Saturday, April 30, 2011

Spring health, music, art and flowers.

Carol and I are fine with good numbers all around. Carol was planting her flower boxes on the deck today, looking good. More plants into the garden this week. We ducked up to Woodstock to strip the seat covers...we take them home and wash them to get ready for the season. We'll open up Memorial Day weekend. Today I played Jazz at the Art gallery celebrating the closing of our "Take Five" Jazz Month show. Next week I bring artwork into the hospital for the annual patients art show. Brought 2 old windows back from Woodstock to use as frames for some pastels. Tomorrow Beethoven's 3rd and Mass in C up in Sparta, NJ. Fun gig.
Am playing Jazz each Monday evening at the Parkwood Diner. Lotsa fun. Good crowd. Yesterday I went to Juilliard to hear a former pupils BA degree recital...real fine. Corey Schutzer. He's off to play in Europe before working on his Masters.
Maayan was a delight on the Skype this week. Love these Grands. Saw Elana on Skype at our Easter Sunday Seder. Fun.
Gotta go see/hear Lee's rock band tonight at 10 in HCK. Have fun y'all. JIMBO

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Rest time

Sat. April 2, 2011. I'm resting a bit, still catching up after last week's opera performances, which went brilliantly. Had great audiences and exciting performances. Been recovering ever since. The Fri night gig at Hat City also went well. It'a a fun country band. Now to get Beethoven's 3rd Sym under control again for the May 1st gig. We last did it 3 seasons ago. We went to hear the NY Philharmonic Thursday. Fantastic sound, with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting and Annie Sophie Mutter performing a new violin concerto. Dynamite. Carol and I always love to get into the city. It's time for us to repeat our NY weekend soon. Last year we loved a weekend at the Iroqouis, next to the Algonquin. Heard 2 good nights of jazz recently, Winard Harper at Shanghai and Houston Person at Trumpets. This weekend is Maayan's birthday shabbot (April 3rd). Last night they had guests for dinner, Maayan sounded very excited on the phone when I called her. Also last night we took in a weird but funny movie, Grand Rapids. Had to have a tooth worked on today..ouch...now for an extraction and a post and buildup. Yikes. Expensive. Also waiting for a new chimney on the Maplewood house, more expense. Nutz. Our Jazz nights have begun at Parkwood Diner, to some fine reviews. Been digging my neighbor Stephen Reilley on You Tube. Such a fine player. We took a hike in the cool air last week in the reservation...brisk, but feels good to be back in the woods. Post snow and ice. I think they had another 8 inches in Woodstock yesterday. Garnet Hill was advertising extra spring weekends of skiing in the Adirondacks. Wild. Well Wed. we're back into the hospital for some tests and checkups. Hopefully everything is ok. Soon we'll be getting to the Woodstock place for a weekend. Can't wait, but I need it to warmup a touch. After tax day we'll be ok.Gotta go. Keep healthy. Enjoy the Spring. JIMBO