Christmas feels a little schizophrenic this year. Even as the elves stay busy filling up Santa's sleigh, a well-paid League of Scrooges has left Washington without reauthorizing unemployment benefits for some one million Americans in need of help. In Windsor, Connecticut tonight, a six million Christmas light display will shine almost as bright as the Star of Bethlehem. John Chakalos, the man behind the festive display, has been found inside his home, dead from a gunshot wound. The news offers up a constant parade of naughty and nice, charitable acts and Grinch-ly facts. Is it any wonder many people feel they are traveling on the Bi-Polar Express?
My wife Heather and I have been counting our blessings. 2013 has been a long and challenging year, but we have kept our heads above water, and our spirits high. Indomitable is the word, I think. We even have managed to conjure up some genuine Christmas Spirit. Love lives in our home. We are lucky.
Christmas Spirit, you may know, is one of the last remaining vestiges of magic left in the world. It's the warm glow that Black Friday bargains or doctored eggnog cannot quite provide. It's one of the few things children have a monopoly on. Adults feel it too, but they may have difficulty sustaining it.
You might feel it when you toss your change into a shivering bell ringer's kettle. It might strike when you hear Mel Torme's gentle tenor tones, like the voice of an old friend, seeping out of your car radio speakers. It might even come from exchanging a smile with a pedestrian walking in front of your car in an overcrowded parking lot. You will surely experience it if you tuck a jittery child into bed on Christmas Eve.
If Christmas Spirit pounces on you this year, I implore you to seal the exits in your soul. At first, the feelings of pure joy and humility may be overwhelming, like a wild tiger furiously pacing back and forth inside a cage. Wrestle with it, tame it, and keep it as a pet. Take it for long walks in your neighborhood and let your neighbors stoop down to pat it's head for good luck. Feed it and breed it, and give a total stranger the pick of the litter.
If you don't have Christmas Spirit this year, do not despair. Nothing is hopeless, not all change is bad, and not all years are the same. If having Christmas Spirit was easy, everyone would have some, every day, all around the world.
You might have read or been told that, considering the infinite nature of the cosmos, you are as small and insignificant as a grain of sand on the beach. I submit to you that every grain of sand matters. If just one tiny grain of sand, on any of the world's great beaches, were to suddenly blink out of existence, that could very well create an anomaly that might undo all of Creation. You are a part of everything. Your very existence has meaning.
To every person in the world, young and old, fat and skinny, homely and beautiful, virtuous and even despicable, I wish you joy, good fortune, laughter and all the Christmas Spirit you can handle.
I know this cover of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" by Bill Cosby has been widely circulated on the intertubes, but here it is again, in all it's, ahem, glory. This tune pairs up well with a fluted glass full of Jello brand butterscotch pudding, "dont'cha know mmm oh yeah it's so creamy and delicious and my lovely children were singing and I said 'pull your pants up off the ground!' and my lovely wife Camille something something, riiiiiight!"
You are on The Big Island, in the Kona district. Feeling a bit thirsty, you step inside The Makai and take a seat. On a small stage at the front of the room is a slightly elevated area that might technically be called a stage. Sunlight sweeps in and covers the lone instrument on this stage, a vibraphone, sturdy, even elegant, but decidedly lifeless. You take another sip of your frozen cocktail, meticulously avoiding a case of brain freeze, and suddenly he is there. Gracefully wielding four mallets with the precision of a surgeon, the distinguished older gentleman takes his place between the sun and his instrument, and, without ceremony, begins to play. Now, for the first time, you are really in Hawaii.
Final thought: As music permeates our lives so thoroughly, it is sometimes very easy to forget the power it has to influence our emotions. Perhaps tellingly, people often choose to listen to music that only echoes the anxiety and desperation of the unbalanced times in which we are living. Music can also be a balm for what ails, and Arthur Lyman's music is good medicine indeed. If you are intrigued enough to seek out more of Mr. Lyman's output, you might be tempted to listen to it at night, as the sand begins falling from the ceiling above your bed. However, I suggest putting on an Arthur Lyman record as the morning sun is in full display over the horizon. I can practically guarantee it's efficacy to be many times greater than that of a multivitamin.
Via the magic time machine called YouTube, here is The Arthur Lyman Group performing on a local Seattle show called On The Town in 1964. Incidentally, the host is comedian and former Tonight Show regular Pete Barbutti. Enjoy!
This week Easily Mused pays tribute to the Hawaiian native Arthur Lyman (1932-2002), the vibraphonist and marimba player extraordinaire who was at the forefront of the short-lived and sometimes revived Exotica movement. Let's kick things off with a recording he made well after the height of his career, unusual in that it features a vocal performance by Lyman, who usually stuck to instrumentals. The female vocalist is Arthur's own daughter Kapiolani. From the 1975 Crescendo release Puka Shells here is "Guava Tree," a leisurely tune of gratitude to warm the cockles of your heart. How cockles got in your heart, that's your business.
I dislike when imaginary characters from my youth are revamped in an effort to make them more palatable to modern audiences. It's a wrongheaded idea that rarely, if ever, works. That's why I'm ecstatic after watching the brand new trailer for the latest Muppet movie, Muppets Most Wanted, due this Spring. The spirit of Jim Henson lives!
Here's an interesting little curio: a 1974 television special pairing Julie Andrews with The Great One, Jackie Gleason. An interesting rundown of this strange gem can be found on Film Threat. The YouTube poster notes that Jackie Gleason flew to London for this production, making his first flight in twenty years. This may be the last time Jackie reprised signature characters such as "The Poor Soul," "Reggie Van Gleason III" and "Joe The Bartender."
One odd highlight: a Honeymooners sketch with Julie attempting to play the Ed Norton role. Sheeeesh!
The 1960s was a highly creative and history-making era. Therefore, a slew of 50th anniversary celebrations are looming on the horizon. Of late, the Golden spotlight is focusing on the Kennedy Assassination, Doctor Who, and The Beatles.
Of course, some things are bound to slip under the radar. For example, one month ago marked the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic episodes of The Twilight Zone, the gripping yarn "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," which starred a young William Shatner as an airplane passenger bedeviled by a wing hopping gremlin. The episode first aired on October 11, 1963.
Although this episode, written by recently deceased I Am Legend scribe Richard Matheson, deserves it's reputation for originality and suspense, it was not entirely without precedent. Twelve years prior, Jimmy Stewart and Marlene Dietrich co-starred in a British film with similar themes called No Highway in the Sky.
In the film, Stewart plays one of those befuddled genius types who sometimes forgets things like where he lives or where he keeps the sherry. He works at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, and his current research involves testing his theory that the new "Reindeer" airliner has a flaw: after about 1440 hours of service, the tail will fall off due to metal fatigue. In a strange twist of fate, he finds himself on such an aircraft, one that has clocked in just over 1400 hours.
In a parallel to the later Twilight Zone episode, he tries to convince the pilot, a stewardess, and a passenger that they are all in terrible danger, but to no avail. For the rest of the film, his sanity comes into question. It's a good film and Marlene Dietrich is fine as Monica Teasdale, the elegant movie star passenger. Glynis Johns is absolutely charming as the caring flight attendant. No Highway in the Sky is currently streaming on Amazon Instant, and is free for Prime subscribers.
Ask any Beatles fan to name the quartet's first appearance on American television and you are likely to be told that it was on the February 9, 1964 edition of The Ed Sullivan Show. However, archivists at the Library of Congress have unearthed an audio-only recording of the November 18, 1963 episode of NBC's Huntley-Brinkley Report which aired a feature on Beatlemania, as reported by Edwin Newman. Go listen!
Rod Serling's Western.The Loner, starring Lloyd Bridges as a former Union cavalry officer in search of a new life, was Serling's attempt to portray The Wild West in more realistic adult terms. It debuted on September 18, 1965 and lasted one season. It's like The Twilight Zone, but less spooky, and with more gunfights. Serling wrote several episodes, which are probably on YouTube (hint hint).
Harry Belafonte: Sing Your Song. This HBO documentary does a good job of balancing Belafonte's twin histories as a musical pioneer and crusader for equality and justice. Currently streaming on Netflix.
"Now I'm Interested." Meet Lieutenant Joe Kenda. He's seen it all in his career as a Colorado Springs police detective, and now he's going to tell you all about it, in the Investigation Discovery original HomicideHunter. Kenda's cool delivery and keen eye for detail set this show apart from others of it's ilk. Addictive.
Alo Alo. World Market is where I discovered a seriously refreshing aloe vera beverage produced by a company named ALO. There are several varieties, the ALLURE with mangosteen and mango being my favorite. The little aloe bits are fun to chew. A daily ritual. ALO website
Streaming Johnny. Johnny Carson fans have been disappointed with the edited versions of TheTonightShow that have been released to date. The releasers of these botch jobs are finally starting to understand that they are selling an experience, not just a show. To wit, a new dvd "Vault Series" and several full episodes streaming gratis on YouTube. Some of the orchestra music has been cut, so these are not perfect, but they're close. Good times!
Usually when I ignore the blog for a while, I feel compelled to explain my absence. However, being the seasoned blogvet that I am, I know that I must grab your attention in the next few seconds or you'll be gone, baby, gone.
AND SO NOW, FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE, EASILY MUSED PRESENTS THE PHENOMENAL ADVENTURES OF THAT AMAZING COMIC STRIP SENSATION:
There's actually more panels to this strip (from Wham! Annual 1967), but I think it has more impact this way.
This year, I have been working toward the goal of recording and making available an entire album of original songs. The indie scene, I find, is full of friendly, interesting and creative people who mostly will never make a hundred dollars profit off of their music and the massive efforts they make to create and distribute it. The knowledge I have gained by observing the current status quo compels me to step back and approach my project from a different angle. More later.
Speaking of music, my listening tastes continue to evolve, leading me to exotic places where time stands still and individuality reigns supreme. Here are five nifty tunes that have filtered into my conscious over the last few months:
1. Harry Belafonte - "Jamaica Farewell"
2. Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks - "Waiting For The 103"
3. Cab Calloway - "Everybody Eats When They Come To My House"
4. Astrud Gilberto - "The Sea Is My Soul ( I Remember When) "
5. Roy Smeck - "Sweet Georgia Brown"
It's too early to tell how these new influences might affect my sound, but I can see that I am consciously trying to separate myself from modern mainstream pop music, which I find to be at best, innocuous, and at worst, artistically bankrupt. Hmmm, a thought just occurred to me...maybe I should call my album Backlash.
Ah, dear friends! What a surprise to see you here at the door of my humble abode. Please, do come in and make yourself comfortable. The refrigerator is not well stocked at the moment, but I can offer you water, sweet tea or coffee creamer. I must say, you are looking happy and healthy, robust even. I haven't lost a pound this year, but I haven't gained a pound either. I feel great though! Steamed kale. Good stuff.
Allow me to share with you a most enlightening discovery. I recently watched a film called The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, starring Tony Randall. This movie, the last directed by the great George Pal, is certainly odd, but is not without it's charms. Right off the bat, I will warn you that Mr. Randall's depiction of Dr. Lao is considered quite politically incorrect today. I have much to say on the topic of political correctness, so it's best to not get me going on that topic right now. I quite admire the character of Dr. Lao, and the magic he possesses. I especially admire his humanity. There is a young boy in the movie, a fatherless child, who also comes to admire Dr. Lao. In one scene, he visits Dr. Lao in the hope that he might join the traveling circus that Dr. Lao operates. Here, have a look at what transpires next:
This scene really touched me. Choked me up a little. I guess I'm the sentimental sort. I found Dr. Lao's speech to be very profound and I hope to remember it always. It exactly crystallizes the feeling I have had for a long time that humans too often ignore their many blessings and think only of what they do not have. Friends, our priorities as a society are way off base. Nothing illustrates this point better than a documentary I recently watched on Netflix. It is called I AM and it comes to us, strangely enough, from the director of modern farces Ace Ventura, Pet Detective and the Eddie Murphy revival of The Nutty Professor, a guy named Tom Shadyac. Those films made him a very rich man, but then a traumatizing event made him question his life and face the truth that his material comforts had not , in fact, made him any happier. Here is the trailer:
Y'know, I only have one rule when it comes to appreciating pop culture. I like what I like, for whatever reason I choose to like it, without any regard for other people's opinions. I don't care for most of the ultra-violent cgi-obsessive product that is coming out of Follywood nowadays. Pretty deplorable stuff, if you ask me. Not merely innocuous, but actually offensive in it's lack of creativity and lack of decency. More depressing is the fact that a great swath of Americans will routinely plunk down fifteen bucks to watch this depressing desensitizing tripe. No, my friends, you know me. I love the fruits of true imagination, realized by honest-to-goodness craftsmen, and imbued with the love, fun, and respect these creators have for their chosen fields. Has an assemblage of artists ever produced anything as fantastic in it's conception and execution than a Looney Tune or a Hitchcock film? I'll take any creative product made from 1930-1980 over practically anything put out by the media conglomerations today (except for Adventure Time and other notable exceptions).
This week, I have been enjoying a dvd containing every episode of a 1966 cartoon called The Super Six. Depatie-Freleng, makers of The Pink Panther cartoons, produced this for NBC's Saturday morning lineup. There were a lot of talented people involved in this production. Directors like Norm McCabe and Robert McKimson, and animators/layout artists like Corny Cole, Norm Gottfredson, and Manny Gould. The show features the amazing voice talents of Daws Butler and June Foray and catchy music by Bill Lava. The humor is corny to be sure, and more than a little dated, but it's so well-made and pleasing to look at and listen to that it's deficiencies are forgivable. Do you know where I found this? In the bottom of a five dollar kid's dvd bin at Wal-Mart. It's a fun set and I recommend it as part of your anti-brainwashing regimen, because it will help restore your appreciation of whimsy, an emotion only practiced by civilized humans.
Now, please don't get me wrong. There are an awful lot of very talented artists, musicians, and writers living and working in America and around the world today. They're just mostly underground and most people don't have the time or simply won't make the effort to seek out these artist's works. Since I've been writing and sharing my music, I have stumbled across many talented and creative songwriters and bands I never would have heard of otherwise. Do a little digging and you too will discover that rock'n'roll, funk, jazz, blues, and any other genre you may have thought was dead is merely sleeping. I'm talking real music made by real people! The good stuff! Have you ever heard of The Pillbugs? The Duckworth-Lewis Method? Beachy Head Music Club? Vinnie Zummo? Soundserif? Blake Jones and The Trike Shop? Sylbay Ksb? Check out Reverbnation, CDbaby, and indie stations like Scrub Radio and Wolfman Radio in the UK and a whole new world of music will open before your very ears! You are all also invited to join me on the ground floor of my songwriting career, over at Frontier Cabin. Imagine, one day you can tell your grandkids you were there at the very start of something big!
Friends, I know these are confusing times we are living in today. The bees are dying off, the glaciers are melting, and the assholes seem to be in charge of everything. Just remember, you can focus on the bad and lay around eating Flamin' Hot Cheetos all day, or you can cast your eyes to the wonders that still and will hopefully always exist. Never be afraid to leave the herd and follow your own path. Never feel gullible when aiding a fellow human. Follow your hearts, for only hearts can know the future. Take your brains along, too, especially the parts that make you curious and open to new ideas. All is not lost, that is just a meme spread by would be tyrants who will eventually fall, as all tyrants do. There is a Renaissance coming. Prepare yourselves well. Stay strong and keep the faith. The best is yet to come...
Oh, and don't forget to eat your steamed kale. It's good for you. :)
