I love the sunshine as it is thinking about taking perhaps an afternoon snooze here before setting a bit later - rising somewhere else, too ... ?!? ... what a hallo, what a glow ...
It's great to see these pictures once again after so long. I was lucky enough to be invited once again to the home of Lee and Leslie in Maryland to hear and listen and witness so up-and-close to the collaborative love and passion and expertise of these seasoned and very talented jazz musicians as they played together and off one another so seemingly effortlessly this March 2009 on a Sunday afternoon I believe. Thanks Lee and Leslie : I love these moments as it gives bloom to all my artistic bents and I throw myself into the whole intimate spectacle of these four or so hours each year at you home with some great live jazz music. What a treat.
I loved watching Michael Bowie bend into his standing bass and basically mold himself into it's contours. What a scene unfolding right there before our very own eyes as he and the other musicians become inseparable from their individual instruments whether the piano, the guitar, the drums and the mikes as they poured their hearts and souls into them as the music grew and developed and wove their own paths through the spaces of Lee and Leslie's home.
The picture above I took as I arrived to show from the outside the jazz scene inside
The picture above is of two other fellow jazz musicians of Michael's : Bruce Ewan on his harmonica to the left and Gene Bertoncini of New York City to the right on his acoustic guitar. What sounds they both make. To hear pieces of this please go to my other blog post called : qynohtna.blogspot.com to listen to some of the " live " recordings that I made at this same event. Here you only have my " still " photos.
Here's host Lee as seen through my wine glass : what a scene that makes.
Gene Bertoncini as he gets ready to play or as he pauses? I cannot remember.
Drummer Ken KImmery waits his cue, too while Bruce Ewan sings with such conviction and focus : becoming the moment so to speak. I love it being an artist myself - painter, etcher, sketcher, poet, photographer - the visual arts. What fun.
Bruce Ewan as he sings before or after playing the harmonica. Robert Redd on jazz piano waits his cue above.
Marshall Keys on Jazz saz really gives it all he's humanly got, I can still hear the notes even now after all these years. Thanks Marshall.
Lee and me as I take a picture of the two of us while holding my glass of bubbly was it? Or was it some water even? Or white wine? Smiles all around.
Jazz guitarist and singer Marija Temo listens to Leslie tell or recount a story or event. Must have been good. Look at her smile.
A friend in front of one of my art pieces : a word-writing in crayon and watercolor I believe.
Drummer Ken Kimery plays beautifully and it's fun to watch him as he plays so well with the others. I like his brief solos, too.
Everyone takes a pause to have some refreshments before the music continues.
Friends of mine as well as of Lee's and Leslie's stand in front of my acrylic painting named after my boyhood friend while living in Brazil in Rio De Janeiro's suburbs of Gavia, Cidele that taught me how to use a sling shot and to swing through the vines in Brazil's jungles. Thanks Cidele. You are the name and the inspiration for this painting that I did years ago for Lee and Leslie.
I had to get this picture of Gene with Leslie. She needed to have it : so did Gene. Two peas in a pod I venture? Cheers to you both. You both bring great things to the jazz world.
Robert Redd sure does pour himself and through his ten fingers that seem like more when he plays into this upright piano of Lee and Leslie's! Thanks Robert.
Can't leave this all without a picture of Leslie smiling. What an accomplishment these Live Jazz afternoons are at their home each year, this being the second in a row. You deserve a big round of applause from everyone, really you do.
Michael Bowie takes a refresher with fellow stand-up jazz bass. They both play/ played so well on this Sunday afternoon in Bethesda, Maryland.
I love to get these group shots. It leaves no doubt that these four listeners and one player were in attendance. Great smiles, must all be happy.
You can see better now my word-writing behind the lady here now that Lee and Leslie bought from me years ago.
Ahhh, the bottles of wine that I selected with them at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits ( 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C. 20008 Tel: 202-363-4265 sales@clevelandparkwine.com http://www.clevelandparkwine.com/ Facebook at : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits, also on Twitter now at : cpwinespirits ) that I have now managed for eleven years. These were our selections for this Sunday afternoon in Mach of 2009.
Can't leave without a parting shot of everyone playing so beautifully together here at Lee and Leslie's home. It sort of sums-up the whole moment and the reason that everyone gathered together in the first place : to pay homage and their dies to jazz and live jazz at that : cheers! TONY
