Hello everyone. I will be out for a few days and will therefore not be able to post. I hope to be back as soon as possible. Keep enjoying the music.
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Early Morning Chill
21 SepOccasionally you just get to a point when you are overworked, overtired, and overcommited. I have reached this point where the sheer force of off-campus commitments is starting to seep into my daily life. And now as I sit in front of my computer at this early morning hour preoccupied about said off and on campus commitments I seriously need a nice panacea. Now, since I do not take drugs (and plus those are not a complete cure) music is my crutch. Nothing like putting some music on to simply relax you. Now, to lift myself up out of the jumbled and crowded cave, here is a song I always turn to, to calm me down. “Somewhere over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.
Herb Wise’s Photographic Exploration of Musicians
17 SepHerb Wise is one of better photographers in rock n’ roll. Over the course of his career he traveled and photographed some of rock’s famous musicians, using kindness and dedication to earn respect from the musician’s he was photographing.
About his travels, “”You’d like many of these people,” said Wise. “They are good friends, even to know them through a brief glance along the way.”
In a new book being released Oct. 1 by Omnibus press, rare photographs of “People You’d Like to Know,” including Bob Dylan, John Lee Hooker and Blondie will be featured in wonderful black and white captures.
A celebration of the book opening will be held In Morrison Hotel in New York City on October 28 and at the event prints will be on display.
There is nothing quite like rock photography. Attempting to capture some of the best 20th century musicians is as easy as going to a concert with a good camera. But, getting close-up, personal and comfortable shots of musiciansis a skill that is not easy to come by. Herb Wise honed this skill over his many years as a photographer and this compilation of his photos is sure to be fantastic. Here is one of my favorite photographs of Chuck Berry.
Chuck Berry, 1979, in New Orleans at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Credit: Herb Wise
I will be up in Ithaca visiting my brother this weekend. Have a good weekend and I will meet up with you on Monday.
The King of Soul: Still Sittin’ on the Dock
10 SepJames Brown is considered the Godfather of soul. Aretha Franklin is certainly soul’s distinguished Queen. But, who holds the position of male royalty. Who is the King of soul? The answer is Otis Redding, and, if our quixotic, spinning world did not take him too soon, he would have been 69 years old yesterday.
1967 marked a phenomenal year for music. The Beatles released a little album called Sgt. Peppers, the “Summer of Love” brought a peaceful swarm of long-haired humans to San Francisco, Jethro Tull and Procul Harum were founded, The Doors released their first album and the Monterey Pop Festival became the first heavily attended rock festival, promoting a three-day musical exploration from June 16-18. At that festival was Mr. Otis Redding himself. And, after famously saying “So this is the love crowd,” he gave an excellent show to the grand, and probably stoned audience. Six months later Redding was dead at 26.
1967, Chicago, Illinois, USA --- Otis Redding --- Image by © Michael Ochs Archives/Corbis
On December 9, 1967, after Redding and his Bar-Kays were in Cleveland, Ohio to appear on a local television show and perform at a small venue club called Leo’s Casino. On the afternoon of the 10th, Redding, four members of the Bar-Kays, his manager and his pilot died when the Beechcraft 18 airplane they were in crashed into Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin.
Three days before the crash, Redding’s “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” was recorded, and Redding’s unfinished masterpiece – the whistled verse was going to have lyrics put to it – became the first posthumous number one single in U.S. chart history. There was actually so much recorded material from Redding that another three studio albums and a few successful singles were released after his death. The first, The Immortal Otis Redding, released in 1968, was correct in its title. Redding’s brand of soul music is as relevant today than it was back at the time of his death. Search “The Dock of the Bay” on Youtube and you will see numerous covers of the song done by known, modern musicians. He still garners tremendous respect and I believe “The Dock of the Bay,” with its smooth, ocean sound and even the eerie concluding whistle, supports the claim that Redding was, and still is, the very best soul voice to ever grace our radios. Just listen to his effortless croon and his remarkable command.
The Finest Worksong
6 SepYes…the absolutely perfect Labor Day song title from R.E.M. was just too tempting not to put as the title of this post. R.E.M., be proud, you created a fine work song that gets the most plays on a day devoted to workers. Labor Day always confused me. So, we celebrate laborers by giving everyone a day off from work. On Labor Day shouldn’t we work twice as much? Um…no nevermind, forget I said anything. Yes, Francis Griffin would be proud.
Well, my Labor Day was spent with family. Tomorrow, I am taking the Graduate Record Exam. Nervous? Ah, not really. I have never been one to worry about tests. You go in and do the best you can do at that particular point of time and that is all. Plus, I never much got the point of standardized testing. Well, tomorrow I will get the brain juices flowing and see if I can regurgitate some old mathematics all over the computer test.
For anyone who is roaming around the internet at this hour, bored, and too tired to move your body into your bed, here is a work-related, Labor Day influenced song quiz. See if you can name that fine work song.
http://totalyellow.com/blog1.php/2010/09/06/finest-worksongs-a-musical-labor-day-quiz
The Music Court 