I was at the TEDx Phoenix event this past weekend and the onstage musical act was “Dry River Yacht Club”. Because I, like most people are familiar with the music that I am familiar with, I shamefully knew nothing about this band or it’s lead singer “Garnet”. So I committed the sin of reading the little write up on them in the program guide, which said think of Bjork, which is fine except, I found myself listening and looking for Bjork, and unfortunately I was not listening to this group (so I thought).
On the drive home after the event I kept hearing in my head faint musical images of the band and so pledge myself to find their website and listened again for what I missed consciously and what was still living inside of my subconscious. I won’t tell you what I heard or who they are like, other then to say I liked them and hope to hear them live again. Listen for yourself, make your own judgment if you’ve not heard them before they don’t sound like anyone else. Dry River Yacht Club on MySpace
The American Ballet Theatre performed in Cuba yesterday, which was the first in about 50 years.What mends hard feelings is a little love and it is unfortunate that we (US) is not able to defuse cultural disagreement with a little mutual love of the arts. I remember when the Buena Vista Social Club the movie and later the band made it way to the States. Pure joy and delight. No one was angry about what may or may not have happened years ago. The joyfulness was what many of the young Cuban dances experienced on being able to watch and interact with the ballet company. Our quiet ambassadors, the Arts.
Catching up and just recently got to see the “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and was so utterly convinced by Noomi Rapace’s performance that when learning that she was being interviewed on that days Charlie Rose’s Program, I had no clue as to who she was. Hope that Charlie and Hulu don’t mind the love but hear is the interview. If by chance you don’t find it here look for it on Hulu.
I don’t recall every feeling vindicated when listening to a poem before. “Scores” by Eli Lynch, Elizabeth Cheever and Libby Howard, begins to address issues that I have with having to rank everything. I personally think that creating scores for art work does a dis-services to the artist and the audience.
There is a ton of good happening with HBO/Russell Simmons “Brave New Voices”. Some of the reality portrayed in the poetry is heart braking, angry and raw. The bad for me is that the poetry is written and performed to get a score, putting the reality of the poem in jeopardy. And the score somehow is a reflection on who you (the writer) are, who you will be or even who you will never become. That was sad, angry, emotional but not enough suffering you get a five. Crazy.
Think about it, this is crueler then the obviously fake “American Idol” or “Dancing with the (Fading) Stars” and says your life, your experiences is only valuable as the score we give you. Three, four or even ten people sitting behind a desk can’t and should not even be allowed to judge you. It’s a shame everything has to be a contest. When the questioned is asked the answer is always the same, “it not really about the score, but we don’t have another way of picking a winner”, as if winner and score are not related. Thanks Team Denver for calling them out or was it for the score?
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston presents an exhibit featuring the fashion photography of Richard Avedon.
Avedon was born in NYC 1923, he began work in 1944 at a department store, but quickly became the go-to photographer for magazines like Vogue, Look, Harpers Bazaar, etc.
“Richard Avedon was one of the greatest image-makers of the twentieth century. He revolutionized fashion photography with his imaginative, spirited portrayals of the “good life” showing beautiful women wearing extraordinary clothes in irresistible settings, as well as memorable portrayals that are both elegant and reserved.”
“Avedon’s career as a fashion photographer is displayed decade by decade in this exceptional traveling exhibition from the International Center of Photography in New York, the first comprehensive survey of Avedon’s fashion photography since 1978.”
Even back in the 1950’s, musical trends were moving almost as fast as they do today and the spotlight shined on talented musicians for a brief time.
Yusef Lateef
The games of who was the greatest or the best served to confuse the listening public into thinking that the greatest were those who died early in life.
Yusef Lateef, who has just turned ninety and who is an authentic and early contributor to our understanding musical culture or “World Music”, will be at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral this Friday, Oct 22, as a part of this year’s SFJazz Festival.
Lateef refutes the myth that “only the good day young”. Sometimes they live for what seems like forever. Happy life day.
I like the “Decorative Arts” – beautiful chairs, tables, desks, textiles. (I love home furnishings. What can I say?) I will visit a museum ostensibly to see paintings or sculpture, but, I will always find some way to wander into a room with furniture. Doesn’t matter from what era, I will always take time to visit every piece.
I like to look at fancy, frou frou Victorian furniture, the cool Art Deco pieces with all their inlay, and I particularly like the “Arts & Crafts” style of the early 20th century. The pieces are so simple in their beauty and detail – a chair as art? I think so.
The Newark Museum, with over 200 examples, has an exhibition, “Gustav Stickley and the American Arts & Crafts Movement”
“Gustav Stickley was a tastemaker, a publisher, and a manufacturer. The home furnishings, house designs and interior decoration that he promoted, produced and lived with embodied his progressive vision of design, which rejected the conspicuous consumption of the Victorian era and embraced the concept of an honest and beautiful simplicity in shaping the ideal American home.“
Italian painter Titian (Tiziano Vecellio, 1485–1576) is highlighted in the new Atlanta High Museum program: Titian and the Golden Age of Venetian Painting: Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland
“Beginning in October 2010, the High Museum of Art in collaboration with the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) will present an exhibition of 25 masterpieces of the Venetian Renaissance, including two of the greatest paintings of the Italian Renaissance, Titian’s Diana and Actaeon (1556–1559) and Diana and Callisto (1556–1559)… will also include paintings and drawings by such Venetian masters as Tintoretto, Veronese and Lotto, on loan from the collection of the National Galleries.”
The Brooklyn Museum is still in my opinion a secret New York treasure. The museum is not located on museum row therefor it is a pre-meditated visit and it is a place that more people should think about visiting.
Young African by Consuelo Kanaga
There is current exhibit that ends Oct. 17th that is worth a drop by for anyone who wants to get a better and different handle on the history of this country.
I recall a time when my friends and I went to Hunts Point Palace in the Bronx on a Saturday Night and danced to the Cal Tjader’s Modern Mambo Quintet, at the time featuring Mongo Santamaría and Willie Bobo, and then Sunday venturing downtown to Birdland and seeing the band again in this wonderful small setting. It was like they were playing just for us. Small venues have many advantages. You can hear the music. In larger venue, especially with performers whose recordings you know, you remember the music.
“I know that big venues are where the big money is, but a few more of these intimate cabaret-style appearances wouldn’t break the bank.” Liz Smith
The Gramacy Park Hotel-New York
Liz Smith writes in WOWOWOW about a recent set that Liza Minnelli did at the NYC’s Gramercy Hotel where intimacy ruled. No one pandering for their favorite song or to wave their hands in the air, which might be fun at a big event, but not when you can hear the music and see a great performer doing what she was born to do.
Unfortunately only the fortunate are able to attend these smaller, intimate and rewarding performances. The Gramercy Hotel is not Madison Square Garden and you may have to be invited to spend your money on a ticket.
