Jazz Icons, a series of 9 DVD box sets, contain a fabulous group of Jazz artists captured on film.Some pieces are from television shows of the 50’s/ 60’s, others are film clips from old Jazz festivals, etc.
I don’t know if Jazz is “In” or “Out” today? perhaps it depends on who is writing about this lasting art form, but, regardless – if you like this music or you’re curious, seeing/hearing these musicians at top form is priceless and fun:
John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, Dave Brubeck, and more.
Got the opportunity to have a chat with Photographer Dee Dee Woods about being an artist, the “African American Art Community” in Phoenix, her father Rip Woods and the contribution that art makes to the community:
The Schomburg celebrates Ms Catlett, painter, sculptor, printmaker, activist (1915 – 2012), with music and poetry on Saturday January 12, 2013 at 6 PM.
“Inspired by the Civil Rights era, the late Elizabeth Catlett became one of the world’s most treasured artists of the 20th century- defining the courage, hope and beauty of African-American life in America. Join notable scholars, poets and artists remembering her life and contributions!”
“Art must be realistic for me, whether sculpture or printmaking, I have always wanted my art to service my people—to reflect us, to relate to us, to stimulate us, to make us aware of our potential…. I try to tell young artists, black artists, that there’s a great need for their work. Some are only interested in doing what they want to do, not what people need.—Elizabeth Catlett”
There has been lots of talk regarding the Mayan Calendar and its apparent end of days date, 12.21.12. Last week, we celebrated 12.12.12 – a date thought by many cultures to be lucky, fortunate, blessed – best day to marry, to be born, etc. This week, we have the 21st of December, 2012. A date said to denote the end of the world because the Mayan calendar, prepared around 3000 BC ends, suddenly. Hmmmm.
I distance myself from “Dooms Day” scenarios and align myself with those in countries such as Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador or Honduras, where there will be joyous celebrations, with fireworks, on this date. They think of the following day, 12/22/12 as a beginning of the next phase – a “sequel”. Perhaps, an opportunity to create something different than what went before. Exciting, but certainly not an ending. As amazing as the Mayan civilization was with all its accomplishments, I just assume that at the time their calendar was prepared, 2012 seemed a very long time into the future and due to the size of the rock (tablet size constraints) on which it was carved, they may have just ran out of room. (Yes, I’m being facetious, but you follow my drift – don’t send me any nasty tweets.)
I don’t know about you, but I would prefer to celebrate 12/21/12, while acknowledging the Mayans for all they have given us, which includes the chance for the world to start over.
If you’re a rock hound (have a fascination with gems of all kinds), the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco, CA is currently showcasing “An exhibition of ninety four spectacular jewelry pieces and twenty eight photographs from Algeria, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia that was collected over thirty years by Xavier Guerrand-Hermès of the renowned Paris-based fashion empire…rare and stunning collection of North African jewelry and historic late 19th- and early 20th-century photographs by some of the region’s most prominent photographers.”
Everytime I see The Deer Hunter I notice how beautiful the film is, as well as how intentionally or unintentionally the film captures the evolution of that time. The backdrop to this love story is writer director Michael Cimino portrait of young men with the bawdy habits of their fathers with regard to women, drinking and their belief in the idealism of “Greatest Generation” until actually experiencing the horrific and often meaningless game of war.
When Micheal’s (Robert DeNiro) returns home from Vietnam in a taxi driven by a black man signals the beginning of the change for me. One legacy of the Vietnam “police” action was that soldiers came home by themselves, alone without a victory celebration or “thank you for your service”. Some of these men were shunned and giving little opportunity to regain the jobs they lost by going to war.
Another message in “The Deer Hunter” is my understanding of the “One Shot” and that to take more than one shot is greedy and eventually destructive.
When first reading about World War I, and that it was sometimes referred to as “The War to End All Wars” I wondered why this promise was never kept. What is it about us that we are so entranced by destruction. We know what war does and the impact it has on our lives. We seem to lack the courage to say no to war.
Today’s soldiers return and we clap and say thanks for keeping us safe (unintentionally but insincere in a way), before ordering that five dollar cup of coffee sweetness we feel we are entitled to each morning. No one wants to work in a steel mill today and only those with extreme idealism want to go to war (which is different in my mind to wanting to serve your country).
History and Evolution teaches us an important lesson. The past was never as glorious as others have made it out to be and if it were ever that good, we still are not able to go backwards. We really only have one shot, and that’s always going forward.
