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 — a photography career retrospective entitled Susan Meiselas: Mediations— from war and human rights to cultural identity and domestic violence — will be at the San Francisco, California Museum of Modern Art through October 21st.
“Molotov Man” — at SF MOMADUE TO LOWER production of honey (as a result of smaller bee colonies) and increased demand, producers have been accused of cheapening the resulting product with corn, rice or beet syrup.
SIGN of the APOCALYPSE — While Kellyanne is raked-over-the-coals (and deservedly so) for her “alternative facts” …. it was seen as so comical as not be taken seriously. To me, it is Scottie Nell who uttered the more destructive statement:
x@RT_Americapic.twitter.com/RsDn7mLiRN
— Scottie Nell Hughes (@scottienhughes) September 7, 2018“And so one thing that has been interesting this entire campaign season to watch, is that people that say facts are facts—they're not really facts. ……. There's no such thing, unfortunately, anymore as facts.
And so Mr. Trump's tweet, amongst a certain crowd—a large part of the population—are truth. When he says that millions of people illegally voted, he has some—amongst him and his supporters, and people believe they have facts to back that up. Those that do not like Mr. Trump, they say that those are lies and that there are no facts to back it up."
Small wonder … that she is going on the Kremlin’s payroll, huh?
HAIL and FAREWELL to the TV actor best-known as Major Healey on I Dream of Jeannie, (as well as the Bob Newhart Show), Bill Daily— who had a second career as a double bassist, saying he once got a tremendous compliment from the jazz great Ray Brown — who has died at the age of ninety-one.
THURSDAY's CHILD was rescued from a cinder block wall (in upstate New York) by firefighters … and is doing well.
Upstate NY freed kittehEARLIER THIS YEAR … yours truly wrote a profile of the 50th anniversary of the album release by The Byrds, Sweetheart of the Rodeo— which sold poorly at the time, yet has become a landmark recording (and ranked #120 in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums list) due to the early country-rock stylings of the ill-fated Gram Parsons.
Now, the two surviving members of that particular line-up of The Byrds — founding members Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman — are in the midst of a 50th anniversary tour of the album, with country star Marty Stuart (and his band) backing them.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Ringo the Cat— a Kentucky kitteh who went missing for three years, then reunited with his family …. due to his microchip.
Ringo the CatBRAIN TEASER - try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.
YOUR WEEKEND READ is one on how having a good job is no longer an assurance that you can afford housing.
SEPARATED at BIRTH — British novelist Alexander McCall Smith and film star John Lithgow.
A. McCall Smith (born 1948) John Lithgow (born 1945)...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… if you grew up watching TV and films from the 1960's on - and especially if your tastes run towards spy/thriller genres - chances are that you've heard the work of Lalo Schifrin - and maybe more than a few times. He began in the field of jazz, and has returned to his classical/opera background more-and-more the past few years, yet it is his work on TV/film soundtracks that have made him a legend.
Born as Boris Claudio Schifrin in Buenos Aires, Argentina (and he legally adopted Lalo, a popular nickname for Claudio) Schifrin grew-up in a mixed Catholic-Jewish family. He began piano lessons at age six with Enrique Barenboim - the father of future conductor Daniel Barenboim - and his father Luis was the concertmaster of the Buenos Aires Philharmonic. He said he saw Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue at age twelve, which first introduced him to American music.
But Schifrin was troubled at life in the early 50's under the Juan Peron dictatorship (seeing soldiers goose-step, for example) and decided to leave. He was accepted at the Paris Conservatoire, and had to convince passport authorities that his being accepted there was a tribute to Argentina's government.
After his return, he formed a jazz big band, and it was there that famed jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie heard them and asked Lalo to become his pianist and arranger. Moving to the US in the late 1950's, he toured with Gillespie's band and also recorded Latin jazz solo work. Well-known in jazz circles: in the mid-60's he moved to Hollywood and began to achieve stardom.
His first foray into TV involved arranging the Jerry Goldsmith-written theme song of The Man from UNCLE for its second season. He also went on to either write and/or arrange themes for "T.H.E. Cat" and some early film scores ("Once a Thief", "Murder's Row"). In 1966, he wrote the theme song for Mission: Impossible and with subsequent movie versions: you may have heard the distinctive 5/4 time signature once again, borrowing the flute theme from the "Man from UNCLE". It's one of the most memorable TV themes of all time, especially for an instrumental.
While working extensively in Hollywood, he's released many solo works over the years: concentrating in jazz first, then even dabbling in rock-themed works in the late 1960's. The album title There's a Whole Lalo Schifrin Goin' On seems a bit corny today, but critics have mostly been pleased with his works of all types.
As he has aged, he has returned to his classical roots more often, working with various orchestras around the world, The Three Tenors and in more recent years has delved into his heritage with Letters from Argentina - combining Tango, Argentinean Folk music and classical music. He has also released seven albums under the Jazz Meets the Symphony heading.
Still, it's those theme songs that catch your eye. Some examples (besides what's already been noted):
--> TV ... "Mannix", "Medical Center" and "Starsky and Hutch".
--> Film ... "Bullitt", "Cool Hand Luke", the entire Dirty Harry series, "Enter the Dragon", "Amityville Horror", "The Sting II".
At age 86, he had been the winner of four Grammy Awards and nominee for six Oscars.
But just this week … it was announced that he will receive an honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in November.
Lalo Schifrin's 2008 autobiography is appropriately Mission Impossible: My Life in Music - yet it's altogether possible his music will be heard for many years to come.
Lalo Schifrin in the 70’s …. … and earlier in this decadeTwo works of his I especially like: one is instrumental (as are most of his compositions). The original Man from U.N.C.L.E television series used different musical arrangements each year, but (as noted earlier) it was the second season's arrangement by Lalo Schifrin— with the flute and bongos — that is my favorite:
x xYouTube VideoOne of his first works for the big screen featured lyrics by Dorcas Cochran for 1965's The Cincinnati Kid starring Steve McQueen. And below you can hear Ray Charles sing it.
He came with the name Cincinnati A kid with no ace in the hole On a hot poker pot, Cincinnati Had staked his heart and soulHe played night and day like a demon And prayed for that one lucky day When the lush royal flush of his dreaming Is just a game away
Beyond all the green-felt shadows His own queen of hearts will wait But till he's king of the green-felt shadows She'll wait, and wait, and wait
x xYouTube Video