Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Take that, Lonny June!

Here's how it went down:

My everyday shoes were starting to look ratty, which was fine by me because they felt great and it had taken all summer to get them that way. But school was coming soon and Mom wasn't having one of here kids going around in ratty looking shoes. So we got in the Fury III station wagon and headed for the Western Mall and the shoe store where we always bought my shoes, Lavergne's I think it was called.

The best thing about this shoe store was the fire engine. It sat out in the middle of the store, an antique number that some clever person had converted to display shoes and hold shoeboxes. The best thing about the fire engine was that you could climb into the driver's seat and crank the steering wheel, although by this time I was at the age where I was starting to feel self-conscious about "playing" if other kids were around.

I picked out a pair of red sneakers (this was years before the term "athletic shoe" had any cultural significance). They had white rubber soles and white laces and white caps on the toes and I thought they were so damn snappy that I wore them home, walking with a special new-shoe bounce in my step.

Then my sister Lonny got a load of my new shoes. Particularly as teenager, Lonny had an exceptional gift for sarcasm, and she proceeded to rain coals of sarcastic fire on my head, to the point that Mom told her to lay off. But, of course, the damage was done.

I got over it, because that's what you do after one of your older sisters makes fun of your shoes. I kept wearing those red sneakers, because we were not the kind of people who returned perfectly good shoes because somebody made fun of them. Eventually those red sneakers started to look ratty and were replaced by another pair of sneakers. That's how it is with shoes.

But somewhere in the back of my mind was a tiny nugget of grief over the loss of that new-shoe shine. I suspect this is so because last summer my friend Fred had a post on his blog that made reference to buying himself a pair of bright orange Pumas because he felt special. I suspect that the idea of brightly colored shoes drifted into the back of mind and bumped up against that nugget of grief.

Then a few days before my last birthday, I came across the shoes pictured above in a catalogue and thought, "Damn it, I'm getting myself a pair of red shoes!" And so I did.

And if the angels want to wear my red shoes, I can't say I blame them.

Saturday, October 28, 2006

On MySpace and television

I updated my MySpace profile today. Woop-dee-freakin'-doo.

My experience with MySpace has been that works as a way to keep up with musicians that I'm interested in. Otherwise, MySpace and I aren't a good fit. There's something that rankles me about asking people to be your friend and vice versa. I didn't like it in grade school and I don't like it now.

Anyway, the following pensee came out of the Interests: Television category, replaced by the names actual television shows (how lame of me, but what do you expect from a person who uses words like "pensee"?).

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I would like to say a word for the Digital Video Recorder (some folks call them a Tivo). That word: amazing.

Another word would be transformative. Not that the DVR that came with our satellite television system has transformed me. The device has, however, transformed my television watching experience. Not just because you can record what you want to watch and watch it when you choose. That's all well and groovy, as is skipping over lame commercials (and watching good commercials over and over).

The amazing part is being able to pause the program, skip back and watch something over again or pick up a line of dialogue you missed. The transformative part is that I now find myself wanting to do this to the radio and even to living/speaking human beings.

I'm not sure if this is all good, but I am convinced that it is both amazing and transformative.

Monday, October 23, 2006

Lions in Winter

I missed the McCoy Tyner show at the Gem last weekend. Too bad. From what I'm told, Tyner (who turns 68 in December) is still laying down some serious notes. Here he is ten years ago with a solo take on John Coltrane's Giant Steps.



I heard the Jazz Geek on KKFI yesterday refer to Tyner as a "senior citizen" and he meant it admiringly. This is true, technically. I'm sure the AARP has been after Tyner for 20 years. But it seems that if a musician attends to his or her corporeal self, 68 is still very much part of the prime.

Speaking of senior citizens, C and I caught Jim Hall at the Folly a few weeks back. Hall is coming up on 80 and while his gift and sensitivity were still very much in evidence, I fear his hearing may be in decline. I hope I'm wrong. Hall was performing with pianist Geoffrey Keezer who made everything work for me, prodding and supporting the elder statesman.

Here's a short interview with Keezer, talking about playing with Hall.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Return of the Jazz Apostate


Some are born critics, some become critics, and some have critical status thrust upon them. Or words to that effect. I'm somewhere between 2 and 3.

For six very happy months last year, I was the host of a jazz show. For two hours a week I was allowed to foist my taste on whoever happened to be listening to KCUR's Just Jazz. The health of the show's longtime hosts, Ginney Coleman and Ruth Roden, had put the future of the show in question and I offered to hold the fort until the station decided what to do with that portion of Sunday afternoon.

It was a very pleasant experience all the way round: I had access to new releases and what remains of the station's jazz library (which is still considerable). More importantly I had motivation to go to the library and do research on artists I only thought I knew about. I also had the chance to interview several great Kansas City jazz artists, including Alaadeen, The Aurora Consort and Dan Thomas. The show's format also allowed me to function as more of a jazz enabler than a jazz critic, because who needs that kind of pressure. And so it was with some regret that I gave up the gig when the station decided to retire the show last October.

Fast forward one year to last week Wednesday, my first appearance on Up to Date to talk about some recent jazz releases with the show's host Steve Kraske. I was introduced as "KCUR's Lee Ingalls" and we listened to some selections from and chatted amiably about the following:

Kenny Garrett - Beyond the Wall
(Nonesuch Records)
Pat Metheny & Brad Mehldau - Metheny/Mehldau (Nonesuch Records)
Roots - Sean Jones (Mack Avenue Records)
Live at Lincoln Center, Vol. 1 - Mulgrew Miller Trio (MAXJazz)

Have a listen if you like: It's in the Up to Date archives - the last 10 minutes of the show.

In the wrap-up, Kraske said something like "That's Up to Date's jazz critic Lee Ingalls." So now I'm a critic, I guess, but it'll take awhile for the suit to fit.

I'll be on again Nov ember 9 with more jazz to share. In the meantime, I'll plan to foist my taste on all four people who read this blog.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Radio spotting

Today's my birthday, so I'm taking stock of the last year. The verdict: It was a pretty damn good year (for me personally, if not for the nation/world - definitely some general suckage to go around). Thanks to everyone who participated.

Much of that time was spent working as a copywriter for Kansas City's Union Station. My favorite part of the job -- by far -- was coming up with radio spots (aka, commercials). Before this my experience with commercials has been as one of the voices in them (listen to samples here). At Union Station, I had the chance to write and cast each one-minute play, and then (kind of) act as producer at the session.

We cut the spots at Evolution Audio here in KC with the invaluable direction of a wizard named Don Martin. Here are four I'm especially proud of, in no particular order.

Holiday Spirit: The Holiday Spirit Train - :60
Wherein we meet the Elves Grindleberry and Mirthella, who wish to ride the Holiday Spirit Train.

Holiday Spirit: Membership - :60
Wherein Grindleberry and Mirthella try to find out what they're getting for Christmas.

Holiday Spirit: New Year's Eve Party - :60
Wherein Grindleberry and Mirthella confront what it will take to get into a fabulous party..

Smithsonian's Sports: Bob & Jan - :60
One of those commercials where the guy is such an idiot you can hardly believe his wife hasn't poisoned his Rogaine®. But such is advertising. Great performances by two great KC actors: Brian Paulette and Sarah Crane.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Volunteerism


Volunteer basil
Originally uploaded by kc tripper.
I take comfort in the tenatiousness of flora, in plants that decide to make a go of it despite a lack of encouragement. This volunteer basil plant, for instance, practically grew from underneath our deck without much in the way of encouragement from this distracted gardner, waiting until the pushy cucumber vines had died back to make a break for some sunshine.

Seems a shame to turn it into pesto, but what better reward for tenacity than an ecstatic union with some good olive oil and garlic? A guy could do worse.

Friday, October 6, 2006

This week's winning headline

From KMBC.com, aka The Kansas City Channel:

"Police: Body Found In Apartment Is Suspicious" - One guess what it's suspicious about.

This is followed by the helpful subhead: "Relative Finds Man Not Breathing"

Which reminds me of Monty Python's Dead Parrot sketch, so here it is:

Thursday, October 5, 2006

Doings at the Sandwich

After a month or so off, I've started dabbling once again with my scratchpad blog (don't know what else to call it) An Oddment of Sandwiches. It's something, that's for sure.

Recently:
- Prepare to Meet Thy God
- Troubling vines
- An exchange on fluids
- Go (rhymes vaguely)

Tuesday, October 3, 2006

Ken on K.C.


Apparently, it doesn't take a Brainiac to see that Kansas City's Union Station is no people magnet.

Sunday, October 1, 2006

All too short a date

Fall is probably my favorite season, bringing with it cool nights, my birthday and pumpkin pie. Even so it's sad to see the long days and balmy temps fade away.

This sappy little video -- hastily assembled from footage of the crazy sunflowers in our yard -- is my way of saying goodbye to summer's lease.