MOG

1. The return of Weeds.

I have heard that Ms. Parker has resumed hanging around with Adam Duritz. As unacceptable as this situation is on so many levels, it is great to have a new season of Weeds, especially now that Albert Brooks will be hanging around for a few episodes. When I last posted about Parker, there was no musical clip for visual accompaniment, and now there is.

2. Drive-By Truckers on Randolph Street, Chicago

What a cool street fair. Lots of food, and live music. We went to see the Truckers, who were just blazing, like Lynyrd Skynyrd crossed with Randy Newman fueled by Jack Daniels. They’re going to be doing a string of dates in the fall with The Hold Steady, which will be a double bill to catch. Get drunk and go. (I should have know this, but didn’t: the Truckers’ Paterson Hood’s father is legendary Muscle Shoals bassist David Hood, who played on like ten thousand incredible records.)

3. 2120 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago

This is the building that used to be Chess Records, and now it’s a kind of shrine to the label. We took a cab up there to pay homage to Bo Diddley, and when we knocked on the door, we were greeted by Willie Dixon’s daughter, who showed us around and told us amazing stories about how Minnie Riperton, who was the receptionist, used to have to shield Mr. Chess from the blues musicians who showed up looking for cash. One climbed through the window.

 4. Phoebe Snow at Birdland, NYC

Holy cow. She is singing like mad. After a long professional hiatus spent caring for her disabled daughter, who passed away last year, Ms. Snow has returned to the stage, her vocal gifts as sharp as ever. And when she dedicated her finale, "With A Song In My Heart," to her late daughter, there was weeping.

5. Joao Gilberto at Carnegie Hall, NYC

The inventor of Bossa Nova is 77 years old. He sat in the middle of a bare stage, with just one guitar, and sang softly for nearly two spellbinding hours: "Corcovado," "Wave," "Desafinado," all that stuff. His last two songs: "God Bless America" (my friend, who speaks Portugese, said he changed the lyric to "God save America") and "Garota de Ipanema." It doesn’t get much better than that, let me tell you.

 I’m off to Montreal for Jazz Fest, and for Leonard Cohen. I am overdosing on genius these days.