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 and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES— a career retrospective entitled Frans Hals: Strokes of Genius— fifty works (including rarely seen paintings from private collections) from one of the “Big Three” of Dutch Golden Age painters (along with Rembrandt and Vermeer) yet whose star has faded — is at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam to June 4th.
IYOUR WEEKEND READ #1 is this essay in the NY Review of Books (registration required) by Gary Younge (an editorial board member of The Nation) on how Britain has become much smaller since he returned home after an extended sojourn living/working in the US … following Brexit.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Lily the Cat— who was rescued from inside a vehicle's engine at a North Carolina junkyard, just moments before the car was to reach its vehicle crushers … and who is now reunited with her family.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #2 is this essay in The American Prospect by Harold Meyerson, noting since the departure of its founder Howard Schultz, the new management team at Starbucks will now not oppose its baristas forming unions.
THEN and NOW — Ally Sheedy and Molly Ringwald (stars of The Breakfast Club)
YOUR WEEKEND READ #3 is this short essay in the Financial Times with this money quote: "A pattern is emerging: instead of a ‘secret Trump voter’, there appears to be a ‘secret non-Trump voter’ wandering the countryside".
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Tom the Lost Trucker Cat— who went missing forty days ago in St. Cloud, Minnesota … until he was found nine miles away at a metalworking shop, and was identified via a Facebook post. Tom is staying with a foster family until his own family can arrange a delivery to the North Star State.
BRAIN TEASER— try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC ...… and the usually easier, less UK-centered New York Times quiz.
THE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with an update of past topics (the world’s largest art heist, e-bike safety, Charles Osgood & Bob Edwards, plus the Young Adult classic The Outsiders soon to be a Broadway musical).
SEPARATED at BIRTH— guitarist for Paul McCartney’s band Wings, Jimmy McCulloch— and the Partridge Family’s David Cassidy. (Factoid: a Wings tour was delayed when McCulloch hurt his hand horse-playing with Cassidy backstage).
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… a busy week yet again, so just time for a song recorded by a pianist a dozen years ago.
He was best described by Ray Davies of The Kinks: “When I discovered Mose Allison I felt I had discovered the missing link between jazz and blues”. And while this sometimes worked against him (promoters unsure of him) it also made him a natural fit at almost any music festival. He worked in his earlier days with the likes of Stan Getz and Zoot Sims, yet it was his piano trio work that made him famous.
Here are some of his songs that have been covered by others: "Young Man Blues" (a famous cover by The Who), I'm Not Talking (The Yardbirds, The Bangles), "Stop This World" (Diana Krall), "Everybody Crying Mercy" (Maria Muldaur, Bonnie Raitt, Elvis Costello), "Look Here" (The Clash), "Days Like This" (Bill Wyman), “Your Mind is on Vacation” (Randy Bachman, Van Morrison), “If You Live” (Jackson Browne) ..... and his most famous tune about the Mississippi State Penitentiary, Parchman Farm - (diversely covered by John Mayall, Bobby Gentry, Johnny Winter, The Kingston Trio and Hot Tuna among others).
Rhino Records released an excellent compilation Allison Wonderland of his best-known works, which can serve as an introduction to him.
Three years after his death in 2016 (at the age of eighty-nine) there was a tribute album release If You’re Going to the City— with guest performers including Taj Mahal, Jackson Browne, Fiona Apple, Charlie Musselwhite, Chrissie Hynde, Iggy Pop, Bonnie Raitt, Loudon Wainwright III, Richard Thompson and Elvis Costello.
After his last studio release in 1998, he had concluded that - since his back catalog was no longer selling much — well, there was no need for any new recordings. But the producer Joe Henry wore him down, leading to the critically acclaimed 2010 release The Way of the World - which concludes with the song This New Situation— written not by Mose (instead, by bandleader Buddy Johnson) — featuring Mose Allison in a duet with his country music-performing daughter Amy.
This new situation is breaking my heart This new situation is tearing me apart For I have tried and tried to make you realize I love you much-too-much: to place our love in Dutch
This new situation is changing my plan This new situation I just can’t understand How I could still love you and know you’re so untrue For this new situation … is You’ve found somebody new
This new situation is driving me mad This new situation is not the best I’ve had For I have tried and tried to keep you satisfied No matter what I do: I can’t get through to you
This new situation is changing my plan This new situation I just can’t understand How I could still love you and know you’re so untrue For this new situation … is You’ve found somebody new