Another one gone. It’s a real shame. Here’s a fine contributed opinion in the New York Times.
Clapton was very good Wednesday night at the HP Pavilion. He didn’t exactly rock the place though. Most of the selections were blues or ballads.
The reviewer in the Mercury News slammed him pretty hard; said rock fans would have left disappointed. I definitely get this reviewer’s point but think he’s overstating it. Yes, there was very little jumping up and down — the crowd had to be over 50 on average. Still it was cool to see someone who’s in the R ‘n’ R Hall of Fame three times. There might not be too many more chances to do that.
Anyone else go? I’d be interested to know what your thoughts.
Here’s what EC played.
The following songs played on an aqua Stratocaster (I think Fender calls it Surf Green) with a 6-member band: bass and drums, two singers, an electric piano, and an organ.
Next we got the ever-popular sit-down-and-play-soft segment. First two old blues standards done finger-style on an acoustic (he’s really good!)
Then four songs using a hollow-body electric.
Finally, back on his feet with the Strat again (yay!).
The guy from the newspaper was unhappy. I wasn’t.
Three decades after departing, I recently got involved again with the radio station at Stanford University, KZSU. (Someday I’ll write more about how this happened. It’s an interesting story in itself.)
I have a jazz oriented program now on Tuesday mornings, called “Rebop.” My on-air name is “Be Sharp.”
On the program, I play a wide variety of jazz styles from the 1920s to the present day. Most of it is fairly mainstream and accessible, but never “smooth.” I will play the occasional more “challenging” piece, but the focus isn’t on the avant-garde. The show sometimes features artist birthdays, side-by-side covers of famous jazz standards, a long set with a particular instrument, or special artist. You can usually expect to learn something new.
If you like jazz and have some time to listen, please join me on Tuesday mornings. I’ll be on tomorrow from 8 am until 11 am (Pacific time). If you’re nearby, tune in to 90.1 MHZ FM. Otherwise you can stream the program online at kzsu.stanford.edu
Chill Morn He Climb Jenny, by John McNeil & Bill McHenry
This is a good disc with some standards and some lesser known oldies in a variety of jazz styles. A bright sounding small combo with two leaders plays mostly accessible mainstream jazz. John McNeil is on trumpet, and Bill McHenry plays the tenor saxophone. They’re backed by a competent rhythm section of Joe Martin (bass) and Jochen Rueckert (drums).
Most of the music here is pretty good and quite listenable, but none is new or especially striking. The two leaders trade their longish solos over a walking bass line and a steady rhythm played mainly on the ride cymbal. This fairly traditional formula gets stale after the umpteenth time, but they occasionally get more complicated and then the music is a lot more interesting.
The album was recorded live at Cornelia Street Cafe in NYC. It sounds like there are about ten people in the audience. Each track fades out with a few seconds of polite smattered applause. The CD is from Sunnyside Records, an independent jazz specialty company.
The best tracks: numbers 5 & 4, then numbers 2, 6, & 8.
1. “Moonlight in Vermont” (10:20) – A pop hit in the 40s, this is one of those jazz standards that’s been recorded by just about everyone. This take is very slow and improvisational. The opening sequence is very strange indeed: McNeil makes his trumpet sound like a conch shell or something. A few minutes into it though, the ugly duckling grows into a swan and there are some quite lovely passages. On the whole this is somewhat more “difficult” jazz than most of the other fare on the disc. For that reason, some will prefer it.
2. * “Batter Up” (6:19) – Very up-tempo bebop. The long sax solo is terrific. Of this one and #5, in a very similar style, I like the other one a bit more.
3. “Aren’t You Glad You’re You” (7:16) – A sappy song from a sappy movie. There’s some good improvisation in the middle, but the opening and closing statements are cloyingly pop. (Yes I know Miles did some stuff like this too, but we forgave him.)
4. ** “Maid in Mexico” (7:09) – We go south of the border for this one. It’s one of the better tracks on the disc, as the leaders play counterpoint against each other more often. The percussion here is quite interesting too.
5. ** “Bea’s Flat” (5:43) – Again, very up-tempo bebop; a real toe tapper. Opens with the leaders playing unison which is interesting. McNeil does his best Dizzy impression. A slight winner over the very similar #2.
6. * “Three and One” (9:14) – Medium tempo with an ambiguous time signature sort of like a Brubeck piece, but there’s no Paul Desmond here. Long trumpet & sax solos are intriguing. The bass player is featured nicely here as well.
7. “Carioca” (6:10) – Latin again. Strong in spots but ordinary in others.
8. * “Wells Fargo” (10:54) – Like #6, this has a cool rather than a bop vibe. Think of beatniks with goatees; jazz night at the coffee shop. This is very good in places, but I liked #6 a bit better in this style.
9. “No Blues (Pfrancing)” (3:30) – This take on a Miles Davis tune is briefly the freest sounding and most “avant” stuff here. Two talkovers to introduce the band members spoil it on record though.
I saw “Avatar” with my kids when it was in the theaters last year. There’s nothing notable about that; it makes me like a hundred million other people. Like most of these people, I enjoyed the movie. For one thing, it certainly was beautiful to look at. The story was exciting and compelling. I successfully “suspended disbelief” (as you’re supposed to do for such fantasies), and I bought into the setting, the characters, and the dramatic conflict. (Sure the thought of “Star Wars” versus “Pocahontas” did cross my mind, but I could live with it.) All in all, I agreed with most people that “Avatar” is an excellent film.
The only problem I had with the experience of seeing the movie was, about an hour into it, I became aware that I had a headache. Two hours into it, I had a splitting headache. And by the end, I was anxious for the film to end so I could get out of there and take some Advil. I thought maybe it was just me. I thought it’s because I’m getting older, because my eyes don’t adjust, because I wear glasses. The kids seemed to enjoy it without any problem. So who knows?
You know the expression “misery loves company”? Well today I was gratified to learn that in fact I wasn’t alone in this experience. I guess getting headaches watching 3D is fairly common.
This particular “ah ha” moment arrived thanks to recent comments on 3D made by Oscar-winning film editor Walter Murch in his letter to Roger Ebert, the movie critic. (The letter is quoted in Mr. Ebert’s column, and the story has appeared elsewhere.) I was fascinated by Mr. Murch’s perspective partly because of my own experience but more so because the topic is right within the intersection of popular culture, technology, and biology—all of which interest me.
In addition to summarizing various aesthetic issues with 3D films—the image is darker on the screen than a normal movie image; the glasses crop your peripheral vision and make the scene seem smaller; quick edits aren’t as effective—Mr. Murch argues that 3D is incompatible with the anatomy and physiology of how we actually see things. He characterized this as “deep problem,” unlikely to be solved by improvements to the technology.
When we look at something (i.e., a real object), we simultaneously adjust the focus of our eyes (Mr. Murch doesn’t explain, but tiny muscles change the curvature of the lenses) and converge our eyes (rotate and point them) on the thing being viewed. (The latter phenomenon is called “vergence.” See Wikipedia.) This neat trick has evolved over many millions of years, and all animals with stereoscopic vision can do it. Herein lies the problem. In 3D movies objects appear to be located where they’re really not. (Of course!) The light really is on the screen, and it’s on the distance to the screen that our eyes must stay focused. Meanwhile, objects we’re meant to look at seem to appear in front of the screen and behind the screen, and we’re forced to change our eyes’ vergence (move them). Mr. Murch claims, “all living things with eyes have always focussed and converged at the same point.” We can pull off the trick, but “the brain has to work extra hard, which is why after 20 minutes or so many people get headaches.” Ah ha! So it wasn’t just me.
Murch concludes, “[3D is] dark, small, stroby, headache inducing, alienating. And expensive. The question is: how long will it take people to realize and get fed up?” And Ebert summarizes, “The notion that we are asked to pay a premium to witness an inferior and inherently brain-confusing image is outrageous.”
This made me feel better. It’s nice to know that you’re not the only one. Here’s hoping 3D doesn’t become common. ‘Cause if it does, I’ll be going to fewer movies.
If you’re a fan of popular music, you should definitely know about John Hammond. Today is the 100th anniversary of his birth.
As a manager, record producer, concert promoter, and (for decades) a talent scout at Columbia Records, Hammond boosted the careers of many jazz, blues, R&B, and rock acts. His discoveries include Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Pete Seeger, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Happy Birthday, John! See Wikipedia for more.
File it under: this day in rock history
The Clash released their brilliant album, “London Calling,” on December 14, 1979. I happily learned this fact this morning from blogger Quiet Lunch who was featured on the Music page. I then checked it out on Wikipedia, and of course everything on Wikipedia has to be true. 
What a landmark that record is! … in my opinion the high water mark of the punk era. Just two short years after “Never Mind the Bollocks” and the demise of the Pistols, the Clash put together the essential masterpiece of the genre.
"London Calling" album cover
Of course the Clash had all the rage and alienation of other great punkers like the Pistols, X, Social D, etc.
When they kick out your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun?
(from “The Guns of Brixton”)
But they had so much more than just that rage and alienation. Not nihilists like the Pistols, the Clash had a social conscience and sang to change the world, not just to tear things down.
Let fury have the hour.
Anger can be power.
Do you know that you can use it?
(from “Working for the Clampdown”)
Consider the maturity of
I’ve been been up.
I’ve been thrown out.
But I’m not down, oh I’m not down.
(from “I’m Not Down”)
… compared to
God save the queen.
The fascist regime.
They made you a moron.
Add to their sophistication some exuberance
Everybody smash up your seats and rock to this brand new beat.
This here music mash up the nation.
This here music cause a sensation.
(from “Revolution Rock”)
… and a sense of humor
I’m all lost in the supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
(from “Lost in the Supermarket”)
… and you had “the only band that really matters” and their very best album.
