Real Good for Free - Comments

Comment by Kim on "Real Good for Free"

Kim — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 10:22:19 GMT

You forgot a few of my favorites: for example, two more staples of local sporting events, Three-Fingered Jack the guitarist, and Tuba Guy. Once during the off-season, I spotted Tuba Guy at Greenlake, and he was playing Ravel's "Bolero." It was quite something. I also love the guy at the Market who gets extraordinary trumpet-like jazz bleats out of a rolled-up paper tube. And there was Artis the Spoonman, immortalized in a song by...Soundgarden? I'm betraying my grunge youth here.

Madison Smartt Bell has a wonderful short story about buskers in NYC: "Mr. Potatohead in Love." The main character is captivated by a young woman singing, briefly, in Grand Central Station, before the cops hustle her off. From the description, I recognized her; I'd heard and seen her there myself in my college days. I'll loan you the book if'n you like.

Comment by mike on "Real Good for Free"

mike — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 10:56:33 GMT

Ah, yes, spoon guy and his angry, exhortative manifestos, before the days of hip-hop. I used to see him at the U District street fair. One time I saw him with a particularly memorable accompanist -- a guy who had made a marimba out of various lengths of cedar 2x4s, and who was using a couple of Craftsman box-end wrenches as mallets.

Need I say it? There's a story there.

Comment by Pete on "Real Good for Free"

Pete — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 17:20:39 GMT

Yep, Soundgarden did the tune "Spoonman" and not only does Artis have a story, but it's all here in his website: http://www.artisthespoonman.org/.

Comment by David on "Real Good for Free"

David — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 22:27:49 GMT

When I worked in Berzerkeley, the front door of my office building opened right to a BART station. Besides the hut on wheels selling steamed pork buns and the many jewelry and tie-dye merchants, there was great music. An amazing hammer dulcimer guy. And a gospel quartet. I even waxed haikuic about it once:

a gospel quartet
harmonizes urban air--
hurried walkers pause

Comment by John_A on "Real Good for Free"

John_A — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 09:10:18 GMT

ROFL - artis.com?! can you still be called a street musician if you have a web site? only in seattle! my how times have changed. perhaps my recalcitrant attitudes are the real story here.

Comment by Paul C. on "Real Good for Free"

Paul C. — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 08:44:50 GMT

Update on McKinley Cunningham, in reference to Mike's page on March 21, 2006...

Last year some of McKinley's friends took up a collection to have his alto sax overhauled, which was, quite frankly, falling apart. It is no prettier now, but has new pads and corks, and plays very well. Also, what got it in such bad shape to begin with was the high rainfall in Seattle, and the case he had before. We got him a good case, too.

These photos, he just got his baby back.

He did the CD shortly after that, and got a regular gig, an apt, and generally got things together.

McKinley is now getting a music degree via a grant.

I have seen the Peruvian pan pipe players in Chicago (a few blocks off Michigan Ave) and San Antonio, TX at the "Mexican Market". They really get around.