Quite a bit of fun to be had in the workplace when you get to dress up for a change. And although working with the general public, in retail and being on your feet all day do not necessarily lend themselves to great costumes with detailed make-up, and also demands that the more gory options of the season are neglected, my co-workers and I who had to work today were able to enjoy a bit of the holiday.
Today I worked with an amazing Carmen Miranda, whose mother actually designed and sewed the costume, which would have been totally believable on any stage. It was extraordinary. And, as attention to details does count, there were even clusters of cherries garnishing the toes of the cream high heels. Cudos to you, Carmen Miranda!
Another co-worker came as, well, it really is hard to describe. A zaftig bathing beauty, complete with crown comes close. The defining element of the costume was the fellow's beard. Quite hilarious.
I think my favorite co-worker today was Medusa, with the white toga and a nest of snakes in her hair. Her finishing touch was the belt for her toga, also a lovely green snake. Great make-up, not too much, not too scary. It was outstanding.
A few of the night crew fellas came together as what I would deem a Tribute Band to Spinal Tap. Not quite impersonating Spinal Tap, but giving a essence of Spinal Tap.
A young lady graced us as Inga, a innocent German milkmaid, with a rather well-endowed bosom, which succumbed to the forces of gravity after a couple of hours at the register. This turned the costume somewhat tragic, and certainly more humorous, at least to me.
As for myself, I look forward to Halloween to break out my authentic, antique 1923 wool tuxedo with tails. Add a silk top hat, stringy hair, and sunglasses, a lovely and heavy bat medallion, a silk shirt, some white and light blue make-up, paint the nails black, and hey, I'm a Gothic English vampire. I was thinking that the German milkmaid was probably related to my family, lower Germany and Transylvania not being oh-so-distant.
The big surprise to me was, completely unbeknownst to me, another co-worker came as the Bride of Dracula. So that worked out very nice. Again, attention to detail counts...her long black and white streaked hair was swept up upon her head, and decorated with dead rose buds.
Velvet dress, lace up boots, and Gothic jewelry. It's all good, when you're undead.
Which is how my feet felt after 5 hours, when I had to change my costume back to my usual work garb.
All in all, it was a pretty festive day at the office.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Adventures in Auto Repairs
I drive a 1990 Toyota Corolla, with over 250,000 miles on it. Yes, it is a sexy car.
Well, driving home from work the other night, at 2 in the morning, I was stopped by the local long arm of the law, who wished to inform me that not only was my right rear tail light out, so was my license plate light. Then the very helpful and kind officer sent me on my way.
I stopped at a local oil change place to get replacement bulbs the next morning...the license plate bulb was $7. The tail light, well that was another matter all together.
Seems there is a hole in the wheel well that has been spraying water, salt and other kinds of Ohio weather road-gook up into my truck and, specifically, onto my right rear tail light assembly. It was all gross and rusty, and a rat's nest of what I could only assume was once a tidy collection of connected wires. So, the cheap bulb was, of course, not the answer to the problem.
I went to a repair shop, and asked if this matter could be rectified before 2 in the afternoon, as I had to be back at work at 3 pm...
After careful inspection, they told me it might just be possible, if they could get the part from the dealer in time.
The part, which is the internal white plastic thing that does nothing but hold four light bulbs in place, sells for the unbelievable price of... and I will write this out...four hundred and fifty dollars.
That's right.
So I said I reckoned I'd just chew this over, and went home and called a junkyard, something I had never done in my life. I made one phone call, based solely on two criteria: I knew where the place was located and it said foreign cars in the ad. I called them (the fine folks at D&L Motors - I love you) and asked if perchance they had parts for a 1990 Corolla. They did, they said. Well, I said, I'll be there directly.
I found the shop which was quite small and featured a hard-packed dirt floor. I was expecting a junkyard: miles of abandoned vehicles, snarly under-fed dogs, and hours spent on a scavenger hunt. Well, D&L appeared to have 5 cars, one of which was, indeed, a 1990 Corolla. We popped the trunk, and the inside was immaculate. The part I needed was sitting there as pristine and fresh as if it came new in a box. I had brought along my trusty wire snips, and snipped a good portion of the wires and within 2 minutes, my junkyard adventure was completed. I went back inside, and laid the proceeds of my hunting and gathering proudly on the plank of wood that was the counter, and the owner (D or L, who knew?) looked at it and said, "Oh, you needed the tail light circuit board!" To which I replied, "Yeah, or the tail light thingy, as I like to call it."
This made me instantly popular with Fess and Lud, workers passing through, and the owner who laughed at my foolish girly ways, and said, "Well, that will be $10 dollars."
Let me spell that: TEN DOLLARS.
I called the repair shop, and asked if they would be so kind as to install it for me. It took 20 minutes, and cost $25.
And so today, I thank my mother and grandmother, who were obviously in the right place, having tea and smiling down on me from above, and the fine folks at D&L, and the fine gentlemen Vince and Mark from my neighborhood repair shop. Y'all rock.
Well, driving home from work the other night, at 2 in the morning, I was stopped by the local long arm of the law, who wished to inform me that not only was my right rear tail light out, so was my license plate light. Then the very helpful and kind officer sent me on my way.
I stopped at a local oil change place to get replacement bulbs the next morning...the license plate bulb was $7. The tail light, well that was another matter all together.
Seems there is a hole in the wheel well that has been spraying water, salt and other kinds of Ohio weather road-gook up into my truck and, specifically, onto my right rear tail light assembly. It was all gross and rusty, and a rat's nest of what I could only assume was once a tidy collection of connected wires. So, the cheap bulb was, of course, not the answer to the problem.
I went to a repair shop, and asked if this matter could be rectified before 2 in the afternoon, as I had to be back at work at 3 pm...
After careful inspection, they told me it might just be possible, if they could get the part from the dealer in time.
The part, which is the internal white plastic thing that does nothing but hold four light bulbs in place, sells for the unbelievable price of... and I will write this out...four hundred and fifty dollars.
That's right.
So I said I reckoned I'd just chew this over, and went home and called a junkyard, something I had never done in my life. I made one phone call, based solely on two criteria: I knew where the place was located and it said foreign cars in the ad. I called them (the fine folks at D&L Motors - I love you) and asked if perchance they had parts for a 1990 Corolla. They did, they said. Well, I said, I'll be there directly.
I found the shop which was quite small and featured a hard-packed dirt floor. I was expecting a junkyard: miles of abandoned vehicles, snarly under-fed dogs, and hours spent on a scavenger hunt. Well, D&L appeared to have 5 cars, one of which was, indeed, a 1990 Corolla. We popped the trunk, and the inside was immaculate. The part I needed was sitting there as pristine and fresh as if it came new in a box. I had brought along my trusty wire snips, and snipped a good portion of the wires and within 2 minutes, my junkyard adventure was completed. I went back inside, and laid the proceeds of my hunting and gathering proudly on the plank of wood that was the counter, and the owner (D or L, who knew?) looked at it and said, "Oh, you needed the tail light circuit board!" To which I replied, "Yeah, or the tail light thingy, as I like to call it."
This made me instantly popular with Fess and Lud, workers passing through, and the owner who laughed at my foolish girly ways, and said, "Well, that will be $10 dollars."
Let me spell that: TEN DOLLARS.
I called the repair shop, and asked if they would be so kind as to install it for me. It took 20 minutes, and cost $25.
And so today, I thank my mother and grandmother, who were obviously in the right place, having tea and smiling down on me from above, and the fine folks at D&L, and the fine gentlemen Vince and Mark from my neighborhood repair shop. Y'all rock.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
New Music Tuesday - Patricia Barber
Today’s CD review is the first CD released by one of my favorite performers of all time, Ms. Patricia Barber. The CD, Split, was first released in 1989. The title refers to her amazing abilities as both pianist and vocalist.
What is immediately shocking about this disc is the vocal range that Ms. Barber exhibits, which has most certainly not been in evidence of any of her subsequent recordings. Now I see that not only is she a magnificent pianist, an erudite songwriter, but she possesses some extraordinary, under-used chops. It was a wonderful surprise, and explains why she was the # 1 Female Jazz Vocal Talent Deserving Wider Recognition by DownBeat Magazine's International Critics Poll.
I listened to this disc on the way home from the record store, early in the morning on a grey, misty almost Pacific Northwest blissful day. The first track is a lovely evocative instrumental piece called, Early Autumn. The sychronicity of the moment was striking, and I can assure you that every time I listen to this track I will transported to this morning, driving my car…
Other stand-outs are the vocal tracks, Too Late Now (devastatingly beautiful), Then I’ll Be Tired Of You and Two For The Road.
Like one of my other all-time favorites, Ms. Holly Cole, Ms. Barber pays particular attention to detail. This record was made using re-constructed tube microphones from the 1950s.
It is a singular and wonderful aural treat. I guarantee it.
What is immediately shocking about this disc is the vocal range that Ms. Barber exhibits, which has most certainly not been in evidence of any of her subsequent recordings. Now I see that not only is she a magnificent pianist, an erudite songwriter, but she possesses some extraordinary, under-used chops. It was a wonderful surprise, and explains why she was the # 1 Female Jazz Vocal Talent Deserving Wider Recognition by DownBeat Magazine's International Critics Poll.
I listened to this disc on the way home from the record store, early in the morning on a grey, misty almost Pacific Northwest blissful day. The first track is a lovely evocative instrumental piece called, Early Autumn. The sychronicity of the moment was striking, and I can assure you that every time I listen to this track I will transported to this morning, driving my car…
Other stand-outs are the vocal tracks, Too Late Now (devastatingly beautiful), Then I’ll Be Tired Of You and Two For The Road.
Like one of my other all-time favorites, Ms. Holly Cole, Ms. Barber pays particular attention to detail. This record was made using re-constructed tube microphones from the 1950s.
It is a singular and wonderful aural treat. I guarantee it.
Friday, October 22, 2004
My Kadobi Afternoon
It was destined to be a great day today, because it was going to involve spending some time with my precious friend, the Nikon N70. I spent the late afternoon on a photo shoot with my friend, Kadobi, who is a white Jewish rapper. He is leaving on Sunday for a week in a New York recording studio, where he is recording his second album. The young Kadobi is quite a threat, as he not only raps, but writes and performs the beats, and produces his songs himself. So - you go Kadobi!
We were getting shots for the forthcoming CD, to be entitled, Conduct Unbecoming. As the rolls have not been developed yet, I can only report my gut feelings...but there is an overwhelming sense of certainty when you get what I refer to as the "money shot." I love that feeling...I suppose if I knew of a drug that would give me that feeling I might be interested in becoming a drug addict, but I have to think that the divine pleasure of the feeling is the fact that is so fleeting and rare... Anyway, this undeniable feeling of getting the unplanned, yet perfect moment came over me three times... so, as long as the shots are focused...I think we did real well.
It was great fun to work with only the vaguest of plans, and let happenstance dictate the choices. Things usually work out better that way, rather than going with a shooting plan etched in stone...then things don't work out right, and there is stress, which I hate. Hate stress.
One of our locations was a building I spotted when Sean was in town...and I was pretty sure that I remembered where I had seen it, but not completely. I was also afraid that since it looked so desolate and run-down and ghetto-ish, that it would have either fallen (or been) torn down. Happily, the shooting gods were on my side, and it was exactly where I thought, and even better for our purposes than I remembered.
Stay tuned for the CD release party info!
Following this adrenaline high, I kept an appointment I had made with a co-worker to see TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE.
I really don't want to talk about that film. The film gods were most definitely not looking out for me tonight.
We were getting shots for the forthcoming CD, to be entitled, Conduct Unbecoming. As the rolls have not been developed yet, I can only report my gut feelings...but there is an overwhelming sense of certainty when you get what I refer to as the "money shot." I love that feeling...I suppose if I knew of a drug that would give me that feeling I might be interested in becoming a drug addict, but I have to think that the divine pleasure of the feeling is the fact that is so fleeting and rare... Anyway, this undeniable feeling of getting the unplanned, yet perfect moment came over me three times... so, as long as the shots are focused...I think we did real well.
It was great fun to work with only the vaguest of plans, and let happenstance dictate the choices. Things usually work out better that way, rather than going with a shooting plan etched in stone...then things don't work out right, and there is stress, which I hate. Hate stress.
One of our locations was a building I spotted when Sean was in town...and I was pretty sure that I remembered where I had seen it, but not completely. I was also afraid that since it looked so desolate and run-down and ghetto-ish, that it would have either fallen (or been) torn down. Happily, the shooting gods were on my side, and it was exactly where I thought, and even better for our purposes than I remembered.
Stay tuned for the CD release party info!
Following this adrenaline high, I kept an appointment I had made with a co-worker to see TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE.
I really don't want to talk about that film. The film gods were most definitely not looking out for me tonight.
Monday, October 18, 2004
Laura Nyro's Birthday
A moment to remember our dear Laura.
“Winds they blow and blow.
Happy birthday thirties
What do I want?
I want everything
Just everything
That you can bring
'Cause my heart needs to sing now”
--Laura Nyro, “Roadnotes” from 1984's Mother's Spiritual
“Winds they blow and blow.
Happy birthday thirties
What do I want?
I want everything
Just everything
That you can bring
'Cause my heart needs to sing now”
--Laura Nyro, “Roadnotes” from 1984's Mother's Spiritual
New Music Tuesday - Larry Carlton
Today's CD review was not actually released today; I somehow missed it when it did come out earlier this year...but I did stumble upon it this afternoon, and I am so glad I did.
Mr. Larry Carlton, primo and fabulous guitarist, has released Sapphire Blue, a blues-oriented CD. From the first stellar track, Friday Night Shuffle, it is readily apparent that Mr. Carlton rules the fretboard. He is an incredible player. All but one track on this CD are fantastic, and the sole track that I don't care for is simply a statement of my personal taste and not the playing...I just don't like the tempo of the track, a little too frenetic and funky for me. But Track #3, Night Sweats...whoo. Aptly named. It's steamy, and a perfect soundtrack for whatever makes you sweat...like laying before a fire with a glass of nice red wine and...
Anyway, listening to this CD put me in such a good mood, and rekindled my respect for Larry. I had the opportunity to see Larry in an extraordinary concert at the Front Row on June 29,1989(his first performance following his traumatic accident -he was shot in the neck, doing great damage to his vocal cords and substantial nerve damage, impairing his ability to play) - his opening act was the amazing Stanley Jordan, who did a shattering performance of Stairway to Heaven, playing two guitars simultaneously.
A little history - Larry began his professional career in 1968 touring with the Fifth Dimension, and quickly became THE most requested studio guitarist of the 70s, playing for The Partridge Family, Vicki Carr, Andy Williams and Barbra Streisand. Then he joined the supergroup, The Crusaders. Larry is probably best known for his guitar work with Steely Dan, playing the stellar solo on their song, Kid Charlemagne.He has performed on over 100 gold albums. His has also worked for TV and films including Against All Odds, Who's the Boss, and Hill Street Blues which won a Grammy award in 1981 for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. A cover of Michael McDonald's Minute by Minute on his 1986 acoustic album, Discovery, won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1987.
Sapphire Blue is now my favorite Larry Carlton CD, and if you aren't familiar with his work, it is a great introduction. (And the Japanese "Jazz Life Magazine" has selected it as album of the year as well.) However, that does not mean that my (now) second favorite CD is any less great. I would also recommend 1986's Alone/But Never Alone, Larry's phenomenal acoustic guitar CD. Although the opening track, Smiles and Smiles to Go, is a wee bit on the smooth jazz side, a genre I typically loathe, I am a sucker for the hook. Great tune. And Larry's playing on The Lord's Prayer is simply beautiful. Plus he is super cute and oh-so-young on the back cover.
Mr. Larry Carlton, primo and fabulous guitarist, has released Sapphire Blue, a blues-oriented CD. From the first stellar track, Friday Night Shuffle, it is readily apparent that Mr. Carlton rules the fretboard. He is an incredible player. All but one track on this CD are fantastic, and the sole track that I don't care for is simply a statement of my personal taste and not the playing...I just don't like the tempo of the track, a little too frenetic and funky for me. But Track #3, Night Sweats...whoo. Aptly named. It's steamy, and a perfect soundtrack for whatever makes you sweat...like laying before a fire with a glass of nice red wine and...
Anyway, listening to this CD put me in such a good mood, and rekindled my respect for Larry. I had the opportunity to see Larry in an extraordinary concert at the Front Row on June 29,1989(his first performance following his traumatic accident -he was shot in the neck, doing great damage to his vocal cords and substantial nerve damage, impairing his ability to play) - his opening act was the amazing Stanley Jordan, who did a shattering performance of Stairway to Heaven, playing two guitars simultaneously.
A little history - Larry began his professional career in 1968 touring with the Fifth Dimension, and quickly became THE most requested studio guitarist of the 70s, playing for The Partridge Family, Vicki Carr, Andy Williams and Barbra Streisand. Then he joined the supergroup, The Crusaders. Larry is probably best known for his guitar work with Steely Dan, playing the stellar solo on their song, Kid Charlemagne.He has performed on over 100 gold albums. His has also worked for TV and films including Against All Odds, Who's the Boss, and Hill Street Blues which won a Grammy award in 1981 for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. A cover of Michael McDonald's Minute by Minute on his 1986 acoustic album, Discovery, won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1987.
Sapphire Blue is now my favorite Larry Carlton CD, and if you aren't familiar with his work, it is a great introduction. (And the Japanese "Jazz Life Magazine" has selected it as album of the year as well.) However, that does not mean that my (now) second favorite CD is any less great. I would also recommend 1986's Alone/But Never Alone, Larry's phenomenal acoustic guitar CD. Although the opening track, Smiles and Smiles to Go, is a wee bit on the smooth jazz side, a genre I typically loathe, I am a sucker for the hook. Great tune. And Larry's playing on The Lord's Prayer is simply beautiful. Plus he is super cute and oh-so-young on the back cover.
Saturday, October 16, 2004
On Photography - Something to Ponder
Beth and I spent most of our free time while living in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle and Portland) going shooting. It was shocking to me to discover that some people thought we were target practicing or worse, hunting! After thinking about it awhile, the language of photography - shooting, loading, - really is identical to that of the world of guns.
While doing some research on Annie Leibovitz, I discovered that her partner of many years is the esteemed Susan Sontag. When I discovered that Ms. Sontag wrote a book entitled On Photography, the book became a must-read title for me.
Sontag theorizes that a camera is sold as a predatory weapon. This disturbs me - and makes me question my motives in what I consider a quest for art - is it really about dominance and possession?
Anyway, I liked this passage from Sontag's book as it combines my passion for photography with my love of nature. It raises some interesting questions...
Eventually, people might learn to act out more of their aggressions with cameras and fewer with guns. One situation where people are switching from bullets to film is the photographic safari that is replacing the gun safari in East Africa. The hunters have Hasselblads { I would submit - the LUCKY ones have Hasselblads -nyro4797} instead of Winchesters; instead of looking through a telescopic sight to aim a rifle, they look through a viewfinder to frame a picture. Guns have metamorphosed into cameras in this earnest comedy, the ecology safari, because nature has ceased to be what it always had been - what people needed protection from. Now nature - tamed, endangered, mortal - needs to be protected from people.
When we are afraid, we shoot. But when we are nostalgic, we take pictures.
While doing some research on Annie Leibovitz, I discovered that her partner of many years is the esteemed Susan Sontag. When I discovered that Ms. Sontag wrote a book entitled On Photography, the book became a must-read title for me.
Sontag theorizes that a camera is sold as a predatory weapon. This disturbs me - and makes me question my motives in what I consider a quest for art - is it really about dominance and possession?
Anyway, I liked this passage from Sontag's book as it combines my passion for photography with my love of nature. It raises some interesting questions...
Eventually, people might learn to act out more of their aggressions with cameras and fewer with guns. One situation where people are switching from bullets to film is the photographic safari that is replacing the gun safari in East Africa. The hunters have Hasselblads { I would submit - the LUCKY ones have Hasselblads -nyro4797} instead of Winchesters; instead of looking through a telescopic sight to aim a rifle, they look through a viewfinder to frame a picture. Guns have metamorphosed into cameras in this earnest comedy, the ecology safari, because nature has ceased to be what it always had been - what people needed protection from. Now nature - tamed, endangered, mortal - needs to be protected from people.
When we are afraid, we shoot. But when we are nostalgic, we take pictures.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Look out Austria!
If you are a blues performer, the late fall and winter are a pretty slow time of year. For my good friend, Duffy Bishop, she spends the late spring and summer mainly on the road performing at outdoor blues festivals. In the slow seasons, she has been performing at the fabulous Teatro ZinZanni's show Love, Chaos, Dinner. She has been doing this for several years now - originating the role in Seattle (where she was replaced by Heart's Ann Wilson) and San Francisco (where she was replaced by Joan Baez).
A couple of years ago, Duffy and her band went off to some blues festivals in Norway.
This year, Duffy is going to be in Austria for a few months starring in the show PALAZZO, then she will be performing throughout Europe! If you happen to be taking a European vacation, drop by and hear the best blues vocalist in the world.
A couple of years ago, Duffy and her band went off to some blues festivals in Norway.
This year, Duffy is going to be in Austria for a few months starring in the show PALAZZO, then she will be performing throughout Europe! If you happen to be taking a European vacation, drop by and hear the best blues vocalist in the world.
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
New Quizzes!
Today's quizzes have been submitted by My Friend Jason:
Test your Gay or Eurotrash? gaydar! or, if you have the energy...
Is she a Lesbian or a German Lady?
(He submits these in hopes of redeeming his score on the previous quiz...)
Test your Gay or Eurotrash? gaydar! or, if you have the energy...
Is she a Lesbian or a German Lady?
(He submits these in hopes of redeeming his score on the previous quiz...)
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
New Music Tuesday - World Edition
Today's discovery was a great CD by the group Tin Hat Trio entitled, Book of Silk.
They are an acoustic group, and I am struggling very hard to give you an idea of what they sound like. I found the CD in the Jazz section of my record store, and while I suppose that they appeal to folks with jazz sensibilities, I don't think I'd use that term to describe them. They do a wonderful multi-cultural blend of ethnic acoustic music - a phrase which really doesn't mean much, does it? I've really been enjoying this CD - a lot of the songs seem to be a useful soundtrack, if you believe that life should be orchestrated. You'll just have to try this one yourself.
Continuing on my multicultural journey this week, we have Deb by Souad Massi, from Algeria. I have also been enjoying her singing, and the acoustic guitar work on almost every track. One could call her a specialist of the Franco-Arabic chanson, as this writer for the BBC did.
Moving on we have Maria Rita. She is a terrific vocalist, filling the gap left for me since my favorite Brazilian vocalist, Kenia, appears to have retired. Kenia is now living in Pittsburgh - does that have something to do with the demise of her recording career? Happily, I did have the good fortune of seeing Kenia perform live at Peabody's DownUnder in the Flats in July 1991, and she was great. I invited someone to go along with me to the show, and they were very excited. It was only later that I discovered she thought I had said ENYA. Imagine her disappointment - new-agey Celtic music vs. up-tempo Brazilian music. Then, for even more fun, if you are familiar with the old venue, Peabody's DownUnder, try to imagine Enya performing there.
But back to Maria Rita. She and her self-titled debut CD were nominated for seven Latin Grammy awards, including Best New Artist (which she won) and Most Popular Brazilian Music Album (which she also won). Maria's voice is very similar to like that of her beloved mother, Elis Regina, but Maria's music is jazzier than that of her more bossa nova parent.
And finally, we have some blues. I do have a predilection for live albums, so today's pick is Stages, by Ruthie Foster, who I was introduced to my friend, Trish. I really liked the first Ruthie Foster CD, but found it to be best in limited, small doses. It was too much of the same thing. This CD, however, mixes things up nicely - covers and originals, fast tunes and ballads, and it has all the life of live recordings, which really appeal to me. I like the feeling of being there with the artist. If you are unfamiliar with Ruthie, I'd recommend starting here. You'll have a good time. I promise.
They are an acoustic group, and I am struggling very hard to give you an idea of what they sound like. I found the CD in the Jazz section of my record store, and while I suppose that they appeal to folks with jazz sensibilities, I don't think I'd use that term to describe them. They do a wonderful multi-cultural blend of ethnic acoustic music - a phrase which really doesn't mean much, does it? I've really been enjoying this CD - a lot of the songs seem to be a useful soundtrack, if you believe that life should be orchestrated. You'll just have to try this one yourself.
Continuing on my multicultural journey this week, we have Deb by Souad Massi, from Algeria. I have also been enjoying her singing, and the acoustic guitar work on almost every track. One could call her a specialist of the Franco-Arabic chanson, as this writer for the BBC did.
Moving on we have Maria Rita. She is a terrific vocalist, filling the gap left for me since my favorite Brazilian vocalist, Kenia, appears to have retired. Kenia is now living in Pittsburgh - does that have something to do with the demise of her recording career? Happily, I did have the good fortune of seeing Kenia perform live at Peabody's DownUnder in the Flats in July 1991, and she was great. I invited someone to go along with me to the show, and they were very excited. It was only later that I discovered she thought I had said ENYA. Imagine her disappointment - new-agey Celtic music vs. up-tempo Brazilian music. Then, for even more fun, if you are familiar with the old venue, Peabody's DownUnder, try to imagine Enya performing there.
But back to Maria Rita. She and her self-titled debut CD were nominated for seven Latin Grammy awards, including Best New Artist (which she won) and Most Popular Brazilian Music Album (which she also won). Maria's voice is very similar to like that of her beloved mother, Elis Regina, but Maria's music is jazzier than that of her more bossa nova parent.
And finally, we have some blues. I do have a predilection for live albums, so today's pick is Stages, by Ruthie Foster, who I was introduced to my friend, Trish. I really liked the first Ruthie Foster CD, but found it to be best in limited, small doses. It was too much of the same thing. This CD, however, mixes things up nicely - covers and originals, fast tunes and ballads, and it has all the life of live recordings, which really appeal to me. I like the feeling of being there with the artist. If you are unfamiliar with Ruthie, I'd recommend starting here. You'll have a good time. I promise.
Saturday, October 09, 2004
Indulging in a Favorite Pastime
After work today, I met up with Heather and we went out for a Turkish dinner at the Anatolia Cafe in Cleveland Heights. While living in Seattle, Beth and I would frequent many Greek restaurants, but I have not had Turkish cuisine before.
The restaurant was quite pleasant, the servers were very intent on making you feel welcomed, and they were very insistent on sharing their knowledge of Turkish food and spices with us.
We ordered an appetizer, Sigara Böreği, which is a light pastry dough filled with a blend of feta cheese and fresh herbs. Neither of us were very excited about this - perhaps it is an acquired taste. We also tried the black tea, which was served in small glass cups, and quite strong.
The main course was Chicken Adana, a dish of pan sautéed pita croutons with oregano topped with yogurt and grilled chicken, and topped with a light tomato sauce. I thought it was a good dish, but I was wanting something more substantial - in particular I wanted a creamy sauce and rice.
We ordered a Turkish coffee, which was served on an elegant tray in tiny porcelain cups. The Turkish way of preparing coffee, we were told, was without a filter, and the coffee did have a grittiness to it that was not to my taste. Our host presented us with apple tea, steaming hot in small glass gold-rimmed cups. The apple tea was fragrant and wonderful - not overpoweringly sweet. I would recommend a visit there if for no other reason than a cup of the apple tea. It was wonderful.
Following our meal, we were off to a friend's birthday party. She has a lovely home, the best part of which, for me, was indulging in one of favorite pastimes - sitting outside on a fall night by a woodburning fire, having good conversation and a good beverage, which in this instance was terrific mojitos. A most excellent evening, indeed.
The restaurant was quite pleasant, the servers were very intent on making you feel welcomed, and they were very insistent on sharing their knowledge of Turkish food and spices with us.
We ordered an appetizer, Sigara Böreği, which is a light pastry dough filled with a blend of feta cheese and fresh herbs. Neither of us were very excited about this - perhaps it is an acquired taste. We also tried the black tea, which was served in small glass cups, and quite strong.
The main course was Chicken Adana, a dish of pan sautéed pita croutons with oregano topped with yogurt and grilled chicken, and topped with a light tomato sauce. I thought it was a good dish, but I was wanting something more substantial - in particular I wanted a creamy sauce and rice.
We ordered a Turkish coffee, which was served on an elegant tray in tiny porcelain cups. The Turkish way of preparing coffee, we were told, was without a filter, and the coffee did have a grittiness to it that was not to my taste. Our host presented us with apple tea, steaming hot in small glass gold-rimmed cups. The apple tea was fragrant and wonderful - not overpoweringly sweet. I would recommend a visit there if for no other reason than a cup of the apple tea. It was wonderful.
Following our meal, we were off to a friend's birthday party. She has a lovely home, the best part of which, for me, was indulging in one of favorite pastimes - sitting outside on a fall night by a woodburning fire, having good conversation and a good beverage, which in this instance was terrific mojitos. A most excellent evening, indeed.
Friday, October 08, 2004
The Things We Do For Love
As Marilyn McCoo once said so musically, last night I didn't get to sleep at all. Which was problematic, as I was to be at work at 3 am. I slept for a maximum possible amount of 2 hours. The good news is that I got to leave at 1 in the afternoon. I took advantage of this opportunity, despite the threat of the oncoming fatigue, to fulfill some obligations.
First of all, as faithful readers will know, I promised Sean a picture of Midwestern Fall taken from the back patio of Stan Hywet. And although it is still a bit premature for maximum fall foliage here, I really didn't know when another opportunity would present itself. Also, I had to get a birthday gift for the party I am going to tomorrow night, and I recalled that the gift shop of Stan Hywet had some nice, relatively affordable Don Drumm sculptures.
Well, this seemed like a well-made plan. But upon arrival, I discovered it was the dreaded OHIOMART weekend at Stan Hywet...homemade crafts and their crafters running rampant on the grounds...the only parking now several miles away!!! Strolling minstrels and their mime companions a certainty! Horrors!
Not to be daunted from my task, I found a somewhat illegal parking spot across the street from the entrance and, really, just walked in. Perseverance pays off. Missions were accomplished.
I arrived home and showered in a feeble attempt to muster the energy for my final obligation of the evening.
I went to the Mustard Seed, a healthy-food store, which has a balcony restaurant. The musical guest this evening was one Miss Anne E. DeChant, songstress with a guitar.
I decided to take myself to dinner, and to see the show.
Dinner was angel hair alfredo primavera with chicken, a house salad, a passable Black and Tan (draft Guinness and Harp), and for dessert, an espresso. The service was competent. And once you get all settled, the ambiance can be misleading...it does seem as if you are in a fairly nice restaurant, then your eye wanders and you remember that you are overlooking shoppers in the pet food aisle...Very odd.
Miss DeChant, certainly easy on the eyes, tried her best to be upbeat, and to play some snappy songs. This was made more difficult, I am sure, by the hour of the show (6 pm), and the non-existent lighting. The problem with this plan, in my opinion, is that she excels on lullaby-type ballads, accompanying herself on a high-capo'd guitar. Her voice, though not powerful, enters your soul with its melancholy and bittersweet tone. Granted a concert of these low-key, slow tempo tearjerkers would be ill-advised, I strongly feel that that that genre is her forte.
She was accompanied on the stage by a back-up harmonist, which was nice, who also supplied some meager rhythm on the peppier tunes, via her “accomplished” tambourine and shaker work. This struck me as more amusing that it should have, because when I first saw Miss DeChant, as the lead singer for the group Odd Girl Out in the 90's, she was the maraca and tambourine player. I was glad to see that she had picked up the guitar. That being said, she still mostly strums, but on one particular ballad (one of the killer high capo'd ones) she had the strings ringing like bells. Beautiful...and a reminder to get your Paxal prescription refilled.
Sidebar: I still get really annoyed at performers that think it is ok to take the stage in jeans and a t-shirt. Dress up a little.
My friend, Kim Gerstenfeld, was a HUGE (and I do mean HUGE) fan of Odd Girl Out, complete with their bumper sticker on her Volkswagen. This being said, I think she took me to see OGO about 35 times, the most memorable being when they opened for The Mamas and the Papas at Cain Park in July 1992. MacKenzie Phillips was supposed to be there, but she was too...well, YOU KNOW, to make it, but Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane of Spanky and Our Gang was there. That was pretty cool. A beautiful summer night, picnicking on the grass, with great music, and then the Mamas and the Papas .
Yep, back in the day, I could have recited the set list for OGO, I had seen them so much.
But that, as they say, was many years ago. I haven't seen or heard Anne E. DeChant since moving to Seattle in 1995...about ten years! And in that time, well, things happen. Things like my friend Kim getting up in the middle of the night in 1997, and her roommate finding her dead on the bathroom floor of an aneurysm in the morning.
So, I went to see your gal Anne E. for you tonight, Kim. I think you would have liked it. You are still in my thoughts my friend.
First of all, as faithful readers will know, I promised Sean a picture of Midwestern Fall taken from the back patio of Stan Hywet. And although it is still a bit premature for maximum fall foliage here, I really didn't know when another opportunity would present itself. Also, I had to get a birthday gift for the party I am going to tomorrow night, and I recalled that the gift shop of Stan Hywet had some nice, relatively affordable Don Drumm sculptures.
Well, this seemed like a well-made plan. But upon arrival, I discovered it was the dreaded OHIOMART weekend at Stan Hywet...homemade crafts and their crafters running rampant on the grounds...the only parking now several miles away!!! Strolling minstrels and their mime companions a certainty! Horrors!
Not to be daunted from my task, I found a somewhat illegal parking spot across the street from the entrance and, really, just walked in. Perseverance pays off. Missions were accomplished.
I arrived home and showered in a feeble attempt to muster the energy for my final obligation of the evening.
I went to the Mustard Seed, a healthy-food store, which has a balcony restaurant. The musical guest this evening was one Miss Anne E. DeChant, songstress with a guitar.
I decided to take myself to dinner, and to see the show.
Dinner was angel hair alfredo primavera with chicken, a house salad, a passable Black and Tan (draft Guinness and Harp), and for dessert, an espresso. The service was competent. And once you get all settled, the ambiance can be misleading...it does seem as if you are in a fairly nice restaurant, then your eye wanders and you remember that you are overlooking shoppers in the pet food aisle...Very odd.
Miss DeChant, certainly easy on the eyes, tried her best to be upbeat, and to play some snappy songs. This was made more difficult, I am sure, by the hour of the show (6 pm), and the non-existent lighting. The problem with this plan, in my opinion, is that she excels on lullaby-type ballads, accompanying herself on a high-capo'd guitar. Her voice, though not powerful, enters your soul with its melancholy and bittersweet tone. Granted a concert of these low-key, slow tempo tearjerkers would be ill-advised, I strongly feel that that that genre is her forte.
She was accompanied on the stage by a back-up harmonist, which was nice, who also supplied some meager rhythm on the peppier tunes, via her “accomplished” tambourine and shaker work. This struck me as more amusing that it should have, because when I first saw Miss DeChant, as the lead singer for the group Odd Girl Out in the 90's, she was the maraca and tambourine player. I was glad to see that she had picked up the guitar. That being said, she still mostly strums, but on one particular ballad (one of the killer high capo'd ones) she had the strings ringing like bells. Beautiful...and a reminder to get your Paxal prescription refilled.
Sidebar: I still get really annoyed at performers that think it is ok to take the stage in jeans and a t-shirt. Dress up a little.
My friend, Kim Gerstenfeld, was a HUGE (and I do mean HUGE) fan of Odd Girl Out, complete with their bumper sticker on her Volkswagen. This being said, I think she took me to see OGO about 35 times, the most memorable being when they opened for The Mamas and the Papas at Cain Park in July 1992. MacKenzie Phillips was supposed to be there, but she was too...well, YOU KNOW, to make it, but Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane of Spanky and Our Gang was there. That was pretty cool. A beautiful summer night, picnicking on the grass, with great music, and then the Mamas and the Papas .
Yep, back in the day, I could have recited the set list for OGO, I had seen them so much.
But that, as they say, was many years ago. I haven't seen or heard Anne E. DeChant since moving to Seattle in 1995...about ten years! And in that time, well, things happen. Things like my friend Kim getting up in the middle of the night in 1997, and her roommate finding her dead on the bathroom floor of an aneurysm in the morning.
So, I went to see your gal Anne E. for you tonight, Kim. I think you would have liked it. You are still in my thoughts my friend.
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Boston
I went to Boston Sunday night with a few friends. We didn't get there in time to really do or see much, but I was enthralled with the architecture of the city.
As we were driving about, we passed the Berklee College of Music, where Patty Larkin went to school. I was much more excited about happening upon that site than I should have been. It had been a long day...
We went to Brookline and had dinner at a Mexican place called Boca Grande Taqueria. The food was huge and cheap and pretty good, and the place was packed at 8 o'clock at night.
What really made an impression that night was the number of folks out and about late in the evening on a Sunday night. It made me a bit wistful. You don't see that many people in downtown Cleveland at 5:10 on a Friday afternoon. I am sure the traffic and everything gets annoying, but I loved being in such a vital environment.
After checking in and getting situated at the hotel, we met in the lobby bar, where Charles, the English bartender took good care of us. I was very much into Knob Creek whisky on the rocks on this trip...I am finding it cool and refreshing, and very warm and satisfying all at the same time. Charles tried to upgrade me to Johnnie Walker Blue, but I was having a lovely time at the Creek, and declined to take him up on the offer.
We had a rental car, which was great, and because of a screw-up on the rental companies part, we were upgraded to a full-size car with leather seats. One of my traveling companions taught me a new term, "neutral-drop", and made it his goal in life to peel out of every parking space. And by the way, most of the streets in Boston (at least the one's we found ourselves on) are quite curvy. So, the passenger experience was not dissimilar to a rollercoaster ride.
The next night we went to Needham for dinner. We went to Masala Art, an exquisite Indian restaurant. We were fortunate enough to find a parking space across the street from the restaurant, and upon getting out of the car, we were already enticed by the extraordinary smells emanating from the front door.
The food and service were impeccable. The decor was stunning, especially the bar, which had three huge sculptures of Ganesha as a backdrop. The patrons there were also quite jovial, as we discovered when we all joined in to sing "Happy Birthday" to one of the ladies dining at the table beside us.
Other than the brief sights in Brookline, and the fabulous dinner in Needham, we spent all of our time in the hotel, so I could have been on the Westside of Cleveland for all I saw of the city. I guess my last impression was a lot of traffic, like Seattle...but with better (older anyway) architecture.
Flying from Boston to Cincinnati is not a terribly popular route I am surmising, as each of us had their own row for the flight back, which I do enjoy for the added leg room. As it was night, there wasn't a lot to see outside, so I spent most of the flight reading. When I did look out, framed perfectly in my window, at eye level and filling the window completely from edge to edge, was the Big Dipper. I thought that was very cool.
The final adventure of the trip came in the Cincinnati airport...we all hit the bar for cocktails before our final leg of the journey commenced. We were to get in to the airport at 11 pm, then most of us had about an hour's drive home, and two of us had to be at work at 7 am....
Well, our flight was delayed twice and finally, after midnight, cancelled. Taking our destinies into our own hands, we spurned the airline's offer to put us up in a hotel and to arrive at about 2 in the afternoon the next day, so we commandeered a rental minivan and drove from Cincinnati to Cleveland. That, by the way, is pretty much driving the entire diagonal length of the state. We let the two who had to work sleep in the back, and as the song goes, "We drove all night." (or is that morning?)
We realized that had we rented a car in Boston and driven from there, we all would have been home and asleep, rather than still on the road. That is not the sort of thing one wants to be aware of at 4:30 in the morning...
As we were driving about, we passed the Berklee College of Music, where Patty Larkin went to school. I was much more excited about happening upon that site than I should have been. It had been a long day...
We went to Brookline and had dinner at a Mexican place called Boca Grande Taqueria. The food was huge and cheap and pretty good, and the place was packed at 8 o'clock at night.
What really made an impression that night was the number of folks out and about late in the evening on a Sunday night. It made me a bit wistful. You don't see that many people in downtown Cleveland at 5:10 on a Friday afternoon. I am sure the traffic and everything gets annoying, but I loved being in such a vital environment.
After checking in and getting situated at the hotel, we met in the lobby bar, where Charles, the English bartender took good care of us. I was very much into Knob Creek whisky on the rocks on this trip...I am finding it cool and refreshing, and very warm and satisfying all at the same time. Charles tried to upgrade me to Johnnie Walker Blue, but I was having a lovely time at the Creek, and declined to take him up on the offer.
We had a rental car, which was great, and because of a screw-up on the rental companies part, we were upgraded to a full-size car with leather seats. One of my traveling companions taught me a new term, "neutral-drop", and made it his goal in life to peel out of every parking space. And by the way, most of the streets in Boston (at least the one's we found ourselves on) are quite curvy. So, the passenger experience was not dissimilar to a rollercoaster ride.
The next night we went to Needham for dinner. We went to Masala Art, an exquisite Indian restaurant. We were fortunate enough to find a parking space across the street from the restaurant, and upon getting out of the car, we were already enticed by the extraordinary smells emanating from the front door.
The food and service were impeccable. The decor was stunning, especially the bar, which had three huge sculptures of Ganesha as a backdrop. The patrons there were also quite jovial, as we discovered when we all joined in to sing "Happy Birthday" to one of the ladies dining at the table beside us.
Other than the brief sights in Brookline, and the fabulous dinner in Needham, we spent all of our time in the hotel, so I could have been on the Westside of Cleveland for all I saw of the city. I guess my last impression was a lot of traffic, like Seattle...but with better (older anyway) architecture.
Flying from Boston to Cincinnati is not a terribly popular route I am surmising, as each of us had their own row for the flight back, which I do enjoy for the added leg room. As it was night, there wasn't a lot to see outside, so I spent most of the flight reading. When I did look out, framed perfectly in my window, at eye level and filling the window completely from edge to edge, was the Big Dipper. I thought that was very cool.
The final adventure of the trip came in the Cincinnati airport...we all hit the bar for cocktails before our final leg of the journey commenced. We were to get in to the airport at 11 pm, then most of us had about an hour's drive home, and two of us had to be at work at 7 am....
Well, our flight was delayed twice and finally, after midnight, cancelled. Taking our destinies into our own hands, we spurned the airline's offer to put us up in a hotel and to arrive at about 2 in the afternoon the next day, so we commandeered a rental minivan and drove from Cincinnati to Cleveland. That, by the way, is pretty much driving the entire diagonal length of the state. We let the two who had to work sleep in the back, and as the song goes, "We drove all night." (or is that morning?)
We realized that had we rented a car in Boston and driven from there, we all would have been home and asleep, rather than still on the road. That is not the sort of thing one wants to be aware of at 4:30 in the morning...
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
New Music Tuesday
Manhattan Transfer: VIBRATE
At long last, the Transfer has released a great album. As they have been around since 1972, they have recorded quite a few tunes. I think their greatest works are:
1. Vocalese
2. The Manhattan Transfer
3. Vibrate
4. & 5. (tie) The Offbeat of the Avenues and Brasil
Vibrate is really good because it captures the mood and essence of 2,4 and 5. On this CD, they really do the stuff they do best...a little avant garde, a little classic jazz, and some unexpected arrangements. This CD is very fresh,with great arrangements, surprising rhythm choices and containing a few tunes that will linger in your head all day ("Walking in New York"). I think that there is a Grammy in their future for Tutu, to match their Grammy for the similar "A Night in Tunisia."
I have great hopes for this CD. I hope it is well-received.
At long last, the Transfer has released a great album. As they have been around since 1972, they have recorded quite a few tunes. I think their greatest works are:
1. Vocalese
2. The Manhattan Transfer
3. Vibrate
4. & 5. (tie) The Offbeat of the Avenues and Brasil
Vibrate is really good because it captures the mood and essence of 2,4 and 5. On this CD, they really do the stuff they do best...a little avant garde, a little classic jazz, and some unexpected arrangements. This CD is very fresh,with great arrangements, surprising rhythm choices and containing a few tunes that will linger in your head all day ("Walking in New York"). I think that there is a Grammy in their future for Tutu, to match their Grammy for the similar "A Night in Tunisia."
I have great hopes for this CD. I hope it is well-received.
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