aug17a,0,7368937.story

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Training Film

Review of a classic jazz movie...

Firesign Alert

The great Firesign Theatre tribute site "Chromium Switch" has some spanking new updates:

added links for Lodestone and Cafe Press

updated link for Scott Stewart (creator of "Switch" logo) who's published

a new Comic Book

added link for TFT Podcasting

added link for Ossman's books @ Open Library (removed link for Minds Ear)

Also, check out YouTube for some vintage Firesign videos

Click my post title to get to CS...

"You Can't Get There From Here"

A battle over who has bragging rights to New York City's Governors Island.

Legally it's a part of Manhattan, but the water and sewer pipes come in from Brooklyn. "I did not know that!" (even though my family lived there for 3 years).

Saturday Music Digest

Booker T. Jones picks on the wrong guitar man:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2008/08/14/2008-08-14_booker_t_picks_on_wrong_guitar_man.html

A preview of next week's World Air Guitar Championships in Finland:

http://www.upstatelink.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080815/UPSTATELINK/808150308/1164

A post-Katrina New Orleans music guide-

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/travel/26963824.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DUqyE5D7UiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiU

Herbie Hancock on piano jazz

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93561473

And a brief review of NRBQ's Terry Adams' birthday gig:

http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2008/aug/15/jukebox-singer-rufus-wainwright-play-solo-acoustic/

Friday, August 15, 2008

Byrne/Eno!

The Beeb has listened to the new album...

"No, it's not going to change your life. No, it's not remotely up there with the classics. But dammit, it's Eno and Byrne, and it's lovely."

Kilauea From Space

(NASA)

Following a pattern of intermittent activity occurring throughout 2008, the summit crater on Kilauea continued to release plumes of ash and volcanic gases on August 7.

As the MODIS on the Terra satellite passed overhead, it captured this natural-color image of the Hawaiian Islands and detected a “hotspot” at the Kilauea summit (marked in red).

Clouds occur over some of the island, and their brightness contrasts with the duller gray color of the plume from the volcano. The plume spreads southwest over the Pacific Ocean.

Click on the post title for a much larger version of this same picture.

R.I.P. Jerry Wexler

One of the best record producers of all time has left the building...

The JD Salinger of Jazz

A new movie looks at singer Jackie Paris, the second-most famous singer to come out of Nutley New Jersey.

Build On!

An update on the construction in Hawaii atop buried ancient human remains...

Friday Music Digest

A visit to Soulville USA

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/aug/15/isaachayes.popandrock

Bluesman Kenny Neal comes to New England

http://www.dailynewstribune.com/state/x1835797352/Music-helps-Kenny-Neal-get-over-the-blues

Sighted: former JB Horns trombone man Fred Wesley!

http://blog.nola.com/keithspera/2008/08/trombone_legend_fred_wesley_is.html

Tickets go on sale for "A Ride With Bob", a tribute to Bob Wills:

http://www.orangeleader.com/features/local_story_226212911.html

And a new pocket-sized book about guitars-

http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2008/082008/08142008/400863

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Early look at the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors from ESPN.

Steel Guitar Heaven

Another appreciation of just-departed steel guitarist Don Helms. Stupid music, indeed!

"As a boy he was enamored of the music of Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys, particularly steel guitarist Leon McAuliffe."

The Golden Age of Ballooning

Studying volcanoes with balloons.

News From The Banana Patch

Hawaii’s tropical specialty fruit growers produced and sold approximately 2.3 million pounds of fruit in 2007, a 59% increase.

New Hampshire Guitar Fest

Guitar thieves busted...by MySpace.

WWOZ Hits The Road

THE New Orleans Music Station, WWOZ, has a newly redesigned website. They will also be hitting the road for several weeks to do some live broadcasts, including live broadcasts from the political conventions in Colorado and Minnesota, as well as providing live music from jazz festivals in Detroit and San Diego.

Monkeys Riding Border Collies?

Team Ghost Riders — the band of border collies and capuchin monkeys – are a nation-wide hit.

It's Terry's Birthday!

(NRBQ website photo)

Happy 60th birthday to NRBQ's main man Terry Adams, shown here with his pal, Miss Betty White. He and his Rock and Roll Quartet will celebrate with a show tonight at the VFW Hall in Florence MA.

Thursday Music Digest

Another sighting of the Royal Hawaiian Band:

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080813/GETPUBLISHED/808130357/-1/SPORTSFRONT

Also in Hawaii, Sammy Hagar opens a beach bar and grill on Maui

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/hmshost-sammy-hagar-open-sammys/story.aspx?guid=%7B87EA3502-5016-4EE6-B81D-158508B511E2%7D&dist=hppr

Preservation Hall Jazz Band plays the Tabernacle:

http://www.mvtimes.com/2008/08/14/calendar/music-preservation-hall.php

Back in Kailua, a rare sighting of the wife of The Man Who Shot Lennon. Chapman actually worked at Castle Hospital 2 blocks from where we lived on Ulupalakua Street, and earlier this week was denied parole (again).

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/08/13/2008-08-13_first_look_at_wife_of_john_lennon_slayer.html

And the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will open a New York Branch.

http://www.nysun.com/new-york/rock-music-museum-announces-ny-branch/83858/

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Earthquake

The magnitude 3 quake hit approximately nine to 15 miles off the West Coast of Oahu at around 1 o'clock Wednesday morning.

Lihue Named "Next Great Adventure Town"

"Lihue on Kauai has been named one of the next great adventure towns in the West by National Geographic Adventure magazine."

Hawai'i Apologizes to Kalaupapa

One of the sadder chapters in the history of the 50th State was the isolation of patients with Hansens' Disease (aka leprosy) on Kalaupapa Peninisula on Molokai. Now, the state has apologized to those forcibly confined there.

Chap Checks In

Connecticut guitarist/producer and longtime NRBQ e-mail list comedy relief Jim Chapdelaine passes along this info about former 'Q guitarist Big Al Anderson:

" I have what I think ought to be some fun news for Big Al fans.

I think (I think) that Big Al will be doing a free show in Windsor (CT) as part of the Windsor 375th anniversary.

This will feature Big Al and the Balls. Chad Cromwell drums, Glenn Worf on bass, Reese Wynans on keys (the boy can play some organ!) Some skinny dork on guitars and vocals and of course, your host, the Amazing Big Al Anderson on soul.

Saturday. September 13th. Windsor. Free. What more could you ask for?

Skinny Dork"

Wednesday Musical Digest

All in the musical family-Hugh Masekela's niece

http://www.artzone.co.za/template_level2.asp?parentseq=5118

Touring cool record stores

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/08/paste-reader-tours-coolest-record-stores.html

A review of the latest musical gumbo from The Radiators:

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/08/13/073735.php

Bluzapalooza!http://www.myspace.com/bluzapalooza

World Festival of Sacred Music next month:

http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/ucla-center-for-intercultural-55442.aspx

And a treasure trove of old 78s have been digitized!

http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/08/one-mans-quest.html

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Rodeo

Parker Ranch on the Big Isle of Hawaii has an annual hoe down.

Many people don't know that cattle are actually raised in the Sandwich Islands. D'oh!

New Orleans Shrimp Alert

Yet more shenanigans in the City that Care Forgot.

Bix Lives

We had major phone line problems earlier today, all is well now.

R.I.P. Steel Guitar Legend Don Helms

(Tennessean File Photo)

"Mr. Helms was the last remaining member of Hank Williams' original Drifting Cowboys band, and he played integral parts on Williams classics, including "Cold, Cold Heart," "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love With You)."

After Williams' 1953 death, Mr. Helms played on notable recordings such as Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight," Lefty Frizzell's "Long Black Veil" and Stonewall Jackson's "Waterloo."

"Book Him Again, Dan-O!"

CBS to re-make "Hawaii 5-0"?

North To Alaska

"A U.S. Coast Guard cutter will embark on an Arctic voyage this week to determine the extent of the continental shelf north of Alaska and map the ocean floor, data that could be used for oil and natural gas exploration.

U.S. and University of New Hampshire scientists on the Coast Guard Cutter Healy will leave Barrow, Alaska, on Thursday on a three-week journey. They will create a three-dimensional map of the Arctic Ocean floor in a relatively unexplored area known as the Chukchi borderland."

Tuesday Music Digest

Guitar Fest-an 8 year old blues whiz:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iy9aOupjrG4OCC_l5hke3lHdmhiQD92GNHS81

Some new folk music minstrels

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2008/0812/1218477335875.html?via=mr

The very first contract the Fab 4 signed is to be sold:

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/beatles%20first%20contract%20on%20sale_1077133

Speaking of Beatles, Ringo and his wife are living in LA:

http://www.custercountychief.com/content/view/106050/121/

Biography of Hawaiian music radio legend Webley Edwards in the works-

http://starbulletin.com/2008/08/12/features/story02.html

And what's happening in the Mali music scene:

http://www.dailytimes.bppmw.com/article.asp?ArticleID=10549

Monday, August 11, 2008

First Saddle Hill Tomato Picking

On the left, the Russian heirloom "Black", and on the right, "Orange Blossom", which is allegedly similar to the "Pineapple" heirloom. The Black one was delicious, but I haven't had the other one yet.

Hula at Kilauea

From our friends at Hawai'i Magazine, a visit to the Big Island for some volcanic hula!

Got Flood?

From Channel 9, here is a picture taken in New Hampton of the washout on Winona Road

http://www.wmur.com/slideshow/17125844/detail.htmlindex.html?currentSlide=14&taf=man


Jazz at Newport

A review of this past weekend's Newport (RI) Jazz Fest.

Simply Grand

Speaking of New Orleans music, here's a review of the new album by certified Big Easy legend Irma Thomas! Hint: it's good.

Instruments a Comin'

Putting music in the hands of students in New Orleans.

Daily "Scary Flying Story"

Volcanic ash stranded at least 5,000 travelers Sunday night and early Monday morning when a shift in the wind moved a giant ash plume into flight routes, causing Alaska Airlines to cancel 44 flights into and out of Alaska.

"The entire state is unflyable," Alaska Airlines staff told passengers at Seattle's airport Sunday, according to Chelsea Harms, an Anchorage woman who was booked on flight 111 to Anchorage.

Re-discovering The Music of Stan Kenton

My Dad hated "stupid music", but Stan was his favorite big bander!

Monday Music Digest

Another look at "Layla's" new book:

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/rock-n-roll-scars-1451339.html

And a new book about one of her ex's

http://www.tribstar.com/opinion/local_story_222175752.html

An "unusual" musical act:

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=640938&hp

A fond memory of NY music club JB Scott's

http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2008/aug/10/q-hochanadel-grooves-skill-surprise-performers/

Jazz music swings into China for the Olympics:

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=21645

And an old spiritual tune may become the new city anthem for New Orleans...

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880809027

Sunday, August 10, 2008

"New" Randall Hall Update

Most of the Tyvek is now in place, and some of the metal roof is also already done.

Isaac Hayes, R.I.P.


(Wiki photo)

I first heard Isaac's masterpiece "Hot Buttered Soul" in the fall of 1969. "Soul music" was changed forever. The album only had 4 songs, and two of them were pop songs, namely "Walk On By" and "By The Time I Get to Phoenix", which ran for almost 19 minutes!

Click the post title for details of Isaac's passing, and below for info about HBS.

And here's Isaac live in 1973, performing "Shaft":

Olomana Ascent

Click on the post title for a nice video of an ascent of Mt. Olomana, the mountain we lived at the base of for 3 years.

My brother and I tried climbing this 3 times, but never got to the top. We made it about as far as the one minute mark of this video, which includes these guys doing the infamous knife-edge traverse to the second and third peaks. Nice music, too!

Turn Down That Stupid Music!

"A Cher fan who drove his neighbours mad by playing her songs at full blast has had his stereo and CD collection destroyed by council chiefs."

Famous Utah Arch Collapses

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, Utah - One of the largest and most photographed arches in Arches National Park has collapsed.

Sunday Music Digest

Milwaukee honors guitarist Les Paul:

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gUF7d9VMy3Gi9F2xpfj1QiUFXzUQ

Music review: "Pineapple Express" soundtrack-

http://www.bloggernews.net/117137

Returning to Forever in NYC:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/09/arts/music/09pala.html?ref=arts

R.I.P. to jazz drummer Lee Young-

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/New_Story_1080908dnnatleeobit.2fbac7c6.html

"Hip" musicians discover the humble ukulele

http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080810/LIFE06/808100314/1043/ENT

And North Dakota gets the blues:

http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=83920&section=homepage

Saturday, August 9, 2008

A Visit to the Pali

Nice 2006 video blog about a trip up the Pali Highway from Honolulu to the Lookout.

Barack on the Beach

Kailua Beach has some famous residents this coming week.

Getting Lost With GPS?

As those tourists near the Grand Canyon found out last week, GPS doesn't always work...

Saturday Music Digest

Cowpie Blues Fest

http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/08/cowpie_blues_unity_music_festi.html

Zak Starkey sighting

http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/38763

And also sighted-George Harrison's son Dhani!

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/hes-a-chip-off-the-old-rocker-1450766.html

How to tune your guitar by ear

http://www.prudentpressagency.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=5585

A new aluminum guitar

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/argus/index.ssf?/base/news/121821785551070.xml&coll=6

And ukulele news from the State o' Maine

http://bangornews.com/news/t/?a=168172

Friday, August 8, 2008

Climate Change?

(from Weather Underground)

Saddle Hill is shown as the circle with crosshairs near Laconia right in the middle.

This is the killer storm that sat right over us Thursday night-it just barely skipped to my north, and I only got 0.40" of rain. 6 miles to my north, it was another story.

Ashland received 4 inches of rain in 35 minutes, and a 7 year old girl in an SUV was swept away by a flash flood and drowned at Ames Brook Campground, which is on the Ashland-New Hampton town line. Many Ashland residents were trapped in their houses.

This storm was only moving at a speed of 2 miles per hour, which explains the heavy rain.

Hawaiian Hawk Saved?

The Hawaiian hawk no longer requires federal protection as an endangered species, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Waimanalo Blues

Beautiful downtown Waimanalo, pictured above, is the home of the Pahinui musical clan, and Saturday Gabby's kids will have a musical blowout in his memory.

08/08/08 Musical Digest

Polish jazz

http://www.polishmarket.com.pl/document/:17796?p=%2FEconomic+Monitor%2F

Non-Polish Tangos

http://www.jazz.com/features-and-interviews/2008/8/7/the-music-of-the-tango-part-two

Another "Hot Club" playing Django music:

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=30221

A new Big Easy musical anthology-

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-various-artists-the-essential-guide-to-new-orleans-union-square-887961.html

Guitar greats offer instruction by computer

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080808/BIZ04/808080350

And a new musical in New Orleans features...Chinese monks?

http://www.nola.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2008/08/new_show_at_harrahs_new_orlean.html

Thursday, August 7, 2008

We Don't Travel the Spaceways

Scotty's ashes kaput

You Oughta Be In Pictures...

"A Hollywood film executive will visit Kaua'i to conduct a seminar that's designed to help anyone thinking of getting into the film industry or those who have been in the film industry for a while and would like to advance their careers."

"Looks Tasty?"

(Your humble correspondent in front of my alma mater Maunawili School cafeteria in 2003)

"Food theft in Hawai'i public school cafeterias is not a problem, said Glenna Owens, director of the Department of Education's food service."

Thursday Music Digest

More on the musical recovery in New Orleans

http://www.bradenton.com/living/travel/story/763339.html

Tuba jazz?

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=30217

Lynyrd Skynyrd starts a new tour

http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=8795928

Hawaiian music scholarship open:

http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/506798.html

A look at legendary LA session band The Wrecking Crew:

http://wreckingcrewfilm.com/index2.html

And yet another music fest, this one in beautiful downtown Petaluma CA

http://www.petaluma360.com/article/AC/20080805/ENTERTAINMENT/330751262/-1/PT07&template=ptart

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

We Travel the Spaceways

NGC 1818: A Young Globular Cluster

Credit: Diedre Hunter (Lowell Obs.) et al., HST, NASA

Explanation: Globular clusters once ruled the Milky Way. Back in the old days, back when our Galaxy first formed, perhaps thousands of globular clusters roamed our Galaxy. Today, there are perhaps 200 left. Many globular clusters were destroyed over the eons by repeated fateful encounters with each other or the Galactic center.

Surviving relics are older than any Earth fossil, older than any other structures in our Galaxy, and limit the universe itself in raw age. There are few, if any, young globular clusters in our Milky Way Galaxy because conditions are not ripe for more to form.

Things are different next door, however, in the neighboring LMC galaxy. Pictured above is a "young" globular cluster residing there: NGC 1818. Observations show it formed only about 40 million years ago - just yesterday compared to the 12 billion year ages of globular clusters in our own Milky Way.

Fire Alert

All of the Hawaiian Islands are under a "fire weather" warning.

In Praise of Heirloom Tomatoes

I'm still a few days away from eating my first heirloom tomato of this season ("Black", from Russian seeds), but here's a review of a new book about the tasty critters.

Guitar Fest

Iron Maiden's guitarist Adrian Smith had his one-of-a-kind Jackson guitar ripped off after a concert...

New Jazz Photo Website

Skip Bolen launches a New Orleans music website of pictures...

Air Travel Down

Passenger traffic from the Left Coast to Hawaii is down almost 15%.

Wednesday Music Digest

Now that his tour is over, Ringo has another gig:

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/ringo-starr-endorses-peace-designer/story.aspx?guid=%7B3243D860-5A8F-49FA-BA48-D9D8354BDDF3%7D&dist=hppr

My Mama Done Told Me...

http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/showreview.php3?ID=10070

Album review: the new CD from an interesting new country singer named Jamey Johnson

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/custom/wire/sns-ap-music-review-jamey-johnson,0,2798962.story

Randy Newman sighting:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93297574

Eddie Vedder hauls out his ukulele!

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003835092

A new collection from Monterey Jazz Festival Records

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=21437

And Sony Music buys out BMG:

http://www.macnewsworld.com/story/Sony-Breaks-Up-Duet-With-BMG-Buyout-64057.html

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

More Great Pictures

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog and click on any of the picture links from the Mt. Washington Observatory RSS feed. They have added a batch from late July that are nothing short of spectacular.

Swimming From Governors Island Around the Statue of Liberty!

“The water was murky green, but not putrid. I passed over a few jellyfish, so there’s obviously some life there”.

Stupid Music Post of the Day

Paying tribute to Texas fiddling legend Frankie McWhorter, who played with Bob Wills. He died last winter, but will be honored in an upcoming hoe-down in the Lone Star State...

Lou Teicher R.I.P.

Lee at the "Music You (Possibly) Won't Hear Anyplace Else" blog has a nice tribute today to our latest musical passing, who was one half of the piano duo of Ferrante and. Click on the post title.

Tour Helicopters Arrive on Oahu

Blue Hawaiian starts flying over the Gathering Place.

LAX to Honolulu Flight Turns Back

Smoke in the cabin.

This Week's Musical Comeback

Phoebe Snow has had her songs covered by everyone from Africa's Zap Mama to Kailua girl band Na Leo. She's baaack!

Lost in Arizona

A tourist group relying on GPS got lost near the Grand Canyon...

Tuesday Music Digest

RIP Irish musician Speedy Moore:

http://www.colerainetimes.co.uk/news/Speedy-Moore-He-touched-all.4357655.jp

The beauty of jazz

http://www.leadershipnigeria.com/product_info.php?products_id=639&osCsid=78c71560bad9698cffc6421fbd7a92c2

A look back at Blue Cheer

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/08/04/171402.php

The Radiators rock the troops:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/8/prweb1129924.htm

A sighting of Doors drummer John Densmore:

http://www.mercurynews.com/music/ci_10094138

And a professor claims that Hurricane Katrina actually boosted New Orleans music

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/543196/

Monday, August 4, 2008

Hippiefest Followup

Last night's Hippiefest 2008 stop was Bethel, New York, where a couple decided to tie the knot and have Eric Burdon and Jack Bruce provide the reception music!

SuperFerry Ridership Up 40% in July

"92 percent of passengers rate their overall experience on Hawaii Superferry as very good"

Cheap Flying to Hawaii

From American Airlines...

Monday Music Digest

Apparently the rumours about "Let it Be" not being released on DVD were wrong?

http://undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=5860

Review of the final Ringo All-Starr Band show in LA:

http://laist.com/2008/08/03/ringo_starr_the_greek_8208.php

TaintRadio.org launches-

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=21366

New Orleans' Hot 8 Brass Band are a huge hit in Europe.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_home/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=336553

A review of this past weekend's Newport Folk Festival

http://news.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/general/view/2008_08_03_Rain_doesn_t_pull_plug_on_folk_fest/srvc=home&position=recent

And a look back at oldtime radio in Hawaii

http://starbulletin.com/2008/08/04/features/flashback.html

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Another Jack Bruce Sighting

Jack will perform in a musical tribute to John Entwistle...

Glass Onion

“They’re the thickest and gooiest of liquids and the most disordered and structureless of rigid solids,” said Peter Harrowell, a professor of chemistry at the University of Sydney in Australia, speaking of glasses, which can be formed from different raw materials. “They sit right at this really profound sort of puzzle.”

R.I.P. Linn Creighton

One of the more interesting members of my Mom's side of the family left us recently, Reverend Linn Creighton of New Jersey. Linn was Mom's first cousin, on her mother's side, as he was the son of her Mother's sister Clara Linn Creighton (the wittiest Linn there was, in my memory!).

Linn was born in 1917 in Wuchang, China, where Clara and her husband Roy were working at the time. Roy was an architect but also a missionary, and was interned by the Japanese for a couple of years during WW2. Young Linn eventually became a minister, and also married a lady minister named Lois. They inspired my brother Dan and I to have another "husband and wife minister team" at Mom's Memorial Service in June 2007. We wanted L & L, but obviously they couldn't do it.

For 50 years, Linn and Lois spent part of each summer at the picturesque Rockywold/Deephaven camp on Squam Lake here in New Hampshire. They couldn't make it up the past couple of years due to Linn's final illness (Alzheimer's) but Lois will be here later this month by herself. Linn had a sister who died when she was only a year old, and is survived by another sister, Phyllis, and a brother, Roger, who flew P-38s in the Aleutian Islands in World War 2.

Click on the post title for a look at the Creighton Collection at the Yale University Library. Fascinating stuff!

Top 5 Knob-Twiddlers

"At their best - or, if you prefer, their pushiest — producers often are de facto composers."

Hippiefest

Here’s the complete Hippiefest setlist from Friday night:

Joey Molland’s Badfinger:

Baby Blue
Come and Get It
Day After Day
No Matter What

Flo and Eddie and The Turtles

You Baby
It Ain’t Me Babe
Elenore
She’d Rather Be With Me
Happy Together

Jack Bruce

As You Said (Jack solo on guitar)
Sunshine of Your Love
Sittin’ On Top of The World
I Feel Free
We’re Going Wrong
Politician
White Room

Eric Burdon and The Animals (with original Animal Hilton Valentine on guitar)

When I Was Young
Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
Sky Pilot (wow)
It’s My Life
House of the Rising Sun
Paint it Black

Bringing Back "Old" Hawaii?

"It is being reported that travelers are cutting back on spending. Well, we have shot ourselves in the foot trying to make Honolulu and Waikiki another expensive, generic resort town, bulldozing all the budget boutique hotels, chasing away the character-laden, Hawaiian-style, inexpensive restaurants and bars, and welcoming the same dagblasted eateries you can find in any city across America. What do tourists want? Hawaii, in a word."

Sunday Music DIgest

America's youngest jazz band:

http://www.theweeklychallenger.com/News/article/article.asp?NewsID=90290&sID=37

Capturing Hurricane Katrina in dance?

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880801065

Speaking of N'Orelans, a new foundation will bring money to local musicians:

http://www.dailyworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080803/NEWS01/808030313/1002

A blues fest in upstate New York

http://www.wktv.com/news/local/26210134.html

Newport Folk Festival preview-

http://www.eastbayri.com/detail/76568.html

Brooklyn hosts an African guitar festival:

http://www.villagevoice.com/events/view/522713

And a guitar injures wrestler Honky Tonk Man in Nova Scotia!

http://www.novanewsnow.com/article-237025-Guitar-injury-prevents-Honky-Tonk-Man-from-wrestling-in-Berwick.html

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Sea Life Park Cuts Workers

A Windward Oahu landmark, Sea Life Park has seen its tourist visits decline...

"Dead Man" Turns Up Alive 32 Years Later

This story has a personal twist-on our 1976 "Kerouac" cross-sountry drive, Gumby and Robinson and I were to camp in this very canyon when we got to Colorado. Due to unforseen circumstances, we left a day later than planned. That day late probably saved our lives.

"FORT COLLINS, Colo. - A man believed to have died in the Big Thompson flood has been found living in Oklahoma.

Darrell Johnson, 63, didn't know he had been counted among the 144 people who died in the flash flood that swept down Big Thompson Canyon on July 31, 1976 until he was called by canyon resident Barb Anderson last year."

Hawaii Declared Fed Disaster Area

Drought!

Guitar Fest

This time it's a classical guitar competition in Fran Sanfrisco...

Lowell Crafts 2008

Another one of the regional craftsmen on display at this year's Lowell Folk Festival was Bob Fuller, who has been making these nice ship's wheels for decades. Click on the post title for more about Bob's work.

Airbus A380 Lands in New York

"Airbus's A380 superjumbo touched down at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on Friday, marking the first commercial arrival of the giant, double-decker passenger plane on U.S. soil."

A Visit to Monument Valley

Straddling the Utah-Arizona border, Monument Valley is best known as the site of many John Wayne movies but it's also a geological wonderland.

Saturday Music Digest

Sex Pistol John Lydon poops on Amy Winehouse

http://www.nme.com/news/sex-pistols/38593

Australia's jazz legend, Mr. B.:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/music/mr-b-australias-jazz-legend/2008/07/31/1217097431838.html

Album review: "Elvis in Concert"

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/08/01/233812.php

Air Ringo!

http://www.theoutlookonline.com/opinion/story.php?story_id=121764036866301800

Opera season in Hawaii...

http://starbulletin.com/2008/08/02/features/wood.html

Patti Boyd writes a tell-all book about Harri and Clapper:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/08/02/bopb102.xml

And a Cirque de Soleil sighting.

http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/blogs/hawaii_today/2008/8/1/cirque_du_soleil_Hawaii_October

Eddie, Are You Kidding?

Hippiefest 2008 report:

1. Jack Bruce did a legitimate "stupid music" tune (in other words, a song that Bob Wills covered), the classic old blues song "Sitting On Top of the World". Of course, he did it Willie Dixon style.

2. Great but too short-the shortest set lasted less than 20 minutes. The longest set lasted 45 minutes. Even then, the concert started on time and would have gone right up to to the 11 PM curfew if each act had only done two songs more apiece. The extra time was built-in to allow for stage sound equipment changes.

3. Ideal weather. It was actually cool, unusual for a "hot August night".

4. The Meadowbrook sound mix was impeccable, which was a good sign. They have a state of the art mixing and speaker system, which did the trick. There had been reports from earlier shows in the Hippiefest tour (some as recently as last week!) that some of the shows' sound mixes were terrible.

5. As was the case last year, there was an official "Hippiefest" house band that backed up a few of the groups. MVP last year and this year-leader and ace guitarist Godfrey Townsend, who faithfully re-created George's slide guitar on Badfinger's "Day After Day" and also dueled ably with Jack Bruce on the old Cream stuff.

http://www.godfreytownsendmusic.com/

6. New non-Hippiefest band member MVP-from Animals 2008, redhead bass player Paula O'Rourke! She nailed the intro to "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" to the wall.

7. Of course the premiere bass player in the house this night was Jack Bruce. His set was a religious experience.

8. Genial hosts Flo and Eddie were as always highly entertaining. They also did a 5 song set of their own, but sadly left out last year's Zappa tribute.

9. As I noted earlier, original Animals guitarist Hilton Valentine is along for the ride this time. When he started the guitar riff for "House of the Rising Sun", the other band members bowed down at his feet. Including Eric.

Friday, August 1, 2008

"New" Randall Hall Update

As of August 1st things are moving right along! Each of those windows will have the solid granite windowsills from the old Randall Hall, by the way. Nice touch.

As usual, a shameless plug-click on this post title to see my "old" Randall Hall blog.

Satchmo Summerfrest

Kicking off today in New Orleans, an outdoor music and learning festival paying tribute to "Pops". Lots going on!

Bare Earth

One Geology - the world's biggest ever geological mapping project.

Tull Himself!

Some friends and I will be at tonight's Meadowbrook show featuring Eric Burdon and the New Animals, Jack Bruce, Flo and Eddie and Joey Molland's "Badfinger", but here's a look at the show at the same venue Sunday night, a twin bill of Peter Frampton and Ian Anderson's little band...

Speaking of Eric Burdon, his band this time out features original Animals guitarist Hilton Valentine! Should be a great night out...

RIP Varoa Tiki

Another island musician leaves us:

"Varoa Tiki, who performed with many Hawaiian music legends, including Sterling Mossman at the old Barefoot Bar of Queen's Surf, died June 24 at her home. She was 73."

8/1 Music Digest

Vancouver's King of the Ukulele:

http://www.bclocalnews.com/entertainment/26146274.html

Trombones in New Orleans

http://www.telluridenews.com/entertainment/x1768858521/Trombones-beignets-hurricanes-Pine-Street-party

A Cowsill sighting!

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880731030

Rare Beatles tape to be auctioned:

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/rare-tape-of-the-beatles-to-be-auctioned-167559

Rare albums from Motown, Stax and Decca are now showing up on iTunes...

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/07/31/rare-motown-stax-decca-albums-hit-the-web-at-new-lost-tunes-store/

And a new documentary on Johnny Cash starts airing next week on PBS:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hYGjCP13VNpQeVnrwIy_mH9AVI0QD9292L2G0