Well, I love the decor. About ten years ago, when it came time to paint our living room walls, Dianne, my wife, along with her decorator friends, were considering various shades of green. I looked over the several color patches on one formerly white wall and, one day, blurted, "How about something red, like a burgundy?" She was stunned. Shocked, I tell you. But, I continued, a red might contrast better with the various large plants we had around the room. And so it is that we've had a red room in our home, long before getting one on our computers.

And the timing couldn't be better. I just agreed to write a book with and about Quincy Jones, the legendary musician, who, as it's been said, spans bebop to hip-hop. He published his memoirs (Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones; Doubleday) in 2001, and that's when I first met him, for an on-stage interview. This time out, he'll be addressing his musical legacy; the connections between the various kinds of music he's made over the decades; the links between music past and present. One thing for sure: It won't be the same old song.

I also just started--in mid-October--a radio show. It's on a legendary San Francisco station, KFRC, a Top 40 powerhouse in the late Sixties and, now, a "classic hits" station. My show goes beyond the format, dips into my past, with soundbites and notes from interviews done for Rolling Stone and others, and, like Quincy, bridges music of different generations. In just the first few programs, I've based segments on various books, including Paul Myers' biography of British blues pioneer Long John Baldry (It Ain't Easy); photographer Robert Altman's collection (The Sixties), and Steven Roby's book about Jimi Hendrix (Black Gold). They've been effective and entertaining ways to mix information, anecdotes, and music. If you've got a book that might work, let me know.

The show airs Sundays on KFRC, 106.9 FM in the Bay Area, and streams live at www.kfrc.com from 7 to 9 a.m. and 7 to 9 p.m., Pacific time.