As anyone who hasn't been living under a rock is surely aware, today is the fifth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Of course, it's all over every conceievable media outlet. Not that we shouldn't take time to remember. But sometimes, when you see something enough, hear about it enough, it loses its impact. We've all seen the images of the planes crashing, of the towers collapsing, more times than we can count.
My challenge to you is this. Try and remember exactly how you felt the first time you saw those images. That raw, gut emotion. The nausea and panic. Now multiply that by 100 and you might begin to understand how that day was for the families of 3,000 innocent men and women. Families for whom today the pain is just as raw as it was that day. Families who even now need our thoughts and prayers.
My challenge to you is this, also. Just for today. No politics. No pointing fingers or calling names. No debates on the right, left, or anywhere in between. Take today, and do the following things:
1) A moment of silence. Whether you choose to pray, or just to take a moment to remember.
2) Something kind. Remember the Golden Rule. Goodness is contagious, no matter how large or how small the scale.
Tomorrow may turn into business as usual, but make today different. This year, and every year.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
And now for something completely different...
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the five albums in heavy rotation at home right now...
1) The Grand Wazoo, Frank Zappa (1973)
A great record in its own right. Despite being fairly short (a shade under forty minutes), this one definitely keeps your attention. Two of my favorite instrumentals are on here, "Eat That Question," and "Blessed Relief." Zappa proves how ahead of his time he could be by introducing some great jazz/rock fusion with a brilliant supporting cast. Trumpeter Sal Marquez shows a wide range of styles here, from the early freak-outs of the opening track to the beautiful, understated playing on the album's closer.
2) A Boy Named Charlie Brown, Vince Guaraldi Trio (1969)
A wonderful jazz record. Mostly upbeat, catchy, get-stuck-in-your-head sort of stuff, with a fantastic cover of "Fly Me to the Moon" as a closer. Highly underrated.
3) Somewhere Else Before, Esbjorn Svenson Trio-also known as E.S.T. (2001)
I really can't say enough about this group. The first time I heard them, I was floored. A great jazz trio. From Sweden. Definite touches of electronic and psychedelic music are to be found here. "From Gagarin's Point of View" has one of the most beautiful, haunting melodies I can recall. "The Wraith" and "Spam-Boo Limbo" provide some unique energy. They have a few other releases out, which can be tough to find, but I recommend any of them. Here is a great starting point, though, since it's a compilation from two European releases, "From Gagarin's Point of View" and "Good Morning Susie Soho." Go buy it. Now.
4) Milk Me, The Beatnuts (2004)
Doesn't quite fit with the others mentioned so far, I know. This is a dirty, thugged-out rap record. But it's a guilty pleasure. For those of you not familiar with the Beatnuts, the group consists of Psycho Les and Juju, who mainly handle the production, but do take the mic from time to time. The high points here are (not surprisingly) some of the wildy creative and funky beats. Not a lot of high-profile guests, but Rahzel (of Wu-Tang fame) takes a nice turn on "Confused Rappers." Worth a listen if you're tired of hearing the same rappers over and over.
5) The Magic Flute, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1791)
I know, it doesn't quite fit either. But I listen to most everything. And this is brilliant. One of the most frequently performed operas in the world, and also one of the more challenging. Full of Masonic symbols, so all you conspiracy theorists go ahead and have a field day. It doesn't hurt (in my opinion) that it features a bass in a prominent role (Sarastro). Being one myself, it's always nice to hear. And it's just good music.
Anyway, that's all for now, folks. More to come...stay tuned.
1) The Grand Wazoo, Frank Zappa (1973)
A great record in its own right. Despite being fairly short (a shade under forty minutes), this one definitely keeps your attention. Two of my favorite instrumentals are on here, "Eat That Question," and "Blessed Relief." Zappa proves how ahead of his time he could be by introducing some great jazz/rock fusion with a brilliant supporting cast. Trumpeter Sal Marquez shows a wide range of styles here, from the early freak-outs of the opening track to the beautiful, understated playing on the album's closer.
2) A Boy Named Charlie Brown, Vince Guaraldi Trio (1969)
A wonderful jazz record. Mostly upbeat, catchy, get-stuck-in-your-head sort of stuff, with a fantastic cover of "Fly Me to the Moon" as a closer. Highly underrated.
3) Somewhere Else Before, Esbjorn Svenson Trio-also known as E.S.T. (2001)
I really can't say enough about this group. The first time I heard them, I was floored. A great jazz trio. From Sweden. Definite touches of electronic and psychedelic music are to be found here. "From Gagarin's Point of View" has one of the most beautiful, haunting melodies I can recall. "The Wraith" and "Spam-Boo Limbo" provide some unique energy. They have a few other releases out, which can be tough to find, but I recommend any of them. Here is a great starting point, though, since it's a compilation from two European releases, "From Gagarin's Point of View" and "Good Morning Susie Soho." Go buy it. Now.
4) Milk Me, The Beatnuts (2004)
Doesn't quite fit with the others mentioned so far, I know. This is a dirty, thugged-out rap record. But it's a guilty pleasure. For those of you not familiar with the Beatnuts, the group consists of Psycho Les and Juju, who mainly handle the production, but do take the mic from time to time. The high points here are (not surprisingly) some of the wildy creative and funky beats. Not a lot of high-profile guests, but Rahzel (of Wu-Tang fame) takes a nice turn on "Confused Rappers." Worth a listen if you're tired of hearing the same rappers over and over.
5) The Magic Flute, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1791)
I know, it doesn't quite fit either. But I listen to most everything. And this is brilliant. One of the most frequently performed operas in the world, and also one of the more challenging. Full of Masonic symbols, so all you conspiracy theorists go ahead and have a field day. It doesn't hurt (in my opinion) that it features a bass in a prominent role (Sarastro). Being one myself, it's always nice to hear. And it's just good music.
Anyway, that's all for now, folks. More to come...stay tuned.
In Memory of David Schnaufer.
Johnny Cash. Emmylou Harris. Mark Knopfler. Chet Atkins. Mark O'Connor. The Judds. Kathy Mattea. Cindy Lauper. What do they all have in common? They all recorded with David Schnaufer.
To hear him tell it, David Schnaufer came to Nashville in the 1980s from his native Texas "going down the road in the back of an old pickup truck." He had few possessions, bringing mainly his passion for music, the dulcimer in particular. A few short years later, he was offered a teaching position at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music, which he gladly accepted. He recorded with countless musicians, and taught countless students to love an instrument many had never heard. Along the way, he also touched a lot of lives and made a lot of friends.
Friends were never hard for him to find. He was one of the most genuine, funny people I've had the pleasure of coming across. Knowing about my borderline Frank Zappa addiction, he loved to tell me the story of seeing Frank and Captain Beefheart play together back in the 70s. We would talk about Zappa songs that would sound good arranged for dulcimer. I remember that we agreed "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance" would be solid. He said he was going to learn it and put it on his next record. That chance, I suppose, never came. He died August 23rd of cancer at Alive Hospice here in Nashville.
His memorial was fitting-beautiful music played on the dulcimer by some of his former students, and one of the most eclectic crowds of friends and family ever put together. He left us too soon, but he left a wonderful legacy. May he rest in peace.
To hear him tell it, David Schnaufer came to Nashville in the 1980s from his native Texas "going down the road in the back of an old pickup truck." He had few possessions, bringing mainly his passion for music, the dulcimer in particular. A few short years later, he was offered a teaching position at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music, which he gladly accepted. He recorded with countless musicians, and taught countless students to love an instrument many had never heard. Along the way, he also touched a lot of lives and made a lot of friends.
Friends were never hard for him to find. He was one of the most genuine, funny people I've had the pleasure of coming across. Knowing about my borderline Frank Zappa addiction, he loved to tell me the story of seeing Frank and Captain Beefheart play together back in the 70s. We would talk about Zappa songs that would sound good arranged for dulcimer. I remember that we agreed "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance" would be solid. He said he was going to learn it and put it on his next record. That chance, I suppose, never came. He died August 23rd of cancer at Alive Hospice here in Nashville.
His memorial was fitting-beautiful music played on the dulcimer by some of his former students, and one of the most eclectic crowds of friends and family ever put together. He left us too soon, but he left a wonderful legacy. May he rest in peace.
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