Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

“In this country American means white. everybody else has to hyphenate.”

Nothing says ‘pro-life’ like letting children go hungry.

Quote tweet friends, screenshot enemies.

You cannot shame the shameless.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

The willow is too close to the house.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

With all due respect and assumptions of good faith, please fuck off into the sun.

Of course you can have champagne before noon. That’s why orange juice was invented.

Republicans want to make it harder to vote and easier for them to cheat.

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

If you are still in the gop, you are either an extremist yourself, or in bed with those who are.

If you cannot answer whether trump lost the 2020 election, you are unfit for office.

The words do not have to be perfect.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

This chaos was totally avoidable.

Welcome to day five of every-bit-as-bad-as-you-thought-it-would-be.

You are here: Home / Music / RIP, Gene Ludwig

Reader Interactions

31Comments

  7. 7.

    QuaintIrene

    You people are all 12.

    I had to buy some Liquid Plumber for a slow drain. This particular product is subtitled ‘Foaming Pipe Snake.’ Yes, I snicker every time I look at it.

  8. 8.

    daveX99

    Thanks for this, John. I too enjoy “Jazz Keyboard”.

    We can save the discussion of your sublimated intrest in ‘organs’ for another ‘BJ’ (heh.) thread.

    I second the nod to Jimmy Smith – just awesome.

    — dave.

  9. 9.

    Chad N Freude

    I thought it would have been tasteless to pick up on this in the context of an obit. Well, it is but (1) it’s funny anyway, and (2) no one has ever accused BJ commenters of having good taste. And I refuse to disclose how many multiples of 12 I am.

  13. 13.

    Rommie

    Look at it this way Mr. Cole: If Gov. Manchin appoints you to the Senate seat until November, you have ample experience in conversing with 12-year-olds. Heh Heh Heh.

  17. 17.

    Morbo

    The most important musical trait for a song to have on Pandora: prominent organ.

    (bleh editing)

  18. 18.

    Mike Grimaldi

    Not to bad mouth the dead but Gene Ludwig, while sounding good, is the imitation. The real thing can be found on Jimmy Smith/Wes Montgomery with Oliver Nelson, The Dynamic Duo (Verve). So I guess I’m agreeing with the “Jimmy Smith” guy.

    Love your commentary John. Thanks.

  19. 19.

    Svensker

    There’s a guy on youtube who builds organs and he wrote:

    I have uploaded a short video about my small organ.

    I felt so sorry for him.

    And I am NOT 12. I’m 12 and a half!

  20. 20.

    LikeableInMyOwnWay

    @redoubt:

    You took those two words right out of my mouth.

    The first time I heard Jimmy Smith I got goosebumps. That was just short of 50 years ago.

    Today, I get the same goosebumps listening to him.

    Smith is the gold standard on the Hammond.

    The guy on this thread’s video is okay, but he ain’t Smith. His two hands aren’t even Smith’s left hand.

  23. 23.

    JL

    Now that’s a band Sinatra with which Sinatra could have ripped the heart out of That’s Life.

  24. 24.

    Jason T.

    As a yinzer, I always love your Pittsburgh references, John. Sometimes I think there should be a Balloon Juice meet-up for your Pittsburgh-area readers — but for gawd’s sake, not at Primanti’s.

    And RIP, Gene Ludwig — born in Indiana County, grew up in Swissvale. Heard that just after I got up this morning, too, from Bob Studebaker on WDUQ. A hell of a way to start the day.

  25. 25.

    Fallsroad

    Hammond B3 is like cowbell – you can never have too much.

    See also Jimmy Smith and Joey DeFrancesco.

  27. 27.

    Captain Goto

    For those folks who didn’t know who Gene was–I have about half a dozen Pittsburgh musicians friended on Facebook, all of whom noted Gene’s passing today. One of them was from a guy named Sean Jones (look him up). A more monstrous cat on the trumpet you will not find.

    And one of the condolence notes, that came in response to one of the local postings, was from Joey freakin’ DeFrancesco. So I think it’s fair to say that Gene had some small influence, even outside of Balloon Juice territory.

  30. 30.

    pghjazzer

    Sad that many of you do not know the 50-year contribution Mr. Ludwig made to the Pittsburgh – and national – jazz circuit.
    Mr. Smith was Ludwig’s inspiration. They later played together. Mr. Smith is the one who persuaded Mr. Ludwig to purchase a B3, upon which the music you just heard was played.
    Please do some research. You might be surprised with what you find out.

    RIP Gene Ludwig

  31. 31.

    NewKidOnTheBlock

    I think Gene himself would have laughed at some of the jokes, but I hope Mrs. Ludwig never sees this distasteful “discussion”.

    If she did, well you all need to show some respect and offer some apologies.

    And that tune on the video is damn good. Thanks for posting it.

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