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— an exhibition entitled Sagebrush and Solitude: Maynard Dixon in Nevada— the first comprehensive exhibit of nearly 150 of Dixon’s paintings of the Sierra Nevada region and Great Basin, many of them rarely or never seen before — is at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno to July 28th.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #1 is this short essay in The American Prospect by Professor Robert Kuttner — explaining why last week’s annual World Trade Organization meeting ended with ‘no progress’ on major issues — which he felt was a form of progress (and a validation of Biden administration priorities).
THE BLOGGERAtrios can often be cynical (recently about Gaza) but aptly captures why The Firm (royal family) is under such backlash regarding Kate Middleton:
They have one job ... which is to maintain a PR facade, and they are tremendously bad at it. Sure, they have to deal with the UK's poisonous press (and that makes some things complicated) but they can at least not fail at things like promoting altered photos. If you're going to do that - for whatever reason that might be deemed "necessary" - get a professional in who can actually make it undetectable.
THURSDAY's CHILD is is a “Helper Cat” who came upon a vehicle crash and haz-mat scene in Colorado. A post from the rescue team: "Our safety officer tried explaining that the humans had the situation under control, but the cat was determined to help anyway” ……...
…... “and his next idea was to drive the ambulance to the hospital”. Transported to a shelter (where it was determined that he had a microchip), “He’s probably busy assisting their staff with caring for other animals”.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #2 is this essay in Salon by Amanda Marcotte on how sub-par attendance at the annual GOP congressional retreat reflects the split between old-line right wingers and new-style performance artists.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Mr. Jingles the Cat— who has been the hard working Chief Mouser at a North Carolina courthouse the past eleven years ... with the county manager saying of him, "Sometimes it feels like we work for him, he's always watching us."
BRAIN TEASER— try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC ...… and the usually easier, less UK-centered New York Times quiz.
SEPARATED at BIRTH— soon-to-be-former Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) and rock musician-turned-comedian Henry Rollins.
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… in the run-up to the 2021 induction ceremonies to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I suppose most did not notice the names of the non-performers (who are not household names). I sure didn’t note the name of Clarence Avant— yet in coming across his bio recently, I was amazed at the number of performers who cite his efforts as a music industry mogul. He also had inroads into the TV, radio and film industries … yet his music output alone is enough for tonight’s profile.
Born in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1931, his family moved to New Jersey in 1947 as part of the great post-war migration. He had work in retail and a law firm before becoming a manager of Teddy P’s Lounge in Newark. During that time he befriended the 5’4” singer Little Willie John and became his road manager. This brought him into contact with the man who would become his mentor.
And this was Joe Glaser, who was the manager of artists such as Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday. He sensed Avant’s abilities and gave him some clients to manage — including the jazz organ great Jimmy Smith and the Argentinian composer Lalo Schifrin (who is still alive at age ninety-one). He also showed Avant the business end, which Avant passed-on to others when he went out on his own. “Ask for the sale” became a motto of Avant’s.
This he did in 1962, opening his Avant Garde agency. He went on to found record labels Venture, Sussex and Tabu.
Yet all throughout his extensive career, those who cite him were baffled to explain … not only what his job title was … but what does he do around here, exactly? The answer seems to be — coming from the likes of Bill Withers to the football star/actor Jim Brown — that he got people together and let them do what they do best.
Bill Withers might be “Exhibit A” in this regard. Turned down by every major label, Avant signed him to Sussex and saw the success of his many hits. Other artists that Avant managed/produced or recorded included Sarah Vaughn, Kim Weston, Freddie Hubbard and Tom Wilson (who had major success producing Bob Dylan in the 1960’s). In later years, add Sean “Diddy” Combs, Snoop Dogg and L.A. Reid.
In 1968, when the legendary Stax Records was being sold, Stax executive Al Bell called upon Avant to help with sale negotiations with Gulf & Western… which he did, obtaining $4.3 million. Twenty-five years later (after Berry Gordy sold Motown to PolyGram), Avant was named as the legacy label’s chairman, declaring it “the only proper job he ever had”.
All long, he acted to help performers stand-up to record labels. This was especially true in the film industry, encouraging Black performers to apply for executive posts. Clarence Avant was the first African-American to own a radio station in Los Angeles, and in 1973 served as executive producer for the concert film Save the Children (filmed at the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Operation PUSH Expo, showing war-ravaged scenes). He also had close friends in the sports world (such as Muhammad Ali and Hank Aaron).
In 2019, a documentary about his life entitled The Black Godfather was released, with Pharrell Williams contributing a foreword, this from Barack Obama, “Clarence was the bridge from a time when there was no opportunity to a time where doors began to open” to Bill Clinton, “The guy’s a rock in every way. His advice, per word, is worth more than anyone I ever dealt with.”
Clarence Avant died in August, 2023 at the age of ninety-two. Two years earlier, he was inducted (by Lionel Richie) into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (as a non-performer) and among his other honors were a Trustee award from the National Assoc. of Recording Arts (NARA) and a President’s Merit Award from the Grammys.
Perhaps the most descriptive tribute came from music mogul David Geffen:
“If you wanted to get a job in Hollywood, in the record business, or with the studios, Clarence was the guy you went to. And Clarence was the guy who saw you were taken care of and weren’t shortchanged.”
To choose one song(!) … best to begin with his first client, the R&B singer Little Willie John (who died in prison at only age thirty) and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame himself (posthumously) in 1996.
He was given a song written by Eddie Cooley … who asked the legendary Otis Blackwell for help when he could not finish writing Fever. Little Willie John took it in 1956 to #1 on the R&B charts and #24 on the pop charts. The most famous version of course is Peggy Lee’s two years later (reaching #8 on the pop charts).