another take
Rev. Paul Jones, “I Won’t Complain” (P. Jones), live, Texas (Texas City), 1989
**********
lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
passings
Lawrence Ferlinghetti (March 24, 1919–February 22, 2021), poet, publisher, bookstore owner
“The World Is a Beautiful Place,” City Lights Bookstore, San Francisco
sounds of Chicago
Garden of Souls (Nick Mazzarella, alto saxophone; Geof Bradfield, tenor saxophone; Joshua Abrams, bass; Mike Reed, drums), live, Chicago (Constellation), last night
**********
lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
passings
How should I not be glad to contemplate
the clouds clearing beyond the dormer window
and a high tide reflected on the ceiling?
There will be dying, there will be dying,
but there is no need to go into that.
The poems flow from the hand unbidden
and the hidden source is the watchful heart.
The sun rises in spite of everything
and the far cities are beautiful and bright.
I lie here in a riot of sunlight
watching the day break and the clouds flying.
Everything is going to be all right.—Derek Mahon (November 23, 1941-October 1, 2020), “Everything Is Going to Be All Right”
passings
Peter Green, guitarist, singer, songwriter, October 29, 1946–July 25, 2020
Fleetwood Mac (with Peter Green, vocals, guitar), “Black Magic Woman” (P. Green), live, Boston, 1970
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
only rock ‘n’ roll
Little Richard, 1932-2020
“Tutti Frutti,” 1956 (screen test, The Girl Can’t Help It)
*****
“Long Tall Sally,” 1956 (Don’t Knock the Rock)
*****
“Good Golly, Miss Molly,” 1958
*****
“Rip It Up,” early 1960s
*****
“Lucille,” 1973
*****
When you look at today’s Grammy winners – God bless them – half of them were discovered when they were 10 years old, were groomed, and had managers and publicists. Little Richard just clawed his way to the top at a very early age with nothing except a tremendous amount of talent and gumption.
—David Kirby, author of Little Richard: The Birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll (2009)
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
passings
Little Richard (aka Richard Penniman), singer, pianist, songwriter, December 5, 1932–May 9, 2020
“Didn’t It Rain” (trad.), live, New York (Apollo Theater), 1985
*****
“Yes, God Is Real” (K. Morris), 1960
*****
“Peace in the Valley” (T. Dorsey), 1961
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago (Columbus Park)
*****
reading table
The hope that is left after all your hopes are gone—that is pure hope, rooted in the heart.
—Br. David Steindl-Rast (1926-), Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer (1984)
what’s new
Susan Alcorn (1953-, pedal steel guitar), live (Quarantine Concert presented by Experimental Sound Studio, Chicago), 4/29/20
**********
lagniappe
random sights
a while ago, Maine (Monhegan Island)
*****
reading table
LET THERE BE PHYSICAL SUDDENNESS!
—Michael McClure, poet, playwright, songwriter, etc., October 20, 1932–May 4, 2020, from “PLUME ODE”
passings
Tony Allen, drummer, August 12, 1940–April 30, 2020
Today, remembering him, we revisit some old posts.
8/15/18
like nobody else
Tony Allen (drums), “Wolf Eats Wolf,” 2017
*****
9/23/15
Perhaps the greatest drummer ever.
Tony Allen—three takes.
Recording studio, 2009
***
Paris, 2015
***
Istanbul, 2015
*****
3/3/15
what you simply cannot do
Listen to this drummer without feeling lighter, livelier.
Tony Allen (drums, vocals) & Band, live, Luxembourg, 2011
*****
9/22/12
Questlove (:10-) & Tony Allen (1:25-), live, Paris, 2011
What a contrast. Questlove, focusing on power and momentum, pushes the beat. Tony lies behind it, skips ahead, lies back again, favoring suppleness and elasticity.
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
passings
Henry Grimes, bassist, November 3, 1935–April 15, 2020
With Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone), Don Cherry (trumpet), Billy Higgins (drums), live, Rome, 1962
*****
With David Murray (tenor saxophone), Hamid Drake (drums, MCOTD Hall of Fame), live, Finland (Kerava), 2004
*****
With Kidd Jordan (tenor saxophone), live, New York, 2010
**********
lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago (Columbus Park)
passings
Lee Konitz, alto saxophonist, October 13, 1927–April 15, 2020
With Warne Marsh (tenor saxophone), et al., “Subconscious-Lee” (L. Konitz), live (TV Show), 1958
*****
More?
With Elvin Jones (drums), Sonny Dallas (bass), Motion, 1961
“I Remember You” (V. Schertzinger, J. Mercer)
***
“All of Me” (G. Marks, S. Simons)
***
“Foolin’ Myself” (J. Lawrence, P. Tinturin)
***
“You’d Be so Nice to Come Home To” (C. Porter)
***
“I’ll Remember April” (G. DePaul, P. Johnston, D. Raye)
**********
lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago (Columbus Park)
passings
John Prine, singer, songwriter, October 10, 1946–April 7, 2020
Prine’s stuff is pure Proustian existentialism. Midwestern mindtrips to the nth degree. And he writes beautiful songs. I remember when Kris Kristofferson first brought him on the scene. All that stuff about “Sam Stone” the soldier junky daddy and “Donald and Lydia,” where people make love from ten miles away. Nobody but Prine could write like that. If I had to pick one song of his, it might be “Lake Marie.” I don’t remember what album that’s on.
—Bob Dylan, 2009 interview
“Lake Marie” (J. Prine), live (TV show), New York, 2000
**********
lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
