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 Laramie, 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 All This Mine Alone: Lady Gregory and the Irish Literary Revival— the first photo/literary exhibition about the life of Augusta Gregory, a playwright, folklorist and the co-founder of Dublin’s Abbey Theatre — is at the New York Public Library through August 1st.
ENVIRONMENTAL NOTES— the government of Nepal is struggling to devise a plan to restrict in an orderly way the nearly four hundred people seeking to climb Mount Everest— balancing the needs of its guides (who can earn a decent living in that role) vs. the environmental and safety issues, with a plan that requires would-be climbers to provide proof of fitness (and having climbed smaller mountains) — bogged-down in negotiations.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Niblo the Cat— shown with Academy Award winner Sir Anthony Hopkins, who is playing the piano for him in exchange for Niblo’s keeping an eye on his health.
MUSIC NOTES— for thirty-five years, the drummer Art Blakey led his Jazz Messengers— who apprenticed many young musicians (including Chick Corea, Horace Silver, Chuck Mangione, plus Wynton & Branford Marsalis) to name just a few. Yet a 1959 recording was considered too duplicative of other recordings and was shelved … until now: Just Coolin’ will be released in April, sixty years later.
DURING THESE TIMES — late on Friday afternoon, our IT department finally got me connected to our agency's financial system (and I wish they could they they walked-me through it easily .... so I can do 90-95% of my work at home (just stopping by the office on weekends or evenings for a bit to do major printing or unavailable functions). Great news: I get to turn-off the alarm clock (which is a true gift) and spring has arrived in time for me to be able to go walking each day. Yes, that leaves me better-off than many people, I realize. So there will be no sad songs from me: my heart goes out to all reading this who are suffering.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named George the Cat— who has become a college therapy cat at a school in Wales the past four years, with students citing his “chill” catitude.
BRAIN TEASER - try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.
HAIL and FAREWELL to the filmmaker Jerry Slick— who as a drummer helped found the band Great Society and whose first wife was their lead singer Grace Slick— who has died at the age of eighty.
And, of course, to the country legend Kenny Rogers— who also had this sidelight:
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… with all of the scrambling mentioned above …. I did not have time for a full profile.
And so would like to cite the 1963 recording of baritone crooner Johnny Hartman with the saxophonist John Coltrane …. on a song by Duke Ellington’s long-time lyricist and collaborator Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967). Strayhorn was an openly gay man who nevertheless was someone that Lena Horne considered her soulmate (though she knew they could never be romantic).
Lush Life (a very difficult song to sing, with all of its chord changes) has been recorded by so many different performers from all walks of music life — just for starters: Sammy Davis Jr., Lady Gaga, Queen Latifah, Rickie Lee Jones, Patti Lupone, Tito Puente, Johnny Mathis, Donna Summer … and Linda Ronstadt’s version earned a 1985 Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement (Accompanying Vocals).
In 1963, John Coltrane was tiring of many critics who ranted about his “sheets-of-sound” and felt that an album of ballads and standards might change their minds. He did two — and for this one, he chose vocalist Johnny Hartman — whose music Clint Eastwood later used on the 1995 film The Bridges of Madison County.
The writer Dan Okrent wrote in Esquire in 1990 that he felt this album was the greatest ever recorded: “A fragile limb on which to walk”, he acknowledged.
And from this record: the recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder— who recorded many albums at his Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey studio — felt that this was one of the best songs he ever recorded. Have a listen and judge for yourself.
I used to visit all the very gay places Those come-what-may places Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life To get the feel of life From jazz and cocktails
The girls I knew had sad and sullen gray faces With distingué traces That used to be there you could see where they'd been washed away By too many through the day Twelve o'clock tales
Then you came along with your siren song To tempt me to madness! I thought for a while that your poignant smile was tinged with the sadness Of a great love for me Ah yes! I was wrong Again I was wrong
Life is lonely Again, and only last year everything seemed so sure Now life is awful Again, a trough-full of hearts could only be a bore A week in Paris will ease the bite of it All I care is to smile in spite of it
I'll forget you, I will While yet you are still burning inside my brain Romance is mush! Stifling those who strive I'll live a lush life in some small dive And there I'll be, while I rot with the rest Of those whose lives are lonely, too