Showing posts with label ca. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ca. Show all posts

Abalone divers die again on north coast

One of the dealiest leisurly activities a person can do is dive for abalone. Dozens of people have died over the last decade in the pursuit of this delicacy. Moss has been reporting about this since he started this blog back in 2007. Yesterday, two divers up north of Jenner were found floating in the Pacific Ocean. Read the details below from today's SF Gate. Of click here to read a posting Moss did back in 2008 about the uptick in abalone deaths.

Two Bay Area men diving for abalone along the Sonoma Coast north of Jenner died over the weekend in separate incidents.

On Sunday, Oakland resident Alan Rosenlicht, 57, was pronounced dead after emergency divers found him unresponsive in the water at Fort Ross State Park.
Rosenlicht appeared to be diving alone and it was not clear how long he had been in the water, authorities told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
On Saturday, emergency responders found San Francisco resident Clyde Thompson, 67, floating in the water at Salt Point State Park. He was brought to shore and pronounced dead, according to the Press Democrat.
The abalone season typically runs from April through November. Dozens of divers have lost their lives in the cold and rough waters of California's north coast.

Weir Opens A New Version Of The Sweetwater

by Moss
1/24/12

Not to be outdone by Phil, Bobby has now opened up his own nightclub. The club is named the Sweetwater...sound familiar? It should because it is a new-swanky-retro-version of the old-beloved Sweetwater.
This Redux is a rehab of the Masonic Lodge down the street from the older version, located at 19 Corte Madera Ave, Mill Valley, CA. According to Deadheadland.com, the first shows will be this Friday featuring Ghost Riders in the Sky, with Kimock doing two shows over the weekend including hosting a very-rare, very-cool "Master Class" on Sunday afternoon open to aspiring guitarists young and old. Join the fun, join the mailing list http://sweetwatermusichall.com.

The photo below is of Jerry and Elvis jamming at the original Sweetwater circa 1989

Teddy the Bear, San Rafael, CA - Boyd Museum

by Moss
12/6/11

When I tell people that I used to hang out with a bear in San Rafael when I was a kid in the 1970's, people usually roll their eyes at me. Anne Charles, my mother was the executive director of The Boyd Museum for a spell, before it became Marin Wildlife and now Wildcare of the Bay Area. The bear, "Teddy" didn't really like to appear to much, preferring to lay back in the far reaches of his cage. As a child, it seemed strange to me that a bear could be held captive in a suburb of San Francisco. As an adult, it seems even more preposterous. But those were the times. There is a picture of Teddy on the Wildcare website (click here), along with the photo caption below in quotes. I'm still trying to find more info and photos, which I will post later.

"Teddy was just a little bear when he came to Albert Park Lane in the 1960s, but already was too large and powerful to stay with the humans who had found him in the Sierras—and too unafraid of people to ever be released. A special enclosure was built for him, and he was well fed and well loved by visitors, but his daily caretakers always felt a certain sadness to see the caged boredom of his life. Teddy was a true ambassador, however. Since his time, strict regulations about keeping wildlife have been enacted to help prevent other wild animals from sharing a common fate."

New Sheriff in Town - Moss with Ross

by Moss
11/16/11

There's a new sheriff in town! This photo of Moss and our new SF Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi was taken on election day, at the corner of 9th and Irving (Inner Sunset, SF, CA). Mirkarimi, who won the ranked-choice (or is it "rank") election last week was elected after serving as a progressive SF Supervisor.
We also have a new mayor, Ed Lee, who seems like an OK guy, but promised not to run and is currently caught up in a possible illegal election fraud situtation (not necessarily by his own doing). Mirkarimi, on the other hand, has always pretty much been a straight-shooter (in my mind). I even once almost volunteered to work in his Supervisorial office, but backed out at the last minute. Anyway, with the Occupy SF movement, Black Bloc, protesters, Sureno vs. Norteno and black on black gang violence, recent Hells Angels related killings (ok, not technically in SF proper, but close enough), random violence on Muni and city streets, iphone and ipad "grab n' runs", The 1%'ers America's Cup fiasco, tax breaks for ultra-rich pre-IPO corporations like Twitter, etc., they both have their work cut out for them in the immediate future.

Ripcurl Pro Search Ocean Beach, SF, CA - - November 2011

by Moss
11/3/11

Checked out the first day of the four day surf contest at Ocean Beach, SF, CA on Tues. Nov. 1st. It was one of those almost perfect sunny days (with a little wind thrown in for good measure). The contest called the "Ripcurl Pro Search Somewhere" brings out about two dozen of the best surfers in the world. Among the top surfers was now 11-time world champion Kelly Slater, who had an almost rockstar following. According to an article in today's Half Moon Bay Patch (read here) Slater clinched another world title after yesterday's second heat. He was the only one who was mobbed by fans before and after he surfed. The four day contest plays out over a 12 day window. I think they also are touring this contest. It was cool to check out, but even more so for hardcore surfers I imagine. For more details check out the Ripcurl website here.
This was Kelly Slater on Tuesday at Ocean Beach. I was around 30 feet away when this photo was taken. What you don't see is the people and dog crowding around him.

Stanton Moore Drum Clinic

by Moss
9/10/11

Here is one I know I'll be going to. I've been a Bananas at Large customer since I was a wee lad.



Stanton Moore Drum Clinic 9/17/11
Presented By Gretsch Drums, Vic Firth, Remo, and LP.


Saturday, September 17th, 2011
Starts at 2:30pm
Free!

Enter to win cool prizes!

Bananas At Large
515 Ross Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
(707) 542-5588
About Stanton Moore:
Born and raised in New Orleans, Stanton Moore is a dedicated drummer and performer especially connected to the city, its culture and collaborative spirit. Driven and inspired by the thriving music scene of his hometown which includes such greats as Professor Longhair, Doctor John and The Meters, Moore’s name is now mentioned amongst these Big Easy mainstays.

In the early ‘90s, Moore helped found the New Orleans-based essential funk band Galactic. Their first album, 1996’s widely acclaimed Coolin’ Off, led to an intense tour schedule of nearly 200 gigs a year for the next ten years. Building on their fan base by adding an esteemed list of all-star collaborations to the six albums that followed, Galactic continues to amass a worldwide audience via recording and touring globally.

Moore launched his solo career in 1998 aided by eight-string guitar virtuoso Charlie Hunter and saxophonist Skerik (Les Claypool, John Scofield, Roger Waters). The group recorded All Kooked Out! featuring a handful of local New Orleans musicians as well.

In the midst of these recording sessions yet another concept was taking shape. Outtakes turned into the first Garage a Trois release, Mysteryfunk (1999). In 2000 the trio, led by Moore behind the drum kit, was joined by percussionist Mike Dillon (Les Claypool, Ani DiFranco) and has since released three more albums – Emphasizer in 2003, Outre Mer in 2005 and Power Patriot in 2009.

Moore extended his solo discography with the release of Flyin’ the Koop (Verve/Blue Thumb) in 2001, and III (Telarc) in 2006. Following the latter Modern Drummer called Moore’s trademark sound “infectious, jazz-meets-Bonham, nouveau second-line.” Recorded at the legendary Preservation Hall in New Orleans, III featured organist Robert Walter (Greyboy Allstars, The Head Hunters) and guitarist Will Bernard (T.J. Kirk, Doctor Lonnie Smith) as the Stanton Moore Trio, with special guests Skerik and trombonist Mark Mullins (Galactic, Bonerama, Harry Connick, Jr., Better Than Ezra).

In 2008, Moore looked to continue his scaled back session crew with Walter and Bernard to record Emphasis! (on parenthesis). Says Moore, “When it came time to do another record, I had already known for a while that I wanted to build on the momentum of this band – three musicians who were becoming a unit unto themselves – and I wanted to get a little more adventurous with the music itself.”

In April 2010, Moore releases Groove Alchemy. The 12-track set is the culmination of Moore’s multimedia project that also includes an instructional book and DVD of the same name. All three facets of the project are designed to explore the roots of funk drumming by examining the work of pioneers like Jabo Starks, Clyde Stubblefield, and Zigaboo Modeliste – each of whom made their mark at different times throughout the 1960s as the engines driving James Brown’s and the Meters’ legendary rhythm sections – and in turn tracing their influences back to the rhythms coming out of New Orleans in the earlier part of the 20th century. Recorded at Levon Helm’s studio in Woodstock, NY, this project is the follow up to the widely acclaimed Take it to the Street DVD and book that focused specifically on New Orleans drumming styles.

Showing his outstanding versatility, Moore has appeared on Heavy Metal Grammy nominees Corrosion of Conformity’s In the Arms of God, Irma Thomas’ After the Rain (winning a grammy in the process), Robert Walter’s Super Heavy Organ, Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) and Boots Riley’s (the Coup) Street Sweeper Social Club, Will Bernard's Blue Plate Special, Diane Birch’s Bible Belt, Alec Ounsworth’s (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) Mo Beauty and Joss Stone's Colour Me Free!. He continues to play dates globally with an ever-evolving cast of musicians including John Scofield; Karl Denson; George Porter, Jr., and Leo Nocentelli (of the Meters); Charlie Hunter; Warren Haynes; John Medeski and Chris Wood (of Medeski, Martin and Wood); Donald Harrison Jr.; Dr. Lonnie Smith, Dr. John, Tab Benoit, Robert Walter; the New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to name a few.

With a bachelor’s degree in music and business from Loyola University, Moore stays involved in education by constantly giving clinics and teaching master classes and private lessons all over the world. He has been a contributing writer for Drum!, Modern Drummer, and DownBeat magazines. To date Moore has been featured on the covers of twelve drum publications worldwide. In 2005, he launched a signature line of cymbals with Bosphorus Cymbals and a signature drumstick with the Vic Firth stick company. In 2009, Moore developed his own drum company to introduce his signature titanium snare drum that he designed in conjunction with Ronn Dunnett. In 2010, Moore collaborated with Gretsch Drums to design and launch his new 4.5"x14" signature wood snare drum. In 2011, Moore and LP introduced the new signature pandeiro which was created to be used as an accessory piece for the drumset.

Deeply affected by Katrina and its aftermath, New Orleans’ native son was quick to lend a hand by spearheaded the Tipitina’s Music Workshop, free Sunday seminars that cater to children and a rotating cast of well-known professionals to promote the preservation of New Orleans music. He also set up the Staletta Fund, a scholarship started by he and his wife Aletta to help cover costs for aspiring students to attend jazz camps, auditions and further their education.

Moore stays active as a spokesperson for the Gulf Restoration Network and is a regular proponent of and player with the Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars. Additionally he serves on the board of directors for the Roots of Music, a free music education and academic mentoring program founded by Derrick Tabb, drummer for Rebirth Brass Band and recent nominee for CNN’s Heroes awards.

www.stantonmoore.com
www.myspace.com/stantonmoore

Angel Island, California

by Moss
7/16/11

Per Wikipedia...Angel Island is an island in San Francisco Bay that offers expansive views of the San Francisco skyline, the Marin County Headlands and Mount Tamalpais. The entire island is included within Angel Island State Park, and is administered by California State Parks. It has been used for a variety of purposes, including military forts and immigration centers. The Immigration Station on the northeast corner of the island processed approximately one million immigrants and has been designated a National Historic Landmark.[1]



Funky Houseboats

by Moss
2/28/11

Another alternative way to reside (as in shelter) is living on and old faithful houseboat. Houseboats come in many shapes and sizes, from prefabricated models to the barely habitable and non-floating. Here are a couple I thought you might like.