Lotte Jacobi And One Degree of Separation

Years ago, I went door to door speaking to people about the Bible. It was something I grew up doing. It was on one of these times going door to door in Dearing, New Hampshire that I came upon a little woman that was in her mid seventies. She opened the door and said “come on in, look around and I’ll be right with you.”

I was quite surprised that someone up in years, would be so trusting, but I thought maybe I have a friendly face. When she came back and asked “are you ready?” I was surprised, and then she realized that I wasn’t there to have my photograph taken. As I could see in the few minutes I was there, she was a wonderful photographer and had pictures on her wall of people that anyone could identify as well as others that just looked important and interesting. I saw before me pictures of Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Robert Frost J. D. Salinger, Paul Robeson and Max Planck.

After laughing at the fact that we both assumed to know who the other was, and were both wrong, she told me a little about herself. Her name was Lotte Jacobi and she had been a photographer since she was a young girl in Germany.

About a month after first meeting Lotte, I asked if I could interview her. I would love to write a story about her for Readers Digest, I told her. I brought her some cut flowers the day of our meeting and she spent about 10 minutes looking all over for a vase that would accommodate them, after which she told me, should I come back again, please don’t bring me flowers. She had plenty in her back yard and she even had her own beehives too, as she was a beekeeper.

Lotte told me that she had been a friend of Albert Einstein in Germany and that her friendship continued after they both arrived in America, after fleeing Hitler. You will see Lotte’s pictures in many books on Einstein, because he always insisted that her photos be used.

This past year, while I was still living in New York City, I had a chance to visit the Jewish Museum. The museum was having a full exhibit of Lotte Jacobi, who has been called by some to be the finest female photographer of the 20^th Century. Gracing much of a full wing of the Museum, I was able to view many of the same pictures I had seen back in 1973 on the walls of her studio there in Deering, N.H.

Lotte was someone that befriended many of the talented musicians, dancers and scientists of her day. She portrayed them in ways that no one else did prior to her. Lotte was very clear to point out that she didn’t wish to have any preconceived ideas about any of her subjects.

Recently I was thinking about the game that is played called “The Six Degrees of Separation Of Kevin Bacon”. The idea of the game is that Kevin Bacon as an end point can be linked in Hollywood by six degrees or less to almost any other performer. It made me laugh, because using that premise, having known Lotte Jacobi means that there is only one degree of separation from me to Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, J.D. Salinger or Robert Frost as well as other very famous people. Of course, in reality it doesn’t mean anything, since I never met any of them. But, what is something I’ll always be grateful for is to have met such a gracious artist as the one and only Lotte Jacobi herself!

LENI STERN

LENI STERN
Leni Stern recently came off a tour with Steel Pulse, which is a Reggae Band, that one of my very friends, Moonie, plays in. Leni plays Jazz and yet her opening for them worked nicely. Moonie had the chance to play with Leni and said what a wonderful player and what a fantastic person Leni is. She made the tour much more fun.

Leni is such a grounded player that knows tunes and hones her craft constantly.

Her writing is beautiful, so for those of you that are looking for someone that you may not have taken the time before to experience, here is one person that is wonderful to listen to and even better if you get to see in person!

Emily, I’ll Carry You!

For a short while I took guitar lessons from one of the finest female jazz guitarists since Mary Osborn. I never became a great guitarist, but that’s because I never put in the time it takes to be a great guitarist. Emily on the other hand, lived and breathed the guitar.

One day I arrived at Emily’s apartment to take a lesson and there she was in a leg cast and on crutches, having not exactly had the greatest time skiing. I told her Joe Pass was coming to town and he was performing on a double-bill with Jim Hall. She said that she knew about it and she’d really love to go, especially since she was a good friend of Jim Halls, but there’s one problem she said “at the moment I can’t walk”. I said “Emily, you’re not heavy, so I’ll just get as close to the Blue Note as I can and I’ll carry you.” So, sure enough a few nights later I picked Emily up and drove down into Greenwich Village, found a spot on the north side of Washington Square Park and Emily got on my back and I carried her to the Blue Note.

I wish I had a tape recorder with me that night, because up in the dressing room after the first set Emily asked Jim if she could borrow his beautiful cherry colored guitar. Joe told her to play a tune with him. They had one beautiful interchange after another and it was something the rest audience downstairs never got to see.

After playing with Joe, rather than stay for the 2nd set Emily asked me how my back was and wanted to know if I’d mind checking out Leni Stern, because she was playing that night at the 55 Bar on Christopher Street. So, playing horse again, we made our way over a few more blocks.

What thrilled Emily that night was seeing not only two legendary guitarists at the Blue Note, but seeing another wonderful guitarist, who was also a great writer. Emily said “hey, I know I’ve got the chops, but I would love to write like Leni”.

Leni was playing that night with a blazing guitarist named Wayne Krantz and as always her solos were silky smooth. I’ll tell more about Leni another time, but what I saw that night made me realize that every talented individual has something to glean from another. Beautiful music is always an interchange.

If you’re not familiar with Emily Remler than I’d suggest checking out the following.

• East to Wes


• This is Me

Let Me Connect You With Ella's Room

In 1991 Ella Fitzgerald was performing her last concert at Carnegie Hall and I always would get to see her when Joe Pass played for her, since Joe was a terrific friend.

I called the Hotel that both Joe and Ella were staying at looking to speak with Joe. The person at the switchboard told me that they couldn't find Joe and said "Do you want me to put you through to Ella's room?" I couldn't believe that she asked me that. I was thinking to myself what kind of an idiot would refuse talking to Ella, so I said sure. As it turned out Joe Pass had already come and gone from her room to work out what songs they were to perform together.

A few times previous to this date I had met Ella, but very briefly, only talking to her but a few minutes each time, but when Ella picked up the phone and told me Joe wasn't there somehow she started telling me about how she had just gotten over a cold and how she visited Europe and how much they loved her there and we had a really great 10 - 15 minute conversation and here I was at work never expecting to be talking to the First Lady of Song at all.

I wasn't the only one that was surprised that I spoke to Ella, but that night her manager saw me and came over and said "how did you do that?" I said "do what?" He said "talk to Ella for so long on the telephone. Because when her soap operas start she doesn't talk to anyone and I mean anyone, she even kicks me out of the room, and I'm her manager!" I can only guess that she felt like talking that day and was thrilled to be performing there at Carnegie Hall.

That night I didn't actually get a seat out front. Somehow Joe Pass seemed to get me the most memorable ways to see his shows. This night he brought me up to Ella's room where they had two small sliding doors which when opened up were right above the stage and I could look down and see the performance from slightly in back of her.

After the show and all the celebrities peraded up to her room, like Carly Simon and Peter Allen and then Tony Bennet and a long line of people, Joe asked if I wanted to join them for drinks. What an amazing night, not only was I with the finest solo jazz guitarist in the world, the First Lady of Song, but at this hotel lounge (I believe we were on 56th Street) Wes Montgomery's brother, Buddy Montgomery was on the piano. Now how can you get a better night in seeing jazz than that!

Oh, and whoever you were, thanks for putting me through to Ella's room!

Remembering Joe Pass

Ken Brown - Remembrances of Joe Pass Anyone that knew Joe Pass on a personal level should visit this site! It will bring back some memories of someone I have little doubt touched your life.

Chieli Minucci / SFX

Chieli Minucci / SFX
I remember sitting at the dining room table of my uncle's house and hearing the music coming from the living room. My cousin's record player was turned up and I had only heard a few minutes and already was jumping up and asking him who that was. He said "Oh, you like this? It's actually the music of a guy I grew up with. His name is Chieli and he still lives around here.

Chieli Minucci's music caught me right away. At the time he was playing with his band called Special EFX. Currently, he has a number of albums on his own, which are really beautiful, funky, fun and soothing - Yeah, all the above.

What makes Chieli special is that he has found his own voice. Players often sound like each other, but Chieli has a distinct sound, which is something that eludes many.

In regard to elusiveness, I found this quote: “Failures are more finely etched in our minds than triumphs, and success is an elusive, if not mythic, goal in our demanding society” (Hugh Drummond)

It's always cool seeing someone transcend the norm!

Clara Bow - My Life Story

Clara Bow - My Life Story

Well if there was ever a story of someone from back in the days of early jazz it's got to be Clara Bow. She's kind of like the original "flapper"

This is a very interesting story, so I wanted everyone to check it out.

Scott Samuels - The Joe Pass of Pop

scottmusic
Scott was extremely flattered when I told him that he was to pop what Joe Pass was to jazz. But those of us that would rush down to the park (Washington Square Park, Greenwich Village, NY that is) after work, would all have to agree that there is something special about Scott's playing.

I've personally sat there on those stone walls for 10 hours straight listening to Scott when he never took a break. He didn't do all the singing, but he did most of it as well as playing with different people as they stopped by to join in.

Anyone that is in New York on a warm summer night should not miss being a part of the 100 or so people that will sing background to a massive list of songs. It can be the Indigo Girls one minute, then Prince, then Queen, lots of Elton John and Billy Joel, Hendrix, James Taylor, Christopher Cross, Hall and Oates, The Temptations, Syreeta or even Britney Spears. Hey, just look at the 1000 or so song on his songlist!

Scott's music is the one thing I miss now that I've moved to Oregon!

Jazz Guitarists Should All Know Eddie Durham

I had the privilege of creating a website for a premier member of the jazz world, who passed away about 15 years ago. This guitarist's name should be much better known than he already is. The reason I say that is not because, I worked on the website (although, that might enter into it!) but seriously, it's because Eddie Durham was the first guitarist to play amplified guitar on record.

Besides his pioneering in the presentation of sound, he actually mentored Charlie Christian as a guitarist - now that's saying something!Eddie is best remembered as an arranger - if you've heard "In the Mood" it was his song, which he also arranged and Glen Miller made famous. Part of the Count Basie Band and Jimmy Lunceford's Orchestra, Eddie mostly played trombone, and arranged, but he also showed off his brilliant solo work on guitar on occasion. Please check out more on Eddie Durham at the following: www.durhamjazz.com

Is Anyone Going My Way?

In the early 80's, Joe Pass, one of the finest solo guitar players that ever lived, had just finished his last set at Fat Tuesday's. I was alone that night, sitting at the bar. I had my car right outside and I said, Joe "which way do you need to go?" He said, "I'm staying around the corner from the Plaza. Since I lived in Queens, it didn't matter which way I went home, so I said, "sure I'll take you".

It felt so cool seeing this Jazz Great was just a regular guy. As I dropped Joe off, I told him that if he ever needed a ride, I'd be glad to pick him up. Joe told me "you pick me up tomorrow and you can get in for free" - So, I did that for the next 12 years.