Samhain                                                            Winter Moon

Down to the river again tonight.  This time not on Nicollet Island but on the eastern shore, connecting to Chicago, Pittsburgh and New York, the businesses of St. Anthony on Main, a place much visited 30 years ago, less so now.  We were at Vic’s, a restaurant with a great view of a lit up Minneapolis sky line, the river running cold and sluggish below.

Irv Williams (Photo: Kevin Brown)

KBEM, jazz radio, had its Christmas party tonight, another, the last, of the years restaurant fund-raising evenings.  This one featured a 95 year old saxophonist, Irv Williams, short with a polished bald head the color of stained cherry.  He was, my Kate told me, Mr. Smooth.  His music wrapped around us as we ate and talked, a quiet tributary of the same great river plyed by John Coltrane, Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman.

Warren and Sheryl were there, venturing out after four years in care-giver isolation, still trying to wrap their heads around the freedom they have.  It was a large crowd, maybe 3 or 4 times larger than usual because all the KBEM staff were there.

There will be another jazz noir radio play in April and a restaurant night at the Dakota on January 22nd.