Talk about 'Gonzo'. . .

. . . sixty four years ago this month a little-known eccentric, introverted pianist walked into the young Blue Note record label's New York studios to make his first solo recordings.

Thelonious Monk may not have been officially or popularly described as 'Gonzo', but what better descriptive to convey the esoteric, cerebral, attractive and (some say) sexy music that he conceived and performed. Monk and Duke Ellington hold the distinction of being the 'most recorded' of jazz composers. Ellington's compositions numbered about 1,000. Monk wrote 70 tunes. Truly an original, even the beret and sunglasses of the beboppers' wardrobe were originated by Monk.

From Wikipedia. . . "At the time of his signing to Riverside, Monk was highly regarded by his peers and by some critics, but his records did not sell in significant numbers, and his music was still regarded as too "difficult" for mass-market acceptance. Indeed, with Monk's consent, Riverside had managed to buy out his previous Prestige contract for a mere $108.24. He willingly recorded two albums of jazz standards as a means of increasing his profile. The first of these, Thelonious Monk Plays the Music of Duke Ellington, featuring bass innovator Oscar Pettiford and drummer Kenny Clarke, included Ellington pieces "Caravan" and "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)".

On the 1956 LP Brilliant Corners, Monk recorded his own music. The complex title track, which featured tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, was so difficult to play that the final version had to be edited together from multiple takes. The album, however, was largely regarded as the first success for Monk; according to Orrin Keepnews, "It was the first that made a real splash.""

Monk was one of my original portals into bebop and jazz. The reason, I now think after many years of additional perspective, that his music compelled me so, was what I perceived to be its similarity to much of the progressive, 'art' rock in which I was so interested at the time, with it's unusual angles, unique accents, unbounded energy, incessant rhythm and sheer magnetism. Truly great music.




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Or would you rather be. . .

. . . a giraffe?

(from mentalfloss.com)
"The male giraffe determines a female's fertility by tasting her urine. If it passes the taste test, the courtship continues."

Or would you rather be a mule?
A mule is an animal with long, funny ears
He kicks up at anything he hears
His back is brawny and his brain is weak
He's just plain stupid with a stubborn streak
And, by the way, if you hate to go to school
You may grow up to be a mule

Or would you like to swing on a star?
Carry moonbeams home in a jar?
And be better off than you are?
Or would you rather be a pig?

A pig is an animal with dirt on his face
His shoes are a terrible disgrace
He's got no manners when he eats his food
He's fat and lazy and extremely rude
But if you don't care a feather or a fig
You may grow up to be a pig

Or would you rather be a fish?
A fish won't do anything but swim in a brook
He can't write his name or read a book
To fool all the people is his only thought
Though he's slippery, he still gets caught
But then if that sort of life is what you wish
You may grow up to be a fish

And all the monkeys aren't in a zoo
Every day you meet quite a few
So you see, it's all up to you
You can be better than you are

You could be swingin' on a star

[by Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen,
controlled by Music Sales Group
and the Bourne company]

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_the_song_Swinging_on_a_Star_copyright_free#ixzz1ad7tQi5c





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In your neighborhood right now. . .

. . . failed jobs bill; political posturing, hunger in Somalia, assassination plots, inaction in Congress, youth protesting Wall Street and the astronomically rich, debating dittoheads, domestic violence, bombings in Baghdad, hurricanes in Mexico, computer hacking, former European PMs going to jail, radical tax plan from a Republican, Tigers beating Texas. . .

How about a song?



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Rockin' circa 1975 . . .

Charisma must have run in Jeff and Jay's family, as Jay possessed possibly even more of it than his younger, drummer brother. Jay somehow was more in control of the charisma with a certain maturity added to it, along with additional self-confidence that may have been attributable to his age or possibly to a more balanced chemical composition. Similar as they would appear to be from my description here, they were actually quite different from each other in reality. But the musical combination radically changed the performances of Ful Treatment much for the better. Jay rocked. [And still does, by the way.] And following his lead, Ful Treatment rocked as well, at least on some of our repertoire, which at the time included 'You Really Got Me', 'Wild Thing', 'Needles and Pins' 'Twist and Shout', 'Hello It's Me' and 'Heat Wave'




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Now's the time. . .

. . . for a smart and savvy politician to step up and say, "These Wall Street protesters are correct" - Simply because THEY ARE. I don't think many people would argue that the housing bubble-burst and the financial meltdown were the result of excessive GREED on the part of those in a position to exhibit increasingly large amounts of GREED - OOOORRRR - show some RESTRAINT with regards to their POCKETBOOKS and simply accept a SMALLER PROFIT (or at least remain satisfied to cover costs) IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE NATION!!

from WBAL-TV, Baltimore...
"President Barack Obama discussed the growing movement, saying demonstrators "are giving voice to a more broad-based frustration about how our financial system works."

Speaking at a White House news conference, Obama also defended the country's financial sector, which has taken the brunt of protesters' criticism, focusing on Wall Street and its regulators' purported role in expanding economic disparities.

"We have to have a strong, effective financial sector in order for us to grow," the president said.

Still, Obama discussed a need to pursue action aimed at improving government oversight and blamed Republican lawmakers for obstructing financial reforms.

Friday marked the 21st day of the grass-roots Wall Street protests.

Demonstrations have erupted in more than a dozen cities throughout the week, ranging from thousands who marched in lower Manhattan Wednesday after receiving support from local unions, to the dozens of college students who staged walkouts at various college campuses.

The movement started in New York and some of the protests there have been marred by scuffles with police.

New York authorities set up at least one vehicle checkpoint as police appeared in larger numbers throughout the financial district Thursday and established a perimeter around Zuccotti Park, which is considered a rallying point for the largely leaderless movement in that city.

"We hope that our message continues to resonate with everyone who has felt disenfranchised by the current state of our country," said Tyler Combelic, a spokesman for the Occupy Wall Street group."




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The nose may be pleasant. . .

. . . but if you still like it AFTER the finish, regardless of HOW long it lingers, then you will remember it fondly.

Hints of apricot, citrus, petrol, pears and apples on the nose. Crisp and bright; fruity and light with a long, lingering honey finish.

Or notes of blackberry, with cherry, leather and plum with a butterscotch finish.

All delightful, most of very high quality and many downright outstanding winning one prize or another. . .





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When it's all over. . .

. . . a dessert wine may be in order to accompany the final course. Lest there be confusion when considering wines of a "less dry" nature, please consider. . .

Merriam Webster.com says. . .
"Definition of APERITIF
: an alcoholic drink taken before a meal as an appetizer
See aperitif defined for English-language learners »
Examples of APERITIF

1. They served us champagne as an aperitif.

Origin of APERITIF
French apéritif aperient, aperitif, from Middle French aperitif, adjective, aperient, from Medieval Latin aperitivus, irregular from Latin aperire
First Known Use: 1894"

AND. . .

"des·sert
noun \di-ˈzərt\
Definition of DESSERT
1
: a usually sweet course or dish (as of pastry or ice cream) usually served at the end of a meal
2
British : a fresh fruit served after a sweet course"

DO NOT CONFUSE THE TWO!!!




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