escaping and gobsmacked

     A Miles Davis set blended nicely into a Horace Silver quintet piece as the Pacific coast glided along through the windshield. Southbound on Highway One, watching the cobalt blue sky and turquoise Pacific wash away dystopian blues.

      Nature was giving me a brain massage, kneading away the freak show that is Washington. Art Blakey, and then Ella and Lee Morgan bringing life back to a moribund sense of hope. Being spiked up with the sheer beauty of the California coast, as far away from the evil spell as I can be.  Destination-a better mind set and Morro Bay.

     When we visited as tourists, California was always a mind cleanser. We'd come from back east wired up with the ways of politics and intrigues and work. A few breaths of air, the heat of the sun and the Cali culture made all of that seem so silly, other worldly, curious and far away.

     Feeling Highway 1 under the wheels, and in the groove the liberation spirit was rising and I had a mission.

       Oysters, from Giovanni's on the embarcadero was my assignment for a daughter's birthday party tomorrow. We've been buying oysters and fish from this waterfront since our first adventure in never never land in the late 60's. I love the product of the local fishermen, the staff, and to people watch. I was a  tourist here once and I catch a nostalgic vibe each time I see folks enjoying a vacation and cuing up in line for the take away or being dazzled by the counter case offerings.

      Today, there was some other blue magic. Black and red magic too.

     The Woodies are in town.

    Woodies at a California Surf Shop! That's about as far from the Senate and this White House that you can get, right?

    I heard a woman say to her mate, "You know you're getting old when you remember the Woodies." His retort, "Or when you don't get 'em very often." They snickered and so did a few others milling about. 

     So maybe the Saturday Night Live skits "The Californians" make you smile. We laugh too. But right now California life makes a lot more sense than Washington stupidity and seems a lot healthier as well.
      Here's a man that get's my vote-a man with a real skill and who has them waiting in line

    Cruising back up the 1, with Coltrane, Indy's own Wes Montgomery, Marsalis, Parker and Dizzy I felt better and got it through my head that all things change and pass. Whether you call it karma, universal balance, divine justice, or whatever, action gets responded to with reaction and so it has ever been. 

    I also know I'd rather spend a day on the California coast than in a Senate hearing room. You know, I knew that years ago, but needed simply to get out there and breath it, feel it, enjoy it. I'm not going out on a limb here when I say you can breath it, feel it, and enjoy it wherever you are. It's life and we only have one. We should not let fools, idiots, liars and ideologues take that from us. There are days for fighting, and there are days for recharging. Peace.

    See you down the trail. 

FRACTIONS OF A SCENE

MISSING IN NEW ORLEANS

     People rallied in New Orleans today, led by prominent jazz musicians, trying to reverse a decision that has shaken the Big Easy.  The 175 year old Times Picayune newspaper laid off 32% of its staff and announced it is was going publish only 3 days a week.  In the newsroom alone 84 of the 173 employees were sacked.

      The Times Picayune has figured prominently in the jailing of corrupt politicians, a Louisiana tradition. That watchdog roll will be missing.  And people complain about the end of a morning tradition of coffee, the paper and maybe a beignet.

       On-line news can do a lot, but nothing is like the morning paper.

OYSTERS VS ENVIRONMENTALISTS? 

     An interesting fight continues here in the California Republic.  Senator Diane Feinstein's record of environmental support is in question because of her support of an historic and popular Drakes Bay Oyster Farm.

      It is explained and put in context in the East Bay Express that you can link to here.

         The beautiful Point Reyes area is part of the equation.

PIECES OF THE NIGHT

AT THE PAINTED SKY

    The multiple Grammy nominated and extraordinarily talented Peter Case played the new Painted Sky in Harmony last night.

      Case is a songwriter's songwriter who counts Bruce Springsteen as among this fans. (He tells a great story about his first meeting of the Boss.)  

       Last night's audience was treated to his skills on 12 strings, 6 strings, electric guitar, harmonica and piano.

       Most of the music was original though a cover of Whiter Shade of Pale brought a palpable electricity into the room. It's been done countless times by more artists than we know but this performance was one of those moments in the rock ether when performance angels swarm around and frame the moment to lift it away and place it in the hall of timelessness and greatness.

        Case is the music curator at the Getty Museum in LA, an author and a blues expert as well.  He told about seeing Honey Boy Edwards shortly before his death.  He took us behind the music when he tuned down his 12 string "the way Leadbelly did it" and then ripped out a gut bucket "30 days in the workhouse."

        Some of the greatest lyrics of the night came from one of his new tunes exploring change, loss and time-"we'll meet again at the end of the long good time."

         Playing his 12 string with a sweetness that was ethereal he explored poignancy in a tune he penned in Scotland with the refrain "someone sees the dreams we hide."

       Case had an arc as a rock star when he fronted the Plimsouls and was lead in the new wave band the The Nerves.

       Case teaches and plays frequently at the legendary McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica. We hope he'll find his way north again for another night in the magic of the Painted Sky.

PIECES OF THE SCENE

See you down the trail.