And When ....

When was the last time you licked a spoon?

When was the last time you gave to charity?

When was the last time you cursed or swore at somebody?

Good Night

Good Morning

Book 63 - Ron David "Jazz for Beginners"

Ron David "Jazz for Beginners" (Writers & Readers)



It's a graphic comic style paperback and it is funny. It also takes the subject by the horn(s). The passion of this music needs a voice that understands that you cannot build the house of jazz history with the master's tools...so it takes a different approach to the history, one that uses the "for beginners" form as a way of talking politics. That makes this volume essential for a basic understanding of what is at stake in the history of jazz. He sprinkles quotations from jazz critics, musicians, magazines, record jackets and other jazz books on virtually every page, lending an interesting and eclectic format to his narrative; we get historical fact mixed with fiction, contemporary perspectives ultimately have been inaccurate like, "Bebop has set music back 20 years". There are many moments of profound insight, deeply personal observations from the author and the musicians who created the music, as well as those who participate in its ongoing evolution. This is a book for serious musicians, for open-minded individuals who seek knowledge and intellectual stimulation. Most importantly, this book is for those who strive to understand human beings as they struggle to survive and grow. Jazz is a music that, for so many, provides a means for self-expression, an outlet for the intense pain they feel. This book graphically and poignantly depicts their heroic effort.


There are books with greater depth on the subject but this is a fine primer.

Keep Smiling

Book 64 - Walter Benjamin "Illuminations"

Walter Benjamin "Illuminations" (Pimlico)





This book is a valuable collection of essays and reflections by the German literary and cultural critic Walter Benjamin. The collection is enhanced by the excellent introduction provided by Hannah Arendt. Of the ten essays in the collection by far, the most famous is The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. In this essay, Benjamin discusses the impact of mechanical reproduction through photography and film on the nature of works of art, even so far as to shape the design of new works. From comments on the "authenticity" of a work of art to the nature of the "masses" views of art, this essay encompasses a wide range of ideas. As far as I am aware he is the only critic I know who could cross the mined landscape between mysticism and materialism and make you believe literature is the high wire that connects the two.



My favourite essay of the collection, however, is Unpacking My Library - a personal excursion into the life of a book collector and how each book intersects with one's life and affects the direction of that life. With other essays on Kafka, Proust and Baudelaire this collection is one of my favourites - one to which I return from time to time.

Just Wondering ....

What is the most loving thing you have ever done for yourself?

What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done in your life?

Who is your favourite historical figure?

Good Night