report filed 1/17/00, 8:43 am- While wandering around the High Sierra Music 'fest last fall, I had the pleasure of meeting George Milo Buck. An artist specializing in impressionist paintings of jazz and blues musicians, Buck's work caught my eye. Although he sells his original paintings for, er, big bucks, many of his images have been made into more affordable, limited edition lithos, as well as postcards. The postcards are particularly cool - really inexpensive and quite frameable.

I thought I'd post three of my favorite Buck images, Sun Ra, Dizzy Gillespie (above) and Professor Longhair (bottom) to help spread word of this guy's outstanding music related art. Anyone interested in more information on the artwork of George Milo Buck can call (510)595-1113, or contact him by email at - lookapypy@aol.com.

On the home front - Finally figured out that every wednesday here in O.B., there's a nice, outdoor farmers market. They close off a block on Newport Ave., the main street in town, and set up all sort of tables and booths with food, veggies, and other various and sundry wares. When the market winds down right around sunset, a stage goes up at the end of the block for a set of live music. This week's performers - Psydecar.

I's no secret that Wise Monkey Orchestra has recently had a lineup shuffle. Wanna know more? Check out this month's column, The Principal Of Change - Wise Monkey Orchestra and US Winter Tour 2000, exclusively at jambands.com. Anyway, Tim Pacheco, Scotty Homan and Ed Fletcher are now focusing their energies on Psydecar.

Psydecar also includes Grant "Geeber" Clarkson on bass, and John Connelly on sax. Also in the house, well actually in this case, also on the street, one of my favorites, Docs, a spoken word artist. As always, Docs came up with some cool, improvised imagery to capture the moment.

On Friday, I had the bittersweet experience of catching Wise Monkey's final show in O.B. for a couple of months. Their long anticipated US Winter Tour 2000 is finally underway. The monkeys split town scoring a knockout at Winstons with Marty "family man" Schwartz adding his distinctive guitar stylings to the mix. An emotive player with slick fretboard technique, Schwartz' polyscale, six string vocabulary fits right in with WMO's ongoing musical conversation.

Drummer Bruce Stadola is a grizzled veteran at this point, having played with the band for the past couple months. Obviously comfortable driving the beat, popping the pocket of WMO's more danceable grooves with authority, Stodola doesn't keep time, he plays it!.

Robbie Helm, a WMO regular on and off over the years, sat in on sax, adding a whole-lotta brass to an already rockin' jam. This show was alot of fun - folks were making the most of their opportunity to catch the monkey while they could.

Note to folks along WMO's tour - we're having two contests - Best PHOTO and Best STORY from the tour... winners get faboo prizes! Click here for info.

Let's see, what else is going on around here? Been making progress on the Relix book. Interviewed Hank Harrison, author of The Dead, Volumes One and Two, The Social History of the Haight Ashbury Experience. Very interesting guy. In addition to writing books on a variety of topics, including the Holy Grail, New Age Astronomy, future based fiction, and the death of Curt Cobain, he's the father of controversial rock star, Courtney Love. Check out Hank's website for a peak into his world. Also spoke with Alfred Klosterman, longtime Relix artist, and David Kopel, who wrote an environmental issues column for Relix for a few years.

We've posted a new feature article, Music Freaks - Hippies, punks and ravers are doing a new jamband twist on the old psychedelic dance floor, as well as the Top Ten HGMN Studio Albums of the Millennium.

Last item - Got a CD from the Rooftop Cowboys. They sound like a fun band with a lot of energy. Keep an eye out for them - if you get a chance to check out the cowboys live, take a shot and go for it - tell 'em mrlee sent ya...