Germophobe

Happy birthday to my most famous exact contemporary.

RIP Max Roach

It just so happened that I pulled out Sonny Rollins' Shadow Waltz LP this morning, and listened to "Freedom Suite". Now comes the sad news that Max Roach has passed away.

Roach kept company with a lot of great musicians; his quintet recordings with Clifford Brown and Rollins are among my favorite music ever. His polyrhythmic intro on "St. Thomas", on Rollins' Saxophone Colossus, alternately tumbles and gleams, propelling the song forward while retaining the easygoing sway of its island roots. It's one record that, in my experience, even non-jazz fans like.

The beat goes on. I understand he had a second career in academia, and made innovative music as long as he was physically capable. Fascinating life. RIP.

Where do we go now?

You gotta wait for the solo.

Mixology

1-1/2 oz. Tanqueray Rangpur gin
3/4 oz. Campari
3/4 oz. Villa Italia blood orange soda from Trader Joe's

Shake with ice, and serve up.

I came up with this on Friday night. It's descended from the Negroni; I'm starting to think any drink that's one-third sweet vermouth needs a tweak. I even put a shake of Angostura bitters in there just to see how it would work alongside the Campari, but it wasn't necessary. This is a summertime drink best served very cold on a warm evening. It works as an apertif. Pair with something by Lee Morgan.

The Tanqueray Rangpur probably works in a G&T, but it's not Martini material; I guess you could work with it in a Gimlet too. Inessential in your liquor cabinet.

Name my drink?

Warhol irony alert

A new advertisement that exhorts you to purchase Nike Shox Remix sneakers from athletic retailer Finish Line begins with a stage performance by the Hives. Mid-song, you learn that the band's music is actually the soundtrack to your workout, as demonstrated by a Finish Line sales associate. The music falls into the background as a voice says, "Fifteen minutes and four seconds".

Gentlemen, your time is up when you've associated yourselves with a shoe that's called a "Remix". Kindly return to Sweden.

UPDATE: Here it is.