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Archive for the ‘Video’ Category

Resurrection Shuffle

Posted in Music, Video, tagged , , , , , , on April 5, 2015| 3 Comments »

Giovanni-Bellini- The Resurrection 1475It’s Easter Sunday.  As I’ve pointed out here in the past, I had no religion of any sort in my upbringing so Easter was  a holiday marked by coloring eggs and eating big chunks of chocolate rabbits and multi-colored jelly beans for somewhat vague reasons.  Most things came down to the food involved for me in my youth.

Of course, I picked up on the tales behind the religious holidays I had eaten my way through as a kid.  And it’s hard to not be moved by the tale of the Resurrection, even from a decidedly non-religious perspective.  Whether you are a believer or non-believer, the tale of rebirth creates a template of hope for all people so that they may endure the many hardships of this life and rebuild new lives from failed pasts.

And it takes on even more significance when that new life is devoted to some purpose that is greater than our own needs.

The painting at the top is The Resurrection, painted by the great Giovanni Bellini, my favorite Renaissance painter, around 1479.  Just a beautiful piece, as most of his work is.

It being Sunday, it’s time for a little music.  I thought I would continue the theme of Resurrection into the music today.  Of course, after seeing this video, some of you might put me down as some sort of heretic.  It’s a song called The Resurrection Shuffle which was  a minor Trans-Atlantic hit in the early 70’s for a British band called Ashton, Gardner & Dyke.  It wasn’t a big hit, maybe just into the top 40, but I remembered the chorus.  Looking it up this morning I came across this version from Cher‘s self-titled television show in 1976 that features her in a duet with Tom Jones, who performed the song in his act for many years.  Maybe it is heresy but it made me laugh if only for the visual impact.  Maybe it will make you smile as well.

Have a great Sunday.

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Big Noise From Winnetka

Posted in Favorite Things, Music, Video, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »

krupa ball of fireI’m running a little late this morning and thought I’d fill today with a little music.  It’s a great piece of film from legendary drummer Gene Krupa and his trio doing Big Noise From Winnetka.  I’ve been a big fan of Krupa since first seeing him perform the very swinging Drum Boogie in the Barabara Stanwyck/Gary Cooper movie, Ball of Fire.  Avery flamboyant and strong presence on the stage, he was more famously known for his work on the classic Benny Goodman track, Sing, Sing, Sing, which is the anthem of big band swing.

Anyway, give a listen and watch for some of Krupa’s famous showmanship.  It’s just good stuff and a great way to kick off a tired Tuesday morning.

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Time Has Come Today

Posted in Music, Video, tagged , , , on March 8, 2015| Leave a Comment »

PunchingTimeClockNot a big fan of Daylight Savings Time.  Oh, I don’t mind the falling back part of  “Spring Forward, Fall Back.”  Anything that seems to give me another hour sounds like a good idea.  But to suddenly be erasing that hour at one appointed time in the spring puts this morning person on edge.

Oh, I know it’s a small thing, that it is only the appearance of losing or gaining time relative to a clock and that I will probably waste well over an hour today alone.  I can’t dispute that.  Maybe it’s that this image of losing time is a reminder of our short time here.  I am at an age where I have crossed that line where I see time as a finite and quickly dwindling resource as opposed to those days in my youth where time seemed to be a vast and infinite ocean of never-ending moments.

Time seems to matter a bit more now.

I thought for the Sunday morning music selection this week that I would stick with this theme of time.  To that end , here’s the 1967 classic Time Has Come Today from the Chambers Brothers.  It is real symbol of the feeling of that time and maybe any time where there is a call to action.  Plus it just has a great sound.  I don’t know if it was produced by The Bruce Dickinson but it has plenty of cowbell for all of you out there who need more cowbell.

Have a great Sunday and spend your  time wisely.

 

 

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Iterations- A Musical Journey

Posted in Biographical, Neat Stuff, Video, tagged , , , , , on March 6, 2015| Leave a Comment »

IterationsI came upon this lovely animated film on Brain Pickings this morning.  It’s titled Iterations and is produced by hitRECord, a global creative community and mulitmedia production company formed a decade ago by actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  You might remember him as the teen Tommy on the sitcom Third Rock From the Sun but he has matured into a very fine actor and director with an eye for challenging material.  His work at hitRECord falls into that category.

It’s a sweet film that concerns its self with self transformation, a theme that is visited often here on this blog.  The idea that each phase, each new iteration, of our life is an experiment and that it is under constant recalibration appeals to me.

Change is a part of who we are.  At least, I know it is part of who I am.  For a while, I came to view it as a weakness, this need for constant change.  I mistakenly thought that finding a state of being static was the answer.  This little film reminds me that it is not.

Below is a description of the film along with the names of the many artists involved in its making from Gordon-Levitt and below the video are the lyrics to the tune.  Hope you’ll enjoy.

 

“….are very pleased to present ITERATIONS — a short musical film to come out of our collaboration regarding ‘The Road.’ The road can represent many things including escapism, change, and personal growth. And, while many people may identify the themes of ‘The Road’ with artists like Jack Kerouac and others of the beat generation, the story told in ITERATIONS is a slightly different interpretation. Based on ‘The Journey of Jeanine’ by hitRECord artist, SophieRumi (Hungary) and developed in collaboration with mirtle (Cyprus), ITERATIONS tells the coming of age story of a girl’s sometimes difficult and sometimes reluctant path to adulthood. Jeanine has a guide (Wolfred the wolf) and gets help and support along her journey, but in the end must set off on her own path. The piece is set to Metaphorest’s (Scotland) wonderful song, ITERATIONS and orchestrated by Robo_J (USA). The eye-popping animation is provided by the incredibly talented artist, fajigajiga (Canada). The worldwide community of hitRECord artists provided additional illustrations and instrumentation.”

Have you seen my old self?
I think I must have lost her
I wonder if I cost her
Her life?

Have you seen my second self?
She seems to grow younger
More delicate than ever
But never better

I’m an experiment
Each trial is a test
Constant recalibration

I am recycled cells
I learn to like myself
more with each iteration

Where is my restore point?
I found an old sore point
All disjointed
My file corrupted

Where is my replacement part?
I need another new heart
The other one’s beat was
Interrupted

I am recycled cells
I learn to like myself
more with each iteration

I’m an experiment
Each trial is a test
Constant recalibration

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Ball of Confusion

Posted in Favorite Things, Music, Video, tagged , , , , , , on March 1, 2015| 3 Comments »

Ball of Confusion- Artist Jerry Thompson

Ball of Confusion- Artist Jerry Thompson

Hard to believe it’s March first.  With the snow falling and the cold temperatures, it definitely looks to be following the old adage where it comes in like a lion.  I am hoping the lamb is not too far away but this year, who knows?  We might be saying the same thing for April.

Crazy world.  Which brings me to this Sunday’s musical interlude.  I’ve been doing this blog for about 6 1/2 years now (which is hard to believe, as well) and have played a lot of different music over that time.  But for some unknown reason, the one and only Temptations have never made an appearance.  How I could have waited so long is beyond me but I will fix it today.

For many folks, the music of the Temptations could well be the soundtrack of the 60’s and 70’s.  Motown at its very best.  If you grew up in that time frame, their music most likely was part of your life in some way.   My Girl, Just My Imagination, Papa Was a Rolling Stone, Ain’t Too Proud to Beg, and on and on.  I mean, come on!

So today, with another blast of winter weather confusing this corner of the world and the rest of the world in a constant state of chaos, I thought I’d share the tempting Temptations’ Ball of Confusion.  If the world is indeed going to hell as some fear, at least let it go with a beat laid down by the Funk Brothers, Motown’s incredible band of  musicians who performed the music on this and so many other immortal hits.  Have a great Sunday!

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Holton Rower’s Pour Paintings

Posted in Neat Stuff, Video, tagged , , on February 23, 2015| 3 Comments »

Holton Rower Pour PaintingI came across the video below recently of artist Holton Rower creating one of his paintings by pouring gallon after gallon of paint on to a central point, often over structures he has constructed  that create different effects in the movement of the paint. These gallons of paint flair out, creating  works with brilliant bands of contrasting color.  The larger pieces are quite striking.  There is also the performance aspect of his process that makes for entertaining viewing as you watch and wonder how each color that is introduced will affect the entirety of the piece.

Here’s a very short bio from Artsy:

Claiming, “I probably use more paint than anybody in the history of art,” Holton Rower, grandson ofAlexander Calder, is best known for his “pour paintings,” created by pouring up to 50 gallons of rainbow-colored paints over variously configured blocks and panels of plywood, and allowing it to spread and pool into textured, psychedelic compositions. He grew up surrounded by art and working in his father’s construction business, where he learned about the qualities of a range of materials. In his own studio, he experiments with many techniques and media, including sculpture, installation, and assemblage. In the early 2000’s, Rower began developing his “pour paintings,” which he equates to sculptures. Ranging from small- to large-scale, and appearing as vortexes or the ringed segments of tree trunks, they are records of control and chance, human ingenuity and natural forces.

Take a look at the video below.  You may find it interesting even if it’s not your cup of tea.

Holton Rower-The-Hole Holton Rower

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Beyond Color

Posted in Current Events, Video, tagged , , , , on February 18, 2015| 2 Comments »

Foreign Affairs mar Apr Cover 2015I have mentioned my niece, Sarah Foster, here in the past for her exploits as a talented dancer and choreographer in NYC. But she has another form of her talent that showed itself recently in her day job with Foreign Affairs magazine. That is that of a video editor.  The coming March/April issue of the prestigious magazine deals with the issue of race and has images of  the faces from a group of people from all races all set against backdrops that match their skin tones.

Sarah produced  a very fine video for the magazine explaining the backstory behind these images, which is the work of  Brazilian photographer Angélica Dass.  She  an ongoing and open-ended project called Humanae which has her photographing people of all races from around the globe.   So far over 2500 subjects on five continents have participated.

All are photographed in exactly the same circumstances– the same distance, the same light and exposure.  She then matches the color from their nose to the Pantone color system, an international standard for color matching, and makes the backdrop that color.   She then labels each with the Pantone code and number.   The result is a wonderful and powerful examination of how we define race by colors that really don’t exist.

Humanae Image of Angelica DassThe video feature a telephone interview with Dass ( shown here on the left–she’s Pantone 7522 C) who explains her project.  The video is a great accompaniment to it, giving you a taste of many images.

Great work.  Well done, Sarah!!

For more info on Angélica Dass and the Humanae Project click here.

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Rumba Nostalgica

Posted in Favorite Things, Music, Video, tagged , , , on February 8, 2015| 2 Comments »

GC Myers- The Song We Carry smIt’s a gray winter morning and what better way to shake off the cold blahs this Sunday than with a little flamenco guitar music.  I am featuring a performance by guitar master Juan Martin of a piece titled Rumba Nostalgica that has a little heat to warm any old bones.

I was talking with someone at the Little Gems opening the other night who commented on the fact that I often show guitarists in my work.  I explained about how I thought the shape of the guitar and the way the player cradled it had a very sensual feel, something very emotional in the way the player’s hands almost stroked the instrument to create its music. Its form and the inherent emotional weight it carried made it a wonderful subject.

I think you’ll see this if you watch the hands of Juan Martin in this performance video.  I myself love watching acoustic stringed instruments being played– everything is right there for you to behold.  The movement of the hands.  The snap of the strings. The rhythm of the two hands working to create something quite extraordinary.

Take a look and just enjoy the moment.  Hope the rest of your Sunday is as bright…

 

 

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The Need For Speed

Posted in Neat Stuff, Video, tagged , , , , , , on February 4, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Ralph Gorton in Rossion Supercar on Car ChasersThe guy on the right in the picture here is Ralph Gorton, who owns the Just Looking Gallery in San Luis Obispo, CA, a gallery where I’ve shown my work for three years now.  I had a solo show there in late 2012 and my work has done really well in California thanks to Ralph and Ken at the Just Looking Gallery.  It’s been a great ride but getting to know Ralph a little bit has been a real kick.

He is a a larger-than-life character in all ways, including the height that helped him become a Division I basketball star in his college days.  He is known to be an astute  entrepreneur, a lover of art, a well-known college basketball coach and mentor, an athlete, a father and husband, a mountain climber and wilderness explorer, a sometime model (there’s a story there!) and a world-class storyteller.  And a pretty good guy , to boot

I think he would be a perfect specimen for reality television.  Well, tonight he makes it there on The Car Chasers on CNBC at 10 PM.  It’s a show where they try to locate specific cars for would be buyers and Ralph is in the market for a Rossion Supercar, a limited edition hand built sportscar built here in the US that has crazy speed.  Zero to sixty in 2.8 seconds.

Here’s a link to a short clip from tonight’s episode.

And in case you were wondering what it feels like to go from 0-60 in under 3 seconds, here’s a video from Tesla who makes a new electric four door sedan with the ability to do just that. It gives you the immediate reactions of a few normal folks who were also wondering.

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A Dangerous Time

Posted in Current Events, Video, tagged , , , , , on January 11, 2015| 2 Comments »

Ostrich-man-head-in-sandI’ve been sitting for over an hour or more at the computer, writing a whole thing this morning about the events in Paris as well as those horrific things taking place in Nigeria at the hand of the Boko Haram that make the Charlie Hebdo slayings pale by comparison.  But I decided against posting it, instead opting for for this:

We live in a dangerous time and we cannot live with our heads in the sand.

History has shown us that we must live with vigilance and resolve against those who will try to dictate how we must live.  It might seem hyperbolic and far removed but the longer we ignore it and pretend that it will not affect us, the closer it comes to realization.

For my music on this Sunday morning, I have chosen a scene from the movie Casablanca that is fittingly symbolic for what I have said above.  In this scene, the occupying German entourage at Rick’s Cafe are singing the German anthem boisterously.  The French resistance fighter Victor Laszlo furiously rushes to the house band to have them play the French anthem La Marseillaise in response.  The club’s patrons respond with a unity that drowns out the German voices.

There are perhaps a million folks marching in the streets of Paris today in solidarity against the actions of the terrorists, their voices raised in the hope of drowning out the noise of the terrorists who threaten them.  They have been awakened and are finding their resolve.

They have pulled their heads from the sand.

Take note and try to have a great Sunday.

 

 

 

 

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