Hitting the trail Our quest for the perfect lake in California’s Sierra Nevada continued this year with backpacking in the Desolation Wilderness. This year Micah Jacob and I were joined by a special guest: nephew Jack. We planned a four day trip: From the Wright Lake trailhead to Maude Lake Then over the Rockbound Pass at nearly 9000 feet, to Lake Schmidell A day hike, return to camp at Lake Schmidell Return 9 miles to Wright Lake ...
Ravi Coltrane played two long sets at the opening of his residency at SF Jazz, each filled with extended, soaring solos. The first set featured the “electric band” which was electric by virtue of using a synthesizer to enable the keyboard player to cover the bass line. The second set involved his long-standing Coltraxx quartet, with piano, drums, and bass. The two drummers were the highlight of the date; both were very intense. Also, the Alice Coltrane compositions they featured were particularly strong. ...
The power was out, yet the music lit up the night as Delfayo Marsalis led a joyful set at the Bach Dynamite and Dancing Society in Half Moon Bay. Getting there was half the fun, as California was in the midst of a major winter storm, with high winds and strong rain. And when Micah and I arrived, we learned that there was a power outage from the storm, so the set would be played acoustically by battery-powered camper lights. You can see the lights in the photo. ...
For New Year’s Eve and our Anniversary Eve as well, Audrey and I took Micah and Victoria to the Kennedy Center to hear vocalist Jazzmeia Horn and her Noble Force. The musical energy started high and stayed high, with Jazzmeia leading a full big band horn section with 5 saxes, 4 trombones and 4 trumpets through a series of her own compositions. “Strive” and “Freedom” were particularly powerful. (Listen to Freedom on Spotify.) ...
On their first night in DC, I took Micah and Victoria for a walk around the Tidal Basin at night. It was a warm, calm evening. Perfect for a winter walk. And Thomas Jefferson was glad we visited. Martin Luther King seemed to have a few things to say to the Washington Monument. While Micah and Victoria read all the MLK quotes, I set up my tripod for some clear night shots. ...