Halfway to Cleveland

The Comeback Inn had many world jazz artists playing inside their tiny restaurant space, and outside in their outdoor patio serving a totally vegan menu, and beer.   Excellent World Fusion artists always blew my mind with their intensity.

Likewise,  The Azz Izz was more like a Jazz residency, Billy Harris, Cookie Harris, Reggie Harris,  Red and a lot of people would sit in.

I once saw Horace Tapscott on piano playing with everybody.  Man, those cats could blow.  Tapscott was quite the community cultural worker.

https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/horace-tapscott-1934-1999/

Why he is the “cultural worker” you remembered:
The Pianist: He was a legendary jazz pianist and composer known for his hard, percussive technique and deep, spiritual arrangements.

The Arkestra: In 1961, he formed the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra (PAPA), a large ensemble dedicated to preserving and performing Black music.

Cultural Work (UGMAA): He founded the Union of God’s Musicians and Artists Ascension (UGMAA), an umbrella organization that served as a support system for artists and a cultural hub for South Central LA.

The 1970s Peak: Throughout the 70s, he remained committed to his community, famously turning down commercial success to play in local schools, churches, and recreation centers. His landmark live recordings from this era, like Live at I.U.C.C., are considered some of the most important documents of underground “spiritual jazz”.

His legacy is now preserved at the UCLA Library, which houses the Horace Tapscott Jazz Collection.

Near me in the Venice Canals lived Doc Williams, a jazz drummer with a lot of history, and he often jammed with the Azz Izz  musicians.  Doc Williams had the support of another of his neighbors, one George Carlin.  George loved the anarchy and free improvisation that Doc and his friends made.  They formed a band, “Halfway To Cleveland” and recorded an album.

It is not for the faint of heart because they lived some anarchy.

Doc Williams led this group into jazz art performance sessions, always featuring freewheeling improvisation. Below are notes off the CD. Doc Williams – Cello, Saxophone, Bassoon, Vocals Philip Garaway – 6 String Guitar Pat Palma – Drums David Travis – Bass, 12 String Guitar Jarret Lewis – Clarinet, Flute, Sax Josie Briones – Vocals Sam Kusler – Vocals The Mystery Xylophone Player Executive producer: George Carlin, Philip Garaway Produced by Doc Williams, David Travis, Philip Garaway Recorded 1998 at Radio Tokyo Studios, Venice, CA by Richard Andrews. Mixed 1989 at USC by David Travis Travisty Records T003 In Memory of Doc & Pat Williams & Brenda Carlin 1. Harmonic Convergence 2. A Chevy Factory In The Soviet Union 3. Birdbrain (Words by Allen Ginsberg) 4. Fast Is Slow 5. Point At Pat 6. Velocity 7. Rose Of Battle 8. Working With Rich 9. Things To Watch Out For (Words by George Carlin)