Finally, the conclusion

I am off for a weekend of good food and drink relaxing outside along with thousands of people listening to some great musicians. All at Saratoga Performing Art Center.
What better way to end Saturday's line-up than with Patti LaBelle, the "Queen of Rock and Soul".

Read more...

Back again.......

The great jazz guitarist George Benson! Looking forward to his tribute to Nat "King" Cole accompanied by a 28-piece orchestra.

This is the first song I heard by him back 30 years ago

Read more...

Also appearing.........

Aaron Parks, jazz piano prodigy:

Read more...

And next........

Soul Queen Bettye LaVette's "Take Me As I Am"

Sorry for the still picture video but it is a great song.
Oh, that voice!!!!!!!!

Read more...

Also appearing........

John Ellis Quintet

Read more...

First of many to follow

Bonerama-New Orleans Brass Funk Rock:



And a new face....well, sort of a face:

(after hitting play,might have to click "HQ" to start)

Read more...

My Personal Stimulus Recovery Plan

If you are looking for me this weekend, you will find me here:






















Come a little closer............

















Can you feel the tranquility?





















The End:

Read more...

And the winner is...............

Our very own Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse was voted America's best barbecue in ABC's "Good Morning America" poll!

In April, "GMA Weekend" asked viewers to send in the names of their favorite barbecue and tell them what made theirs special. They received more than 1,000 e-mails which they narrowed down to 4 based on the number of submissions, the eloquence with which people described their favorite barbecue, their desire for regional representation and to get a good balance of different styles of making barbecue.
Ron Claiborne, anchor at GMA, visited the 4 finalists and tuned into every detail that each had to offer. You can follow his quest here. In the end, our very own honky-tonk rib joint ruled!!

Watch the whole story here:

Best Barbecue Winner: Dinosaur BAR-B-Que

John Stage, the owner, got his start by feeding bikers on the road and at rallies using a 55-gallon oil drum cut in half.

"Here's the secret of barbecue," Stage said. "There is no secret. It's spice. It's meat and it's sauce." And, he explained, it's knowing when the cooking barbecue is ready to "give up the ghost" -- the exact moment when it is transformed into great barbecue. "

Basking in the moment:

In the foreground left is John Stage co-founder of the Dinosaur and to the right is Mike De Lucia who submitted the the entry.

Read more...

Stop and smell the lilacs

Here are a few shots I got before the rain came in.



























We ended the day at:



















which leads into my next post...........................................

Read more...