While searching the Internet for publishers, I recently stumbled upon an interesting book promotion by SourceBooks in Naperville, Illinois. Their promotion is for a book entitled, "Publish This Book" by Stephen Markley. They are offering a free critique for up to 5000 words of a manuscript when you purchase the book. I thought it would be worth the $10 (after the 35% discount) to purchase the book which appeared to address a topic of interest for me while meeting the promotional requirements allowing me to submit a portion of my manuscript for a fiction novel. So, I bought the book and obtained the required proof of purchase.
I looked at the cover art for Markley's book and I chuckled as it shows a young man holding what appears to be a broken piece of sheetrock with the title of the book, "PUBLISH THIS BOOK", along with the pitch line, "THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUE STORY OF HOW I WROTE, SOLD, AND PUBLISHED THIS VERY BOOK". The young man has torn pieces of paper taped to his jeans with footnotes. His face is obscured by an adequately sized red label with "A Premature Memoir" written on it. I can appreciate good cover design, so I was immediately intrigued enough to give it a few minutes of my time. After all, I paid for the book so I thought I might as well give it a chance.
I began reading this interesting concept book with every intention of putting it down as soon as I reached a point of waning interest. It didn't happen. I found the book interesting, irreverently funny and candid.
Actually, this book is multidimensional. It has many elements that may be difficult to describe without tarnishing the pure entertainment value. So, I will begin with the entertainment value. I believe this book is extraordinarily funny. Markley opens up his life in a way that would frighten the most daring among writers. He unabashedly offers his ego and id as window characters while describing the most private and objectionable details of his prurient mind. He is either dangerously self assured or he is completely nuts. Either way, I think he provides an insight that most of his contemporaries will enjoy. Yes, there is gross humor, but there is also a serious aspect to this guy that makes it very real.
At times, this book is an adult-coming-of-age love story. It is about friends who care about each other.
At other times, it is a narrative on the issues confronting writers. Markley offers his personal experience with writing and promoting his book. It is a dose of reality. It provides a play by play of an aspiring writer struggling to gain a foothold in an uncertain environment that is publishing today.
On a sociopolitical level, this book represents a significant voice among Markley's generation. He describes the thoughts and reactions of his inner circle as they witness the presidential campaign of 2008.
If that isn't enough to satisfy your literary palates, there is a truly complex aspect of this memoir. It is a concept. He is writing the book about writing the book. It is ambitious and I believe Markley pulls it off with aplomb. This concept provides many opportunities for comic effect which he astutely recognizes and exploits. His penchant for using footnotes (as referenced on the cover) adds to the humor.
I will say that Stephen Markley is a great writer. Perhaps he sells himself a little short on experience as I found his days at his school newspaper to be enriching. While I did not have the good fortune to write for my school newspaper, I got a nice perspective from his accounts.
Markley uses every opportunity to promote himself in this story. However, in all fairness, that is what the story is about. While some may consider Markley a bit self absorbed, I think it is clever.
In summary, the book should resonate among writers and people who enjoy high concept literature. It is ambitious and entertaining.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Music Review: The Departure by Ten String Serenade
I received a package in the mail this week from two young composer/ performers. Although the music is classical in nature, I hope I might be allowed to provide my perspective as someone who appreciates music rather than the perspective of a music scholar, which I am not.
I make special exception for this music because I love it. It stirs images in my mind and soothes my soul. I am talking about the debut recording of the extraordinarily talented young duo known as Ten String Serenade. This work is entitled, The Departure. Ten String Serenade is principally Alex Hollums on steel string guitar and Karla Dietmeyer on violin. These two composer/performers play a variety of instruments on this recording including cello, piano, percussion and glockenspiel. They co-wrote all of the songs except for “Dad’s Song” written by Mark Hollums and Karla Dietmeyer and “How Sweet The Sound”, which is an original arrangement based on the traditional spirituals “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” and "Amazing Grace". I should also credit Brent Bouthiller for his work on drums, mandolin and bongos as well as his excellent production at Rescue Sound Technologies in Peachtree City, Georgia.
I believe most of the music on this cd would also be classified as chamber music. The exception is primarily due to the magic of recording technologies in which strings are layered together to create an orchestral sound. I will also say that every original song and arrangement would be ideally suited for placement in film, television or advertising. Every song creates a mood which is the primary goal for producers of film and television.
The first song I would like to feature is called Nuovo Giorno which is song number one on the cd. I think this means new day in Italian. My two other Italian words are spaghetti and ravioli. This music begins with an intro. I know, profound. Actually, it has a beautiful simplicity that is haunting. The song moves into a spirited guitar/violin arrangement. I love Karla’s use of double stops throughout most of this piece. She demonstrates extraordinary command over this emotional and complex instrument that is the violin.
Song number three is called Mountaintown Lullaby. Alex creates a mood with his excellent classical fingerstyle on the steel string guitar. I believe his expression is very reminiscent of Chet Atkins on his later work such as, “Sails”
(CBS, 1987). The guitar is prominent in the early part of the song with excellent
piano and violin fills. The violin moves prominently to the forefront, or “on top” in performance vernacular, midway through the song. Karla and Alex both demonstrate their understanding of dynamics as the violin moves back to the background and the guitar moves back on top. I think the harmonics are a nice touch at the end of the song.
Song number four on the cd is Blue Eyes Dreams. The lyrics to this love song are written by Karla. WARNING: If you are in a relationship with a significant other person, you may want to skip this song as you may find yourself falling in love with Karla’s voice. This song begins with a nice shuffle rhythm on acoustic guitar with nice mandolin fills throughout. I love the melodies in the verses and the chorus. She should write more.
Song number seven on the cd is called How Sweet the Sound. I believe this is a medley type arrangement of Swing Low Sweet Chariot and Amazing Grace. The cello provides some bottom end that is followed by layers of harmonized strings. I love the effect. However, I am not sure how Karla and Alex will perform this piece live without some help from a bunch of folks in formal wear.
Song number eight is entitled, The Departure. This song has a very nice guitar intro with harmonics. The music is bittersweet, which one might expect from a song called The Departure. I was reminded of those times in my life when I had to say goodbye to someone very close to me. The production and mix on this song is great. I like the change and the cello. There is a nice build with layered strings. The timing structure seems complex at times. My brain is not quite large enough to comprehend exactly what is going on, but it seems that two separate timings are somehow layered together. I just know that I like the effect. Nice fade with harmonics at the end.
Song number nine is called Big Shoes. On this song, Alex once again gives the listener a sample of his classical stylings. This song also reminds me of Chet Atkins. The song has lovely arrangement on the string sections providing great depth and texture. I love the cello on this song.
In summary, both Alex and Karla demonstrate extraordinary technical abilities on
their respective instruments. They have the rare ability to achieve an emotional level that many of us ordinary folks refer to as soul. It is certainly an ability that is beyond their years. Karla demonstrates a nice ability to craft lyrics and she has a lovely voice. But that is not all. They also show a great talent for composition and arrangement. The depth and texture of this music has the potential to evoke a wide range of emotion for the listener. Please check out their website at TenStringSerenade.com .
I make special exception for this music because I love it. It stirs images in my mind and soothes my soul. I am talking about the debut recording of the extraordinarily talented young duo known as Ten String Serenade. This work is entitled, The Departure. Ten String Serenade is principally Alex Hollums on steel string guitar and Karla Dietmeyer on violin. These two composer/performers play a variety of instruments on this recording including cello, piano, percussion and glockenspiel. They co-wrote all of the songs except for “Dad’s Song” written by Mark Hollums and Karla Dietmeyer and “How Sweet The Sound”, which is an original arrangement based on the traditional spirituals “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” and "Amazing Grace". I should also credit Brent Bouthiller for his work on drums, mandolin and bongos as well as his excellent production at Rescue Sound Technologies in Peachtree City, Georgia.
I believe most of the music on this cd would also be classified as chamber music. The exception is primarily due to the magic of recording technologies in which strings are layered together to create an orchestral sound. I will also say that every original song and arrangement would be ideally suited for placement in film, television or advertising. Every song creates a mood which is the primary goal for producers of film and television.
The first song I would like to feature is called Nuovo Giorno which is song number one on the cd. I think this means new day in Italian. My two other Italian words are spaghetti and ravioli. This music begins with an intro. I know, profound. Actually, it has a beautiful simplicity that is haunting. The song moves into a spirited guitar/violin arrangement. I love Karla’s use of double stops throughout most of this piece. She demonstrates extraordinary command over this emotional and complex instrument that is the violin.
Song number three is called Mountaintown Lullaby. Alex creates a mood with his excellent classical fingerstyle on the steel string guitar. I believe his expression is very reminiscent of Chet Atkins on his later work such as, “Sails”
(CBS, 1987). The guitar is prominent in the early part of the song with excellent
piano and violin fills. The violin moves prominently to the forefront, or “on top” in performance vernacular, midway through the song. Karla and Alex both demonstrate their understanding of dynamics as the violin moves back to the background and the guitar moves back on top. I think the harmonics are a nice touch at the end of the song.
Song number four on the cd is Blue Eyes Dreams. The lyrics to this love song are written by Karla. WARNING: If you are in a relationship with a significant other person, you may want to skip this song as you may find yourself falling in love with Karla’s voice. This song begins with a nice shuffle rhythm on acoustic guitar with nice mandolin fills throughout. I love the melodies in the verses and the chorus. She should write more.
Song number seven on the cd is called How Sweet the Sound. I believe this is a medley type arrangement of Swing Low Sweet Chariot and Amazing Grace. The cello provides some bottom end that is followed by layers of harmonized strings. I love the effect. However, I am not sure how Karla and Alex will perform this piece live without some help from a bunch of folks in formal wear.
Song number eight is entitled, The Departure. This song has a very nice guitar intro with harmonics. The music is bittersweet, which one might expect from a song called The Departure. I was reminded of those times in my life when I had to say goodbye to someone very close to me. The production and mix on this song is great. I like the change and the cello. There is a nice build with layered strings. The timing structure seems complex at times. My brain is not quite large enough to comprehend exactly what is going on, but it seems that two separate timings are somehow layered together. I just know that I like the effect. Nice fade with harmonics at the end.
Song number nine is called Big Shoes. On this song, Alex once again gives the listener a sample of his classical stylings. This song also reminds me of Chet Atkins. The song has lovely arrangement on the string sections providing great depth and texture. I love the cello on this song.
In summary, both Alex and Karla demonstrate extraordinary technical abilities on
their respective instruments. They have the rare ability to achieve an emotional level that many of us ordinary folks refer to as soul. It is certainly an ability that is beyond their years. Karla demonstrates a nice ability to craft lyrics and she has a lovely voice. But that is not all. They also show a great talent for composition and arrangement. The depth and texture of this music has the potential to evoke a wide range of emotion for the listener. Please check out their website at TenStringSerenade.com .
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Music Review: Songs from The Bicycle Club by Dave Schultz and Purple Hank
“Songs from The Bicycle Club” is a CD that accompanies Dave Schultz’ book, “The Bicycle Club”. This music is gritty Americana at its core. It is mostly about booze, love, one night stands and the blurry lines between those elements that exist in dark taverns and roadhouses.
Dave is unapologetic for the material. It is a style of music that began perhaps with Woody Guthrie and Johnny Cash but continued with songwriters like Bob Dylan and Steve Earle. Clearly, it is the edge of society that draws the attention of Dave Schultz.
For me, listening to this style of music is a lot like reading history or fiction. That is, we can listen to songs and experience a culture that is not our own.
For others, the reality of their own existence may resonate through the words and melodies of this music. I choose to offer only my judgment of the music in this context and leave moral judgments of my fellow man to those who are comfortable in such matters.
Similarly, the Blues is a very good example of understanding a part of culture through music, I think. When I started my retrospective into the Blues, I began to appreciate more than the music, I began to appreciate the culture from which it was drawn. I dare say that most folks would not want to live the life of a sharecropper, but many of the early blues were derived from the experience of farm workers in rural America during difficult times. But, this is not a purist form of blues and it is not about sharecroppers.
These are drinking songs. Drinking songs have existed for many centuries. The Irish, English and the Germans have long traditions of drinking songs that are generally festive. Americans also have drinking songs that are festive and light.
However, these songs are a bit darker at times. Some of these songs are about the counter culture of drugs and alcohol. We may debate whether it romanticizes the serious problem of substance abuse. However, the stories are based on cold hard facts that are difficult to ignore. Personally, I can appreciate the music as an art form without the need to experience it first hand. I have lost a lot of friends and relatives to substance abuse over the years, so I do not take the subject lightly. However, it is not for children. This music is entertainment for adults who are able to make decisions for themselves.
Now that I have exhausted all of my conservative caveats and disclaimers, I would like to say that I really like the songs on this CD. They are all well written and produced. Dave Schultz has a very nice way of putting interesting thoughts into simplistic terms that are universal in nature. In my opinion, it is the mark of a truly talented lyricist to create images that we are able to see in our minds. While his songs have great lyrics, they also have memorable melodies and Dave has a great singing voice! So, I believe Dave Schultz deserves a spot among the lofty ranks of great singer songwriters. Furthermore, I believe the members of Purple Hank are all very well suited for this variety of music, offering nice textures and demonstrating great skill as veteran performers.
January has a nice shuffle rhythm that creates some interesting images with a fantastic arrangement of instruments. The song ends with a refrain that is actually quite interesting. It starts with a nice change into a minor with added strings that are very appropriate. This moves into a major for the last two refrains. In short, January is a beautifully written song with a lasting effect.
Mary Jane is a wonderful love ballad that has nice images from Dave’s excellent use of lyrics and phrasing. The horns are a very nice touch. I love the emotion of this song that peaks with the repeated “Mary Jane” line at the end of the song.
All Boozed Up has a nice island feel with a rhumba style rhythm and Wes Montgomery style comping on guitar. The phrasing and lyrics are excellent. It is a festive drinking song with a nice counter melody in the scat line. The bridge also has a nice change in melody which moves into a flute break and a stop. I love the jazzy, slightly dissonant ending.
$200 is a great song about a girl down on her luck. The song creates the desired effect with great lines and slide guitar, giving the song a drunken sway. The hook line is very memorable in this song.
I love the guitar and organ intro to Virginia. It is a dialog song with a great, memorable chorus. The subject is well known among the late night bar crowd. It is a song of loneliness and hanging on to the last available companion for the night. The lyrics and melodies of this song are excellent.
Remember My Name is the ultimate drinking song. The oompah style tuba throughout with steel guitar creates a comical effect. I love the lyrics and the music in this song. The line, “I do not know you, but I recognize the Oldsmobile” is a classic line that will resonate very well among fans of Americana music. The vivid images, appropriate style, excellent arrangement and production of this song make it an instant classic.
Dave Schultz is an excellent singer songwriter with a tendency toward the artistically fertile ground of tavern life. His band, Purple Hank, is a group of experienced veterans of the stage and studio. Otherwise, this cd should have a sticker that warns listeners, “Do Not Try This At Home!” or “This Ain’t Your Momma’s Country Music!”
Dave is unapologetic for the material. It is a style of music that began perhaps with Woody Guthrie and Johnny Cash but continued with songwriters like Bob Dylan and Steve Earle. Clearly, it is the edge of society that draws the attention of Dave Schultz.
For me, listening to this style of music is a lot like reading history or fiction. That is, we can listen to songs and experience a culture that is not our own.
For others, the reality of their own existence may resonate through the words and melodies of this music. I choose to offer only my judgment of the music in this context and leave moral judgments of my fellow man to those who are comfortable in such matters.
Similarly, the Blues is a very good example of understanding a part of culture through music, I think. When I started my retrospective into the Blues, I began to appreciate more than the music, I began to appreciate the culture from which it was drawn. I dare say that most folks would not want to live the life of a sharecropper, but many of the early blues were derived from the experience of farm workers in rural America during difficult times. But, this is not a purist form of blues and it is not about sharecroppers.
These are drinking songs. Drinking songs have existed for many centuries. The Irish, English and the Germans have long traditions of drinking songs that are generally festive. Americans also have drinking songs that are festive and light.
However, these songs are a bit darker at times. Some of these songs are about the counter culture of drugs and alcohol. We may debate whether it romanticizes the serious problem of substance abuse. However, the stories are based on cold hard facts that are difficult to ignore. Personally, I can appreciate the music as an art form without the need to experience it first hand. I have lost a lot of friends and relatives to substance abuse over the years, so I do not take the subject lightly. However, it is not for children. This music is entertainment for adults who are able to make decisions for themselves.
Now that I have exhausted all of my conservative caveats and disclaimers, I would like to say that I really like the songs on this CD. They are all well written and produced. Dave Schultz has a very nice way of putting interesting thoughts into simplistic terms that are universal in nature. In my opinion, it is the mark of a truly talented lyricist to create images that we are able to see in our minds. While his songs have great lyrics, they also have memorable melodies and Dave has a great singing voice! So, I believe Dave Schultz deserves a spot among the lofty ranks of great singer songwriters. Furthermore, I believe the members of Purple Hank are all very well suited for this variety of music, offering nice textures and demonstrating great skill as veteran performers.
January has a nice shuffle rhythm that creates some interesting images with a fantastic arrangement of instruments. The song ends with a refrain that is actually quite interesting. It starts with a nice change into a minor with added strings that are very appropriate. This moves into a major for the last two refrains. In short, January is a beautifully written song with a lasting effect.
Mary Jane is a wonderful love ballad that has nice images from Dave’s excellent use of lyrics and phrasing. The horns are a very nice touch. I love the emotion of this song that peaks with the repeated “Mary Jane” line at the end of the song.
All Boozed Up has a nice island feel with a rhumba style rhythm and Wes Montgomery style comping on guitar. The phrasing and lyrics are excellent. It is a festive drinking song with a nice counter melody in the scat line. The bridge also has a nice change in melody which moves into a flute break and a stop. I love the jazzy, slightly dissonant ending.
$200 is a great song about a girl down on her luck. The song creates the desired effect with great lines and slide guitar, giving the song a drunken sway. The hook line is very memorable in this song.
I love the guitar and organ intro to Virginia. It is a dialog song with a great, memorable chorus. The subject is well known among the late night bar crowd. It is a song of loneliness and hanging on to the last available companion for the night. The lyrics and melodies of this song are excellent.
Remember My Name is the ultimate drinking song. The oompah style tuba throughout with steel guitar creates a comical effect. I love the lyrics and the music in this song. The line, “I do not know you, but I recognize the Oldsmobile” is a classic line that will resonate very well among fans of Americana music. The vivid images, appropriate style, excellent arrangement and production of this song make it an instant classic.
Dave Schultz is an excellent singer songwriter with a tendency toward the artistically fertile ground of tavern life. His band, Purple Hank, is a group of experienced veterans of the stage and studio. Otherwise, this cd should have a sticker that warns listeners, “Do Not Try This At Home!” or “This Ain’t Your Momma’s Country Music!”
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Ivan Neville Featured at Columbia
I got a call from my friend Bill Boris this week. Bill is a jazz guitar professor at Columbia College in Chicago. He invited me to a concert at Columbia featuring Ivan Neville, son of recording artist Aaron Neville. I knew it would be a great show.
We arrived to a packed house just minutes before show time. The Music Center Concert Hall is located in the College of Music at 1014 S. Michigan Ave. It is a beautiful venue with excellent acoustics. As we made our way to our seats, we passed several rows of students holding their instruments. While I know there are pressures, I thought how wonderful it must be for aspiring artists to attend school and hang out with other artists all day. I suspect it is an enriching experience, particularly when you have an opportunity to work with a guy like Ivan Neville.
Ivan Neville is a multi-instrumentalist from New Orleans and a legacy. He is part of a great music family growing up in a city that is rich in music heritage and it is obvious that he takes his craft very seriously. Ivan Neville definitely has the voice and the chops, but he also has the understanding and appreciation of music that inspires others. Ivan played and sang on most of the songs performed.
Each of the directors spoke of Mr. Neville’s ability to teach and to participate with students on a variety of levels. He spent a week with the various ensembles helping them to write songs and to play a variety of styles on various instruments. It was also clear that Mr. Neville was able to help the students understand some of the finer elements enabling good students to become great performers.
All of this was quickly demonstrated as the Pop Rock Ensemble started to play their first song, Ugly Truth. Wow! I was immediately swept into the power and group coordination of this funk arrangement. Everyone knew their parts and stayed in the pocket to produce a beautiful sum of total parts that creates a funk groove. These students under the able direction of Ivan Neville and Bill Boris were able to capture the essence of the New Orleans sound. I could feel this music in my body and my heart. I could feel this music in my soul.
The second song by the Pop Rock Ensemble was Fortunate Son. I am a big fan of CCR and the beautiful simplicity of their songs. However, this is the best version of Fortunate Son I have ever heard. It was a funk version with all of the instruments playing in the right spaces at the right time. Tyler Berg on drums, Michael Byrnes on bass, Ben Joseph on Keys, Nate Graham on guitars with singers Jonathan McReynolds, LaShera Moore and Nicole Neff.
The Recording and Performance Ensemble A performed an original that was written in 1 hour and 20 minutes. I was amazed at the overall quality of this well crafted song. It had great melodies in the verse and chorus and the lead singer’s voice was perfectly suited for the style. Gary Yerkins is the Director of this Ensemble with Tyler Berg on drums, Mike Philpot on percussion, Ben Beutel on bass, Ryan Booker on Keyboard, Nathan Hanak and Derek Bahr on guitar, and singers Sam Cerniglia, Adam Dittman, David Paige, Tim Smisek, and Claire Stahlecker.
The Blues Performance Ensemble under the direction of Fernando Jones began with a tribute to the Queen of Blues, Koko Taylor. They pitched a Wang Dang Doodle all night long on this great blues standard. The group had a quick change allowing a few other students to participate on the next song, These Things. One of the guitar players looked a lot like Derek Trucks. Like Trucks, he was also using his fingers and playing a red Gibson SG. Cleve Minter and Vince Camerano on drums and percussion, Nicholas Fane on bass, Kelsey Hopper on keys, Tyler Anselmo, Eric Billitier, Jullian Bell, and Luc DeArmey on guitars, and singers Sara Garrett, Shea O’Brie, and Terrence Thomas.
The Pop Orchestra began with Same Thing which was another great funk song. This song was memorable with the repeated hook line “same thing” punctuated at the end. The next song, Shake It Off, is a Dumpstaphunk original. Mr. Neville played fills on the Hammond organ like a horn section and gave a solid vocal performance along with the group. The Ensemble is directed by Carey Deadman with Zach Himelhoch on drums, Nicholas Cole-Klaes on bass, Brian Pettis playing some jazzy lines on keys, Nate Hanak and David Paige on guitars and singers Alexis Fadl, Norris Jackson, Jessica Miller, and Sy Bar-Sheshet.
The Pop Rock Styles Ensemble began their performance with the great blues standard, Sweet Home Chicago. The vocals really shined on this song and they ended with great harmony. The piano fills were fantastic! The next song, Ivan’s Groove had a really nice bass, drum, and Hammond organ intro. I love the one string guitar interplay, chord comping and Ivan’s scat singing. Although there were no horns and there was nothing average about it, I got an Average White Band vibe on this song. This group was directed by Curtis Robinson with Tom Graham and Dan Green on drums, John Sundquist on bass, Aaron Garcia, Andrew Napier, and Adam Stahlberg on guitars, and singers Randy Bonds, Kiana LeCounte, and Eli Noll.
The R&B Ensemble opened with Stay What You Are. This song had a complex time signature which was performed very well with soulful lyrics. The next song was the great Sly Stone funk standard with perhaps the longest title in popular music, “I Want To Thank You For Lettin’ Me Be Mice Elf Again”. This song resonated with the crowd as everyone sang the hook line together. The Ensemble was directed by Chuck Webb with Dionte Johnson on drums, Tim Ipsen on bass, Dionte Cartwright on keys, Cesar Romero (the Joker) on guitar, and singers Ryan Booker, Sam Cerniglia, and Jonathan McReynolds.
The Recording and Performance Ensemble B performed All I Need (Real Thing). This song started with an a cappella rhythm. Every instrument and voice deserves recognition on this great arrangement directed by Gary Yerkins with Tyler Berg and Mike Philpot on drums, Ben Beutel on bass, Ryan Booker on keys, Nathan Hanak and Derek Bahr on guitars, and singers Sam Cerniglia, Adam Dittman, David Paige, Tim Smisek, and Claire Stahlecker.
The Pop Rock Ensemble opened big with Knock On Wood. I loved the funky guitar intro on Just Kissed My Baby. This group is directed by Nick Tremulis with Ian Cory, Michael Reddick, and Martin Rodriguez on drums, Matt Petron on bass, John Taylor Strieff on keys, Tyler Anselmo, Drew Smitthers, John Streich and Michael Lambert on guitars, and singers Samantha Foti, Morgan Hare, Norris Jackson, and Elissa Todd.
The Pop Jazz Fusion Ensemble opened with the great jazz standard, Cissy Strut. I really loved the combination of voices with Ivan and La Shera Moore. The second song was Got Soul, an Ivan Neville original. All of the musicians deserve recognition. Bill Boris is the Director with Tyler Berg on drums, Ben Beutel on bass, Charlie Coffeen on keys, Derek Bahr on guitar, Eric Mateo on alto sax, Daniel Andrade on tenor sax.
It was a fantastic performance with a great group of talented students. I believe I can pay the highest compliment to Ivan Neville in the funk vernacular. That is, he got “the stank”.
We arrived to a packed house just minutes before show time. The Music Center Concert Hall is located in the College of Music at 1014 S. Michigan Ave. It is a beautiful venue with excellent acoustics. As we made our way to our seats, we passed several rows of students holding their instruments. While I know there are pressures, I thought how wonderful it must be for aspiring artists to attend school and hang out with other artists all day. I suspect it is an enriching experience, particularly when you have an opportunity to work with a guy like Ivan Neville.
Ivan Neville is a multi-instrumentalist from New Orleans and a legacy. He is part of a great music family growing up in a city that is rich in music heritage and it is obvious that he takes his craft very seriously. Ivan Neville definitely has the voice and the chops, but he also has the understanding and appreciation of music that inspires others. Ivan played and sang on most of the songs performed.
Each of the directors spoke of Mr. Neville’s ability to teach and to participate with students on a variety of levels. He spent a week with the various ensembles helping them to write songs and to play a variety of styles on various instruments. It was also clear that Mr. Neville was able to help the students understand some of the finer elements enabling good students to become great performers.
All of this was quickly demonstrated as the Pop Rock Ensemble started to play their first song, Ugly Truth. Wow! I was immediately swept into the power and group coordination of this funk arrangement. Everyone knew their parts and stayed in the pocket to produce a beautiful sum of total parts that creates a funk groove. These students under the able direction of Ivan Neville and Bill Boris were able to capture the essence of the New Orleans sound. I could feel this music in my body and my heart. I could feel this music in my soul.
The second song by the Pop Rock Ensemble was Fortunate Son. I am a big fan of CCR and the beautiful simplicity of their songs. However, this is the best version of Fortunate Son I have ever heard. It was a funk version with all of the instruments playing in the right spaces at the right time. Tyler Berg on drums, Michael Byrnes on bass, Ben Joseph on Keys, Nate Graham on guitars with singers Jonathan McReynolds, LaShera Moore and Nicole Neff.
The Recording and Performance Ensemble A performed an original that was written in 1 hour and 20 minutes. I was amazed at the overall quality of this well crafted song. It had great melodies in the verse and chorus and the lead singer’s voice was perfectly suited for the style. Gary Yerkins is the Director of this Ensemble with Tyler Berg on drums, Mike Philpot on percussion, Ben Beutel on bass, Ryan Booker on Keyboard, Nathan Hanak and Derek Bahr on guitar, and singers Sam Cerniglia, Adam Dittman, David Paige, Tim Smisek, and Claire Stahlecker.
The Blues Performance Ensemble under the direction of Fernando Jones began with a tribute to the Queen of Blues, Koko Taylor. They pitched a Wang Dang Doodle all night long on this great blues standard. The group had a quick change allowing a few other students to participate on the next song, These Things. One of the guitar players looked a lot like Derek Trucks. Like Trucks, he was also using his fingers and playing a red Gibson SG. Cleve Minter and Vince Camerano on drums and percussion, Nicholas Fane on bass, Kelsey Hopper on keys, Tyler Anselmo, Eric Billitier, Jullian Bell, and Luc DeArmey on guitars, and singers Sara Garrett, Shea O’Brie, and Terrence Thomas.
The Pop Orchestra began with Same Thing which was another great funk song. This song was memorable with the repeated hook line “same thing” punctuated at the end. The next song, Shake It Off, is a Dumpstaphunk original. Mr. Neville played fills on the Hammond organ like a horn section and gave a solid vocal performance along with the group. The Ensemble is directed by Carey Deadman with Zach Himelhoch on drums, Nicholas Cole-Klaes on bass, Brian Pettis playing some jazzy lines on keys, Nate Hanak and David Paige on guitars and singers Alexis Fadl, Norris Jackson, Jessica Miller, and Sy Bar-Sheshet.
The Pop Rock Styles Ensemble began their performance with the great blues standard, Sweet Home Chicago. The vocals really shined on this song and they ended with great harmony. The piano fills were fantastic! The next song, Ivan’s Groove had a really nice bass, drum, and Hammond organ intro. I love the one string guitar interplay, chord comping and Ivan’s scat singing. Although there were no horns and there was nothing average about it, I got an Average White Band vibe on this song. This group was directed by Curtis Robinson with Tom Graham and Dan Green on drums, John Sundquist on bass, Aaron Garcia, Andrew Napier, and Adam Stahlberg on guitars, and singers Randy Bonds, Kiana LeCounte, and Eli Noll.
The R&B Ensemble opened with Stay What You Are. This song had a complex time signature which was performed very well with soulful lyrics. The next song was the great Sly Stone funk standard with perhaps the longest title in popular music, “I Want To Thank You For Lettin’ Me Be Mice Elf Again”. This song resonated with the crowd as everyone sang the hook line together. The Ensemble was directed by Chuck Webb with Dionte Johnson on drums, Tim Ipsen on bass, Dionte Cartwright on keys, Cesar Romero (the Joker) on guitar, and singers Ryan Booker, Sam Cerniglia, and Jonathan McReynolds.
The Recording and Performance Ensemble B performed All I Need (Real Thing). This song started with an a cappella rhythm. Every instrument and voice deserves recognition on this great arrangement directed by Gary Yerkins with Tyler Berg and Mike Philpot on drums, Ben Beutel on bass, Ryan Booker on keys, Nathan Hanak and Derek Bahr on guitars, and singers Sam Cerniglia, Adam Dittman, David Paige, Tim Smisek, and Claire Stahlecker.
The Pop Rock Ensemble opened big with Knock On Wood. I loved the funky guitar intro on Just Kissed My Baby. This group is directed by Nick Tremulis with Ian Cory, Michael Reddick, and Martin Rodriguez on drums, Matt Petron on bass, John Taylor Strieff on keys, Tyler Anselmo, Drew Smitthers, John Streich and Michael Lambert on guitars, and singers Samantha Foti, Morgan Hare, Norris Jackson, and Elissa Todd.
The Pop Jazz Fusion Ensemble opened with the great jazz standard, Cissy Strut. I really loved the combination of voices with Ivan and La Shera Moore. The second song was Got Soul, an Ivan Neville original. All of the musicians deserve recognition. Bill Boris is the Director with Tyler Berg on drums, Ben Beutel on bass, Charlie Coffeen on keys, Derek Bahr on guitar, Eric Mateo on alto sax, Daniel Andrade on tenor sax.
It was a fantastic performance with a great group of talented students. I believe I can pay the highest compliment to Ivan Neville in the funk vernacular. That is, he got “the stank”.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Spotlight on Emerging Indie Artists, Vol. 5
Welcome to Spotlight on Emerging Indie Artists, Volume 5. I am very excited about Tina Sugandh. She recently sent me her rhythm oriented music along with a link to a video in which she teaches Ringo Starr to play the tabla. You can view this video on Muze Tube at the Bluemusepub channel on YouTube or by selecting the Muze Tube icon on Bluemusepublishing.com It is very funny and interesting.
I have always enjoyed a great variety of ethnic music and rhythms. I have also been very fortunate to have traveled to some parts of the world in which music is an important part of the culture.
Most recently, I spent some time listening to Indian music and trying to understand some of the rich musical heritage from that part of the world. The rhythms and modal quality of Indian music is exotic and intoxicating. However, I am interested in Indian music for personal reasons as well. My older son, Jacob married a lovely Indian girl named Boskya in Atlanta on August 22nd. I am still writing a song as a tribute to their commitment to each other and spent a little time researching the traditions of Indian wedding music. I was amazed. I even bought a shehnai and I am trying to teach myself to play it. Anyway, I do want to say how happy I am to welcome Bosky to our family and to say how much I enjoyed meeting her wonderful family and friends.
Indian music has begun to fuse into western styles and the results are phenomenal. Tina Sugandh is a very good example of this new style of music on her new cd called Tabla Girl. Tina plays the tabla which is a large drum.
The first song, Jao has a great drum intro with orchestration. The song has great melodies over the underlying rhythm and counterpoint vocals. It has a message that may resonate with a lot of women in both eastern and western cultures. Tina's voice is fantastic.
Bollywood Girl starts with a bit of alternating onomatopoeia and tabla drums. I've always wanted to use that word, onomatopoeia in a sentence. It is a great effect and the rhythm is intoxicating. I love the background strings throughout the song.
You Without Me has a nice change in style and tempo. It gives a great example of Tina's range of styles and her ability to sing. This song is relevant in today's adult contemporary market. It is a great love song with a nice hook.
HisStory is a nice play on words. The rhythm is great. The lyrics, phrasing and melodies are excellent. The instrumentation makes the music unique while providing music that is danceable. This music could resonate with a lot of folks. I love the build at the end with traditional drums and the punctuated outtro lyrics.
Stay has a haunting melody in the verse and is very memorable. This song has a lot of potential in radio, TV or film. I love the sitar fills. The lyrics are fantastic. The bridge has a little bit of a Sheryl Crow vibe to it. I love this song.
The production on all of this music is excellent. All of the songs are very good. One song, There Is No Alternative is an acrostic of Tina, which is a very clever play on words I think. There is little doubt in my mind that Tina has a very good future in music.
I have always enjoyed a great variety of ethnic music and rhythms. I have also been very fortunate to have traveled to some parts of the world in which music is an important part of the culture.
Most recently, I spent some time listening to Indian music and trying to understand some of the rich musical heritage from that part of the world. The rhythms and modal quality of Indian music is exotic and intoxicating. However, I am interested in Indian music for personal reasons as well. My older son, Jacob married a lovely Indian girl named Boskya in Atlanta on August 22nd. I am still writing a song as a tribute to their commitment to each other and spent a little time researching the traditions of Indian wedding music. I was amazed. I even bought a shehnai and I am trying to teach myself to play it. Anyway, I do want to say how happy I am to welcome Bosky to our family and to say how much I enjoyed meeting her wonderful family and friends.
Indian music has begun to fuse into western styles and the results are phenomenal. Tina Sugandh is a very good example of this new style of music on her new cd called Tabla Girl. Tina plays the tabla which is a large drum.
The first song, Jao has a great drum intro with orchestration. The song has great melodies over the underlying rhythm and counterpoint vocals. It has a message that may resonate with a lot of women in both eastern and western cultures. Tina's voice is fantastic.
Bollywood Girl starts with a bit of alternating onomatopoeia and tabla drums. I've always wanted to use that word, onomatopoeia in a sentence. It is a great effect and the rhythm is intoxicating. I love the background strings throughout the song.
You Without Me has a nice change in style and tempo. It gives a great example of Tina's range of styles and her ability to sing. This song is relevant in today's adult contemporary market. It is a great love song with a nice hook.
HisStory is a nice play on words. The rhythm is great. The lyrics, phrasing and melodies are excellent. The instrumentation makes the music unique while providing music that is danceable. This music could resonate with a lot of folks. I love the build at the end with traditional drums and the punctuated outtro lyrics.
Stay has a haunting melody in the verse and is very memorable. This song has a lot of potential in radio, TV or film. I love the sitar fills. The lyrics are fantastic. The bridge has a little bit of a Sheryl Crow vibe to it. I love this song.
The production on all of this music is excellent. All of the songs are very good. One song, There Is No Alternative is an acrostic of Tina, which is a very clever play on words I think. There is little doubt in my mind that Tina has a very good future in music.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Spotlight on Emerging Indie Artists, Volume 4
Hello and welcome to Spotlight on Indie Artists, Volume 4. I want to recognize a few indie artists on BlueMusePublishing.com that have uploaded some very interesting blues songs. However, I would like to describe my growing interest in the blues over the years as a preface.
I began a retrospective into the blues in my teens. The interest in this style or these styles of music started out perhaps by accident as BB King opened for ZZ Top at a concert that I attended in the 70's. Surprisingly, I was able to connect the dots during this tumultuous period of my life. It was the beginning of a rather long interest as it continues for me today.
The interest in the better known guys moved into relative obscurity as my collection of blues music started to grow. It was an education for me and the beginning of my interest in musicology. I wasn't aware at the time, but musicology is the historical and cultural study of music that also involves the relationship between various styles.
For me, the early blues breaks music down to the basic elements of rhythm and structure. Like all styles, it progresses toward other styles until the lines are blurred. We find folk blues, jump blues, blues rock, country blues, rhythm and
blues and the very sophisticated blues of jazz artists such as Miles Davis. Once again, it proves that genres are not discrete or clearly bound on all sides. Rather, genres are more like zones in a multidimensional, continuous spectrum of music style that is interconnected to all other styles.
I would like to start with a song by Memphis Kenny P called Trouble Like Water Trickles Down. This song is closer to the traditional blues in the structure and the style of the lyrics. Many of the early songs would repeat the first line and resolve back to the repeated line. Kenny does a great job creating lyrical images in this song. Kenny has a great voice and I love the shuffle rhythm in this song that picks up the "and" from the previous measure.
The next song by Memphis Kenny P, called Always Something, has a very definite Allman Brothers vibe to it. I love the simplicity of the lyrics that should resonate with anyone who has struggled in a relationship. Nice signature guitar lick throughout on this song and again, great vocals.
The next song is called Bluz Get Away by Stephen Monroe. I love the intro to this song with guitar and hand clapping as it grabs me right away. Stephen has a great voice and a great ability to play guitar and sing as he likes to perform solo. I love the lyrics to this song and the scat near the end.
Smitten and Resigned is a slow blues song by Stephen Monroe with great lyrics. I also love Stephen's voice in this song. Again, this is a solo song played and sung by Stephen. This song has a great ending.
I have covered this next song called Sorry I Lost Control by Stephen Monroe before. It is a great song that demonstrates the blurred lines between styles. It is blues, folk blues, and jazz all at the same time. The lyrics and scat are great in this song. Once again, a great ending.
This next group, Pure Grain, came to me through the mail. I love the creative packaging for this cd as it was wrapped in burlap. Very cool. The first song is Truckin' Song. This song has a great Dobro intro. The lyrics and vocals are
fantastic. I love the shuffle rhythm on this song. The bass and drums are locked up tight throughout. The Dobro break is great. Volume can be an issue for guitar players playing Dobro who like to be on top. Dobro sounds great to me when it is even in the mix such as this song.
Kid N Funk Blues by the group Pure Grain is a great rhythm oriented song with prominent drums and wah guitar. Again, I really like the lyrics and the vocals on this song. The guitar break is very well done and I love the tone. The bass and drums are again very tight.
I hope you will have a chance to check out these talented artists on Blue Muse.
I began a retrospective into the blues in my teens. The interest in this style or these styles of music started out perhaps by accident as BB King opened for ZZ Top at a concert that I attended in the 70's. Surprisingly, I was able to connect the dots during this tumultuous period of my life. It was the beginning of a rather long interest as it continues for me today.
The interest in the better known guys moved into relative obscurity as my collection of blues music started to grow. It was an education for me and the beginning of my interest in musicology. I wasn't aware at the time, but musicology is the historical and cultural study of music that also involves the relationship between various styles.
For me, the early blues breaks music down to the basic elements of rhythm and structure. Like all styles, it progresses toward other styles until the lines are blurred. We find folk blues, jump blues, blues rock, country blues, rhythm and
blues and the very sophisticated blues of jazz artists such as Miles Davis. Once again, it proves that genres are not discrete or clearly bound on all sides. Rather, genres are more like zones in a multidimensional, continuous spectrum of music style that is interconnected to all other styles.
I would like to start with a song by Memphis Kenny P called Trouble Like Water Trickles Down. This song is closer to the traditional blues in the structure and the style of the lyrics. Many of the early songs would repeat the first line and resolve back to the repeated line. Kenny does a great job creating lyrical images in this song. Kenny has a great voice and I love the shuffle rhythm in this song that picks up the "and" from the previous measure.
The next song by Memphis Kenny P, called Always Something, has a very definite Allman Brothers vibe to it. I love the simplicity of the lyrics that should resonate with anyone who has struggled in a relationship. Nice signature guitar lick throughout on this song and again, great vocals.
The next song is called Bluz Get Away by Stephen Monroe. I love the intro to this song with guitar and hand clapping as it grabs me right away. Stephen has a great voice and a great ability to play guitar and sing as he likes to perform solo. I love the lyrics to this song and the scat near the end.
Smitten and Resigned is a slow blues song by Stephen Monroe with great lyrics. I also love Stephen's voice in this song. Again, this is a solo song played and sung by Stephen. This song has a great ending.
I have covered this next song called Sorry I Lost Control by Stephen Monroe before. It is a great song that demonstrates the blurred lines between styles. It is blues, folk blues, and jazz all at the same time. The lyrics and scat are great in this song. Once again, a great ending.
This next group, Pure Grain, came to me through the mail. I love the creative packaging for this cd as it was wrapped in burlap. Very cool. The first song is Truckin' Song. This song has a great Dobro intro. The lyrics and vocals are
fantastic. I love the shuffle rhythm on this song. The bass and drums are locked up tight throughout. The Dobro break is great. Volume can be an issue for guitar players playing Dobro who like to be on top. Dobro sounds great to me when it is even in the mix such as this song.
Kid N Funk Blues by the group Pure Grain is a great rhythm oriented song with prominent drums and wah guitar. Again, I really like the lyrics and the vocals on this song. The guitar break is very well done and I love the tone. The bass and drums are again very tight.
I hope you will have a chance to check out these talented artists on Blue Muse.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Megastar, Michael Jackson Dead at 50
Michael Jackson was a phenomenally talented individual. Most folks seem to agree that he had some very deeply rooted issues going back perhaps to his childhood. I do not know the whole truth, but I think it is fair to say that he deserves a place among the all time greatest singer/songwriter/performers of all time.
Michael Jackson sold over 750 million titles in his lifetime. This places him in an elite group of entertainers including Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, the Beatles, and much to the surprise of a lot of people, Mariah Caray.
I first remember the Jackson Five when I was maybe 12 years old. I had a few of their 45's including ABC and I'll Be There. I recall hearing two young girls singing I'll Be There in harmony as they walked home from grammar school one day. I did not know them, but they sounded really good to me.
A few years later, I bought a Motown set that had 3 or 4 lps. Those records are long gone, but I think I may have been the only white boy in Georgia who owned this particular set at the time. It had Marvin Gaye, the Jackson Five and the Supremes among many other notable Motown artists of the time. I remember taking the record set to a party at a friends house and putting the records on the stereo. I just remember how the girls at the party seemed to favor this music over the harder rock music. Nonetheless, I was brow beaten into submission by my peers and I no longer shared my facination with this music openly with my friends. I would listen to WRDW Radio (owned by James Brown) in my car when I was alone, but I would quickly switch back to the Top 40 station or my tape deck when friends were around. Nonetheless, it was the beginning of a long journey for me and it all started with the Jackson Five. I bought records by Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix. When I got to college I started a retrospective of listening to blues artists like Muddy Waters, BB King, and Freddie King, a facination that continues today for me. I also still love funk and R&B music. But Michael Jackson's music was mostly dance and pop.
Anyway, many more years passed and I recall listening to Michael Jackson again when his song Billie Jean played at all the dance clubs. I was a lonely guy in a predominately male population at an engineering school, so dancing at the clubs was a way to get within a few feet of a female. I appreciated Michael Jackson, but not to the level of my wonderful wife. She loved Michael Jackson and still does. I admit that I was amazed by his dance moves, the relevance of his music and the shows that were drawing record crowds. This guy had a lot of everything. A great voice, great songs, great moves, and for a while, charm and boyish good looks.
I found out that Anne, my wife, was born in the same hospital as Michael Jackson in Gary, Indiana. My father-in-law loved to tell me that Michael's father, Joe had worked for him at Gary Works, a large steel plant that employed much of Gary's population during the late 50's and early 60's when Anne and Michael were born. I frequently played devil's advocate to Anne's insistance that Michael missed his childhood and was tormented by isolation and success. I would offer examples of his strange behaviors to counter her position, although I believed then and now that she was correct in her assertion. That is, I believe that Michael should have received help very early to deal with the childhood issues and spoils of mega-stardom. He certainly had the financial means to get help. I cannot help but wonder why he did not receive the guidance from friends and family. This story has become all too familiar. A very wealthy entertainer surrounded by sycophants.
We all witnessed a variety of transformations with Michael Jackson after Thriller. His appearance began to change and was seen many times with various veils to cover his face. He told the press that he had a skin disorder, but his skin color began to become much lighter. At some point, Michael indicated that he was teased about the size of his nose. His nose started to get smaller and smaller and his skin around his mouth started to change into a odd shape that reminded me of the cowardly lion on the Wizard of Oz. Perhaps it was no coincidence that Michael once had a role in the musical, The Wiz.
Then it was the children and Michael's insistance that sleeping with small boys was harmless. several allegations were made. The first involved a settlement of $20 million. The second was an undisclosed amount that was negotiated along with a final verdict of innocent. There were also many lawsuits that had no merit and it is not surprising given Michael's reported $500 million net worth during the pinnacle of his career. He made a few very good business decisions during this time, including the purchase of a significant portion of the Beatles song catalog. However, his career began to falter in the mid 90's and his extravagant spending quickly caught up with him. Michael was sometimes spending over a million dollars a day on lavish decorations and art for his home. Of course, everyone knows about the other stories of exorbitant spending including his Neverland ranch, a hyperbaric chamber, and rather large array of exotic live animals. He also attempted to buy the body of The Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick. Perhaps the incident that revealed the most about Michael, however, was dangling a very young son over a balcony in Paris. This was apparently too much for the public to dismiss as many began calling for the removal of the children from Jackson's custody.
Most recently, Michael had planned a comeback tour consisting of 50 shows in London. These shows were recently postponed, despite claims by his publicist that everything was going well. Several reports of various health issues continued to surface, but were somehow muted by a few earlier false incidents. It was to be, in his own words, "the final curtain call". Instead the final curtain call was at his rented mansion in Westwood.
On June 25th at 2:26 pm in Los Angeles, Michael died. The toxicology results of the autopsy are expected very soon, but there is much speculation that Michael's overall health had deteriorated significantly. There are also rumors of Michael abusing prescription drugs. Not many people would be surprised. I think it is interesting that Michael's doctor was at the residence and that someone had placed Christmas wreaths on the iron gates outside the home. However bizarre his life, I think I would like to remember Michael Jackson for his talent rather than his behaviors. It is not my place to judge another human being, so I will leave that up to God. I just hope that Michael is at peace.
Michael Jackson sold over 750 million titles in his lifetime. This places him in an elite group of entertainers including Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, the Beatles, and much to the surprise of a lot of people, Mariah Caray.
I first remember the Jackson Five when I was maybe 12 years old. I had a few of their 45's including ABC and I'll Be There. I recall hearing two young girls singing I'll Be There in harmony as they walked home from grammar school one day. I did not know them, but they sounded really good to me.
A few years later, I bought a Motown set that had 3 or 4 lps. Those records are long gone, but I think I may have been the only white boy in Georgia who owned this particular set at the time. It had Marvin Gaye, the Jackson Five and the Supremes among many other notable Motown artists of the time. I remember taking the record set to a party at a friends house and putting the records on the stereo. I just remember how the girls at the party seemed to favor this music over the harder rock music. Nonetheless, I was brow beaten into submission by my peers and I no longer shared my facination with this music openly with my friends. I would listen to WRDW Radio (owned by James Brown) in my car when I was alone, but I would quickly switch back to the Top 40 station or my tape deck when friends were around. Nonetheless, it was the beginning of a long journey for me and it all started with the Jackson Five. I bought records by Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix. When I got to college I started a retrospective of listening to blues artists like Muddy Waters, BB King, and Freddie King, a facination that continues today for me. I also still love funk and R&B music. But Michael Jackson's music was mostly dance and pop.
Anyway, many more years passed and I recall listening to Michael Jackson again when his song Billie Jean played at all the dance clubs. I was a lonely guy in a predominately male population at an engineering school, so dancing at the clubs was a way to get within a few feet of a female. I appreciated Michael Jackson, but not to the level of my wonderful wife. She loved Michael Jackson and still does. I admit that I was amazed by his dance moves, the relevance of his music and the shows that were drawing record crowds. This guy had a lot of everything. A great voice, great songs, great moves, and for a while, charm and boyish good looks.
I found out that Anne, my wife, was born in the same hospital as Michael Jackson in Gary, Indiana. My father-in-law loved to tell me that Michael's father, Joe had worked for him at Gary Works, a large steel plant that employed much of Gary's population during the late 50's and early 60's when Anne and Michael were born. I frequently played devil's advocate to Anne's insistance that Michael missed his childhood and was tormented by isolation and success. I would offer examples of his strange behaviors to counter her position, although I believed then and now that she was correct in her assertion. That is, I believe that Michael should have received help very early to deal with the childhood issues and spoils of mega-stardom. He certainly had the financial means to get help. I cannot help but wonder why he did not receive the guidance from friends and family. This story has become all too familiar. A very wealthy entertainer surrounded by sycophants.
We all witnessed a variety of transformations with Michael Jackson after Thriller. His appearance began to change and was seen many times with various veils to cover his face. He told the press that he had a skin disorder, but his skin color began to become much lighter. At some point, Michael indicated that he was teased about the size of his nose. His nose started to get smaller and smaller and his skin around his mouth started to change into a odd shape that reminded me of the cowardly lion on the Wizard of Oz. Perhaps it was no coincidence that Michael once had a role in the musical, The Wiz.
Then it was the children and Michael's insistance that sleeping with small boys was harmless. several allegations were made. The first involved a settlement of $20 million. The second was an undisclosed amount that was negotiated along with a final verdict of innocent. There were also many lawsuits that had no merit and it is not surprising given Michael's reported $500 million net worth during the pinnacle of his career. He made a few very good business decisions during this time, including the purchase of a significant portion of the Beatles song catalog. However, his career began to falter in the mid 90's and his extravagant spending quickly caught up with him. Michael was sometimes spending over a million dollars a day on lavish decorations and art for his home. Of course, everyone knows about the other stories of exorbitant spending including his Neverland ranch, a hyperbaric chamber, and rather large array of exotic live animals. He also attempted to buy the body of The Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick. Perhaps the incident that revealed the most about Michael, however, was dangling a very young son over a balcony in Paris. This was apparently too much for the public to dismiss as many began calling for the removal of the children from Jackson's custody.
Most recently, Michael had planned a comeback tour consisting of 50 shows in London. These shows were recently postponed, despite claims by his publicist that everything was going well. Several reports of various health issues continued to surface, but were somehow muted by a few earlier false incidents. It was to be, in his own words, "the final curtain call". Instead the final curtain call was at his rented mansion in Westwood.
On June 25th at 2:26 pm in Los Angeles, Michael died. The toxicology results of the autopsy are expected very soon, but there is much speculation that Michael's overall health had deteriorated significantly. There are also rumors of Michael abusing prescription drugs. Not many people would be surprised. I think it is interesting that Michael's doctor was at the residence and that someone had placed Christmas wreaths on the iron gates outside the home. However bizarre his life, I think I would like to remember Michael Jackson for his talent rather than his behaviors. It is not my place to judge another human being, so I will leave that up to God. I just hope that Michael is at peace.
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