He was one of the most admirable men I have met in my life, and finding out that he is no longer with us, is heartbreaking. I can’t remember the last time I saw him, but at this moment this is a shock.  He was an extraordinary drummer and vocalist.

Born Sept. 11, 1955 Died Aug. 1, 2008

 Turbulence – Long and Funky for Leon (studio version) by seveneightmusic

David Crigger recently scanned in a few pictures from 1977 – Hollywood, CA,  Pilgrimage Theater, known now as John Anson Ford Theater.  You can view the album on Facebook at :

In the photo Michael Morera, Phil Alying , Bob Carr, Craig Pallett, Lou Korell David Crigger, Gil Rathel, Brien Matson, Leon Gaer, Rich Bullock, Steve Bartek, David Storrs

Tracks are just improvisations by Michael, over my tracks. Currently finding a few other musicians to play this live. Michael was the primary soloist with a big band I co-lead with David Crigger called Turbulence. He lives over the hill, and we have been having a bit of fun working on this new music.

Rough Tracks Morera/Pallett Project by Craig Pallett

The Violin Concerto of Tchaikovsky is the most incredible trumpet performance I have heard. 

Malcolm is one of the top LA studio musicians. He is also a fellow student of my teacher James Stamp. I never met Malcolm when studying with Jimmy, but Jimmy always mentioned him to me, as a point of reference.  I did meet Malcolm in 2000 when Steve Bartek invited me to the session for a movie called “Snow Day”. Malcolm was the only trumpet in a 75 piece orchestra. I enjoyed our conversation at the time, though I don’t remember much about it.

I actually don’t remember if he was a student of Jimmy or simply an associate.
But I do remember playing a duet with him, at one of my lessons, and Jimmy played the piano.
I was so young at the time, probably 17, that I didn’t even know who he was.
You learn a lot from such musical interaction.
He actually had a really great mouthpiece.

He was always kind and instructive to me, at a very young age.
I always appreciated that.
My heart goes out to his family, friends and students.

Online article

The site is currently being re-configure to use the Blip distribution.
The site originally was using the BrightCove channels, which will no longer be available.

Edward Hopper Vermont Sugar House

An Art Historian/writer called the other day and explained that they had discovered this, and wanted to take pictures.

Painting is called “Vermont Sugar House” saw that it sold in 2007 for over $800,000. Seems that he stayed at the original farm that this Sugar shack was a part of.

The view remains the same, and the original structure is actually the center of our house. Our studio is directly connected to one side, the other our living space.

Appears that he stayed on the property and also painted a number of other works, one in the Boston MFA called 1st Branch of the White River, is the view from the other side of our property, off our driveway entrance. Yikes this is all I need at the moment….. Appears that this is the only structure he painted in Vermont, rest of the pieces are Landscapes. The auction catalog, mentioned that the “The landscape Hopper saw, as an artist, It only exists in his paintings, nowhere else… that the actual view doesn’t matter..” Well, 70 years later the view still looks the same, maybe a few trees have changed, but he did capture what is here..  

First Branch White River

So several questions come to mind. Is this actually my reality, or a Hopper reality? Did I destroy a piece of art by building a house, not knowing a piece of art existed?

Probably the actual reality is, that the picture is worth more than the actual place. A place in time for one artist at one moment.

Think I would find living in a Miro painting much more interesting.

Links

Christies

Smithsonian American Art Museum