Treat Dad to All This Jazz! Terry Sullivan Trio Live on Fathers Day

Treat Dad, The Gaffer, The Old Man, The OG, Himself,  His Nibbs, Sperm Merchant. DILF Daddy, The Guv'nor, Pops, Pater, The Begetter, The Guy on Couch, Mr. ATM, or the Great Grilldo to great jazz.

You are going to drag the poor old bastard out against his will anyway; why not let him hear some quality vocals and chops from three brilliant musicians.

Miss Terry Sullivan - Vocalist:Vocalist Terry Sullivan sang in early music ensembles and small concert choirs before turning to jazz. An Ohio native, she has a degree in flute from Ohio University, but began singing after college. Anita O’Day and Blossom Dearie are influences. In addition to traditional musical training beginning in grade four, she studied at the Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops at the University of Louisville, Kentucky.   Ms. Sullivan gives jazz concerts in small venues with some of Chicago’s finest instrumentalists.

Mr. Stewart Miller - Bass:  Stewart is a graduate of both the University of Kentucky, and Northern Illinois University where he attended to further his music education, completing various music programs during his time there.Mr. Miller is a regular in jazz clubs, recording studios, and festivals all around Chicago. He is a member of the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, in addition to being an instructor of Jazz Bass at the University of Illinois-Chicago and the Music Institute of Chicago. Stewart can also be heard on recent recordings by Chicago jazz artists such as Orbert Davis, Russ Phillips, and Judy Roberts. He can also be found on Delmark Records 2004 release, "Up Jumped Spring" by legendary trombonist, Curtis Fuller

 

 Mr. Tommy Muellner -Piano: Tommy Muellner was born in Chicago, Illinois. His father, John F. Muellner (1923--2016) was Tommy's first musical influence. In his heyday, Tommy's Dad played accordion in a dance band and in his later years played organ for senior citizen functions and for pleasure at home. John Muellner's unique personality, humor and passion for music resonates in Tommy Muellner's brilliant talent and style.

Tommy grew up surrounded by good music. With a variety of instruments from which to choose, he started playing gigs at an early age. Although he has learned to play drums, guitar, bass and organ, Tommy's natural preference was always the piano. Tommy grew up hearing many great jazz records, but the whole family especially loved the unique jazz piano artistry of Erroll Garner. In his early twenties, Tom discovered Bill Evans "by osmosis," and considers his influence on jazz to be significant.[citation needed] After that important discovery, Muellner "realized when I finally heard the music, that jazz is more than music. It is great art, and a philosophy with spiritual ramifications."

In later years, Tommy's musical influences were gleaned from the likes of Evans, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Dexter Gordon. He learned mostly from the great classic jazz recordings. He also learned a great deal from playing with master musicians like Ira Sullivan, as well as other lesser known musicians he worked with at a younger age. His favorite pianists include Art Tatum, Hank Jones, Bud Powell, Barry Harris, McCoy Tyner, Monty Alexander, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Steve Kuhn, Denny Zeitlin, Fred Hersch and his close friend John Campbell.

Take the old Do-Dad to Saints Peter and Paul Lutheran Church
Riverside, Illinois this Sunday at 3PM (Suggested donation $ 20)

Then feed the poor old bastard.

Peace You Will Find in Riverside

So, I had planned to watch the Cubs Celebrations at McNally's Saloon on Western Ave., notorious these days as a last bastion of White Sox partisanship.  I am a Sox fan, but I don't get my shorts in a knot, if the Cubs succeed - neither does anyone at McNally's - truth be told.

 McNally's stays single-minded about whom backs and  did not change the sign when TYPO went up.

McNally's is a great place to kill and afternoon.

Dim bulbs get outraged, offended and mount social media campaigns in  response to people who just do not shive a git about leaping onto bandwagons, wearing buttons, sports wear, or 'showing solidarity.'

On Tuesday, one of the most obnoxious and embarrassing displays of American stupidity will come to something like an end.  Enough said, about that.

Instead of covering a bar stool and soaking in the authentic atmosphere at McNally's yesterday. I did my baby a solid.  I drove to and walked around Riverside, a suburb of Berwyn, up around 31st & Harlem and hung up flyers for her up-coming Jazz Concert at Sts. Peter & Paul Lutheran Church on Sunday November 20th, featuring the exquisite Miss Terry Sullivan (vocals), Bobby Schiff (piano), Stewart Miller (Bass) and special guest - the great  Art Davis (trumpet and horns). More details on this opportunity to soak real jazz in the coming days.

Yep, I hung paper all over the great village of Riverside.





Riverside is what an ideal town looks like.

The men who planned Riverside were Calvert Vaux and Fredrick Law Olmstead. The streets of Riverside wind and caress the banks of the Desplaines River.

 The homes are beautiful and shout out affluent.  I live west of tony Beverly with homes on the majestic Longwood Drive rivaling Tara from  Gone with Wind and next to Riverside looks like 'Hootin' Holler.'

The town center has a an old world look to it with an almost uniform architecture reflective of some Sigmund Romberg operetta.

Even the Metra Station is something else

Walking the town, especially on river is a treat and I chatted up a couple of guys who were fishing with waders and having no luck, due to the speed of the current.  I pointed to a seven inch Buck Kife laying a few feet from me in about a two feet of water and thge guys named Mike went home with an expensive bit of piscatory cutlery.


Cubs fans were returning from the big day downtown and the universal word about their adventures was "Epic."

I decided to search out and Epic eatery.

Found it less than three hundred yards from the Metra.

Little Bohemian Restaurant sits on a side street near the Chew-Chew tavern and a great little empanadas shop , where I bought Miss Sullivan four of the best (2 beef, 2 spinach) for her evening meal.

Little Bohemian is a place that needs to hugged repeatedly like a sweet, plump Slovak aunt who makes everything from scratch and with love.

One of my psychological triggers is the trend of American sheep to flock to cookie cutter eateries from Coopers Hawk, to Olive Garden, to PJ McSwill's, to the nadir of gormandizing McDonald's and pass up great family owned restaurants like the Golden Steer in Forest Park, Klas in Cicero, Kens in Beverly, Schallers in Bridgport and Club 81 in Hegewisch.  Nothing makes me more postal than this trend - that and our two choices for President.

Little Bohemia serves up great simple family fare - stuffed cabbage, pot roast, meat loaf, duck, chicken and fish with a Bohemian grace and boats of the proper gravy. . .and home made kolaches!



We walked off the lunch again taking the river walks and soaked in sunshine, autumnal colors and very nice people.

Get over to Riverside and chill.  

Peter Bernstein -Traffic Sunk by Jazz Guitarist -"Bobblehead!" - Peter Bernstein - The Musical F.L.Olmstead!

Peter Bernstein and Eminent Dr. Lonnie Smith ( wizard of the Hammond) at Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase (Click my post title for traffic sinking sounds)


My work for Leo High School takes me on the Dan Ryan -often. It also puts me on Illinois 290, 294, 355, 90,94, and 57.

My attendant motor pool duties as Leo Development Guy and Hickey Dad routes me on tag runs East and West on 111th, 95th, 87th, 79th and 63rd streets as well as up and down Vincennes, Halsted, Morgan, Racine, Loomis, Ashland, Western, Kedzie, Pulaski, and Cicero.

Trafffic is tiresome. You get all Bobblehead. The great American landscape architect Fredrick Law Olmstead understood the tiresome nature of all traffic when creating the last of the great American public spaces -Jackson Park in Chicago and the community of Riverside, here on the Des Plaines River. F.L. Olmstead sunk traffic from view with berms and forest. Olmstead eased the soul.

Traffic dominates our lives. It is a hazard to our physical well-being, to be sure, but. as importantly, to our spirits and souls. We experience traffic -physically, mentally and spiritually and the Tolls do take a Toll.

The blight on the eyes where all that is beautiful is the odd Hooters Signage.

The auditory car-wrecks are as unpleasant -Chest-caving Bass Bumps from Morons; Horn Addicted Honkies; double-clutching Rental Truck neophytes and the odd screamers.

Sink me, if traffic noise don't. It do.

Hence, sink traffic, American Bobbleheads, with the silky strings of Jazz Guitarist Peter Bernstein*. Peter Bernstein, to my experience, is best Jazz Guitarist since late Wes Montgomery. No Guitar Hero poser, Bernstein lets the strings sing.

Secretary of State Jesse White should mandate a tape or disc in every vehicle.

I pop in Peter Bernstein's Signs of Life ( 1995), whenever my duties as a driver take me to Elmhurst at 9 A.M. and back to 21 S. Wacker for a 1 P.M. appointment and I drive safely, soberly and sweetly. Honor bright.

Arrive Alive and with your Whole Soul!

*

Born September 3rd, 1967 in New York City, guitarist Peter Bernstein has been a part of the jazz scene in New York and abroad since 1989. During that time he has participated in over 60 recordings and numerous festival, concert and club performances with musicians from all generations. As a leader, Peter has made five recordings for the Criss Cross Jazz label. The latest, Heart’s Content, features the all-star rhythm section of Brad Mehldau, Larry Grenadier, and Bill Stewart.

While a student at The New School, Peter met the legendary guitarist Jim Hall, who asked him to participate in his Invitational Concert as part of the 1990 JVC Jazz Festival. The event featured such guitarists as John Scofield and Pat Metheny and was released as a CD by Music Masters. Hall once noted that Peter “…has paid attention to the past as well as the future. He is the most impressive young guitarists I’ve heard. He plays the best of them all for swing, logic, feel and taste.”

That same year, Peter was discovered by alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson and took part in the first of four recordings with him. He was a regular member of his group throughout the 1990s. “Some people just have it.” Donaldson said. “…most of the time you have to teach someone what to do, but Peter knows it all.”

Peter has also played with legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb (Cobb’s Mob), organist Larry Goldings, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Melvin Rhyne, drummer Bill Stewart, Joshua Redman, Diana Krall, Nicholas Payton, Lee Konitz, Tom Harrell, and Eric Alexander and performed in North America, Europe and Asia and making numerous television appearances.

Peter has taught at the Julliard School, Berklee College of Music, North Texas State University, the New School Jazz Program and the Jazz Conservatory in Amsterdam.

Peter has been fortunate to gain the respect of his peers and mentors. He has been recognized in both the readers’ and critics’ polls in Downbeat Magazine for the past three years. He continues to hone his style through writing and performing and has developed a distinctive and unforgettable guitar voice that is all his own.