. . . So Far . . .: not to be confused with . . .

it was still gray when i arrived at Manhattan Beach. i walked from PCH or as i learned from the very friendly and informative bus driver, "PCH becomes Sepulveda at Artesia". i think that was the friendliest bus driver i've had since i started riding the bus over 2 and half years ago. on the bus, i and few other bus riders helped two students from France who wanted to go to Universal Studios. i suggested the subway . . . the Green Line to the Blue Line to the Red Line. the friendly bus driver agreed. i told them they should go to the Manhattan Beach Arts Festival since it was only one day that they could save Universal Studios for another day. they didn't have too many days left before returning home. i told them my little sister and her husband were studying French and moving to France next year. au revoir.

" not to be confused with" that turned out to be more of a theme than i wanted it to be at the festival today. Marcus L. Miller and his Freedom Jazz Movement band were excellent as always (ok, i have only seem them twice). they only played one hour but it was packed full of Marcus' original music. afterward i heard a new fan tell him, "i thought you were going to be the bass player, Marcus Miller". i said "that is what i told him when i saw them back in June'. Marcus "L." Miller is the extremely talented drummer/musician who brought with him today, a keyboard player, bass player and tenor sax. all are wonderful and probably do or could be fronting their own bands. i was hoping the incredible trombone player from June (photo in June 17th blog) would be there again today but it was just a quartet. . .

not that there is anything wrong with just a quartet. click here to hear the song "Open" by Marcus. it was too big a file to add to this blog so i added it to youtube.

it is smooth.

Marcus Miller on drums.

Kamasi Washington on tenor sax. Rod Collins on bass.

Earl Johnson on keyboards.

i missed some of the first band, the Scott Whyte Band but what i heard was entertaining. they are a rock band and rock they did. i think they mainly play covers.

and the last band was a fun be-bop. swing kind of band called Danny Dean and the Homewreckers. the last band was a big favorite with the kids.

in between Marcus and Danny, i went to the Metlox shopping/dining area (3 minute walk from where i was sitting for Marcus) and there was a "one-man band" kind of singer named Hugo Fernandes. he too was very entertaining and had a smooth voice and seemed to be playing a guitar, harmonica, and had some kind of synthesizer mic as well as a few other bells and whistles.

i won't mention my conversation with Officer Loy of the Manhattan Beach Police here but i will tell you in an email if you want to hear a "first".

since i did not bring my rollerskates, it was going to be a long walk home. i really did want to get a long walk in today but i also really really wanted to watch some of the Steelers and Browns play. i walked up to PCH from the bike path and there

should have been a bus around 540p. . . it showed up at 610p. sometimes it is a bit of a pain not having a car, especially when the bus doesn't come as advertised.