1. All through my senior year at KHS, I became obsessed, along with Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears, with Chase, another horn-rock band featuring stratospheric trumpeter Bill Chase, three other supersonic trumpet players, bass guitar, keyboard, electric guitar, drums, and the vocalist Terry Richards. Their first album was simply called, Chase. It featured the popular hit, "Get It On" -- which was not only top 40 material, but became a favorite of the Kellogg High School pep band, a song that fired up my basketball teammates and me when they played it during our warmups.
Today, I time-traveled back to those months in 1971-72 when I listened obsessively to this album and let it motivate and drive me while I worked out at the rehab gym.
Not only did the driving rhythm section and the bright, pulsing trumpeters get my adrenaline pumping, but I relished the vocal stylings of Terry Richards, his versatility to energetically push pulsating songs forward and his gift for slowing things down and singing like a balladeer.
As I've written before, I have no interest in ranking these horn-rock bands. I realize that Chase never cut another album that was as successful as their debut. Band leader Bill Chase was killed in a plane crash in August, 1974. The band Chase had a short life.
But this one album, Chase, made an indelible impact on me over fifty years ago and as I listened to it twice today in the gym, the joy and pleasure and invigoration of Chase's work has not diminished one bit.
It might have grown.
2. Several months ago, Debbie and I went on a shopping safari in Spokane. We popped into Trader Joe's at one point and Debbie bought a packet of Tikka Masala Curry Sauce.
Last night, Debbie remembered that we had this sauce and suggested that it would taste good with chicken.
I agreed.
So, late this afternoon, I cut an onion into rings and cooked them in a large frying pan along with bok choy that Debbie had chopped up a day or two ago and added in a few lime kaffir leaves. I also steamed a mess of broccoli. Once the onion and bok choy had softened, I added slices of chicken breast to the pan, cooked it through, and then added the steamed broccoli and the curry sauce. I also cooked a pot of basmati rice.
I wanted this curry to be a bit spicier, so I added a modest amount of red pepper flakes, and I added some fresh squeezed lime juice I had on hand.
I let it all simmer.
I put rice in the bottom of two bowls, topped it with the curry sauce, and Debbie and I agreed that it worked and with what was left over, we'd have it again on Friday for dinner.
3. On Sunday, March 10th, a bunch of singers and songwriters in the Seattle area will get together at 3 o'clock and perform a benefit entitled, Songs of Bill Davie. Bill was diagnosed with MS around ten years ago. For several years, he was able to play his guitar despite the impact of the MS, but can't any longer.
As a tribute to his decades of songwriting and performing and as a benefit for the National MS Society, this group of Seattle musicians will perform a combination of their own songs and covers of a selection of Bill's songs.
Today, I reserved a room in West Seattle for the nights of the 8th, 9th, and 10th so that I can attend the benefit (which Bill will MC) and see friends and have some time to hang out in West Seattle and elsewhere.
It promises to be a fun weekend.
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