On The Press

The artwork for the August issue of The American Rag is finished and in the hands of the printers. It should be in the mail by the end of the week.

This was a very difficult issue for Don because of the passing of Woody Laughnan, Sr., the creator of the West Coast Rag, which became The American Rag when Don took it over in 1995. In addition to the regular stories and columns, much of the issue is devoted to memories of Woody. Don't miss it!

On The Home Front

I've been mentioning to e-friends that I've been knitting and spinning this past week. Someone asked what, specifically, I was doing, so here is the answer.

This is the Mock Cable sock from WendyKnits' "Socks from the Toe Up" book. Don chose the yarn (Malabrigo #854 Rayon Vert), and I chose the pattern. I started them twice. The first time I adjusted the size up from a women's large by using #1 circular needles instead of the #0's called for in the pattern. The were coming out too big. So I unknitted them, rewound the yarn, and started over with #0 needles. The pattern and size both look better. There are a couple of mistakes. I'm cabling without a cable needle (the cross-over is only 1 stitch), and was knitting too tight, so I kept dropping stitches. I think that's fixed now.

This is natural Polwarth, and what little spinning I did during the week was with this. It's fairly fine, but will probably be plied. I'm thinking that I might want to try dyeing it with Kool Aid. We'll see what happens when enough of it is spun.

The next spinning adventure takes two photos, because I've barely started on it - for the second time. This is Merino/Tencel. I ordered it because someone in Ravelry's "Tour de Fleece" spun some and it was so pretty and shiny! Well, yes, it is. And slippery. And short. So drafting is an adventure. It can only be pre-drafted an inch or so without threatening to fall apart. And, of course, drafting while spinning is fun because it's slippery, and it drafts too far it comes apart. It also needs more twist, or it falls apart while you're plying it. Fun, fun, fun!

Since I have just started that, I took a photo of the pile 'o' fiber I'm working from. I love these bright colors, but the first thing I thoght of when I saw the photo was "modern day Medusa."

So, I'll be doing more of this later. Right now, I'm waiting for the gardeners to finish so I can let the dogs out. The carpet cleaner will be here in less than an hour, and they'll be locked in the office for quite a while. They really need to go out!!!

Back to Work

We're home, recovered from the trip, and ready to resume working on the August issue of The American Rag. Most of the stories, photos, and columns have come in and are ready to be proofed and set up to be dropped into the pages.

The August issue should be in the mail one week from tomorrow. If you don't receive one, maybe you haven't subscribed yet. And if you haven't . . . why not?

On the Home Front

A good thing about traveling is that all the things you've recently ordered will be there when you get home. In my case, I really hit the jackpot with one batt (merino wool, firestar, angelina in the "Persian" colorway), one braid (100% merino wool in the "Olive II" colorway), one thicker-than-pencil roving (50% merino, 50% tencel in the "Bethie" colorway), and the third Loopy Ewe Sock Club package.

Batt, braid, and roving.

The Loopy Ewe Sock Club

Sock Club Yarn - out of the bag.

Before we left for Mammoth I finished spinning and n-plying some Corriedale. The roving was 4 ounces, and it made 277 yards of 3-ply (Navajo ply). It varies from 10 to 14 wpi.

Now I need to decide what to spin next and get some done. The bright colors in the merino/tencel are calling my name, but I also want to get some natural Corriedale or Polwarth done so I can try dyeing. I've missed several days of the Tour de Fleece and need to get back to it. I'm also making a pair of socks for Don, but only have the toes done, so I'll post photos of them when they get bigger.

Mammoth Lakes Jazz Jubilee: Day 5

And so it ends ... for us, anyway. It continues through tomorrow, but we won't be here to see it.

Today (Saturday) we saw bands that we had seen before. The highlight was Tom Hook and Jeff Barnhart, dueling pianos. I couldn't get a picture of them because the light was bad. They'll do it again at the Orange County/Costa Mesa Jazz Festival in a couple of weeks.

We're having breakfast early in the morning with Jeff and Bev Bishop (Racy Jazz Wearables), and then most likely will head home. We may decide to stay for the Jazz Camp graduation at 10:00, but we're all ready to go home.

(Angie: If we leave early I'll call you -- you won't need to check on the dogs.)
(Mom: I'll call you when we get home -- I remember the appointment Monday.)
(Toto, Peaches, and Elmo: Mama and Papa are coming home! Woof! Squak!)

That's all, folks!

Mammoth Lakes Jazz Jubilee: Day 4

Day 4 started early with Bill/Shelley/Westy/Eddie at the Whiskey Creek Tent venue. Hilarious, as always.

Tom Hook and the Black Dogs followed them. Once again, it was a smaller venue and a crowd ready to howl with the Dogs!

The usual summer thunder storms moved in early in the morning. By the time the Dogs were playing, it was pretty close. Venue managers were warning people not to touch or stand near the tent's metal poles, and saying that if the lightning moved overhead, we would have to evacuate the tent. Pretty scary, eh? Evidently not if you're a jazz fan! Here's a peek at the metal in the top of the tent, and then the crowd of people who didn't budge an inch after the dire warnings!

And the Jazz Campers arrived mid-set to prepare for their set. These campers seem to get along as a group better than in previous years. The had a great time around the dance floor.

After that, it was 2:00 and time for lunch. The food choices in Mammoth Lakes are terrific. There are restaurants all over town. Fast food, however, is another matter. As far as I can tell, your choices of fast food are limited to McDonald's and Carl's Jr.  If there are any others, we haven't found them yet.

After lunch we went to the RV Park venue a little early to get good seats for Titan Hot 7. The RV Park venue is a community building in the only RV park in Mammoth. It's very small, so it's rare to have such a popular band there. However, we were early enough and got good seats. There was a local 4-piece band playing and singing early rock songs, with electric guitar and base drowning out the vocals.

And then it was time for the Titan Hot Seven. The set-up for them was a little strange. The stage is small, so the piano was on the right edge of the stage with the rest of the band on the left. That arrangement had Jeff facing away from the band, and without a microphone. There were no clarinet or banjo/guitar mics, so the 4 mics alloted to the band went to the clarinet (Noel Kaletsky guested with them) and guitar/banjo! It worked out because the trombone and trumpet don't need mics in a small room, and their base is electric.

And ... the campers again were the next to play there. They were invited to play with the group -- there are some great musicians in this group!

The thunderstorms had passed and the sky was blue again, so we went back to the Whiskey Creek Tent venue and heard the last song from Sherri Colby's new band, the Racket Makers. I was sorry we hadn't heard the whole set. They're a very upbeat band and know just how it's done -- as they should be, let by Sherri Colby. Having 'grown up' with the Blue Street Jazz Band, she know's all about it!

The Pieter Meijers Quartet with Banu Gibson (WOW) and John Coccuzi were terrific! Pieter and his guys were as good as always, with John and Banu adding a special spark. When Banu wasn't singing, she played rhythm guitar. I love John's vibes and am so glad he's doing more on the West Coast. Banu is as good as always, putting fun in everything she sings. I hope to see more of her, also.

It was 7:00 when they finished, and we had planned to go to the Holler venue for two of the Mardi Gras sets (Gator Beat and the Black Dogs) but we were all tired and decided to call it a day. Saturday will be the longest day of the festival, and we're certainly getting our share of this wonderful music!

For the family:

Miss Jessica Marie Drew, Circulation Manager

Mammoth Lakes Jazz Jubilee: Day 3

I think we're finally getting adjusted to the altitude. Yesterday, though, we were really lazy and just didn't feel like doing much. Don is working on transcribing a lecture, and I have socks to knit. Jessica has her computer and books in her room, which also has a TV. She's meeting people and says she enjoys the festival. Of course, she was hearing trad jazz from the time she was born, so she know what to expect.

Yesterday (Thursday), the festival kicked into high gear at 3:00 p.m., and went late into the night. Our friend, Brady McKay, opened the Big Top venue with her band from Sacramento. They played an assortment of show tunes, blues, and a couple of originals, one by Brady, and one by Rebecca Kilgore. Both original tunes were good and Brady's "The Best Things in Life Ain't Free" was upbeat and funny. You'll remember the exquisite reed player from the Wooden Nickel Jazz Band, Otis Mourning. Otis was with Brady and still plays wonderfully!

After Brady's band, we got something to eat, came back to the condo to freshen up (it was H.O.T. in the tents), and rest a bit out of the heat.

The next set we wanted to see was at 6:45 p.m. in the Grumpy's Tent venue -- Tom Hook and the Black Dogs. Yes! The Black Dogs are back! Woof!  And they were in rare form, glad to be back together and in Mammoth, and all the Fan Dogs were ready! We all clapped and danced and woofed for an hour and loved every minute of it! After the first song (Canal Street Blues) Jessica told us that this was finally they kind of music she grew up with! Amen to that! Somehow I didn't manage to get a photo of the entire band, but here's one of Tom Hook to tide you over until we see them again!

 I've heard that the Black Dogs will be at the Costa Mesa/OrangeCounty Festival in August, and another original Dog, Dave Gannett, will be with them on Sousaphone/tuba. I'm drooling already!!

We had planned to stop for the day after that set, but it was so much fun we couldn't resist going to the Big Top venue to see the Black Dogs again at 8:45. The sound in this tent is bad, a first for this festival. It's loud, and brassy, and the high notes go right through you. Hopefully, they'll get it fixed before it starts up again this morning. Anyway, the Black Dogs did the best they could with it. The tent is much larger than Grumpy's and the audience filled about two-thirds of it, but it just wasn't the same as the previous, more intimate setting.

It was a long day for all of us. We're not used to staying up late. So, when the set was over we came back to the condo for ice cream and sleep.

Tomorrow (Friday) we plan to start the day at 11:45 a.m. at the Whiskey Creek Tent venue. Four of The Professors (Bill, Eddie, Shelley, and Westy) have a killer act that we rarely miss. They remind you, talent-wise, of the Harlem Globe Trotters. All four of them are master musicians, but they get together to have fun, sing and play silly things, and just have a good time. And let me tell you, it's a really good time!

Before I forget, it's supposed to be 81-91 degrees today -- it's cloudy and raining -- and there are flash flood warnings. This could be one of the festivals that people talk about for years to come!

See you later!