A musical morning

Another day. And as I read the early morning news and the favorite blogs, I note that, once again, the family blogs are all quiet. What’s with that? Daughters and granddaughter…not a word from them. Are they OK?

Although I know it won’t work, I still try ‘guilt’ as a means of getting them to write. It’s what I do.

And yesterday, what I was doing as I made a short circuit of the park, was listening to Fresh Air and an interview with Quincy Jones. Amazing. That was followed by an interview with Marian McPartland. Marian is turning 90 and Mr. Jones is 75. Both are still active and turning out new works regularly. Isn’t that how aging should work? (I’m still of the opinion that it is 90% attitude. But, like all of my opinions…subject to change.)

Anyway, the stories of music and jazz in particular made me think of my early love of jazz. As a freshman (1954) in high school, I was introduced to R&B; a music form that was definitely not in the mainstream. Of course I loved it. And during the next few years, that matured into a love for jazz. Modern jazz to be more exact. And since Hermosa Beach was so close by, I could spend some time outside the Lighthouse, listening to some of the finest jazz musicians of that time.

Stereo LP records were relatively new in the 50’s, as were 45’s, but it was the LP albums with the fantastic cover art that I coveted and saved my money for. By 1957 I had a car and so I could travel to North Redondo where there was record store that had listening booths and plenty of jazz to choose from. Art Pepper was on the cover of my first album; Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section. Yes, I still have the album; out in the garage.