Ramblings
The Ballad of Rondo The Dog
Many people know of the band The Police playing the Last Chance Saloon on October 23, 1978 to 4 paying customers. I will save that story for another time. This is the story of an event that happened roughly a week before at The Last Chance. We had gathered a loose aggregate of musicians to rehearse a Halloween show at the club.
Book : In Search of a Title
I’ve met many musicians . Some have become lifelong friends, some acquaintances and some just a backstage moment or conversation. I have always admired musicians and their shamanistic powers. I like to participate but I don’t consider myself a real musician. I can hold my own on harmonica , vocals and acoustic guitar but I have never had the discipline to really rehearse. I must admit that at the age of 62 I am a better guitarist than I was at the age of 30. I am more patient now.
The Healing Power of Live Comedy
This article was first published in Pulse in 2005. A weekly Hudson Valley newspaper that no longer publishes.
Thanks for the 15 Minutes Bob.. Of Irony and Animals
About 40 years ago Andy Warhol predicted that in the future everyone would be “ famous” for 15 minutes …sounds like a cross between Karl Marx and a Twilight Zone episode..we would all experience fame for 15 minutes and hence we would understand fame in all its glory and folly…we would not have to worry if our career was on the rise or decline..because we would all have 15 minutes of fame. ….Hence the euphemism
Soupy Sales
SOUPY SALES …….. FOR POOKIE……AND PHILO KVETCH
Soupy Sales died in The Bronx today at the age of 83. In 1964 he moved from LA to NYC and held court on channel 5 WNEW for 3 years. That same year I moved to The Bronx as an 8th grader. Soupy was the perfect codified innuendo filled stuff of 8th grade in a more innocent pre cable era. As I met my new friends in The Bronx we could not believe what he was saying on TV : “ My baby can’t make an apple pie, but she can sure make my banana cream.”
Music... A lifelong Obsession... A Memoir...
Music has been the driving force for many if not most of my decisions. As the late great guitarist Michael Bloomfield said. “ it is the soundtrack of our life.” I built a life around musicians and have met many . Heroes, Shamans, Charlatans..you name it.. The power of music has no single measure. It can be the power of memory via a song of your youth or the power of raw emotion when you hear something new. Music is physical and meta- physical. The harmony of the spheres, going back to Pythagoras of ancient Greece.
Live Performance as Tribute or Adventure
Previously written June 20, 2016 - Yesterday was Father’s Day and my kids got me a pair of tickets to see Mel Brooks at Radio City Music Hall live in person plus a showing of Blazing Saddles. I was deeply touched by this gift… Mel has made me laugh on film, TV , radio , recordings , etc. , but never in person.
Charles Mingus At The Joyous Lake in Woodstock 1976
In the story of 20th century American jazz . even Ken Burns would agree that Mingus’ name stands just below Miles, Trane, Duke, and Satchmo. I had the pleasure of seeing him perform at Carnegie Hall and he was incredible. I had the even greater pleasure of having dinner with him and interviewing him on the radio..
Mingus was a brilliant bassist, composer and arranger. He could make a quintet sound like an orchestra. His charts were demanding .His windows for solos always challenged his players to direct the journey.
Eric Horsboll, The Promoter • 8/2/43 - 1/12/21
Rest in peace Eric. I knew you since 1968 when I arrived in New Paltz. You were a Damon Runyon character in a Marty Scorsese film. You had arrived in New Paltz in1961. You got your degree to teach Social Studies . You did so in a South Bronx Junior High in the mid 60s. One of your 8th grade students was David Berkowitz…aka.. The Son Of Sam… you remembered him from class. I believe you saw him as a creepy loner…. I bet he remembers you. You were hard to forget. A garrulous person .
I Need a Hug by Stan Beinstein
With all of this downtime at home I seem to be writing quite a few songs. I have been isolated in a spare bedroom. Luckily we have a pretty big home. I have not touched anyone since March 15, 2020.
Isolation Nation by Stan Beinstein
I wrote this song on March 24, 2020. It was obvious that we were heading toward lockdown. It seemed to write itself pretty fast…
An Open Letter to a Friend : Danny Kalb
When I wrote this open letter to Danny Kalb in 2014, I had not yet seen the film, Inside Llewyn Davis. I have seen many times since and I love it
YA PAYS YER MONEY... YA TAKES YER CHANCE(S) …
This article was written in 2005 for The Pulse, a free weekly Hudson Valley newspaper that no longer publishes.
The Last Chance Jazz Band
I wrote this article nearly 15 years ago…. I have threatened to write a book about the Last Chance Saloon and I have interviewed many people who were involved with the club. With time on my hands now I intend to turn those interviews into chapters that I will post here.
Jack Goldberg
I wrote this obituary for Jack Goldberg ten years ago. It served, in part, for the inspiration of my song : The Last Bookstore
In Memorium : Jack Goldberg Last of The Record Retailers 1-09-10
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Stay tuned for Stan Ramblings.
I look forward to sharing them with you.
-Stan