Archive for September, 2006

American Airlines “borrows” hook from Nirvana, CSN

Tuesday, September 19th, 2006

Trapped on one of the worst flights I’ve ever taken, a 757 from Chicago to Los Angeles, I kept hearing the new American Airlines hook:

I admit, a descending pentatonic lick is a fairly universal melodic swatch, but the rhythmic setting is a direct quote of Nirvana’s “All Apologies” and Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “Suite Judy […]

Sam Mendes will offer Rufus Wainwright documentary

Tuesday, September 19th, 2006

One of my favorite resources, the international movie database, aka, imdb, lists an as yet untitled film under Sam Mendes’s page that will concern itself with Rufus Wainwright’s recent Carnegie Hall tribute to Judy Garland. It shows filming in progress this year, and is scheduled for release in 2007. So, if you missed the historic […]

Millenium Park

Tuesday, September 19th, 2006

If you’ve never been, make it a point in your life to see Millenium Park in Chicago. It is a sheer joy to experience. If I may point you to the park’s website which I can’t even begin to encapsulate, it is a well put together site that will give you an overview of the […]

C&W’s Arts Club wedding

Monday, September 18th, 2006

C&W got married on Saturday at the Arts Club of Chicago. We were surrounded by Picassos, Calder mobiles, and such, there was a quite interesting Andy Goldsworthy piece in the men’s bathroom (sic). There was no “best man” all the groomsmen were equal and they were all dressed to the 9s, suitable for a GQ […]

Chicagua, the smelly onion patch

Friday, September 15th, 2006

“Chicagua” — I learned today that that is the origin of the word Chicago.
We are here in Chicago for another wedding. Even though I was born here (well, Evanston) it’s as though I hardly know the place. It’s truly a great, great city. We have been staying in the ‘magnificent mile’ in the heart of […]

Mothers of Invention: 200 Motels (trailer)

Friday, September 15th, 2006

This was sooooo cool when I was in high school. I’m not sure this damaged trailer is rekindling my enthusiasm at this point in my life, but I think I’ll watch it again. In lieu of that, here is the trailer for Frank Zappa’s movie 200 Motels: Life on the Road.

Sweet Honey in the Rock: A Priority

Thursday, September 14th, 2006

One of the great women’s ensemble of all time is Sweet Honey in the Rock. I looked in vain for some of the songs I know and love performed by them on the various video resources and have only come up with this. Mind you, these women are not a rap group. Visit their website […]

Final CAGES mixing session

Wednesday, September 13th, 2006

The music is done for CAGES. They have spent the day “dropping in” the music at the studio (which by the way is in the CNN building at Sunset and Cahuenga). We are off to listen to the first complete new cut with new music never before seen! Two projects completed in one day. Whew! […]

Alarcón Madrigals, Book 3 finished

Tuesday, September 12th, 2006

Whew, I’ll be sending this off to the printers tomorrow to send off to Vox Femina. I think it’s a very sexy piece, and I trust the women will sing it passionately! Iris Levine will be back after her sabbatical with her batteries recharged to lead the group through their 10th year. My piece will […]

End o’ summer; rethinking teaching music theory

Monday, September 11th, 2006

I just finished writing and recording the rest of the music for CAGES. The past couple of days have been a bit crash-and-burn from working hard, but also a knee problem that had me keeping my knee above my heart in hopes of the swelling going down.
The day I left for Hawaii, I tripped over […]

Karma and Sudoku

Friday, September 8th, 2006

One of the aspects of playing the numbers game, Sudoku, is that when one number is entered, other possibilities open up. Sometimes just one opportunity opens up, and sometimes and a great many do. Each new solution is able to set in motion its own chain of solutions.
I like to think that education is like […]

Wine Country Wedding (2)

Thursday, September 7th, 2006

Damon and Jane got married on Saturday. Damon is a founding partner of ELECTROLAND, a designer, and has been a friend for the past 10 years. Jane oversees therapists of autistic children, is Korean-American, and has been a friend for a similar period of time. A high contrast pairing: tall, short; male, female; Asian, Caucasian; […]

Playing Mozart with rollerblades

Wednesday, September 6th, 2006

[via neatorama]