Bowling Trophies

So many people are upset about Barack Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Before today, I couldn't tell you more than three people who were on the list & I'm guessing that most people who are upset about him either also don't know & or don't agree with many past winners. I don't get upset about who wins the MTV video music awards, because I just don't care who wins the best hip hop video. Like Jerry Seinfeld says, "awards are stupid...it's all a big jerkoff". My thoughts? They gave him the award not for what he has done, but for what his (uncompleted) agenda is, & perhaps to goad him into doing more for peace, in light of his upcoming decision on what to do in Afghanistan. My guess is that Obama himself isn't all too excited about winning the award & the expectations & apparent disdain from his opponents that come with it. So everybody settle down, it's not as though he asked to win.



Five Favorite Songs of the Day

No Man's Land-Sufjan Stevens, The Avalanche



Man of Peace-Bob Dylan, Infidels

Stop Breaking Down Blues-Robert Johnson

Sabotage-The Beastie Boys

Shine on Me-Reverand Gary Davis, If I Had My Way



Let the light from the lighthouse shine on you & me, friends...

andrew

Evil is Alive & Well

An actual conversation I had with a customer (one whom I've never met) the other day:

Customer: Can I get a credit application?

Me: Oh sure, that's always a good idea. It'll just take me a minute to print one off. pause... Busy day today?

Customer: Yeah, busy life. With that baboon we have in the White House I have to work twice as hard.

Me: Huh.

Customer: He wants to take from those who have money & give it to those who don't. The thing is those who don't have anything never will.

Me: Here you go. hands him application.

Now shame on me for not saying anything, part of me was selfish & realized it would be bad for business to disagree with him, part of me was shocked by what he said, completely unsolicited. This is the kind of hatred that causes people to fly planes into buildings & start wars. I'd like to think that everyone who protests at these town hall meetings, tea parties & "marches" on Washington are genuinely concerned about deficit spending & supposed government run health care but I rather doubt it.



Let's save the nazi claims for the actual nazi's, shall we? Funny, that trade freedom for security & you will have neither sign could've been used for an anti-war protest as well.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Please Tell My Brother-Golden Smog

A Hard Rain's a Gonna Fall-Bob Dylan, New Orleans 2003

Sinkin' in the Lonesome Sea-The Carter Family

Tower Song-Townes Van Zandt



When I Get to the Border-Richard & Linda Thompson, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight

Happy Sunday, friends...

andrew

Storms are on the ocean, storms up in the mountains too

I got up at 4:30 this morning because I was supposed to go on a charter fishing trip on Lake Michigan with a customer of mine, but apparently the waves were too big so it got canceled. Now, this doesn't bother me too much because, honestly, I wasn't really interested in fishing too much. Now, I'm in that precarious position of wondering what to do with the rest of the day. I'm not expected at work today, but there's a ton of stuff I could catch up on.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Thunder on the Mountain-Bob Dylan with Charlie Sexton, 8.4.09



We Three (My Echo, My Shadow & Me)-The Ink Spots

Love Vigilantes-Iron & Wine, Around the Well

On up the Mountain-Jakob Dylan, Seeing Things

Uphill Mountain-Jackie Greene

Happy Thursday, friends...

andrew

We laughed & had a good time you & I

I was on my way to the Shawmut Inn the day my old man called me & told me that Emily had Ella. I was so proud I think I told all the waitresses there. We've been having fun ever since. Ella is fun to play with because she has a wonderful imagination & tons of energy. I can see the best in Bob & Emily in her. She's the best birthday present I ever got. Happy birthday, bean. We love you.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Forgetful Heart-Bob Dylan, Milwaukee, July 1, 2009

The Times We've Known-Charles Azsnavour

Thunder Road-Bruce Springsteen

Uncle John's Band-The Grateful Dead, Workingman's Dead

Get Out of Denver-Eddie & the Hot Rods

Happy Friday, friends...

andrew

How the days turn into weeks turn into months...

I haven't been listening to much music lately. I've gotten into podcasts to pass the time to & from work. My favorites are This American Life, Cartalk & Countdown. Hearing the songs I Love You (for sentimental reasons) by Nat King Cole & I Came to Hear the Music by Bonnie "Prince" Billy on my shuffle just might snap me out of this. Whilst at class I think I might just sit out on the front porch & listen to a couple albums. Any suggestions?





Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Try a Little Tenderness-Otis Redding

I Love You (for Sentimental Reasons)-Nat King Cole

Love Vigilantes-Iron & Wine, Around the Well

Life is Hard-Bob Dylan, Together Through Life

I Came to Hear the Music-Bonnie "Prince" Billy-Ask Forgiveness

Happy 4th of July weekend, friends...

andrew

Everybody's gonna jump for joy!

If my nephew Quinn is seven years old, that must make me old. So much has changed since he was born but it all seems like such a short period of time. I have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that Quinn's not a toddler anymore, but at the same time it's hard to remember a Quinn without Ella, let alone all the other rugrats running around the Woehlke & McClelland compounds. I do remember him spitting up on me at least twice & it never bothered me in the least. Quinn & I will always have a special bond because we both know what it's like to grow up with two sisters. It's been fun watching what an interesting little man Quinn has become & it'll be more fun to see where he goes from here. Happy birthday, Quinntessential.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Red Right Ankle-The Decemberists, Her Majesty, the Decemberists

Out on a Weekend-Neil Young, Harvest

Heart of Gold-Neil Young, Harvest

This Dream of You-Bob Dylan, Together Through Life

It's All Good-Bob Dylan, Together Through Life

Happy Saturday, friends...

andrew

Am I Too Blue for You?

My mother once told me that jazz musicians must not worry if they play a wrong note or two. She's probably right, spontaneity lies at the heart of every jazz session. I don't know anything about playing jazz music (or any instrument for that matter), & I'm also not sure how much of a jazz composition is planned out before the session begins. I do know this, however, that Miles Davis' Kind of Blue is the closest thing to musical perfection that I've ever heard. Maybe this is why it is such a highly regarded album, even among people who don't call themselves jazz enthusiasts.

Never mind all of that, I don't call myself a jazz expert by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, the more music critics I read, the more I realize most of it is complete & utter bullshit. Some people will knock you over the head with what they think is the most clever explanation they can think of regarding an album or a concert, comparing the work to any given number of musicians who came before. This is lazy writing that displays that the only way they can relate the music to their audience is by calling to mind another musician that everyone will know. Other critics feel as though they aren't doing their job if they aren't tearing down a piece of art that they can't create themselves.

The only critics that are worth the paper they write on, in my opinion, are the people who make you want to listen to a given piece of music. I realize I may be setting myself up for failure, here, but that's okay. I could tell you about the musicians (including John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly & Bill Evans) who played on the album or about the circumstances behind the recording, but that just doesn't do it justice.

What sets this album apart is the space between the notes, or the notes that aren't played. It was one of the first album's of jazz spontaneity to not knock you over the head with the feverish pace of notes that you can't keep up with. I think Miles could've done that if he wanted to, but his real skill was to create a mood with extremely well placed notes that had purpose, & that purpose at many times was to let his fellow musicians shine. This is nowhere more evident than the opening notes of the first track, So What, where the piano & the bass do a little two step together that start things off slowly. It isn't until 50 seconds in that the horns come in, but the bass & the piano hold the spotlight until those definitive notes of Miles come in to remind you whose album you're listening to. Listen to the way the piano stays behind the beat ever so slightly, Evan's isn't begging to be heard, he realizes what he's a part of. Coltrane's solo a few minutes in rivals Miles, but by this point it doesn't matter who's playing what because everything is so laid back.

Most importantly, for me, is that this album always sounds like 8:00-10:00 pm on a Sunday summer evening. Every song & every note holds together a mood that, doesn't let go. To this day, I can't tell you which song is which, & it doesn't really matter, they are all pieces of one great big masterpiece filled with different shades of blue. So, it's Sunday evening, friends, open up the windows turn on the sprinkler, pour yourself a drink & enjoy this masterpiece.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Flamenco Sketches-Miles Davis, Kind of Blue



So What-Miles Davis, Kind of Blue



Song No. 2-Miles Davis, Quiet Nights

BS II-Charles Mingus, Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus

Tony Adams-Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros, Rock Art & the X-Ray Style

Happy Sunday, friends...

andrew