Friday, April 29, 2011

William and Kate: A Beautiful Wedding

Gigantic cultural history was made today. The big wedding event was fascinating. I got up early and I confess I enjoyed the whole ceremony totally. It was a great viewing experience. And the media work was tasteful and so well done. Prince William and Kate (or perhaps I should now say Catherine) are so real and both the man and the woman have so much delightful charisma. This has been an historic Friday and best of all it has been a magical one.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Jason Aldean.....Interesting Musical Artist

'Amarillo Sky' is a good song by the clever country music artist, Jason Aldean. The blend of fine vocal approaches that are an integral part of the Jason Aldean style surely inject a lot of charisma into one's listening soul. Thoughtful music that evolves across many genres can be so compelling. This is true of guys like Johnny Cash, George Strait and the fellow by the name of Jason Aldean. The sound of the personality Jason Aldean's song titled 'She's Country' helped me out too, today. Meaningful country music artistry coming from Jason Aldean, Johnny Cash and George Strait is a mighty good thing. Oh Yes!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Bud Powell Is A Remarkable Jazz Artist

The big happiness that is explosive and truly creative wild jazz piano is a vital musical thrill. Thr creativity of the bop master piano man, Bud Powell, got me so excited today. Listened to a superior interpretation of a good tune 'Get Happy' and bless me the clever Bud Powell was flying up and down the keyboard making magnificent sounds. Also, I enjoyed the wily and so introspective Bud Powell on the song of blue notations passion...'There Will Never Be Another you.' Wow, that number overwhelms me with its sparkling linear jazz joys. This is a lovely jazz day. Yes, indeed!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Stanwyck, Cooper Prove To Be A True Joy

Barbara Stanwyck is one of my favorite actresses. She is so strong and is such a feisty persona in the merry way she cavorts around in her rather shiny films. The woman has a terrific amount of the timeless ingredient encapsulated in her cinematic work. I'm talking about the fabulous concept some unique women have...in other words the fine ethos we call style. I recently watched a clever 1941 classic movie called 'Balls of Fire.' This grand film had Barbara Stanwyck and also the sleek and powerhouse acting soul, the elegant Gary Cooper. I found myself entranced with the sleek interpretation going on in this film so artfully directed by the fine Howard Hawks. The wily Gary Cooper is a professorial type in this bit of cinema. Cooper leads a cadre of academics who are working hard on a new encyclopedia. Gary Cooper is also a favorite of mine. I loved his work in 'High Noon' and 'Ten North Frederick.' The combination of Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper is a wonderful blend in this movie. It is very amusing watching these somewhat academic archetypes rescue the gorgeous singer Barbara Stanwyck from The Mob. The coy, innocence that seems prevalent in so many 1940s films can draw audiences in so quickly. It is fun to get one's self going in the joy that is being a moviegoer and cinema enthusiast. Whether one enjoys the tough films of Sidney Lumet, the deep textured French films of Claude Chabrol or the intense Japanese films of Noguchi ...well in so many ways the dashing charm of Howard Hanks cinematic works are just as valid in their creative fire especially because of their visceral attractiveness.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Zac Brown Band...A Passionate Good Friday

It is a thoughtful day. Best of all it is Good Friday....a time of great meaning. Been thinking about a lot of strong ideas today. I started listening to fine, powerhouse music from the Zac Brown Band. So good. I figure that song 'Chicken Fried' and that number about Highway 20 are really loaded with high impact. Fine musical stuff. When a soul like me gets into some meaningful enjoyment of Zac Brown music on a wistful day like this Friday...well then all is right with the world.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Hippity-Hop Time Coming on Strong!

It's Hippity-Hop time everyone. This is the Easter season and all of us good people of the American South are gearing up for the beautiful expression of joy and fine living that is a passionate part of the culture of the states of the Southeast. Of course we all love the beautiful and enchanting Easter church services, but also we enjoy so much the traditional cultural good times of the mighty Easter Egg Hunts. There is nothing quite like these energetic lots-of-fun events. Many moons ago, we enjoyed getting our two sons into the happy egg hunts. The boys loved running around, getting wild and seeing how many goodies they could discover. The beautiful flowers, the redolent smells of Spring and the merry children and parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins....WOW!.....It is such a fine, joyful time. Let's all gear up and let the good times roll. Happy Easter Season to each and everyone of you. Bless you all!

Coldplay.....Really Engaging Music

I feel great. I like unusual music. So, a few minutes ago I listened to the marvelous sounds of Coldplay. The quality of the strange, haunting music was remarkable. The people know how to do a good job crafting their songs. This music seeps into your soul. Good fun. Loved hearing Coldplay do the songs 'Clocks' and 'The Scientist.' Elegant musicality coming from the people in this creative group.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

The Bible and Culture Help Everyone

This is a culture and a thinking it all out blog. Sometimes, I wonder what all this culture and education and all the other things I have experienced...well, what do they all mean? Here in my part of Georgia we had rugged weather last evening. I got shook. When the gigantic winds and storms come it makes a soul mighty jumpy. But in the midst of all this it came to me that the experiences I got in my being sure helped me. I know that my religion and my having good literature teachers and history teachers and certainly arts teachers...well all those blessings are so helpful. This is especially true when you are so scared of oncoming tornado stuff and brutal, high-speed straight-line winds. I know that having a lot of passion in my inner soul truly makes me feel better. Having read the skillful and powerhouse writers like Norman Mailer and Philip Roth produced marvelous feelings in me and therefore I was able to deal with the wild parts of life. Also, lately I have read The Bible more and more. And especially beautiful and meaningful in turbulent times is just the act of sitting down and reading The Book of Proverbs. I am so thankful that today....Saturday...is a magnificent and tremendously beautiful day.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Film world's Sidney Lumet Passes

A fantastic man of films...Sidney Lumet...passed away today. The highly respected director, producer and writer died today at the age of 86. He had created some truly memorable films like 'Network,' '12 Angry Men,' and 'Dog Day Afternoon.' I believe one of the unusual characteristics of Sidney Lumet's work was the way the man wove so much cinematic magical passion into the fabric of his movies. Many actors came up with super performances in his works. I think Peter Finch in 'Network' and Al Pacino in 'Dog Day Afternoon' were especially strong film creations. I think we will all miss the shiny, high-impact works of the extremely talented Sidney Lumet.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Clapton, Robertson: Two Rock Giants

I felt so good on this fine, super sunshine Thursday afternoon. Excitement reigns supreme. Just like eating good biscuits I wanted some strong really tight, rockin' music today. I got the kind of good music seasoning I needed. Yeah, I got listening to Eric Clapton and the powerhouse man...Robbie Robertson. These two guys know how to conjure up some music that really has awesome impact on a man's soul. When I was diggin' these Eric Clapton and Robbie Robertson guitar riffs it brought back super memories of when my cousin and I used to tool around in a fabulous Plymouth Fury down there in our town in Southwest Georgia. The Lord bless us...I'm so glad it is SPRING and we can enjoy good rockin' sounds and the tasty Georgia food that happens in the glorious Springtime.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Elizabeth Taylor: A Fantastic Star, Indeed!

Still trying to get over the passing of the fantastic actress Elizabeth Taylor last week. Like many people I had enjoyed her film performances for so many years. Even way back there Elizabeth Taylor was such a glowing magnificent presence on the big screen. So many terrific films had her grand talent reverberating in them. Some special favorites of mine were 'Giant,' 'A place in the Sun,' 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,' 'Butterfield 8,' and 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.' When the world of the lively arts loses a tremendous acting genius like Elizabeth Taylor it is a tough burden for all of us movie enthusiasts to manage to deal with. She was a beautiful woman with her strong, vibrant eyes and incredibly voluptuous figure. I remember also her performance in the multi-dimensional psychological drama, 'Suddenly Last Summer' was so amazingly poignant and meaningful in its sleek expressiveness. Watching Elizabeth Taylor was sort of like being overcome by one of the superior films of the terrific director Jean Luc-Godard, There was a decisive feminine strength in Taylor's work that could startle and so beautifully beguile us. The dramatic electricity that ignited between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton was so intensely resonant that the screen was burning with their ardent cinematic passion. Indeed when Richard Burton was with Elizabeth suddenly there was evident a gorgeous counterpoint happening that just overwhelmed us with such remarkable and truly engaging passion. Yes, a great star has passed..the fantastic Elizabeth Taylor...a woman who was the embodiment of real feminine grace and a fascinating artist in the wonderful world of films.

Nice Writing

THE GOOD terse writing of Ernest Hemingway is a real joy.  He does not use too many adjectives.  His 'Torrents' is a fine tome.