Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Nanci Griffith and The Loving Kind
Friday night was also a chance for me to see Nanci Griffith in concert at the Rio in Santa Cruz.
Nanci was so inspiring-- I just came away singing! She had a really sweet presence onstage and a good rapport with her audience as well as her band. Stylistically, she is a little more country than I prefer, but I have to admire her for her skill and longevity. She has been a singer/songwriter for many years. Her songs have been covered by many famous artists.
I especially liked her folksongs-- one was set in the Dust Bowl, another in Ireland. The title song, "The Loving Kind," tells the story of Mildred and Richard Loving, a black woman and white man who married in 1958 and ended up having to defend their right to marry all the way to the Supreme Court. They won their case and ended up setting the precedent for the nation. This song is a tale simply told and very subtly parallels the recent struggle of gays and lesbians to have their marriages validated. No obvious connection is made to this in the song, but Nanci did so when she introduced it onstage, and also mentioned that it was Mildred Loving's hope, right before her death, that her and her husband's story would serve as inspiration for those seeking the right to marry.
The opening act, Jenna Mammina, was good, too. She was clever and funny and did this amazing thing where she created a song on the spot from six words thrown out to her from the audience. I loved it!
91 Days til the Burn
Friday, August 1, 2008
A Midsummer Night's Posting
My summer so far...
In Birthdays
My son’s 16th birthday was spent at BayCon over Memorial weekend (Actually, his birthday is May 30, which usually falls on Memorial weekend, but didn’t this year...). Brave soul that I am, I allowed him to invite two or three buddies to accompany him. So while I pecked away at my final term paper back in our hotel room, he and his friends ran amuck in the Santa Clara Hilton: “boffering” (beating each other with padded weaponry); picking up on chicks... er... making new friends with girls in bizarre costumery; and conducting a variety of experiments testing the nature of reality. Of the latter, one example involved (I am told) a trail of Mentos leading between the doors of two adjacent elevators in the effort to trap a Japanese businessman in an endless loop at 6:30 in the morning (the experiment failed, lacking the appearance of said businessman). Another involved a conversation Jared overheard while resting/hiding under a table during a brief respite from an elaborate game of hide and seek. The conversation, between a man and a woman, discussed the topic of reality. Unable to resist, Jared poked his head out from under the tablecloth and, quoting our favorite SF radio show Ruby, said, “Reality is what everyone agrees is real; what everyone agrees is not real, does not exist.” The man said, “Good point!” And Jared retreated back into his hiding place. You see, things like this can happen at a science fiction convention without anyone batting an eye. And *that*, I think, says more about the nature of reality than a stack of philosophy books.
My 41st birthday (July 26) was spent in my home with good friends old and new. We drank wine and ate tasty things and talked about travel and writing and other creative projects... Along with completing another Darkover novel, finishing up her own science fiction trilogy, and editing a second volume of Lace & Blade, Deborah is also actively supporting Live Long n Marry, Afghans for Afghans and Mother Bear projects. (These are truly wonderful grass roots organizations– click on the links to find out more)... While still maintaining the Joseph Mazzello fan club and website (which he originated back when Joseph was a wee lad), Mike is working on a new screenplay. (I can’t wait to read it, Mike!)... Guy’s wife Danielle and daughter Camille just got back from a trip to Mexico: part Spanish immersion, part art studio/museum tour. At an aquarium, Camille was actually lowered into a tank to feed the sharks! Way to go, Camille! Now Guy and Danielle are headed off to Sweden... Pete will be heading back to Singapore on business once again, while his wife Chris continues teaching music and a wonderful new dance form combining flamenco and belly dancing. (I have to take this class!)... Tony will be continuing his percussion training in the Fall, which gives our band such wonderful rhythm and keeps us all in synch... And Isabel, my Cabaret sister, is always on the lookout for another show to display her fine singing, dancing, and acting talents... But I have to say the prize for the evening went to Guy and the original limerick he read in my honor... ;-)
In Books
For the summer book clubs I’m teaching, I’ve read (and recommend highly!):
Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera
Under a Blood Red Sun by Graham Salisbury
Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card
Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
Of the above, it’s hard to pick a favorite– they were all wonderful– but if I had to pick one it would be Goose Girl, the one based on the Grimm’s fairy tale (of course!).
For myself, the little casual pleasure reading I’ve done has included:
Finishing Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel by Susanna Clarke
Starting Declare by Tim Powers (actually almost done with this one)
The former I couldn’t put down; the latter I’ve had to put down again and again. I can’t tell at this point if it’s just my schedule interferring with it, or if the book just hasn’t engaged me all that much. Fascinating premise, though.
I really should be studying. Really, really.
In Film
After a semester of Middle East studies, and watching films like The Battle for Algiers, and The Prisoner, and Until When..., I just haven’t been able to embrace my usual preference for foreign and indie films. So when I do get out to the movies, it’s been to see lighter fare: Iron Man, Indiana Jones, Wall-E, and The Dark Knight. I do love comic book heroes. And I’ll never tire of really well done animation.
In Music
Shadow Opera is doing great! We’ve been practicing new songs and keeping the old ones sharp. We had one really nice gig at Clos la Chance winery in San Martin in June which went really well. The crowd was very attentive and gave us some great feedback. One guy (a David Bowie fan) even ran in from the parking lot when he heard us playing his favorite song! (Ziggy Stardust, of course!) Later, when I sang Five Years, I dedicated it to him. We’ve done other smaller gigs– one at the bookstore and the other at community park– but the audience was somewhat lacking. We’ll be on a hiatus in August while Guy and Pete are out of the country, but hopefully we’ll get back to performing once September rolls around.
Hitting Things With Sticks– Who’d have known this was so fun? While Jared has been back east, I’ve sat in for music lessons with his guitar instructor. He’s teaching me some basic percussion. I joined the group session last Thursday and got to play along with the other students in a band setup. What fun! And I could actually hold the beat. What a surprise! I really should have done this as a teenager– puberty would have been so much more tolerable if I could have taken out my frustrations on clashing cymbals and other clickety-clackety things. This could be dangerous though... I think I’m getting a fever... and the only perscription is: MORE COWBELL!!!
On a classical note, I’ve managed to see the San Francisco Symphony twice this summer, once at the Flint Center in Cupertino and once at Cesar Chavez Park in San Jose. The Flint Center performance was a Cello concerto. I loved Lutoslawski’s Mi-Parti (1976)– It sounded like it could be part of a movie soundtrack for Star Wars or Harry Potter. I could *totally* picture Luke Skywalker stepping into the tree on Dagobah in Empire. Considering the time period, I wonder if John Williams was influenced by Lutoslawski. Mi-Parti was followed by Janacek’s Taras Bulba (1918); but the highlight of the evening was Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B Minor, Opus 104 (1895). The beautiful Alisa Weilerstein played the lead cello. She was amazing. For a moment, when she first came out and faced the audience, you could tell she was aware of us, she took us all in. But as soon as she began to play, you could tell she was somewhere else entirely, transported into her music. And she took us along for the ride. It was as if the music came alive and the notes were dancing and swirling in the air around her. Her performance was so captivating, we completely lost track of time. Suddenly, it was over, and the audience was on its feet cheering. Brilliant!
The concert in San Jose was lovely as well– a Tuesday afternoon in the Park with Verdi, Dvorak, and Tchaikovsky:
Verdi Overture to La forza del destino
Dvořrák Allegra con fuoco from Symphony No. 9, New World
Tchaikovsky Andantino in modo di canzona from Symphony No. 4
Tchaikovsky Finale: Allegro con fuoco from Symphony No. 4
I was talking with my bandmates about this recently– How artists see music. Some artists say they see it in colors, others as language or mathematical formulae; some, like Tori Amos, meet actual personalities in these sonic shapes. Me, I see landscapes. When I listen to music, especially classical music, but other kinds of music as well, it feels similar to when I’m sitting in an IMAX theatre with the camera skimming over the surface of some intricate geography– but I don’t see colors or definition, just a sonic impression, like a bat’s sonar, perhaps. It’s easy to get lost in it; sometimes I don’t want to come back. ;-)
In Scholarship
In June, I attended the Children’s Literature Association’s annual conference, held this year in Bloomington, IL. I submitted a paper discussing Icelandic children’s literature, and was invited to join their international panel focusing on Iceland. The other two scholars were from the University of Iceland– Anna Heida Palsdottir and Dagny Kristjansdottir– and they told me later I was this big mystery: Who else could possibly know about Icelandic children’s literature? Was I Icelandic? ;-) I felt a bit like Cinderella. We went to lunch and I told them about my trip last summer.
I had a wonderful time and met many scholars from all over the world: Iceland, Russia, Greece, Canada, Ireland, and all over the U.S. I met award-winning author Peter Dickinson from England. And I had the good fortune to get reaquainted with my friend Susan from my trip last year. We booked a room together– and after my crazy (mis)adventures with the delayed flights and losing my cell phone, it was such a relief to arrive and find she had my bed all ready and a note telling me there were snacks in the fridge. ;-) (Thanks, Susan!)
(Note to Self: Next time, pack lighter, wear running shoes, and put cell phone in the *inside* pocket...)
In Teaching
As I mentioned earlier, I’m teaching summer reading courses for an SAT prep school. My students range in age from 11-16. I like the junior high kids the best. They are so full of personality. They are both maddening and enchanting at the same time. And they can’t shut up to save their lives. Really. I’ve threatened them with all manner of torture and punishment; nothing works. One of them, the youngest, said to me one day, “Don’t you just love us, Miss Tanja? Haven’t we changed your life?” Yes, Justine. Absolutely.
In Writing
Last semester, my short story “The Kindly Ones” and my long poem “Denmark, On My 40th Birthday” each won first place in the English Department’s Phelan Awards.
Also, I am now a regular contributor to Bookbird, an international children’s lit magazine. I submit what is called “postcard” reviews (about 150 words). My first review should be coming out in the Fall issue. It’s pretty exciting. *International* publication. Wow.
Now if only I can get one of my stories published...
So that’s it. That’s the update. Until next time...
29 Days til the Burn!
In Birthdays
My son’s 16th birthday was spent at BayCon over Memorial weekend (Actually, his birthday is May 30, which usually falls on Memorial weekend, but didn’t this year...). Brave soul that I am, I allowed him to invite two or three buddies to accompany him. So while I pecked away at my final term paper back in our hotel room, he and his friends ran amuck in the Santa Clara Hilton: “boffering” (beating each other with padded weaponry); picking up on chicks... er... making new friends with girls in bizarre costumery; and conducting a variety of experiments testing the nature of reality. Of the latter, one example involved (I am told) a trail of Mentos leading between the doors of two adjacent elevators in the effort to trap a Japanese businessman in an endless loop at 6:30 in the morning (the experiment failed, lacking the appearance of said businessman). Another involved a conversation Jared overheard while resting/hiding under a table during a brief respite from an elaborate game of hide and seek. The conversation, between a man and a woman, discussed the topic of reality. Unable to resist, Jared poked his head out from under the tablecloth and, quoting our favorite SF radio show Ruby, said, “Reality is what everyone agrees is real; what everyone agrees is not real, does not exist.” The man said, “Good point!” And Jared retreated back into his hiding place. You see, things like this can happen at a science fiction convention without anyone batting an eye. And *that*, I think, says more about the nature of reality than a stack of philosophy books.
My 41st birthday (July 26) was spent in my home with good friends old and new. We drank wine and ate tasty things and talked about travel and writing and other creative projects... Along with completing another Darkover novel, finishing up her own science fiction trilogy, and editing a second volume of Lace & Blade, Deborah is also actively supporting Live Long n Marry, Afghans for Afghans and Mother Bear projects. (These are truly wonderful grass roots organizations– click on the links to find out more)... While still maintaining the Joseph Mazzello fan club and website (which he originated back when Joseph was a wee lad), Mike is working on a new screenplay. (I can’t wait to read it, Mike!)... Guy’s wife Danielle and daughter Camille just got back from a trip to Mexico: part Spanish immersion, part art studio/museum tour. At an aquarium, Camille was actually lowered into a tank to feed the sharks! Way to go, Camille! Now Guy and Danielle are headed off to Sweden... Pete will be heading back to Singapore on business once again, while his wife Chris continues teaching music and a wonderful new dance form combining flamenco and belly dancing. (I have to take this class!)... Tony will be continuing his percussion training in the Fall, which gives our band such wonderful rhythm and keeps us all in synch... And Isabel, my Cabaret sister, is always on the lookout for another show to display her fine singing, dancing, and acting talents... But I have to say the prize for the evening went to Guy and the original limerick he read in my honor... ;-)
In Books
For the summer book clubs I’m teaching, I’ve read (and recommend highly!):
Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera
Under a Blood Red Sun by Graham Salisbury
Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card
Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
Of the above, it’s hard to pick a favorite– they were all wonderful– but if I had to pick one it would be Goose Girl, the one based on the Grimm’s fairy tale (of course!).
For myself, the little casual pleasure reading I’ve done has included:
Finishing Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel by Susanna Clarke
Starting Declare by Tim Powers (actually almost done with this one)
The former I couldn’t put down; the latter I’ve had to put down again and again. I can’t tell at this point if it’s just my schedule interferring with it, or if the book just hasn’t engaged me all that much. Fascinating premise, though.
I really should be studying. Really, really.
In Film
After a semester of Middle East studies, and watching films like The Battle for Algiers, and The Prisoner, and Until When..., I just haven’t been able to embrace my usual preference for foreign and indie films. So when I do get out to the movies, it’s been to see lighter fare: Iron Man, Indiana Jones, Wall-E, and The Dark Knight. I do love comic book heroes. And I’ll never tire of really well done animation.
In Music
Shadow Opera is doing great! We’ve been practicing new songs and keeping the old ones sharp. We had one really nice gig at Clos la Chance winery in San Martin in June which went really well. The crowd was very attentive and gave us some great feedback. One guy (a David Bowie fan) even ran in from the parking lot when he heard us playing his favorite song! (Ziggy Stardust, of course!) Later, when I sang Five Years, I dedicated it to him. We’ve done other smaller gigs– one at the bookstore and the other at community park– but the audience was somewhat lacking. We’ll be on a hiatus in August while Guy and Pete are out of the country, but hopefully we’ll get back to performing once September rolls around.
Hitting Things With Sticks– Who’d have known this was so fun? While Jared has been back east, I’ve sat in for music lessons with his guitar instructor. He’s teaching me some basic percussion. I joined the group session last Thursday and got to play along with the other students in a band setup. What fun! And I could actually hold the beat. What a surprise! I really should have done this as a teenager– puberty would have been so much more tolerable if I could have taken out my frustrations on clashing cymbals and other clickety-clackety things. This could be dangerous though... I think I’m getting a fever... and the only perscription is: MORE COWBELL!!!
On a classical note, I’ve managed to see the San Francisco Symphony twice this summer, once at the Flint Center in Cupertino and once at Cesar Chavez Park in San Jose. The Flint Center performance was a Cello concerto. I loved Lutoslawski’s Mi-Parti (1976)– It sounded like it could be part of a movie soundtrack for Star Wars or Harry Potter. I could *totally* picture Luke Skywalker stepping into the tree on Dagobah in Empire. Considering the time period, I wonder if John Williams was influenced by Lutoslawski. Mi-Parti was followed by Janacek’s Taras Bulba (1918); but the highlight of the evening was Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B Minor, Opus 104 (1895). The beautiful Alisa Weilerstein played the lead cello. She was amazing. For a moment, when she first came out and faced the audience, you could tell she was aware of us, she took us all in. But as soon as she began to play, you could tell she was somewhere else entirely, transported into her music. And she took us along for the ride. It was as if the music came alive and the notes were dancing and swirling in the air around her. Her performance was so captivating, we completely lost track of time. Suddenly, it was over, and the audience was on its feet cheering. Brilliant!
The concert in San Jose was lovely as well– a Tuesday afternoon in the Park with Verdi, Dvorak, and Tchaikovsky:
Verdi Overture to La forza del destino
Dvořrák Allegra con fuoco from Symphony No. 9, New World
Tchaikovsky Andantino in modo di canzona from Symphony No. 4
Tchaikovsky Finale: Allegro con fuoco from Symphony No. 4
I was talking with my bandmates about this recently– How artists see music. Some artists say they see it in colors, others as language or mathematical formulae; some, like Tori Amos, meet actual personalities in these sonic shapes. Me, I see landscapes. When I listen to music, especially classical music, but other kinds of music as well, it feels similar to when I’m sitting in an IMAX theatre with the camera skimming over the surface of some intricate geography– but I don’t see colors or definition, just a sonic impression, like a bat’s sonar, perhaps. It’s easy to get lost in it; sometimes I don’t want to come back. ;-)
In Scholarship
In June, I attended the Children’s Literature Association’s annual conference, held this year in Bloomington, IL. I submitted a paper discussing Icelandic children’s literature, and was invited to join their international panel focusing on Iceland. The other two scholars were from the University of Iceland– Anna Heida Palsdottir and Dagny Kristjansdottir– and they told me later I was this big mystery: Who else could possibly know about Icelandic children’s literature? Was I Icelandic? ;-) I felt a bit like Cinderella. We went to lunch and I told them about my trip last summer.
I had a wonderful time and met many scholars from all over the world: Iceland, Russia, Greece, Canada, Ireland, and all over the U.S. I met award-winning author Peter Dickinson from England. And I had the good fortune to get reaquainted with my friend Susan from my trip last year. We booked a room together– and after my crazy (mis)adventures with the delayed flights and losing my cell phone, it was such a relief to arrive and find she had my bed all ready and a note telling me there were snacks in the fridge. ;-) (Thanks, Susan!)
(Note to Self: Next time, pack lighter, wear running shoes, and put cell phone in the *inside* pocket...)
In Teaching
As I mentioned earlier, I’m teaching summer reading courses for an SAT prep school. My students range in age from 11-16. I like the junior high kids the best. They are so full of personality. They are both maddening and enchanting at the same time. And they can’t shut up to save their lives. Really. I’ve threatened them with all manner of torture and punishment; nothing works. One of them, the youngest, said to me one day, “Don’t you just love us, Miss Tanja? Haven’t we changed your life?” Yes, Justine. Absolutely.
In Writing
Last semester, my short story “The Kindly Ones” and my long poem “Denmark, On My 40th Birthday” each won first place in the English Department’s Phelan Awards.
Also, I am now a regular contributor to Bookbird, an international children’s lit magazine. I submit what is called “postcard” reviews (about 150 words). My first review should be coming out in the Fall issue. It’s pretty exciting. *International* publication. Wow.
Now if only I can get one of my stories published...
So that’s it. That’s the update. Until next time...
29 Days til the Burn!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Shadow Boxing
The Shadow Opera website has been updated!
Great practice today. We auditioned a percussionist and he was really good. His addition made all the difference in the world. And it was fun!
We're adding a few new songs by Fiona Apple and Sarah McLachlan: stuff I just love to sing. And I have to say, I'm in love with Robert Plant. I will never ever get tired of singing his songs. Never Ever.
There's something about really great music--I mean *really* great music--that just taps into something elemental... not that it's simple necessarily, but that it is pure. There is a lot of technical skill that goes into this--a lot of effort--but when it comes together, suddenly... suddenly we are more than the sum of our parts.
I'm also singing in a choir on Friday nights. It's a small informal group, but we're learning a lot. I'm hoping to brush up on my music reading skills--something I have never been very skilled at. We're making beautiful harmonies and having a good many laughs in the process. By the end of the evening, whatever small tight ball of stress has built up in my middle over the course of the week has unwound and disappeared.
Laughter and singing have this much in common: breathing, deep and full. No wonder I feel high.
Listening to: Sarah McLachlan's Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
Great practice today. We auditioned a percussionist and he was really good. His addition made all the difference in the world. And it was fun!
We're adding a few new songs by Fiona Apple and Sarah McLachlan: stuff I just love to sing. And I have to say, I'm in love with Robert Plant. I will never ever get tired of singing his songs. Never Ever.
There's something about really great music--I mean *really* great music--that just taps into something elemental... not that it's simple necessarily, but that it is pure. There is a lot of technical skill that goes into this--a lot of effort--but when it comes together, suddenly... suddenly we are more than the sum of our parts.
I'm also singing in a choir on Friday nights. It's a small informal group, but we're learning a lot. I'm hoping to brush up on my music reading skills--something I have never been very skilled at. We're making beautiful harmonies and having a good many laughs in the process. By the end of the evening, whatever small tight ball of stress has built up in my middle over the course of the week has unwound and disappeared.
Laughter and singing have this much in common: breathing, deep and full. No wonder I feel high.
Listening to: Sarah McLachlan's Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Gypsy Soul
Great, great band. I'm so glad I got the chance to see them perform. (Thanks, Guy!)
Who?
By Cilette Swann and Roman Morykit
Who will speak in my absence?
Who will stand in my place?
Will you rejoice in the life that I've led?
Who will I inspire along the way?
Who will sing at my passing?
Who will dance upon my grave?
For whom will I be a lasting memory?
For whom will I easily fade?
[chorus]
Do I give enough?
Do I love enough?
Do I live enough?
Did I ever give up on
Anyone I shouldn't have?
Do I risk enough?
Do I forgive enough?
Do I trust enough?
Am I good enough?
Who will wake from this slumber?
Who will share in the faith
That we are the sum of the choices we make?
We cannot lay down at the mercy of fate.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Tori! Tori! Tori!
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Live from San Francisco
O Joyous Night!
Samba Da and Ozomatli on stage at the Filmore: So Sexy and So Fun! I felt the earth move, baby. They do things with them bongos that I just gotta learn how to do.
This must be a small taste of what Carnival in New Orleans or Rio must be like. If you get the chance to see either of these bands, don't hesitate, just go. You'll have the time of your life. I did.
(Thanks, Isabel! And Thank You, KFOG, for giving her the winning tickets!)
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Art vs. "Product"
Someone said something in class tonight that got me thinking. And the man who said this is mature, a junior high school teacher, and to all appearances reasonably intelligent. So I was mildly surprised and amused by what he said.
What he said was, "Music by Britney Spears really isn't that bad. In fact, it's rather good." For which he got some good-natured ribbing and comments that Britney Spears does not actually "make" her music. To which he replied, "No, she doesn't. What she is is a brand name. She is part of a product, and just like any other product, it can be good or bad. Yes, it's the engineers and technicians and song writers and choreographers and image makers behind her that do all the work, but they slap her name on the end product and that's what sells the records. It's no different than Madonna, or Paris Hilton, or even the Monkees."
Now Madonna I've got a grudging respect for. She wasn't much more than a Britney, perhaps, in the beginning of her career, but I think just by sheer longevity she has gone on to prove that not only can she create, she is also capable of reinventing herself as well as making some pretty canny business decisions. Paris Hilton. Pffh. I don't really know. I haven't bothered to listen. But I have my doubts about someone who gets on a label just because she's rich.
But the Monkees? My adorable Monkees? How dare he make such a comparison? Okay, so they were a "studio" band. So they never actually played their instruments. So they didn't write the songs. So what? They could sing. And they were cute and funny and made me laugh. In a good way. So *not* like Britney Spears.
His comment revealed one of my own prejudices: I have more respect for the Jewels and Sarahs and Toris of the world--musicians who truly create, live and breathe their own music-- than I do for these megastar "faces" on an industry product. Why should the struggling unknown musician, singing and playing in the corner of some cafe somewhere, seem more authentic to me than a Britney Spears? Because I do agree with him on one point. The product itself is an authentic creation through the group effort of creative people. Why do I give them less credit? Why do the works by these other musicians seem more "real"?
I think what it comes down to is what these "brand name" people have to bring to the table. I don't see Britney really working for her product. All she does is show up. If she were contributing something worthwhile-- hours of practice before she appears on national television, for example-- that might be something. If she took voice lessons, or songwriting, and contributed something to the creation of her product other than whining about her tabloid lifestyle, that might be something else entirely.
And then there's the fact that this "product" is so industry driven. They are playing to the Lowest Common Denominator, to the bottom line. They will produce whatever their market research says will make the most sales and rake in the most dough. I don't think that's coming from that "truly creative backwater" that Gibson was talking about.
Anyway, I'm going to go listen to the Monkees and meditate on "Another Pleasant Valley Sunday" and "Daydream Believer."
What he said was, "Music by Britney Spears really isn't that bad. In fact, it's rather good." For which he got some good-natured ribbing and comments that Britney Spears does not actually "make" her music. To which he replied, "No, she doesn't. What she is is a brand name. She is part of a product, and just like any other product, it can be good or bad. Yes, it's the engineers and technicians and song writers and choreographers and image makers behind her that do all the work, but they slap her name on the end product and that's what sells the records. It's no different than Madonna, or Paris Hilton, or even the Monkees."
Now Madonna I've got a grudging respect for. She wasn't much more than a Britney, perhaps, in the beginning of her career, but I think just by sheer longevity she has gone on to prove that not only can she create, she is also capable of reinventing herself as well as making some pretty canny business decisions. Paris Hilton. Pffh. I don't really know. I haven't bothered to listen. But I have my doubts about someone who gets on a label just because she's rich.
But the Monkees? My adorable Monkees? How dare he make such a comparison? Okay, so they were a "studio" band. So they never actually played their instruments. So they didn't write the songs. So what? They could sing. And they were cute and funny and made me laugh. In a good way. So *not* like Britney Spears.
His comment revealed one of my own prejudices: I have more respect for the Jewels and Sarahs and Toris of the world--musicians who truly create, live and breathe their own music-- than I do for these megastar "faces" on an industry product. Why should the struggling unknown musician, singing and playing in the corner of some cafe somewhere, seem more authentic to me than a Britney Spears? Because I do agree with him on one point. The product itself is an authentic creation through the group effort of creative people. Why do I give them less credit? Why do the works by these other musicians seem more "real"?
I think what it comes down to is what these "brand name" people have to bring to the table. I don't see Britney really working for her product. All she does is show up. If she were contributing something worthwhile-- hours of practice before she appears on national television, for example-- that might be something. If she took voice lessons, or songwriting, and contributed something to the creation of her product other than whining about her tabloid lifestyle, that might be something else entirely.
And then there's the fact that this "product" is so industry driven. They are playing to the Lowest Common Denominator, to the bottom line. They will produce whatever their market research says will make the most sales and rake in the most dough. I don't think that's coming from that "truly creative backwater" that Gibson was talking about.
Anyway, I'm going to go listen to the Monkees and meditate on "Another Pleasant Valley Sunday" and "Daydream Believer."
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Guitarmageddon
Well, I did it. I bought my son his first guitar--an electric guitar to be precise. The music store cut me a pretty good deal, because my son will be taking lessons with one of their teachers there, but it still put a nice dent in my pocket book.
There better be some dag-gum, sure-fire pickin' and strummin' that there guitar, because sure as God made little green apples, I will take it out of his hide if he gets bored and gives this up in six months.
And yes. I know. I'm the coolest mom EVER. And don't you forget it.
There better be some dag-gum, sure-fire pickin' and strummin' that there guitar, because sure as God made little green apples, I will take it out of his hide if he gets bored and gives this up in six months.
And yes. I know. I'm the coolest mom EVER. And don't you forget it.
Friday, September 14, 2007
All still just the same
I heard Pete Seeger singing this song on the radio this morning. Brought back a memory.
7th grade, I was in guitar class and the final exam... we had to choose a song to play and sing... And I don't know why, but I chose *that* song... I think there was a very limited selection.
Anyway, I sucked. Big time. Couldn't play it. Couldn't sing it. Not to save my life.
I'm not exaggerating. I got a D in guitar.
So I always associate that song with my failure.
I actually like the song. Very hippie protest kind of thing.
Too bad there wasn't a Kate or Tori or Jewel around then. I might have had a chance with one of their songs.
Today, I really listened to the words. I don't know if I totally grasped it back then, but today... it's more meaningful than ever.
Anyway, here it is.
Little Boxes
~Pete Seeger
Little boxes on the hillside
Little boxes made of ticky tacky
Little boxes
Little boxes
Little boxes all the same
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same
And the people in the houses all go to the university
And they all get put in boxes, little boxes all the same
And there's doctors and there's lawyers
And business executives
And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same
And they all play on the golf course and drink their martini dry
And they all have pretty children and the children go to school
And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university
And they all get put in boxes, and they all come out the same
And the boys go into business and marry and raise a family
And they all get put in boxes, little boxes all the same
There's a green one, and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same
7th grade, I was in guitar class and the final exam... we had to choose a song to play and sing... And I don't know why, but I chose *that* song... I think there was a very limited selection.
Anyway, I sucked. Big time. Couldn't play it. Couldn't sing it. Not to save my life.
I'm not exaggerating. I got a D in guitar.
So I always associate that song with my failure.
I actually like the song. Very hippie protest kind of thing.
Too bad there wasn't a Kate or Tori or Jewel around then. I might have had a chance with one of their songs.
Today, I really listened to the words. I don't know if I totally grasped it back then, but today... it's more meaningful than ever.
Anyway, here it is.
Little Boxes
~Pete Seeger
Little boxes on the hillside
Little boxes made of ticky tacky
Little boxes
Little boxes
Little boxes all the same
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same
And the people in the houses all go to the university
And they all get put in boxes, little boxes all the same
And there's doctors and there's lawyers
And business executives
And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same
And they all play on the golf course and drink their martini dry
And they all have pretty children and the children go to school
And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university
And they all get put in boxes, and they all come out the same
And the boys go into business and marry and raise a family
And they all get put in boxes, little boxes all the same
There's a green one, and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
One for Sorrow, Two for Joy...
From the sea have I come
and to the sea my way I wend.
I shall meet my one true love
and be parted from my friend.
~from The Crow-Girl by Bodil Bredsdorff
I have a new favorite book. The Crow-Girl is a charming story that looks as unflinchingly at death as it does at life. (I am hereafter terrified of bogs--once a bog takes hold of you, it doesn't let go, like quicksand, only slower...) It is a quiet tale: there are no wars or evil henchman to vanquish. Instead, people are revealed in their kindness and cruelty and sorrow by the way they treat each other, how some are willing to share their last meal, while others are capable of much mischief in small, mean ways disguising it as kindness. Crow-Girl is intelligent and capable and her there-and-back-again journey is worthy of any adventurous hobbit's.
The story got me thinking of crow and raven references in music and literature. "The Raven" by Edgar Alan Poe is the most obvious. There is also "The Twa Corbies," an old English poem about a murder witnessed only by the crows. There is also the song "A Murder of One" by the Counting Crows. The lyrics have such a haunting quality to them that I wonder if Adam Duritz did not borrow from something far older. If he did not consciously, then certainly he tapped into something deeper.
I dreamt I saw you walking up a hillside in the snow
Casting shadows on the winter sky as you stood there
Counting crows
One for sorrow
Two for joy
Three for girls and four for boys
Five for silver
Six for gold and
Seven for the secret never to be told...
And finally, a little known legend I came across while researching a term paper one semester: The Welsh have a superstition that it is bad luck to shoot a crow. For it is said that when nearing his death, King Arthur was transformed into a crow and has since wandered the world in that form until the time is right for his return. Therefore, one who shoots a crow may inadvertently prevent the return of the King.
14 Days til Lift-Off
Sunday, June 24, 2007
White Girl Can('t) Dance
Second gig at the Solis Winery. Much, much better performance-wise-- very tight. Yesterday was good, but today just felt cleaner. We had our cues down. As Aretha sings in "Niki Hoeky" (one of our songs): "Everything is copacetic now." ;-)
I don't know about my dance aesthetic though. Physically, I still feel a little awkward, a little too stiff. I loosen up more as we go along, but I'm really more Janis Joplin than Janet Jackson. But perhaps that's appropriate. I've got that whole hippie-chick thing dooowwwnnn, Man. And much as I have tried to resist the whole singer-with-the-tambourine stereotype, I find that I'm a lot more confident when I have something to do with my hands. I'm learning to use the tambourine and maracas and this little egg thing with beads or sand or something in it jokingly referred to as the "E-flat Egg"--that one is my favorite. Hey, when you've got something to shake, the world shakes with you.
We had a bigger crowd today, too. It is exciting and gratifying to see people engaged with the performance, looking up, clapping, singing along, even getting up and dancing. Yesterday, the people were just as appreciative (one guy even told me I sounded just like Linda Ronstadt on "Oooh, Baby, Baby") but there is something about a larger crowd bringing a larger energy. Well, IF they are engaged and paying attention. I have sung to crowds who were more interested in their dinner... Anyway, that was not the case, either yesterday or today. Both performances were very positive experiences. I'm looking forward to going back there again.
Rock on! ;-)
23 Days til Lift-Off
I don't know about my dance aesthetic though. Physically, I still feel a little awkward, a little too stiff. I loosen up more as we go along, but I'm really more Janis Joplin than Janet Jackson. But perhaps that's appropriate. I've got that whole hippie-chick thing dooowwwnnn, Man. And much as I have tried to resist the whole singer-with-the-tambourine stereotype, I find that I'm a lot more confident when I have something to do with my hands. I'm learning to use the tambourine and maracas and this little egg thing with beads or sand or something in it jokingly referred to as the "E-flat Egg"--that one is my favorite. Hey, when you've got something to shake, the world shakes with you.
We had a bigger crowd today, too. It is exciting and gratifying to see people engaged with the performance, looking up, clapping, singing along, even getting up and dancing. Yesterday, the people were just as appreciative (one guy even told me I sounded just like Linda Ronstadt on "Oooh, Baby, Baby") but there is something about a larger crowd bringing a larger energy. Well, IF they are engaged and paying attention. I have sung to crowds who were more interested in their dinner... Anyway, that was not the case, either yesterday or today. Both performances were very positive experiences. I'm looking forward to going back there again.
Rock on! ;-)
23 Days til Lift-Off
Saturday, June 23, 2007
I'm With the Band!
One of the *best* feelings in the world comes with walking into an establishment and saying those four magical little words.
The Solis Winery is actually kind of a neat little spot. Good wine with a casual atmosphere. They set up some picnic tables outside and people can bring lunch, drink wine, and just hang out with a beautiful view of the vineyards. And, of course, listen to some excellent entertainment! ;-)
It was a nice day--not too hot with a slight breeze--and we had some shade from the trees. As I was singing, I watched the patrons enjoying their wine and the good company of their friends. And you know, there's something very inviting about that. I'd kind of like to do that sometime. But all things considered, I'd really rather be right where I am: with the band. That's right where I belong.
Oh, and if you ever get to the Solis Winery, try the Muscat. It's fabulous!
24 Days til Lift-Off
The Solis Winery is actually kind of a neat little spot. Good wine with a casual atmosphere. They set up some picnic tables outside and people can bring lunch, drink wine, and just hang out with a beautiful view of the vineyards. And, of course, listen to some excellent entertainment! ;-)
It was a nice day--not too hot with a slight breeze--and we had some shade from the trees. As I was singing, I watched the patrons enjoying their wine and the good company of their friends. And you know, there's something very inviting about that. I'd kind of like to do that sometime. But all things considered, I'd really rather be right where I am: with the band. That's right where I belong.
Oh, and if you ever get to the Solis Winery, try the Muscat. It's fabulous!
24 Days til Lift-Off
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Laughter, With Occasional Music
Q: What do you call a drummer without a girlfriend?
A: Homeless.
A smalltime band finally gets a bigtime break. As they are onstage playing to a thousand screaming fans, they realize they are on their way to fame and fortune. The guitarist is thinking about how he can't wait to buy that car he's always wanted. The drummer is thinking about buying a house. The bassist is thinking: A-A-A-A-G-G-G-D-D-D....
And the best one:
Q: How do you know when a singer is at the door?
A: She doesn't know when to come in and she can't find the key.
30 Days til Lift-Off
Saturday, June 9, 2007
When you sing you begin with Do-Ray-Mi
Another great band practice today. I am so happy to be singing again! And the others are saying how nice it is to have another vocalist and what a good job I'm doing. And all I can think is, "I know nothing! I need to take a class!" That is my answer to everything: Take a class. But here I am. I'm doing it. So why do I think I need to take a class? It's just that whenever I throw myself into the mix like this, I become conscious of what I do not know. I can sing, but I don't play an instrument, and I can barely read music. I think I can find middle C if I try really hard. Give me a starting note and I can fake my way through. My ear for harmony is pretty good, but I need to really work at it. I am never at ease in a state of ignorance and always long to learn more. I would like to be able to read music confidently, and know harmony well enough that once I make something up I can take notes on the spot and be able to repeat it when we do it again. When am I ever going to learn this?
In the meantime, I have the pleasure of working with some really experienced and talented musicians. I am already learning so much from them.
I'm not worthy! ;-)
38 Days to Lift-Off
In the meantime, I have the pleasure of working with some really experienced and talented musicians. I am already learning so much from them.
I'm not worthy! ;-)
38 Days to Lift-Off
Saturday, June 2, 2007
But what I really need is...
The weirdest thing happened to me today. I was standing in the Safeway checkout line, paying for my groceries, when the clerk tells me, with surprise in her voice, "You've just won an iPod Shuffle!" Truth to tell, she was more excited about it than I was. As for me, I was skeptical. I was thinking, "Yeah, right, I've probably won some stupid little plastic accessory for a piece of equipment I haven't got!" So I went over and stood in line at customer service. Sure enough, they hand me an honest-to-goodness real iPod. Imagine that.
So I find myself thinking about luck and strange coincidences. What is luck? Is it really random? Or does it result from a series of finite events that may have an infinite variety of combinations? Is it reproducible? I am reminded of a character from Nilo Cruz's play Anna in the Tropics. The man has a gambling problem, and we find through the course of the play that once he won big--really big--and ever since then he has been trying to reproduce the actions of that day in order to win again. He gets up at the same time every day, on the same side of the bed. He puts his shoes on in the same order. And so on. But he still doesn't win.
I don't know if I could reproduce this day if I tried. I don't remember in what order I put my shoes on or what time I left the house. I am wearing my bright apple green hippie shirt. Today is not my son's birthday, but it is the day we are celebrating his birthday, so most of the shopping items were for his party. Minutes before I checked out "The Boy from Ipanema"--not "The Girl from Ipanema" which is the alternate version of the song--was playing on the store's speakers. This is significant because I had just referenced this song in a text message to a friend on Friday--the "Boy" version, not the "Girl" version. What are the odds? I received a phone call from my friend Gina while I was at the store. I used a $10 gift card, which I received at Christmas, and a 10% off card, which I received in the mail this week, when I paid for my purchases. My total came up to $60.06. I was at checkstand 3. Or was it 4? Both the clerk and the bagger were two young female employees I had never seen before. The list just goes on and on. See? Finite series of events; infinite variety of combinations.
There's some irony here, too. I'm planning a trip this summer, and I've really been wanting to get a digital camera. Hmm. Small electronic device about the same size and shape as an iPod. Ask the universe for a digital camera, it gives me an iPod. Go figure. Sometimes I think the universe is terribly lacking in fine tuning.
However, I am not complaining, because an iPod will come in handy. Not only will it make it easier to listen to all my favorite music, but just this week my friend Guy invited me to join his band Shadow Opera. This will help me with practicing the songs I need to learn for the band. I am really excited to be singing again and am really happy to be working with this incredibly talented group of people. I will keep you posted as things develop.
So, yeah, winning an iPod is very cool indeed.
But you know, what I really need is a droid that understands the binary language of moisture vaporators...
So I find myself thinking about luck and strange coincidences. What is luck? Is it really random? Or does it result from a series of finite events that may have an infinite variety of combinations? Is it reproducible? I am reminded of a character from Nilo Cruz's play Anna in the Tropics. The man has a gambling problem, and we find through the course of the play that once he won big--really big--and ever since then he has been trying to reproduce the actions of that day in order to win again. He gets up at the same time every day, on the same side of the bed. He puts his shoes on in the same order. And so on. But he still doesn't win.
I don't know if I could reproduce this day if I tried. I don't remember in what order I put my shoes on or what time I left the house. I am wearing my bright apple green hippie shirt. Today is not my son's birthday, but it is the day we are celebrating his birthday, so most of the shopping items were for his party. Minutes before I checked out "The Boy from Ipanema"--not "The Girl from Ipanema" which is the alternate version of the song--was playing on the store's speakers. This is significant because I had just referenced this song in a text message to a friend on Friday--the "Boy" version, not the "Girl" version. What are the odds? I received a phone call from my friend Gina while I was at the store. I used a $10 gift card, which I received at Christmas, and a 10% off card, which I received in the mail this week, when I paid for my purchases. My total came up to $60.06. I was at checkstand 3. Or was it 4? Both the clerk and the bagger were two young female employees I had never seen before. The list just goes on and on. See? Finite series of events; infinite variety of combinations.
There's some irony here, too. I'm planning a trip this summer, and I've really been wanting to get a digital camera. Hmm. Small electronic device about the same size and shape as an iPod. Ask the universe for a digital camera, it gives me an iPod. Go figure. Sometimes I think the universe is terribly lacking in fine tuning.
However, I am not complaining, because an iPod will come in handy. Not only will it make it easier to listen to all my favorite music, but just this week my friend Guy invited me to join his band Shadow Opera. This will help me with practicing the songs I need to learn for the band. I am really excited to be singing again and am really happy to be working with this incredibly talented group of people. I will keep you posted as things develop.
So, yeah, winning an iPod is very cool indeed.
But you know, what I really need is a droid that understands the binary language of moisture vaporators...
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
So much music, so little time...
tori's latest was released today, but do I have time to go shopping? [sigh!] And after spending $$$ on new tires and a front-end alignment, well, my heart just isn't into going out and spending more money. I have a weird relationship with money that way. Anytime I spend more than $100 on anything, I start to feel slightly ill. It has taken me most of my adult life to get to where shopping can be remotely pleasurable, and even then I'm still a walk-in-find-what-I-like-and-walk-out kind of shopper. Except for books. I can browse a bookstore for hours. Music runs a close second.
So I guess tori will have to wait. Looks like it's getting some good reviews. Yay, tori! Meanwhile, I have a really cool copy of Paste magazine with a CD sampler to keep me occupied (Thanks, Guy!). I love it when my "favorites" come out with new CDs, but I also love discovering new music, especially these obscure little bands from other countries that nobody has ever heard of who are trying new and interesting things. Trouble is, some of these obscure little bands put out one CD and then disappear forever.
Which reminds me, I've been meaning to do a post on William Gibson's No Maps for These Territories. It's taking me a long time because there is just so much packed into that film, well, it's just going to be a really long post once I get to it. Anyway, the eminently quotable Gibson said that, with the advent of technology, "movements" don't really have time to gain momentum anymore. So these obscure little bands are catapulted into fame and fortune too quickly and burn out like meteorites. Even during the time of bands like Nirvana and the whole grunge thing. It just doesn't last anymore because there is no longer any "backwater" to nurture it. Almost as if music needs a primeval goo to evolve in before coming out into the light. It's an interesting thought. I mean, I just love the way the whole indie rock scene is taking off and there are all these obscure little bands getting attention. But what if there is some truth in what Gibson is saying? What if we are somehow disconnecting from that creative space where original ideas are born?
Monday, April 30, 2007
How to Speak Russian
So I managed to pick up the Russian pianist from his hotel last night without mishap. It's funny, the promotional images they send for these artists are always a few years younger, a little more glamorous. I was not prepared for the faded, world-weary musician who stepped off the elevator. I don't know what I was expecting... a little more sparkle, maybe... a little more glamour. Add to that, after living in London for seventeen years, his Russian accent was almost nonexistent. His English was very British. But his conversation gave him away.
"London," I said. "That is one place I would like to visit."
Immediately he launched into a diatribe against the government. "They waste money," he said, "and every day they chip away at the individual's personal freedom. It's just like living in the Soviet Union during the 80's."
"How disturbing," I said.
"It may go differently after the next election, but I don't think the Tories have much better to offer."
"I suppose it is the same here," I said (always the diplomat). "It doesn't seem to matter which party we vote for."
He disagreed. "That Obama," he said. "He's got a brain. He will make a difference."
Interesting.
I should have known a Russian would want to talk politics. I was completely unprepared.
He also wanted to know where I got my Russian name. I said that I thought it was from that Russian movie that was popular back then, but I couldn't remember the name. It was Doctor Zhivago. Duh.
It's a wonder I made any kind of good impression at all. But he was gracious. And very polite. He would make this little bow whenever I would hand him things.
Funny how people are perceived differently depending on the circumstance. The theatre staff thought he was arrogant and snobby (they used other, less gracious descriptions) because he asked them to leave the auditorium so he could rehearse. They were just trying to clean the place, but they're supposed to have that done by 5:00pm. Granted, we were there a few minutes early, but they still should have cut him some slack. He is the Artist, after all. I guess maybe not everyone understands the artistic personality; I completely get that he needed to be alone to concentrate.
Around 6:00, Peter, our piano tuner, showed up. He's English, and well, what do you know, they got along splendidly. I popped in to the hall just to see how things were going, and Peter commented that he thought the artist was a lovely fellow, very nice. Likewise, the pianist commented to me that he thought Peter was very professional, did very good work. Mutual respect within the trade, you know. And perhaps it was just nice for both of them to hear the voice of home. Or the familiar. Something like that. Lord knows it's difficult to be a stranger in a strange land. Later, I saw them both out front, smoking cigarettes and speaking intently with one another. It was a quarter to seven, the audience was arriving, and the pianist wasn't even in his suit yet. I have never seen that happen before. I don't know if the people coming in even noticed him or recognized who he was. Anyway, I was glad to see he had made a connection with someone. I hope he felt welcome.
This was a chaotic night. Most of the board members were out sick or out of town. We were a skeleton crew with a full house. Somehow we managed to pull it off. Teamwork. What a wonder. After making sure that the pianist had someone to give him a ride back to his hotel, I left after intermission so I wouldn't have to drive back too late. Bum tire and all.
I am still waiting for my minions to fix my tire. The tires are on order. I am not pleased with the wait.
"London," I said. "That is one place I would like to visit."
Immediately he launched into a diatribe against the government. "They waste money," he said, "and every day they chip away at the individual's personal freedom. It's just like living in the Soviet Union during the 80's."
"How disturbing," I said.
"It may go differently after the next election, but I don't think the Tories have much better to offer."
"I suppose it is the same here," I said (always the diplomat). "It doesn't seem to matter which party we vote for."
He disagreed. "That Obama," he said. "He's got a brain. He will make a difference."
Interesting.
I should have known a Russian would want to talk politics. I was completely unprepared.
He also wanted to know where I got my Russian name. I said that I thought it was from that Russian movie that was popular back then, but I couldn't remember the name. It was Doctor Zhivago. Duh.
It's a wonder I made any kind of good impression at all. But he was gracious. And very polite. He would make this little bow whenever I would hand him things.
Funny how people are perceived differently depending on the circumstance. The theatre staff thought he was arrogant and snobby (they used other, less gracious descriptions) because he asked them to leave the auditorium so he could rehearse. They were just trying to clean the place, but they're supposed to have that done by 5:00pm. Granted, we were there a few minutes early, but they still should have cut him some slack. He is the Artist, after all. I guess maybe not everyone understands the artistic personality; I completely get that he needed to be alone to concentrate.
Around 6:00, Peter, our piano tuner, showed up. He's English, and well, what do you know, they got along splendidly. I popped in to the hall just to see how things were going, and Peter commented that he thought the artist was a lovely fellow, very nice. Likewise, the pianist commented to me that he thought Peter was very professional, did very good work. Mutual respect within the trade, you know. And perhaps it was just nice for both of them to hear the voice of home. Or the familiar. Something like that. Lord knows it's difficult to be a stranger in a strange land. Later, I saw them both out front, smoking cigarettes and speaking intently with one another. It was a quarter to seven, the audience was arriving, and the pianist wasn't even in his suit yet. I have never seen that happen before. I don't know if the people coming in even noticed him or recognized who he was. Anyway, I was glad to see he had made a connection with someone. I hope he felt welcome.
This was a chaotic night. Most of the board members were out sick or out of town. We were a skeleton crew with a full house. Somehow we managed to pull it off. Teamwork. What a wonder. After making sure that the pianist had someone to give him a ride back to his hotel, I left after intermission so I wouldn't have to drive back too late. Bum tire and all.
I am still waiting for my minions to fix my tire. The tires are on order. I am not pleased with the wait.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Washington Square, I'll meet you there...
Originally, Tori Amos was thinking of titling this song "Washington Square" before she finally settled on "Garlands." Somehow, "Washington Square" resonates more with me because the SJSU campus address is One Washington Square, and it seems that I am always rushing over there as the speaker relates in the song.
"Garlands" is about two lovers meeting at an art exhibit of Chagall lithographs and finding their story in the paintings.
The music has a lovely repetitive refrain that is mesmerizing, meditative, and reflective. The song was only released on the special edition DVD which came with her Beekeeper CD. Sometimes I turn it on, like tonight, and just let it play and play. If I knew how to play piano, I would want to play this song.
I try to keep it toned down for the sake of my friends, but I really am a fanatic for this woman and her music. Her style is feminine, cryptic, nonlinear, and more than a little kooky. She teaches me to trust my feminine, cryptic, nonlinear, kooky side. [grin]
Garlands
~tori amos
“The Winged Painter is on uptown” I said
“Will you meet me to go…”
Washington Square
I’m racing there
to get you at
Noon,
oh the Nocturne noon…
Isabella on the way there stops me
(I say) I can’t stay today -
I’m off in flight Towards Another Light.
Rest.
Youth.
Washington Square,
I meet you there and we go.
now He’s on the run
He’s on the run
From this walking Greeting Card
and Chloe’s Kiss,
The Wolf Pit,
The Wine Harvest,
and Phileda’s Lesson -
We’re not his possession.
in Winter,
Trampled flowers
in Winter
Lovers,
Circus,
these Garlands -
The Blue Pirouette,
The Marriage,
The Mimosas,
Black Sun Over Paris…
these Garlands -
The Little Swallow,
St. Paul from the window,
from the 1/2 open window.
Eve incurs God’s displeasure.
Passion.
Odysseus and Penelope,
Ulysses and Penelope,
The Festival,
In Hell.
in Winter,
The Winged Painter,
The Winged Painter,
Washington Square -
Let’s go see a Day in May
from The Winged Painter
"Garlands" is about two lovers meeting at an art exhibit of Chagall lithographs and finding their story in the paintings.
The music has a lovely repetitive refrain that is mesmerizing, meditative, and reflective. The song was only released on the special edition DVD which came with her Beekeeper CD. Sometimes I turn it on, like tonight, and just let it play and play. If I knew how to play piano, I would want to play this song.
I try to keep it toned down for the sake of my friends, but I really am a fanatic for this woman and her music. Her style is feminine, cryptic, nonlinear, and more than a little kooky. She teaches me to trust my feminine, cryptic, nonlinear, kooky side. [grin]
Garlands
~tori amos
“The Winged Painter is on uptown” I said
“Will you meet me to go…”
Washington Square
I’m racing there
to get you at
Noon,
oh the Nocturne noon…
Isabella on the way there stops me
(I say) I can’t stay today -
I’m off in flight Towards Another Light.
Rest.
Youth.
Washington Square,
I meet you there and we go.
now He’s on the run
He’s on the run
From this walking Greeting Card
and Chloe’s Kiss,
The Wolf Pit,
The Wine Harvest,
and Phileda’s Lesson -
We’re not his possession.
in Winter,
Trampled flowers
in Winter
Lovers,
Circus,
these Garlands -
The Blue Pirouette,
The Marriage,
The Mimosas,
Black Sun Over Paris…
these Garlands -
The Little Swallow,
St. Paul from the window,
from the 1/2 open window.
Eve incurs God’s displeasure.
Passion.
Odysseus and Penelope,
Ulysses and Penelope,
The Festival,
In Hell.
in Winter,
The Winged Painter,
The Winged Painter,
Washington Square -
Let’s go see a Day in May
from The Winged Painter
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Mythic Journey
Last night I had the pleasure of watching a performance by Loreena McKennitt, filmed on location at the Alhambra, an exquisite medieval Moorish palace in Spain.
Loreena McKennitt is one of those enviable artists who is truly living her dream. She has spent her musical career tracing the footsteps of the ancient Celts, traveling from Ireland and Cornwall to Britanny and Galacia, from Italy and Turkey to Russia and China. In each of these places, she absorbs the culture, music, art, and history and distills them into her music. One cannot help but admire her tenacity of spirit, her artistic sensibilities, and her dedication to her work.
The experience of her music doesn't end with the song: Each song opens the door, which opens the garden gate, which leads to that overlooked trailing path which winds ever through the world. There are webworks of connections to be made here: Her songs reference Shakespeare, Tennyson, Blake, Dante, tales from long ago, historical places, and nearly forgotten cultural and religous traditions.
The location of her concert sent me fumbling through my book collection until I came upon a book that I own but have not yet read: Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving. Irving, I have since learned, was appointed American ambassador to Spain, and sometime in the spring of 1829, he and a friend, the Russian ambassador, travelled from Seville to Granada. This book is a record of that journey, along with tales and legends Irving heard along the way. Thousands of pilgrims from Europe, America, and Africa have trekked to the Alhambra, which represents a blend of two great civilizations and three major world religions. Although separated by over two centuries, Irving and McKennitt are fellow travelers on that road, evoking elusive memories of a Romantic and picturesque past.
As for me, Irving's Tales of the Alhambra and McKennitt's Nights from the Alhambra are calling me out on my own mythic journey. I wonder what I will find...
Current mood: Musing
Current music: Loreena McKennitt "The Old Ways" from The Visit
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