https://youtube.com/watch?v=zxzzhmc5s9k
“Here’s a Filipino traffic-cop performing his duties while breakdancing, to the great delight of a large and excited crowd.”
By Cory Doctorow, Sunday, Jan 22, on Boing Boing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQPUtJC_UJI
“The world lost two musical greats this week. Etta James died today at age 73. Johnny Otis passed away on Tuesday. He was 90.” – By David Pescovtiz on https://boingboing.net/ today.
I’ve been tracking Tiny Homes on Amazon and just now it is #505 in the “Amazon Best Sellers Rank.” We’ve never had a book be this high.
Hmm — 505, isn’t that an old Stones song? I looked it up on Grooveshark — am I the last one to discover this site? Search for and play any song whatever. So (example of how I waste time around here) — I just listened to “Get me on Flight Number 505…” while gloating over the Amazon rating.
Jimmy Reed doing Big Boss Man on Sirius radio right now. Funny isn’t it, how you’ll know a song well enough, but at a certain time you’ll discover it all over, with deeper appreciation? Just appreciating the simplicity of what Jimmy Reed does. It’s what you leave out that counts…
The reason we now have such a nice chicken coop is that it was built by Billy Cummings and not me. All I did was put on the exterior siding, The chickens absolutely love the place. They have a big yard outside (with surround aviary wire — going down into the ground at perimeter) and a cozy rat-proof room in which they roost. Concrete floor, covered with straw. The roof is filling in nicely.
The weather has been blue-skies, clear, warm during day, which I find a bit creepy. The woods are dry. The aquifers need replenishing.
“Really love the rain, against my window…” –Toots in Memphis. Fabulous album, 1988, with Muscle Shoals backup, I swear Toots in channeling Otis here.
Saw first episode of new season’s “Shameless” last night. Wicked!
Our son Will, a musician, is working for Burl Audio in Santa Cruz. They make recording devices that (as I understand it), allow musicians to bring some old school sound into digital recording. Will says that there’s a warmth to vinyl records that you don’t get with straight digital processes.
Keith Richards, in his (v. good) autobiography, wrote about how the Rolling Stones could get all kinds of effects using a tape deck that cannot be done digitally these days.
I think Burl is on the right track. In many areas these days, people are trying to figure out how to hold on to soul in an increasingly digitized world. It’s not so much that “…the old is new again,” but that the old is being re-examined to determine which of its qualities can be retained.
A great week for musical discoveries:
1. Unannounced, a CD arrived in the mail from Pepe Alvarez: I Have to Paint My Face: Mississippi Blues 1960. Makes me want to move to Mississippi! Acoustic recordings by Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Records, bless him for all his good work, these are bluesmen who never made it into prime time. Blues fans, I heartily recommend this one; you’ll love it.
2. Marion Williams, Remember Me. I’ve had this gospel record for years, just pulled it out. Marion had a 4-octave vocal range. I listened to it driving along the coast a few days ago. What power! Black gospel singers get the message of Jesus right. What joy! Another of my gospel favorites is Dorothy Love Coates.
3. On The Jimmy Reed Highway Omar Kent Dykes and Jimmie Vaughan, along with guests like James Cotton and Delbert McClinton, are channelling Jimmy here. Baby What You Want me To Do, Bright Lights Big City, and a version of Big Boss Man that’s had me dancing (when no one’s around), and has been rolling through my brain for days/ You ain’t so big, you just tall that’s all… Thanks to bayrider for the tip on this one. More good music from Austin…
https://youtube.com/watch?v=o2mhdidocTM
Thanks to Rick Gordon
To conclude this good Sunday’s morning, from David Pescovitz on Boing Boing:
I bought this little Olympus Cremina machine many years ago for $250 used. It quit working and I bought a used Rancilio Silvia. A while ago I took the Olympus in and got it fixed. I’ve switched to using it now. I like the industrial look. I’m working on my crema. I’ve looked for them online today and the only one for sale (new) was $3850!
On Sirius “’50s on 5” radio now:
…I’m like a one-eyed cat
Sleepin’ in a seafood store…
-Shake, Rattle and Roll, Big Joe Turner