Jim Howe - In Memoriam

(Photo of Jim Howe taken by jazz vocalist, Diane Linscott, at a session last Monday.)

I unexpectedly and prematurely lost a wonderful friend Friday and the world lost an incredible jazz bassist. Jim Howe's personality brought laughter and joy to everyone, but especially to the musicians he played with. He played with many of the greats and was a tireless promoter of jazz. He was a musician's musician and never settled for anything less than excellence. Our ears have lost his wonderful sounds, the world is darker without his glow and I can't bend my cheerless mind around the fact that I will never again feel the warmth of his hugs.

Spirits Descend On Phuket

Thousands of people gathered at Chinese shrines around Phuket yesterday to participate in pole-raising ceremonies before for the Vegetarian Festival, which began today. Tall bamboo poles were raised at the auspicious time of 5.09 pm. Nine is the most auspicious number throughout Thailand. (Five is an auspicious number for people with day jobs.) The poles' function is to join the physical and spiritual world, allowing various spirits to descend to Phuket, where their presence will be evidenced by the 2,000-odd mah-song, or “mediums,” during the festival. The mah-song mutilate themselves in various ways in the manner of Indian fakirs.

The Vegetarian Festival is a Chinese/Hindu celebration initiated 150 years ago when large numbers of people on the island of Phuket were dying from an unknown disease. This festival is unique to Phuket and not celebrated throughout Thailand. Fasting, resolutions of good behavior and self-sacrifices of various sorts were thought to have brought about the end of the epidemic, which, in all likelihood, had simply run its course. But the rituals and the holiday still survive, although some think it has evolved into a mere tourist attraction and gory carnival. Thais seem to enjoy big crowds and cacophonous noise. The Festival involves elaborate ceremonies at Chinese shrines, ear-shattering fireworks, parades and the infamous once-a-year (or once-only) fakirs that are into self-mutilation - like lacing bicycle handlebars through their cheeks and other fun tortures. Many believe that the mediums, who poke huge holes through their bodies achieve a spiritual, trance-like state and become vessels for the spirits that have come down the bamboo poles. (Now wait a minute. Let me think about that. Wouldn’t I have a glazed look in my eyes resembling a trance if I had just jabbed a spike through both my cheeks?) It’s thought that the mah-song are protected from pain and harm by the spirits temporarily inhabiting them, but ambulances are very busy carting young, "entranced" men to hospitals throughout the festival. It’s totally bizarre. It is a gruesome, voyeur's delight - a reality show that beats them all and it draws many tourists as well as honestly believing Thais. The specially prepared vegetarian festival food offered by the hundreds of stands along the parade routes is delicious (but a bit difficult to chew if you have a crowbar skewered through your cheeks).

There was a big kafuffle over one of the fakirs last year, because he paraded through town with a knife jabbed through his tongue and someone noticed that it was not his tongue at all. He purchased a pig’s tongue at a fresh market that morning, stuffed it into his mouth and stuck a knife through it. A crowd of people followed him back to his shack after the parade and proceeded to beat him severely. Policemen and monks stood by and did nothing to stop the thrashing, saying later, for the newspapers, that he got his just deserts for being a phony fakir. After he got out of the hospital, he was de-robed, or whatever it is they do to disgraced fakirs. Rumor has it that he is going to march in this year’s parade anyway, with knitting needles poked through his penis. (I think local owners of water buffaloes should check their beast’s undercarriages for missing parts.)

A Is Off To Krabi

A is on a four-day trip to Krabi to the home of one of our Thai friends, Pim. Krabi is a province north of here. She's excited about it. It will involve a Thai country wedding, with all its bright colors and traditional music and she's sure to bring back great pictures. It's the real-deal Thailand and hardly resembles this Acapulco-like, tourist haven. Going north to anyplace other than Bangkok or Chiang Mai means going native and entails sleeping mats on the floor, squat toilets, mosquito nets and roasted crickets with dove's eggs for breakfast. Thai country folks, like country folks everywhere, live wonderfully uncomplicated lives. For instance: Pim's mom has a telephone in her house, but she only knows how to pick up the receiver and answer it. She doesn't have a clue about dialing out, so she never calls anyone. She's in her mid-fifties. I would love to own her simplicity (for about three or four days).

The last time A ventured north, she went with our friend Oy, a girl in her thirties and a ravishing beauty. (The posts about that trip are here and here and here.) Oy's family asked if A was Oy's boyfriend. They had never seen a foreigner before and assumed A was a man, because her hair is short - they never noticed her gait, or her full breasts. Oy explained that A was a woman, so they then asked if she was Oy's lesbian lover, which would have also been perfectly acceptable to these gentle country folks. It brings a tear to my eye to experience the total lack of prejudice regarding sexuality in this country. These people really get it - truly understand and respect natural design. So curious, adventurous A is having fun eating rat's tails and bugs, while I'm roughing it out here in my air conditioned office with a glass of wine, a bit of cheese and a high speed internet connection.