Latest news with #Reiser
San Francisco Chronicle
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Why was comedian Paul Reiser at the 2025 SFJazz gala? It's a wild story
It casts no shade on Don Was's impressive musical career to acknowledge that it wasn't his instrumental prowess that led to his SFJazz Lifetime Achievement Award. A founding member of the zany but hard-grooving Detroit band Was (Not Was), he's been tearing up stages lately with the stylistically omnivorous Pan-Detroit Ensemble — when he's not holding down the bass chair with Bob Weir and the Wolf Bros. But throughout the SFJazz Gala concert Thursday, June 12, at SFJazz Center, Was was celebrated not as a player but for his work as a producer and president of Blue Note Records, jazz's most respected and consequential label since the late 1940s. On a program overflowing with incandescent talent, almost every featured performer had recorded for Was at Blue Note since he took over and revitalized the label in 2012. With longtime Bay Area resident and actor Delroy Lindo serving as emcee and SFJazz Executive Artistic Director Terence Blanchard detailing the accomplishments of his longtime friend, Was was hailed for his vision of jazz as inextricably tied to a welter of kindred idioms. 'He honors jazz without putting it in a box,' Blanchard said. In the jazz world — so accustomed to being overlooked, misunderstood and generally neglected in popular culture — there's a sense of gratitude for Was's exemplary stewardship of Blue Note. Having produced dozens of albums for artists like Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, the B-52s and Bonnie Raitt, he probably left a good deal of money on the table by devoting so much of his life to jazz. Video testimonials offering heart-felt congratulations from Keith Richards, Ringo Star, Rosanne Cash and Raitt, who hailed him as a 'big brother' opening new doors for her, emphasized the larger musical pool he swims in. But perhaps one of the most endearing tributes came from an unlikely collaborator, who showed up in person to razz the honoree. Comedian and actor Paul Reiser recounted the improbably spontaneous late-night recording session that resulted in 'The Final Frontier,' the theme song to his '90s sitcom 'Mad About You' — composed, arranged and produced by Was on a day's notice. Though initially hesitant about the theme — which he playfully sampled for Thursday's audience on piano — Reiser went on to explain how it became a quiet hit with an unexpected afterlife. 'The coolest thing? NASA used it. It was the wake-up call on Mars,' he said. 'It wasn't the biggest hit on Earth, but on other planets, it's quite significant. It was the most popular tune on the planet of Mars.' Laughs aside, Reiser shared his main takeaway from that collaboration, which echoed the evening's deeper celebration of Was's ethos. 'I learned from Don, like, that's how you should try to be — just keep saying yes. Just do it. Don't say no, and don't be scared of going into business.' If Reiser's story captured the spirit of Was's creative generosity, the Grammy-winning producer's own remarks revealed where that spirit was born. During his acceptance speech, Was described how he discovered the transformative power of jazz as a cranky 14-year-old by happening upon tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson's newly released 'Mode For Joe' in the summer of 1966. Drawn in at first by the angst he heard in Henderson's horn, he felt unburdened as the band started swinging fiercely, realizing 'you've got to groove in the face of adversity,' he said. Whatever else he pursued, jazz remained part of his calling because it 'helps listeners make sense of the confusion of the human situation.' At a time when so many arts organizations are struggling, the gala projected confidence and a sense of mission amidst requisite appeals for support, particularly for SFJazz's educational programs. Hailing an art form steeped in African American culture and history, SFJazz Board Chair Molly Coye described the music as a source of resistance and 'a voice for freedom and beauty.' The evening was also dedicated to Zakir Hussain, the tabla maestro who played a central role at SFJazz for decades before his death last December at 73. With SFJazz Collective members serving as the house band there wasn't a less than riveting performance, and the highlights tended to be the quieter, more intimate moments, like a long solo introduction by Oakland trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire that hovered in the horn's middle register. Vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa, a San Francisco State University grad now living in New Orleans, gave a ravishing preview of her upcoming debut album for Blue Note with an ache-filled version of the 1960s Italian pop song 'La Notte Dell'Addio' (The Night of Farewell) as a duo with pianist Edward Simon. And guitarist Bill Frisell's quintet rendering of Thelonious Monk's sumptuous ballad 'Crepescule With Nellie' with Akinmusire and tenor saxophonist Chris Potter unfurled with intensely compressed drama. Frisell stayed on stage for Lisa Fischer's transcendent version of the Rolling Stones 1971 hit 'Wild Horses,' which garnered the evening's first standing ovation. A sound sculptor, she was the only featured artist who hasn't recorded for Blue Note, though she collaborated with Was on one of his albums and a Stones project. The evening's two themes, celebrating Was and honoring Hussain, converged at the end with a sublime set by Charles Lloyd's Sky Quartet featuring drummer Eric Harland, which headlines opening night of the San Francisco Jazz Festival on Friday, June 13. Lloyd and Harland toured and recorded with Hussain in the group Sangam, and the tenor sax legend seemed to recapitulate Was's insight as he flowed from an anguished version of Billie Holiday 'Don't Explain' into a poetic spoken word tribute to Hussain and concluded with a high-stepping carnival beat, grooving in the face of adversity.
NBC News
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- NBC News
A rare platinum Rolex is heading to auction and could fetch $1.7 million
A legendary timepiece is about to step into the spotlight. A 1999 platinum Rolex Daytona is heading to auction on Sunday at Sotheby's Geneva, and could sell for up to $1.7 million. The watch is made from platinum, a material Rolex did not use on Daytona models until 2013. Its face is mother-of-pearl, set with 10 diamonds. Unlike nearly every other Rolex on the market, it was not part of a standard collection. It was privately commissioned, custom-made for a client — something almost unheard of for Rolex. 'It's very unusual to come across a commission,' said Pedro Reiser, senior watch specialist at Sotheby's. 'There are other brands which might be more flexible and do these kinds of exercises, maybe on a regular basis — but not in the space of Rolex pieces where you barely can come across any commission whatsoever.' Only four of these watches are known to exist, made for the same family, each with a different dial. The watch heading to the auction block is the last one to be sold. The others have already gone for massive prices, topping $3 million. There is big hype around this small work of metal. It is believed to have been created under the leadership of Patrick Heiniger, Rolex's CEO from 1992 to 2008. He ran the company during a time of major growth and secrecy and helped turn Rolex from a respected watch brand into a global luxury icon. While rumors have swirled that Heiniger personally commissioned or wore a similar platinum Daytona, Reiser cautions that there is no confirmed link to this watch. 'That's more of a rumor,' Reiser said. 'Personally, I've never seen him with this piece, but I know that he used to love platinum watches — mainly Day-Date models. It's a nice story that accompanies the watch, but I think it's more of a myth.' The fact that Rolex made a platinum Daytona in 1999, long before it introduced platinum models publicly in 2013, is a major part of the watch's mystique. 'Back then, they only existed in stainless steel, yellow gold and white gold,' Reiser said. 'Having a platinum — the only known platinum Zenith Daytona — is very special.' This particular model stands apart even from its siblings. 'This is the only one that has a diamond-set dial,' Reiser said. 'The others had dark mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli and turquoise stone dials, but no diamonds.' As more people, especially wealthy collectors and younger buyers, increasingly see rare watches as investments, the prices of these rare timepieces have climbed. According to Knight Frank's latest index, watches have jumped more than 125% in value over the past decade, ranking them among the top-performing luxury investments, just behind rare whisky and high-end designer furniture. Even after a slight cooling, with prices rising only 1.7% over the past year, the five-year growth rate for watches of 52.7% signals the category remains a reliable long-term play. Demand has only broadened, with more international buyers and a wave of under-30 collectors entering the market, Reiser said.
Business Mayor
12-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
A rare platinum Rolex is heading to auction and could fetch $1.7 million
A rare 1999 platinum Rolex Daytona featuring a mother-of-pearl dial with diamond hour markers — one of only four known to exist. Courtesy of Sotheby's A legendary timepiece is about to step into the spotlight. A 1999 platinum Rolex Daytona is heading to auction on Sunday at Sotheby's Geneva, and could sell for up to $1.7 million. The watch is made from platinum, a material Rolex did not use on Daytona models until 2013. Its face is mother-of-pearl, set with 10 diamonds. Unlike nearly every other Rolex on the market, it was not part of a standard collection. It was privately commissioned, custom-made for a client — something almost unheard of for Rolex. 'It's very unusual to come across a commission,' said Pedro Reiser, senior watch specialist at Sotheby's. 'There are other brands which might be more flexible and do these kinds of exercises, maybe on a regular basis — but not in the space of Rolex pieces where you barely can come across any commission whatsoever.' Only four of these watches are known to exist, made for the same family, each with a different dial. The watch heading to the auction block is the last one to be sold. The others have already gone for massive prices, topping $3 million. There is big hype around this small work of metal. It is believed to have been created under the leadership of Patrick Heiniger, Rolex's CEO from 1992 to 2008. He ran the company during a time of major growth and secrecy and helped turn Rolex from a respected watch brand into a global luxury icon. Read More How to take a super-low budget holiday While rumors have swirled that Heiniger personally commissioned or wore a similar platinum Daytona, Reiser cautions that there is no confirmed link to this watch. 'That's more of a rumor,' Reiser said. 'Personally, I've never seen him with this piece, but I know that he used to love platinum watches — mainly Day-Date models. It's a nice story that accompanies the watch, but I think it's more of a myth.' The fact that Rolex made a platinum Daytona in 1999, long before it introduced platinum models publicly in 2013, is a major part of the watch's mystique. 'Back then, they only existed in stainless steel, yellow gold and white gold,' Reiser said. 'Having a platinum — the only known platinum Zenith Daytona — is very special.' Rolex didn't begin producing platinum Daytonas until 2013, making this 1999 custom-ordered timepiece a historic anomaly in the brand's legacy. Courtesy of Sotheby's This particular model stands apart even from its siblings. 'This is the only one that has a diamond-set dial,' Reiser said. 'The others had dark mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli and turquoise stone dials, but no diamonds.' As more people, especially wealthy collectors and younger buyers, increasingly see rare watches as investments, the prices of these rare timepieces have climbed. According to Knight Frank's latest index, watches have jumped more than 125% in value over the past decade, ranking them among the top-performing luxury investments, just behind rare whisky and high-end designer furniture. Even after a slight cooling, with prices rising only 1.7% over the past year, the five-year growth rate for watches of 52.7% signals the category remains a reliable long-term play. Demand has only broadened, with more international buyers and a wave of under-30 collectors entering the market, Reiser said.
CNBC
10-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
A rare platinum Rolex is heading to auction and could fetch $1.7 million
A legendary timepiece is about to step into the spotlight. A 1999 platinum Rolex Daytona is heading to auction on Sunday at Sotheby's Geneva, and could sell for up to $1.7 million. The watch is made from platinum, a material Rolex did not use on Daytona models until 2013. Its face is mother-of-pearl, set with 10 diamonds. Unlike nearly every other Rolex on the market, it was not part of a standard collection. It was privately commissioned, custom-made for a client — something almost unheard of for Rolex. "It's very unusual to come across a commission," said Pedro Reiser, senior watch specialist at Sotheby's. "There are other brands which might be more flexible and do these kinds of exercises, maybe on a regular basis — but not in the space of Rolex pieces where you barely can come across any commission whatsoever." Only four of these watches are known to exist, made for the same family, each with a different dial. The watch heading to the auction block is the last one to be sold. The others have already gone for massive prices, topping $3 million. There is big hype around this small work of metal. It is believed to have been created under the leadership of Patrick Heiniger, Rolex's CEO from 1992 to 2008. He ran the company during a time of major growth and secrecy and helped turn Rolex from a respected watch brand into a global luxury icon. The Inside Wealth newsletter by Robert Frank is your weekly guide to high-net-worth investors and the industries that serve them. Subscribe here to get access today. While rumors have swirled that Heiniger personally commissioned or wore a similar platinum Daytona, Reiser cautions that there is no confirmed link to this watch. "That's more of a rumor," Reiser said. "Personally, I've never seen him with this piece, but I know that he used to love platinum watches — mainly Day-Date models. It's a nice story that accompanies the watch, but I think it's more of a myth." The fact that Rolex made a platinum Daytona in 1999, long before it introduced platinum models publicly in 2013, is a major part of the watch's mystique. "Back then, they only existed in stainless steel, yellow gold and white gold," Reiser said. "Having a platinum — the only known platinum Zenith Daytona — is very special." This particular model stands apart even from its siblings. "This is the only one that has a diamond-set dial," Reiser said. "The others had dark mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli and turquoise stone dials, but no diamonds." As more people, especially wealthy collectors and younger buyers, increasingly see rare watches as investments, the prices of these rare timepieces have climbed. According to Knight Frank's latest index, watches have jumped more than 125% in value over the past decade, ranking them among the top-performing luxury investments, just behind rare whisky and high-end designer furniture. Even after a slight cooling, with prices rising only 1.7% over the past year, the five-year growth rate for watches of 52.7% signals the category remains a reliable long-term play. Demand has only broadened, with more international buyers and a wave of under-30 collectors entering the market, Reiser said.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'It was dumb luck:' Bought for $4k, Wayne Gretzky stick sells for $82.55k
During an auction of sports memorabilia at Grey Flannel last spring, Doug Reiser was looking to buy a game-used Wayne Gretzky stick. He wanted one from early in Gretzky's career and was bidding on four separate sticks from the first few seasons of the Great One's time with the Edmonton Oilers. Advertisement None of them were attributed to a specific game, but three of them quickly got more expensive than Reiser wanted, so he settled on the cheapest, which was credited to the 1981-82 season. Reiser paid $3,775 for that stick in June 2024. Around a month later, much to his surprise, he was able to match the stick to a photo from the game in which Gretzky broke Phil Esposito's single-season record of 76 goals. The stick has been photo-matched by MeiGray to Gretzky's record-setting game. (Credit: Sotheby's) Less than a year later, armed with this new information, he has consigned the stick to Sotheby's, where it sold Tuesday night for $82,550. 'It was dumb luck,' Reiser told cllct. Shortly after he won the original auction, Reiser decided he would try to photo-match it. Noticing the stick was not only signed by Gretzky, but also Gilbert Perreault, Reiser looked for photos of Grezky's Oilers playing Perrault's Sabres during the 1981-82 season. Advertisement Then he found an image from the Feb. 24, 1982, game that appeared to be a match. 'Man, all these marks line up,' Reiser said. 'Then I googled the date … and I'm like 'Oh my God.'' Gretzky not only passed Esposito's record, but notched a hat trick during the game against the Buffalo Sabres — all in the third period. Perreault also had a hat trick in the game, which the Oilers won 6-3. Bidding on the lot, which does not have a reserve price, is currently at $20,000 with more than a week remaining in the auction. Last year, Sotheby's set a record with another Gretzky stick, used in the Oilers' 1988 Stanley Cup-clinching game, selling it for $336,000 — the highest price ever paid for an NHL hockey stick at public auction. Advertisement The stick from Gretzky's final game sold for $140,000 in 2022. As Alexander Ovechkin closes in on Gretzky's career goal record, the auction will test the market to see if interest in NHL memorabilia is peaking accordingly. Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture.
