Voltron

Todd is definitely taking orders as Wayne said, and he is also working on our Stax connection. More news when I have it.

Is it made out of the one that killed the Crocodile Hunter?

Indiana has clearly pissed off the beer gods. You had better move while you can. Last night, I made myself a couple Bonal & Rye cocktails (2oz rye, 1oz Bonal, .5oz Cointreau, 2 dashes orange bitters and 1 dash Angostura bitters) and used Willett 2yo first and High West Rendezvous second. The Willett had more bite but the Rendezvous was a more balanced cocktail. More experimentation will be necessary. Then, Peter I_D came out to Mayberry after he went to the Giants game and we had a nice dram of Parker's 27 while chatting and watching the end of Something Wild (The Feelies are great as the high school reunion band) and then the end of Enter the Dragon.

That's right, Mike, now I remember you saying you suggested SPACE on her site. I kept doubting myself but I was thinking it might have been somebody else that mentioned they were going rather than thinking it was the wrong act. Do go and see Kaki if you can.

I sure as hell hope she got you a razor-brimmed bowler hat to go with it. I mean, what are you going to defend yourself with if your carry gun jams and the sword cane freezes shut and your money clip knife falls out of your pocket?

The last 3 shows I have seen: Kaki King & Zoe Keating: Zoe played first and is very interesting to watch as she samples and doubles and multiplies her cello with an automated program. It is a great sound and she tells entertaining stories to boot. Kaki was the feature act, although she barely played any longer than Zoe because Yoshi's (which she called a swank jazz club) has 8pm and 10pm shows. She says that this tour is (was) named "nothing ventured, nothing gained" because she is traveling around with a collection of odd guitars and trying to reinterpret her own songs and others'. Aside from her usual electric-acoustic Ovation Adamas 6-string, she has a very, very cool hi-strung 12-string made by Joe Veillette in NY that is incredible sounding, a 7-string Russian style acoustic, and a harp guitar that sounds more like a tuba guitar. Really cool stuff pictured below in the reverse order just mentioned. Sad part is she ripped a tendon in her right arm and canceled the Chicago show that I assume Mike was going to see but the good news is she is playing again as of today and will re-schedule the missed shows. Go see her if you can. Seriously. SF Jazz Collective: The 2011 collective is a younger and *relatively* less star-studded group but the core studs are still there and some great new folks have joined in the last two years like Avishai Cohen on trumpet and Stefon Harris on vibes. They selected Stevie Wonder as the composer whose works they arranged and used as inspiration for their original compositions, and that was the first time that they chose a pop music artist rather than a traditional jazz great. It worked out great and their renditions of Ma Cherie Amour, Blame it on the Sun, and Superstition were awesome, and the original works were excellent as well. One in particular was cool because it was mostly piano and trumpet, with Cohen playing into the open grand piano while the pianist occasionally plunked the strings in addition to straight playing. Marc Ribot accompanying Charlie Chaplin's The Kid: Claire and I and Ric and Melissa went to see Ribot play a live score on guitar for The Kid and weren't sure how it would work out. It was fantastic. He played a little before the movie started and then played non-stop through the 68-minute movie. The sound was great and very evocative. He has a great feel for the movie and his style for the score was amazingly different than a lot of his more edgy work. The movie was quite entertaining itself and after a few minutes I really wasn't watching him play I just focused on the film and enjoyed the score.

Looking good Mike.

That's great Biggie! I hope you get another day off in the next 90 so you can finish it.

In my patriotic fervor, I forgot that firelit is coffee, not chocolate so the lame Dekuyper will have to do.

We'll see about that. Twentieth Century with Junipero, Cocchi and Firelit liqueur coming up. USA USA USA !

And?

My mom is supposed to go home tomorrow, which seems unbelievable. By the way, I heard Kaki King tore a ligament in her arm and is canceling shows. Sorry if you are missing her. Have fun at the show today.

I already initiated with Todd and I know him well.

I'm not always a fan of chocolate beers, but the Mokah is awesome. Cheers Mike!

Some mysterious but kind person left me a bottle of Rebdezvous Rye that I will open soon. And because Shelly threw down the Saz 18 gauntlet I will have to have some Van Winkle Family Rye post-ballet.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie to Dusty's recipe and with his beer! Tasty snack and no milk needed! Thanks Dusty, and be sure to come out for that concert so you can drink more beer that you missed last time.

Yeah, the prick should go last.

Yup, Dinny makes 8!

Have fun with Lily, Nate, and have a great trip to LA John! Sorry I won't be down south to visit.

I think the joke would be "that's Mr. Skin Flute to you" Get it right or don't bother.

Looks like you, Gene and Newguy are going to have a good one. Jealous but happy you can all hang. Have one of those Southern Tier 2XIPAs and report back! Cheers boys.

A second Remember the Maine, a dram or two of Eagle Rare 17 and a dram of William Larue Weller.

Agreed and agreed.

Stay away from Russell's Rye! Suckage.

Yeah, I want to try the Bulleit Rye too! Enjoy Mikey.