WorlBoy goes to the Big Apple

Some of you have asked me about my recent trip to the Big Apple and the IAJE convention. I had a total blast out there. And I owe it all to my wife Susan. She gave me my “hall pass” so I could celebrate my birthday (which was in November) with some of my guy friends. Thank you Hon!!!!
Matt Beasley and I flew out there Tuesday the 10th on Jet Blue from the Oakland Airport. When we walked onto the plane, the first person I saw was my old buddy John Kalleen and his son Hank. It turns out that John was taking him out there to check out the music scene as well as a show and the convention. Sitting a couple of rows back was the infamous bassist, Peter Barshey and across from him was the director of the Monterey Jazz Festival, Tim Jackson. For all of you who haven’t met Tim, he’s a very down to earth kinda guy. One of the nicest cats on the planet IMHO.
Jet Blue is the way to fly out to NY on a budget. Roomy leather seats, plenty of leg room, on time and there is a TV on every seat back. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. The flight took four or five hours and before we knew it, we were landing at JFK.
We got into NY by taking a town car to mid-town Manhattan. John, Hank and Matt were staying at the Sheraton and I was staying with a drummer friend, Brian Fishler for a couple a nights until my buddy Niel Levonius came two days later. Brian is a marvelous drummer from Novato. It makes me feel a little geezer-like when I think about the fact that I used to do gigs with his parents, Ken and Bobbie Fishler.
Matt, John, Hank and I went out to dinner across from the Sheraton at a place called Rosie O’Gradys and had a great dinner. Good steak, good wine and nice wait staff. I recommend this place highly. Afterwards we went to the Irridium on Times Square and saw the Mingus Big Band. What a great band. Blistering solos from everyone and the trumpet section kicked ass. Eddie Henderson, Kenny Rampton (lead) and Alex Sipiagen were on that night. Alex took one of the most incredible flugelhorn solos I’ve ever heard and Kenny….What can I say. Tone like Shorty Baker, beautiful ideas and a nice cat to boot. Plus nailing the lead book as good as anyone I’ve ever heard. I feel fortunate that I got to hear him again on another Mingus Big Band concert. (more on that later) Eddie Henderson is the elder statesman in the jazz trumpet world and holding down the title like Mohammed Ali. Still kickin’ ass and taking names.
One thing though….We soon found out that each set at most venues cost between $25-30 and they last only an hour. No encore plus a food/drink minimum. When we got our check (yikes!!!) we bitched miserably until the manager came over and told us that this is the way it is out there. So, we were in new territory and had to learn to accept a new set of rules. That was the first bite the Big Apple took outta me. Hah!!! Afterwards I met Brian, Callie and her roommate in the Village for a hang and the next thing I knew we were taking the subway out to Brooklyn to crash. So that was my first day (and night).
Next blog I’ll talk about what happened on Wednesday. See ya!!!