Wednesday, June 3rd
alone
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764), Suite en la Gavotte et six Doubles; Natacha Kudritskaya (1983-, piano), 2012
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
music clip of the day
jazz/blues/rock/classical/gospel/more
Category: piano
2020
Monday, June 1st
Why not begin the week with something quiet?
Morton Feldman (1926-1987, MCOTD Hall of Fame), Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello (1987); Aleck Karis (piano), Curtis Macomber (violin), Danielle Farina (viola), Christopher Finckel (cello), 2015
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago (Columbus Park)
*****
reading table
How reluctantly
the bee emerges from deep
within the peony—Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), translated from Japanese by Sam Hamill
2020
Friday, May 29th
like nobody else
Blossom Dearie (1924-2009, vocals, piano), “Manhattan” (R. Rodgers, L. Hart), 1959
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago (Columbus Park)
*****
reading table
Gray hairs being plucked,
and from below my pillow
a cricket singing—Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), translated from Japanese by Sam Hamill
2020
Tuesday, May 26th
never enough
Frederic Chopin (1810-1849), Ballade No. 1 in G minor; Krystian Zimerman (piano, 1956-), live, Vienna, 1987
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lagniappe
random sights
this morning, Chicago (Columbus Park)
2020
Tuesday, May 19th
sounds of New York
Aruan Ortiz, Anthony Coleman, Vijay Iyer, Solo Piano Impressions for Herbie Nichols (1919-1963, pianist, composer), live, New York, 2019
One-word review of Aruan Ortiz’s opening set: Wow!
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
2020
Monday, May 18th
Why not begin the week with something quiet?
Jürg Frey (1953-), Extended Circular Music No. 4 (2014); Absolut Trio, live, Switzerland (Basel), 1/22/20
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
2020
Friday, May 15th
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)
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“Good Golly, Miss Molly,” 1958
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“Rip It Up,” early 1960s
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“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
2020
Thursday, May 14th
basement jukebox
Eddie Bo (aka Edwin Joseph Bocage [1930-2009], vocals, piano), “Dinky Doo,” 1961
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
streaming
Tonight at 7:30 p.m. (ET) the last performance by pianist Peter Serkin (1947-2020) at New York’s 92nd St. Y (12/1/18) will be streamed here (Mozart [Adagio in B Minor, K. 540; Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 570], Bach [Goldberg Variations]).
2020
Saturday, May 9th
never enough
Frederic Chopin (1810-1849), 24 Preludes, Op. 28; Maria João Pires (1944-, piano), live, Portugal (Évora), 1987
More? Her wonderful 1994 recording of these pieces is available on Spotify.
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
2020
Friday, May 8th
timeless
Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990), “The More I See You” (H. Warren, M. Gordon), live, Sweden (Stockholm), 1964
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago (Columbus Park)
music clip of the day 