Signs of Spring

Creeping white & lavender phlox along the front wall.

Pink Hyacinth in full bloom

Jaaaaazzzzzzzzz!

It's not often that you can see an octet that features the best jazz musicians playing today, but that's exactly what I enjoyed last night at the beautiful Strathmore Hall.

The group is the SFJazz Collective, which was started three years ago is still led by Joshua Redman--one of the highly touted "Young Lions" from the early-mid 90s who has gone on to produce an impressive body of music over the past decade. Redman has done something increasingly rare in this day and age--form a serious jazz band that gets together in the spring in SF, composes and rehearses original compositions, as well as those of a modern jazz master, and then goes on the road together to perform these works.

The lineup for the band is just overflowing with talent--Redman is a star in his own right, but he's surrounded himself with premier players, young studs and one certified legend, including Nicholas Payton on trumpet, Renee Rosnes on piano, Eric Harland on drums, and the venerable Bobby Hutcherson on vibes.

The original compositions that they played were disparate in style and character, ranging from the idiosyncratic "puzzle" of Payton's "Soduko" to the driving, muscular, rhythmic dynamism of Harland's own piece at the end of the second set. In between were sprinkled some gems from one of the great modern jazz musicians--the icomparable Herbie Hancock. The ensemble clearly delighted in performing pieces that ranged from early in Hancock's career ("And What if I Don't?"), to the gorgeous "Tell Me a Bedtime Story" from Fat Albert Rotunda and "Riot"--a heavy cut from his period with the groundbreaking Headhunters. If you're not familiar with Herbie Hancock, I suggest that you take a trip to your nearest independent music store and buy as many of his albums as you can--you won't be disappointed.

The playing was flawless throughout--with each member showing the kind of chops that one would expect, but always within the bounds of the ensemble, and always with the kind of swing that keeps feet pattin' and heads noddin'.

Truly a wonderful night of inspired live music. Jazz is well as long as guys like Redman can pull together legends from the Blue Note catalogue of the 1960s like Hutcherson and up-and-comers like Harland to rehearse and perform at this level.

Fashionistas

Aymara Indians at a road blockade near Potosi, Bolivia. This image was taken yesterday by one of my colleagues.

Note the traditional "chulu" colorful woven hat that is worn underneath the bowler. This is a new fashion twist, as women traditionally wear the bowlers, while men wear the chulu hats. These guys are going with both.

This will probably make it's way onto Dolce & Gabana's runway show in the fall.

Erin Go Braugh!!

Happy St. Patricks' Day!

Always gives me pause to remember those ancestors who came before me. The Leary's and O'Connors from Cork and Kerry. Typical American Dream stuff--hard workers, laborers, really. "Poppy" O'Connor, my grandfather's father, was an iron molder and "had a fist that was like a block of cement." The struggled, worked hard, raised their kids, and watched as the next generation prospered and moved up the rungs on the American economic ladder.

My grandfather was the first in his family to buy a house. He sent both of his kids to college. Always worked two jobs and every holiday to earn the extra pay. When I got an offer for my first job out of college at a law firm in Manhattan, his first question was "how much they gonna pay ya?". I told him ($25k/yr.--this was 1993). He whistled and shook his head side to side "Oh you handy man--I never made that much money in a year in my life".

We'll raise a pint of Guiness to them all tonight.

Image du Jour

Old City, Sana'a Yemen

Act Globally, Act Locally

I recently had an epiphany. Well, it wasn't that momentous, but anyway, I realized that I spend more time reading, analyzing, and oftentimes bitching about policies, politics, and the miscreants who practice both than I do actually putting energy into productive change.
So rather than just start another blog and become a permanent member of the chattering class, I decided to get involved. I started a group through a local community association whose goal is to provide basic home repair and landscaping services to needy people within our neighborhood. Six volunteers have responded to my call over the listserv and we have already identified one project. My goal is to do at least one project per quarter.

It's small, its local, and its impact will be the same. Here, Here!

Brothers in Arms

You never know what will happen when a sibling intrudes on another's exclusive domain, but Devin has been nothing but a loving and very affectionate big brother to Keiran.

The only thing we wory about is that he'll fall when climbing on his changing table or crib in his attempt to get closer to his brother. Oh, and he loves to squeeze his face in his hands, which also causes us some concern, but at least he's not pushing him over in his swing.

Devin's response to Keiran's cries: "Mommy, he needs meeelk"

Go Ahead, Smile....

This just makes my day..... Keiran at 9 weeks has emerged from the "blob" phase of infancy and is now showing some animated personality.

Keiran Joseph Gibbs

Yeah, it's been awhile--but I've been busy.....parenting can be a little time consuming. Especially now that we have TWO boys.

Yep, Keiran Joseph Gibbs emerged with minimal effort (even Sampriti agrees) on January 6, 2006 at 10:31 a.m.

Here's what he looked like just after he was born.