Less Than 7 Days Until The End of MSNTV2 aka WebTV is Being Killed Off And All PageBuilder Sites by Jon Hammond

Folks, sadly as I write this we are in the last few days of the subscription service MSN TV MSNTV2 that began life as WebTV which was my very first way on to the internet with a set top box which I started using in 1998 - also I trained my Mom to use it very successfully. It turned your normal TV set in to the internet, first by way of a dial-up connection and later on it was possible to connect on broadband with the newer hardware from MSNTV2 box which I was involved in the initial development of in usability sessions with Microsoft at the Microsoft campus in Mountain View CA. *From Jon Hammond International WebTV Pagebuilder site: Official Website of JON HAMMOND *As seen on MCTV THE JON HAMMOND SHOW *Excerpt: World renowned musician/composer host of The Jon Hammond Show. Accordionist, Piano, Bandleader TV/Radio personality and Voice Over Artist. Member: American Federation of Musicians Union-Local 6 and Local 802, ASCAP Artist. To send mail to Mr. Hammond: POB #754 Times Square Station, New York, NY 10108 USA JON HAMMOND ™ American Jazz Accordionist Excelsior Accordion Exclusively Mr. Hammond's clothing by DG William Uniform & Clothing Shanghai *New HammondCast radio shows, Listen *here: http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-29.html http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-26.html http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-25.html http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-24.html http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-23.html This LINK: http://community.webtv.net/laterent/JONHAMMOND will be a Dead Link soon, thanks to the folks at MSN Microsoft unfortunately. You can see my WebTV email on the TV screen, this is how I did it for years - (while practicing accordion on my Excelsior Accordion): A really nice feature that was offered for the people who used the Philips Magnavox MAT-976 WebTV Plus box was the ability to publish websites with the Pagebuilder feature, I built my very first websites using Pagebuilders and they will all be disabled after Sept. 30, 2013 - here is the URL of my very first WebTV Pagebuilder website, it is online for only a short time more and I will put some of the content on this blog posting - this is the actual URL: http://community-4.webtv.net/laterent/JONHAMMOND/ Wikipedia for "MSN TV" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSN_TV "MSN TV (formerly WebTV) is the name of both a thin client which uses a television for display (rather than a computer monitor), and the online service that supports it. The product and service was developed by WebTV Networks, Inc., a company purchased by Microsoft Corporation and absorbed into MSN (the Microsoft Network). While most thin clients developed in the mid-1990s were positioned as diskless workstations for corporate intranets, WebTV was positioned as a consumer device for web access. The WebTV product is an adapter that allows a television set to be connected to the Internet, primarily for web browsing and e-mail. The setup includes a web browser, a corded or wireless (e.g., bluetooth or IRDA) keyboard and a connection, using a modem, ADSL, cable Internet access, or power line communication. While WebTV does not allow as much functionality as a computer-based web browser, it is a low-cost alternative to a traditional computer connection to the Internet. On July 1, 2013, an email was sent out to customers that the service will be shutting down on September 30, 2013, and customer service will be available until January 15, 2014." Old article: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2001/jul01/07-18renamepr.aspx WebTV Internet Service Renamed "MSN TV Service" July 18, 2001 Rebranded Service to Provide Consumers With a Greater Breadth of Services And Content From MSN *Note: now unfortunately Microsoft will kill it off folks, Jon Hammond "REDMOND, Wash., July 18, 2001 — The MSN® network of Internet services, the worlds leading consumer network with over 230 million unique users, today announced the renaming of WebTV® Internet Service to MSN TV service. This move furthers the MSN commitment to delivering premium online content and services any time, anywhere and on any device. This transition will accelerate the integration of outstanding MSN content and services such as the MSN Hotmail® service, the worlds largest Web-based e-mail service to users of the WebTV Classic, WebTV Plus, UltimateTV® service and Dishplayer devices, offering consumers more ways to access the Internet and make MSN their home on the Web." "WebTV briefly classified as a weapon[edit source] Because WebTV utilized strong encryption, upon launch in 1996, WebTV was classified as munitions (a military weapon) by the United States government and was therefore barred from export under United States security laws at the time. Because WebTV was widely distributed in consumer electronic stores under the Sony and Philips brands for only US$325, its munitions classification was used to argue that the US should no longer consider devices incorporating strong encryption to be munitions, and should permit their export. WebTV obtained a special exemption permitting its export, despite the strong encryption, and shortly thereafter, laws concerning export of cryptography in the United States were changed to generally permit the export of strong encryption.[14] Microsoft takes notice[edit source] In February 1997, in an investor meeting with Microsoft, Steve Perlman was approached by Microsoft's Senior Vice President for Consumer Platforms Division, Craig Mundie. Despite the fact that the initial WebTV sales had been modest, Mundie expressed that Microsoft was impressed with WebTV and saw significant potential both in WebTV's product offering and in applying the technology to other Microsoft consumer and video product offerings. Microsoft offered to acquire WebTV, build a Microsoft campus in Silicon Valley around WebTV, and establish WebTV as a Microsoft division to develop television-based products and services, with Perlman as the division's president.[3][8] Discussions proceeded rapidly, involving Bill Gates, then CEO of Microsoft, personally. Gates called Perlman at his home on Easter Sunday in March 1997, and Perlman described to Gates WebTV's next generation products in development, which would be the first consumer devices to incorporate hard disks, including the WebTV Plus, and the WebTV Digital Video Recorders. Gates' interest was piqued, and negotiations between Microsoft and WebTV rapidly proceeded to closure, with both sides working around the clock to get the deal done.[3][8] Indeed, the parties were unaware that they were losing an hour of negotiation the night before the planned announcement due to the change to Daylight Saving Time, and they almost did not have enough time to close the deal.[3] On Sunday, April 6, 1997, 20 months after WebTV's founding, and only six weeks after negotiations with Microsoft began, during a scheduled speech at the National Association of Broadcasters conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, Craig Mundie announced that Microsoft had acquired WebTV. The acquisition price was US$503 million, but WebTV was so young a company that most of the employees' stock options had yet to be vested. As such, the vested shares at the time of the announcement amounted to US$425 million, and that was the acquisition price announced.[3][9] Subsequent to the acquisition, WebTV became a Silicon Valley-based division of Microsoft, with Steve Perlman as its president. The WebTV division began developing most of Microsoft's television-based products, including the first satellite Digital Video Recorders (the DishPlayer for EchoStar's Dish Network and UltimateTV for DirecTV), Microsoft's cable TV products, the Xbox 360 hardware, and Microsoft's Mediaroom IPTV platform.[8][15][16] In May 1999, America Online announced that it was going to compete directly with Microsoft in delivering Internet over television sets by introducing AOL TV.[13] In June 1999, Steve Perlman left Microsoft and started Rearden, a business incubator for new companies in media and entertainment technology.[15] Microsoft worked with Sega in that same year and developed Microsoft WebTV for the Dreamcast game console. This was the first TV set-top box from a major vendor that offered high-end online gaming, internet access, and interactive television, as well as the first glimpse at WebTV running on Microsoft's Windows CE operating system. This would later lead Microsoft to create their own game consoles (Xbox & Xbox 360) and use this same technology within it." Here is some of my very first website built with WebTV Pagebuilder folks: *These were all live Links at the time: My Moscow story with Igor Butman Moscow Story : BLUES IN THE MOSCOW WHITE NGHTS JON HAMMOND MUSIKMESSE 2004 PARTY Info link Winter NAMM 2004 Pics IAJE 2004 Pics by Jon Hammond 1970 Jon Hammond *image & George Clinton w/JH IAJE 2005 Pictures by Jon Hammond Russian Festival 2005 San Francisco www.jonhammondband.com official site launched Feb. 22, 2005! HammondCast Magnify.net JON HAMMOND SHOW PODCAST HAMMONDCAST Program is Launched !! Jon Hammond Show Podcast Hammondcast is now launched on Apple HammondCast Blogger URL: http://laterent.blogspot.com HammondCast 8 now on-the-air! *With Igor Butman, Cindy Blackman, Wallace Roney, Marc Baum and more, at: http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-15.html http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-14.html http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-13.html http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-12.html Live from Jazzkeller Frankfurt-Jon Hammond Band *a word from Eddie Money on Jon Hammond Show Podcast HammondCast: http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-11.html and http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-10.html http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-9.html and http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-8.html and http://www.jonhammondband.com/music-7.html Many more shows to follow so check back frequently. *Special Thanks: Leo Laporte of This Week in Tech Podcast show! Check out Leo's live show from Apple SF Store: http://aolradio.podcast.aol.com/twit//TWiT0021H.mp3 Tour de Force 1966! from left - right: John, Jon, George, Ringo, Paul Unfortunately 2 of the fellows have passed away now, but I'm doing better than all of them! www.jonhammondband.com Jimmy Smith at 2005 IAJE *Note: A sad note about the passing of Jimmy Smith, Feb. 9 2005 in Scottsdale AZ just one month after receiving NEA Jazz Masters Award. Jon Hammond said about Jimmy Smith: "He played more organ with one hand tied behind his back than many others!" His left side had been compromised for some time but he still out-grooved with right hand. For Jon Hammond's 2005 IAJE jazz educators pictures: September 22, 2004 Jon Hammond puts the new advance release T-Mobile Sidekick II unit to work. "It's awesome!" check it out at www.tmobile.com *Note: All these Links were live folks: Photo link Link for black and white photos of Jon Hammond by press photographer TEDDY FUNG JAZZ MAN by Maria Ciaccia Jon Hammond's first Billboard article, March 17 1984 ™ Alternative To Clips On Cable - Billboard Magazine by KIM FREEMAN Jon's Bip.TV Behind the Beat: Artist Feature by Steven Rosenfeld Behind the Beat Artist Feature Late Rent ASCAP Feature MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Special Announcement! JUNE 22 & 23, at Shoreline Ampitheatre!! **Updated JON HAMMOND Itinerary International: Where's Jon?! Current itinerary dates at bottom, scroll down. Announcing to the people at Shoreline Ampitheatre that we have been invited back to be on the program of NEW ORLEANS BY THE BAY FOOD AND MUSIC FESTIVAL again next year by the Bill Graham Presents people in San Francisco, Cal. JUNE 22 & 23 at Shoreline Ampitheatre-NEW ORLEANS BY THE BAY FOOD AND MUSIC FESTIVAL!! Be sure and catch Jon Hammond & Band at John Lee Hooker's BOOM BOOM ROOM Aug. 14 Outside concerts: Sept. 29-Boedeckker Park, Tenderloin SF Oct. 5-Yerba Buena Garden-SF Sept. 13- in San Jose Airport Southwest Airlines Boarding Area Oct. 10-Manhattan Plaza, New York City Oct. 31-Halloween Party, Laguna Honda Hospital Nov. 30-Boom Boom Room w/ James Brown's drummer Erik Hargrove Dec. 5- Opera Plaza, S.F. Dec. 8- Laguna Honda Hospital Dec. 9-11 OLYMPIC VOYAGER Dec. 25- HHRC Club Jan. 8-11- Westin Rio Resort Puerto Rico March 7-11- Frankfurt Musikmesse 2001 March 9 & 10th- Jazzkeller Hofheim 15 jahr Jubilee Party! *Note: Special Thanks to the musicians...Erik Hargrove of James Brown Soul Generals, Kevin Mauder, Tyrone Starks, Christian Munchinger, Steven King, Tony Horowitz, Lee Oskar (WAR), and especially main man Robert Hutya of Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg and brother Otmar Hutya for helping to make the shows at Musikmesse 2001 a big success!! **And Marco Galeazzi, Donatella and the Excelsior CEMEX team...Special Grazzia!! FRITZ Magazine-Manuel Schreiner, Joachim "Jo-Jo" Tucksen and Jazzkeller Hofheim team, Yucel "ALI" Atiker Universal Video Studios, Joe Berger-B.E.A.M. Audio. March 19th, 2001 Manhattan Plaza (my own birthday party with special friends!) June 23 & 24th, Shoreline Ampitheatre-New Orleans by the Bay Food and Music Festival March 2002- Musikmesse 2002 (16 year JUBILEE!) *March 2002...Return to the Jazzkeller Hofheim! BIG PARTY!! April 28th, 2001-Laguna Honda Hospital, 2 hour walkaround the wards with accordion April 30th, John Lee Hooker's BOOM BOOM ROOM in San Francisco June 2-Laguna Honda Hospital, Clarendon Building June 9th 2001, Opening ceremonies for Emeryville California CITY HALL! June 9th pm-Fairmont Hotel, grand piano June 10th-Hotel Pierre, San Francisco June 15th-Laguna Honda Hospital, Clarendon Building *note! June 23 and 24th Shoreline Show with Bonnie Raitt and The Funky Meters! July 1-Boom Boom Room, S.F. July 10-Manhattan Plaza July 13-NDR Radio Broadcast Hamburg Germany July 17th-NOON TIME SHOW outside at 1275 Market St. San Francisco! August 25th-solo accordion at Laguna Honda Hospital, Clarendon Building August 29th-*NOTE! This show canceled NOON TIME SHOW outside at 525 Market St. San Francisco...don't go. Sept. 20th: Taping: The Jon Hammond Show-big band arrangements of music of Led Zeppelin conducted by trumpeter Bill Warfield at Local 802 hall on W. 48th St. Manhattan **tune in on Time/Warner MNN TV! Sept. 30-Oct. 8th Hamburg Germany Oct. 27th-Laguna Honda Hospital Psych Ward, solo accordion in wards Oct. 27th-clubdate SF Nov. 3rd-Laguna Honda Hospitals, "doubles" 4 hours of continuous accordion music in the wards Nov. 5th-12th, recording sessions New York City Nov. 18th-Boom Boom Room, S.F. Dec. 12-Opera Plaza private holiday party Dec. 14-private christmas party Alfred Hitchcock bldg. Dec. 15-doubles in Laguna Honda Hospital Dec. 19-SF County Women's Jail "Pod E" Women's Jail Facility Dec. 21-Laguna Honda Hospital Dec. 27-Kwaanza Celebration with Ronnie Smith-drums at Laguna Honda Hospital Dec. 31-New Years party with Larry Schneider San Francisco HAPPY NEW YEAR 2002! Jan. 17 and 18 Jon Hammond at NAMM Anaheim! Jan. 19-solo accordion Laguna Honda Hospital Jan. 26-solo accordion in locked wards Laguna Honda Hospital Jan. 27-doubles in Laguna Honda Hospital Feb. 4th-Jury Duty New York City! March 1st-Smiley's Schooner Saloon and Hotel, Bolinas CA with Barry Finnerty guitar March 4th-Jon Hammond Funk Explosion at Boom Boom Room SF March 14-Cafe KLEMM-Frankfurt March 15 + 16th-Jazzkeller Hofheim (Germany) March 30-solo show in Psychiatric Ward of Laguna Honda Hospital SF April 8-American Legion Post Building, 248 132nd St. Harlem NYC April 11-Cobb's Corner-S.F. April 13-doubles at Lagua Honda Hospital April 25-Laguna Honda Hospital May 4-Laguna Honda Hospital May 10-Chicago-Green Mill + Chicago Brauhaus May 12-New York-American Legion Post 132nd St. Harlem May 18-Solo Piano FOUR SEASONS HOTEL S.F. May 19-Doubles: Laguna Honda Hospital S.F. June 1 - Doubles: Laguna Honda Hospital, solo on Casio MZ2000 June 6 - Bruno's Nightclub and Restaurant S.F.,, trio on Hammond B3 organ June 7 - Bruno's - trio gig and Police Sound Check pursuant to S.F. Police Commision Hearing June 12- solo piano at Bruno's Nightclub June 14- organ trio at Bruno's Nightclub SF. June 22 and 23-SHORELINE AMPITHEATRE-the 14th annual NEW ORLEANS BY THE BAY FOOD AND MUSIC FESTIVAL..opening show for Taj Mahal and Delbert McClinton! July 6- American Legion Post, Harlem NYC 132nd St. July 9- Recording session with Joe Berger NYC July 13- wedding in Nevada City CA July 19- Laguna Honda Hospital SF July 25- East Park Apartments' "Tony" the maintenance man's retirement luncheon S.F. July 25- Bruno's Nightclub S.F. - organ trio Aug. 17- Wedding gig Central Park NYC Aug. 24- doubles accordion gig at Laguna Honda Hospital Aug. 25- Cotati Accordion Festival Aug. 27- Jon Hammond Trio at Bruno's SF Sept. 6- session with guitarist Bill Wurtzel NYC Sept. 9- production meeting with Bernard Purdie Sept. 11- 9/11 United Airlines / Amercian Airlines Memorial Tribute to the Heroes in Washington Square Park NYC Sept. 19- 2 hour accordion concert Times Square Subway sation Sept. 22- recording session with Ronnie Smith and Alex Budman in Local 6 hall San Frandcisco Sept. 28th- Doubles accordion gig in Clarnedon Hall, Laguna Honda Hospital S.F. October 16-19 MUSIC CHINA Shanghai China! Oct. 16th evening, Jon will perform at the Shanghai Grand Theatre- Opening Night Reception of Music China with FangLin the phenomenal 14 year old accordion champion of China! While in Shanghai Mr. Hammond is a guest of the Renaissance Yangtze Shanghai Hotel: (0086).21-627.50000 Oct. 28- Laguna Honda Hospital, "doubles" solo Oct. 29- Recording at Local 6 hall SF Oct. 29- Bruno's SF with Ronnie Smith/Alex Budman *spcl. guests: Michael Rinta & Joe Rodriguez Nov. 5/6- recording new record- Unique Studios Times Square NYC w/Alex Budman, Ronnie Smith and Joe Berger at the controls. Nov. 16- taping for TV: "Alice in Wonderland" show with Igor & Ilona Kisil and Company at the world-famous Odessa Nightclub in Brighton Beach Brooklyn Nov. 23- Osaka Japan-Rug Time w/ Midori Ono Nov. 27- Photo Shoot for cover: "Hammond's Bolero" Brennan's and train track Berkeley CA Nov. 30- Doubles Laguna Honda Hospital- SF Dec. 3, 4, 5- Studio sessions w/Joe Berger- NYC Dec. 10- Opera Plaza Christmas event- S.F. Dec. 16- SF County Jail #8, "Pod E" Dec. 21- Doubles Laguna Honda Hospital- S.F. Dec. 25th - Christmas show Laguna Honda Hospital Dec. 30 - Session with saxophonist Don Pender and drummer Bob Ramirez at Local 6 Union Hall Dec. 31 - New Years date CANCELED Horizons Sausalito...band replaced with gay dj "party"..don't go! I'll be flying to New York City just in time to catch the ball drop in Times Square. HAPPY NEW YEARS 2003! 2003 Gigs: My new album "Hammond's Bolero" is coming out Jan. 9th! *info: http://www.amazon.com/Hammonds-Bolero-Jon-Hammond/dp/B000BX372E Jan. 16- NAMM Anaheim Jan. 21- Frankfurt Germany Jan. 22/23 NDR Radio Hamburg Jan. 24- Hamburg Germany- Birdland Jazz Club with Lutz Buchner- tenor sax, Heinz Lichius- drums *note: Birdland gig was packed!! **Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper wrote: Ob Doors-Liebhaber oder Baseball Freak: Sie alle lieben die SCHWEINEORGEL besser bekannt als Hammondorgel Ein Meister am Erzdamon der Musikinstrumente ist nomen est omen - Jon Hammond. Der Tastengott und TV - Pionier ist zurzeit mit Lutz Buchner, Ed Harris, und Heinz Lichius unterwegs, um Groove-Jazz mit maximaler Ausdrucskraft zum Besten zu geben. Am 24.1. (21Uhr) macht Jon Hammond Station im Birdland (Gartnerstrasse 122). Eintritt 9 Euro Feb. 1 - Laguna Honda Hospital solo show Feb. 14 - Happy Valentine's Day everybody! My cd just went on sale at NYC's oldest record store: COLONY RECORDS ! Broadway & W. 49th St. Feb. 15 - American Legion Post, 248 132nd St. Harlem NY with trumpetist Sheldon "The Big Dipper" Sweeper! Feb. 28 - Live on radio KPOO 89.5FM with JJ! March 1 - 4pm-Tower Records SF (Columbus & Bay St.) in-store party/concert with food and special guests! To promote new cd HAMMOND'S BOLERO with Jon Hammond Trio live March 5-9 Musikmesse Frankfurt Germany March 7th/8th-Jazzkeller Hofheim (near Frankfurt) Musikmesse party/concert with Harry Petersen-sax (HR Radio Band) and Heinz Lichius-drums (NDR Radio Band) *plus special guest LEE OSKAR March 17th-Radio appearance on Pete Fallico's DOODLIN' LOUNGE show at KUSP FM: www.KUSP.org streaming worldwide! March 29th-doubles Laguna Honda Hospital SF *Note: Canceled due to War: April 3-20th nightly show aboard world's fastest cruise ship Royal Olympia Explorer Ft. Lauderdale to Portugal, Casablanca, Tunisia, Venice, Piraeus Greece April 20th- Easter Jazz Brunch at ROTH'S STEAKHOUSE W. 93rd & Coumbus New York City with Bill Wurtzel-guitar 12noon-4pm April 28th, 8.30pm-Release Party/Concert with Joe Berger and band at Le Bar Bat NYC on W. 57th St. May 3, 2.30pm - release party/concert with Alan Hall-drums and Alex Budman-tenorsax at RASPUTIN RECORDS on Telegraph Ave. Berkeley. Free Fantastic Food! and 1 hour concert! May 10- Laguna Honda Hospital, doubles May 22-Pumpkins, Brooklyn NY in trio with Clarence "Tootsie" Bean-drums, Bill Saxton-sax, Jon on XB-2 June 7-Irish Cultural Center with Jimi James 45th and Sloat San Francisco June 8-Laguna Honda Hospital June 9th at 3pm Pacific Time - live in-studios of KCSM radio with program director Jesse Chuy Varela! listen worldwide on stream! *click wwwKCSM.org June 21/22- First time in Moscow Russia! with incredible tenor saxophonist Igor Butman and Eduard Zizak-drums! - Le Club Moscow Hammond's Bolero now on WBGO Rotation Playlist! June 27- WBGO visit with Gary Walker June 29- Special guest at WBGO Members Party June 30- 9:30pm East Coast time: worldwide streaming broadcast of The Jon Hammond Show tv show! channel 56 at www.MNN.org July 8- Crossroads in Garwood NJ, WBGO's Stan Meyers hosting July 19- Jazz Brunch 12-4PM: Roth's Westside Steakhouse NYC with Bill Wurtzel-guitar, Rudy Lawless-drums July 22- Roth's Westside Steakhouse NY with guitarist Bill Wurtzel July 31- recording session w/Larry Newcomb-gtr. at Local 802 hall Aug. 6- Private Party Opera Plaza San Francisco Aug. 7- Virgin Megastore SF (Market/Stockton) in-store party/concert at 1PM with Ronnie Smith Jr.-dums, Marc Baum-tenor sax, jh-Hammond org. Aug. 8, 9, 10, 16- Laguna Honda Hospital Aug. 15- Radio interview taping with Louie Bellson at Jazz Nouveau San Francisco Sept. 6- American Legion Post, Harlem NYC 248, 132nd St. NY with Sheldon "Big Dipper" Sweeper-trumpet and special guests Sept. 8/9- Eddie Money Portland Maine Sept. 18- Guest of Jazz At Lincoln Center "Moscow Nights" concert with Igor Butman Bigband together with Wynton Marsalis' Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Alice Tully Hall Sept. 25th, CANCELED: 12Noon-1:30PM San Francisco Opera Plaza Fountain Sept. 27/28- Laguna Honda Hospital Oct. 2/4th- Laguna Honda Hospital Oct. 9- Featured on Voice Of America Radio (VOA) "Border Crossings Show"! Oct. 15-18th- Music China Shanghai China Oct. 17 & 18th- Portman Ritz Carlton Hotel Shanghai with drummer Danny Woody! saxophone tba Oct. 25th- Duo with Marc Baum- Fairmont Hotel Venetian Room SF for Lowell High School Sports Foundation Oct. 28/29th- 2 nights with Eddie Money! at Iron Door Saloon, Groveland California Oct. 29th- Solo at Hole #1 tee-off of Eddie Money Celebrity Golf Tournament, Pine Mountain Lake benefit for Tioga High School *Condolences to the Barsotti Family on the tragic death of Bettike Barsotti, she and surviving husband Peter are proprietors of Iron Door Saloon. Oct. 31-campaign work for relection of SF District Attorney Terence Hallinan, 724 Van Ness SF Nov. 1- Solo show at Laguna Honda Hospital Nov. 6- Cancelonie Nov. 15- Jazz Factory- Louisville Kentucky Nov. 19-23- Castelfidardo Italy Excelsior tour Dec. 4- Post Net one year anniversary party-Vallejo CA Dec. 9- SF County Jail #8 women's facility Dec. 10th- Private party Opera Plaza San Francisco Dec. 11th- Laguna Honda Hospital Dec. 13th- secure psych ward gig Dec. 18-25- sessions in New York City Dec. 24th- Roth's Westside Steakhouse Christmas Eve Show! 93rd & Columbus New York City Dec. 31- New Years at Hotel Charlotte Groveland CA 2004 Schedule: Jan. 7- Live KPOO 89.5 "Blues w/Noel Show", 9-11AM...worldwide at www.KPOO.com Jan. 8- Laguna Honda Hospital main building 7PM Jan. 15-18th- NAMM Show Anaheim Calfornia Jan. 21-25- IAJE Hilton Hotel New York City Feb. 2- 20th Anniversary of The Jon Hammond Show! which has run uninterrupted for 20 years. Cocktail reception at Roth's Steakhouse Feb. 4- Trio with Bill Wurtzel and Rudy Lawless 6-10PM Feb. 5 & 6- Guest of James Brown Band at BB King's NY Feb. 11th- Press Conference: Laurie Anderson "New Sound...New York" Feb. 12th- Session: Pumpkins Brooklyn, NY with Clarence "Tootsie" Bean, George Braith, Greg Lewis Feb. 18- Berklee College of Music workshop Feb. 20- Guest of Sons of Champlin, McNear's Mystic Theatre, Petaluma CA Feb. 21- Laughing Duck Winery, Ukiah CA Feb. 22- Laguna Honda Hospital Feb. 22- Hilton Hotel Reno Nevada Feb. 23- Penn Valley, CA Feb. 23- Jon Hammond Show TV: Jazz Factory special from Louisville KY Feb. 28- Laguna Honda Hospital March 11- Guest Appearance with drummer Tootsie Bean at Pumpkins, Brooklyn NY *Carol Sudhalter-saxes March 12- Photo Session with Sheldon "Big Dipper" Sweeper and Dido the drummer at St. Nick's Pub, 149th St. Harlem March 22- Roth's Westside Steakhouse with guitarist Bill Wurtzel 6-10PM March 25 & 28- Laguna Honda Hospital March 31-April 4th- Musikmesse Frankfurt Germany April 2/3- Jazzkeller Hofheim Musikmesse Party! *with: Heinz Lichius-drums, Kevin Mauder-tenor sax, Joe Berger-guitar Mini-tour in North Germany *with: Heinz cLichius-drums, Gabriel Coburger-tenor sax, Joe Berger-guitar, Jon Hammond-organ April 5- Blue Montag: Ham-Berger Band in Harburg at Schnulze! April 7- Blue Moon Bar, Bremen Germany April 9- Birdland Hamburg Ham-Berger Band! with Heinz Lichius, tenor sax: Gabriel Coburger April 16- Laguna Honda Hospital San Francisco April 29- WBGO 25 Year Anniversary Celebration participation www.WBGO.org May 3- Guest with Jon Paris at BB King's New York City May 6- Special Guest of Cirque Du Soleil Musicians at opening night Alegria at Randall's Island NY May 14- Special Guest of Eddie Money at Northern Lights Albany/Clifton Park NY May 24- The Jon Hammond Show TV First-Ever All-Digital Broadcast! May 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26-WBGO studios fund drive June 5&6- Millennium Theatre Brooklyn: Filming Igor Butman Bigband & Larisa Dolina for Jon Hammond TV Show June 8- Birdland NYC: Filming Igor Butman Bigband & Larisa Dolina for Jon Hammond TV Show June 24- Hipbone Records' studio session July 9- Rondure Music Club, 24 Prince St. (Soho) New York City, duo with saxophonist Tim Armacost July 17 & 18- Concerts in Moscow-CANCELED-Le Club with Igor Butman & Eduard Zizak July 24 & 25th- Laguna Honda Hospital July 28- KPOO Radio broadcast on "Blues With Noel Show" 10AM-2PM July 29&30th- Jon Hammond Quartet at Grant & Green in North Beach San Francisco Aug. 5- Laguna Honda Hospital SF Aug. 7- Laguna Honda Hospital SF Aug. 13- Duo with saxophonist Tim Armacost at Rondure Music Club/Restaurant NY Aug. 21- Jazzkeller Frankfurt returning after many years! with Kevin Mauder-tenor sax Joe Berger live DVD filming, join the party! Aug. 27- Schnulze, Harburg-Hamburg Germany Sept. 4- 19 Broadway Fairfax Cal. JH Band Sept. 19- Jazz Ambassadors Tour adjudicating-Canceled Sept. 17,18, 20,21, 22- WBGO 6AM Sept. 22- receiving first Sidekick II unit Oct. 2- Postponed: Accordion sub: Fiddler On The Roof on Broadway NYC Oct. 8- Guest of Joe Berger/David Marx, Huckapoo debut concert at Town Hall Oct. 12- Laguna Honda Hospital SF Cal. Oct. 15- Laguna Honda Hospital Oct. 17- Fly to Shanghai China Oct. 19- Play at Ritz Carlton Hotel Shanghai with Danny Woody and shows at Music China through Oct. 23rd Oct. 28th- AES Berklee College of Music Alumni Night Oct. 30- Laguna Honda Hospital SF Oct. 31- Fly to New York Nov. 2nd- DON'T FORGET TO VOTE...For Kerry! Nov.3rd- VOA Radio 15:00 UTC Nov. 6- Cleopatra's Needle NY Jon Hammond Quartet with Matt Smith-guitar & Tootsie Bean-drums & Brett Ryan-alto sax Nov. 13- Tunica Miracle Tour with Larry Liddell, Tunica Mississippi Nov. 14- WROX 1450 AM Blues radio appearance, Home of the Blues! Clarksdale Mississippi www.wroxblues.com Nov. 14- Guest at Aretha Franklin concert-Horeshoe Casino, Bluesville Robinsonville/Tunica MS *Special thanks: Larry Liddell Tunica Miracle! Nov. 22- Jon Hammond Show TV Show broadcast from Cleopatra's Needle Club Nov. 25- Happy Thanksgiving! Turkey dinner on United Airlines flight Nov. 27&28th- Laguna Honda Hospital Dec. 6- Jon Hammond Trio live in SF County Jail #8, 4th year! Dec. 7- Laguna Honda Hospital Dec. 8- Live for 1 hour at 1PM on KCSM 91.1 Jazz Radio with Chris Cortez Dec. 11- Laguna Honda Hospital Dec. 12- Guest at Bobby Blue Bland concert, Diamond Hall SF Sunday Blues & Jazz Club Dec. 15- *note: Canceled, harpist hired: Private party: Opera Plaza SF Dec. 17- Laguna Honda Hospital Christmas Party Dec. 20- Microsoft's *new MSN TV2 & Jon Hammond go online, streaming worldwide at the speed of light! Dec. 31/Jan. 1-Happpy New Years 2005! Times Square NY European tour support by Hammond Deutschland, Michael Maier Falkenstein and Excelsior Accordions 2005 SCHEDULE: Jan 1- New Years Eve in Times Square NY! Jan. 3- Ruth's Chris Steakhouse San Francisco Jan. 5-8 IAJE Convention Long Beach CA Jan. 6- ASCAP/IAJE Commissions Gil Evans Fellowship, Terrace Theatre Jan. 7- NEA Jazz Masters Awards Jan. 9- Laguna Honda Hospital Jan. 10-14- Macworld San Francisco Jan. 11- Meeting with Apple's Steve Jobs ! Jan. 18- Laguna Honda Hospital Jan. 18 James Brown show, House of Blues Anaheim CA CANCELED Jan. 20-23 NAMM Anaheim CA Jan. 29- Laguna Honda Hospital Jan. 31- Local 6 Union Meeting Feb. 2- 21st year anniversary of Jon Hammond Show TV Show! Beginning 22nd year. Feb. 6- Laguna Honda Hospital Feb. 9- Laguna Honda Hospital Feb. 11- Laguna Honda Hospital Feb. 12- Laguna Honda Hospital March 12- EDITH PIAF CAFE-Paris France! March 14- ONE WAY CAFE- Paris France!-Canceled! (by me) March 17-funeral- Suisun Valley CA March 18- Laguna Honda Hospital SF CA March 28- Flying to Germany! Arrive Hamburg 3/29 Mar. 31- Multimedia with Michael August ILLUSTRATORP at VILLON in Hamburg by Hauptbahnhof! April 1 & 2- Hamburg Germany/NDR Radio April 5- Jazzkeller Frankfurt : Musikmesse 2005 Party! JON HAMMOND BAND April 6-9- Frankfurt Musikmesse April 15- Cleopatra's Needle Club-NYC Tax Day Party! April 27-CANCELED! Promoter is out of there! Smith's Restaurant Bar-NYC 44th St. May 28- Laguna Honda Hospital May 29- Laguna Honda Hospital June 4- Guest-Aretha Franklin Gospelfest June 4- late night: Guest- Igor & Illonka Kissil at Odessa in Brighton Beach Brookly June 5- WBGO Volunteers Party June 7- Southwest Airlines BWI Interview June 25- Laguna Honda Hospital June 27- Laguna Honda Hospital July 4- Laguna Honda Hospital (doubles) July 4- Guest- Shoreline Amitheatre 4th of July San Francisco Symphony Orchestra & Fireworks! produced by Mick Brigden July 6- Laguna Honda Hospital July 9- Laguna Honda Hospital July 23- Berklee College of Music Alum Songwriters Workshop July 27- Nursing Home show-NYC Aug. 27- Laguna Honda Hospital Aug. 28- Laguna Honda Hospital Sept. 5- Laguna Honda Hospital Sept. 6- Laguna Honda Hospital Sept. 16- Cleopatra's Needle NYC Sept. 22- Nursing Home show-NYC Oct. 18- Music China Warm Up Party-Shanghai Ritz-Carlton Dec. 2-4 NDR Radio Studio 1 Hamburg Germany Dec. 8- Nursing home show NYC Dec. 19- Laguna Honda Hospital morning show Dec. 19- San Francisco County Jail #8 Pods D & E with JH TRIO: Marc Baum-t.sax, Jon Otis-drums Dec. 20- Laguna Honda Hospital Dec. 22- Las Vegas Mirage Hotel private party Dec. 24- Laguna Honda Hospital Igor Butman & Gary Walker (WBGO Program Director/Host) March 5th 2004, Friday morning bright and early at 7 in the morning, Igor Butman and I met at Port Authority Bus Station and I took Igor out to WBGO radio studios to be a special guest on Gary Walker's morning broadcast. Here they are pictured outside the WBGO www.WBGO.org studios located at 54 Park Place in downtown Newark NJ. Gary had such a good time interviewing his old friend Igor that he stayed on the air 15 minutes past the normal end of his show. Later Igor and I spent a good part of the day kicking around the music stores on W.48th St. where Igor stocked up on supplies for his bigband members back in Moscow before his quartet gig in the evening at Birdland. I'll be back in Moscow to play with Igor this coming July http://youtu.be/-34rP08PwrY 12,176 Organist JON HAMMOND in concert with saxophonist IGOR BUTMAN, ALEXEI KUZNETZOV (gtr.), VLADIMIR DANILIN (accordion) & EDUARD ZIZAK (drums) together for the first time in MOSCOW RUSSIA at LE CLUB in THEATRE TAGANKA *Special Thanks: FAINA COBHAM *Official Site: http://www.HammondCast.com http://youtu.be/mvWY8rG163E 5,072 Organist & CBS/KYCY Radio Host JON HAMMOND playing in Trio with Russian tenor saxophonist IGOR BUTMAN & EDUARD ZIZAK-drums in LE CLUB in THEATRE TAGANKA. The beautiful Ballad "Easy Living" *JENNIFER-Camera *Special Thanks-FAINA ANTONOVA, HAMMOND SUZUKI, ALEXANDER VERSHBOW brucebud 4 years ago beautiful ballad playing. Simply beautiful. Jon you have such a great expressiveness on that XB2. Butman gets such a warm sound. Great ensemble rendition all around. Reply · stalinmalcovich 6 years ago Butman is the best Reply · brucebud 7 years ago Superb ballad playing from Jon Hammond. This guy is highly skilled, y'all. Good percussion sound on the organ. Good to hear Igor in a more subdued setting since he can play great high energy. Nice candenza at the end. http://youtu.be/HY7pHhxgE_A 4,914 Organist and Broadcaster Jon Hammond traveled to Moscow Russia and played this concert together with Russian musicians Vladimir Danilin (accordion), Alexei Kuznetsov (guitar), Igor Butman (tenor sax) and Eduard Zizak (drums), Jon Hammond on organ and bass playing Wine and Roses on this memorable date June 25th 2003. Moscow: Vladimir Danilin, Jon Hammond, Igor Butman, Alexei Kuznetsov, Eduard Zizak on HammondCast as heard on daily radio program HammondCast http://www.HammondCast.com Special thanks: Faina Antonova, Marat Garipov, Hotel Rossiya, Hammond Suzuki http://youtu.be/GSckuJmTGhs Long running Cable Access TV Show The Jon Hammond Show flashes back with some vintage segments including in studio Eddie Money rehearsal with Paul Shaffer and band at NBC pre-broadcast on David Letterman set with cameo from Biff Henderson, Will Lee, Anton Fig, special thanks Jeff Samaha NBC Stage Manager, then to Providence Rhode Island 1987 performance at The Living Room with John Entwistle and Rat Race Choir doing a kick ass cover of Young Man Blues mixed live by Joe Berger. An impromptu palm percussion performance by Will Lee and then the classic Jon Hammond Show opening with famed weather man Lloyd Lindsay Young and cable access veteran Harold Hudson Channer and Jon Hammond in conversation on Harold's program Conversations introducing a segment in Moscow Russia with Jon Hammond in concert in Trio with saxophonist Igor Butman, drummer Ed Zizak, as Harold says "It's a Global Village!" Enjoy this historic documentary and stay tuned for more from Mr. Hammond's Archives http://www.HammondCast.com Biff Henderson, Eddie Money, John Entwistle, Joe Berger, Studio, Jon Hammond Show, Music, Travel, Soft, News, Organ, Bass, Singer, Palm Percussionist, TV Show, Cable Access International Kultur and Multi Media Productions BackBeat Productions, New York USA San Francisco, Times Square office New York, New York Jon Hammond-RESUME Born: Chicago 1953 Instruments: Organ, Accordion, Piano Attended: Berklee College of Music, Boston 1974. Currently studying International Business on Internet at City College of San Francisco under Professor Bruce Lilienthal Languages: English, German Musician: Jon has played professionally since age 12. Beginning as a solo accordionist, he later played Hammond B3 organ with a number of important San Francisco bands. His all-original rock group "Hades" opened shows for Tower of Power, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Michael Bloomfield. Eddie Money and Barry Finnerty became musical associates. Moving east, he attended Berklee and played venues as diverse as Boston's "Combat Zone" and the exclusive Wychmere Harbor Club in Cape Cod, where he was house organist and developed a lasting friendship with House Speaker Tip O'Niel. He also toured the Northeast and Canada with the successful show revue "Easy Living", and continued his appearances at nightclubs in Boston and New York. Subsequently Hammond lived and traveled in Europe, where he has an entusiastic following. TV/Video Producer: In 1981 Jon formed BackBeat Productions. Assisted by Lori Friedman (Video by LORI), the innovative TV show became a Manhattan Cable TV favorite. Jon's "Live on the Street" video style included news events, as well as live music/video clips of Dizzy Gillespie, Paul Butterfield Jaco Pastorious, John Entwistle, Sammy Davis Jr. and Percy Sledge. The weekly show ran uninterupted for 21 years and influenced the broadcasts of David Letterman and others. Billboard Magazine hailed Jon's show as "The Alternative to MTV". The Jon Hammond Show can be seen worldwide at various times from www.MNN.org on Channels 56 and 108 in Manhattan. Media Personality: Host and narrator of his TV show, as well as co-host of numerous radio braodcasts, Jon has defined a musical and personal style that is unmistakable. As Musical Director, Producer and Host of The Jon Hammond Show, Mr. Hammond formed a unique multi-media music group. This spring they will return to Europe to perform at the Frankfurt Musikmesse for 22nd year Jubilee! Hammond has produced a live Sennheiser Microphone CD release, and played throughout Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland and Czech Republic. October 16th 2002 Mr. Hammond performed in duo together with FangLin, the Chinese accordion champion sensation to inaugurate the new international trade show-MUSIC CHINA at the official opening reception in Shanghai China! Description: "The Jon Hammond Show" is a funky, swinging Jazz instrumental revue, featuring notable international soloists and reflecting the influences of The Crusaders, Miles Davis, and Jimmy Smith. The show has universal appeal. Members of the "Jon Hammond Show" house band have included David "Fathead" Newman, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, Alex Foster and Cornell Dupree. Member local 6, local 802 and ASCAP contact: JON HAMMOND International Mr. Hammond hosting a special tour and promotion of the International Musikmesse in Frankfurt on American military tv! American Forces Network Radio/TV provides programming to the men and women of the American Forces around the world where ever they are. Jon Hammond has broadcast live on the military band on the "Powerlite Show" with in-depth interview and live playing in-studio with his band. And as special host on AFN TV's "Profile Show"! Jon is playing the World's Largest Hand Built Accordion at the Musikmesse 2002, Frankfurt Germany. It was built by the legendary accordion craftsmen of Castelfidardo Italy. BOB POPYK of AFM's INTERNATIONAL MUSICIAN Magazine profiles JON HAMMOND in his monthly motivational column: FOCUS ! Focus International Musician, July 2005 Whatever Happened to Those Jazz Clubs on Every Corner? I live in a city of about 250,000 people. Vinnie Falcone, a member of Local 369 (Las Vegas, NV) who played and conducted for Frank Sinatra, and now works with Steve & Eydie and Robert Goulet, used to live and work here. That was about 35 years ago. When he wasn't selling pianos for a local Hammond/Steinway dealer, he probably played in almost every club within a 20-mile radius of here at one time or another. There were tons of them. Falcone and I talked about this just the other day. We came up with the names of the clubs that used live music five to seven nights a week. They could be found on almost on every street corner. Now they are all gone. Jazz groups, blues bands, singles, duos, and trios were always working; and if you came up with a new group you could, in all likelihood, find a club owner who would give you a shot. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. It's tough to make a living as a jazz musician today. But É you can make a living if you work at it. Like most things, I think it's just a matter of wanting it badly enough. One thing I've found out from the readers of this column is that musicians seem to be divided into two segments: 1) musicians who won't play anything they don't like or any venue that doesn't suit them; and 2) musicians who need to work because they need to pay their bills and find all kinds of ways to fill their calendar. I still get occasional letters from readers who say that it's not their fault that they are not getting enough work. I guess then the logical question would be: whose fault is it? I really appreciate the insight of those musicians who have creative and interesting ways of finding work, and I sympathize with the musicians who need to get out there and find gigs just to pay the rent. I don't have all the answers, but a lot of our fellow AFM members have some very good answers. One in particular is Jon Hammond, a member of Local 802 (New York City) and Local 6 (San Francisco, CA). Hammond has found a way to get his own TV show broadcast on Time Warner Cable and RCN cable access, he has produced a CD that gets airplay on jazz radio stations around the world, and he plays at Music Performance Fund (MPF) gigs on a regular basis on both coasts. He has booked himself on several European tours, played jazz clubs in Germany and many other locations in Europe, year after year, and has found a way to obtain instruments from national manufacturers for endorsements, advertising, or trial. Hammond is also a perfect example of "success being in the mind of the beholder." When he put together his first self-booked German tour 20 years ago, he saved up enough money to fly to Europe on Pakistan Airlines. He only had $50 in his pocket when he landed there. Hammond came home 10 months later with $150 in his pocket. He was able to pay for rent, food, and everything he needed during his time on the road in Europe. He wasn't rich, but he was happy--and he firmly believes it was also a terrific learning experience. Over the ensuing years Hammond has performed with some of the world's top jazz musicians, and he now lives in midtown Manhattan and plays any and every job he can, on either coast. Money is not his prime motivation. He just loves to play. He makes it work, through sheer hard work, and he prides himself on being a union musician. If you are a jazz musician, perhaps you might like to ask him some questions of your own, and share some ideas. Hammond is very approachable. His phone number is (212) 967-1858. Ask him about how he put together his TV show, how he successfully gets radio airplay, how he lands MPF gigs, and how, through it all, he always keeps money coming in to pay the rent. He's found a way to do state-funded programs in prisons, nursing home gigs, and casual dates in clubs. (He's scrambled so much over the years that his new CD is called Late Rent.) Hammond does not play for free. He finds ways to get paid. He agrees that the only thing you get out of playing a free gig is the opportunity to do another free gig. I know jazz musicians can have a tough struggle, and it's true that there simply are not as many places to play as there once were. But that is not to say that jazz players can't find work. Venues have changed, clubs have closed, but people still want to listen to cool sounds. Jazz festivals in major cities are still popular. Radio stations still offer jazz programs. PBS stations showcase jazz artists in their programming. It's just not as easy to make money at it as it once was, but you can still make a living. I don't have all the answers. I think Hammond has some. I bet if you brainstorm with your fellow AFM members who specialize in jazz, you can go one better and come up with a lot of other ideas yourself. A positive attitude is obviously going to play a big part, but if you want to play jazz and make a few bucks, there are certainly ways to do it. It really is a matter of wanting to be a jazz musician badly enough. --Bob Popyk is a member of Local 78 (Syracuse, NY) and Local 47 (Los Angeles). BACK *LISTEN TO THE AUDIO HERE: HammondCast Little Red Riding Hood With Jazzbo Collins Jon Hammond's Journal June 30 2013 Jon's special archive http://archive.org/details/HammondCast_22 Al Jazzbo Collins Chris Cortez and Jon Hammond This episode of HammondCast on KYOU 1550 AM Radio features some historic recordings of Jon Hammond with radio & tv legend AL "JAZZBEAUX" COLLINS, this will blow your socks off! Al does a complete recitation of his Hipster version of "Little Red Ridinghood" accompanied by Jon on the Hammond organ live. Also radio host CHRIS CORTEZ talking about how Jon and Jazzbeaux almost blew up the transmitter for the radio station by plugging the Hammond organ directly in as a late-night experiment on the Bay Area station...wooops! All worked out ok, but the Chief Engineer and Station Manager were a little bit upset the next day. Going back even a few more years, Al Jazzbeaux breaks Jon's recording of "Sidewinder" on the now defunct but legendary and most powerful station of New York City-WNEW 1130 AM. For Al Jazzbeaux Collins freaks, this HammondCast episode is a MUST. Jon Hammond is a member of Local 802 & Local 6 Musicians Unions and an ASCAP Composer/Publisher-JON HAMMOND International, Inc. No singers on Mr. Hammond's band..."The FINGERS...are the SINGERS!" http://www.HammondCast.com Anaheim California -- This was a great P.Mauriat Party! at Winter NAMM a years ago - here with Alejandro Chiabrando and Alex Mingmann Hsieh - Jon Hammond — with Alejandro Chiabrando and Alex Mingmann Hsieh at Clarion Hotel Anaheim. It's not Simon and Garfunkle..Tino Pavlis and Joe Berger! Jon Hammond — with Tino Pavlis and Joe Berger at musikmesse From my first CD booklet - first release of "Late Rent" on Hotwire Records - collector edition! Jon Hammond August 28, 1989 - Alex Foster on the Saxophone Chair in my band "Jon Hammond and The Late Rent Session Men at Mikell's on Columbus Avenue NYC, sounded great Alex! - JH http://youtu.be/BIvQDISkOF0 Based on a TRUE story, Hammond wrote this song first performed Aug. 28th 1989 at Mikell's NYC: PARTY IS FORBIDDEN HERE! This film features drummers Bernard Purdie & Chuggy Leslie J. Carter, the Power-House Rhythm Section getting down! Jon Hammond at his 1959 B3 organ along with Alex Foster tenor sax.. 21 years old - I found out my first day at Berklee College of Music in 1973 that I could not have accordion or Hammond organ as my principle instrument, I was sure mad about that! They sent me to the piano practice rooms with the broken out-of-tune Kawaii pianos with cigarette burns all over them, saxophone players playing scales on either side in the practice booths and drummers, it was nuts - Jon Hammond http://www.accordionradio.com/news.html — at Berklee College of Music This is the Gretel & Alfons on the Große Freiheit 29, 22767 Hamburg where The Beatles hung out and drank beers back in the days when they were playing long nights at The Star Club just steps away. My friend Horst Jankowiak (R.I.P.) who was the owner told me that Paul McCartney returned there in 1989 and paid up their outstanding tab for beers leftover from 1961, and gave the house a pretty good tip as well. Very sad to hear that Horst has died, he had myself and Joe Berger sign in the house guest book on the next page over from where Jimi Hendrix had signed it - I met Lee Curtis there in Gretel & Alfons and Lee walked with me and showed me the place where Star Club had burnt down - Lee Curtis (from Liverpool) played The Star Club more than any other performer - quite a legacy there folks! Jon Hammond WebTV, MSN TV, MSNTV2, Microsoft, Jon Hammond, Pagebuilder, Websites, Jazz, Blues, ASCAP, NAMM, Musikmesse, Musicians Union, Local 802, Organ, Accordion, Hamburg, NDR