At least one of the plane’s tires blew and caught fire on landing, possibly due to brake trouble. Earlier reports which suggested there was a fire on board the plane appear to have been a misunderstanding.

The plane had 86 passengers and crew aboard. This KCRA page has twitter-like updates. And a complete story on CBS News.

* Race St (Green Ride) on March 19, 2010
* Hwy 9 on April 8, 2009

GREEN RIDE Hit & Run

This incident occurred on Race St on Friday, March 19th. The fact that this happened on the ride where we were honoring Joshua Ryan West who was killed by a driver on Feb. 1, 2010 is especially ironic.

The SJ Police need all of the eyewitness accounts. If any eyewitnesses have not gotten in contact with the victim and/or SJ Police, now is the time to do so. Please act NOW before it’s too late!

Fortunately, you still have time familiarize yerselves with his saga, and a musical legacy that was obscured by bad business breaks, pride, and deep prejudice, the kind that was not only racial, but sexual & medical …

Almost strangled to death by the umbilical cord at birth in 1925, Jimmy Scott was soon orphaned by a car crash, along with his 9 other siblings in depression era Cleveland. If the odds against him were not bad enough, they were further stacked by a strange genetic pituitary hormonal defect known as “Kallman’s Syndrome”. This medical disorder accounts for his somewhat effeminate looks & unnaturally high singing voice. Basically Scott’s pubescent development was stunted, causing his arms to appear longer than the rest of his torso while the diminutive singer never developed facial hair.

Finding solace away from the bleak foster homes on stages, he sang in combos of the post war R&B era, notably as a featured singer with band leader Lionel Hampton, with whom he made his recorded debut in 1950 (although his name did not appear on the label). After the chart making & touring stint with Hampton ended, Scott began dividing his time between night spots in Cleveland, New York and Newark, New Jersey.

Unable to secure proper record deals, or even respect on the road from fellow musicians due to his androgynous appearance, Jimmy Scott’s show biz career was a hard road. That road hit a brick wall by the late 1960′s when tight fisted Herman Lubinsky of the Savoy label refused to release Scott from a long dormant contract, and legally prevented comeback albums for Atlantic & Ray Charles’ Tangerine label from being released purely out of spite.

Jimmy’s numerous shots at stardom had been so hampered by fiscal mismanagement & bad business dealings, it lead to failed relationships, drinking and drugging, and a career ending downward spiral that took him away from the limelight for decades, until a break finally occurred when he was well into his 60′s.

Strangely enough, it appears death is something he won’t take sitting still, and is actually the catalyst that has brought Jimmy Scott’s career back to life…

read more about the show, plus detailed info on his life & career accomplishments below the fold
more on little-jimmy-scott

Career:

Jimmy Scott tried his luck on a smattering of labels, working notably with producer Fred Mendelsohn in the early 50′s. They got some interest going with a tune released on the Roost label called “I Won’t Cry Anymore”, it eventually became a big hit, but for another larger label, called Columbia, and the singer who got the hit, was actually a white Italian guy named Tony Bennett. Other labels Scott flipped obscure sides for included Coral & Regal.

It is said that 50′s singing sensation Johnny Ray, stole the stage act after seeing “crying” Jimmy Scott perform. Ray went on to great acclaim, while Scott ended up humbly opening for the crooner who grew famous by imitating Jimmy’s heartfelt & teary eyed performances. Ray committed suicide at the peak of his career, but not before turning on a Georgia raised singer who made the 3rd generation appropriation of Scott’s shtick a big part of his stage act, that guy was James Brown….

Jimmy Scott outlived them all…but he never got the notoriety.

Even after a late career renaissance brought him to new audiences around the world, Scott copes with the fact that his type of fame is fleeting. He has duly noted this phenomena when he sang onstage in the 1990′s with the Grateful Dead to an arena crowd of thousands in his hometown of Cleveland, the local daily paper still referred to him as an “unknown female singer”.

Since the quirky career kickstart given to the 67 year old Scott after an appearance at Doc Pomus’ funeral, he has continued touring, recorded some 8 or so albums on half dozen labels since hitting retirement age, made a movie about his life called “Jimmy Scott, If You Only Knew”, and added a 5th wife in 2003 to his bio as well.

Now with his aged infirmities creeping in, ever dapper, Scott is performing while even restricted to moving around via wheelchair…

but dammit, he just won’t quit…

Music is his life, once saying “I love performing. You live with reality every day. You can’t miss it. We can try to avoid a lot of trials in life, but it’s better to overcome than avoid. That’s what music has been for me. It’s been my opportunity to overcome.”

All Hail The Tough & Tender Little Jimmy Scott whose motto is :

“It’ll work out in the end. You gotta believe” – Jimmy Scott!

Strangely enough, it appears death is something he won’t take sitting still, and is actually the catalyst that has brought Jimmy Scott’s career back to life…

By the late 70′s and early 80′s Scott was reduced to playing low rent bars and seedy nightclubs for pocket money. Eventually, some of his only gigs were occasional charity appearances at senior citizen homes. Scott’s humble menial day jobs at Bob’s Big Boy and in a Cleveland Sheraton hotel gave him a mindset that was set far from keeping abreast of the changing tastes of a fickle record buying public at the tail end of the 20th century.

In 1985, at age 60, he returned to the eastern seaboard, and for the first time in over a decade started working small clubs in New York and Harlem, perhaps getting occasional nostalgic write ups in the NY Times or Village Voice. Despite thin crowds at first, he kept at it, no matter how hopeless or slow going it seemed. Soon little bright spots would appear. Things like getting invited onstage by blues vet Ruth Brown or old friend Milt Jackson would liven up his schedule & sagging fortunes.

Scott’s subsequent shift back into the public eye ironically began to truly gather momentum at The Riverside Funeral Home on St.Patrick’s Day 1991. The sad/happy occasion was legendary rock n roll songwriter and old friend Doc Pomus’ funeral. Pomus ( aka Jerome Felder ) was a remarkable songwriter, whose library of classic early rock & roll classics include “Save The Last Dance For Me”, and “This Magic Moment”.

Said Jimmy of meeting Doc: “I met Doc Pomus when he came to see my show at the Baby Grand in Harlem around 1945 or ’46. Doc showed me how to get around on the New York Subway system, then took me home to have dinner with his mother, father, and little brother, Raoul Felder (Raoul was so stuffy, snooty, and studious at the time; he later became one of the country’s top celebrity lawyers)… bringing me home and having dinner with his family was my most cherished memory of Doc.

Ever since Jimmy had met Pomus back in the 40′s, they had stayed in touch. In fact, in 1987 Doc even wrote a letter to trade publication Billboard extolling Scott’s virtues, decrying the hard times he was going through, and warning the record industry not to sleep on a chance to catch the long overdue second coming of Little Jimmy Scott.

Now a few years later, Scott sat Shiva and was asked by Doc’s family to perform “Someone To Watch Over Me” at the funeral, along with backing from fellow old timers Dr. John on piano and Fathead Newman on sax. Scott arrived early and sat unasumedly with hands folded in the back with his 4th wife Earlene. After the colorful eulogies, Jimmy’s haunting voice overthe tinkling keys stunned the room, with many so far back they could barely see his tiny head over the crowd. The room was filled with dozens of music biz luminaries, like Ahmet Ertegun, Jerry Wexler, and the aforementioned Seymour Stein of Sire who felt it was almost his spiritual duty to Doc to simply offer Scott a dignified deal.

Jimmy later told a reporter in 2000 of the bittersweet good fortune coming from his friend’s death, ” The next day, this cat from Warners comes over with a contract. It was like Doc’s hand reaching out from the grave.”

He went on to many new career highights ranging from appearing on television shows & sold out shows across the US & Europe to even performing onstage at Bill Clinton’s inaugural ball gala in DC. Said Scott in a 200 era interview of his new found glory, “…if you dance long enough, somebody hear you tapping your toe.”

A favorite of performers ranging from Billie Holiday & Dinah Washington, to Frankie Lymon & Frankie Valli. Amongst his admirers include Stevie Wonder, Bill Cosby and John Lennon, all whom knew of and expressed respect of his work. Some more of Jimmy Scott’s long list of fans and admirers have also included amongst them Red Foxx, Bill Clinton, Marvin Gaye, Ossie Davis and Amiri Baraka.

Said Quincy Jones once of the time he spent backing Jimmy,
‘Night after night, I’d be sitting back there in the trumpet section, listening to this man cry his heart out. He’d just tear you up, you could sense Jimmy taking us all to an emotional level that was high and deep at the same time…Jimmy would tear my heart out every night with his soul-penetrating style”…

Even Madonna has said “Jimmy Scott is the only singer who makes me cry,”

to get tickets for this week’s rare San Francisco performances of the legendary Jimmy Scott, click here:

There is only 1 8pm set per night, tickets are $18

http://www.yoshis.com/sanfrancisco/jazzclub/artist/show/1122

Jimmy Scott’s Official Bio Webpage: http://www.jimmyscottofficialwebsite.org/biography.htm

Mac's Latest Release on his Maniac imprint "Never Say Never"

His latest indie album is a solid & sincere effort from a veteran rocker, and of course he’ll likely spice up the live set with old faves, possibly dating back to his first chart topping days circa 1966 with Steve Marriott & Ronnie Lane in The Small Faces.

On Thursday night, while Bimbo’s in North Beach features Cake, meanwhile the deep down underground will possibly be sucked into the Vortex Room with Mr. Lucky and the Ramshackle Romeos. Others may be down on Harrison @ The Eagle Tavern. Bands playing there include former Nice Strong Arm bandleader Kevin Thompson’s new project “bun bun bun” and Sunward Spike. Ruby Howl hits the stage in the middle slot, a band featuring the talented alterna-chanteuse Laurie Hall who has played in numerous local combos over the past couple decades. Maybe you saw her with her mom in the Hall Flowers, or with her sis in Ovarian Trolley, or perhaps opening for the Pixies reunion at The Greek with Knife + Fork. She knows her craft and has a new band called Ruby Howl plying their trade with her husband Pat and a somewhat shy drummer who wishes to remain anonymous. More info on Ruby Howl at
http://www.myspace.com/rubyhowl

Pat & Laurie

Friday night , two soul music legends hit the stage on a double bill at the Independent, Booker T. Jones of the MG’s preceded by Detroit’s own Bettye LaVette, both of whom are promoting new albums on the Anti label, an Epitaph offshoot.

On Saturday night @ Annie’s Social Club, old school punkers will be in force catching Social Unrest, and Ribzy as well as the debut of Jello Biafra’s latest unnamed musical project. Before leaving on a reunion tour with his old band, Faith No More bassist Billy Gould will be backing Biafra alongside drummer Jon Weiss and guitar wizard Ralph Spight of Victim’s Family. If you get bored of the jurassic punks onstage at this Alcoholocaust, head to the backroom and be yer own D.I.Y rock star via the punk schlock karaoke set up…

By the way, a film about Ferlinghetti’s life and works is going to premiere at the upcoming San Francisco International Film Festival on April 28. Film site here. Tickets are available now to SFFS members!

UPDATE: Streetsblog has this great article about Ferlinghetti’s proposal to create an Italian-style piazza on Vallejo Street (near Trieste).

UPDATE: SFist reports that it’s also Frank Chu’s birthday. Well, how about that?

the ongoing War the US started in Iraq some six years ago was the main impetus for the demonstration.

Unlike recent splintered demonstrations in Oakland, a fairly large contingent of dozens of overtime collecting SFPD officers on foot and motorcycles seemed prepared to quell any possible property damage or disturbances from the bandana’d few who tend to ignite trash cans and engage in the more annoying and disruptive behaviors.

The march assembled near Justin Herman Plaza circa 11am and ended with a rally at Civic Center Plaza at about 1:30 , where a contingent of pro-Palestinian marchers were met with pro-Israeli occupation demonstrators stationed in front of City Hall.

Other marches took place concurrently in locations such as the Pentagon just outside of Washington DC, and in LA, while another protest is scheduled for tommorrow in Fresno.

Bringing up the rear, just behind the infamous Bay Area Women in Black, was this masked lone wolf demonstrator.

Thou Shall Not Kill My Hope

new Alcatraz film : The Black Rock

Fascination with Alcatraz permeates pop culture and the crumbling prison ranks high amongst San Francisco’s most popular tourist attractions, attracting more visitors than the city’s total population each year. Epps’ new film approaches the prison from a very different socio-political angle than the usual Hollywood fare, and pulls together tales that are unique amongst the plethora of prison videos, books and memorabilia that already clutter local gift shops.

For More, Including A Peak At The Trailer, Read On…

Epps’ documentary was created over a five year period of research, interviews, and editing, and mainly tells the stories of three different individuals, all deceased African Americans who spent time in the isolated windswept Maximum Security prison during periods of forced racial segregation and prejudicial discrimination. While Al Capone and “The Birdman” have long had their infamy assured, approximately a third of the Alcatraz prisoners were black, and more were people of color, about whom little has been previously documented.

Despite the film’s obvious historical perspective, considering California’s ongoing correctional crisis within our tax payer funded prison industrial complex looming larger each day, and a society still grappling with racial dialogue, this film and the issues it looks at remain acutely relevant for numerous reasons.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io85Cyarwio[/youtube]

While no deadline was laid down for making these cuts, and their scope was not quantified, it’s clear that Hearst means business. SFist has published a memo sent to Chronicle employees by Chairman and Publisher Frank Vega, in which he intimates “a series of cost-saving initiatives designed to alleviate” the continuing losses at the paper. Well, we all know what that means.

Vega goes on: “First and foremost of these cost savings will be a significant reduction in force across all areas of our operation affecting both represented and non-represented employees. We will shortly begin discussions with union leadership on proposals. Our current situation dictates that we accomplish these cost savings quickly. Business as usual is no longer an option. If we are unable to accomplish these reductions in the immediate future, Hearst Corporation, which owns the Chronicle, has informed us that it will offer the newspaper for sale or close it altogether.”

The San Francisco Business Times also reported on the story, adding that the paper lost $50 million dollars in 2008, and possibly that much every year going back to 2001.

And SFGate itself posted a story — byline, Hearst Newspapers — giving the story the predictable, rolling-up-the-sleeves angle that the company would have: it’s a venerable institution amidst industry turmoil; this’ll hurt, but it’s got to be done.

However, some have suggested that the “if” phrase in the memo makes the subtext read like this: if the unions don’t cave to our demands, we’ll shut the paper down, and then where will they be?

This is distressing news to me for personal reasons: I know a number of people who are now employed, directly or indirectly, by the paper. But I can’t help but think it might be for the better, in the long run, if the Chronicle did shut down. As a San Francisco reader who really cares about the news, it’s impossible not to have noticed that the Chronicle has been a sub-par news source for many years. SFGate always seems to be the last site to publish breaking stories, San Francisco itself appears almost not to exist in its pages apart from shootings, City Hall, and entertainment, and much if not most of its content is taken straight from the AP wire. I keep checking the page out of a sense of duty, but I’m not sure what it gets me, when I get such excellent national news from the New York Times, and most of my local news from Streetsblog, Missionlocal, Eater SF, Curbed SF, SFCitizen, and San Francisco Business Times — all of which routinely feature original reporting. As for arts stories, you can’t go wrong with KQED. And I haven’t even mentioned the sites that are less about news per se but which are fun to read and are often useful, such as SFist, Mission Mission, and this blog. I’d probably feel differently if it were my job at stake, but somehow I think that journalism in San Francisco has a future with or without the Chronicle — and it just might have a brighter future without it.

[Thavisouk Phrasavath and his mother, Orady Phrasavath in Ellen Kuras’ documentary, The Betrayal. Courtesy of The Cinema Guild.]

[Disclosure: I haven’t seen this film, so I can’t recommend it on that basis. But I got a quick glimpse of it and heard good things about it at Landmark’s Film Club Spring Preview a couple of weeks ago.]

The Betrayal is a documentary about one Laotian family’s flight from Laos and their journey to NYC, and their struggles to survive. Thavisouk is the eldest of 10 children, and responsibility for the family fell upon him when his father was arrested in 1975 by the Pathet Lao. His father’s crime? Working for the Americans. Allow me to quote the press release:

[Director Ellen] Kuras and Phrasavath have created a lyrical film that fluidly incorporates archival footage, cinema verite, interview material and visually poetic montages. The result is a story of what it means to be in exile, of the far-reaching consequences of war, and of the resilient bonds of family. Thavisouk’s unforgettable journey reminds us of the strength necessary to survive unthinkable conditions, and of the human spirit’s inspiring capacity to adapt, rebuild, and forgive.

Twenty-three years of filming and research went into this film. Director Ellen Kuras is a famed cinematographer; she has won the Best Dramatic Cinematography award at Sundance no fewer than three times, and she also shot Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The Betrayal is her directorial debut.

The film opens at the Lumiere this Friday, February 27^th, and will run until March 5^th. Showtimes: Fri-Sun (2:20 4:45) 7:10 9:20. Mon-Thu (4:45) 7:10 9:20.