Joel betts
I just got back from sitting in with Sue Webb and Joel Betts at Lytton Plaza. I played three songs on keyboards and then sang “Before You Accuse Me” by Eric Clapton (Joel on electric bass and Sue on backing vocals and acoustic guitar; actually although the fake book says Clapton I had to look it up to realize it is actually a Bo Didley tune from 1958; there’s always so much more to learn about repertoire). I didn’t know where or how the song ended so I started improvising some rap lyrics as they continued to play. I said something about spending money on tacos and pizza and wars. I also made a plug for the upcoming Kurt Elling concert Saturday, April 23 in Berkeley. The song is in keys of E and A and somehow I was also channeling “Wednesday Night Prayer” by Charles Mingus and “Your Mama Don’t Dance” by Loggins and Messina.
I was also affected by hearing the news of the death in Libya of photographer and filmmaker Tim Hetherington (“Restrepo”) and the news that members of Code Pink were demonstrating about the wars in Afghanistan and Libya nearby earlier today at the corporate offices of a large social media company where President Obama was speaking
Plastic Alto with Mark Weiss 
I had just heard that Tim Hetherington photographer and filmmaker had been killed in Libya. Here is trailer to his film:
I did not study voice with Kurt Elling but I did meet him in Chicago in 2000 and set him up to review Nanda Berman Garber’s demo tape.
http://calperfs.berkeley.edu/performances/2010-11/jazz/ke.php
met nanda berman Garbers mother the former PA librarian Barbara Berman at Ragin Grannies sing-along- re Social Security today in front of Anna Eshoo’s office (but missed Anna, who came out to greet all). I told Ruth Robertson I would write this up for Patch and sing again if asked.
also: found this re Varsity Theater, some of it:
http://www.mes-eng.com/mes/Varsity1.html
I was listening to radio news on KQED fm 88.5 and they said that Code Pink was demonstrating in Palo Alto about the wars in Libya and Afghanistan. Medea Benjamin is one of the founders.
http://www.codepink4peace.org/
This is a little convoluted (oh, really?) but when I looked up the songwriter for the Clapton number I temporarily was looking at a different McDaniels who wrote “Compared to What” (popularized by Les McCann and Eddie Harris) and then Brian Auger (because he covered same, in Redwood City no less) and then my own former client Caroleen Beatty because both she and Auger/Julie Driscoll cover “Let the Sunshine In” from Hair. Hey, there is hair in my jam! Bo Didley and hit socially-conscious songwriter are both named McDaniels, that is. Here is Auger with unidentified vocalist, for what its worth, if you have ten minutes to burn.