Flying Home

Yardhog is going through some serious chemical changes. Tittering on the precipice of a panic attack. Too much pent up energy and no immediate outlets. It will pass.
Illinois Jacquet the great tenor saxophonist died of a heart attack in his home in New York yesterday. He was 81 years old and had been leading a band nearly up until the end. He was mostly known for his famous boisterous solo on "Flying Home" with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. The song was a national hit and Jacquet was forced to play it almost every night with the Hampton Band. According to the article this morning that's what made him leave the Hampton Orchestra two years later claiming physical exhaustion. He said later in an interview. "I had to quit. Hamp was getting rich and I was dying." Jacquet and drummer Joe Jones had trio with my friend organist/pianist Milt Buckner in the 1970s. Milt died around 1975, lugging his Hammond B3 organ down the steps of Joe Segal's Jazzshowcase in Chicago, but Jacquet seemed to go on and on. According the obituary this morning he was born in Louisiana, the son of an American Indian mother and a French Creole father. Can you think of a better lineage for a jazz musician? Heard about his death this morning after hearing him on a 1956 recording with Ben Webster entitled "The Kid and the Brute" they were playing on WNOZ New Orleans radio. Jacquet was one of the last great Texas tenors that included the likes of Arnette Cobb and Buddy Tate. Ain't none of them left now.
     Got an email the other day from the president of the Louisville Bicycle Club. The young man I saw in the accident Monday night is apparently doing okay. He broke several bones in his arms and hand. Thanks to the gods.

CHURCH ALL THE TIME

22 June 2004 @ 07:45 am

"The Blind Boys of Alabama" tore up the last two hours of the Indianapolis Jazz Fest Sunday. Yardhog and D utilized the gorgeous "first day of summer" weather to drive Gracie on her first sanctioned road trip. We managed to get lost in the maze of downtown streets for an hour before finally finding a parking spot, but managed to catch both featured acts.
Alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett's set was a bore. When I first saw him with Miles Davis over 15 years ago I was impressed. Unfortunately his idea of jazz is to play as hard and long as possible. His trio works from the same principal. I don't like his tone. I don't like his attack. Nuff said.
The Blind Boys gospel group started off a little slow but soon got into the groove and had the crowd, which was rather small, jumping. Some of these guys have been in the band since 1939! At one point three members of the group took their portable mikes and with the help of several security guards formed a human chain and wandered the perimeter of Military Park shouting praises.