Monday, March 31, 2014

Count Basie - Splanky

The Passionate Wild Story of Maria Braun

'THE MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN' is a glorious, remarkable film.  I watched this work of cinematic artistry the other night and I was mesmerized by the highly articulated dramatic concepts engendered by the movie's superb director, Rainer Werner Hassbinder.  This bit of cinema presents a fascinating saga of one woman's major adjustments to rip-roaring life in Postwar Germany.

Blake Lively The Late Show 08-28-08

Friday, March 28, 2014

Hector Berlioz - Roman Carnival Overture, Op. 9

Wim Wenders...Genius Director

THE GERMAN FILMMAKER, Wim Wenders is a genius.  His movies are packed with so many levels of meaning and people get excited about his cinematic passion quickly.  The shrewd film of his entitled 'Wings of Desire' is a work that hits us all with remarkable passionate thrusts. This man from Dusseldorf produces an art that has remarkable film tone somewhat like the sly works of the superb Resnais,

Manhattan Jazz Orchestra - LULLABY OF BIRDLAND

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Woodblock prints by Hiroshi Yoshida

Karl King - Barnum & Bailey's Favorite

Okinawan Traditional Dance 2

A Georgia Puzzle

I HAVE WONDERED for years why it is that some people believe men and women from Southwest Georgia are just not culturally 'hip.'  I know that even when I was 16 or 17 in my town in Southwest Georgia we had a lot of interest in art and fine music and of course things of the theater.  I myself even participated in a clever Anton Chekov play when I was 16 years of age.  Despite all the street cred engendered by guys like the curmudgeon H.L. Mencken mumbling about the Deep South (with his "sahara of the bozart" verbal meanderings) believe me I know many folks who managed to do the ancient Latin, did Shakespeare and just about did all kinds of shall we say intellectual things.  Let's give people a chance.  Stop this malarkey about having snide mental hang-ups because of women and men and the geography they sprang from.

Mozart Serenade 'Eine kleine Nachtmusik' in G major, K.525 / Jordi Savall

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Debussy: Nocturne (1892)

'Pretty Little Liars' Ideas

SOME SPRING THOUGHTS:  'Pretty Little Liars' is a clever program on the ABC Family Channel.  This show is very enjoyable because it has outstanding writing, good production work and the girls...Lucy Hale, Ashley Benson, Trojan Belisario and Shay Mitchell..are outstanding women of the acting world.  The rather new soul, Sasha Pieterse, as Allison is marvelous, too. I truly love this delightfully entertaining show.

Freddie Green Septet 1955 ~ Swingin' Back

Ravel Piano Concerto In G Major Argerich Dutoit Orchestre National D...

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Decorative art heals our stress angst

Enjoying art tableaux is soothing.

My Dad in WWII

A great Army man.

Love this Kandinsky


Jamale Davis Group Live at Smalls Jazz Club: Slowboat To Db

Gunther Schuller and Orchestra - Monk, Bunk and Vice Versa - Live 1989 (...

IN THE HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING - Grieg.avi

Caravan - Cyrille Aimée Live at Birdland

Small's Jam Session - Blues

Nascimento - Tommy Flanagan Trio Featuring Kenny Burrell

Kenny Burrell Quintet 1963 ~ Kenny's Sound (Take 10)

Friday, March 21, 2014

DeNiro and 'Taxi Driver'

WATCHED the '76 film 'Taxi Driver' tonight.  The young DeNiro's performance was so terrific.  Robert DeNiro is a fantastic soul.

Sports Culture 'March Madness' Is Fun

SO AMUSING today when Mercer knocked off Duke.  Probably K. was rather taken aback by all of this.  At times, the clever modicum of March Madness is sleek cultural joy, indeed.

Zimerman plays Schubert Impromptu Op. 90 No. 2

'Pretty Little Liars' Takes Over Twitter

"The Four Sleepers" (Live In Japan) - Michael Brecker, Ernie Watts, Bill...

Charlie Haden Quartet West with string orchestra

ILLINOIS JACQUET - Robbins Nest

Lester Young + Shad Collins + J.C.Higginbotham Dec.1940 Variations on I ...

Just Jazz - Art Hodes w/ Wild Bill Davison - Keeping Out Of Mischief.mpg

Cody Linley & Julianne Hough - Rumba

Apolo Anton Ohno & Julianne - Samba (Full Clip)

Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan - The way you look tonight

Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan - Stardust

Paul Quinichette Quintet 1954 ~ Sunday

Fallon, Joel

BIG FUN last night on Jimmy Fallon's show.  The wonderful Billy Joel was a guest.  When Jimmy Fallon and Billy Joel performed together it was truly magical.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

The Sophisticated Man of France: Edouard Manet

EDOUARD MANET was such a superior man of the French Painters' World.  I love his work entitled 'Luncheon on the Grass.' Manet provided a truly grand link from the rather wild aura of realism to the intricate art that is impressionism.

Benny Golson plays Whisper Not

STAN KENTON LIVE AT THE TROPICANA.

RadioCityRockettes.mpg

Rockettes: Legs, Legs and, um, More Legs

Sutton Foster Performs "Thoroughly Modern Millie"

Anything Goes (2011 Revival) - Blow Gabriel Blow

Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - Relator (Live @ The Interface)

Rock Me Baby-BB King/Eric Clapton/Buddy Guy/Jim Vaughn

B. B. King - The Thrill Is Gone (Live at Montreux 1993)

Coleman Hawkins - Red Garland Trio 1959 ~ Red Beans

Blind Willie McTell - Statesboro Blues

'Long Tall Mama' BIG BILL BROONZY (1932) Blues Guitar Legend

Little Walter's Jump - Little Walter live

Señor Dali

POWER ART... That is Salvador Dali...his 'surrealism' is so magical and vivid.

Blake Lively on David Letterman Full Interview

Salvador Dali

Joan Miró

BRUEGEL The Fight Between Carnival and Lent 1559 Kreisleriana, Op.16 BEE...

Ozu Japanese Films So Original

OZU presentations of unique cinema prove quite enchanting. I watched the man from Nippon and his gorgeous films, 'Tokyo Story' and 'Equinox Flower' again recently and the thrill provided by the Japanese film artist jolted me with such brazen creativity.  The human beings from Japan are powerhouses.

Monday, March 17, 2014

The Shampoo Les Mccann

Piet Mondrian

WILD ART is so much of a really vigorous delight.  I enjoy the merry, strong modernism of Piet Mondrian so much.  His art is cubist-inflected with all sorts of provocative modernist overtones. Some may like Manet and Pisarro but I enjoy Mondrian for he has such a brazen animalistic spirit.  A thought comes to mind...Picasso and Mondrian are such art rebels that it is thrilling to  know and study their kinds of mighty eventful art.

Jimmy Smith - Honky Tonk

'Resurrection' Powerful.

LOVE THE NEW 'RESURRECTION' Show.  This TV gem. represents truly powerhouse entertainment. The acting and writing are conceptions are indeed so fabulous.

Terell Stafford Quintet feat. Mulgrew Miller - Blues for J.T.

Les McCann & Eddie Harris - Compared To What

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Paquito D'Rivera-

Caribe

'A Joy That is 'American Hustle'

WILD and JOY-FILLED....That is 'American Hustle.'  I feel that David Russell's film is a feisty groundbreaker.  There is a really big sense of delight in this film.  It feels so right just like the masterworks of Resnais.  Enjoy the work of Adams, Cooper and Lawrence in this one.

Charlie Rouse Quartet 1961 ~ There Is No Greater Love

Thelonious Monk Quartet 1962 ~ Bolivar Blues (Take 2)

Yusef Lateef Quintet 1960 ~ Teef

Bud Powell Quintet 1961 ~ Cherokee (Unissued Alternate Take)

Thelonious Monk Quartet 1967 ~ We See

Beethoven - Symphony No 3 in E-flat major, Op 55 - Thielemann

Monday, March 3, 2014

Resnais...Powerful Man of The French New Wave

ALAIN RESNAIS,  a leading, remarkable cinematic force of The French New Wave left us on March 1 in Paris.  This man was an amazingly creative moviemaker.  His 'Hiroshima Mon Amour' and 'Last Year at Marienbad were two huge favorite films of mine.  Resnais was 91 when he passed away.  Resnais was a GENIUS!

Harry "Sweets" Edison Sextet 1958 ~ Nasty

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Harold Ramis. The 'Great One'

A FEW DAYS AGO a fantastic man of film comedy passed.  Harold Ramis was a tremendous comic genius. His work in 'Ghostbusters' and 'Stripes' was so memorable.  Rest in Peace, Mr. Ramis.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

'Son of God'

TRULY GREAT!  That's my opinion of the new film of the moment called 'Son of God.'  This movie put together by the wonderful, magnificent team of Mark Burnett and Roma Downey is greatness personified.  I feel terrifically invigorated knowing that a monumental film like 'Son of God' has come to all of us.  Now, life has a huge amount of meaning and fantastic tone.  This is a grand time ...this period we define as March 2014.

DANIEL BARENBOIM AT HIS PEAK - JOHANNES BRAHMS

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.