The best present a bloggess can get is mail from readers — good or bad, pro or con, it’s great to know that people are out there reading and thinking and talking. Here’s a sampling of recent missives:
Just found your blog. Lots of great info!
I am listening to an interview of Mr. John Levy that my radio partner, Cheryl K. is airing on WMUA and I was directed to lushlife.com and then onto your blog. Great interview, and John is a great guest, so full of charm and fascinating info and anecdotes. Special insight on the late great Shirley Horn. Still can’t believe she is gone. It’s like when Ella passed; some artists create such an emotional bond with you. Through the magic of modern electronics you can just put on their recordings and you once again live that emotional relationship. So I guess, in a way, they haven’t left at all.
That one was from Ken Irwin, Jazz Music Director at WMUA and co-Host of “Java Jazz” (airs Wednesdays). (Note: WMUA can be heard online ands they play jazz from 9 AM to noon, Monday through Friday.)
Here’s one from anonymous who writes to disagree with me:
Hard to say what prompted Wallace to respond as he did to Suzanne Ryan’s question. It certainly wasn’t wisdom. Last time I looked, the President flew jets in the Naval Reserve. That experience must have taught him something about the military. Wallace’s supercilious tone is offensive, frankly. A little humility never hurt anyone. He (and you, based on what I’ve read) may think the country is messed up, but many of us, probably a majority of us, think otherwise. The economy is booming, crime is down, as is the divorce rate, and other important social indicators also are favorable. The Middle East is undergoing a transformation that only a crazy person would have predicted in 2001. Are there plenty of problems? Indisputably. But, contra Pinter, I rather face ours than have to deal with the far more vexing social and political ills (unfavorable demographic trends, sclerotic economies, racial and ethnic segregation etc) staring into the face of our friends in Europe. But what do I know? I haven’t lived as long as Mike Wallace so I suppose I’m still humbled by my ignorance.
Actually, I, too, find Wallace’s tone to be supercilious, and humility is a good thing. Our president might benefit from a dash of humility himself. As for a booming economy — it may be true for the upper middle class and beyond, but all those who have lost their jobs to cheap labor in India and elsewhere, or been laid off due to mega-mergers, are not feelig so flush. My applause for Pinter and Wallace was an endorsement or advocation of open discourse and transparency in government. We are not children and the government is not a parent. In the words of Albert Einstein: “A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth.”
And last for today, words of encouragement from Mike Davis, co-author (with Roger Hunter) of “Hampton Hawes: Bio-discography”
I have just stumbled on to your log – it is very readable, immensely rich with recollection and affection; chock-a-block with sound sense and no little insight. I have logged it on to my ‘favourites’ list. Please keep up this good work and I will be so pleased to keep reading.
I hope that you, too, will keep on reading. Thank you.