NAMM Adventures

With help from my "in", Rod Daynes, we were able to attend the NAMM show in Anaheim again this year. What a zoo! Lots of gear... guitars, amps, recording hardware, audio software... ah, the software!







Wait a minute! Well, maybe next year I will just spend my time with my camera in one place and just take photos of people. Somehow, I guess it's the music industry and in Los Angeles, but the show really does attract the most interesting people.

I did see some fun gear as well.





There's always fun entertainment to be found at NAMM, some on formal stages, some just happens in various booths. First thing in the morning, for folks waiting for the exhibit doors to open, we were treated to Polka Floyd. Yep, just what the name implies. Really a fun start to our day.


Then a little Tex-Mex at the Roland electronic squeeze box booth.


Even Elton John showed up (I guess...)


But the best entertainment was that night, away from NAMM, where we heard Chain Reaction, featuring the work of the world's greatest guitar player... the kid really does have his chops down!



Til next year... (actually, stay tuned for pics from our road trip back to SLC).

One Last Bismarck Adventure

One of our interviews was with the ND Parks and Recs folks. They were kind enough to arrange a "private" tour of the close by Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park. While the park is open in the winter, the weather keeps the tourists at bay (and our tour rather brief!).

The Fort is home to a museum built by the CCC (perhaps a good idea to try again now with our continuing recession).




The park also features a restoration of the On-A-Slant Indian village, the original occupants of this area in the 1600-1800s. The village features several earthen mound homes.





Canadian geese are prolific in this area (next to the Missouri river).


But Fort Abraham Lincoln is most famous as the homebase of General Custer and his army. His house has been restored, along with some of the barracks buildings. From this base, Custer led his men to their fate at Little Big Horn. Some curious facts... Custer graduated totally last in his class at West Point, yet had an exceedingly successful military career... until he didn't.




One way to bathe...



Supposedly, Custer's wife's ghost still haunts the house and grounds. Probably as revenge for having to wear these very narrow shoes.


Apparently, many women of the time chopped off their little toes in order to fit into these fashionable shoes of the day. And we are incredulous about Chinese foot binding.

One barracks and a zillion more geese.


Finally, a shot of the wide Missouri... finally back in its banks after the worst flooding known to North Dakota.

More Bismarck

Unseasonably warm for 3 days in Bismarck, then the temps dropped 40 degrees! We did cruise around a little, it's a small town in most ways. Lots of bars and many quite decent restaurants. And these sites:


North Dakota has one of the few (maybe only Alaska) undomed state capitol buildings. From 1934, the current building reflects somewhat the art deco/industrial architecture of the period.

The railroads figure prominently in Bismarck commerce. From a little park along the rail lines, we found this steam engine... and a rather interestingly named church.





Downtown, there's this warning light/siren that indicates approaching weather. Storms can be severe, tornadoes are possible, and the Missouri can flood badly in the Spring as the populace learned in 2010. Local school kids learn a poem about the different indicators.



The Peacock Alley was historic but expensive ($10 beers!), but good steaks. Space Aliens had decent BBQ (very tender brisket and a fun family atmosphere... check their web site), and I got Walleye fish and chips at the Toasted Frog. But the best deal around was at the local Elks Club... $8 for a full prime rib dinner!

Bismarck in January

Yes, Bismarck, North Dakota in January. What the hell am I doing here in January? What the hell am I doing here at all? Well, North Dakota has a tendency to flood badly in the Spring (the Missouri River being just one culprit). So I'm up here with FEMA to attend some meetings revolving around disaster planning for the next floods. Thankfully, the weather at the moment is wonderful, sunny and warm (40's). Hope it holds.

Anyway, a neat little airport (new terminal) with quite the welcoming committee.



Here's the crew upon arrival.


I didn't get to see much of Bismarck today, since after checking into the local Radisson, we decided to meet for the football playoffs. The architecture in this part of town is pretty functional, to say the least.


I did find the McKenzie, one of those fine old hotels of the past, but no longer a hotel, unfortunately. Civic pride hasn't gotten around to renovating it yet.


Yeah, I know Jerome is about 50 miles away, but I don't think I'll get a chance to see him this trip. I don't know how meeting him would go anyway, for 10 minutes it might be cool.

But the bars are plentiful and cheap. Here's where we hung out for the game, next to the railroad tracks. More tomorrow...

Best Salt Lake City Jazz, 2011 Edition

In a flurry of new year's activity, I've assembled some of the best tunes I've recorded over the past year. While innovative jazz activity in SLC is in a current lull, there were still a few cool gigs that I attended. And I cheated a bit, since I've included some tunes that I recorded in SoCal. But they relate to the SLC jazz scene in a sense. If you want to hear the tunes, or download them, click on over to my web site: Holy Ground

Last Minute Gift Suggestions

Haven't posted here lately. For someone who doesn't give a damn about the holidays, I sure seem extra busy during this time of year. Parties, dinners, cards, letters, gifts, etc.. Anyway, I was going through some CDs the other day and ran across this jewel, one of my all time favorite recordings.


This live material was captured on an old reel to reel at the blue collar 23 Club in Brisbane, just south of San Francisco, in the early 60's. Mostly instrumental, it's a combo of jazz, country, western swing and just plain fun ("music starts at nine, the fights start at 10"). The playing is exceptional, Jimmie Rivers an obscure but very competent guitarist. The audio has been cleaned up well, resulting in a very listenable CD. I love this performance, and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys older music instead of the crap foisted upon us by today's music industry (majors and independents). Do a Google search and you'll come up with sites to hear and buy the music.

More Northern California music... Jim Thomas of the Mermen has released an "acoustic" album of his Mermen tunes, with a mellower, ambient intent.


Haven't heard it yet, but I'm confident it will be quite enjoyable instrumental music. I ordered it today.

Finally, for all you Occupy Wall Street supporters out there, a book: Debt: The First 5000 years, an anthropological analysis of debt throughout human history.


It's getting a lot of attention, and is considered somewhat of a bible of the OWS movement. My New Years, Palm Springs read.

Anyway, hopefully everyone will have a wonderful holiday season, and best wishes for the new year.