SFJAZZ Unveils Public Access to Historical Archive.

“SFJAZZ has revealed public access to the SFJAZZ Historical Archive, an expansive collection of more than 2,000 recordings from 1983–2012, showcasing world premieres, unique commissions, panel discussions, pre-concert talks, TV & radio interviews, and more, all from the years before the opening of the standalone SFJAZZ Center in 2013.”

https://www.broadwayworld.com/san-francisco/article/SFJAZZ-Unveils-Public-Access-to-Historical-Archive-20250512

The collection showcases performances and conversations with some of the most influential figures in jazz—both past and present—including Joe Henderson, Don Cherry, Wayne Shorter, Etta James, Anthony Braxton, Tony Williams, Eartha Kitt, Sonny Rollins, Pharoah Sanders, Orrin Keepnews, Herbie Hancock, Cassandra Wilson, Cecil Taylor, David Murray, Abbey Lincoln, Elvin Jones, Charlie Haden, Dorothy Donegan, John Santos, Charles Lloyd, Max Roach, Angela Davis, Shirley Horn, Wadada Leo Smith, and many more.

https://californiarevealed.org/partner/sfjazz

Stax Museum debuts new website showcasing vast soul music archive of Chicago collector and DJ Bob Abrahamian

Article Here: https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/entertainment/music/2025/05/14/bob-abrahamian-collection-soul-music-collection-stax-in-memphis/83622391007/

Archives here:

https://bobacollection.staxmuseum.org

As I drive around our tri-county area I'm starting to see adult recreational toys, etc., out by the road with 'For Sale' signs. Not a huge amount, but gaining ground. A motorcycle here, a camper there. An ATV, maybe that 3rd car or truck and a fishing boat are popping up. This economy is definitely squeezing people who have made those purchases with credit cards or loans (I saw a lot of this during the 1st year of the pandemic as well.)

You can tell the state of the economy by what people are selling.

Currently: Installing Linux Mint on an 11 year old HP laptop. Thoughts and prayers.

Finally. Linux mint installed and running! Had some installation roadblocks with a brand new Sandisk thumb drive. But I took another swing at it with an older PNY stick and here we are.

Linux = perseverance and reading A LOT of forum posts.

Installed Ksnip¹ and AutoKey² today. Stretching my Linux newbie muscles. Tomorrow I flex.

¹ Screen capture/snippet markup tool

² Text Expander tool

Now I need to get Vivaldi and ProtonMail installed. I also ordered a replacement battery for this laptop because if not plugged in - no go. I was waiting for an install victory first.

Your coworkers aren't listening to you. When you share how your weekend was, or what plans you're making for vacation. They are only thinking about their amazing reply. While you tell your story, they are already putting together their response; a better story than yours, or a crazier weekend, or the amazing vacations they've been on.

One-upsmanship is different than a sympathetic response. Some of the guys I work with think they are great story tellers, so no matter what subject you bring up, they have a better, wilder, funnier, more shocking version of their own to share. I'm not sure if this is just a guy thing or not. I'm leaning toward the machismo rationale on this: "machismo is strongly and consistently associated with dominance, aggression, grandstanding, and an inability to nurture." (Wikipedia)
Yes. 'Grandstanding' is another synonym that can be plugged in here as well. Once we begin to peel back some of these behaviors we can rest assured that the meeting of minds rarely happens and 'true listening' is a lost art-skill.

I'm sure I've done it, and I will most definitely be a repeat offender. But with some practice and self awareness, I can focus on what someone is really saying and engage in conversation, not me-versus-you story telling.

Compiling some notes on my journey to revive an older Windows HP laptop.

Installing Linux On A Windows PC

What is Linux?
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/what-is-gnulinux

Linux Distros And Explainer:
https://www.dreamhost.com/blog/linux-distros/

How to Make The Switch:
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-make-the-switch-from-windows-to-linux

Installing on an Older Laptop:
https://www.zdnet.com/article/want-to-save-your-old-computer-try-these-6-linux-distros/

7 Linux Terminals From the Future

https://itsfoss.com/modern-linux-terminals/

System requirements - Recommended for Linux

CPU: 32- or 64-bit
RAM: 1 GB minimum and 2 GB+ recommended
Storage: 20 GB recommended

USB Creators / Format / Installers

Etcher

https://etcher.balena.io/#download-etcher

Ventoy Download

https://www.ventoy.net/en/download.html
https://www.ventoy.net/en/doc_news.html

Yumi USB

https://pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/

How To Install Applications In Linux Mint

https://www.reallinuxuser.com/how-to-install-applications-in-linux-mint/

Widgets / Desklets

https://cinnamon-spices.linuxmint.com/desklets

TIP
Also... just figured out how to paste commands into a Linux terminal.
It's ctrl-shift-v, not ctrl-v.

Pump Spindler
Dead Nettle
Sweetgum
Vernal Pool
Burnt Sugar
Sweaty Tomato
3 Ton Herbivore
Arctic Intrusion
Seedy Pimp
Meat Pringle
Modern Amish
Jam Chuck
Funky Supercut
Flaming Zamboni
Toxic Basement
Sneaky Biscuit
Wall of Toggle
Spawn of Herring
Sloth Mummy
Cheese Foot
Honey Buzzard
Sugar Grenade
Swanky Swigs (country)
Stucky Monkey
Dinosaur Murder Bird [DMB]
Ozark Zigzag (blue grass band) → it's the name of a salamander
Pop Studs (via Andy Coates on Twitter)
52 Hertz (whale sounds) via Salty MacTavish
Urban Chickens
Super Woofer
West Coast Hazy
Freak Tongue (Steve Olivas via Twitter)
Klear Kote (new country available only at Lowe's)
Lil* Manky (via Andy Coates)
DJ Bitter Blast
9-Pin Protocol
Rubber Knees
Fatty Acid
Scraggy Mullet
Screaming Mime.
Smooth Brain (Rikki Tar)
Meat Bucket (wife)
Butter Fungus

Here is a digital edition article from Hot House Jazz Magazine on the great Rene' McLean. My good friend, musician, and former college roommate works on Rene's horns in his woodwind repair shop. They have struck up a casual friendship and I get to hear about their conversations first-hand! (And yes, Rene' is the son of the great Jackie McLean)

↓ ↓
https://mags.hothousejazzmagazine.com/f40bcf9e11.html#page/14
↑ ↑
(there are tons of other players featured in this edition.)

Another text from Jonathon Ball shared here with consent:

Rene McLean just gave me a call just to say Hi. I asked him about Tony Williams and told him I was playing a lot of drums along with Tony [recordings]. He remembers playing with him at his house when he was 14 or 15 when Jackie [McLean] brought him from Boston.

I asked him what he did with his right foot and he said, “I’m not sure but he probably kicked my ass with it!”

Rene believes every musician should start playing music on a hand drum, like a djembe. “Without rhythm, you got nothing.”

Tru dat!!!

I've responded to drummers in the past when they are looking for inspiration or looking to improve their playing. My go-to answer is, 'who influenced the drummer(s) that you love?'

This often falls on deaf ears. My rallying cry of 'STUDY THE GREATS!' is met with a deer-in-the-headlights stare.

Here is an article that reflects this very topic. Prog Rock drummer Neil Peart (Rush), who many consider one of the greatest of our time, names four (4) drummers who influenced his playing

I would not argue any of these names and it is clear how THOSE drummers impacted Neil's playing!

I'm just going to leave this here. Vinnie C. is the man!

https://youtu.be/-Uu-iQxafnU?feature=shared