ONOFFON

[onoffon]

Thanks for the well wishes, everyone!!!!Is it too early to celebrate? Yes... as Kelly can tell you re: her recording contract -"Nothing happens until it happens."I really feel that our lives are made up of defining moments. This is truly one of those times for me. We'll have to wait and see what the eventual outcome is - this week is essential for the success of this project in so very many ways.Keep that champagne on ice, Drew...

[onoffon]

I recently found a three and a half page, handwritten memoir, in Harry's own words, describing his career, that starts at leaving college for the road, and ends with him leaving the Woody Herman Four Brothers band in 1948 and settling in Los Angeles for good. While it doesn't talk about some of his most significant contributions to jazz, it does mention him playing with everyone from Benny Goodman to Charlie Parker, Oscar Pettiford to Zoot Sims, Jimmy Giuffre, Stan Getz, and Shorty Rogers.I just wanted to share the synopsis from this memoir. Remember, this is being written by a 27 year old who has, in his short life, played and recorded with the biggest and best of jazz stars of the time, reflecting on his accomplishments so far -"I have now reached the age that I can find little reason to do anything other than [what] I like to do, so I do little studio work, but rather spend my time in instigating and playing jazz, for saloons, for parties, for records, or merely in rehearsals, anywhere the quality of the effort makes for gratifying results - fun with good music."And this was at the creative peak of his career, before the Bossa Nova and Nocturne Records and The Jazzpickers...I love that "instigating" jazz...

[sgs4u]

Jul 5, 2008, 9:54pm, onoffon wrote: Harry's own words, "instigating and playing jazz," I love that "instigating" jazz... Beautiful Bumper StickerInstigate Jazz

[onoffon]

It was brought to my attention in an email sent to a jazz newsgroup I belong to, that another member had recently spoken with an individual with interesting ties to my father. So, after a little detective work, I was able to track this person down and make contact with him.I had a great conversation yesterday with a journalist who was a staff writer for Down Beat magazine back in the 50's and 60's. His name is John Tynan and he covered the west coast scene from an office in the Drum City building, the very building Harry and Roy ran all of their musical pursuits. He wrote the article called, The Real Story of the Bossa Nova, in 1962 that credits Harry as the "brainchild of the idea", and I have a review from 1956 of Mr. Tynan writing about a live performance of Harry Babasin and the Jazzpickers playing an engagement at the Purple Onion in Hollywood.He lives in Palm Desert and I think an interview with him would be a great addition to the film. The original email I mentioned, credited Mr. Tynan with bringing much needed attention to the activities of the west coast in jazz and there are direct references to him in some of my father's personal memoirs, thanking him for his contributions to the documented history of the movement.We talked for 45 minutes - like we were old friends... I will be meeting with him in the very near future...

[onoffon]

I'm very excited - Today, the movie, "The Band's Visit", releases in video stores. It's an award-winning, independent Israeli film that mentions my father's name in the dialogue in reference to Chet Baker's discography. A character in the film says that Baker's first recording was with the "Harry Babasin Octet".I'm not sure if it's something I will use in my film, but certainly in the 'making of'.I've had at least ten people tell me about this film after recognizing my father's name mentioned - I can hardly wait.I'll also be seeing an HBO movie called, "Bernard and Doris". It's a movie about the relationship between tobacco heiress, Doris Duke, and her gay butler, Bernard Lafferty. I've heard that there is reference made to the jam sessions held up at the Duke estate, Falcon's Lair, of which my father was a frequent participant. I'm still trying to find a photo or recording that places him in those sessions...Very cool stuff....

[davewalton]

Aug 7, 2008, 1:01pm, onoffon wrote:I gotta tell you...With all the talk of "The Secret" and how you create your own destiny -I have all the passion and determination and dedication and drive and positivity and altruism and creativity and innovation and intensity and desire and excitement and devotion and resolution and love and admiration and confidence and belief and faith and a thousand other feelings and emotions to get this movie made, not to mention the legacy and history that is what my father left to this world... This last eight months has been the most difficult of my life...I've poured every ounce of my being into this and I've still been held at bay... I've visualized the outcome - accepted the Oscar for Best Documentary - honoring my father on the level which he so richly deserves...At what price... I don't know about the price but I'm sure you don't want to be the guy that swam halfway across the river... and then decided he couldn't make it so he swam back. For all you "non-math" folks... see, he swam halfway across and then swam back, the same as swimming all the way... ophff, never mind.

[onoffon]

Dave, Dave, Dave.... I know what you're trying to say here but you don't understand. First, I'm way beyond halfway. I'm so close to the other side, it's almost stupid. Yet, the current is threatening to suck me down the rapids and bash my body on the rocks. There are circumstances beyond my control that are trying to thwart me at every turn.I try very hard to remain steadfast and to keep on task and ignore the dangers lurking around the bend.A perfect example is this picture a jazz historian friend found and emailed to me. It was at, of all places, the photo collection at the L.A. Public Library and didn't even have my father identified in it - I had never seen it before but now I have a physical copy and I'm negotiating the cost of licensing it for the film -It was taken in April, 1947, at the Club Morocco in Hollywood, and has Benny Carter on sax and Barney Kessel on guitar. We're still not sure who is on piano (looks like a young Liberace but we really don't know yet). I have a companion photo from the same night that was published in a copy of "The Capitol News from Hollywood", a promotional publication produced by Capitol Records to promote artists on their label and connected with them...I've come too far...

[davewalton]

Aug 7, 2008, 2:49pm, onoffon wrote:Dave, Dave, Dave.... I know what you're trying to say here but you don't understand. First, I'm way beyond halfway. I'm so close to the other side, it's almost stupid. I'm definitely out of my element here experience-wise. I've not been involved with anything near to what you're doing. I've never met my dad, for example... don't even know what he looks like. For most, having to make due with a few photographs and a handed-down story or two, that's a good as it'll get as far as memories go. I think that you're really blessed to have the kind of history and "reminders" at practically every turn, things that reinforce who he was and what he meant to you and other people. And how many of those things are yet to be discovered? Maybe focusing on the continuing journey of discovery will help with the frustrations of the elusive end result.I'll have to say that you were the most fun guy at the Rally. Anne, I think, described you as being like "Tigger"... bouncing into the room with a big smile and lighting everything up. I continue to see you like that mentally and so through the forum post, I don't think I picked up on your real feelings on this post... until now. Sorry about the "flip" reply... it wasn't meant like that.As much as anyone I hope that the journey can continue to be meaningful and that the end result exceeds your dreams.

[onoffon]

Thanks for all your kind words, Dave. I didn't take offense to what you said, I'm just going through some extremely tough times right now.When does passion and dedication cross over into obsession and compulsion? Aren't we as artists supposed to have that drive and determination to never quit?I don't question the fact that I will eventually make this movie - but will I lose everything in the process... that final outcome has yet to play out...I've been telling my father's story now for almost two decades, though the NYFA sponsorship for the film has only been about 2 1/2 years. Still, it's supremely frustrating to see the kinds of projects that do get funded in our culturally corrupt entertainment industry and I just try to rise above it and continue on.I can't help but feel that if I was making Jackass 4, shooting bottle rockets out my b*tt, I would have ten million dollars by now and be in full production... BTW - the very bass that you see my father playing in that picture stands in a corner of my living room...

[nomiyah]

Aug 8, 2008, 8:21am, onoffon wrote:Thanks for all your kind words, Dave. I didn't take offense to what you said, I'm just going through some extremely tough times right now.When does passion and dedication cross over into obsession and compulsion? Aren't we as artists supposed to have that drive and determination to never quit?I don't question the fact that I will eventually make this movie - but will I lose everything in the process... that final outcome has yet to play out...I've been telling my father's story now for almost two decades, though the NYFA sponsorship for the film has only been about 2 1/2 years. Still, it's supremely frustrating to see the kinds of projects that do get funded in our culturally corrupt entertainment industry and I just try to rise above it and continue on.I can't help but feel that if I was making Jackass 4, shooting bottle rockets out my b*tt, I would have ten million dollars by now and be in full production... BTW - the very bass that you see my father playing in that picture stands in a corner of my living room... At least you still laugh. You've heard the term "life work"? Having a legacy like your dad's in your hands is a gift and a burden. My stepfather's book finally came out, years after he passed away. It was a Herculean effort.http://www.newvillagepress.net/books/bu ... l-linn.php