Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Start spreading the news. . .

Photos at York College on March 28, 2008 with Diva JC's Women in Jazz

and Diva JC was a guest of Women in Jazz on April 5, 2008, in NYC

Festival was delightful!

New York was great, a little busy, lots of traffic, smog, but altogether wonderful! Here's a note to a dear ole friend that should make it clearer. . .

Dearest Charles McPherson,

Before I came to NY this trip, a wonderful couple, Rev. Curtis and Carol Davis took me to the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City, MO, and bought me your cd, McPherson's Mood.

Imagine the coincidence of seeing you at JAZZ STANDARD in NY! with jazz promoter and afficianado Jim Harrison and Maxine, Dexter Gordon's widow. Whew!

Then, I spent the night in New Jersey with the family of Willie Williams who worked with me in Philly, when he was only 19. Wow! Willie is still playing sax like a champ! We went to a jam session with Greg Bufford at Crossroads in Garwood, NJ, and who did I run into but singer Juedienne Gordon, niece of Dexter Gordon. Wow! Wow!

My concert at St. Peter's on April 5th at 1 p.m. was slightly earlier than I'm used to (smile), but the music was on. My music was interpreted by Kim Clarke on bass, Greg Bufford (who worked with me for years in Philly) on drums, and Osmany Paredes, Cuban pianist whom I sang with in Mexico, over 10 years ago. "Smokin'" as Jesse and Jim put it.

"Run it!" That's all I can say. It was great to see all of you in NY during one week.

To top it off, I went to SMOKE on Broadway and 106th Street, to hear the song stylings of Vanessa Rubin, who, in my opinion is deliciously jazzical.

So, yes, the trip that began with my WOMEN IN JAZZ Presentation at York College on March 28, was, needless to say, swingin'!

Love your cd. "Ma cherie amour" is playing now! here in beautiful sunny south florida, putting me right back in the mood I was in when I heard you play in NY back in 1969!

Diva JC
Love and music,
Diva Joan Cartwright, Author


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