I Love L.A.

Hey Soul Mates,
I'm home from the Dodger game where beat up the Padres 8-3. Another sellout crowd at Chavez. As a result of not having tickets prior to arriving, we wound up with pricey seats in the loge. Being on the third base side gave us a great view of the playing field. I might have to rethink my wish to have season's seats on the top deck.

During the game, I wound up on Dodgervision twice. I went from zero for a lifetime to two times in one night. The second time came during the post game celebration 'cause I was holding up my seat cushion. Man, I love that team. Using the binoculars, I saw Rodney & Holly Robinson Peete, Wayne Gretzky and the kids from American Idol in the stands, too. The best part of a Dodger game? Hearing Randy Newman's acerbic love song to our fair town, "I Love L.A." That means the home town won.

Have a relaxing Sunday. We are rehearsing tomorrow with Adam Marsland for our show on Friday.

Love, Power, Peace.

Front Row

Hey Soul Mates,
after talking to my Dad last night about the Jackson 5 concert we attended, I decided to do some research and try to get more information. I knew that it was held in "theatre in the round" but had a hard time remembering the year, date and name of the locale. Well, I found this (from the J5-collector).



This would be the front page of the show's program (which I don't think I ever had). Ah, the wonders of the internet. Just ask my friend, Molly! The Jackson 5 World Tour took them all over the place in '74. In late summer, they came to the Front Row theatre. And they had just introduced Dancing Machine and the "robot" dance. I think only my brother and Dad will care, but I'm sharing anyway. The night before we went to the show, my Dad had taken a group of kids from the neighborhood projects and he scoped out the venue. So when we took us the next night, he knew where the brothers would make their entrances and got us on the aisle that Michael would use. As a result, I got to shake Michael's hand and if you don't think that's a big deal to me, you've never met me. Thanks, Dad!

Love, Power, Peace... and Dancin', Dancin', Dancin'!

Friday Night Lite

Hey Soul Mates,
just got through with a solid 40 minutes of practicing. Gotta be ready for Sunday's rehearsal.
I had the Dodger game on earlier and the home team is sporting Brooklyn uniforms to honor Jackie Robinson. So, I called my Dad to tell him. He was born and raised in New York and he got a kick out of it. We talked about the 3 NY teams (Yankees, Giants and Dodgers) from his youth. Dad told me he would watch Jackie and the Bums on TV at the local barber shop. And how, in the '70's, he met and interviewed Roger Kahn (author of the Dodger history "Boys of Summer") for radio. Then conversation turned to music and our upcoming show at the Joint. Dad and I then talked about the first concert he ever took me to: The Jackson 5. You may recall an earlier blog when I mentioned it. But it was fun talking to Dad about that show and what an impression it made on me. And boy, can my Dad tell a story. Too cool. Dad, I got my fingers crossed for that TV movie (he auditioned earlier today for a show with Raven Symone).
Gotta get back to practice. Whew.

Love, Power, Peace.

April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson Day

Hey Soul Mates,
today marks the anniversary of Jackie Robinson's major league debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Jackie was a true pioneer and the social impact of his work cannot be overstated.

In 1947, he became the first black player in baseball's modern history (after 1900). Robinson had to endure death threats, racial taunts and separate but unequal treatment: sometimes by his own teammates. But by the end of the season, the Dodgers' new first baseman was the first ever Rookie of the Year. Two years later he was named NL MVP. He proved himself through his spirited play and sportsmanship. He had to. The first black pro in baseball couldn't be like Gary Sheffield, Albert Belle or Sammy Sosa; prone to outbursts, diarrhea of the mouth or boasting. And that's not to say that he was acquiescent. Jackie Robinson proved to white America that blacks could be worthy of holding an equal job at equal pay with equal treatment. After all, baseball is America's pastime and he was playing the game right. Jackie was followed by Cleveland's Larry Doby, then many others. Consider that it took the Red Sox another 15 years to sign their first black ball player. Jackie opened a door for black athletes, but he also opened a larger one for minorities in all aspects of society.

How well respected is Robinson in the sport: in 1997 his number (42) was retired by the entire league.

I suggest that Jackie Robinson Day should be a national holiday. A day that we reflect upon the worth of all Americans, the contributions that Jackie made and his legacy. Without Robinson, our nation would be a crueler, less accepting place. There's still work to do, but Jackie set the tone. Along with pioneers like Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes, Nat Cole and Martin Luther King, Jackie Robinson made it possible for America at-large to accept blacks as human beings to be treated with dignity and without prejudice. Even though he died while I was a child, I'm proud to call Jackie a hero. Without the him and the people I just mentioned, there's no way Doug and I get to perform on the same stage with Bryan in front of our beautiful, diverse audience.

God bless you, Jackie Robinson.
Love, Power, Peace

New Shoes (Plug)

Hey Soul Mates,
those of you who know me, know that I'm on my feets a lot. That means ya gotta have good shoes. In prep for my trip overseas last year, I broke down and bought a pair of Lexington Ave Timberlands. And boy, they were comfortable and looked good! OK, if anyone from Timberland is out there, your shoes rock. Tonight, I got another pair, this time brown, for a slightly more casual look. Nothing like a discontinued shoe. 'Cuz it's cheaper.

Now, the trick is I can't really sport these shoes on stage, but I'd take a Timberland endorsement any day. If you guys want to sponsor us, I'd be up for it. This is a plug. It's silly, but hey, everybody has to wear shoes.

Love, Power, Peace

...To The Ballgame

Hey Soul Mates,
lots going on since last I wrote. The band is doing well. We are looking forward to our rehearsals with Adam Marsland. He's a good friend of ours and a heck of a musician. Adam will be joining us on stage for a handful of songs at our next show. One of the numbers will be a cover... So watch out! In fact, the cover song is one that I've always thought of performing. And when I say always, I mean always. The evites for the event have gone out. If you feel you were left off, write me and I'll get you on the list. It's a challenge keeping up with the mailing lists.

Tuesday was opening day at Dodger Stadium. (I try not to use possessives to describe something that I don't own, but it's hard with sports) We put the hurt on the Giants in the bottom of the ninth. What an exciting game. Good for Milt Bradley to be the hero. The pregame was interesting too. There was a B-2 stealth bomber flyover; the Navy Seals did a spectacular jump; and American Idol Kim Locke sang the National Anthem with ease. The rock group Lifehouse played a fairly thankless set before that out in centerfield, but the applause was polite. The highlight of the pregame was Dodger legend, Duke Snider who threw out the ceremonial first pitch. This is the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers' first World Series victory. The weather was picture perfect and it made for a relaxing day at Chavez Ravine.

Love, Power, Peace