Dear Stanley...

I bought this LP a couple of months ago for pennies in a charity shop. It is a jazzy/funky esoteric piece by the great bass player, Stanley Clarke (and it features, among others, my favourite drummer, Steve Gadd). 

Anyway, I noticed something of interest on the sleeve notes. There is a message which says (and I quote):
"If you'd like to write to me - I'd love to hear from you! If you'd like a reply, send a self-addressed envelope to me, c/o Theta Management, Inc., P.O. Box 498, Huntingdon, New York 11743."

Well that's right friendly and welcoming, so I have decided to write to him. It has been pointed out to me by a sensible person that this pledge was made in 1975, but I have no doubt that Stanley will write back. Look at him sitting there by the window, waiting... I believe in the man!


Here's what I wrote...



"Dear Stanley,
It is November 2006, and I am listening to your album, 'Journey to Love' - had me dancing in my leotard earlier, it did! Anyway, I noticed on the cover reverse that you want people to write to you, so here we are.

My name is Keith and I live in England, in a magical place we call, 'The Weedy Shack'. I hang out here with my best buddy, Dan, and all our other menagerie of friends and characters. In particular, we are graced here by the presence of an incredibly precocious three inch high wise weasel called Monty. He is (metaphorically speaking) a huge fan of yours, and, indeed, turned me on to your funky bass licks.

You may recall that you have met Monty, Dan and I back in 1975, when you were sitting by the window and we gate-crash your tranquility in our unlikely time machine. In case you need your memory jogging a little, I was the one wearing a black crush-velvet bikini; you know, the geezer with the beehive hairdo (composed from back-combing my shoulder hair, incidently!). It really was a pleasure to meet you in person, and I'd just like to say that we think that your reaction to 'the incident' was very gracious. We agreed that you were one seriously classy cat Stanley, sitting there so patiently and peaceful. You the Man!

Salutations!
~ Keith"