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-SCIENCE NOTES— an exhibition entitled Cats: Predators to Pets— of wild and domesticated varieties (with videos and open-air taxidermy specimens) and also a look at conservation efforts for threatened species — is at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois through April 27th.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #1 is this (gift) essay in The Atlantic (h/t to my fellow Top Comments host Chitown Kev), beautifully written by Ken Dryden— not only a Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender and broadcaster, but also an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Liberal Party member of Parliament from 2004 to 2011 and Minister of Social Development from 2004 to 2006. In it, he synthesizes how Canada is reacting to you-know-who, weaving in not only his own history but that of Canada and even the 1980 Miracle on Ice at Lake Placid (as he was the color commentator on the ABC broadcast of the famous USA-USSR Olympic hockey match).
SADNESS to learn of the end of the Joann Fabrics chain, which was a staple for many of our readers. It played-out in my town: as when a JC Penney store closed in a local shopping center, not only did Hobby Lobby come in ... they insisted upon a non-compete clause, forcing the Joann shop in that center to have to close.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Sonny-Loo the Cat— who was feared lost when a family moved from Washington state to Colorado, but found three weeks later when … their sofa was finally delivered and though emaciated: recovered fully.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #2 is this eloquent editorial in The Financial Times on Putin’s dream-come-true, writing “In the past 10 days, he [Trump] has all but incinerated 80 years of postwar American leadership. If you are not at the table, you are on the menu. America has turned.”
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Casey the Cat who — until being adopted by a church parishioner — was part of parish life (wandering into meetings, weddings and greeting congregants) and is still brought to this Michigan church occasionally.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #3 is this essay in The American Prospect by Harold Meyerson entitled Hey, America: Here Are Our New Allies!— analyzing the “No” votes cast in the UN resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine (often due to financial ties to Putin).
BRAIN TEASER— try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC ...… and the usually easier, less UK-centered New York Times quiz.
A NOTE on TODAY’S POLL— I have been holding off on posting a MAGA poll for the right time: a Supreme Court decision, break in the GOP Congress, sign of courage in Democratic elected officials (Sen. Chris Murphy a noted exception) and mainstream press. Even now, not only is nobody stopping him — many are scrambling to excuse all.
So next week there will be a MAGA poll — but it will be some sort of poll asking (as Keith Olbermann did) for Worse, Worser and Worst … or something like that. Should something break (like a SCOTUS decision) maybe a different focus.
OLDER-YOUNGER SISTERS?— Grammy winner Sheryl Crow and Emmy winner Jennifer Aniston.
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… in the wake of the desecration of the Kennedy Center in Washington: among those not on staff (but in advisory roles) was the opera singer Renée Fleming, who resigned (and more on that later). Ed Tracey Sr. was quite an opera buff whom I’m sure would have appreciated her singing had he lived that long (Joan Sutherland was his favorite soprano). Yet Renée also has some experience in popular music: some of which I knew and some I have now come to learn … which will be today’s focus.
Born on Valentine’s Day 1959, she grew-up in Rochester, New York and sang in jazz clubs on weekends as a student at a college near the Canadian border. And in another example of What Might Have Been: she met a saxophonist widely credited to have created the first memorable R&B saxophone solo, Flying Home.
At the end of my four years, I was able to perform in a master class for Illinois Jacquet. We formed a fast friendship which existed until he passed away in 2004. That was a really enlightening experience, because he was the first person to say, “You could do this professionally and I would encourage you to tour with me, and I’d love to introduce you to the world of jazz as a singer.”
At that point I had not made any decisions about what I wanted to do because of course, as a student, I was being classically trained and enjoying that. But at that time I was more interested in singing jazz. It was a crossroads, because I was too afraid to move to New York at that point on my own. I felt too young. I felt too immature and too frightened. So I went to graduate school instead and it became the road not taken. It was more circumstantial than not, I think.
She went to graduate school at the University of Rochester, plus a year as a Fulbright Scholar in Germany. Given the acclaim that she has received in the operatic world … she made the right choice.
Other aspects of her entertainment career (just for starters) include:
→ Sang at Barack Obama’s inauguration & John McCain’s funeral.
→ She sang Ave Maria (at a private mass) for the Biden/Harris inauguration
→ 1st classical performer to sing the national anthem at a Super Bowl (2014)
→ Has 19 Grammy nominations (and 5 wins, most recently in 2023)
→ Sang with the Muppets on Sesame Street & 2006 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony
→ Sang at Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012
→ Sang Twilight & Shadow for the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King film
In her later career (as she has aged-out of some of the more demanding operatic roles) she has recorded with all sorts of musicians: a 2008 crossover album with Yo Yo Ma, a guest performer on a 2015 jazz tribute album to Laura Nyro and a 2018 album of Broadway tunes. She likes exposing children to all sorts of music:
If the seed is planted at a young age, whether it’s taking your child to the opera to hear a concert or to the ballet or to any of the arts, as much as they whine and groan and complain, the seed is planted. Even if they go away from it in their teens and twenties, they often will return to it later when their sensibility and maturity enables them to develop a sophistication and appreciation for the finer arts. I think it’s important to plant that seed and allow children to go wherever their imaginations take them artistically.
Two of her albums that I enjoy are a 2005 album of jazz stylings (Haunted Heart) with guitarist Bill Frisell (containing versions of Joni Mitchell’s River, Stevie Wonder’s Ma Cherie Amour and the Beatles classic In My Life). Five years later, she released Dark Hope— with more pop songs by Arcade Fire, Tears for Fears, Peter Gabriel and Duffy.
She received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2023 and two weeks ago:
Earlier this week, another favorite performer of mine wrote:
Renée Fleming turned age sixty-six earlier this month and — while she may no longer be singing the most challenging arias — hers will be a voice you’ll hear in song …... and in deed.
Among the songs she recorded on her Haunted Heart album — I always like the song The Moon is a Harsh Mistress— written by the nonpareil songwriter Jimmy Webb, with the title coming from Robert Heinlein’s 1966 science fiction novel. Not strictly a jazz song, as it has been recorded by musicians as diverse as Glen Campbell, Joe Cocker, Judy Collins, Maureen McGovern, Josh Groban, Joan Baez and Linda Ronstadt.
And from her album Dark Hope— the song Today, one of the two famous ballads that Marty Balin wrote/sang on the Jefferson Airplane album Surrealistic Pillow.