Word
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Scat Singer Annie Ross
Sings a Song of Basie
By: - Feb 28th, 2016The trio of Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks and the British Annie Ross set blistering fast lyrics to the instrumentals of Basie standards. Boston Latin School classmate Ken Freed and I caught their gig at the Jazz Workshop in the 1950s. The nerdy Bill Sirril begged to tag along. He blew our cover and the waitress carded us. Now in her 80's Annie long ago returned to London.,
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Bobby Blue Bland
Memphis Blues Master
By: - Feb 27th, 2016Smooth and slick they compared the Memphis Blues master, Bobby Blue Bland, to Sinatra and Nat King Cole. What that killer horn section he blew the house down.
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Black Star
Ground Control from Major Tom
By: - Feb 27th, 2016Just before he died David Bowie released the dark, profound and haunting Black Star. This music from the beyond proves to be rock's first great requiem. The poem was inspired by am image from a stadium tour that has been pixelated and deconstructed. It evokes the abstracted disintegration of a once radiant pop star. Ashes to ashes.
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The Provenance Hotel
From the Merit of Light
By: - Feb 26th, 2016This is a poem revised and edited from his book The Merit of Light by Stephen Rifkin. The book was illustrated by his artist wife Wilma.
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Beckett for Just Three Bucks
Endgame at Williams '62 Center March 10 to 12
By: - Feb 25th, 2016Here is an offer you cannot refuse. Tickets are just three bucks for a student production of Beckett's Endgame. Such a deal! It is presented March 10 to 12 at the '62 Center in Williamstown. Theatre of the absurd is a challenge for actors as well as the audience.
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Spring Fever
Boys of Summer Weigh In
By: - Feb 25th, 2016The Red Sox eyes were bigger than his stomach when they forked over $95 milion for former World Series superstar the now rotund and fading Panda. In another pratfall the Sox hope to get what's left of a recycled Hanley Ramirez. Fat paychecks are no guarantee for winning teams.
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When
Existential Methadone
By: - Feb 23rd, 2016As a teenager there was the notion that when I grew up it would all make sense. All you had to do was keep the faith, stay out of trouble, work hard, and read the great books. Then became now and nothing adds up. Time and tide comes with more questions than answers.
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Why
I Read the News Today Oh Boy
By: - Feb 23rd, 2016God is love. Why then such indifference to the suffering of the faithful?
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Checkmate
The Game of Life
By: - Feb 22nd, 2016Death came for the Knight. But first they battled in a game of chess. With rare wine served by Philip Kampe.
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Where
D'ou venons nous
By: - Feb 21st, 2016Diseased and in pain, a Parisian in tropical paradise, Gauguin included existential questions in what was intended to be his last great work. He vomited the arsenic crawling home from the forest. In agony he survived for several more years. Indeed "D'ou venion nous, que sommes nous, ou allons nous."
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Who
No Easy Answers
By: - Feb 20th, 2016Lucifer taunted God by saying that Job only loves Him for enjoying His blessings. With each new affliction Job's suffering wife rebuked her husband invoking "Curse God and die." We put a call through opting not to suffer in silence.
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Gonzo With the Wind
Teen Dreams
By: - Feb 20th, 2016A comparison to Rhett Butler prompted me to read Gone with the Wind as a teenager.
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Who Are You
Seduced and Abandoned
By: - Feb 16th, 2016Marooned on the tiny tropical island of meaning and memory searching for identity.
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Where Oh Where
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Valentine
Not Quite Spring Cleaning
By: - Feb 14th, 2016Wicked cold outside. Not fit for man nor beast. A different twist on Valentine's Day.
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Space Oddity
When World's Collide
By: - Feb 13th, 2016What happens to time and space when black holes collide and devour each other?
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Son House
Prechin the Blues
By: - Feb 12th, 2016A man of God in his twenties Delta man Son House succumbed to the Devil's music. During the Folk Revival I saw him perform at the 1969 Newport Folk Festival.
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Never Neverland
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Odessa Steps
Eye and Me
By: - Feb 09th, 2016In bed two week plus post retinal surgery. Gas bubble in eye to hold it in place, Tedious days passing slowly with endless news repeated on NPR. No TV, reading or internet. Saved by Johnny Depp reading Keith Richards autobio. Hey, it's only rock 'n' roll.
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The Golden Arrow
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Vacationland
Double Vision in Maine
By: - Jan 23rd, 2016The water was too cold for swimming when we visited Harry and Mary in Maine. It gave me double vision of Astrid on a bright summer day.
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Wooden Items
A Cone of One's Own
By: - Jan 22nd, 2016When the wooden fence blew down a neighbor came to borrow the orange cone. It was long gone thanks to city diligence.
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Boulders
Carl Andre in Hartford
By: - Jan 20th, 2016Visitors stumbling upon a triangle of boulders in Hartford are mostly stumped. It's public art by controversial minimalist Carl Andre.
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Art and Politics
Cusp of Primaries
By: - Jan 19th, 2016Visiting Germany during an election year. Photographed billboards of candidates. Not that different from USA on the cusp of Iowa and New Hampshire.
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Reefer Madness
Taking the Cure
By: - Jan 18th, 2016Conked on the noggin too many times. Chronic headaches, nausea, vertigo. Showed me his green card for medical marijuana.
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