Russ Long Rides Again

The music of Russ Long got another public airing recently, this time in Topeka, Kan., an hour west of the pianist's home town of Kansas City, Mo. Arranged for septet by Long's long-time bandmate Gerald Spaits, the bakers dozen tunes included the pianist's most widely known, Save That Time.

Long died just over five years ago, after a long illness, but not before recording the septet arrangements for the appropriately-titled album Time To Go. Here's an interview I did with Spaits shortly after the album came out.

Or listen here:



I did my best to agitate for a performance of Time To Go as part of a Russ Long tribute for the Folly Theater's Jazz Season. Didn't happen. But it still could. And would still be fitting.

A Day with Harvey and Bo

I spent much of the morning following a string Harvey Korman videos on YouTube (starting here), which led to a string of Carol Burnett show clips and outtakes. Then this afternoon email brings word that the great Bo Diddley has passed. So it's back to YouTube where a retrospective of this sui generis pioneer is there for the searching.

All in all, a pretty good way to spend a day.

The clip above features the now foundational Bo Diddley riff stripped down to its essence. Why bother with lyrics about buying diamond rings? The riff is the man, as the man is the riff, world without end, amen. (To see just how wound that riff is into rock's DNA see this.)

Requiem in eternas, Bo. And Harvey. You made this world a happier place.

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Korman clip tip from XO and TT (who are unlikely to ever share a sentence again).