GREAT July 4th weekend hanging out in the City! SUNDAY strolled on DA MO’ taking in the Fillmore Street Jazz Festival; always fun to see folks seldom seen, listen to music, eat, all that good stuff! The Festival, 24th Annual, enhanced this year due to the Lower Fillmore Jazz Heritage District’s new venues Yoshi’s and popular 1300 on Fillmore Restaurant located on the corner of Fillmore and Eddy where my day started at the invitation of Ave Montague to join her for the marvelous Sunday Brunch (the pancakes were absolutely my favorite item on the menu).

Seen at 1300...pretty Barbara Rodgers...Keith Jackson with his family; Claudia Polley and family that included daughter vocalist Amanda King who kicked off the Ellis Street stage at 10 (missed her act, saxophonist Bobbie ‘Spider” Webb and his unit were setting up...the HAT LADY - Ruth Dewson waiting for them to perform). Engaged in brief conversation with Claudia who lived in Paris. Happy I brought pictures taken during my visit to Gay Paree in April to share with Ave.

After brunch, Ave and I stopped in The Lush Life Gallery (stunning works of art, depicting famous musicians; currently “A Tribute to Miles Davis and Carlos Santana,” featuring photographs, memorabilia and paintings, continues through July 31. Curator Peter Fitzsimmons sold hip Jazz Heritage Center T-Shirts (wore mine proudly). Bid Ave farewell, commenced to walk in the sunshine; chatted with many along the way....one, my favorite personality, Western Addition community activist MR. RANDALL, fashionably attired in suit and hat, urged me to attend the Special public San Francisco Redevelopment Agency Commission meeting tomorrow (July 10), 4 p.m. at City Hall in the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Legislative Chambers focusing on the Western Addition A-2 Project Area transition - end of their involvement in A-2 (promises to be a HOT discussion!

MOVING ON...delighted to see Charles and Thelma Harris; Will Ussery, London Breed, SF Post Newspaper Editor Speedy Wade, notebook clutched under his arm, ready to fight if anyone tried to take his corn on the cob - my man was crunching those kernels! Striding with the Brother was Lou Garrett, Chair Juneteenth Celebration, happy over the success of the Festival held at Civic Center with plans to continue at the site next year!

Stopped in Rasselas where the righteous “Meeting” band was preachin’ in the front lounge; festival -goers dancin’ on the carpet, cleared of furniture! Found me a seat on the fireplace ledge next to the Band area. Noticed Sodonia Wilson, former S.F. School Board member, peeping through the wide window. When the band took a break made it up to the Boom Boom Room...owner Alex Andreas out front rapping with a few fellows - wrapped my arms around his waist greeting “long time no see!”

When I came on the Sun Reporter Newspaper scene in 1976, covered the Fillmore scene during those lean days after gentrification of the area, long after writers left who returned when the revitalization of the area heralded as the Fillmore Jazz Renaissance District, and the coming of Yoshi’s! What was once Jack’s of Sutter Street, removed to the site known as Boom Boom Room, wrote about personalities whom you see on 1300’s Heritage Wall! Jack’s , the last of the legendary Fillmore clubs, closed May 5, 1988).

Along came Alex Andreas, a bartender in the club reopened by a White fellow, then Alex became the new owner and a business arrangement with Mississippi Blues great John Lee Hooker, known as the father of Boogie, to use his name and John’s 1962 hit “Boom Boom.” Covered the Grand Opening - October 2, 1997 (covered Rasselas’ Opening October 15, 1999). Hooker performed and many times thereafter! The club jumped with action, and THE place to party! Since Hooker passed, Blues as we knew it at the spot is not as appealing - at least to me, and why I don’t make the scene.

Sunday was off the hook with the rockin’ STEPPIN’ Band layin’ down the funk, Afro Calypso rhythm, orchestrated by the club’s legendary trumpeter/percussionist Oscar Myers leading the All-star jam that saw celebrated percussionist Babatunde sitting in. Enjoyed the session from the special booth reserved for John Lee Hooker, now for VIPs...took the liberty to relax there, recalling memories of days past. Lot of Black historic pictures on the wall (my name included on the bar’s counter edge, small gold plaques of famous black customers during Jack’s reign - one the man called TRUMPET...still living and frequent the spot and Burger King up the street, where he lives in Senior housing.

BACK to Rasselas where Bluesman ALVON and his band blew the crowd away with his bluesy B.B. King style! Left the street feeling good! The NEW Lower Fillmore is about diversity...rooted in African American and Japanese history - the street reflect a sampling of new ethnic groups, a Gumbo mix, BUT lack BLACK owned businesses - gone! Sad when I looked over to the site of the former Powell’s Restaurant on Eddy near Fillmore - blinds drawn, empty. During last year’s Festival folks crowded in the eatery to taste owner Emmit Powell’s famous Fried Chicken and soul food - I call comfort food, missing in the area since he closed late last year! Powell was on the street serving home cookin’ from a booth; noticed this year there were NO BLACK FOOD VENDORS!!!


LUBBOCK , TEXAS NOTES...Pleased to receive several positive comments reference last week’s column “Greetings from Lubbock, Texas”... Sandheep sent me an E-MAIL ...“Ah, Lubbock...was quite a surprise to see my hometown while reading BeyondChron today (July 2) and perhaps even more of a surprise to see Lubbock portrayed in a positive light...I appreciated the alternative perspective ...I guess it jives with my nostalgia for Texas.”

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