I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in "Cheers & Jeers".
OK, you've been warned - here is this week's tomfoolery material that I posted.
CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES — an exhibition to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding (in San Francisco) of the magazine Rolling Stone— with all of its front covers (including the first issue, with John Lennon wearing an Army helmet) — is on display at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio through the end of the year.
magazine’s original San Fran officeFIFTY YEARS AGO the south-eastern portion of the African nation of Nigeria rebelled, forming the (short-lived) Republic of Biafra— which was eventually crushed, with the horrifying photos of suffering children that shocked the world. Now, many in that region still are unhappy with promises of aid that did not materialize, and ethnic tensions (along tribal lines) remain.
YUK for TODAY — this old photo at a mini-golf/driving range/batting cages place in Charlestown, New Hampshire (hopefully, that sign was painted for free).
Charlestown, NH (20 years ago)My disappointment? That the “s” in “capasity” was not written backwards (as the Little Rascals/Our Gang crew would have done).
HAIL and FAREWELL to a pioneering local TV news reporter in New York, Gabe Pressman— whose career lasted over six decades, wrote Facebook posts about current events as well as old stories he covered (such as the Andrea Doria sinking), who gave a very prescient commentary about how the Gary Hart saga would bring down journalism and who each Christmas recounted the story of Virginia O’Hanlon (“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”) ... because he felt it was to NYC what “A Christmas Carol” was to London — who has died at the age of 93.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Sari the Cat— one of the street kittehs of Istanbul, Turkey now showcased in a documentary film, explaining they are cared for “collectively by the community in exchange for mouse catching, affection and ‘good energy”’.
Istanbul’s own: Sari the CatTHE ENTIRE WORLD knows of Rio de Janeiro’s annual Carnival festival, drawing visitors from around the world. Its future may be a bit cloudy, though, thanks to the city’s new mayor Marcelo Crivella. He ran for office pledging that his status as a socially conservative Pentecostal bishop would not affect his decision making …….. but once in office, he launched an offensive against schools teaching the samba dance and announced a 50% reduction in the budget for the festival’s preparation and production.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Binky the Hero Cat — an Indiana kitteh who foiled a would-be crime … by attacking a man trying to break-into a woman’s home.
Binky the Hero CatLUCKILY yours truly was able to post a poll without difficulty this week ….. no rhyme-or-reason, but glad to offer a vote for you today.
BRAIN TEASER - try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.
THE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with a look at a 1966 photo of ten famous comedians (of stage, radio and TV) — and the era they represented, following the death of the last surviving figure in the photo.
FATHER-SON? — the recently-deceased novelist and former NY Times Book Review editor Charles Simmons…. and the recently-deposed Fox host, Bill-O.
Charles Simmons: 1924-2017 Bill O’Reilly (born 1949)...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… a musical act that defies easy descriptions are Tuck & Patti who combine R&B, jazz and some New Age overtones into an acoustic music setting. Then again, an interracial couple would tend to defy easy descriptions as a matter of course.
I can recall hearing their first album Tears of Joy and imagining it being played on VH-1 ... and they indeed became a a favorite on the network's old "Sunday Brunch" show back then.
Guitarist and Oklahoma native Tuck Andress (born 1952) studied classical guitar at Stanford University and with his Gibson L-5 hollow-body sound, one could hear his jazz origins (though he says that Jimi Hendrix and the blues idiom was also a great influence). While in college, he did play in a weekend duo with saxophonist Mike Stillman - his only non-big band or rock band precursor, as Andress had been offered work on the popular 'Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour' and performed with the Gap Band, Chaka Kahn, and Leon Russell in the early 1970's.
San Francisco native Patti Cathcart (born 1949) considered the Fillmores and Winterland as not only her home (she became friends with Bill Graham) but also her music school: absorbing every act that passed through town and declaring "Once I hear it, it's mine the next day". In particular she cites Al Jarreau's singing style, and hearing John Mayall's Turning Point band as an example of what a small acoustic group could accomplish.
They met at a band audition in San Francisco when she sang Horace Silver's "Out Of The Night Came You" and both realized that both were destined to be musical soul-mates. The romance developed slowly, when both found their musical tastes to be overlapping and complementary. They first performed as a duo in 1981, married in 1983 yet did not release their first album until 1987. And for their first several albums, you heard a variety of materials: originals (such as "Tears of Joy", "Love Warriors" and "Dream"), standards ("As Time Goes By", "They Can't Take That Away from Me" and "My Romance") and pop songs (from Cyndi Lauper to Jimi Hendrix to The Beatles).
Their 2000 album Taking the Long Way Home was a departure; featuring all personally-oriented original songs hinting at some of their troubles as well as joys.
The couple continue to this day, with a nice 2006 career retrospective disc Pure Tuck & Patti as well as their most recent album I Remember You from 2008: their first attempt at the Great American Songbook.
Tuck & Patti (at age 64 and 67, respectively) still tour today, with an upcoming appearance at a summer festival in France.
A young Tuck & Patti …….. … and much more recentlyOne of my favorite songs (which they cover well) is the tune by two Sausalito, California instrument makers (Dave Wheat & Bill Loughborough) who became musicians themselves ( Dave Wheat was the bassist in the Kingston Trio for a bit).
Better than Anything has become a classic that many performers have covered, including Chad Mitchell, Al Jarreau, Vikki Carr, Lena Horne and a duet with Natalie Cole/Diana Krall. The song's lyrics have changed mightily over the years; here are some dating back to its inception. And below you can hear Tuck & Patti's version.
Better than Lucy and Desi Better than Route 66 Better than Kildare and Casey Better than quiz shows all fixedBetter than Huntley and Brinkley and Singing with Mitch Better than Hitchcock and Karloff and flicking the switch
Better than hearing Lady Day or checking-in at Monterey Better than anything except Being in love
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