Katharine Hepburn Dies at 96

Say What? [] 7:02:02 PM  Permalink  

National Do Not Call Registry

Have you heard about this? Supposedly the Feds are going to protect us against those annoying dinnertime phone calls. Well I'll believe it when I see it, or should I say, when I don't hear it. And I'll especially believe it the first time I hear about someone sucessfully suing an offender. Anyway, in case you haven't seen it, here is the site. You might as well sign up.

Say What? [] 12:08:49 PM  Permalink  

Finding Zen and Flowers in Bloom

The Tassajara Zen Mountain Center is a Buddhist monastery in the Ventana Wilderness of central California, some 25 miles east of Big Sur. Founded in 1966 by a Japanese Buddhist priest, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, the monastery is home to about 50 monks and lay practitioners. From April to September, roughly 80 guests at a time may stay, partaking in as much or as little of the Zen meditation practice as they wish.

I'm so glad that I stumbled upon this article. My California Zen wilderness hiking days are 35 years behind me now, but oh so precious. I'm so focused on the challenges of the day to day, I never think about those days any more. But you know, even though Here and Now is all there is, I don't think it's necessarily a healthy thing to forget about, or refuse to contmplate the past. Reading this article brings me right back to a vivid memory of Big Sur which in turn enriches the present moment.

Say What? [] 11:34:48 PM  Permalink  

A recent three-part series in Salon, "Can Bush be toppled?", gave me a small measure of hope that maybe, just maybe, it's possible. But past experience combined with the current lackluster crop of Democratic candidates, and columns like the one Bob Herbert wrote for today's New York Times cause me to plunge instantly into a dark, pessimistic view of the future. I mean, what's the use? Why even bother to vote?

And yet, I can't help myself. I'm a political junkie, and there's too much at stake. It may seem like an impossible contradiction, but it is possible to be engaged and practice non-attachment at the same time.

What we've got is what it is, so I'm trying to become educated about our existing choices. Many of you are already familiar with MoveOn.org. Their motto for the 2004 election is "Regime Change Begins At Home." In an effort to build grassroots support and funding for candidates their members support, they are trying to get ahead of the curve by holding their own primary beginning tomorrow. You can read an informative article about it in AlterNet.

If you are even mildly interested in all of this at this time, I would suggest that you begin with MoveOn's "Get To Know The Candidates" section on the previously mentioned primary page. Each of these contain a link to the candidates own web site. Another good source is the series of articles that Slate is running. So far these include "Profiles" and "Buzzwords."

I haven't made up my mind about anything at this early stage. As such, I won't be prepared to cast a vote in anything. I am however, extremely interested in anything anybody has to say. Any thoughts?

Say What? [] 11:44:04 AM  Permalink  

A Good Day. For those involved in the now-notorious Tulia drug sweep, the events over the past four years were not just bizarre, they were profoundly destructive. By Bob Herbert. [New York Times: Opinion

I've been posting links to Bob Herbert's columns about this outrage for almost a year now, and this is the most hopeful one yet.

Say What? [] 9:12:29 AM  Permalink  

Jimmy Knepper, Versatile Jazz Trombonist, Dies at 75

Anyone who played on  "Mingus Ah Um" is a muscian to remember.

Say What? [] 5:50:54 PM  Permalink  

The Latest From Neil Young. Neil Young's "Greendale," a 10-song cycle he describes as a "musical novel," will be released as an album and a DVD. By Jon Pareles. [New York Times: Arts]

I've spent a lot of time over the last few weeks listening to solo acoustic performances of this work on recordings of a recent tour. It will be very interesting to hear the songs performed with a band, Crazy Horse, instead of solo. This is Young's best work in many years, and if you have listened to him at all over the decades, keep an ear to the ground for this release.

Say What? [] 3:28:30 PM  Permalink  

NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS

My e-mail address is going to change as of June 30. Some huge media company, Comcast, has purchased the broadband Internet business of AT&T. Hey, thanks a lot. If anyone sends mail to my old address, they have automatic forwarding through 2004. Here is the new address:

mbritten2@comcast.net

Say What? [] 12:14:45 AM  Permalink  

Roscoe Holcomb; Jean Ritchie

An Untamed Sense of Control; Ballads from Her Appalachian Family Tradition (East Bay Express) via (Expecting Rain)

Say What? [] 11:34:09 AM  Permalink  

Songwriting Hit Makers Donning Their Laurels. Phil Collins, Little Richard, Van Morrison and Queen were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday night. By Lola Ogunnaike. [New York Times: Arts]

For what it's worth...........

Say What? [] 10:48:49 AM  Permalink  

a touch of grief x 2

 

Gregory Peck, Oscar-Winning Actor, Dies at 87

David Brinkley, Elder Statesman of TV News, Dies at 82

A couple of well lived lifes. Both gents, especially Peck, touched many others.

Say What? [] 12:33:35 PM  Permalink  

Tried and True or Being New. The veteran bands Steely Dan, founded in 1972, and Metallica, founded in 1981, must decide between reinvention or refinement in their new albums. By Jon Pareles. [New York Times: Arts]

The new Dan CD is ultra hip, as you'd expect. Metallica? I don't think so.

Say What? [] 4:41:48 PM  Permalink  

"I'm a voting adult and it's my job to fix it". DIY goddess Ani DiFranco on political responsibility in the Bush era, the "lying, whoring media," life in New Orleans and her bottomless pit of self-loathing. [Salon.com]
Say What? [] 4:31:20 PM  Permalink  

 As Pat says in the liner notes to the achingly beautiful, contemplative "One Quiet Night", this music was recorded in his home studio for his own enjoyment. On it he explores an unusual tuning on a new acoustic baritone guitar. I love this album.

Another recent instrumental gem is Bill Frisell's "Intercontinentals." Downtown jazz intermingles with Nashville and other elements of Americana, seamlessly combined with the music of Mali, Brazil, and Greece. Hypnotic, exotic, loops and grooves.

Coming down to earth, I'm really enjoying Gillian Welch's "Soul Journey." It just gets better with repeated listenings. This review sums it up nicely.

Say What? [] 12:56:59 PM  Permalink  

 Buddy Guy's "Sweet Tea" was one of the rawest and most explosive blues albums I've ever heard. It's the kind of performance that leaves you thinking, "what the hell can he do next?" It's not surprising then that Guy has followed it with "Blues Singer", an acoustic collection (though some of it with a band) which pays tribute to Muddy Water's mid-sixties classic, "Folk Singer", on which Guy played.

Don't mistake "acoustic" for easy going, however - although jazzy solo pieces like "I Love The Life I Live" convey the essence of the word "cool." On Johnny Shine's "Moanin' and Groanin'", Guy's band (Tony Garnier, Jim Keltner, and Jimbo Mathus) dig their heels in and swagger into town with such authority that most electric combos would hide under the bar when they heard them coming.

Say What? [] 5:46:45 PM  Permalink  

City Lights Turns 50

  City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, a focal point of American alternative culture, marks its 50th anniversary on June 8. (NPR)

Happy birthday!

Say What? [] 9:38:17 PM  Permalink  

"We don't need a second Republican Party". Kerry and Dean rouse the Democratic Party's left wing at a "Take Back America" conference -- but Kucinich's Bush roasting gets the biggest cheers. [Salon.com]

 

Say What? [] 11:49:39 AM  Permalink  

Joni Mitchell: Woman of Heart And Mind

This documentary aired at the beginning of April as part of the PBS series American Masters. For some reason that escapes me now, Ann and I were otherwise engaged and were also having VCR problems. I arranged to have my friend, Mark Gold, tape it for its. Well, damn if he didn't forget. To his credit, however, he ordered an official copy for us.

Ann and I finally finished watching it last night and it's really an extraordinary look at one of our favorite artists. Now, I know what the deal is about buying video like this; you tend to watch it once and then it collects dust. But if you are a Mitchell fan and didn't see the broadcast, this is worth every penny.

Told primarily in chronological order, we begin with the little girl in Saskatchewan Canada, and travel all the way until we find a doting grandmother who, for the most part, has gotten out of the music business altogether and is content to focus on her beautiful painting. In addition to narration, there is a large amount of interview time with friends, colleagues, critics, and Joni herself -- in addition to fantastic performance film. If you have enjoyed her daring work during the last three decades, this will deepen your appreciation.

Say What? [] 2:43:04 PM  Permalink  

The Reverse Robin Hood. Fat cats will get their tax cuts, but crumbs won't even be left over for working folks. By Bob Herbert. [New York Times: Opinion]

Herbert once again shines a light on the scum of the earth.

Say What? [] 11:09:22 AM  Permalink  

Reducing Buddy Guy: The Half-Caf, Venti Blues. In his new album, Buddy Guy, one of the most exuberant performers in American music, is put before you instead as an apparition with an acoustic guitar. By Ben Ratliff. [New York Times: Arts]
Say What? [] 2:34:02 PM  Permalink