At some point a couple years or so ago, I decided to write the occasional "Review in Brief," reviews that were intended to be slightly less wordy than a full-on review. Well, fast-forward a couple years, and just like small cars inevitably become midsize sedans (Toyota Corolla, I'm lookin' at you), the only thing brief about my reviews in brief is, well, the time they were brief.
So I'm going to try to write micro-reviews occasionally. Not those 75-word reviews they make you write for magazines (those are not much fun to write), but much shorter than the 500-word or more reviews I end up writing. Call 'em "Itty Bitty Reviews."
(And, yeah, I think microeconomics rocks and macro... well, macro just puts me to sleep usually. There goes my shot at ever becoming Treasury Secretary, I think.)
Beauty, Art, and the L'Enfant Metro Stop
Someone recently drew my attention to a 2007 article in the Washington Post -- written by Gene Weingarten, it recounts what happened when world-famous violinist Joshua Bell busked for 43 minutes in DC's L'Enfant Metro station. I think I have some vague memory of this, but I clearly never read the whole thing 'til recently.
There are so, so many reasons why the article is worth your time; this small selection is just one of many nuggets from the article, about one of the few passerbys that stopped to listen:
When Picarello was growing up in New York, he studied violin seriously, intending to be a concert musician. But he gave it up at 18, when he decided he'd never be good enough to make it pay. Life does that to you sometimes. Sometimes, you have to do the prudent thing. So he went into another line of work. He's a supervisor at the U.S. Postal Service. Doesn't play the violin much, anymore.... Does he have regrets about how things worked out? The postal supervisor considers this. "No. If you love something but choose not to do it professionally, it's not a waste. Because, you know, you still have it. You have it forever."The article was incredibly popular, not to mention well-received -- it won the author a Pulitzer Prize. If you skim through the chat Weingarten hosted after the article came out (note: if you think the article is long, just wait 'til you read the chat), there are some negative comments, but I'm much more in the "criers" camp. I didn't actually cry, but the idea that beauty is all around us, every day, and it's hard for us to notice it sometimes struck home. ("A thing of beauty is a joy forever. My man John Keats said that!") As did the idea that performing music, at whatever skill level, is a lifelong gift. As did the idea that I've been through more than my fair share of Metro stops in my life. Oh, and I still play the violin (very rarely). I'll stop babbling. Go read. If you'd rather watch video (cant' seem to get the Post's unedited clips to work), here's a small (edited) clip...
Review in Brief: Long John - Johnny Keener
I suppose Portland, Oregon-based Johnny Keener could do worse than taking the path Elizabeth Mitchell has blazed before him -- one part covers of old tunes, one part covers of new tunes, add a pinch of original stuff, stir gently. With a mix of rockabilly, blues, and modern pop, Keener further refines the gentle formula above, originally outlined on his debut Elephants Over the Fence (review).
What's new is the presence of a kids chorus on several tracks. At its best, the chorus enlivens old tunes, even giving Apples in Stereo's already-awesome "Energy" a tweaking that makes it a great kids' song. Keener's call-and-response with the kids on the title track shows off the chops he's honed at the Portland Children's Museum -- Ella Jenkins would be proud. (I also like the kids on Keener's original "Run Around.") The sound is perhaps a little fuller than the first CD, but there's nothing particularly fancy.
Which gets back to how things haven't changed. There's still some nifty guitar work (check out Keener's bluesy take on "The Cat Came Back") and covers that seem odd but make perfect sense (Cat Stevens' "If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out.") The album isn't perfect -- Keener's cover of John Fogerty's "Down on the Corner" doesn't add much to the CCR original, and I'd like to officially put a moratorium on covers of "Three Little Birds" -- but it gets the job done. Oh, and the album packaging is one of the niftiest of the year, a simple yet elegant cardboard envelope.
Kids aged 2 through 6 will most appreciate the 25-minute disk, from which you can hear samples at its CDBaby page. Long John shows an artist maturing in his kids music vision, and it's a well-done collection of Americana-influenced tracks young and old. Recommended.Contest: Win Tickets to Dan Zanes' Holiday House Party!
If you've been reading your Dan Zanes newsletters (and, really, why aren't you?), you know that Dan Zanes has announced his Holiday House Party set of concerts. He's going to San Francisco Nov. 29/30; Davis, CA Dec. 2; and Seattle Dec. 6/7 before heading back to New York City for a long run at the New Victory Theatre Dec. 19 through Jan. 4.
For those of you who haven't been reading the e-mails, let's let the folks at Festival Five describe it...Take a seat in the theatrical living room of Grammy winners Dan Zanes and Friends, America’s premier family music band, for a 21st century all-ages holiday celebration. If you feel that the festivities of the season are incomplete without disco Hanukkah rave-ups, raucous Arabic worship songs, a Korean new years anthem, high octane Mexican fiddling, tap dancing, shadow puppetry, snow, laughter, and the occasional Christmas carol, than this is your party. Everyone is invited and now that includes you. The New York Times says “concerts by Dan Zanes are always a cause for celebration” and the Holiday House Party may just be the wildest concert of them all.Now, I know what you're saying, you're saying, Stefan, how am I supposed to believe the hype? (I'm personally most interested in the Korean new years anthem. I'm totally serious.) Well, thanks to Festival Five, we here at Zooglobble are happy to give away a set of 4 tickets to one show in each of San Francisco (Sunday Nov. 30th @ 5 pm), Seattle (Sunday Dec. 7th @ 4 pm), and Nueva York City (Wednesday Dec. 31st @ noon) for you, loyal readers. How, you might ask?
You'll Be Spinning (Lunch Money): "Dizzy" Track Listing
A Fids and Kamily voter told me that 2008 "might've been the best year yet for kids-music album art," and while I'm inclined to agree, 2009 looks like it might be even better.
I told you before about Brandon Reese and his nascent career as a kids music illustrator.
Well, it continues as he's posted all his artwork for the new album Dizzy (OK, they didn't take any of your suggestions), set for official release in January by Lunch Money.
Woo. Hoo.
The album cover is here (with Molly's permission.) Go here to see all the details -- sketches, etc.
And, yes, Brandon, you did do them right.
Track listing follows..."Glycerine" Is Really A Kids Song: Gavin Rossdale on "Rock Star Dads"
OK, not really.
Gavin Rossdale, the former lead singer for Bush, who's now a solo artist and parent with Gwen Stefani, chatted with NPR's Rob Sachs on being a "rock star dad." Best quote: When Sachs asks Rossdale what he does when his son asks about the dicier lyrics in his tunes, he says "sometimes I'll tell him in Spanish."
I'm amused mostly by the idea that "what music would you play for your kids" is a decision that is somehow dangerous enough that it's for a blog devoted to "life's most trying dilemmas, but not those life-or-death dilemmas, more the quandaries we face every day... the personal territory others fear to tread."
Um, not really. I spend a lot of time thinking and listening to kids music and music with kids, but it's not something worth overthinking for, like, the rest of the world. Not to mention pretty easy.
