The Crooks Annual Second Line

January 30, 2020

Lea





Dan

The Crooks Annual Second Line

One of the cooler recent additions to the Key West Calendar year is the annual Crooks Second Line March fundraiser for the Bahama Village Music Program. This event now in its fifth year of existence is a wonderful celebration of the lives of those recently passed on. The party and procession, celebrates the lives of musicians, community leaders, and friends loved and lost with a three-tiered event that began with a Hog’s Breath Saloon parking lot party at noon, a parade down Duval led by Grand Marshal Bill Blue at 2:00pm, and a Jazz Jam tribute at The Green Parrot Bar to close the afternoon.







The original procession and party honored world-class drummer Richard Crooks, who was sent off in style with a traditional New Orleans second line procession attended by hundreds of family, friends, and fans. The parade and fundraiser is Richard Crooks’ legacy to the Key West community and continues to be held in his honor each year.











The event has grown in scope and magnitude as the Bahama Village Music Program creates and sells large placards bearing the images of lost loved ones, celebrities and even pets to loved ones who participate as a way to both honor those lost and support a great cause as placard proceeds support the Richard Crooks’ scholarship fund, the Wayne Hammond scholarship fund, and the Nancy R. Robinson scholarship fund, which send two Bahama Village Music Program students to the prestigious Berklee College of Music’s 5-week Summer Performance program.





Bela and Layla

The event is at once somber and celebratory as the party kicks off with a party in the parking lot of the Hog’s Breath Saloon as people gather, collect their signs and celebrate those loved ones who have passed. This year was especially tough on me as I was made aware of three friends that I had no idea had died this past year. It is pretty shocking to realize that a friend who you just assumed is alive and well is suddenly presented on hand held poster honoring their memory.









It threw me for a loop to learn the news this way, but the positive spirit and overall good vibe of the event helped me get through it. It really is a wonderful way to celebrate and honor those missing friends and is such a nice experience to be around. The love and kindness of those involved is awesome and more time is spent sharing stories of those being remembered in a positive light than anything. There is a wonderful band of local musicians who obviously support local music programs and Richard Crooks, who was a beloved, well-known and well respected drummer who played with just about everyone in the music industry over his long and illustrious career.











At 2 PM the group gathered and marched up Duval Street to Southard, led by the band and cheered on by the Duval Street crowds before turning and heading a block over to the Green Parrot Bar where a street party ensued that lasted into the early evening and featured entertainment by the parade Grand Marshall Bill Blue, a revered Key West musician. It was a really good day and hopefully a successful event for our friends at the BVMP.

Scott









Sadly as I was biking home from the event, I got text that Kobe Bryant and his daughter were among nine dead in a horrible helicopter crash. Though I was never much of a Kobe fan, blaming him for almost single handedly beating my beloved Indiana Pacers in their only NBA Finals appearance, I nonetheless had a tremendous amount of respect for him. His talent and accomplishments are obvious of course, but even more in the way he led his life in the aftermath of those horrible rape charges that were made against him as a young man.





Bill Blue

While never judged or found guilty of anything, the mere suggestion that something happened may have derailed a lesser man, and whatever happened, all evidence since that alleged incident have shown him to be a man of honor and distinction, a good family man and loving father. Isn’t that what we ask of people even if they make mistakes, to change and become a better person?  Anyway his loss hit me, especially coming so soon after I had learned of the passing of three other friends and it made me realize once again how wonderful and fleeting this life is and how we all need to honor life by being the best that we possibly can be.





Trish

Play a Train Song

January 28, 2020

Todd Snider







Play a Train Song

One of my all-time favorite singer-songwriters made his return to Key West this week as the amazing Todd Snider played a fantastic show at the Key West Theater. Since first seeing him play on New Year’s Eve 1993 at Margaritaville, back when he was clean-shaven, newly signed to Jimmy Buffett’s record label and fresh off his first CD, “Songs For the Daily Planet”, until today, I have seen Todd play something approaching 30 times.









If he is on, which he generally is, each concert is a unique, special evening of story-telling, fantastic songs fun and humor. Thankfully this show he was as good as it gets. I had ironically run into Todd on Duval Street earlier in the day of his show. He was standing in front of Margaritaville with his road manager pointing out the apartment over the bar where he once lived. He was in a reflective, nostalgic mood, remembering those old days and mourning the passing of his beloved dog and traveling companion Cowboy Jim the day before.







I was downtown to check out the visit of a group of Tibetan Monks who were in town for a week, creating another incredible and detailed sand Mandala at St. Paul’s Church on Duval Street. It was like a Karmic experience to run into Todd after seeing the monks. Upon learning of his dog’s passing, I had flowers sent to the theater for Todd, which were displayed on stage during his show.









The Monks travel fairly regularly to Key West, every year or so and set up at St. Paul’s where they create the Mandala, sell some cool Tibetan wears and offer prayers and ministry to visitors. They are about the coolest and calmest people to ever visit Key West and watching the patient, detailed creation of the sand painting, which is swept away at the end of the week as a sign of the impermanence of all things, is an amazing experience.











The quiet, solitude and beauty of watching them delicately arrange tiny grains of sand in creating the beautiful art is something to behold. It was certainly worth a trip down to watch and running into Todd only added to a great afternoon. We invited our friends Eric and Andy to join us at our table up front of the Theater for the show which was just fantastic.









An act that I had never heard of, Chicago Farmer, opened the show and the solo singer was absolutely a revelation. We all really loved his funny, charming performance and he was one of the best opening acts that I have seen in ages. I went back during the break between the sets to meet him and his wife, who creates and sells beautiful jewelry created from used guitar strings. I found him talking to my friend Jay, who organizes the Old Town/ New Folk concert series who was already inquiring about the possibility of a future return trip to Key West. I sure hope that he comes back soon and often and would encourage you to go on-line and check him out.



Chicago Farmer and Jay



Todd Snider was unbelievably good as well, he played a terrific set in honor of his lost pal and seemed in a great mood all things considered. He was very reflective and told all sorts of stories of his history with Jimmy Buffett and Key West and even played a remarkable four song set of Jimmy Buffett covers near the end of his performance.





We had another terrific musical experience this week as well as we went out to see actress and Broadway superstar, Kristen Chenoweth at the Tennessee Williams Fine Art Center. Chenoweth was here as part of their annual season of shows and singers, which has been beyond good this year. Some years ago, I had met Chenoweth when out with my mother at Joe Allen in New York after some Broadway performance and I had the chance to meet her again as Kathy and I had a VIP Meet and Greet backstage experience after her show.



Matt



The show was terrific as she played a number of her greatest hits as well as songs from her most recent CD, “For the Girls” a tribute CD to some of the most famous female singers of all time. Her voice and stage presence is incredible and for a really timy person, she can belt it out. It capped an amazing week here in Key West.