sounds of Mali and South Africa
Twelve strings, two voices—that’s it.
Habib Koite (Mali; lead vocals, guitar), Vusi Mahlasela (South Africa; vocals, guitar), “Africa,” live (studio performance), Seattle, 2016
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lagniappe
reading table
Deep autumn—
my neighbor,
how does he live, I wonder?—Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), translated from Japanese by Robert Hass
old school
Boyd Rivers & Ruth May Rivers, “I Done Died One Time (Ain’t Gonna Die No More),” Canton, Miss., 1978
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lagniappe
art beat: other day, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Kerry James Marshall (1955-), The Lost Boys, 1993 (Kerry James Marshall, Mastry, through today)
energy + density + clarity = ?
Mary Halvorson (guitar), Weasel Walter (drums), live, New York, 2016
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, New York (Central Park)
summer in the city
Moses Sumney, “Plastic,” live, Chicago (Pitchfork Music Festival), 7/15/16
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reading table: two takes
Summer afternoon — summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.
—Henry James (1843-1916)
There is a kind of sullenness that summer / alone possesses.
—Geoffrey Hill (1932-2016), “In Isley Church Lane (3)”
wake up!
Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog (MR, guitar, vocals; Ches Smith, drums; Shahzad Ismaily, bass), live (studio performance), Seattle, 6/22/16
Sometimes the best of what’s new is old.
Betty Davis, “Down Home Girl” (Miles Davis & Teo Macero, prods.; John McLaughlin [guitar], Herbie Hancock [keyboards], Harvey Brooks [bass], Mitch Mitchell [drums]), 6/28/16 (rec. 1969)
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lagniappe
art beat: yesterday, Art Institute of Chicago
From Thirteen Laughing at Each Other, Juan Muñoz (1953-2001), through 10/5/16
summer in the city
Savages, “Fuckers,” live, Chicago (Pitchfork Music Festival), 7/16/16
only rock ‘n’ roll
Savages, live, England (Bristol), 2016*
*****
*Set list (courtesy of YouTube):
1. I Need Something New
2. The Answer
3. Sad Person
4. Evil
5. Surrender
6. Hit Me
7. Husbands
8. T.I.W.Y.G.
9. Adore
Happy Fourth!
Let’s celebrate by remembering three giants.
Ralph Stanley, singer, banjo player, February 25, 1927-June 23, 2016
“Little Maggie,” live (TV show), Austin, Tx., 1980
*****
Bernie Worrell, keyboard player, April 19, 1944-June 24, 2016
Live (with George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic), Switzerland (Montreux Jazz Festival), 2004
*****
Scotty Moore, guitar player, December 27, 1931-June 28, 2016
“Blue Suede Shoes” (with Elvis Presley), live, 1956
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lagniappe
radio
Today, Louis Armstrong’s adopted birthday, it’s all Louis all day at WKCR (Columbia University).
No matter how I’m feeling—up, down, whatever—he makes me feel better.
Tony Allen (1940-), drummer
Live, Paris, 2015
#1
#2
*****
Live (with Oghene Kologbo & World Squad), Brussels, 2014
*****
Interview, 2015
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lagniappe
random sights
this morning, Oak Park, Ill. (Roscoe, my granddog)
music clip of the day 