Missing Mayors

The New York Daily News included a pull out Election Day Special called "Kings of the City" (November 3, 2009) that featured a photo of Michael Bloomberg and several past mayors (one photo was misidentified as Robert Wagner). Inside were several photos of each of the mayors on the cover with the exception of Abe Beame and Robert Wagner. The photo department at the paper couldn't dig up any pictures of either mayor? That's strange.

Michael Bloomberg, the King of New York

"We need to help our mayor[New York's Michael Bloomberg] get elected not for four more years;for me, I would love to see him here for 20 more years."--Oscar de la Renta, fashion designer ( "Let Bloomy Reign, sez fashion big Oscar de la Renta," New York Daily News, October 18, 2009)

At the end of multi-billionaire Bloomberg's 20-year reign, New York, especially Manhattan, would be more expensive than it is now. And rich guys like de la Renta would be the only ones able to afford to live here.

The Top 10 Most Requested Smooth Jazz Songs

The following are the Top 10 Requested Smooth Jazz Songs of All Time. These songs were chosen by the listeners of New York's WQCD, Smooth Jazz CD101.9 (no longer on the air):

10. "Sweet Love"--Anita Baker
9. "Take Five"-- Dave Brubeck Quartet
8. "Mr. Magic"--Grover Washington, Jr.
7. "Careless Whispers"--George Michael
6. "Linus & Lucy"--David Benoit
5. "Rise"--Herb Alpert
4. "Smooth Operator"--Sade
3. "Feel So Good"--Chuck Mangione
2. "Breezin'"--George Benson
1. "Songbird"--Kenny G

Mickey Rourke and the F-Word

According to Julie Gordon's "Buzz" column item about actor Mickey Rourke ("Not Sorry for Slur," amNewYork, Oct. 12, 2009), he used a slur word that is used against gay men, during what was described as "a drunken rant." Rourke refused to apologize for using the unprintable "f-----" (presumably "faggot" and not "fruit" or "fairy") and told TMZ.com that the word "has nothing to do with gay."
Does he also use the equally offensive slur "nigger," brushing it off as not having anything to do with black people? Just asking.
When Larry Kramer titled a novel Faggot in the 1970s, he got the cold shoulder from a lot of people in the gay community. Let's see what the reaction will be from GLAAD and other gay groups to Rourke's use of the F-word.

Bring Back Smooth Jazz Radio in New York

WQCD (CD101.9), the erstwhile smooth jazz station that served the New York metropolitan area, began in 1988. I didn't start listening to it until late 1999. I continued listening until it changed to a rock format around March 2008.
Many of the CDs I bought I first heard on CD101.9. Now that the station no longer exists, there's nowhere to turn for the sound of smooth jazz. I miss hearing the station on the public address system at my local bank branch and the supermarket. I miss hearing Joe Sample and Chris Botti and Sade on my walkman as I stroll through Central Park on a Sunday afternoon. Now whenever I play one of my CDs, it brings back joyful memories of the station.
There are other jazz stations in the area--WBGO in Newark and WKCR, on the campus of Columbia University--but they play only classic jazz artists like Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald. But where do I go to hear contemporary artists like Chris Botti, Joe Sample, David Sanborn, Marc Antoine?
CD101.9 wasn't perfect. In fact, their playlist was very limited. If I didn't know any better I would have thought that Dave Brubeck only recorded "Take Five." Plus their definition of smooth jazz was too broad. Stevie Wonder and Lou Rawls are not smooth jazz artists. The artists who would qualify for the label like Carmen McRae, Al Jarreau, Noel Pointer, Lee Ritenour, and Michael Buble,to name a few, were never heard on the station.
Another gripe I had with the station was their playing of edited versions of "Killer Joe" by Quincy Jones and "This Masquerade" by George Benson. I know the station was a commercial
broadcaster, but couldn't they have played the longer versions, especially during the overnight hours?
But aside from those complaints, I was a faithful listener. I hope some other station will take up the smooth jazz banner and maybe do a better job presenting this smoothing, laid back style.

On The Role of Literature

I see literature as a journey with the writer as guide. The reader can choose to take the journey or not. If he or she does, then they have the opportunity to experience people, places, and events that they otherwise might not.
Literature is also an emotional journey. To identify with a character or characters is to put oneself in the shoes of another, to be empathetic. Hopefully, at the end of the journey, the reader will come away a much more aware, more enlightened person.
Literature has the power to lead us into worlds we never knew existed or if we knew they did, allow us to see them up close and personal and in new and different ways.

Walking In A Black Person's Shoes

Those whites, who complain about blacks playing the race card and who see racism as part of a bygone era, should follow in the footsteps of the late white journalist John Howard Griffin, the author of Black Like Me: disguise themselves as blacks for a week or two, if they're brave enough to attempt it. I think the experience would give them a whole new perspective on race in America.