I was in the Bay Area this last weekend for a CATE [California Association of Teachers of English] Conference for the which I was a guest speaker/presenter.

During my [rare] time off, my colleague and I decided to take the BART [Bay Area Rapid Transit] under the Bay to The City [for you neophytes and Easterners, that's slang for San Francisco]. As we ascended from the underground station at Powell and Market, we were greeted by a trumpeter blowing out Misty. I stood and listened until he finished. I applauded and told him he had some serious chops. He nodded as I tossed some money into his gig case.

As I walked away he launched into a rendition of Sunny Side of the Street. It was too cool.

I wonder...do we support street musicians enough by tossing a few quarters into a hat?

I further wonder if those musicians could be professionals if only given a break.

How do you guys see street musicians and HOW can they get the support they need to play professionally?

Do you find yourself drawn to them, do you feel guilty you don't give more?

Your thoughts?

TimMc

Some of them are actually out there because they enjoy that milieu and are able to make decent money.

Others, of course, are out there because they can't really play! I have heard both types here in New York.

Stanley Jordan used to be a street musician. John Lewis (MJQ) told me he once heard a saxophonist play some incredible stuff in the subway.

Sabir Mateen, currently a mainstay on the NYC ecstatic scene (and one of the most tasteful, restrained, and stylistically aware players in the genre, IMO) apparently played on the street for years, and apparently still does once a week at the Astor Place IRT station in New York, according to Margaret Davis' website. There was an interview with Sabir in Signal to Noise about a year ago in which he said that playing on the street can be a great opportunity to get your chops together by necessity, presumably since you won't get any money if you have obvious technincal deficiencies. Charles Gayle was also a street musician for years (a street person, too), although he's a much more controversial and idiosyncratic player than Mateen--still, the need to project your sound outdoors or in a crowded subway station might account for Gayle's proclivity for extreme volume levels.

A few years ago, there was a great inside/outside tenor player who appeared fairly regularly on the Brooklyn-bound F train platform at Broadway-Lafayette, sometimes in duo with a percussionist. He could really play, and, while I haven't encountered him in a while, I'm sure his talent has since taken him out of the tunnels and into places more suitable for his music.

Goody, this is so funny. When I read the the title of thread and was deciding whether to take a peak, I thought about the saxophone players that have played from time to time at Powell Street and Civic Center BART Stations in SF. And here you are talking about just that.

I work in SF and there is nothing as moving and almost mournful as a sax player blowing "Round Midnight" in the underground BART Stations and hear it bounce off the walls of the concourse passageways. I ALWAYS give. Panhandlers are an epidemic in the City and I don't give up nada to those hustlers but I ALWAYS give the musicians in BART a buck or two.

During the winter holidays, BART pays musicians to play at Powell Street in SF and 12th Street in Oakland. They play whatever, holiday music or not. One night last December, I was walking down the steps to Powell Street, and I heard this funk band a la James Brown. Man, the place was packed and jumping! Homeless people were dancing, dot commers were shaking their heads, people of all hues were smiling, and the bucket with tips was overflowing. It was way cool.

Hat and Beard-
I used to live down on the Lower East Side, and would often pass through that station somehow, and I remember that duo very well. It was one of the rare instances where I would actually take off my headphones and really *listen* to what was going on.

On the other hand, I've heard so many truly awful musicians here in NY, I couldn't even remember them all.

Hey Goody, I cut my teeth, so to speak, on the street. And in the parks, mostly Central Park and Washington Square here in New York. One summer I even took off completely from being a secretary, and made as much playing by the Public Library on 42nd street for the lunch crowd as I would have behind a desk all day.

I also used to play on 5th Avenue by 57th Street, in front of Van Cleef and Arpels, and the kids coming from the Queens subway (53rd street) in the evening going to rock concerts in Central Park would stop and dance, and it was a blast. I could probably write a book about playing music on the street.

One thing that did seem to make a big difference: if I played solo I'd never get a crowd, people would treat me like I was nuts, and keep their distance. Even if they enjoyed the music, they'd let me know only very carefully. Once I was with an accompanist we could attract a crowd before the first note even. So there is a definite psychology to the whole thing, which I've thought much about.

I never played the subways, although I played in Grand Central Station for the Grand Central Partnership one year. There's something very special about playing music for passersby. Only the ones who are there in the moment with you stop and listen, and they really listen. Not because they bought a ticket, but because they're grabbed by what you're doing, and the music becomes more important than anyplace else they're going. And yes, Rainyday, sometimes the energy of total strangers of all types coming together around the music is really incredible. It can be ecstatic.

The whole scene - the whole era - ended when Giuliani came to town. That first year we were chased by the cops, told we had to get a performance permit, and a sound device permit, which I did, for about $300 total. Didn't make very much more than that all summer, I suppose. That's when the scene died here in New York.

So, Goody, aside from the steet musicians, who, what & where did you see play in a club or a concert hall while you were up here? Do tell...

I've got basically the same take on it as Chris' #2. I tip regularly when the person shows some aptitude for playing. When it sounds like an outdoor charity grade school practice session, no coinage follows.

I have preferred street performers who seem to specialize in street specific art, like I can recall when break dancing was done on a big cardboard box, before it got into popular culture.

There were 2 guys years ago, in NYC, who used to do the most amazing covers of Simon & Garfunkle and Beatles tunes you ever heard, near the stairs on the street of the subway station on W 4th on the corner with the basketball court. Thought I heard at some point that they were brought into studio to record.

In New Orleans, some of the kids who tap dance with bottle caps in their sneakers are mean!

When I first caught street drummers who played with a conventional pair of drum sticks on those 5 gallon plasitic pails turned upside down, I remember going past a few who could really work out!

The worst I've ever heard, bar none, is the trumpeter who plays [ouch! the mere word 'plays' is a stretch] about a block 1/2 south from the Compac Center in my adopted home town of San Jose, CA
I can qualify this cat as *THE WORST EVER* because I've lived here 7+ years and have seen/heard him at least a couple of time a year. He's was miserable 7 years ago with no signs what-so-ever of getting better.
He camps out in the same place for every event that I've attended. He has a folding shopping wagon full of 'fake' books, and proceeds to butcher, mutilate, and offend every single number he attempts.
He has an extensive hat collection, though; Christmas Santa model, and so on as the seasons roll by;-)

This has been a public service announcement by the SJ Chamber Of Commerce. Save your money as you walk towards the arena...and if you pay any attention to it, pain & suffering may occur

There were many musicians who got their start at the streets (Sonny Simmons-sometimes still playing out there, Stanley Jordan, Jeremy Steig, Vince Herring, Stan Getz used to play outdoors a lot and claims that his sound was born out of that experience). Many just didn't have a place to practice. It's a great way to practice if the funny looks from strange (square) people do not get to you. I used to ride my bike around NYC and just look for places with good acoustics (eg. under tunnels at the Central Park, WTC plaza at 2a.m,etc.) and play the flute. I'm surprised I never ran into you Jan!- BTW, did you ever run into Jeremy Steig playing at Washington Square Park?

I've met many talented people out there. There used to be this white dude playing tenor by the NBC building who played "Alfie"-ala Sonny Rollins. The drum circle in Central Park where the local congueros congregate during summer weekends were really magical. Many famous players would drop by and jam.

When I moved into the Bay Area in the early 80's there were tons of street musicians playing in Berkeley and SF. Some were beginners and sounded bad but many were accomplished players as well. There was this trumpet player who played at the Berkeley Bart station who sounded very much like Lee Morgan and played all the hardbop standards- you guys from the Bay Area probably know this dude.

Unfortunately there is a stigma associated with playing the street which might be related to "homeless phobia". I don't see many anymore. Goody was lucky to hear a good one- It might possibly be the same trumpet player who played at Berkeley Bart.

I will always spot some money to a musician playing on the street regardless of how well they play. I think playing on the street takes courage. These people are baring their souls so to speak for all to see.

For all the musicians that I've seen on the streets of New York, the street musician story that I'll always remember took place in Newport, Rhode Island. My wife and I were strolling down Thames St. For those of you who are not familiar with Newport, Thames St. is a very narrow cobblestoned street with small shops on either side. As we were walking, I heard sombody playing a tenor sax. As I looked up I noticed this cat standing in front of one of the shops playing "Yardbird Suite". As I glanced directly across the street I noticed two young women standing on the steps of another shop across the street. The guy was blowing his heart out and the two women had huge grins on their faces as they listened to what the guy had to offer. My wife and I stopped and just stood there enjoying the whole scene.

The cat with the horn finished his song and took a dramatic bow towards the two women. They, in turn, applauded appreciatively. He then disappeared into the doorway of the shop he was standing in front of. The women looked at each other as they giggled and went into *their* store. We simply smiled and resumed our stroll. Every once in a while I think of that day and it always brings a smile to my face............................

"I will always spot some money to a musician playing on the street regardless of how well they play. I think playing on the street takes courage. These people are baring their souls so to speak for all to see."

I'm not so sure somebody who can't play for shit is baring any soul. I generously tip good street musicians, but I'd rather give money to a homeless person who isn't playing anything than to somebody who hasn't learned how to play his instrument. But, of course, Jimmy is a much more forgiving person than me.

Not really, Pete. I refuse to give money to anybody who simply walks up to me with an outstretched hand, including my kids.

I don't give money to a street musician because he/she plays well. For me, it's the *effort* that counts. Hey, baring your soul can be accomplished in many ways. I think that perhaps the people who "can't play for shit" are baring their souls the most. I tend to gives these cats the most props.......................

And chefs who can't cook for shit are baring their souls too, eh? :-}

There used to be a clarinet player who played every day on the street in Burlington who was so awful that I once offered him as much money as it would take to get him to move off a couple of blocks so I could read my paper. One time while he was in McDonald's somebody stole his clarinet, he was so awful. (Downtowners bought him a new one right away.) His big dream was to move to N.O. Which he did. And died shortly thereafter.

I've heard some excellent musicians on the street, though, in various places. I wouldn't want to hang in a subway tunnel that long or much, though. Gah! What a shitty place to have to play. At least it's warm in the winter, though, and dry, most times.

If I never hear another steady-strum guitar player/singer-songwriter again, though, it will do my heart good. IMHO they are the worst development ever in American music. Bo-ring, already.

Once in New York a cat got on the train with a broken saxophone and started making all kinds of horrible noises with it. In between noise sessions, he would announce, I am one America's millions of homeless people and if you give me some change I will stop playing this saxophone. Almost everyone dug for some change right away.

His name wasn't Joe Maneri was it? Kidding! Kidding! Don't want to get my ass kicked by the minions.

Another street musician story:

Speaking of subways, I was in a subway station in Berlin where I came upon this young guy with one of those beards like the Amish have. You know, with no mustache. He was playing a guitar and I threw a couple of marks into his case. I asked him if I could take a photo of him. Sure, why not.

I never forget a face. Names, yes, but I never forget a face. A few years later I'm at the 59th St. subway station in NYC and who do you think I see playing his guitar? Just to make sure, I asked him if he'd ever been to Berlin. He said, "Yep, sure have". When I got home I dug that photo out. Yep, I never forget a face......................

Great thread idea.

I'm under the impression that there are some successful working musicians who will play on the street or in the park just to get some practice in a nice spot, entertain some folks and pick up some coin while they're at it.

There are some serious players who used to (may still?) play together in a group in Central Park on nice weather weekend afternoons (on the West Side of the park, near the jogging/bike route in the 70's.)

There also are some street musicians in NYC whose talents were MADE for making some bucks in the streets. There was a guy who went by the name of "Rob on Bass" who played a funky hybrid (8 string?) bass with ridiculous (in a good way) chops who really could inspire some serious giving. He sounded like 2 guitars and a bass and played a distinctive fusion/world music/new age hybrid. If you listened to a recording of him at home I'm guessing you might lose interest fast, but seeing him make all that music himself was an attraction.

Sometimes he dueted with the most well known of the kids who played upsided down plastic buckets as drums (and played WELL).

Isn't there a NYC Undergorund Festival in the fall where musicians perform in the subways?

There are definitely some good players out there on the streets...And as Hat said, some eventually make a name for themselves, while others will probably never get much beyond a basic level of competence.

One aside, though. As cool as it can be to hear music in subway stations, playing an instrument in a subway car is lame. Once inside a subway car I think one is entitled to whatever peace one can attain, whether it be by staring at the ceiling, reading a book, or listening to a walkman. Though I'll admit that in Paris a few years ago a guy was playing alto in a metro car and he sounded pretty good. But things always take on a different sheen in Paris...

Bye-ya.

I recently read that the young kid you see in all those Dell ads on tv (Chris A's buddy) is a NYC street musician of sorts. He's an NYU student and struggling actor/drama major (not struggling anymore, I would imagine) who makes extra money by doing a percussion thing in the streets. Sometimes he's solo and sometimes he's part of a duo.

You're gettin' a Dell, dude!.....................

One of the most abstractly entertaining experiences I've had with 'street' performers was on the 'R' train, in the long stretch between Lexington and Queens plaza. This alto player comes into the car and starts playing a few off-kilter blues phrases. Then he launches into a squealing fit that I seriously thought was going to send someone into a seizure. An older woman next to me could not have displayed more pain in her facial expression. After what must have been two full minutes he finally takes the mouthpiece out of his mouth and says, "Ladies and Gentlemen, if I collect $5 I will move on to the next car." I've never seen people in such a rush to hand out their pocket change.

One of the better performers I've seen was playing washtub bass and singing standards, Gershwin and Cole Porter and such. He was so good that I figured he was probably a Broadway hopeful who put on some shabby clothes to grab a little extra coin. Until I got close enough to see that he only had about five teeth. He was making good money, too, at least a dollar a minute.

And there was a cellist playing 70's pop tunes, Bacharach and stuff, but not sounding a bit cheesy, just swinging like mad. I still kick myself for not getting that guy's name.

There used to be a great acapella doo wob group called Black Ice that used to perform on the NYC streets & subways. But that was some time ago.

Does anybody remember the Sun Ra-like guy on the NYC subway who used to proclaim he was from Mars (and dressed like it), play some stuff that made Charles Gayle sound like Kenny G., and ask for money to stop?

Last year I heard an old guy (I think he was blind) with a very androgynous voice (almost like Jimmy Scott) doing Motown tunes on the subway. It was rough around the edges, but very affecting.

>>As cool as it can be to hear music in subway stations,
>>playing an instrument in a subway car is lame.

But once in a while and in the right situation, hearing someone play on a city bus can demonstrate the power of music on unsuspecting passengers.

See "The Bus Story" in The Alley.


And also check out 'railfanning on the banks of the muddy mo'.

"Last year I heard an old guy (I think he was blind) with a very androgynous voice (almost like Jimmy Scott) doing Motown tunes on the subway. It was rough around the edges, but very affecting."

I see that guy a lot. I never appreciated "People Get Ready" until I heard him doing it.

Ivy - no, I never met Jeremy Steig but certainly wish I had.. and I'm surprised as well I didn't see you around... Did you also notice the difference when Rudy Mussolin- I mean, Giuliani, came to town? Were you ever chased by cops for playing music?

Steve(thelil) - they call themselves University of the Streets and I've sat in with them many, many times. I only really know Omar, who plays drums, and I saw recently at a concert of mine here in Yonkers. Nice cats. I bet they'll be out in the park this year; they're an institution. I'm really bad with names but I've been on the bill with them at other local events and I think several of those guys live in nearby Mount Vernon.

shrugs - yes, New York did institutionalize street musicians playing in the subways. Of course, I never had any interest in playing there - excuse me, but YUK! And not only the filth, but the noise of the trains is too deafening for me to even consider. Anyway, you had to sign up and they would give out time slots. I'm not sure if they still do it, but it sort of takes away from the spontaneity of the whole thing, which is one of the best things about "street" performances the way I knew them to be in the late 70s and early 80s.

I've heard the alto "screamer" before as well. Instead of paying him $5, someone needs to take the horn from him and wrap it around one of the poles in the car. That would shut him up fast.

Bye-ya.

Wow...seems like more than a few folks on this BBS have had some very cool experiences with Street Musicians. And, Jan, I never knew you were one AND I didn't know you could make so much money playing gigs on the street!

I'm with RainyDay...the panhandlers [called that by the SF cops because they frequented [still do] a part of the Golden Gate Park called the Panhandle...a term from the 30's, I believe] are epidemic in The City, BUT I always support the musicians as well. I feel as a Jazz fan, it's my duty to.

I was hoping to take in a show at Yoshi's, but no time. Besides, I was on foot having taken the Amtrak into Oaktown and my traveling partner is a young teacher into rap [ugh]. Sorry, Mike...no stories to tell.

And Ivy, the trumpeter was a bald gent with a nice brown suit and gold rimmed glasses...he may be the same guy. He played in a mid-range, not a lot of upper register stuff.

There's a fierce woman here in Madison who plays alto in the street. Her style is kind of Sonny Stitt-meets-Dolphy. Some of the businesses hassle her, but she's got serious chops. I always give her dough when I see her.

Goody - I never knew the word "panhandlers" came from Golden Gate Park, that's very cool. As for money, I never really made very much, certainly not enough to keep me from making my living typing all those years. Once in a while we'd do okay, but not like some of the other acts. There was a comedian who did a very vulgar show in Washington Square, and he'd have a schtick where he'd gather a few people, get them to make a lot of noise with a cheer of sorts, the crowd would get bigger and bigger that way, and then he'd do a show, pass the hat and make s**tloads of cash. Over and over again, all day.

The best way to make real money out on the street is exactly like that - in fact, we'd do the same occasionally. You get a good crowd, then you "take a break" and get their contributions, they disperse and you start again.

Once my band went so broke in Portland, OR, that the leader, bass player and I used to play at what they called the Saturday Market, which was under and around the Burnside Bridge, the namesake of Portland's skid row, which was then in the first stages of gentrification. I don't know what's like now, as I'm talking late 70s/early 80s. But the appearance of two or three fern bars was a harbinger, I'm sure. Anyways, we used banjos and fiddles because they projected better outside than guitars. The hippies and yuppies at the Saturday Market totally ignored us, but with the winos we were a big hit, because we could play their requests, which were mostly country classics and some bluegrass tunes, like "Dueling Banjos" and such. And one cat always wanted to hear "Kansas City." We actually preferred the winos to the Market patrons because they'd fan out and panhandle for change to throw in our cases so we'd play their requests again. "Hey, Red! Play Kansas City one more time." In a couple hours we'd have enough money (not to mention crackers and "cheese") for food and drinks to last a few days. I can still hear that guy's voice calling for KC.

Jan,

I can't take credit for the info about the Panhandlers. A wonderful writer and columnist for the SF Chronicle [Herb Caen; God Rest his Soul] wrote about the origin of the term in one of his weekly columns. Man, I sure do miss his work.

Gary,

What a great story :-)

Does the urge to play on the street ever motivate you today?

How about you, Jan?

GS:

Your were just a few steps away from Yoshi's if you came in on the train. Well okay, six blocks. The trains go right by the club. You shoulda stopped by and had sushi. So along with "beatnik" Herb coined "panhandler" too?. I really miss that guy.

Gary:

Portland is my home town. The under the Burnside Bridge crowd is still there. It's mostly made up of teens and young adults now. For some reason, Portland is a mecca for runaways. When I visit there, I stay in a hotel by the waterfront and walk in the mornings along the river. The trek under the Burnside Bridge puts me on full urban alert. One afternoon there was a band playing under there and they were doing Stones' tunes. Sounded pretty good.

No, Goody, my motivation comes in other forms these days (like real gigs!) and I don't have the time nor the inclination to go out on the street when there are kids needing dinner and a ride to a basketball game... that was then, this is now!

I did sit in with some young kids last summer for a minute in Washington Square Park, mostly for my own reminiscence, just for the hell of it. There is nothing quite like strangers playing music together outdoors in the city, for anyone who digs it to stop and become part of.

RainyDay - tell us about that term "beatnik" if you would, I'm not familiar with its origins.

Goodie -- Nah, I don't get the urge to play on the street anymore. I didn't get it much then unless we were in dire circumstances enough to warrant it. I was a quite often busking in my younger days, though. There are worse fates.

Rainy -- Cool that you're from Portland. That's one of my favorite cities. I was hq'd there for two winters in those years. Not surprised it's a magnet for runaways, as the climate, though damp, is milder than in many places and the city big enough to afford both a like community and some anonymity. Actually, I was not a runaway but one of those streetkids, the summer of '70. In the later time of my post above, I was part of the Michael Hurley-Holy Modal Rounders-Clamtones tribe, Vermont branch, and lived with a Portland hipster-junkie-jug band guy up by the old Earth Tavern. I don't know if that's still there or not, as it's been more than 20 years now. Also lived over in the SE once, across the tracks from a group of Vietnamese restaurants and the Peach Crate Tavern. Don't know if that's still there, either. I always thought I'd end up a Portlander, but fate moved in mysterious ways.

I used to see Dupree Bolton and Sonny Simmons playin' on the streets of San Francisco.

>>The worst I've ever heard, bar none, is the trumpeter who plays [ouch! the mere word 'plays' is a stretch] about a block 1/2 south from the Compaq Center in my adopted home town of San Jose, CA>>

I was thinking of this guy the moment I saw this thread. When I worked a few blocks from Compaq, I could hear him from my office window, and of course you can't avoid him on the trek up Almaden for Shark games. I always had to stifle the urge to grab his horn and toss it into traffic.

I've always fantasized about "dropping out" (from middle-aged dorkdom) and being a street musician.

Any good towns for it?

I hate those ubiquitous Peruvian musicians. Every damn song sounds like El Condom Pasa.

One of the best-known jazz legends/street musicians is Charles Brackeen. He was mowing lawns in LA and doing weekly rehearsals with Billy Higgins when I gave him a call
to come to Dallas and record with me. Altogether, we did 7 records together...before his lawnmowing he was a street musician in NY and even in Europe. Some of his strongest music he wrote on the street, with his monkeys...

I really should tell you monkey story...if you twist my arm I might tell you that one. It *is* a street musician story!

DG

>>I really should tell you monkey story...if you twist my arm I might tell you that one. It *is* a street musician story!>>

*twist* *twist*

C'mon, spill it!

mone;
I was laughing so hard when I read your post!
Someone who has walked a mile [in this case less] in my shoes.

The SJ trumpet guy, Gary's Burlington clarinetist, and the broken sax NY subway cat: we've got the front line set. No we need a rhythm section for the most BRUTAL band in history. The bandstand is not closed, any more potential members for this band from hell, please pile on.

We need a name for this outfit. Any takers?

I'll start, based on the foundation of heralded group names like the "Messengers", "Crusaders", "Three Sounds", etc. maybe, with an apology to the rock group "The Jazz Destroyers" or " Show Me The Money"

Also for the SF crowd, I've seen a cat in Chinatown, the main street, forget the name, who plays alto pretty good, would have his spot in front of B of A

I thought you were suggesting "Any Takers" as the name. I think it works

(thelil) kind sir, that would be "Any Givers?"

Dennis;
Don't leave us hangin', even the Readers Digest version of a Charles Brackeen monkey story sounds like possible Pulitzer Prize winning material. Go for it!

>>We need a name for this outfit. Any takers?>>

How about "Free Drinks Tonite!"

The only way anyone would ever book them.

Back in 1981 when I was visiting NYC for the whatever-it-was-called-then George Wein festival, by far the best music I heard was at the Vanguard (nothing to do with the festival) and on the street (ditto.) There was a cat playing two saxophones simultaneously a la Rahsaan out on the street somewhere near the Vanguard as I recall who was quite remarkable. Anyone have an idea of who this could have been? I don't remember what he looked like, but I believe he was African American.

mone, so does that mean there would be the one drink MAXIMUM rule at the bar?
One tune or less from that band and outa-there...

Make it a DOUBLE!

Bill, I think the man you are talking about is George Braith. He used to play almost everyday(sometimes with a rhythm section) on 47 st. and 6th Ave.(late 70s). I believe he has some albums out. Yeah- can't help but think about Rahsaan when he plays.

Jan, I used to play back in the days when cops were not so severe. Someday they might just make joy illegal. Besides, I really didn't seek audiences just acoustics which led me to places where there were not many people around.

Out with it Dennis!

Aw shucks fellers and fellerettes! Yew've convainced me a spill the story!

I met bassist Arild Andersen (he's played with Garbarek and all that crowd) in Norway back in '91, and the guy who introduced me to him commented that Arild and I had a bandmate in common, Charles Brackeen...so we told the usual stories and compared notes, and this Brackeen story came out, which I confirmed later with Brackeen himself.

Apparently, street-musicianship was so ingrained into Charles' psyche, that he traveled (the Andersen tour was with Paul Motian as leader) with a bagful of battery-operated monkeys - you know the ones, stuffed toy monkeys that played little cymbals and drums - which were his street rhythm section. He'd keep a little bag of screwdrivers, screws, bolts and extra monkey parts in case they broke down... Anyway, apparently when he was on the street in New York, he would op[en up his bag on a street corner, insert the batteries and get them going one by one, and he claimed that eventually they would all get a groove going and he'd just jam along with them! He said that not one person in all those years ever passed him up without giving something. Some of the music he wrote during that time is documented on the Brackeen CD I did with him, "Bannar" on Silkheart.

Later, I mentioned to Brackeen the monkey story that Arild Andersen had told me, and he confirmed it. Apparently they were (in his mind) his children, and he told me he kept them in tiptop shape and clean. He told me once about the monkeys, "I was they Mama. I was they Daddy...they Aunt..." They was everything to me!"

I don't know what happened to the monkeys, but apparently people all over the world have seen the Brackeen/ monkey ensemble, because Arild told me he'd go do street gigs in Munich, Stockholm, Oslo, anywhere they went on the Motian Trio tour, and apparently he made shitloads of money everywhere they went.

-Fin-

DG

DEN-NIS!
DEN-NIS!
DEN-NIS!
DEN-NIS!
DEN-NIS!!!!!!!!!!!!

When Gonzalez gets around to telling a story, there's no monkeyin' around!

Oh my God, Dennis! That must be the best story I've ever heard. Man, what I wouldn't give to see that.

long live the *great* Charles Brackeen



get him on a record, Dennis

Dennis,

It was a stroke of genius on Brackeen's part. Nobody can resist one of those monkeys. I know *I* can't....................

Precious story, baby

beautiful story! could hear (feel) it

guess the guy we heard in the boston subway a couple of years back playing kora could dig those monkees?

hasn't wonderful tenor player, Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre, played in NYC on the streets for the past 25-30 years?

Jan:

I couldn't respond to the "beatnik" question without doing a little research. Below is an excerpt from an article with the dope on its origins:

****************************************************************************

From 'Beat' To Beatnik
Article based on The Portable Beat Reader by Anne Charters.


...The term 'Beat Generation' was coined by Kerouac in a conversation with John Clellon Holmes who felt Kerouac's stories "seemed to be describing a new sort of stance toward reality, behind which a new sort of consciousness lay." He urged Kerouac to try to define it in a phrase or two.

As Holmes recalled, Kerouac replied, "It's a kind of furtiveness... Like we were a generation of furtives. You know, with an inner knowledge...a kind of beatness... and a weariness with all the forms, all the conventions of the world... So I guess you might say we're a 'Beat Generation'.

Holmes felt the label was appropriate and had "the subversive attraction of an image that just might contain a concept, with the added mystery of being hard to define ... a vision, not an idea."

When the term 'Beat Generation' began to be used as a label for the young people Kerouac called 'hipsters' or 'beatsters' in the late 1950s, the word 'beat' lost its specific references to a particular subculture and became a synonym for anyone living as a bohemian or acting rebelliously or appearing to advocate a revolution in manners.

In 1958, after Russia launched their 'sputnik' satellite, San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen coined the word 'beatnik'. He wrote condescendingly that "Look Magazine hosted a party for 50 Beatniks... and over 250 bearded cats and kits were on hand... They're only Beat, y'know, when it comes to work ..."

Holmes wrote that "... the Beatniks and the Mass Media succeeded in beclouding most of what was unsettling, and thereby valuable, in the idea of Beatness..."

http://www.bluesforpeace.com/beat.htm

The concept of beatitude figures somewhere in that history.

Dennis:

GREAT story!

I did, however, find the phrase "extra monkey parts" a little frightening in a "Twilight Zone" kind of way. :)

Great story, Dennis.

The late great Herb Caen notwithstanding, "panhandle" predates both the 30's and Golden Gate Park itself. Webster's Third attributes it to the French for 'extended arm,' and the 'Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins' gives this:

>>"Panhandler" is said to derive from the Spanish "pan", meaning both bread and money (just as the American slang "bread" does today). But though it is supposed to have been first recorded in 1890, the earliest quotation I am able to find for it is in the humorist George Ade's 'Doc Horne'(1899): "He had 'sized' the hustler for a 'panhandler' from the very start". However, the fact that Ade put the word in quotation marks probably indicates that he did not invent it, as has often been claimed.<<

Bill,
The guy you saw was George Braith who recorded for Blue Note and Prestige in the day. It's also quite possible that Cindy Blackman was on drums. Many established musicians put in time on the street. I've seen Vincent Herring, Craig Handy, Graham Haynes, Steve Coleman, C. Sharpe and John Jenkins among others.

In London's Tube a few years ago I didn't see any jazzers, but there was a rogue band of sailors - don't know if they were bona fide or not - playing and singing sea songs. Even those many feet underground I swear I could hear the waves lapping at the sides of my ship! It was achingly beautiful. Made me want to take my monkeys and live out at sea!

Glad you guys enjoyed the story. The true stories are frequently better than fiction.

DG

Braith's complete Blue Note recordings have recently been reissued as a 2 CD set.

Some of the more avant and quirky music I've seen has been at some of the L train platforms, which makes sense since that's the trendy East Village to trendy Williamsburg shuttle.

There's a very cool a cappella gospel group in front of the Geary Theater in SF before, during and after all American Conservatory Theater performances. Seems like they've had the franchise there for several years at least. Never less than a quartet, usually 5 or 6.

And -- not really a street musician since he's not soliciting money -- I wish I knew who the cat is who sits under a tree and plays tenor in the Healdsburg town square a few times a year. I don't recognize him, but he can really play, and he's been coming back for years. The only times I've seen him I've been working out, running, and I always take off my earphones and listen, and applaud.

I always thought the hipsters and hustlers the beats romanticized were more interesting than the beats themselves, with the exception of Burroughs, who probably shouldn't be considered a beat actually, given his age, but more of a den father or something.

I met Burroughs once at a local bar. He lived the last 15 years of his life in the KC area. I told that story on here a while back though so won't bore ya...

Well, it won't bore me, Bob. Could you direct me to the thread so's I can read it?

I always dug the old guy. He was priceless in "Drugstore Cowboys."

"That stuff's for squares ..."

I think I have seen some of those "fellerettes" on Polk St. in SF.

I don't recall which threads I brought it up in. I met Burroughs about a month or so before he died, I think summer of 1997.

I was at a cigar/scotch bar (me don't smoke but me dig single malts) and he came in and sat next to me. Frankly, he looked half dead already. I didn't chat with him directly but he and the bar owner (Loy Edge) discussed the concept of a new bar Loy was opening closer to where I live. Apparently both had been talking about the new bar for a while. Burroughs was to name the bar and he also wanted to give Loy a painting to display in the bar.

Shortly after, he died. He died before having a chance to come up with a name for the bar.

Loy eventually opened the bar with no name and it subsequently was often referred to as the ‘bar with no name’ or the ‘no name bar’. Burroughs did give Loy a self-portrait painting which hung to the right of the bar stand. In the portrait, he was sitting yet leaning forward, looking like a soulless zombie with an empty face, hiding behind roses with a cat walking in front of him. Scribbled below in messy white brush strokes...

the old man of letters
embalmed in cats and roses

RainyDay,

<Your were just a few steps away from Yoshi's if you came in on the train. Well okay, six blocks>

Six blocks on foot, at night, in Oakland...Oooo, I'm not sure that would be a wise thing to do. We were holed up at the City Center Marriot. Two blocks in almost any direction would have gotten us into some REAL trouble, I'm afraid.

Bah. I walked around down there the night I went, Goodie. 'Course, I was with my best friend, who's the world's hugest hipster, motorcycle enthusiast, who makes his Harley look like a little child's scooter when he sits it. We had a grand time that night.

EXTRA MONKEY PARTS!!!!!

OK .. Now that managed NOT to have a coronary laughing through the "monkey story" (Jazzcorner Hall of Fame story)

I must tell you guys that this was a great thread.

MY TURN:

I still remember waking up...trudging sleepily to my Job.
Catching that EL... crawling up the steps... Not wanting to work on a Saturday... and here YES the Pre NYC Sabir Mateen's soaring tenor ..majestically blazing through the morning mist!!!! It was wondrous... And it got me through the first hour...of course I crashed when I entered the sound proof doors of the shoe store. But he got dough from my broke ass every Saturday

Gonzalez...

what KIND of "extra monkey parts"?

Heh Heh

Frank

Jeez, Goody, what a wuss. Jack London Square is not only safe at night, it's downright tame. There are many restaurants, a mulitplex movie theater and several clubs. Not to mention an established police presence. I walk through City Center alone at night to my parking garage on the other side of the federal building and never have any problems. You big baby, the mayor lives across the street from the train station in his commune.

To quote a famous scribe in these parts, sheesh...

The Bart station is on 11th st., Yoshi's on Embarcadero which would be first st. if it was a number. About 12 short blocks. The train station (Am Trac?) is 3 blocks south of Yoshi's, but I don't think that is the train your talking about.

That's what I was thinking, too, Rainy. Oakland can be rough enough, but the downtown seemed pretty tame to me when I was there. Tamer than the residential district where my friend was living, anyway, as there were two murders in five days within half a mile of his house, both guys opening up their little stores in the morning. But the downtown at night seemed safe enough. And, man, the world's largest liquor store or what, across from Yoshi's?

Actually, our old neighborhood in Burlington had my attention more than downtown Oakland. There were several bars there that a sane man wouldn't walk into, unless he wanted to get his ass kicked in short order.

Beverages and More. A woman was killed in the area, about 3 blocks south of Yoshi's, recently. There have been some robberies of individuals in Jack London Square early in the morning I understand.

If you stay on Broadway from Bart you are probably pretty safe. It is a well lit busy street. I wouldn't wonder off into the side streets late at night.

What scares me is Market St. in SF at night.

My point is that I walk around JLS and downtown at night and haven't had a problem. I hadn't heard about a murder. A woman was found floating in the marina in December but it was determined that it was an accident. She lived on a boat and had come back from a holiday party and fell in the bay.

The Amtrak station is on Alice and Yoshi's is between Clay and Washington. That would be 4.5 blocks down to the station and another block over to 2d to access the station. Look, transportation is my life. :)

I have noticed an increase in police presence while waiting in line between 5 and 6 PM in front of the club. They cruise by at least twice and seem to be checking out whose in line.

Rainy, did you catch Mel Martin at Jimmy's sunday? I was going to go but didn't.

No. I have never been Jimmy's. Just haven't ever made it over there.

Gary and RainyDay,

Oh, Jack London Square is just fine...it would be the walk down Broadway to GET there that would be the potential problem.

Oaktown didn't earn it's somewhat, um, less than stellar reputation because it's on the the top ten list of places to move to in America, ya know. Besides, I don't know the 'lay of the land' as well as I know The City [safe night spots, places to avoid, like that].

Bottom line: I'd rather be a live wuss than a robbed/roughed up/dead [it's multiple choice criminal activity, you see] Jazz fan ;-)

BTW...sheesh.

Did you know Sinatra came up with the word "sheesh?"

<Did you know Sinatra came up with the word "sheesh?">

Does this mean I'm cool, now?

Whoa.

Wait 'til I tell my kids! :-)

I'd hold off a couple of minutes before telling your kids you were cool





(insert smiley faced symbol here)

Okay..back on topic :^)

Remember the late 2k ..early 2k1 problem of Byard Lancaster????????

Goody: Oakland has never been in the top least favorite places or the top ten in crime. Oakland has a high crime rate compared to other cities in the Bay Area but LA has a crime rate to gag a maggot. Oakland was an All-American city in the early 90's and right now, people are moving back to Oakland from SF, from the burbs, etc. So there. Oakland gets a bad rap and I'm always pleased at how surprised people are when they come here and find out what a nice place it is. It is true that the school system sucks big time.

RainyDay,

BTW, It was the Amtrak I took into town...next time I'm in The Bay Area, I will attempt to muster up the courage to venture into Oaktown and Yoshi's.

Can you tell me where, exactly, it is in relation to the train station? Any cross streets/directions would be much appreciated.

[BTW, isn't this the home of the Oakland Raiders? Hmmmm...]


Back to the topic:

Has it been anyone's experience that street musicians either travel extensively [ala, Arlo Gutherie] or do they pretty much stay in one general area?

Any full time successful street musicians for whom this is/was their primary source of income for their entire life?

As Rainy said, the station is on Embarcadero and Alice St., which is 4 blocks south of Yoshi's. The trains go right by Yoshi's so you can hear them rumbling from the club. Walk up the tracks 4 blocks, get out of the way if a train comes.

Sheeesh

Oaktown PD headquarters and the city morgue are both very close by, so you're covered for any eventuality;-)

Just kidding Goody, it's a family place to visit & hang.

One of my favorite soul/blues singers, the late Ted Hawkins, was a busker on Venice Beach for years before his discovery only a few years before his death.

Hey...I resemble that, Mike ;-)


BTW, this Post# just happens to be the spot on the dial for KLON [well, 88.1...but it's close] and my favorite radio station and my Post is on it.

Now how cool is THAT, eh? ;-)


OK...slow day.

Pete -- I got to hear Hawkins a year or so before he died. What a scary voice he had! Not much of a guitar player but an amazing voice.

I still wonder who that guy on trumpet was at Market and Powell.

Anybody know?