vinyl LP back cover detail
photo by Herbie Greene
detail photo of album cover by Styrous®
Today, February 3, is the birthday of John Handy, an American jazz musician most commonly associated with the alto saxophone, who was born in 1933.
The Carnival album by John Handy rightfully belongs in my special category, “Just the cover, ma’am” (link below).
I would occasionally work as a DJ for parties, bar mitzvas, special events for companies, etc. One day my agent, Peter Rudolphi, booked me for an event given by Walter Shorenstein for his employees. Shorenstein was a billionaire real estate developer and investor in San Francisco. His company, Shorenstein Properties, owned 130 buildings totaling at least 28,000,000 square feet (2,600,000 square meters) of office space at the time of his death. At one point he owned 25% of the commercial office space in the City of San Francisco, including the iconic Bank of America Building
photo by John O'Hara/The Chronicle
Back to John Handy. Peter told me that Handy would be playing for the crowd and that I would DJ music between his sets. I was in heaven! I brought along my favorite album by him, Carnival, hoping to get him to autograph it.
vinyl LP front cover
cover photo by Herbie Greene
The event was to take place on Friday, March 21, 1986, aboard the yacht Dulcinea, operated by the Hornblower company with the event happening while the yacht cruised the bay. I showed up with all my audio equipment on the dock and a lovely lady, one of Shorenstein's assistants, took me to where I would set up. It was in the captain's cabin that was all of 2 feet wide and 5 feel long and I had to set up my equipment on top of life jackets which were on top of a bunk. Also, the speakers were placed where the party was going to be held, nowhere near me. Fortunately, when I don't know what the situation will be, I'd bring EVERYTHING! That included 200 feet of wire to reach the speakers.
With disappointment I realized that I would not be able to see Handy after all! After playing music for a while I dolefully looked at my album then put on a VERY long piece of music and ran down with it to where he was hoping to get him to sign it real quick.
Another disappointment! There was a bunch of people all over him with a photographer taking pictures; there was much confusion and I thought I didn't stand a prayer but he glanced over and saw me with his album in my hands. He walked right over to me and said, “My god where did you get that thing?” I told him it was my favorite album of his and asked him if he would sign it and he said yes.
I made the mistake of bringing a felt tip pen and the ink beaded up and he said it probably wouldn't stay on and I said I’d have to take my chances. I had to get back to my music by that time so I thanked him and excused myself.
I made the mistake of bringing a felt tip pen and the ink beaded up and he said it probably wouldn't stay on and I said I’d have to take my chances. I had to get back to my music by that time so I thanked him and excused myself.
After a while the captain came by with John showing him around the yacht and said. “And this is our DJ for the evening.” and John said, “Oh yes, I met him; go ahead, I want to stay and talk for a while.” I just about died! We talked about music, of course, mostly jazz. I should say he did most of the talking as my knowledge of jazz is limited.
He also told me about the costume he was wearing for the Carnival album cover. During the photo shoot it had been pinned together and the pins ". . . almost poked my @$# off!"
He said he really didn't think his first note on my album would stay so I pulled out a ballpoint pen and he wrote another note below the first one.
Just about that time the captain came back and said he wanted to introduce John to some other people. John turned to me and said, “You're my man!” He gave me a big hug!
I just could not believe my incredible good fortune! Although he lives here in Oakland, I never saw him again but I think of him often.
And while I was putting together this blog I discovered my agent, Peter (a really great fellow), left San Francisco with his wife a few years ago (link below).
Tracklist:
Side 1:
Side 1:
A1 - Carnival - 3:25
A2 - Alvina - 6:11
A3 - Watch Your Money Go - 5:58
A4 - I Will Leave You - 5:15
A2 - Alvina - 6:11
A3 - Watch Your Money Go - 5:58
A4 - I Will Leave You - 5:15
Side 2:
B1 - Love's Rejoycing - 8:17
B2 - Make Her Mine - 4:10
B3 - All The Things You Are, written by Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein* - 2:43
B4 - Christina's Little Song - 6:05
Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – ABC Records, Inc.
Copyright (c) – ABC Records, Inc.
Published By – Hard Work Music
Recorded At – A&R Studios
Recorded At – ABC Recording Studios
Mixed At – Kendun Recorders
Lacquer Cut At – Kendun Recorders
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – John Handy
Backing Vocals – E. Edwards* (tracks: B2), John Handy (tracks: A3, B2)
Bass – James Jameson, Sr.* (tracks: B1), Rudy Coleman (tracks: A1 to A4), Vincent Jefferson* (tracks: B2, B4)
Congas – Eddie "Bongo" Brown (tracks: A1, B1), Paulo DaCosta* (tracks: B2, B4), Tom Nicholas (tracks: A2 to A4)
Design – John Van Hamersveld
Drums – Harold Jones (tracks: B2, B4), James Gadson (tracks: A1, A3, B1), John Handy IV (tracks: A2, A4)
Engineer [Recording] – Barney Perkins, Glenn Burger*
Guitar – Larry Carlton (tracks: B1), Lee Ritenour (tracks: A1), Mike Hoffmann (tracks: A2 to A4)
Keyboards – George Spencer (tracks: A3), Lee Ritenour (tracks: B2, B4), Reginald "Sonny" Burke* (tracks: A1, A2, A4, B1)
Lacquer Cut By – JG*
Management [Personal] – Alta California Artists
Mastered By – John Golden
Mixed By – Barney Perkins
Percussion – E. Edwards* (tracks: A1, A4, B1), John Handy (tracks: A2)
Photography By [Concept] – Herbie Greene*
Piano – Reginald "Sonny" Burke* (tracks: B2)
Producer – Esmond Edwards
Synthesizer [Arp] – Lee Ritenour (tracks: B2, B4), Reginald "Sonny" Burke* (tracks: A2, A4, B1)
Vocals – John Handy (tracks: A4)
Written-By – John Handy (tracks: A1 to B2, B4)
Notes:
Recorded at A&R Recording Studios, New York and ABC Recording Studios, Los Angeles.
Printed in U.S.A.
Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – ABC Records, Inc.
Copyright (c) – ABC Records, Inc.
Published By – Hard Work Music
Recorded At – A&R Studios
Recorded At – ABC Recording Studios
Mixed At – Kendun Recorders
Lacquer Cut At – Kendun Recorders
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – John Handy
Backing Vocals – E. Edwards* (tracks: B2), John Handy (tracks: A3, B2)
Bass – James Jameson, Sr.* (tracks: B1), Rudy Coleman (tracks: A1 to A4), Vincent Jefferson* (tracks: B2, B4)
Congas – Eddie "Bongo" Brown (tracks: A1, B1), Paulo DaCosta* (tracks: B2, B4), Tom Nicholas (tracks: A2 to A4)
Design – John Van Hamersveld
Drums – Harold Jones (tracks: B2, B4), James Gadson (tracks: A1, A3, B1), John Handy IV (tracks: A2, A4)
Engineer [Recording] – Barney Perkins, Glenn Burger*
Guitar – Larry Carlton (tracks: B1), Lee Ritenour (tracks: A1), Mike Hoffmann (tracks: A2 to A4)
Keyboards – George Spencer (tracks: A3), Lee Ritenour (tracks: B2, B4), Reginald "Sonny" Burke* (tracks: A1, A2, A4, B1)
Lacquer Cut By – JG*
Management [Personal] – Alta California Artists
Mastered By – John Golden
Mixed By – Barney Perkins
Percussion – E. Edwards* (tracks: A1, A4, B1), John Handy (tracks: A2)
Photography By [Concept] – Herbie Greene*
Piano – Reginald "Sonny" Burke* (tracks: B2)
Producer – Esmond Edwards
Synthesizer [Arp] – Lee Ritenour (tracks: B2, B4), Reginald "Sonny" Burke* (tracks: A2, A4, B1)
Vocals – John Handy (tracks: A4)
Written-By – John Handy (tracks: A1 to B2, B4)
Notes:
Recorded at A&R Recording Studios, New York and ABC Recording Studios, Los Angeles.
Printed in U.S.A.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (Runout, side A): AS-9324-A ③ KENDUN-a JG
Matrix / Runout (Runout, side B): AS-9324-B ① KENDUN-a JG
John Handy – Carnival
Label: ABC Impulse! – AS-9324
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1977
Genre: Jazz, Funk / Soul
Style: Soul-Jazz
Label: ABC Impulse! – AS-9324
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1977
Genre: Jazz, Funk / Soul
Style: Soul-Jazz
Viewfinder links:
Net links:
Harlem of the West ~ John Handy
Jazz Music Archives ~ John Handy
PBS ~ John Handy
The Potrero View ~ A San Francisco Couple Exits the Scene
SF Gate ~ Walter Shorenstein: a civic giant SFSU ~ Handy's Work
YouTube links:
Happy Birthday, John!
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