Passing Away...

Some thoughts come at the most strange times. It is not hard to guess that I am tangled up working on the internal building process of the tool, after all it is Saturday night, around 10.

But in 2006, my uncle Alfonso and Clifford Antone passed away.

My uncle was the family's grinch, and the town's for that matter. I was one of the "fortunate" :-} few he invited for a beer.

He was a "rojo".

Those who familiar with the Spanish civil war know that every family has a bunch of members on each side. Some even switched sides during the conflict so they could be close to wives and children, if that tells something about the mindlessness of that conflict.

Anyways, my father was a "franquista". And while I was growing up, they engaged in these heated arguments about politics that had everybody else in the family taking sides or holding their breath. Even though the Spanish CW was long gone. As a child , this was extremely fascinating to me.

Antone (I never had the chance to talk to him, other than an occasional nod at Guero's) was another "funny" character but the amazing musicians and performers that I saw at his venues will never forget.

There was a particular occasion that Maceo Parker was playing at Antone's. He and his trumpet engaged in this solo/duet that I still get goosebumps from. Almost 6 years later.