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 entitled Through the Eyes of Picasso will be at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri through April 8th.
Now in Kansas City to AprilHAIL and FAREWELL to the French rock singer Johnny Hallyday— a mega-star in the francophone world, yet never quite able to breakthrough in the English-speaking world. My favorite of his was a duet with the Québec singer Isabelle Boulay, Tout au Bout de Nos Peines— and for a song in English, his version of the Tim Hardin song If I Were a Carpenter with Emmylou Harris.
LITERARY NOTES — a memoir by former Japanese emperor Hirohito — about how his country entered WW-II — fetched $220k at an auction in New York.
HISTORY NOTES — while not my favorite overall Little Rascals/Our Gang episode, this is definitely my favorite individual segment.
x xYouTube Video----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In this, you can hear why the Scottish-born actor Jimmy Finlayson (1887-1953) — later to star in several Laurel & Hardy shorts — was the inspiration for Homer Simpson’s famous “D’oh!!” ... as the voice of Homer (Dan Castellenata) admitted.
YOUR WEEKEND READ (if you haven’t already) is by the nonpareil legal analyst Dahlia Lithwick— whom Rachel features often — about the dilemma we face in dealing with our own transgressors when the GOP will not move against theirs.
Some choices are easy, but some have me on-the-fence …. and I am glad she feels torn, too.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Max the Library Cat— who has officially been banned from a Minnesota college library ... but he’s not giving up so easily.
Max the College Library CatLANGUAGE NOTES — the authorities in China have long sought to simplify Chinese characters … but old-fashioned script continues to be the main writing method in Hong Kong, Taiwan and overseas enclaves, where its preservation is a source of local pride.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Oreo the Hero Cat— a Florida kitteh who fought off a diamondback rattlesnake that had approached a family in its backyard, and is recuperating from a resulting injury … but should recover just fine.
Oreo the Hero CatBRAIN TEASER - try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.
From the STOPPED CLOCK, 2x/day FILE — the disgraced, one-term Illinois congressman opines thusly:
xWhen I grew up, the FBI were the good guys, and the Soviet Union were the bad guys.I watch @FoxNews today, and they tell me the FBI are the bad guys, and Russia are the good guys.Such bullshit.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) December 8, 2017Who woulda thunk it?
SEPARATED at BIRTH — former Rep. Ron Paul and film star Sir Ian McKellen.
Former Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) Stage/film star Ian McKellen...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… actually two: as I will have two mini-profiles, rather than one comprehensive one.
Around 1970 in my mis-spent youth, I recall hearing an album at a party that had a weird, acquired-taste sound that was, nonetheless, captivating. I noted the album and thought I would look-up this band. In fact, the San Francisco-based band Fifty Foot Hose only lasted from 1967-1969 (until a 1995 reunion) and their 1968 album Cauldron was the only recording from their original incarnation. But their blend of electronica, rock, jazz and psychedelia (like their contemporaries The United States of America) were unusual for the time. The SF Chronicle jazz columnist (and later co-founder of Rolling Stone) Ralph Gleason is alleged to have written, “I don’t know if they are immature … or premature”.
Founded by bassist Louis “Cork” Marceschi — the only original member in today’s version, and who is also an accomplished sculptor today — as well as the married couple David Blossom (guitar) and Nancy Blossom (vocals), it had influences from John Cage and Edgar Varese to Billie Holiday. The most conventional song on the album was Nancy Blossom singing the Billie Holiday classic God Bless the Child (that did have some electronica sounds in the background) which is at this link.
Besides the lack of commercial success (as no one knew where exactly to place them) a major reason for the band’s 1969 break-up was … when the musical Hair came to San Francisco, and several members joined the cast in hopes of a steady paycheck.
Cork Marchesci reunited the band in 1995 after their influence was acknowledged by groups such as Pere Ubu and Throbbing Gristle and (while largely inactive) still perform at times today.
Fifty Foot Hose (in the late 1960’s)Possibly the most representative song on the album is If Not This Time — written by guitarist David Blossom and sung by Nancy Blossom.
x xYouTube Video======================================================
If there was ever a singer on the radio that I assumed to be a woman … who turned out to be a man (and not singing falsetto) it would be the jazz/R&B singer Jimmy Scott — given the nickname Little Jimmy Scott by Lionel Hampton.
He was born with the genetic disorder Kallmann syndrome— which limited his height to 4’ 11” (until later in life) — and which also prevented him from reaching puberty, leaving him with a high pitched voice for his gender.
Born in Cleveland in 1925, he began in Lionel Hampton’s band (and later with Charlie Parker) often singing un-credited on record: on an R&B chart Top Ten hit “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” in 1950 and “Embraceable You” a few years later. Ray Charles signed Jimmy in 1962 to his own Tangerine label and recorded an album entitled Falling in Love is Wonderful— that Ray Charles was certain would be a hit— but due to a contractual claim (by a prior label) it was not released until … forty years later.
By the end of the 1960’s (like other African-American performers displaced by the rock-n-roll era) he returned to his native Cleveland and found work at a hotel (with some minor local performances) according to his biographer.
His big break came at … a 1991 funeral. At age 65, he sang for the service of an old friend, the songwriter Doc Pomus (who wrote the lyrics for “Save the Last Dance for Me”, “This Magic Moment” and “Teenager in Love”). He was seen by record label exec Seymour Stein, who signed him to a record deal and led to a guest appearance on albums by Lou Reed, David Byrne, Pink Martini and Michael Stipe.
He made a guest appearance on the first incarnation of Twin Peaks and had a successful recording career (at least by jazz standards) for the next twelve years. To illustrate the time gap in his notoriety: he sang the Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein song Why Was I Born?” at the inaugurations of both President Dwight Eisenhower (1953) …. and Bill Clinton (1993).
Jimmy Scott died in 2014 at the age of 88 (quite a long life for someone born with Kallmann syndrome). He received an NEA Jazz Masters award in 2007 and the 2010 Jazz Foundation of America lifetime achievement award. One tribute:
"I loved his style," said Marvin Gaye, "as did all the early do-woppers like Harvey Fuqua and his Moonglows. Certain singers – take Johnnie Ray with his big hit 'Cry' – openly copied him. And then you have groups like the Four Seasons, led by Frankie Valli, who completely bought into the Jimmy Scott aesthetic”.
Jimmy Scott (in the 50’s) ... … and much later in lifeOf all of his work: my favorite is the title track of a 1998 album of his: this rendition of the Simply Red song Holding Back the Years.
x xYouTube Video