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Definitely, Not The Same Old Thing! Sometimes, you get a surprising musical boost from a direction that you would never expect to. That’s what I got a week ago and in both its cuteness and innocence, it puts a real smile on my face. ...

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Scott Samuels - The King of Pop! In the summer of 2002, I was walking in Washington Square and I stopped and turned because I heard someone playing the guitar unlike anyone else I'd ever heard in the Park. I sat down for what I expected...

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The Musician's Musician I've mentioned in several of my postings that I drove Joe Pass around quite a bit when he was visiting the New York area or wanted to go some place near New York. Well, he was part of Oscar Peterson's...

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Joe Pass Brought The Bagels I was fortunate enough to hang out with Joe Pass for close to a dozen years. When he was in New York, I was one of a few people that Joe would meet up with, have lunch with, and would look to get a ride...

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GET TO KNOW JACK! - JACK WILKINS THAT IS Jack Wilkins is well known as a consummate guitarist, simply because he can play with anyone! And Jack has certainly challenged himself by working with many of the finest talents in the jazz world. When...

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Katarina Witt – Just Being Herself!

Category : Artists

The CBS plaza has never drawn as many as NBC, probably because there are so many things to see at Rockefeller Center, but it was a place I enjoyed visiting often when I lived in New York. One afternoon, I was sitting at the far end of the plaza and I spotted Katarina Witt leaving CBS with a friend and she happened to look over in my direction and although I never met her before, somehow I took the initiative and I shrugged my shoulders as if to say “what are you doing here”; somehow as silly as it may seem, Katarina and her friend turned around and walked all the way over to me.

I’m sure when Katarina got over to where I was, she realized that I was just a fan and not someone she knew, but she was as warm and friendly as could be. I’ve always found the best in their fields were gracious and caring; at least that has been my experience so far.

Katarina was visiting CBS, because she had a special planned to air that week and she was promoting the show. She was so excited talking about her TV Special and I have always made a point of telling people that complain about stars not wanting to talk, that it is simply that so-called fans don’t show any respect and allow the celebrity to be gracious. Tons of people shove pieces of paper in front of a star and feel that it is their obligation to sign their name. I didn’t do that and because of just showing appreciation for someone that I admired, I had a chance to meet a really special person and I just wanted to say thank you, many years later!

Bert Monroy – Light Painting

Category : Artists

Bert Monroy

I’m a big fan of Bert Monroy and his graphic ability. My uncle was a graphic artist and he invented “Instant Type” the dry press lettering. I was one of his helpers and delivery boys to CBS’s 60 Minutes. So, to see someone that moves graphics in a fascinating direction such as “painting with light” well, that grabs my interest, let me tell you!

Since Photoshop is something most people have at least heard of, and most people are fascinated by; you very well may be interested in knowing that Bert was the coauthor of the first book on Photoshop entitled  “The Official Adobe Photoshop Handbook”. It was released in 1990 and then came another book that was the definitive book on one of Photoshop’s most challenging features called Channels. The book was named “Channel Chops” and was released in 1996. Bert himself was gracious enough to correct my error in thinking that Channel Chops was the first Photoshop Book – thanks Bert! Continue Reading

Lotte Jacobi – Jazz Age Beginnings

Category : Artists

lotte

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 will be right with you.”
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