The Crucible in Oakland, CA  is putting on this amazing show next week titled, Heat: A Fire Cabaret. At first I was wondering WTF, but then I thought, hey what could be better than Kim Nalley with her sultry vocals and loads of fire.

For those who do not know of The Crucible, to quote them: The Crucible is a non-profit educational facility that fosters a collaboration of Arts, Industry and Community. Through training in the fine and industrial arts, The Crucible promotes creative expression, reuse of materials and innovative design while serving as an accessible arts venue for the general public.   http://thecrucible.org/

Yes, however, it is all about welding and fire, some of the demonstrations they will be doing at the cabaret are entitled “…torch cutting burlesque, MIG welding strip tease, welding aerial acts…”  Where do I sign up? Actually I already have.

Of course if the verdict comes down that Mehserle is not guilty of manslaughter and he is acquitted, we will have a riot in the Bay Area…what is wrong with you people? Destroying your own neighborhoods? Don’t get me started or I will sit on my soapbox all day….Twitter me your thoughts.

Looks like I will be on the roster for performing a concert at the Jazz School on Friday December 3rd! Sweetness o’ life!

So many things to do, for instance:

I start to master my CD the middle of July, Dave Landon at Whip Records is so busy that is the first time he can get me in. Need to then do all the Harry Fox mechanical licensing for all the songs, cover design, name of album, colors for printing, type of packaging….Yikes!

I need to plan a CD release party when George Mesterhazy is in town, that will be in October.

I need to plan this concert at the Jazz School, good for also selling the CD.

I need to work on charts, and music, music, music. Did I mention music?

And I start back to school at The Jazz Institute in September.

What should I do with my concert in December, holiday music is out. Comedy perhaps? Songs with a comic message, I Want to Be Evil, Lemon Twist, Ballad of Thelonius Monk or maybe Everything I’ve Got.

Need to think on this one…hmmmm.

I am down in sunny Los Angeles, well actually Anaheim, visiting the Big Cheese, Mickey Mouse and his sidekick, Minnie.

Last night we were walking around Downtown Disney with  10,000 other people, shopping and listening to really wonderful jazz. Yes, jazz! As we strolled down the main drag, spattered here and there were some really wonderful musicians performing. And 90% of them were pouring out beautiful notes of jazz.

It made me think about our society and music, specifically the genre of jazz, and if you go into almost any restaurant or public place where you hear music piped in, most of it is jazz. And yet, when you look at the number of albums sold, concerts attended, or small venues where jazz is performed, very few are of the jazz genre. Why is that?

Is it because we are geared towards our youth and they prefer a hard driving beat to dance to? Is jazz just to deep and complicated and people don’t want to take the time to listen to it? Perhaps we have no time to listen in our hectic lives.

What a shame more of us don’t take the time to enjoy our surroundings, to just sit and listen and drink in the beautiful sounds of music that surround us.

Well, I must go now and take the kids to a loud, crowded amusement park with people pushing and waiting in long lines, all hot and sweaty and irritated cause they have to wait such an incredibly long time for such a short thrill. And yet, it is the Happiest Place on Earth. Go figure. (Walt is rolling in his grave)