Ice Cream Truck

I am all in favor of ice cream trucks. After all they bring ice cream to the door (or at least to the curb), usually on a hot day, in the afternoon, when one should indulge in a little ice cream. I even like the little jingles that come around. So far Amalia does not know that the music means ice cream. Maybe when she is a teenager I will tell her. She just thinks that nice folks drive around with music for us to listen to. Local teenagers provide music for the neighborhood without invitation, so it is only logical that some grown ups do the same. At some point I suppose that our tastes go from Musica Tambora to "Turkey in the Straw."

However, I do insist on standards of performance practice and the rendition of "The Entertainer" that I am hearing right now is just wrong. Too fast, too square, and the speaker is overpowered, so that it distorts (which is OK for some music: gives the 1812 Overture a funkiness that is quite charming). Enough is enough. I will make this announcement:

If any ice cream truck comes by playing a Thelonious Monk tune I will buy ice cream immediately. I consider Monk one of the best composers of all time, and I love his rhythmic sense as a player. I also think that his tunes (even his own quirky playing) could translate to the ice cream truck genre. So, if you are thinking of operating an ice cream truck in East Oakland, please consider this for your repertoire. You will have one or two phenomenally loyal customers on 13th Avenue!