The Queen of Hang: Sheila E. Anderson

Calling all Buffalonians on June 9, 2007!

This event should be loads of fun. Last Friday night I stopped in Showman's on 125th St. and ran into two people who I know from Buffalo. One was visiting, the other has been here since 1976. In addition, I saw a guy who looked familiar and low and behold, I had met him through another Buffalo friend, Fran. Though most of us have left Buffalo for work, we still have a soft spot for the "Nickel City."

A “Buffalo Takes Manhattan” bash will be held next month in a posh penthouse suite on New York City’s famed 42nd Street. Organizers say they’re throwing the party to raise money for renovation of a dilapidated apartment building on Buffalo’s West Side.

The party, advertised as an event “for Buffalonians and Buffalo lovers,” will be held at 8 p.m. June 9 in a 33rd-floor penthouse at 330 W. 42nd St. Tickets are $20, and the event will benefit PUSH Buffalo, a not-for-profit group dedicated to improving Buffalo’s housing and housing policies.

Lewis Nash

Drummer Lewis Nash is jazzed about day named in his honor! May 26 was named "Lewis Nash Day" in his native Phoenix, Arizona. Congratulations, Lewis!

People to Remember

When I was writing about Hilton Ruiz I found the Phil Brodie Muso Band Page. So many people have passed on that I believe should be remembered...Some of the people mentioned are; Ray Barretto, June Pointer, Maynard Ferguson, Billy Preston and James Brown, Jr.

Hilton Ruiz

Born May 29, 1952, died June 6, 2006, Hilton was a Puerto Rican-American jazz pianist in the Afro-Cuban mold, but was also a talented bebop player and someone who I called a friend. I had hired Hilton to perform at The Newark Museum, Jazz in the Garden Series last year. He was to perform on July 2 but he did not live to see that day. I still have his signed contract that I cannot part with.

Below is a message from Sue Terry that includes some video that was shot during his visit to New Orleans where his life was taken away. We miss him terribly but he still lives on.

Many of you will remember that my friend and colleague Hilton Ruiz was killed in New Orleans one year ago, when he went down for a photo shoot for the album we had just finished recording. It's a great lineup (with accompanying filmed footage of the record date) featuring Hilton, Dafnis Prieto, Yomo Toro, Leon Lee Dorsey, Renato Thoms, and a horn section of me, Lew Soloff and Dick Griffin.

The record label, M27, has released a very engaging promotional video. The video is a little over five minutes. At the end, we are playing All Blues from the record date. It ends with my alto solo behind the voiceover; you can hear the music really well. [I still think about Hilton almost every day.]

Marco from M27 World Label, was with him in New Orleans, and you will also see footage of Hilton the day before he died. Marco has done a tremendous job in documenting Hilton's career in the years before his death. He may be gone, but I am quite certain his reputation will continue to
grow.

Also, watch a video also produced by M27 productions.

Things to ponder...

I must admit that I loathe most e-mail jokes but I found the facts below to be interesting but, most amusing, the comments are on point. Perhaps this will make you smile....Enjoy!

If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.
(Hardly seems worth it.)

If you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.
(Now that's more like it!)

The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.
(O.M.G.!)

A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes.
(In my next life, I want to be a pig.)

A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death.
(Creepy.)
(I'm still not over the pig.)

Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories a hour.
(Don't try this at home, maybe at work)

The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off.
("Honey, I'm home. What the..?!")

The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field.
(30 minutes..lucky pig! Can you imagine?)

The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.
(What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond?)

Some lions mate over 50 times a day.
(I still want to be a pig in my next life...quality over quantity)

Butterflies taste with their feet.
(Something I always wanted to know.)

The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.
(Hmmmmmm......)

Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people.
(If you're ambidextrous, do you split the difference?)

Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.
(Okay, so that would be a good thing)

A cat's urine glows under a black light.
(I wonder who was paid to figure that out?)

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
(I know some people like that.)

Starfish have no brains.
(I know some people like that too.)

Polar bears are left-handed.
(If they switch, they'll live a lot longer)

Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure.
(What about that pig??)

Crafts at Lyndhurst May 20, 2007

It is not too late to go to "A festival of contemporary craft, art, music & food."

Experience great crafts, photography, art, food and fabulous musical entertainment at the Hudson Valley's most beautiful historic estate. A perfect day for the entire family!

My friend, Evette Everett will have a booth there.

Sunday 10 to 5
Admission $9, Seniors $8, Children 6-16 $4 and under age 6 FREE
Free parking, no dogs, rain or shine
914-631-4481
For more information

The Week Of 5/14 – 5/20/07

I am sorry that I was unable to post the calendar for the week of 5/14 to 5/20/07. Wbgo, 88.3FM has been in the midst of our Spring Membership drive and I pitched several unexpected days and nights. It is not to late to make a pledge. Log on, click e-pledge and make your contribution.

Thank YOU!

From the week of 5/7 to 5/13/07

Friday & Saturday
The Joe Chambers Outlaw Band

Javon Jackson will be performing with Joe Chambers.
Here is a photo of me and Javon recently at Iridium Jazz Club