In Memory of George Duke

George Duke George Duke passed away this week. George who? George Duke, the keyboard virtuoso who backed-up Frank Zappa, and who subsequently came into his own teaming with Flora Purim, Stanley Clarke and many of the other artists blurring the lines between jazz, funk, R&B, pop and fusion. Today, I still own 20 of his…… Continue reading In Memory of George Duke

Bye Bye Bobby

A few friends sent me Jim Barron’s New York Times “City Room” piece on PR man Bobby Zarem’s decision to leave his adopted city for his boyhood home of Savannah, Georgia. And why should I care? Well, other than Elaine’s losing its most famous patron (and promoter), and the city, its most original (and supportive)…… Continue reading Bye Bye Bobby

The PR Architect

Buried in Keith Kelly’s column today we find the following squib amidst the news of Patricia Duff’s party for Fats Domino last Friday at Michael’s where the ubiquitous Mel Brooks made a brief appearance:”In a far corner sat the Rubensteins, Howard and son Steve, chatting with architect Frank Ghery [sic].” More on that in a…… Continue reading The PR Architect