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With Sandon’s sax playing in the background it was a pleasant surprise to look up and see John (Forever to be called Fat) Nemeth walk in the restaurant. So I bought him a drink and ask a couple of questions.

John is doin’ fantastic. How about this gig. The buzz in San Francisco was so loud that an agent from Thailand hired John to do month on a private isle. Here is his week, hang out all day, play a fiery FORTY minute set, repeat. On Friday he has a long day, the show is televised (Austin City Limits-Bancook style) so John works a whole hour. When he got a little bored with all the work they sent his fiancee over for a couple of weeks.

Songs? Is John still using that rapier wit to write lyrics. “I got a million of ‘em!, I love to write about love lost.”

How about a new CD?
“My current CD is still selling well, especially in Europe. ” John and I talked about the music biz and he told me that he’ll likely have a record company for the next project. “They have the time and marketing power to promote sales and deliver product. I’m still shipping from my apartment.”

John told me he is in town for just a couple of days before heading to play all the hot spots in SF. After that John is headed to Europe for another month in the early fall.

Can’t say I’m surprised at John’s success. He has the prefect combination of tenacity, style, talent and drive to be a superstar. Even back when he was in high school and playing on the lake in Lake Harbor with the slim Moore brothers, Nemeth had the fire in his eye. Over the years, countless hours of stage time, his dedication to learning his craft and the history of the blues have seasoned John’s talent. Soon the whole world can see what Boise audiences have seen for years.
John can flat blow.

It�s a secret!

The best jazz in Boise may be at Pair on Tuesday night,. Saxman Sandon Mayhew and his trio play light but up-tempo licks from till 7:00 to 10:00 every Tuesday @ Pair, 601 Main. Cool Man Cool.

When you don�t know where you are going it is not hard to find your way.

�You just need to blow the stink off.� Not sure what my friend meant, but he was right. So I pointed the little red car east and headed down the highway. Along the way found a man named Arizona in Lime, saw falling water from the top, watched the sun set a couple of times, danced with waves, rode a duck on fathers day and lived well.

Whizzing by at 80 you miss all the good stuff, go to the blue highways. Blue highways are the side roads, �old highway 57 or 8.� They dance along the freeways and used to carry the main load. Now these ’scenic by-ways’ roll in and out of little towns past barns painted with Pepsi signs to closed gas stations were Gas Jockeys once waited to wash your windows and fill your tank with Ethel.

Here is one of the adventures.

Took I-84 to Lime, the old concert factory has always fascinated me. When I was a kid the old road old went right through the factory. A huge slew ran over the highway and it was scary to go under. My dad would always make sure to tell us a wild story about it breaking open and crushing a car. Now the factory has been moved down the road and the massive concrete towers stand silently.

�They call me Arizona,� he smiled. Sitting high in his old Ford truck the laugh lines around his eyes bold under his straw hat, a hat almost as stained as his chew stained teeth. Together this man and his truck tell the tail of a fading past. A past when rugged men and equipment, gouged and bullied the land to build the west. Now Arizona is working for an investor who is going to convert the massive concrete holding towers into Condos. Condos for Gawds sake. In the middle of Oregon? That�s where all the cowboys have gone, they are building condos in the middle of no where!

Can’t seem to come up with the time to finish my Seattle road trip story so how about some pixs!

It is dirty, actually got one right. The new bar where Diggy Base was is called, as predicted- Dirty Little Roddy�s. They even have a smattering of doors. Left the knobs on which should help with beer spillage. Did see a couple of peanut shells around. Guess we will see. Can�t imagine the bar having half the charm of the old Roddys.

Not sure of this connection so I will just post just one photo of the Multinomah falls. More to follow.

�I would pay any amount of money, just to hear a couple of good blues bands!� This a statement I have heard a 1000 times lately. So how about a whole afternoon of blues for TWO CANS OF FOOD.

For 14 years the Boise Blues society has been hosting the annual picnic, for the last several years it has been in the Julia David park. Next to the zoo, close to the boat rentals. This years line up is one of the best ever.

Long time blues fans will remember Neighbor Dave. Dave Green is one of those unique talents, a solo act that just lights up the stage. Dave�s lyrical voice has the edge of a man who has literally been to deaths door and found his way back. His songs speak of the love of a father, the haunting howl of a blood hound on the trail and a famous pig named Ashley. I would not miss his return to the stage for �all the tea. . .� You should not either.

Although she has not been gone as long we all miss Lori B! and her boys as well. Yes, it is beginning to sound like a party. Did I mention Nampa stars Next Exit. Hey, I�m just getting started here. The Hoochie Coohie men will do a set and then back up Gorgeous George Stancell. We’ll kick off this deal with the fresh faces of Short Side. This is a bunch of Boise High students with the BLUES. Below is the flyer. Mark your calendars, bring a friend or two. We’ll be talking about this picnic for years and years.

Great news, the lovely Ms. Kitty is back behind the bar and better than ever. Go see her at Terry’s State Street. Currently “the whistling girl” works nights the early part of the week. You can bet she will be pouring for the weekend crowds soon. P.S. if you do go on a weeknight, go early evening before the Karaoke starts.

As predicted a couple of months ago things are changing downtown after dark. The latest rumor? Diggy Base has closed and the Bistro folks will try to bring back one of Boise’s greatest bars.

In the 70�s the southeast corner 6th and Main held two great establishments. Jakes was a mid priced grille with a classic �Brunswick� back bar and the best wait staff in the city. Downstairs? The now legendary �Dirty Little Roddys�. What fun, I was just barley able to get in before it closed. It was cool while it lasted. The main decor was wooden doors on saw horses. You had to be careful not to set your beer glass in the hole that used to hold the door knob. Roddys was a dive bar. The classic dive, downstairs, a bit dark, full of interesting characters and cheap drinks. I miss those places. To sell more beer, DLR�s took the concept of giving you something salty to eat to extremes. Peanuts in the shell everywhere. Bet that old timers can still remember the distinctive crunch. In addition to peanuts, cheap sandwiches were available. I believe they wrapped them in butcher paper with a slice of pickle. Did I mention that the place was haunted. The legend was that in earlier times this basement was under the stage and dance hall were China Blue is now. A young actress was savagely murdered below the stage and her spirit never left. Old employees tell of moving glasses and strange flickering lights.

With today’s fire, health, safety, and liquor laws, Roddys seems like something out of the wild west. Hopefully Ted and his crew can find something that will work in the disappointing Diggy space. A no frills, good cheap beer joint might be the ticket, but it will never be the dive that Dirty Little Roddys was.

With your friends it is often the little things that make so much difference. Last week I put my ego on the line and sent a blanket notice out to my associates with current e-mails. Just a quick note telling them of an exhibition of my images for 1st Thursday.

John Hecth and Larry Pietz came by. Not only where they supportive of the work they each bought photos. It was so gratifying. Being new to this, the validation was wonderful. Thanks to everyone who stopped in!

GOOD CHOICE JOHN

The internet is a wonderful thing, however if you make a mistake the total lack of personal contact can make life hard. The reason this blog disappeared for a while is as simple as an expired e-mail address. Glad to be back with you all!
Look for a whole bunch of new photos and stories shortly. Here is a weird little image from downtown Boise.>