So, I’m not going to tonight’s Bob Dylan concert at the Prospect Park Bandshell. Instead my son and a friend are using my tickets. That’s because we’re in Sag Harbor, on a long-planned week away. That’s the real reason we’re not going.

Truth be told, I did consider coming back in for the show (it’s only a two-hour drive). But last month I decided to give the tickets to my son, who is a huge Bob Dylan fan. In a sense, I am passing the baton. Really. It’s his turn to carry the flame for Bob. Mr. Bob. Mr. Bob Bob Dylan (as George Harrison said at the Concert for Bangladesh).

And tonight, he’s expecting a life changing experience. I know how he feels.

When the Bob Dylan tickets went on sale on line back in June I was one of the first to type in Tilden, the special code word that enabled me to buy two $85 dollar tickets.

Expensive yes. But it was Bob Dylan. In my own backyard. Bob Dylan at the Prospect Park Bandshell. Who could resist?

I could tell that Hepcat was dubious about my purchase. He thought it was an awful lot of money. Besides, weren’t we going away that week.

Well, yeh. But it didn’t matter. It was Bob Dylan. In Brooklyn. In my own backyard. The Prospect Park Bandshell. True, we were going to be away the week of August 12th but we weren’t going far. I could always come back to the city for the night from Sag Harbor.

It was Dylan after all.

A little history. Me and Bob Dylan go back, way back. I mean not only is he the voice of my generation, he’s the voice of my life. I’ve been listening to his records and singing his songs for practically my entire life. When I was 11, my parents gave me a vintage leather jacket (from Ridge Furs on 8th Street) and a Bob Dylan songbook.

I loved the little aviator’s jacket. But that songbook. That was my bible for so many years because as a budding singer/songwriter, that was my music.

Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright. Bob Dylan’s Dream. All I Really Want to Do. Blowin’ in the Wind. A Hard Rains’ A Gonna Fall.  This was my music. These were my songs.

And the albums: Freewheeling Bob Dylan. Highway 61 Revisited. Blonde on Blonde. Self Portrait. Nashville Skyline. Blood on the Tracks.

I saw Bob Dylan and the Band at Madison Square Garden, at the Arena in Binghamton, NY, at Radio City Music Hall, at Madison Square Garden with Tom Petty, at Madison Square Garden during his born-again phase, at Madison Square Garden in concert with Joni Mitchell.

I saw Bob Dylan on 8th Avenue in Park Slope across the Street from the Montauk Club back in 1999 on y son’s birthday and I asked him for an autograph. He obliged and signed his name on the back of an American Express billing envelope. Luckily I didn’t mail it.

About a year later my son bought me The Definitive Bob Dylan Songbook for my birthday. He’d told me for days that "I’d probably start to cry when I opened it." And he was right. I did start to cry because I was very touched.

So tonight he goes to his first Bob Dylan show. He knows that Dylan can barely sing anymore. That you can’t recognize the songs because Dylan changes the tunes. My son told me that Dylan may do an all-piano show and he won’t be playing guitar or harmonica (not sure where he heard that).

My son is ready for anything and I’m happy he’s going. Which doesn’t mean I don’t want to be there because I do. But I’m passing on the baton, the baton. Passing on the baton.

The son of avante-garde film legend, Ken Jacobs, who made Flaming Creatures (with Jack Smith), Tom Tom the Piper’s Son, Star Spangled to Death, and various seminal film performances, Azazel Jacobs is the director of Momma’s Man, a film that takes place in the Chinatown loft where he grew up and features his mother painter Flo Jacobs and his dad.

As a student at SUNY-Binghamton in the 1970’s I took numerous film classes with the great Ken Jacobs. His course, the Joy of Cinema, taught in collaboration with the poet Milton Kessler, was an unforgettable experience.

I can remember Jacobs, who was a (and may still be a Professor of Cinema at SUNY-Binghamton) talking lovingly about his son Aza, who was named, I think, for the Wizard of Oz, a film Jacob brilliantly analyzed (verbally, not published).

Now Aza is 35 and a narrative filmmaker in his own right. His film, Momma’s Man was a hit at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and there will be a sneak preview at BAM this Friday. They are showing other films as well. Don’t miss it if you’re in town. Here’s the blurb written by Azazel:

Momma’s Man

With Matt Boren, Ken Jacobs, Flo Jacobs

When Mikey returns to New York to visit his parents (played by Jacobs’
real-life parents and filmed in their apartment), he ends up staying
longer than intended and neglects his wife and child back home in LA.
“Still a bit too recent to really say anything poignant or insightful
about, but the film was conceived as a way to document the place where
I was raised, which is a rental, and one day won’t be mine to visit.
The casting of my parents only came later, when I realized I couldn’t
separate them with the place. This is the first film of mine where my
only job on set was to direct. ”—Azazel Jacobs. Sneak preview!

Adrienne
Metzinger, Managing
Director of One
World Symphony often writes in to keep me abreast of what the Symphony is up to. Here’s her latest missive about their September concerts at St. Ann’s Church on Montague Street on September 5th and on the Upper West Side on September 7th.

How
are you? Hope you are enjoying the summer. I’d like to kindly ask you if you
would please list, profile, and/or review New York’s One World
Symphony and its 2008/2009 season opener Italian Summer on September
5 and 7, 2008 in New York City. Under the baton of conductor Sung Jin Hong,
One World Symphony will perform Respighi’s Pines of Rome, Vivaldi’s
“Summer” Concerto from The Four Seasons, and a semi-staged
performance of Strauss’ stunning verismo opera Cavalleria Rusticana
(complete).

All
the details are posted on their website.

We’ve been waiting more than a year for something to go in to the storefront 7th Avenue Books vacated last summer.

Seventh Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets was a veritable wasteland for much of the past year with four empty storefronts. It seemed to herald the beginning of the recession; it looked like Seventh Avenue was about to embark on tough times.

But one by one, all the vacant spaces have been filled. First came Barrio, the hit nouveau Mexican restaurant painted pink with a lovely outdoor patio that seems to be packed most of the time. In my opinion, the success of Barrio got these other storefronts moving again.

Next came Carmen’s Exclusives for Children, which carries old-fashioned styles, including smock dresses, for kids up to age five. The jury is still out on this one.

Then the Second Street Cafe got rented. Finally. Kids Rx, a West Village pharmacy and health store for kids, specializing in natural products, is going to renovate that space.

As now, I’m told by a workman in that space that is being speedily renovated, a  woman’s clothing store is going in to the space that used to have miles of used books. It wasn’t the Strand, but it was one hell of a used and review copies bookstore.

So now I’m wondering which women’s clothing store is going into that space. In that Park Slope way, I’m guessing it’s a shop that’s already exists elsewhere in the Slope. Diana Lane? Goldy and Mac? Kiwi? One of those Fifth Avenue boutiques?

Patience I say. the sign will be up soon enough.

Here’s an excerpt from the DOT press release about the Third Phase of Sign-Replacement Project.

Street Cleaning Regulations Suspended in Parts of Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens and Other Areas West of Court Street Starting August 18th as DOT Starts the Third Phase of Sign-Replacement Project

New Regulations Will Take Effect in Parts of Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Gowanus East of Court Street Starting August 25th

Effective Monday, August 18th, Street Cleaning/Alternate Side Parking (ASP) Regulations will be temporarily suspended in parts of Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens and other areas west of Court Street in Brooklyn’s Community Board 6 for three to five weeks as the Department of Transportation (DOT) installs 1,600 signs with new, reduced street-cleaning regulations. This is the third in a four-phase project to change signs throughout the community board.

In the Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Gowanus sections of Community Board 6 that are east of Court Street, where the second phase of this sign replacement project started on July 7th and is now complete, the 2,100 newly posted ASP regulations will become enforceable on Monday, August 25th, giving residents two weeks to adjust to the new rules.

In many cases, residential street-cleaning parking restrictions are being reduced from three-hour intervals to just 90 minutes, and from twice a week to just once a week, to ease parking for local residents. On commercial corridors, some streets will now be cleaned more often and regulations will be better coordinated to help ensure some curbside parking for local shoppers. The new rules were established by the Department of Sanitation.

Street Cleaning Regulations will be suspended within the following borders starting Monday, August 18th, and lasting an estimated three to five weeks. Go here for all the details.

Tonight at Wingate Park, the MLK Concert Series presents Jill Scott. Presented by Marty Markowitz’s office and produced by my friend, Debby Garcia, this is the 26th season of this series, which is on every Tuesday evening between July 14th and August 25th, the series attracts both big-name acts and enthusiastic crowds. All shows are Free. Guests are encouraged to bring folding chairs, as seating is limited.

Shows begin at 7:30PM.

Wingate Field does not allow cameras, audio OR video recording, alcohol, pets, bottles, or smoking at the concerts. Because performers are subject to change, call the concert hotline for updates at 718-222-0600. The following is a blurb from today’s New York Times.

Jill Scott gets around. At Madison Square Garden last New Year’s, opening for Chris Rock, she sang “hip-hop, jazz and opera, none of it a stretch for her,” wrote Kelefa Sanneh. That was after a trip to Botswana, where she shot a pilot for a coming television adaptation of Alexander McCall Smith’s “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” books. Tomorrow she’s at Central Park SummerStage, but for those who just can’t wait — or who just won’t leave Brooklyn — she gives a free performance tonight at Wingate Field in East Flatbush, in a little gem of a concert series, presented by the borough president’s office, that books some surprisingly huge names. Don’t be late — Lauryn Hill’s show last summer was packed.

Here is the diary entry for August 11, 1969 from Richard Grayson’s new book, Summer in Brooklyn 1969-1975, a collection of his summer diary entries arranged in chronological order by day, not year.

I finished reading City of Night. It’s a beautiful book. I found the ending scene with Jeremy very touching. Why can’t dogs go to heaven?

I got the pictures back today – a few of them didn’t come out. I don’t know why photography interests me – maybe it’s that moment frozen in time forever.

I saw “Goodbye Columbus” & thought it was very good. The theater was pretty crowded. The wedding scene in the movie were so true to life. I think the message of the film is to decide for yourself what is right and what is not. But what if you’re like Brenda Patimkin or me, and aren’t sure?

Issac Hayes, who opened this year’s Celebrate Brooklyn on June 12th, was found dead yesterday next to the treadmill machine in the basement of his home. Here is the Celebrate Brooklyn blurb about this musical legend who had a big hand in inventing the 1970’s soul sound and was a major musical influence. He was 65 years old.

From the 60s soul and R&B of his Stax-Volt days to the 70s funk of Shaft to laying down the genetic blueprints for of both disco and rap, few artists approach Isaac Hayes’ overall influence on the evolution of American popular music. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in 2002, the singer, musician, composer, and producer “has generated five decades of grooves.” – Rolling Stone Live in concert, prowling the stage in his signature wraparound shades, he remains as potent a force as ever.

Here’s August 10, 1972 from Richard Grayson’s latest book Summer in Brooklyn 1969-1975, a collection of daily diary entries.

Life seems ever more like a soap opera than ever these days. I never could get in touch with Debbie to make things definite about tonight. So on the spur of the moment, Marc & I decided to go to the movies. We went to the Georgetown to see “The Graduate.” I enjoyed it, altho it seems a bit dated now. It was probably just my imagination, but as we were going out in the dark, I thought I saw Jerry & a girl sitting down. I’m sure I’m wrong – but it did look like him.

What a blessing that Hal Willner is on the Celebrate Brooklyn team because every so often Brooklynites are treated to one of his great tribute concerts at the bandshell in Prospect Park.

And last night’s celebration of Bill Withers was no exception. A breathtaking multi-artist concert of the now 70-year-old artist’s oeuvre of hit songs, as well as songs you’ve never heard of, it was a great ending to the 30th anniversary season of the series.

Withers was there with his daughter Corey and it was a thrill to see the silver haired hit-master hug every musician on-stage during the “Lean on Me” finale.

Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone, Lovely Day, Lean On Me, and Grandma’s Hands: those are just a few of the memorable songs created by this one-man hit machine. There are other treasures in his songbook that may not have been hits but are well worth a second listen.

Especially when performed by a list of top-notch performers like Angelique Kidjo, Nona Hendryx, The Swell Season, Corey Glover, James “Blood Ulmer, Sandra St. Victor, The Persuasions, Eric Mingus, Jim James, Howard Tate and Henry Grimes with a great band featuring Lenny Pickett, Steven Bernstein, and Cornell Dupree, who brought the crowd to their feet many times during the long, but ultimately rewarding show.

There were many great moments—and a few slow spots. But overall the 4-hour show, which was filmed for a documentary called Still Bill, was a crowd pleaser. The weather was grand and the diverse Brooklyn crowd seemed to enjoy the cool R&B vibe of the night.

Highpoints included Bill Withers, of course, singing the beautiful Grandma’s Hands; The Swell Season (Glen Hansard and the Czech singer Markéta Irglovám, who won an academy award for the songs from the Irish indie movie Once); the passionate and virtuosic Eric Mingus, who’s wildman scatting is a presence at these tribute shows; Nona Hendryx and the Persuasions, an inspired choice for the much-awaited “Lean on Me.”

Thw acapella and propulsive version of Grandma’s Hands by this legendary five-man group was also a
showstopper.

Wither’s daughter Corey, who has obviously inherited the family’s vocal talents, was a sweet presence during this tribute to her dad, which she called an honor for her family. She thanked the Celebrate Brooklyn crowd for being such a great audience and seemed genuinely moved.

Her dad, who only sang one song, proudly encouraged his daughter to sing perhaps his biggest AM radio hit, “Just the Two of Us.” In her voice, it was a lilting and beautiful love song that came across as a daughter’s heartfelt tribute to her dad.

She was joined by thousands of Brooklynites when Withers asked the audience to sing him home “so he wouldn’t have to take his medication tonight.”

Right/Left

Conservatives swear by

The status quo;

Liberals swear at

The status: Whoa!

This fantastic band, Pinataland, has lots of New York City history songs (including
one about the elephant that got electrocuted at Coney Island and
another about the history of Dean Street). The show is Saturday, with details below:

Friends.

Be pleased to escort yourself and your loved ones to a
free performance by the weird-and-dark history orchestrette
Pinataland next weekend.

Appearing will be the inscrutable David Wechsler
on vocals, piano and accordion, the terrific Dan Nosheny on tuba, the
essential Robin Aigner on vocals, the crafty Bill Gerstel on drums,
the surly Gerald Menke on pedal steel guitar, and myself on guitar and
vocals.

Old Stone House
Saturday August 16th 7pm
JJ Byrne Park in Park Slope
5th Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets