Ford Flex - Big and Comfy Crossover

Look, Ma, no Ford logo!

The Ford Flex still reminds me of a MINI Cooper on steroids--thanks to its upright shape and white roof. But it could probably hold a MINI in its cargo area.

This is one nice family hauler, with room for up to seven, if you fold down the third row seats. The fronts are plush buckets, the middle row ditto, and the rears? Well, they fold down invisibly in two halves to make a flat cargo floor or pop up with the pull on a strap or two. Every passenger gets a sunroof, too, with glass (and manual shades) for all three rows. Only the one in front opens, however.

The Flex gets a new face this year, and it is a surprising turn. The Ford oval logo is gone! Instead, the letters F  L  E  X are spread across the leading edge of the hood and a solid chrome bar runs through the grille. This new look echoes a general move away from blatant badging on Ford's part. Just wait until the new Fusion appears this fall for the big change.

The Flex offers two 3.5-liter engines. The standard one puts out 287 horsepower and 254 lb.-ft. of torque, while the EcoBoost model essentially replaces the old V8 with 365 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque from the same displacement. Ford is introducing EcoBoost throughout the line over time to get the power folks expect from larger engines from smaller displacements.

My Ginger Ale Metallic tester was an SEL model with all-wheel drive.With the standard engine, it was ranked 17 City, 23 Highway, or 19 average. I averaged 18.9 mpg--almost exactly what the EPA says.

Ford's programmable instrument panel displays are standard in the Flex. You can choose the information you view on the left and right sides of the main instrument panel gauge. I liked looking at fuel economy numbers on the left and the entertainment system on the right, but you can view other functions using steering wheel mounted buttons.

The center console display offers a quartered home page with phone, Audio, Information and Climate quadrants. Touch the inside corner of any and a full screen display gives you details. 

The Flex had the first instance I've seen of the new inflatable seatbelts ($195). These fatter-than-usual straps inflate when a crash is sensed and give added protection to the torsos of the middle-row rear seat passengers during an accident.

A couple of 21st-century annoyances: I had trouble keeping my phone connected to the Bluetooth system, but this is a common issue in cars--Bluetooth is still a little unreliable.I also was slightly annoyed when the iPod hookup kept losing the shuffle feature and had to be restarted each time.

The Flex crossover fits in the Ford lineup in between the midsize Explorer and the full-size Expedition SUVs. It has a significantly lower ride height.

Prices start at $31,710 for the SE, but my SEL tester, with options, came to $41,935. That's really Lincoln territory, and this car probably should be sold as one, considering its upscale appeal. Lincoln does offer the similar (but very different looking) MKT, but the Ford seems at least as nice.

Blue Eternity Relaxes and Stimulates

Left to right: Manring, Oster, Weingarten last year

Last night I got more than I expected when I went to the 1400 Bar and Grill in Alameda, California to hear Michael Manring. Michael is one of the world's best fretless electric bassists, and he plays solo and with a variety of other interesting musicians.

I got there about 8 p.m. and found out that the music wouldn't begin until about 9:30 p.m. So--I sat and watched (without sound) a good portion of the London Olympics opening ceremony. I also started the first of two pints of Rye'd Piper, a strong, fragrant ale that 1400 offers on tap for a mere $5. When I heard a horn and bass tuning up around 9:15, I migrated to the rear of the 100-year-old facility to transition my attention to the music.

Blue Eternity, an ensemble of four fine musicians, puts out what you might call "Smooth Jazz" except that it is more than just smooth. Although the seven people at the round table near me continued with their animated conversation after the music started, I found myself riveted by the band's at times mellow, other times forceful music.

Trumpet and flugelhorn player Jeff Oster, the group's spokesperson and apparent leader, provided a clear and compelling part up front. I heard some of the great Jazz performers, such as Miles Davis, in his sound, and his own style, too. Jeff handed me his True CD to enjoy, which I will explore and blog about soon. Surrender is his latest effort, and you can find out more about it on his website.

The three other musicians are definitely not Jeff's "backup band"--all added significantly to the show. And Jeff, contributing something to the feeling of a jam, at times set down his horn and added incidental sounds from a triangle, metallic cup, or a small box that looked like a toy stove, all carefully placed on the end of his strategically located trumpet case. It all suited the mood.

Carl Weingarten, over to the left, made otherworldly sounds with his electric slide guitar, in open tuning and using looping, building a sonic orchestra of strings. Both as a perfect accompaniment for the other instruments and a thrillling soloist, he sounded like more than one guy. Carl kindly gave me one of his CDs during the break. Panomorphia is just the latest in a series of about 20 albums he's recorded over the last three decades. I look forward to exploring it and reporting back in a separate blog post.

Of course, I was there originally to hear Michael Manring, and he delivered, as always. We often think of the bass as a support, rhythm section instrument, and it does serve that function. Michael makes it do much more. While many of the selections were a mellow, trance-inducing sort, in a single droning key, a few times, Michael got things rolling and brought up the energy with his lightning-fast fingers on the fretless fingerboard. He uses various electronic effects, including something called an EBow, for extended sounds you can't get with just a pluck. He also started the second set with an extended solo performance that rocked the house, showing the tremendous range of colors and textures he can pull out of the four-string fretless bass.

After the show, I enjoyed a conversation with percussionist Tracy Tucker, who not only employed an amazing conga drum with an adjustable head (using a pedal), but sported some amazing tattoos on his arms. The theme was Indian spiritual, but also contained W.C. Fields' head. Whimsical, but serious too. Tucker helped keep the energy moving with his throbbing beat, coming closer to the foreground and then receding deftly into the background, maintaining the flow. He is also a shiatsu therapist, an area where he can influence the body in the same way his music affects the feelings and mind.

What an evening. Around 12:30 a.m., it ended and I rolled on home satisfied. A show at 1400 is an inexpensive and entertaining way to get out, and I will seek out the Blue Eternity musicians--separately and together--again. One memory--hearing Blue Eternity's last number and looking over to my left and seeing Sir Paul McCartney on three video screens playing "Hey Jude" in front of 2 billion people. The power of music.

BMW X3 - Compact Luxury SUV--Built in the U.S.

BMW has cachet--and its 3 Series cars have been the brand's most popular offerings for decades. With the rise in compact SUVs (and crossovers) it was inevitable that the German brand would expand into that segment, and in 2004, they did, offering the original X3 alongside the larger X5.

I drove one of these first-gen cars and and it didn't feel as "BMW-like" as I expected. I read elsewhere of complaints about the overly firm ride and a kind of plainness to the design.

Well, folks, don't worry, because the new X3 is completely BMW--even though it is now built in Spartanburg, South Carolina. BMW started building the Z3 sports car there a long time ago and it's now the source for all the X vehicles--X5 and X6 included. Americans are the largest consumers of tall wagons, and it only makes sense to build them here--for worldwide distribution.

BMWs are some of the most distinctive cars on the road, so you'll immediately recognize the twin-kidney grille, and all of the brand's X-series "Sports Activity Vehicles" have recognizable shapes to clue you in. The new model still has lots of lines on the surface, including six on the hood alone, but it's a little smoother and prettier than before. The headlight assemblies are large and prominent while the taillamps wear the T shape that was established in the first generation. The sides have three sets of lines to take your eye along the surface.

My Space Gray Metallic test car arrived with the inline 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine, as the X3 xDrive35i. It has an even 300 horsepower--which felt like lots. It's reputed to go from zero to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds. I didn't time it myself, but it felt like it was up to the job.

The eight-speed automatic has two extra gears, so there's a taller one for more efficiency while still giving you a quick shot off the line in the lower gears. You can shift manually (no clutch), too.

The xDrive28i model sits below the xDrive35i, and now comes with a turbocharged 240-horsepower four-cylinder for increased efficiency and a little lower initial cost.

The EPA gives the X3 with the straight-six ratings of 19 City, 26 Highway and 21 Average. I got just 17.4 mpg. Green Vehicle scores are a mid-pack 6 for Air Pollution and 4 for Greenhouse Gas.

Thanks to the electronic control of pretty much everything in the car, you can configure the driving characteristics with the Driving Dynamics Control lever. This optional feature lets you adjust the shock absorber firmness, engine throttle response, transmission shift characteristics, level of power steering assist, and stability control mode. That means that by setting it at Normal, Sport, or Sport +, you can have three quite different driving experiences.

Normal felt fine on the freeway and around town, but I tried the sportier settings intermittently, and it really made a big difference. Especially with a tall vehicle, having the tauter handling on the windier roads was a treat. Of course, it being a BMW, even Normal was more satisfying than the average car.

The first generation may have seemed a little basic and plain, but this new X3 has all the feeling of a BMW, including the straightforward, flat instrument panel and the typical matte surface textures that convey understated luxury. There was plenty of Fineline Sienna wood trim in my tester, too. The always-excellent BMW seats are firm and hold you in place while you're testing to see if that 5.5-second time is accurate.

The X3 isn't a cheap car to begin with. The xDrive35i starts at $43,595, but there are lots of extras you can pack on, and my tester was a rolling example of how to do this. The Sport Activity Package upgraded the wheels to 19-inch double-spoked alloys and enhanced the transmission and seats, while turning the headliner black and installing Aluminum Satin roof rails. Two Cold Weather Packages (neither of which I'd need here in California) heated the steering wheel and front and rear seats, among other things.

The Dynamic Handling Package gave me that adjustable ride and driving configuration I mentioned earlier. The Premium Package further loaded the boat with a power tailgate, keyless entry, ambiance lighting and much more. Premium Sound upgraded the audio system and added Satellite Radio. The Technology Package added lots of cool things you'd want to have, such as the rear view camera with a special "Top View" feature, Park Distance Control, and a navigation system with realtime traffic information. Whew.

What happened is that a $43,000 car became a $56,295 one. Compact, but loaded. What's not to like (other than making the payments?).

Humboldt Workshop Day Five--Beethoven and Bolling

"A Bunch of  Bassoons"

My fifth and final day of the Humboldt Chamber Music Workshop was a rousing success. I was assigned a favorite--The Beethoven Septet--and in the evening, had a chance to play the Claude Bolling Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano. The day ended with a big party at the dorm--with lots of conversation and tasty shrimp, chocolate cake, and beer (and more). It was a fine way to end another inspiring and remarkable week.

I was thrilled to get to play one of my favorites on Friday. The Septet includes bass along with three strings: violin, viola, cello; and three winds: clarinet, bassoon and horn. At the workshop, every daily group includes a different set of folks, but this one was packed with special friends. We had a fine musical and social day rehearsing the fifth movement, Presto, under the wise and wisecracking guidance of coach Ed Harris. As usual, we started out with enthusiasm but in need of a lot of improvement as an ensemble and ended up with a polished performance when we played at the end of the afternoon session. It was probably my best day of the week.

After the evening program, I spend an hour and a half on the Bolling. I had tried playing this before, and worked a little on it independently, but this time, with Nikki's strong piano and Loren's buoyant flute playing, I felt like a real Jazz bassist--and could see clearly the amount of progress I've made in just a few short years. I made plenty of mistakes and needed several restarts, but overall, it sounded pretty darned good. We were tired but satisfied at 10:05 p.m. when we played the final note. I have the feeling I'm going to be working on this piece for a long time, each session with more understanding and competence.

This being the last day, we were treated to a very humorous set of three bonus tracks, including the Rhythm Rockettes' Rock Trap--a clapping, dancing number, and two wind performances. The first of these was Doug McCracken's Quintette for Bassoons and Contra-bassoon, which presented seven of these senior woodwinds together. Besides the hilarious honking of the contra-bassoon, all seven participants appeared barefoot--emulating the composer. Doug only wore shoes--sandals at that--when he was forced to follow cafeteria regulations. The third piece was P.D.Q. Bach's Fugue of the Volga Boatmen, with a stage full of winds. It made me think about perhaps next  year coming up with a duet (or duel?) with my bass and the contra-bassoon.

Another special treat was a much-too-short performance of the Finale part I of the Magic Flute. The singing of Connie, Ellie, Diane and Miriam was nothing short of breathtaking, in its German (with English translation supplied on the double-sided program). The audience, with jaws dropped, gave them the standing ovation they deserved. We need to have this again--perhaps at greater length--in the main program next time.

Music is the center of this workshop, but what remains as the biggest memory is the people. I had some connections from my 2010 stay, but I made many additional friends this time. When I sat and read through the programs for the performances in the afternoon and evening, I saw name after name of someone I'd played with in a group, sat with at a meal or met somewhere on the Humboldt campus. We are all drawn together because of our love of chamber music, and the camaraderie and spirit is like nothing I've experienced elsewhere.

There's also something about the inspired leadership of Workshop Director Alan Geier, whose warmth, humor and brilliant management make this one of the best run events I've ever attended. Everything just works, and once you arrive at the Humboldt State University campus, you know things will be fine and fun. He also made it possible for me to attend on a Heagy Fund scholarship this year when financial issues made it look like I'd have to miss it. For this I am very grateful, and I want to thank him personally--and everyone who labors tirelessly to make our experience so special, including Workshop Coordinator Tom Phillips. The Heagy Fund accepts your tax-deductible donations year round. Contact the workshop for details.

I am indebted to my classical music mentor, Josh Cohen, as well. He has guided me as a fledgling upright bassist from my first tentative notes at orchestra rehearsal on the second day of January, 2007. He urged me to sign up for my first weekend chamber music workshop at CMNC in 2008, and my first Humboldt adventure two years later. He has supported my growth and brought me into this new world of people devoted to playing this timeless music together.

I will miss my fellow musicians, but I can always plan for next year, and I go home inspired to do more sight reading, work on my intonation, and find more opportunities to fill my calendar with music dates until I can travel to the workshop again.

Day Four--Challenges and Rewards at Humboldt

Hermann Goetz

As I discovered last time I came up to the Humboldt Chamber Music Workshop, there is one day that is a little tougher, and Thursday, for me, was that day. The piece I was assigned, the Quintett by Hermann Goetz (1940-1876), was a little more challenging, and so there were a few areas that I really didn't have down when we went on stage to play the piece. I had to work a bit harder during the rehearsal periods, and although I liked the feeling of stretching my abilities that the tougher piece brought out, it still gave me a little anxiety.

I was playing with seasoned musicians, too, so I didn't want to slow them down. I had a time in the afternoon where I needed to go over a couple of sections and it was still tough. But I can see now the areas that I need to work on to make my sightreading and technique even better for next year. And it still felt wonderful to participate in a day of "work" and to attend an afternoon and early evening of remarkable performances.

In the evening, after dinner, I went to the library to assist with the music. I'd never been inside it before--just to its front window--so it was an adventure. There were rows and rows of piles and piles of carefully organized manila envelopes of music, arranged by category. The numbering system was devised, I assume, to help musicians determine where to look for what they wanted.

After refiling some envelopes, I helped Tom to put away music that belongs to the University collection. We made lots of progress, although the job remained unfinished when I left three hours later. It felt good to do something to help the Workshop.

I then joined the party, which was in full swing at 11 p.m. and went past midnight. Hard to believe that this little island of delight in the sea of life is approaching its final day. I took a little stroll after breakfast on Friday morning:

The century-old Humboldt campus is beautiful

Humboldt Day Three -- a Change of Pace

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

The wise leaders of the Humboldt Chamber Music Workshop know that the extremely busy players need a little break in mid-event, so they have engineered Wednesday as a shorter day. By chopping out the afternoon practice session and scheduling the sampler program before dinner, they give attendees a chance to take a night off.

I had a great time with my extra evening, but first, it was a full day of music. I was assigned the Nonet in F minor by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. I was thinking it was the poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, but the latter preceded the composer and is a completely different guy. Coleridge-Taylor, a product of an English mother and an African father, lived a short 37 years, but turned out a pretty good batch of music.

My first impression of the Scherzo, the piece we performed, was that it was spare for the bass. In truth, much of my part was runs of pizzicato (plucked) notes, but with some practice with my eight fellow musicians, it became interesting--and fun. The challenge was to play the runs properly-and in the right place. Because we occupied the main stage for our rehearsals, we got to go on first, so after a quick performance, we had the entire rest of the afternoon to sit and enjoy the other compositions.

Many were remarkable, but the one that stood out was Quintet by John Steinmetz (b. 1951). It started out with what sounded like the five winds tuning up and morphed into a drone piece, which was not only gorgeous but hypnotic. The crowd loved it. It's a real pleasure to see and hear the other groups' performances. Some apparently work out better than others, but we all know that sometimes the sound in the practice room doesn't get fully realized on stage. This is a workshop, and we tolerate the inevitable (and everpresent) imperfections. The different playing configurations let us get to know each other better each day.

After the performances, I treated myself to a 45-minute nap--I was bushed. But then, I took off with five others to the lovely Moonstone Grill, just a few miles up the coast, in Westhaven. We went there because it is a great restaurant with a sensational view, but also to remember a fellow chamber musician who is undergoing a bone marrow transplant now and who would much rather have been with us. We all hope he will be attending next year.

The food was wonderful. We shared crab rolls and oysters before the main course, which was beautifully prepared fish of various kinds. We also shared two bottles of Sauvignon Blanc from A to Z Wineworks. One of our party actually knows the owner of the winery, making it all the better.

We made it back by just after 8:30 p.m., in time to play more music. I had the distinct privilege to play two trio works for viola, cello and bass, a first for me. Thanks to Margaret, who knew the music and got it from the workshop library we three "lower strings" made beautiful music together. We played the Divertimento for Viola, Violoncello and Kontrabass by Anton Albrechtsberger and Leopold Hoffman's Trio Op. 1, Nr. 3.

The hour and a half flew by. The bass normally doesn't get to play with such a small configuration--I'm used to quintets as a minimum--but I've already played in a quartet and done these trios this week, besides the nonet from Wednesday, so who knows what the rest of the workshop holds?

A Double Dose of Schubert at Humboldt, Day Two

The Schubert Trout Quintet is a very famous and beautiful piece of music. Orchestral bass players often get to play it--or you may even say HAVE to play it--to satisfy the cravings of other musicians to play along with the biggest member of the string family.

Well, luckily, I LOVE the piece. I've already had two runs through it--and it's only Wednesday early morning.

The Piano Quintet in A major (Trout is really its nickname) is called that because it's based on a song Schubert wrote about the sad tale of a fish who struggles with the fisherman and dies (that's the thumbnail description). In reality, it is an achingly beautiful piece that gives a pianist and one representative from each member of the string family a workout.

My group met about 9 a.m. in our practice room to start. I was a little miffed because I had climbed the stairs to grab my bass, carried it all the way down to our morning meeting spot, only to find out that my assigned room was across the hall from my locker! Back up the stairs I went.

We quickly got down to business and the lovely sounds of the piece wafted through the room. After around 45 minutes, Daniela, our coach arrived. She did what good coaches do, and helped us identify areas we needed to work on (namely, all of it!). We selected the first movement and had to make a cut to get it down to a five-minute playing time. Then, we worked on the rough patches, and especially on the usual goal--playing well together.

We had no problem as people--I had a nice group-as I always seem to have. One of the many wonderful things about playing for five days in a row is that you get a different set of new friends each day. In this case, I had already played with two of the members and two were new to me. We worked through the piece in two morning and one afternoon practice sessions, broken up by our a.m. coffee break and lunch.

Strange for July--even in Northern California--was genuine rain--so our breaks were inside. I wore my porous and absorbent Levi jacket, but seemed to fare fine--it was not windy or particularly cold, so it just felt refreshing.

The joys of chamber music are great--if you like that kind of thing. We worked hard, but saw, over the day, our performance pick up speed, lock together, and by the end we were pretty happy that we had it down well. We drew the absolute final performance of the day, so we played after dinner. I wasn't sure I'd like that, but I had heard so much fine music by our turn that I was really in the mood.

After a brief reconnection before the evening session--and a few minutes in the green room, we stood backstage waiting, listening to a finely rendered trio just ahead of us on the other side of the curtain. Then, we strolled onto the stage for our turn.

It's funny that the stage looks far away from the seats but the people look close when you're up there. I glanced out briefly, but spent most of my time and attention on my music stand--and feeling my fingers on the familiar fingerboard of my bass as I listened and played along with our group. Nana, our violinist, counted us in and off we went!

The bass part has some wonderful half and whole note runs that flow below the more active melody parts that are incredibly enjoyable to play. One section, in the middle, is a piano solo, and I like to sing along with the part. One of my colleagues noticed this and teased me about it later (in a good-natured way, of course). Sorry, it's the Trout, and I can't help myself.

After our successful performance (we came back for a second set of bows), I went right behind the stage to a practice room to tackle Schubert's Octet. In this case, we played as a tiny orchestra, with violin, viola, cello, bass as well as oboe, bassoon, clarinet and horn (is that right?).

The piece is fairly long and twists and turns through slow and fast sections, but other than a few stops to re-sync ourselves, it flowed along nicely. I was pleased that all the players sounded good--and seemed to be having as much fun as I was. By around 10 p.m. we played the final notes, and smiles broke out everywhere. We had made it--and topped off another fine day of chamber music.

Then--two hours of drinking and snacking in the dorm meeting room. Ah, the college life!