Funk Lesson #4–name that tune and the artiste:

“Once there was a Boogie Singer, Playin’ in a Rock and Roll Band and he never had a problem, pullin’ down the one night stands…”

Hello to all,

We’re now slipslidin’ on toward the end of summer with the days growing noticeably shorter but the Hard Corps of the Big Apple careth not to take notice preferring to simply play on. The day was a beautiful as could be with some puffy cumulus and high cirrus clouds but no sign of rain nor thunder in the vicinity. Fearless Lou and Joey were first on the scene and both were up and at ’em in a flash. Combining Old and New Schools, I’ve been using contact cement with some fresh rib-eye steakbone nails so I took time time to stretch while those gents loosened up. By the time I joined the fun they had a full head of steam and we all went at it pretty hard. Lou’s been hitting a nice variety of new seals and added in a variation of Gary’s 5-fingertip tap/spin for use on those crazy counter UD overhands I’ve been throwing. Joey, of course, never ceases to amaze with this week’s addition of a behind the back tap, to an under the leg tap, to a kick tip, to a blind scarecrow guide/brush, to a flying under the leg seal. I was there and I still have trouble processing what I saw. Elegant in its simplicity, flawless in execution. Wow.

During this time the crowd started coming in featuring the Ageless Trevor Brown, Quinn, Doug E. Fresh, Teddy O, the lovely Chrissy, Kevin, Pat, Avi, Dr. Mike in from Ohio, with Jill, Claire and BenJAMin rounding out the field. The primary Yella designee Sir Roger of Dodger ducked out after a 5-minute Johnny Jam asking for the mercy of the Board as his daughter was coming in from sleepaway camp.

Rob, the secondary designee, came unprepared for Jamming since he was heading to see Jorma. Both of these gentlemen may receive sanctions if the Board can agree on the proper punishment. The most pleasant of suprises this week was the arrival of multiple Mighty Heavers: Joe, Dan Weiss, Aldo, with Special Guests, Paul Pinto in from Del Ray, FL, and Damion “Uncle D.” Watkins in from Paris.

This last gentleman is one of my dearest friends, Godfather to Carina, and not only is he in my Top 5 of the Mightiest Heavers of all time, he is flat out the BEST I EVER SAW at tracking down flying plastic. He can run like the wind with an unerring eye for the flight of the disc. Having back home for and A*T just about perfect.

My day was a veritable cornucopia of fine play. After my first Jam, I got up to throw with Joe Heaver with a brief Dan Weiss interlude. This was followed by a Quinn-O and Fresh Jam with much hein-iocity then I got in with Ted and Fearless for a while. After hydration I got up for a bit of Heaving with Uncle D. He is fully ambiDISCerous with fore and backhand throws from the port and starboard sides, all of which he can throw for strikes at distance. We went at it for a good long time just like old times until we had to break for liquids again. The last Jam was a high rotation Mob-Op featuring TO, Fresh, Pat, Lou, Quinn, and yours truly at different times. The flow was outstanding and the energy universally high with Pat playing the role of most able facilitator. The disc really just kep moving and even if the girl left the Limo, everyone stayed in it and amped.

The Jam of the Day honors go to a Heave this week because your intrepid reporter has to give props to Uncle D. Playing with that guy is an unbelievable pleasure and even with all of the shredful play in tight, I say All Hail the Mighty Heaver from Paris. The Yella Designee for next week will be a Double Yella Jolly Roger.

Until next week,

TP, TJH