Reality Estate

The life of a freelancer, bouncing back and forth between assignments. This week's interviews will be Todd Rundgren, a wizard a true star, and Coldwell Banker CEO Jim Gillespie. Todd is touring next month, playing all the songs from his 1974 album Todd and 1981's Healing. I'm writing a piece for the Muskegon Chronicle and another for Progression Magazine. Having been a fan of Todd's since 1975 and seen him perform probably more than any other artist, I'm pretty geeked about the interview and the show. He'll be at home in Hawaii when we chat. Muskegon is one of only six stops on the tour.

Jim isn't performing anywhere to my knowledge, but will be sharing his insights for my upcoming article in the Traverse City Business News. I met him while at Coldwell Banker Schmidt when he attended the company's statewide convention, and he's a really great guy. I've seen some of the interviews he's done on the likes of CNBC and he's very personable while being very knowledgeable, an all-too-rare combination.

The Storm

Gaelic Storm, that is. This Irish band rocks as hard as U2, but in a more traditional way. Its music sounds equally at home in a pub or dance hall (though not a dance club - not trancy enough). But the vocals, fiddles, and brilliant pipes (bag and uilleann) make this a brilliant album. Songs like “Northern Lights,” “Rum Runners,” the leadoff single “Raised on Black and Tans” and what should be the next single, “Chucky Timm,” offer proof that traditional music is alive and well, thank you very much.

Came home today from a brief respite in the beautiful U.P. (love that Drummond Island) to find more music awating: Several from ECM, Ted Pilzecker’s jazzy new Steppe Forward, Cuban legend Issac Delgado's collaboration with Freddy Cole, and perhaps most exciting, the new Soulive recording of Beatles hits, Rubber Soulive. Should be great.

The time in the U.P. was delightful. Drummond is relaxing, enticing, and the weather was great. No foxes (had to come back to Empire for that), but deer in the front yard (Mom, Dad and Bambi) and a couple sandhill cranes in the field nearby. They are hoppy birds, with enormous wingspans. Very cool. Bayside Dining still offers some of the tastiest desserts in the known world. The maple and chocolate cognac crèmes brûlées were the Best. Crèmes brûlées. EVER.

More fun to come as I slog through the music, and coming tomorrow, a diatribe on political signs and commercials. Design apparently goes right out the window when politicos enter the fray. Don’t these people know how we actually read?

The Todd interview

Coming two weeks from today: The interview. Talking to Todd Rundgren, live from Hawaii. Todd is performing every song from Todd and Healing Sept. 8 at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts in Muskegon, one of only six dates in the U.S. for the tour. That's right, only six performances in the whole country, and one is in Muskegon. Can't figure that out, but I'm not complaining. The band for the tour hasn't been announced, so that will be a part of the interview. The writeup will be for the Muskegon Chronicle, though I'll also be doing a different article concentrating on the fusiony/prog/futuristic side of his music over the years for Progression Magazine, the Quarterly Journal of Progressive Music. On better newstands across America.

Today was not music interviews, but chocolate. Interviewed Mimi Wheeler, owner of Grocer's Daughter Chocolates in Empire. She made a name for herself by infusing her chocolates with oddball things like basil, rosemary and lavender. Truthfully, I found them more interesting than tasty, but they made a name for her. Newer concoctions including smoked sea salt and chili peppers are way better.

In sad chocolate news, Jacques Torres in Traverse City is closing its doors in just over a week. What a downer.

Cool new music

Great new stuff from the Portico Quartet. Ever heard the hang? Or even heard of the hang? Me neither. It's a pitched percussion instrument. Imagine gamelan music meets Tibetan bells meets steel drums, playing Steve Reich. Portico Quartet includes the hang plus bass, drums and sax. Really inventive, engaging and hypnotic.

Course, I still gotta wade through all that ECM stuff. Then there's the new Incognito, Cherryholmes, Cyndi Lauper's blues disc (yeah, I know), two from the Pineapple Thief. Incognito's Transatlantic RPM kicks off with a killer version of Boz Scaggs's classic "Lowdown" and the instantly singalongable '1975." Great funky stuff. The rest pales in comparison, so far.

Most intriguing are the new Esperanza Spalding, pairing the bass diva with a jazz trio and a string trio on the aptly named Chamber Music Society. Then there's the debut disc from YOSO. That's Billy Sherwood (bass, guitar, drums) and Tony Kaye (keyboards), both ex-Yes, and former Toto singer Bobby Kimball. Get it? Yes, Toto - YOSO! Check out the video at http://is.gd/dCOYm and elsewhere on Youtube. Live they add a different drummer and Jimmy Haun on guitar. Haun's great, despite his work with a hundred others on the godawful Union, easily the most terrible thing ever released under the Yes moniker. Yes, it even bested Tormato. Bested or worsted? The only decent track on that abomination was Steve Howe's guitar solo.

Now, if we can just coax Billy Bruford out of retirement and get him and Trevor Rabin on board the Jon Anderson/Rick Wakeman Grumpy Old Men tour . . .

Look closely at the stage on the live YOSO tracks on Youtube and you'll see laptops. Both Bobby Kimball and Jimmy Haun have Macbooks next to their setups.

Last word on Toto: Check out the covers. The SAS band with Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet) does "Hold the Line," and a capella group Straight No Chaser blends it with "The 12 Days of Christmas." Amazing, hysterical and must be heard to be believed.

Glen Arbor jam time

The band continues to grow. Last night at Wildflowers in Glen Arbor, the "band" expanded from three trumpets to four, playing to backing tracks. Plus a guitarist/vocalist joined impresario Kit Knowles's harmonica. It's a lovely setting in the garden outside, and so far no rain, at least not the times I've participated.

Next Tuesday they'll have to soldier on without me. Musicians and audience are both welcome to stop in, between 6 and 8. The backing music is traditional jazz standards, plus a few bluesy numbers from Kit. But anyone wanting to play any instrument in any style is welcome. It's a very mellow, enjoyable time. Stop on by!

Exquisite baroque music

Chamber Music North at the Glen Lake Reformed church tonight. Far too small a crowd for such wonderful music. This was really one of the best concerts I've seen in a long, long time. The seven performers, in various groupings (quintet, trio, sextet, and a bassoon/cello duo) were warm and inspired.

The opener was enough in itself to send me home happy: A Telemann quartet peformed by flute, violin, bassoon, cello, and harpsichord. Yes, that's five performers, but they explained that the bassoon doubled some of the harpsichord part. I was reminded why Telemann is my favorite classical composer. The interplay among the flute, violin and harpsichord in particular was brilliant. Pieces by Corelli, Mozart and Bach (the fifth Brandenburg Concerto) followed. Each was exquisite, but the Telemann remains my favorite. I think it's time to turn back to some classical music.

Cellist Debra Fayroian, the director and visionary behind Chamber Music North, is to be congratulated for the continued success of the endeavor. There's another show coming up next month, featuring the music of Spain, on Aug. 13 at First Congregational Church in Traverse City and Aug. 16 at Glen Lake Community Reformed Church, Glen Arbor. See you there!

Water your workers

A couple days ago I noticed one of the flowers outside was wilting. I gave it some water, and the next day it had sprung right back up. It was a happy plant again.

If you think about it, the same thing happens with workers. When they're down, all it takes is some positive reinforcement to bring them back. Kind of hokey, maybe, but I've seen it happen. And it needn't be anything excessive (thought that's nice). A smile, a word of encouragement, thanks for a job well done.

Don't forget, that translates to customer service as well. There is nothing more satisfying than turning around an unhappy customer, and nothing more profitable. Making that complainer into an advocate is worth more than a full page ad in the paper.

Jam Session volume 1

Which implies there will be a volume 2, right? Well, maybe. First time playing the horn since jazz band ended in April, and the rust showed. But fun was had nevertheless, and I know what fun is, cause I had some once.* The incredibly laid-back jam session at Wildflowers in Glen Arbor featured a trumpet trio consisting of former NMC Jazz Lab Band stalwart Alan Ladomer (below left), my new best friend Gus Doerfler (center), and yours truly. We played to backup music from a canned rhythm section.

It was quite an interesting experiment, Alan accessing the music on his iPod and then playing it back through a sweet little Peavey sound system. The three amigos would labor through the theme, often in my case sight-reading, then effortlessly solo. Or perhaps effortfully solo. Though clueless about keys and changes, I can hear when notes are right, or for that matter, when they're wrong. But in this setting, you just keep playing till you get it right. Or till the lips collapse, which mine did about 2/3 of the way through the night.

Apparently one never knows who might show up. Last week there was a bassist, before that a seven-year-old playing violin. Tonight Kit Knowles provided a break, playing some bluesy harp. He also is responsible for some of the yummiest English toffee I've ever tasted. More on that later.

Till then, it's practice, practice, practice for next week. And hope someone shows up who can show me how to play my flute.

*Taken from an old Ziggy comic

This just in: LeBron a slave!

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water . . .

Apparently we're not done with l'affaire de LeBron after all. Not with Jesse Jackson entering the fray, saying Cavs owner Dan Gilbert was treating LeBron as a slave owner would. Now, while it's fun watching this lack-of-popularity contest between a spoiled, arrogant billionaire and an even more spoiled, even more arrogant multi-millionaire, this is beyond the pale. Let's just play the race card. Of course, we shouldn't be surprised. I mean, it's not like Jesse Jackson doesn't court publicity or anything.

I still love Gilbert's passion and anger as the jilted girlfriend, though he failed to address his complicity in making James the spoiled brat that he is. While there are those who were angry at LeBron's decision and/or the classless way he announced it, kicking Cleveland to the curb, there were those who thought Gilbert's vitriolic reply might have swayed the sympathy back toward James. Now Jackson may have swayed it back in Gilbert's direction. Here's a great piece by Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports on the subject.

Michael Rosenberg of SI.com compared James to icons such as Jordan, Magic, Bird and Isiah, noting that none of them would have joined the enemy, particularly when still at the height of his prowess. Two thoughts there. One, as has been mentioned elsewhere, is that everybody in the NBA seems to be pals these days. Bring back the good old days of rivalries and hatred. Remember Kevin McHale clotheslining Kurt Rambis? Or how many teams started getting thuggish power forwards, à la Rambis, Marc Iavaroni of the Sixers, Charles Oakley, Xavier McDaniel? Don't forget the Bad Boys, or before that, when future Bad Boy Rick Mahorn and teammate Jeff Ruland of the Bullets were nicknamed McFilthy and McNasty by Celtics announcer Johnny Most. Yes, those were the good old days.

The other is that this is really unprecedented. As far as I can tell, there has never been a player in any sport who went directly from his hometown to his hometown team, became its icon, and then bolted in the prime of his career of his own volition. While Jordan et al, played their whole career for one team, Jordan was from Carolina, Magic from Michigan, Bird from Indiana, Zeke from Chicago. James was from just down the road from Cleveland, making The Betrayal that much more hurtful. What's more, those players all took their college and pro teams to a championship (or in Bird's case, leading his Indiana State team to an undefeated season right up to the championship game). Remind me again what James has won thus far.

By the way, the Big Apple is no longer friendly territory for the self-styled King. (I always thought that was Elvis, but maybe I'm just showing my age.) At Carmelo Anthony's wedding reception this weekend, when James took the microphone, he was greeted with a chorus of boos and hisses. And today, the cover of the New York Post sported a photo of LeBron and the headline "Welcome to NY, jackass." Priceless.

LeBronathon's merciful (and bitter) end

So finally we're done with LeBron's free agency story hogging the headlines. And what a way to go out. Clevelanders have The Fumble, The Shot, The Drive - and now The Betrayal. Love Dan Gilbert's response. Over the top, no doubt. And funny. And from the heart. Is there anyone outside of Miami who doesn't A) hate LeBron, B) hate Miami, and C) want Cleveland to win an NBA title before the Heat does?

Among the best media reactions to this parade of sycophancy is the one of Bill Simmons, the Sports Guy, on ESPN.com. This one from Ken Schott is priceless. Perhaps best of all was this from Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press and SportsIllustrated.com. He compares the Chosen One with not only Michael Jordan, but Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Isiah Thomas, and shows how he comes up short against all of them.

I'm proud to say I didn't watch "The Decision," and not only because we don't get ESPN. An hour long ode to self for a one-minute announcement? Sounds like it was pathetic, and worst of all was bootlicker Jim Gray. He gives a bad name to brown-nosers everywhere.

James's kicking Cleveland in the teeth (a way cool city, by the way) was totally classless, and it's obvious HE JUST DOESN'T GET IT. He's now Public Enemy No. 1 in Cleveland, and will get booed in pretty much every city in the NBA. In a way it's good for the NBA, as there is now a Yankees for everyone to root against.

Jeff Lorber returns to fusion

Keyboardist/composer/bandleader Jeff Lorber, one of the architects of smooth jazz, says his decision to bring back the Jeff Lorber Fusion moniker was partly due to the reception the music gets abroad. "In Europe the promoters still promote me as the Jeff Lorber Fusion when I tour," he said in a phone interview today. Conversations among Lorber and bandmates Jimmy Haslip and Eric Marienthal eventually led to Now Is The Time on Heads Up. It includes past Lorber Fusion tunes such as "Rain Dance" and "Water Sign," as well as a new take on Wayne Shorter's "Mysterious Traveler," the title track from Weather Report's 1974 release.

"The idea came up that we should do a Jeff Lorber Fusion, a modern version. We'd record it the way we used to, a band concept live in the studio," Lorber said.

Lorber thinks and hopes fusion may have come of age again. "Everything is cyclical," he said. "Fusion as it was was kind of a tired idea. There were a lot of extremely successful albums, but like all trends it got overrun." The resulting downturn in quality, as well as the reactions of the acoustic jazz police who decried the electricity, energy and success of Weather Report, Return to Forever, Jean-Luc Ponty, and other fusioneers, eventually resulted in the music's being relegated to has-been status.

Now Lorber hopes to help resurrect it. While this disc offers more than a passing nod to the smooth format that much of fusion eventually morphed into, there are certainly moments of energy, passion, and the lickety-split playing that enthralled audiences in the 70s. Let it rock!

Read more about my interview this fall in the pages of Jazziz magazine.