The love story of Maggie and Will Shares

jAzz BuZz and the succulent life

By Ken Capobianco Livestream events break out worldwide, thanks to a San Diego-based forum

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on all aspects of the music industry and wiped out all touring, leaving smooth jazz musicians without a means to bring their music to fans, who are experiencing a Grand Canyon-sized void in their lives. In March, longtime smooth jazz aficionado Marilyn Lingenfelter James created a private Facebook page that would provide a forum for musicians who perform livestream concerts to connect with music listeners in need of the life-affirming salve for the soul that only live music can provide. And Smooth Jazz Online Events was born. James, along with her tech-savvy partner Susan Olk Casella, launched the site that now boasts an impressive 12,300 members and is growing exponentially each week. The user-friendly page is a wonderful information-laden meeting place for like-minded music fans to congregate and find out about upcoming livestreams from both superstar smooth jazz artists like Rick Braun and Brian Culbertson and upstart jazz musicians from around the world in search of audiences during dire times. James is surprised at the rapid growth of the page, which is adding about 300 members a week. “I never expected this at all. I might wake up in the morning and there might be 30 or 40 people who want to join,” she said recently via phone from her San Diego, California, home. “Sometimes there are waves from different countries. I get a lot of people from South Africa. Jazz is very big there. No doubt, Jonathan Butler has a lot to do with that.” She added, “I have no idea how they are finding out about this, but people must be

talking about it.” Virtual word-of-mouth and sharing is the very foundation of viral growth on the internet and the secret of success for popular social media forums. Unlike numerous private pages on Facebook, there are no criteria for joining Smooth Jazz Online Events, so all music fans are welcome. James manages the page and monitors all sign-ups to prevent bots and trolls from intruding on the collegial atmosphere. “We try to screen out potential spammers,” she said. “When they sign up, I can see their Facebook profile. Every so often I will see someone who has blocked their profile, so I won’t accept them. With almost everyone, though, it’s quite apparent they are legitimate and music fans. In terms of artists, we are open to most genres like funk, blues, or any variation of jazz. I love it when musicians take their own initiative to post their events.” James maintained that members come from as many as 140-150 countries around the world, so the global reach makes for an eclectic schedule of livestream events and diverse commentary. The number of artists who post livestreams, and live venues around the world that host them has dramatically increased over the months. Most major clubs have had to shut down due to state regulations or lack of touring acts, so livestreams are an integral new means of reaching music fans and raising revenue. “You have the Blue Note in New York, Scullers Jazz Club [in Boston], who charge a token amount to help the artists and the club survive,” James said. “The Baked Potato [in Los Angeles] did a benefit. I think more and more artists will be charging a small sum and have a virtual tip jar, where fans can donate to them through PayPal or Venmo or any cash app.” Unlike pop musicians who have primarily used Instagram Live as a streaming platform because their audiences skew much younger, most of the livestreams posted on Smooth Jazz Online Events are on Facebook Live, YouTube, Zoom and StageIt, which sells tickets that must be purchased with StageIt currency. Many of the musicians are learning the streaming technology on the fly because this is a new paradigm for them. In normal times, the musicians would rely on the clubs or intermediaries to do the footwork in the marketing, promoting and production of shows. It makes sense then that the most prolific and popular livestream musicians are artists like Culbertson and Boney James. They both were ahead of the curve and worked social media to their benefit well before the pandemic hit.

Marilyn Lingenfelter James and her husband, Rick Phetteplace According to James, “The Hang with Brian Culbertson” draws nearly 3,000 fans each Friday. Braun, who hosts “Rick’s Café Live” every Saturday night from his living room, is also a prominent livestream artist. James added that saxophonist Mindi Abair performs a popular weekly livestream and markets wine through a wine club she started in January. Replays of shows remain on the page for several days because many members live in different time zones around the world and can’t see the performances in real time. James says she posts between 50-70 live events per week––most of them are on the page’s master schedule, which is prominently posted on the homepage. Some events she posts at the last minute as she finds out about them. The lively forum is a vital resource for fans and extremely popular for up-and-coming musicians in the global community. James said she’s learned a lot from managing the events page, but one thing resonates the most. “There are so many comments by people who say they don’t know how they would survive these times without the live music. I’m amazed at how much of a difference the shows make in people’s lives. These are the closest things to a live concert. That’s important to people, especially since they are able to interact with the artists in real time, which is so rare.” Smooth Jazz Online Events can be found at www.facebook.com/ groups/881085992404178.

MINDI ABAIR

Mindi Abair’s Wine + Music Sessions with special guests Peter White (top) and Rick Braun and Tony Pulizzi (bottom)

AH•LIVE

Adam Hawley with special guest Dave Koz

THE HANG WITH BRIAN CULBERTSON

Brian Culbertson and Boney James performing

WILLIE LEE PAYNE JR.

Oct. 25, 1947-Aug. 3, 2020

By Melanie Maxwell

Kathy and Willie Payne with Marilyn James and Rick Phetteplace; David Payne; Kirk Whalum; Willie Payne with grandchildren

The smooth jazz community has lost one of its most generous and enthusiastic supporters, Willie Payne.

Sadly, the beloved philanthropist and founder of Payne Pest Management passed away on Aug. 3 from cardiac arrest. He was 72. Willie not only sponsored events such as The San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival, he and his wife, Kathy, were also two of the genre’s most passionate fans. As a benefactor and a paying customer, Willie had his wallet open as wide as his contagious smile. His beaming face and welcoming hugs will certainly be missed on the next Dave Koz & Friends at Sea cruise, Brian Culbertson’s Napa Valley Jazz Getaway, Thornton Winery’s Champagne Concert Series, the Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival, Christmas concerts, Rick Braun’s New Year’s Eve and every other event the couple patronized or supported. However, those who will miss him most are his family. Willie leaves behind his wife, Kathy; three adult children, David Payne, Angela Seward and Jason Payne; eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; six siblings; many cousins, nieces, nephews and very special friends; plus, a thriving business with 40 employees, which is now run by his youngest son, Jason Payne, and employs two of Willie’s grandsons, Marcus Payne and Jordan McFadden.

Kathy and Willie Payne with family and jazz friends “My father was the oldest of nine children and didn’t have a lot of material things growing up,” said Jason. “He had started a family at a young age, joined the Army and served his country, was a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the top salesperson in the world out of more than 5,000 at Terminix, started his own pest control company in his mid-50s and grew it to the largest African American-owned pest control company in the United States. He was the definition of an American success story.” Born in 1947 to Mary and Willie Payne Sr., in Saginaw, Michigan, Willie considered himself a native San Diegan after the family moved to San Diego in 1950. He graduated from San Diego High School in 1965. Afterward, he attended San Diego State University, where he played football under Don Coryell and was later drafted into the Army, where he served four years. Early in his career, Willie worked as a carpet cleaner, then at Safeway stores, while earning his bachelor’s degree from National University. In 1977, he landed a job at Terminix, spent more than

28 years there and became the company’s top salesman worldwide. It’s also where he met Kathy Hurley (now Payne). After a two-year platonic friendship with Kathy, the divorced father of three young children—Jason, 4; Angela, 8; and David, 12— began dating his younger co-worker. Soon, the couple moved in together. Kathy immediately took on His beaming face and welcoming the role as full-time stepmom to the kids, hugs will certainly be missed ... whom she loved. She participated in PTA meetings and was the traveling snack bar mom at track meets, basketball tournaments, Little League, Pop Warner football and softball games. She and Willie also became deeply involved in the Rancho Penasquitos community, serving on the Pop Warner football board of directors and the Parks & Recreation Council for 10 years, and the Mt. Carmel High School Athletic Foundation for 15 years (Willie was the president). The couple, who married in 1989, have been together ever since, raising a family and building a business. In 2006, they both left Terminix to launch Payne Pest Management and brought their co-worker and close friend Abbas Rad to work in

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Willie and Kathy Payne with Mindi Abair; Reggie Jackson and Bill Wilson; Marcus Miller

Jason Payne making a toast in his dad’s honor aboard the Legacy in Point Loma, California; Lynne Darius, Kathy Payne and her brother Pat Hurley; Jason Payne, Kathy Payne, Angela Seward and David Payne (Photos: Ellis Moore Photography)

Jenifer and Bill Wilson offered their family’s Wilson Creek Winery for a small private service, which was held on Aug. 12, and streamed live on Facebook Jordan McFadden and his grandmother Kathy Payne scattering Willie Payne’s ashes at sea; Kathy and David Payne; Kathy Payne with her brothers, Tim Hurley, Pat Hurley and Mitch Hurley; Lynne and Eric Darius (Photos: Ellis Moore Photography)

Photos: Ellis Moore Photography continued from page 21

sales for them. That company has grown into a multimillion-dollar enterprise with three offices (San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles) and 40 employees. Jason, after graduating from Boise State University on a full-ride football scholarship, joined his dad at Terminix in its management training program. During that time, Nike recruited Jason’s wife, Misty, to work at its world headquarters, and the couple moved to Beaverton, Oregon. A year after his parents opened Payne Pest Management, Jason and Misty left their jobs—as a pharmaceutical sales rep and senior event planner at Nike, respectively— and moved back to San Diego to join the family business. In 2015, Jason stepped into his dad’s shoes as president of the company, while Willie became the CEO. The Paynes’ youngest child says he’ll continue his father’s standards for excellence. “My father always taught me that whatever I did to do it 110 percent,” Jason said. “It didn’t matter if it was in school, on the football field or at work. He taught me not to quit and to have the mindset of a winner at all times.” According to David Payne, the eldest Payne child, one of the most important lessons he learned from his father, which he says was also one of his keys to success, was to “Take care of the people who helped you get to where you are today.” Then added, “My father was very intelligent in the ways of the world and graciously shared that knowledge with me, my brother and my sister. “No matter how much our dad worked, he would always take us on a family vacation during spring break. It started when I was a freshman in high school and continued even until recent years. It was a chance for all of us to reconnect during our busy lives and enjoy being a family together and have fun doing it,” said David. Vacations were one of his sister’s favorite things, too. “He always took me to beautiful resorts, elegant restaurants and the best shopping trips,” recalled Angela Seward, Willie’s only daughter. For Seward, being Willie’s daughter had a lot of perks. “You attended more parties than you can imagine, went on lots of vacations, an overwhelming amount of sports lessons and events, but I also had the best dance partner.” However, she admits that it was also tough. “My dad always demanded 110 percent. He never accepted excuses. And, getting a higher education was always expected,” she said. Kathy said, “His favorite saying was ‘6 Ps: Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance, know your subject.’ He hated it when someone didn’t give it their all. He said it was a waste of everyone’s time.” Although he was always the captain in charge of his own ship––business, family and anything else––Willie was a yes man in the best possible way. With their company profits came the couple’s benevolence and support of their other passion: traveling with friends and experiencing live music. “And, then, of course, eventually being able to share that with others by sponsoring and producing concerts and festivals,” said Kathy. In 2008, they sponsored WAVE Fest at the Hollywood Bowl, then the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach Summer Concert Series, KiFM Smooth Jazz 98.1’s Gaslamp Quarter Festival and that radio station’s Jazz at the Beach series. And, like the smooth jazz hits they enjoyed, the yesses kept on coming. “Yes, I will sponsor The San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival and the Long Beach Jazz Festival,” blessing the promoters, Rainbow Promotions, and jazz communities they served. “Yes, I will buy the studio equipment for your classes to teach and mentor underprivileged children,” he told Dr. Tayari Howard, owner of online radio station KKSD. “Yes, I can find you a spot to perform at The San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival,” he promised (and delivered) to up-and-coming artists. “Yes, I’ll help sponsor your Jazz at the Creek concert series,” he assured Leonard Thompson at M.A.N.D.A.T.E. Records. Yes, to donations for Camella and Richard Elliot’s biannual fundraising concert benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in Escondido, California. Even when KiFM Smooth Jazz 98.1 abandoned the format and stopped promoting concerts, Willie said, “Yes, I’ll revive Jazz at the Beach in Oceanside,” stepping in as producer and giving artists more work and fans more summer fun. And, when former KiFM music director Kelly Cole landed back on the airwaves on 102.1, Kathy and Willie were right there with their checkbook and pen in hand, ready to sponsor her “Lites Out San Diego” show.

... Willie Payne ingrained in close friends and family the legacy he lived, which is to work hard to become a success, always give back to the community, and never put forth any effort that’s less than 110 percent. continued on page 24