Afloat Again—On Monk's Birthday

It could have been worse—toxic red sludge, for instance.

The technician just left after performing CPR on the internet connection, which was out of commission for 48 hours. The Rifftides staff will resume posting soon. Now, ears open wide and notebook in hand, we're off to The Seasons for the next concerts of the Fall Festival. This afternoon,Tom Harrell's quintet and pianist Bill Mays are performing Harell, Antheil and Gershwin with the Yakima Symphony Chamber Orchestra. Tonight, it's the Mays trio with Martin Wind and Matt Wilson.

In the meantime, if Thelonious Monk were alive he would be celebrating his 93rd birthday. Let us all celebrate Monk. This 1966 performance of "Blue Monk" with Charlie Rouse, Larry Gales and Ben Riley has been viewed 1,140,150 times. No wonder.