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photo Creative Commons Zero – CC0
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…..Some things to share with you on this very sad day – sad because of the health and economic havoc COVID-19 continues to wreak on the world, but also because of the passing of Little Richard, a pillar of rock and roll whose combination of success and flamboyance in the 1950’s changed the way we looked at musical and performance artistry. His artistic success was most linked to the 1950’s, but because his influence was apparent on emerging rock artists of the 1960’s – the Beatles, Stones, Creedence, among them – his impact on popular culture remains a constant. To read his obituary in today’s Rolling Stone magazine, click here…
…..This coming Tuesday, May 12, the spring collection of poetry will be published. This edition features over 30 poets and nearly 50 poems, and will include the art of Martel Chapman. To read the winter collection, click here…Two weeks ago I had the privilege of interviewing Maria Golia, author of Ornette Coleman: The Territory and the Adventure, which is a well researched, brilliantly written profile of a complex, daring, and critically important contributor to the world of music and art. That interview should be published by month’s end…Meanwhile, I have arranged a late May interview with Philip Clark, author of Dave Brubeck: A Life in Time, with the hope of publishing it in June. The book’s introduction is being excerpted from the book in its entirety, and will be published here later this coming week…
…..A reminder to short fiction writers that the deadline to submit your story for consideration in the 54th Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest is May 31. Submission details and guidelines can be found by clicking here…To read Paul Perilli’s “Market and Fifth, San Francisco, 1986,” the winning story in the 53rd contest, click here…
…..Finally, amid all the sadness and chaos that currently unites and divides, an experience we all have in common is the fact that the first person we laid eyes on in this world was our mother. It is difficult to imagine any bond more deep and powerful than that, and it conjures up a warmth the world is very clearly yearning for in these dark days. Blessings for a Happy Mother’s Day…
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In 2001, Dave Brubeck recorded the album The Crossing, and many of the songs he wrote for it were dedicated to various important people in his life. This song, “Bessie,” was dedicated to his mother.
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In preparing for the interview with Philip Clark on Brubeck, I have been revisiting many of his recordings. So many great pieces and way too many to recommend, but this one “Autumn in Washington Square” from Jazz Impressions of New York (1965), has really stuck on me
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My favorite Ornette Coleman records are those he recorded for Contemporary and Atlantic (c. 1958-1961)…His 1972 album Skies for America — one long composition performed by the London Symphony Orchestra — is worth a re-listen, especially as an appropriate backdrop to our times. “Sunday in America” is cinematic and deeply moving. (Ornette’s own playing is pretty limited, as it is throughout the entire album).
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