Some time ago, I got so tired of reading about things “slouching towards Bethlehem”, or at least slouching somewheres, that I took upon myself to announce that no one, with the exception of Huckleberry Finn, would be allowed to use that verb, at once so affectedly literary and so uncouth that the poor word was…
Wadada Leo Smith—”Crepuscule with Nellie”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHLtky5Gejk Sorry, no video, just a recording of an 84-year-old man playing Monk on unaccompanied trumpet, from Smith’s new album, Solo: Reflections and Meditations on Monk. Sound a bit austere? Well, maybe. Is his technique less than it was? Yes. Is the full album ever anything less than exceptional? No. Is it for everybody? No,…
Headline o’ the Day
Over at Bloomberg, we read the following “Crock-Pot Maker’s Activist Defense Needs More Cooking”. You’re funny, Mike, you’re funny! You’re a funny man!
Justin Bachman is confused
Over at Bloomberg, Justin Bachman is confused. *What Keeps the B-52 ‘Stratosaurus’ Airborne?” he wonders. “The Air Force says it sees a mission for the 1950s-era bomber until 2050. How can that be?” I’ll tell you how, Justin, or rather why. Because our other bombers—our “new” bombers, the B-1 and B-2—are crap, that’s why. Worst…
Rob who? Stormy who? Bennie who?
Want to read about that whole Rob Porter thing? You know, that White House dude whose two ex-wives accused him of abusive behavior, whose ex-girl friend claimed was receiving special treatment because he was “dating” White House babe/communications director Hope Hicks.1 Or how about Stormy Daniels, the porno star who received a $130,000 payment “facilitated”…
Wynton Marsalis—”Four In One”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPod_NTC1Yk Wynton Marsalis, trumpet; Wycliffe Gordon, trombone; Wes Anderson, alto/soprano sax; Victor Goines, tenor sax; Danillo Perez, piano; Ben Wolfe, bass; Herlin Riley, drums. Warsaw, 1994. Posted by Austin Casey Need more Monk? Yes, you do. Go to Mostly Monk and continue your education.
Fred Kaplan: So sadly so right
I blow hot and cold on old Fred Kaplan, who hangs his hat at Slate, most recently, cold, when Fred waxed hot, announcing that “America’s retreat from the world under Trump has shown why we’re still the indispensable nation”1, vaguely claiming that all the world is crying out for American “leadership” to solve all their…
Chick Corea & Gary Burton—“Four In One”
Wikipedia tells me this Monk composition is based on the old "good time" tune "Has Anyone Seen My Gal", which contains the lines "Five foot two, eyes of blue", and hence "Four In One". Posted by LOFT music, Munich Piano Summer Festival, 1997. Need more Monk? Yes, you do. Go to Mostly Monk and continue…
Ramesh Ponnuru, suffering a failure of nerve
I often visit the website of the National Review, to find out what “responsible conservatives” are thinking, one of the most responsible (usually) being Ramesh Ponnuru, though Ramesh, I’m sad to report, while once a fairly stout Never-Trumper, has been sliding slowly into the slough of hemi-demi-semi Never-Trumpism, where, like misery, he enjoys company. NR…
Why the Nunes memo totally sucks
If you’re looking for good taste, forget it. This blog is not for the faint of heart: others offer you candy pills; Literature R Us supplies the real dope,1 The memo issued by House Intelligence Committee Chair Devin Nunes attacks the Department of Justice and the FBI for obtaining a warrant under the Federal Intelligence…