Bumblebee Battery

While driving my 2005 Honda Insight on a recent trip to Oyster Bay the IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) and engine warning lights lit up on the dashboard. I borrowed a computer at our friend Tony's birthday party and found out that, after eight years and 60,000 miles, my cars electric motor battery had most likely bit the dust. Thinking it was covered under the extended ten year warranty I brought it to Millennium Honda to find that my 05 and the 06 model Insights only had eight years coverage... The shop service assistant said, Your warranty expired two weeks ago. The best Honda could do for me was 3000 dollars to replace my battery pack with another used but reconditioned pack. While waiting to hear back from Honda I found a better solution, Bumblebee Batteries in Oregon. Besides costing nearly 1000 dollars less the batteries would be brand new and better performing than the ones originally used by Honda. Following great online instructions and photos the installation went smoothly without a hitch. The Insight is back up and running and just passed NY State inspection yesterday. Gas mileage for a seventy mile trip was 57mpg about five better than I was getting before the switch. Here are a few photos... wish I took more. The weight of the pack is something to consider. I built a handle but found with a friend lending a hand it wasn't needed.

Second New York Call

Here's one more of Donnie on stage at the second New York Call.

We Fall Down - Donnie McClurkin

The New York Call

I was just reminded today that it is the tenth anniversary of Pastor Donnie McClurkin's New York Call. Congrats to Donnie! I was at Eisenhower Park for the second NY Call on September 12th, 2004. This years Call will be at Jones Beach Theater on Saturday, August 24th. Here are a few photos from the second NY Call.

Here Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi and family join Donnie on stage.

A rainfall at the end of the day didn't diminish the crowd. Some said it was a blessing. Joann Rosario performs during the downpour.

The weather cleared up for Donnie McClurkin's set that ended the second New York Call. This photo accompanied Marcell S Fischler's NY Times story, Reaching Out,and Into a Turf Battle.

Cool Blue Halo w Canon G1 X

Here are more photos from the Cool Blue Halo show at City Winery. These and the ones posted yesterday were all taken with a Canon Powershot G1 X that I bought right before the show. Considering my compact camera, a Canon G1 from the dawn of the digital age, is surprisingly alive but barely able to kick out the jams anymore I decided it's a good time to go with the latest and greatest model. The G1 X is actually the G13. With eleven to twelve years between these models you'd expect some big improvements. Most important to me the iso range is extended now... these photos were all taken at 3200. The G1 was challenged to shoot beyond 400. Disappointed that there still is some shutter lag but overall pretty happy so far. Enlarged view by clicking on images will give a better idea of the quality at 1024 pixels.

Cool Blue Halo @ City Winery

Here are some photos from Friday, May 4th, at City Winery. The show was a twenty fifth anniversary celebration of Richard Barone's Cool Blue Halo with the original musicians and guest artists. Joining Richard were Nick Celeste (guitar and vocals), Jane Scarpantoni (cello) and Valerie Naranjo (percussion / keyboards) plus guests; Tony Visconti, Rob Norris, Deni Bonet, Richard Kerris, "Candy" John Carr and Garth Hudson. Vince Scelsa's intro started the night off.

Tony Williams Lifetime Tribute @ Blue Note

One of my most fondly remembered musical events occurred more than forty years ago, 1970, on a late July evening. As usual I was tagging along with my friend, "Rocks In My Head" columnist and photographer, Larry Yelen. We made our way to Ungano's, a small uptown NYC club. Where we were seated on the floor just a few feet from legendary drummer Tony Williams who's band Lifetime was playing four nights of shows with recently added member Jack Bruce on bass. Rounding out the band were Mahavishnu John McLaughlin / guitar and Larry Young / keyboards. Check out the band's second album "Turn It Over" recorded with Jack for some pioneering jazz-rock fusion. This past Saturday night, thanks to friend and "Energy Times" editor Allan Richter, I was quite surprised to find myself at the Blue Note in Greenwich Village for a tribute to Tony Williams. Cindy Blackman / drums, John Madeski / keyboards and Vernon Reid / guitar joined Jack onstage and were introduced as Spectrum Road after a track on Lifetime's first album Emergency. I was actually too close to get a good view of the whole band, and it seemed that fate had intervened to put me, once again, at the feet of Jack Bruce. I managed to take a few photos with the iphone 4 and considering the low light and no flash rule I'm happy to have some remembrance of a great tribute to a hall of fame jazz drummer. NY1 report on Spectrum Road @ Blue Note.

McSorley's Ale House

It's been at least twenty maybe thirty years since my last visit to McSorley's Ale House. Recalling liverwurst and onion sandwiches with hot mustard and two for one ales I stopped in for lunch. There is so much to look at on the walls and the light was beautiful on this last Thursday of Winter (wish my iPhone could have captured it better). There's a virtual tour on the McSorley's site that gives a 360 view.

McSorley's Old Ale House

You can do a search and find some decent paintings that have been done over the years but I have yet to find one that captures all the detail.

Winter Sunset, Jones Beach

With wind chill numbers in single digits Wednesday's seventy degree temperatures now seem far away. Thinking it may be the last decent beach day we have for awhile I headed to Jones Beach after an assignment at Hofstra University.

Lone Sharks 20th Anniversary

I'm a little late with this post as the date of the show was actually October 24th. At Guild Hall in East Hampton the Lone Sharks led by Gene Casey were in concert to celebrate 20 years of rocking the East End of LI.They've been voted "Best of the Best" once again by Dan's Papers and the latest cd "Rhythm & Twang" was just voted album of the week by North Fork Sound.Besides the regular lineup of Chris Ripley on drums, Tony Palumbo on stand up bass, Paul Scher on sax and Andy Burton on keyboards the band was joined by Lone Shark drummer Stan Mitchell. Natasha Kozak on violin joined Gene for a great version of Who's Sharing The Moon. Sarah Conway rocked out some guest vocals.I wish I had a few photos of all the dancing going on in the aisles.

John and Sean Lennon's Birthday Today!

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC is FREE today and tomorrow, October 9th and 10th in tribute to John Lennon on what would have been his 69th birthday.
Yoko reading at the One To One concert, August 30th, 1972.
John and Yoko with with the cast and crew of the One To One concert. Yoko doing her best Little Richard with feet up on electric piano as she plays.