Annette Aguilar and Stringbeans at Flushing Town Hall

By searching this journal I was able to determine that we hadn't been to Flushing Town Hall since last August. This afternoon we walked over to hear the Latin Brasilian jazz band Annette Aguilar and Stringbeans. It's nice to have free entertainment right in the neighborhood. The hot summer weather makes people lazy. There was no need to fight traffic or travel to Manhattan via the subway.

The mellifluous voice of Bob Sheppard is gone

I heard the news today that Yankee Stadium public address announcer Bob Sheppard died today at age 99. He worked for the Bronx Bombers from 1951 until late in the 2007 season until he had to leave due to health issues. He also was the public address announcer for the football Giants for many years and was an adjunct Professor of Speech at St. Johns University. He certainly was at the top of his profession. His diction was second for none.

When the Yankees played at Seattle this afternoon, a moment of silence was observed for him. Since He left the Yankees a recording of Bob Sheppard was used to announce Derek Jeter when he came to bat at Yankee Stadium. This recording will be used at the all star game this Tuesday in Anaheim.

"Batting first for the New York Yankees and playing shortstop, number two, Derek Jeter."

The Mets were very lethargic today - Lost 4 - 0

This has been a season of ups and downs for the Amazins. They were only able to get 4 hits and looked sluggish as they lost to the Atlanta Braves 4-0 at Citifield. The bottom third of the Braves batting order got 10 out of the 15 hits. The Met are now 5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East.

Box Score

Don't get attached to your favorite athlete

Say goodbye to Garden fan favorite David Lee. The Knicks have reached an agreement to send Lee to the Golden State Warriors in a sign-and-trade for three players, including second-year forward Anthony Randolph. Donnie Walsh feels that David Lee and Amare Stoudamire could not play together. If you have a favorite player on your team, don't get too attached to him since it is likely he'll be gone within a few years. A generation ago players like Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Willis Reed, John Havlichek and others would play their entire careers with one time. This is what happens in the era of free agency.

I guess there is no need for me to comment on the LeBron James situation. I just can not understand why he had to go to a gymnasium in Greenwich, CT to say he was going to sign with the Miami Heat. I was watching ESPN News this morning and they showed people in a sports bar in Cleveland crying. There was also a scene with a kid buring a Cavalier LeBron James jersey.

Getting back to the Knicks. If they don't make the playoffs this year, Donnie Walsh must go. He traded several good players to make cap space to sign free agents this off season. He signed Stoudamire, but has plenty of money for more signings.

Ringo, his All-Starr Band and more at Radio City Music Hall

Most recording artists have a back up band with excellent musicians who are not weel known. The following musicians were in the 2010 version of the All-Star Band:

Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
Wally Palmar - guitar, bass, harmonica, vocals
Rick Derringer - guitar, vocals
Edgar Winter - keyboards, saxophone, vocals
Gary Wright - keyboards, vocals
Richard Page - Bass, vocals
Gregg Bissonette - drums, vocals

Ringo sang many of his solo hits and songs with the Beatles where he sang lead. They included:

• It Don't Come Easy
• Boys
• Photograph
• Act Naturally
• Peace Dream
• Other Side of Liverpool

Some of the songs fby the band members were:

• Dream Weaver - Gary Wright
• Hang on Sloopy - Rick Derringer of the McCoys
• Frankenstein - Edgar Winter (this had to be the show stopper)

At the end of the show Ringo asked for some help from his friends. Many famour musicians came out and sang "With a Little Help from my Friends." They included Yoko Ono, Steven Van Zandt, and Jeff Lynne. They then sang John Lennon's Give Peace a Chance. See this article from Hollywoodnews.com for a complete list and more details on the concert.

The biggest surprise of the evening was when Paul McCartney came out and sang the Beatles song Birthday from the White album. It was Ringo's 70th birthday. I noticed that Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono were not on the stage together. In this day and age someone already posted a YouTube Video of With a Little Help from My Friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDNTVuoskOU

Below is a video of Paul McCartney singing Birthday http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5sgVi88SXU

Reading about Phil Spector While Waiting for Ringo Starr

And to add to the confusion I am listening to Dylanradio.com while I am writing this journal entry. I bought tickets for for Ringo Starr at Radio City Music Hall back in February when it was good and cold. I heard that the temperature only reached 99 F today which is 4 degrees "cooler" than yesterday. Since I have plenty of vacation time, I decided to take the day off so I could go without work or commuting on my mind. My next journal entry will be a review of the concert.

After seeing the movie about Spector I used my library research skills to find out that there was a biography written about him in 2007.

Brown, Mick. Tearing Down the Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2007.

I was able to get it from the Queens Library. I started reading it today while I sat in my air conditioned living room. Mick Brown interviewed Spector shortly before the murder of Lana Clarkson in February 2003. I reached page 86 today. He discusses how Spector got started in the music business. He quickly met many of the major performers, executives, and song writers active in the early 1960s. I am sure that many of the points discussed in the film including the murder will be considered in this book.

103 degrees and a train delay - oy vey

I really needed this. It must have been the hotest day in over a decade. I got to Newark Penn Station and the departure board said that the 4:27 to NYC would be 15 minutes late. OK, I'll wait it out. 30 minutes later the train did not come, so I had to take the PATH. The cars were air conditioned, but since it makes many stops on the NJ and NY side of the Hudson, it is a very slow ride. I finally made it home at 6:45 PM almost an hour longer than usual. There are always train delays but why today!