The KING OF POP MICHAEL JACKSON asked and answered the question in lyrics from his 1987 album entitled, BAD, “Who’s Bad - I’m Bad!” Yes, he was BAAAAD! The phenomenal icon left us last Thursday afternoon, reportedly died from heart failure.

HEARD the news over the radio while driving in my car, devastated, sad the rest of the evening. I too was a fan - fascinated by his choreographed dancing moves, glittering fashions. In past years seeing dramatic facial changes, wondered how he would look as he aged - would his face cave in??? No longer a question, for he died at 50!

Jackson will live on forever; remembered for the GIFT he gave us through his music, dance. He gave so much of himself. His life was not without sadness, personal issues, but like a CLOWN, the KING put on a happy face, crying within but gave LOVE, JOY!

My son, five years younger, grew up listening to Michael like so many children of his age. I too remember Jackson’s many hits - especially “THRILLER,” (1983), loved to dance to “BILLIE JEAN,” his moves captured on “Rock with You” video, FOXY in black, white shirt - throwing his thin hips MOON WALKIN’! It was said as a young kid he watched the dance moves of JAMES BROWN and FRED ASTAIRE, intermingled with his own style.

Jackson crossed over into POP CULTURE when breaking down the BARRIERS of MTV to become the FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ENTERTAINER CROSSOVER that enabled him to touch fans all over the world! Little children likened him to PETER PAN, or some other fabled fairy land character.

BORN to perform, who would have envisioned the cute young lad of 9 years old with family siblings called THE JACKSON FIVE singing their first hit on MOTOWN Records entitled “ABC,” destined to be a SUPERSTAR on the PLANET, somewhere playfully MOON WALKIN’; perhaps children following him! LET’S PRAY he’s found INNER PEACE!

The NEWS MEDIA in its coverage of Jackson’s death seem to be TRYING to BRING HIM DOWN with negative reports of his life (the SYSTEM like to take BLACK MEN DOWN), but his young fans especially will have no part of it - they CELEBRATE his life, what his music meant to them. The outpouring last night at the famed APOLLO THEATER in HARLEM ONE EXAMPLE!

REFLECTING on the PASSING of FARRAH FAWCETT, a STAR on the TV series “Charlie’s Angels.” LOVED her drop dead glowing blonde tresses, beautiful eyes - she was DOWN RIGHT GORGEOUS! A WOMAN in her last years courageously battled Cancer, let go of life last week; And ED McMAHON, who made millions as JOHNNY CARSON’S SIDEKICK on the successful “TONIGHT SHOW,” you’d hear him hollering “HEREEEEEEE’S JOHNNY!” McMahon also left us last week.

MAKING THE ROUNDS IN DA CITY ... SUNDAY early evening at the BLISS Bar to hear former COUNT BASIE vocalist JAMIE DAVIS featured guest of pianist/composer Host LARRY ‘VUKO’ VUCKOVICH, master mind of the ART OF THE DUO Concert series, joined by guest SF Symphony bassist LARRY EPSTEIN, and Larry’s better half SANNA CRAIG joined them on Bongos.

REALLY HAD A GREAT TIME not only listening to the music, but felt the enthusiastic ENERGY from the patrons who were into the evening like CORAL REEFF (Docent at the Asian Museum) who recognized me from my column photo, and her friend ISABEL FRANCIS who got lose swinging on the small dance space with Davis!

Davis is BIG TIME, Sunday was his DEBUT at the Art of the Duo Series, a Jazz singer with rich deep baritone voice, soulful, swinging stage presence, has traveled extensively around the world as a headliner, appearing with BBC’s 64-piece orchestra in London, and as the lead vocalist for the COUNT BASIE Orchestra. He stands with the great crooners - BILL HENDERSON, JOE WILLIAMS comes to mind. .

The evening warmed by the sight of BARBARA CHEW - last year Jazz fans mourned the lost of her dear friend drummer OMAR CLAY; MAN ABOUT TOWN impeccably dressed WARREN STEWART - tipped him to the Bliss, now one of HIS spots; and vocalist JOE MASSEY who will be in the spotlight this Sunday ...

Saturday night in the BAYVIEW district at THE JAZZ ROOM on 3-STREET, THRILLED by the impromptu performance of DJ JOHNNY DOLLAR - HE’S BAAAAD!!!; Friday afternoon SUCKED IN SEA BREEZES on the Embarcadero ... sipped champagne on the outdoor patio of WATERBAR Restaurant; ... RECENTLY at VELMA’S to catch the Sunday evening performance of LADY BIANCA - A BAAAD MAMA JAMA on vocals and keyboard, who after the passing of R&B Blues Queen KOKO TAYLOR, proclaimed she’s “THE NEW QUEEN OF THE BLUES”!; ... SEE YOU ON DA ‘MO this weekend for the FILLMORE STREET JAZZ AND ART FESTIVAL!

HEY, IT’S NICE TO BE NICE AND TO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE ... LOOK FOR ME ... I’LL BE THERE ...
E-mail Rochelle at iheard@earthlink.net