It was on August 15, 1965, that my Mom took me to see Louis Armstrong in a parking lot concert at the Lloyd Center Mall in Portland, Oregon. Exactly 50 years ago today. It made a huge impression on me, and I've loved jazz ever since.

So today, 50 years later, we celebrated the good times of that 1965 Louis Armstrong concert by getting together for a summer afternoon barbecue, grilling some nice little filet mignon steaks, along with some nice fresh veggies from Ron & Sumi's garden (many thanks!), and a growler of tasty Twilight summer ale from Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon, to wash everything down.

Mom & Dad, at 90 and 92, respectively, enjoy a little fine food and drink, and listening to jazz, at Jeff's Place.

In the background we were, of course, spinning some Louis Armstrong vinyl, and enjoying it over the big Westmonster loudspeakers. Dad asked, "Who's that singing?" "That's Ella Fitzgerald, Dad," I replied, with Dad nodding, "Of course," and me bringing over the Ella & Louis album for him to take a look at.

Dad with the WRSEs in the background.

After dinner we moved from the kitchen table to the couch for some dedicated listening together.

First up was Ella & Louis on a 45 RPM mono reissue from Analogue Productions.

The sound through the Ortofon SPU Mono CG 25 Di MkII phono cartridge mounted on the Thomas Schick tonearm was out of this world. If you haven't tried playing back your mono vinyl records yet with a dedicated mono cartridge, you're really in for a treat one of these days when you do.

Mom said, "Who's playing the piano on that album? He sure is good." I wasn't sure, so I grabbed the album, read through the cover notes, and found out it was the Oscar Peterson Trio providing backup to Ella & Louis. I didn't know that.

So that of course led to getting out the Oscar Peterson box set, Exclusively for My Friends, for a little more listening. The Ortofon SPU Classic GM MkII stereo phono cartridge on the Woody SPU tonearm was absolutely sublime playing Oscar Peterson, and we quickly slipped into a musical reverie with that great music.

As when Mfu remembers Equiano from the View of the Middle Passage,

"We are almost a nation of dancers, musicians, and poets."

And although we are more,

Much much more,

lets have a revival -

Why not celebrate?

If nothing else,

it can't hurt to celebrate survival. 

We too think that there's just something special about celebrating those good times of enjoying music together, and if nothing else, it can't hurt to celebrate survival! Good advice all the way around.

From our home to yours, may the music enrich your life.

Thanks for stopping by.