http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/ Musings on music, culture, technology and history. en-US Sun, 14 Mar 2010 08:48:26 -0400 http://www.typepad.com/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification noMusings on music, culture, technology and history. http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/03/right-wing-texas-education-massacre-is-just-the-beginning.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/03/right-wing-texas-education-massacre-is-just-the-beginning.html So many are shocked this weekend by news that a group of right-wingers have taken the Texas education system hostage by demanding their dogmatic drivel replace history in textbooks. Wake up, folks! Such a rewrite of actual history has been going since our nation was founded. In fact, U.S. history has always been written by the rich and powerful who want to shape events to their liking. Sad to say you never got the truth in school. It was mostly propaganda! When I was growing up in South Carolina, a place that can match Texas any day with right-wing nutcases, the state-approved history textbook actually said that blacks were prohibited from working in textile mills because the machinery lulled them to sleep. No kidding! Of course, the reason blacks weren’t hired was racism, but the South Carolina textbook couldn’t admit the mill owners were racists, could they? The ultraconservatives in Texas wielded their power over hundreds of subjects this week, introducing and rejecting amendments on everything from the civil rights movement to global politics. It was whitewashing as usual. Howard Zinn, the late historian, made an alternative history available to everyone and it’s now available to teachers who dare to... Books Current Affairs Film History Music Politics Television Frank Beacham Sun, 14 Mar 2010 08:48:26 -0400 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/03/maydie-myles-brings-amazing-authenticity-to-rb-vocals.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/03/maydie-myles-brings-amazing-authenticity-to-rb-vocals.html When I grew up in the deep South, I always knew there was something special about the gospel music in black churches. In later years, while a reporter covering the civil rights movement in Mississippi, I marveled at how the rousing music in black churches aligned so perfectly with actions of the protesters. I love the sound and can still listen to that music for hours at a time. I was slow, but I came to understand that gospel music formed the roots of the blues, and the blues is the basis for rock ’n roll. This is why it was such a pleasure to hear Maydie Myles sing this week. She’s the real thing—a genuine product of the black church that formed the background for her to perform the music that she was born to sing. She got started in a church pastured by her own father in Norfolk, Virginia by playing piano at age six. By age 11, she was singing gospel music. By 14, the pressure was on for her to turn professional. Like so many young performers from the church, her parents wanted her to perform only gospel music. Maydie loved rhythm and blues, and sneaked... History Music Frank Beacham Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:32:24 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/03/what-where-they-thinking-library-tosses-rare-vinyl-record-collection.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/03/what-where-they-thinking-library-tosses-rare-vinyl-record-collection.html In a remarkably sad story, the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library in Tennessee has sold its collection of rare vinyl record albums for $1 a piece. Some of the vinyl was valued at a thousand times as much. The library staff was obviously clueless of its value. From the library, Chad Bledsoe, owner of Chad's Records in Chattanooga, bought a rare collection compiled by Library of Congress Folk Life Center archivist Richard K. Spottswood in 1976 for the Bicentennial. For only $13, he got a collection of American Folk music from the 1920's, 30's and 40's that inspired the best country, blues and rock musicians decades later. On Amazon, the same collection is now valued at $1500! Each album in the set has it's own theme and title like War & History, Complaints & Protest, Migration and Immigration and Songs of Childhood. "It's definitely a one-of-a-kind find because I guess the only sets are in libraries," Bledsoe said. Bledsoe's 13-record set came from the now-empty shelves of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library, where the vinyl was tossed out like yesterday's trash. Friends of the Library were selling the records through March 2 for a dollar each in the center of Northgate... Art Current Affairs History Music Frank Beacham Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:16:20 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/02/tony-garnier-on-his-trip-to-the-white-house.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/02/tony-garnier-on-his-trip-to-the-white-house.html Tony Garnier, fresh from a performance at the White House last week playing bass for Bob Dylan, did a second gig for Jonny Rosch and friends at the P&G Bar in New York City on Tuesday night. Garnier, who is about to go on tour with Dylan, said the White House performance was one of the highlights of his career while performing around the world with Dylan. He was behind Dylan as he shook hands with President Obama and then met the President himself. Garnier said he not only shook hands with the President and the First Lady, but found himself shaking hands with to both Malia and Sasha. However, he forgot to shake hands with Vice President Joe Biden who he said “was only three feet away.” Garnier said he hoped to get a picture shaking hands with the President but had not contacted the White House about getting one. Dylan’s bass player and music director said he, the pianist and Dylan did a sound check of The Times They Are a Changin' earlier but didn’t see any reason to stay in the White House to wait for the performance. So, he said, they went back to their hotel... Current Affairs History Music Television Frank Beacham Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:35:22 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/02/south-carolinas-shame-is-bright-on-black-history-month.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/02/south-carolinas-shame-is-bright-on-black-history-month.html As a native of South Carolina, it’s always interesting to me how many people mix up the two states of North and South Carolina. On Black History Month in 2010, there’s often praise for how Greensboro, North Carolina turned an old Woolworth’s lunch counter, the home of a black sit-in 50 years ago, into a civil rights museum. It often leads to a conversation of how much the South has changed. Unfortunately, in the area of civil rights, major differences remain between the two states. North Carolina is far more progressive than South Carolina. The people of North Carolina are better educated and led by far better politicians. In South Carolina, a confederate flag still flies daily in front of the State House on government-owned property. In a 1999 television interview on CBS Sunday Morning, State Sen. Robert Ford reminded flag opponents that they weren’t going to resolve the issue with a barrel over the heads of the “white men” in the state. “These white men in South Carolina in 1861 started a civil war that lasted five years without a navy, army, air force or marine, because somebody was trying to tell them what to do... This is not... Current Affairs History Politics Frank Beacham Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:10:41 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/02/a-miracle-on-78th-street-and-columbus-avenue-.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/02/a-miracle-on-78th-street-and-columbus-avenue-.html The best music in New York City today happens in small clubs when the world’s greatest musicians take a night off from their big ticket gigs and jam for fun. I’ve written several times before about the P&G Bar on 78th and Columbus Ave. in NYC, where on most Tuesdays Jonny Rosch assembles a group of his musical friends. Last night, however, was truly exceptional. As a non-musician, I’m always amazed when a group of people who have never played together walk into a room and, completely unrehearsed, do a set that almost lights the place on fire. Last night, Oz Noy, one of the world’s great guitarists, joined Robby Ameen on drums, Ron Jenkins on bass and Dan Cipriano on sax in Rosch’s ensemble. It was explosive—one of the best jam sessions I’ve ever witnessed. Oz Noy is a top flight guitarist who has played with musicians ranging from Cyndi Lauper to Harry Belafonte. He is among the very best. Everyone should hear him. Enough said. Robby Ameen is an aggressive drummer that cannot be ignored. At the P&G, he destroyed a drum head and another was sought late at night. It didn’t slow him down for a second.... Music Frank Beacham Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:49:48 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/02/al-kooper-rocks-new-york-city-on-his-66th-birthday.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/02/al-kooper-rocks-new-york-city-on-his-66th-birthday.html Al Kooper has made rock history a hundred times over and had absolutely nothing to lose by telling noisy fans behind him to “shut the fuck up.” It was a vintage, endearing Kooper moment from a man who has been around so long he remembers the time when audiences actually kept their mouths shut and listened to the songs. Now, at 66, Kooper celebrated his birthday at B.B. Kings Club in New York City on Friday night with some old friends and great music. The weather forecasters had predicted a huge snowstorm and Kooper figured no more than a couple of hundred people would attend. He was wrong—the 500-seat club was sold out (and the snow didn’t come.) Danny Kalb, the founder of the Blues Project, was the first guest. Kooper, a member of that seminal group, played the vintage blues with Kalb, whose singing and guitar playing were first rate. Kooper and Kalb still make a great fit after all these years. Then came a Kooper discovery—a woman he had met when he interviewed her for a newspaper on the day she opened for Keb’ Mo.’ Kristina Train, he said, reminded him of the 60s-era British singer Dusty Springfield,... Music Frank Beacham Sat, 06 Feb 2010 07:01:00 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/01/howard-zinn-the-peoples-historian-dies-at-87.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/01/howard-zinn-the-peoples-historian-dies-at-87.html Many historians are essentially paid hacks who write “history” to favor the rich and powerful. Unfortunately, these magicians with the facts have skewed our nation’s history books and the perceptions of events for millions of Americans. Then there was Howard Zinn, the author, teacher and political activist whose book—A People’s History of the United States—became a million-selling alternative to mainstream texts. Zinn wrote history from the viewpoint of ordinary people, not the wealthy elite. A People's History was published in 1980 with little promotion and a first printing of only 5,000 copies. By 2003, it had sold over a million copies. Adopted by individual teachers against the wishes of the establishment, the book now is taught in high schools and colleges throughout the country. Howard Zinn last May at the 92nd St. Y. Photo by Frank Beacham --- Needless to say that Howard Zinn had enemies among mainstream historians. Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. once said: “I know he regards me as a dangerous reactionary. And I don’t take him very seriously. He’s a polemicist, not a historian.” Others had much harsher things to saw. However, Howard Zinn acknowledged that he was not trying to write objective history, and saw A... Books Current Affairs History Politics Frank Beacham Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:16:52 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/01/beat-poet-gary-snyder-writes-ode-to-the-macintosh.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/01/beat-poet-gary-snyder-writes-ode-to-the-macintosh.html Since reading Jack Kerouac’s On the Road as a kid, I've always loved the beat poets and their literature. One of my favorites has always been Gary Snyder. In 1975, at the moment he won the Pulitzer Prize for his great book of poems, Turtle Island, I was driving Snyder, Michael McClure and Allen Ginsberg around Gainesville, Florida during a visit there. This led to a lifetime of great relationships and wonderful poetry. Gary Snyder in 1975 in Gainesville, Florida. Photo by Frank Beacham --- It was a real surprise this morning to wake up to Gary's new poem, Why I Take Good Care of My Macintosh in the New York Times. It seems a Times reporter found Snyder, who lives in the Sierra foothills in Northern California, and asked him to reflect on the digital age. Since Snyder normally writes about nature, this was quite a stretch. Like myself, Snyder is an avid user of Apple's Macintosh laptop. Snyder, now 79, who doesn’t have a mobile phone and considers texting “abhorrent,” said he loved his Mac. “I like the storage space it has,” he told the Times, “and I like the ability to have back files accessible to me... Art Books Current Affairs Web/Tech Frank Beacham Sat, 23 Jan 2010 07:58:59 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/01/a-very-sad-story-of-todays-television-media.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/01/a-very-sad-story-of-todays-television-media.html As a former television news reporter, I’m always bashing those gutless, blow-dryed wannbees in the modern version of television news who stand for and report nothing. But it’s very rare to see it played out on video in such blatant form. So it's with glee that I present this amazing story. In this YouTube video, one reporter, who should be celebrated, stands up to not only the University of Tennessee’s athletic PR hack, but to those in his own profession who bow down and roll over to anything the University wants. The hero here is Bill Shory, news director at WBIR-TV in Knoxville. It’s at a press conference when Lane Kiffin, the coach of the University’s Volunteers, is about to resign. The school proposes a “pre-presser” that will be done off camera, and then the news photographers can turn their cameras on. Shory said no. This is a public university in a public building and there are to be no secrets, he declared. One would think his media colleagues would agree with Shory, but they don’t. They support the side of university against their own interests and nearly shout Shory down. This video is typical of the milquetoast media operating... Current Affairs Photography Sports Television TV News Frank Beacham Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:20:31 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/01/privacy-is-lost-in-the-age-of-social-media.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/01/privacy-is-lost-in-the-age-of-social-media.html As I have tried to reinvent myself in this age of social media, one change I’ve noticed is especially striking. People, both young and old, are giving away their privacy online more than ever before. Sadly, they don’t seem to know or care about it. I’m included—but not willingly. If I google myself, it’s horrifying. I find stuff I wrote years ago that I had long forgotten. It’s also disconcerting to read one of your own articles when searching for new information about a subject. Nothing, and I mean nothing, goes unnoticed on the Internet. Facebook, growing like a virus on a rampage, is especially scary. One gets “friends” on Facebook—lots of friends. I get people who I’ve never heard of requesting to be my friend. I approve them all because I view Facebook as a marketing tool for a writer such as myself. Yet, many users of Facebook don’t see it this way. They blurt out anything on any subject, forgetting that they are broadcasting drivel to everyone on their “friends list.” I don’t know whether it’s loneliness, or just a way to be more social. But many folks don’t realize they are leaving permanent digital track marks on... Current Affairs Photography Politics Web/Tech Frank Beacham Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:55:55 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/01/my-dinner-with-andrenow-30-years-oldwas-a-great-cinematic-experiment-that-wasnt-suppose-to-work.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2010/01/my-dinner-with-andrenow-30-years-oldwas-a-great-cinematic-experiment-that-wasnt-suppose-to-work.html Thirty years ago, playwright-actor Wally Shawn sat down for dinner with Andre Gregory, the New York theatre director, and cinematic history was made. It was a “talkie” shot on low-budget 16mm film that no one—except the filmmakers—believed in. That included most of the family and friends of Shawn and Gregory. But after a tense six weeks of poor box office and scathing reviews by mainstream media outlets, the then new TV critics—Siskel and Ebert—gave My Dinner with Andre a thumbs-up. At that moment, the film’s box office took off. The two old friends and theatrical colleagues watched their work at the Walter Reade Theatre at Lincoln Center this week for the first time in a decade. It was part of a tribute to the life of the late Louis Malle, who directed the film. After the screening, both men marveled at how much the world had changed in the past 30 years. The project was proposed by Shawn, who wanted to tell the story in a TV film of Andre’s fantastical journey of enlightenment to Poland at the invitation of Jerzy Grotowski. The pair met for weeks—talking into a tape recorder—as Gregory told the tale and Shawn reacted. They then... Art Film Politics Frank Beacham Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:19:14 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/a-real-new-years-resolution.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/a-real-new-years-resolution.html If you’re anything like me, you are fed up with our government’s response to Big Banks and Wall Street during the past year’s financial crisis. President Obama made promises to get tough with these institutions, but they haven’t been kept. It is clear to me that members of Congress from both political parties are corrupt to the core. Nothing will be done by the federal government when it comes to reigning in big business. I read in the Huffington Post a great idea that ordinary people can do to really hurt the Big Banks. As a New Year’s resolution, people would simply move their money from any checking, savings or other kinds of accounts at the Big Banks to smaller community banks. It’s an idea elegant in its simplicity that, if it catches on, could cause some serious pain to these “too big to fail” banks that long ago quit serving the people. If everyone did something as simple as switch their bank accounts away from these major banks it would be an act that no amount of lobbying or government intervention could stop. Congress and the administration would be left scratching their collective heads. The “Move Your Money” folks... Art Current Affairs History Politics Frank Beacham Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:40:33 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/merry-christmas-to-all.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/merry-christmas-to-all.html To all the readers of these missives, I wish you a Happy Year! It has been a year of discovery and reinvention for me—a time that I’m sure will be better to revisit from the future than it was to live through. Cheers to all the adventures of 2009! I hope the future will be a bit brighter for all of us. Current Affairs Frank Beacham Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:50:21 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/orson-welles-and-his-brief-passionate-love-affair-with-the-betacam.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/orson-welles-and-his-brief-passionate-love-affair-with-the-betacam.html Sometimes the journeys we take through this life begin and end in the most unexpected ways. That happened to me in January, 1985, when the phone rang and the caller announced he was Orson Welles and he wanted to have lunch with me. Thus began one of the most extraordinary adventures of my life. Read the full story Art Film Web/Tech Frank Beacham Mon, 21 Dec 2009 07:47:00 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/my-entry.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/my-entry.html On Friday morning, a genuine irony occurred at the Chiquola Mill in my hometown of Honea Path, South Carolina. A warehouse next door to the mill caught fire—presumably the work of an arsonist or homeless person trying to keep warm—and four area fire departments were called out to save the "historic" mill. The firemen were successful in saving what the town is trying to destroy. You see, Chiquola Mill was the site of the 1934 killing of seven mill workers during the Textile Strike of 1934. My grandfather ran the mill in those days and was responsible for the killings. (Click here for the account in my book,"Whitewash.") It is one of the last mill villages left and most certainly one of the most historic in the United States. A restoration could put Honea Path on the map. That's not just from me, but from consultants who have advised the town. Yet, the town of Honea Path won't try to save the mill. Despite the fact the dispatched firemen alone probably cost more than it would to buy the mill, it's currently in a state a demolition. The only reason it still stands today is the poor economy has slowed... Current Affairs History Frank Beacham Sat, 19 Dec 2009 15:25:00 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/harlem-parlour-music-club-conjures-unique-sounds-for-christmas-show.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/harlem-parlour-music-club-conjures-unique-sounds-for-christmas-show.html I brought a friend to the Harlem Parlour Music Club’s Christmas Show who doesn’t usually like the blues, bluegrass or country music, and would have never entered in the building if I had mouthed the words “mountain music.” Yet her verdict on the concert: probably the best band I’ve ever taken her to see. (And this includes Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and lot of other really big names.) I don’t know exactly how they do it, but the musicians in the HPMC—who decidedly have a mountain-country-bluegrass flavor with lots of stringed instruments—adds a level of New York sophistication that makes the music sound….well different. White Christmas, performed by Allison Cornell, is a good example. Using only a fiddle with the vocal, it’s arrangement was a totally unique, fresh and new version of an old song that everyone knows. She credits this arrangement to David Mansfield, a great dobro, mandolin, violin and pedal steel player, who worked on Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue. The Harlem Parlour Music Club performed songs from their new Christmas CD last night at the Village Underground. The musicians in the group don’t normally play this kind of music. The gig is strictly for fun and their... Music Frank Beacham Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:48:11 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/jack-cooke-lived-the-old-weird-america-through-his-music.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/jack-cooke-lived-the-old-weird-america-through-his-music.html I was sad to learn of the recent death of Jack Cooke, the great bluegrass musician who played with both Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers, and worked as a driver for Dock Boggs, the master of American murder ballads. Fortunately, I met and had an interesting conversation with Cooke several years ago when he played with Ralph Stanley at B.B. Kings Club in April, 2005 in New York City. Cooke was weary from years on the road and told me he’d like to retire but couldn’t afford to. He worked until illness forced him to retire at age 72 earlier this year. As a young man, Cooke grew up in Norton, Virginia, the same town as distant relative Dock Boggs. Jack drove Boggs around in his later years. As a teenager, Jack took up the guitar, and—in 1955—joined the Clinch Mountain Boys, the band for the Stanley Brothers. A year later, Cook left to join Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys. In 1970, he rejoined the Clinch Mountain Boys as bassest and stayed until the end. Through his association with two of the world’s great bluegrass bands, Cooke became one of the masters of the genre. As anyone knows who... Music Frank Beacham Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:07:33 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/david-ippolito-company-play-new-york-citys-merkin-hall.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/david-ippolito-company-play-new-york-citys-merkin-hall.html David Ippolito, the guitar man from Central Park, assembled a terrific ensemble of musicians for his annual year-end concert last night at the Merkin Concert Hall. One of the most successful “street musicians” working today, David has parlayed free summer concerts in Central Park into eight CDs and a very loyal audience. In a way, he’s the epitome of the modern independent musician who astutely uses the Internet to cultivate a fan base that he has built over almost 20 years. (Yes, the concert last night was streamed live on the net.) In fact, David rejects most of the trappings of the earlier era of recording artists, maintaining personal relationships with most of his fans. He calls himself a "possibility junkie" and many musicians could learn a lot by watching him. A loyal fan of Ippolito is Sid Berstein, the retired music promoter who changed rock and roll by bringing the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Herman’s Hermits, the Moody Blues and the Kinks to America. He also organized the famous Beatles concert at Shea Stadium, the concert that spawned stadium concerts today. Sid was in the audience as David sang “Keep Hope Alive,” a song he wrote from one of... Music Frank Beacham Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:24:14 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/write-down-the-name-elle-b-shes-a-comer.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/write-down-the-name-elle-b-shes-a-comer.html At the last Songwriter’s Guild circle at the Red Lion in Greenwich Village, host Skip Brevis called up a young girl he’s been working with in the studio to perform a couple of songs. To put it simply, she blew everyone away. She goes by the name Elle B, but her real name is Laura Brooke Winter. She’s 10-years-old and in the fifth grade at the Town School in New York City. She’s been singing since she was three, and has already performed in theater productions and talent shows around the city, as well as commercials and print jobs at major advertising agencies. Skip has been working with Elle B and so far they, along with Skip's wife, Claudia, have co-written six songs. Three were recently recorded at Germano Studios in New York. In January, they return to the studio with the goal of producing Elle B’s first full CD by next summer. Watch out for Elle B. If there’s ever proof that some people are born with talent, this young girl proves it. She is simply sensational! Music Frank Beacham Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:37:08 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/new-on-the-streets-of-new-york-city-bouquets-of-cotton-for-700.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/new-on-the-streets-of-new-york-city-bouquets-of-cotton-for-700.html One of the nice things about walking the streets of New York City near Christmas is the scent of cedar trees for sale on the street corners in front of small grocery stores. This week, however, I saw something new. Bouquets of cotton for sale as Christmas decorations. And for a hefty $7.00 for a few bundled stems. Since cotton currently sells for about 75 cents a pound without the stems, that’s quite a Manhattan markup! I’m a Southerner who grew up around cotton and cotton mills. I’m certainly aware that it’s used for Christmas decorations, but I had never seen it placed in bouquets and sold like flowers. When I approached a shopkeeper, he said he’d never seen it either. The store had the cotton only for a couple of days. Apparently bringing cotton bouquets to the streets of New York City was the idea of the same people that supply Christmas trees, he told me. I suspect we’ll see more though. He said the cotton bouquets are selling like hotcakes. Now if I could just figure out a way to sell Southern Kudzu for big bucks on the streets of the city! Current Affairs Frank Beacham Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:37:58 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/harlem-parlour-music-club-releases-countryfolk-christmas-album-to-do-new-york-city-appearance-in-dec.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/harlem-parlour-music-club-releases-countryfolk-christmas-album-to-do-new-york-city-appearance-in-dec.html Sammy Merendino, the kick ass drummer with Cyndi Lauper, recently sent me the new Christmas CD by The Harlem Parlour Music Club, a group of top flight professional musicians who come together to have a good time and play the music they love. Since they formed in the spring of 2008, they have produced two CDs: the first called Salt of the Earth and the latest, A Harlem Parlour Christmas. Though I’m not usually a fan of Christmas albums, this has been a very good year. After Mr. Dylan’s surprise, A Harlem Parlour Christmas is a real delight. As with the Salt of the Earth, the music has a country-folk flavor performed with the precision that only top studio musicians in New York City could bring to it. This is one BIG band. The core musicians consist of Ann Klein and Andrew Carillo (guitar, banjo, dobro, and mandolin & vocal), David Mansfield (dobro, mandolin, violin & pedal steel), Steve Count (electric & upright bass), Andy Burton (accordion, keyboards & vocals), Allison Cornell (violin, viola & vocals), Sammy Merendino (drums), Chris Tedesco (violin & vocals), T-bone Wolk (accordion) and Tim Hatfield (recordist). On vocals is Amanda Homi, Elaine Caswell & Tabitha... Music Frank Beacham Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:11:24 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/jeff-pevar-and-knox-chandler-two-distinctive-masters-of-the-guitar.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/12/jeff-pevar-and-knox-chandler-two-distinctive-masters-of-the-guitar.html The guitar is an amazingly versatile instrument. Each Tuesday night at the P&G in New York City, I get to see the world’s best guitarists up close and personal and am constantly amazed how each brings his own signature sound to the instrument. These star players each make the instrument his own—not only through incredible playing skill, but through the choice of those little digital processing boxes at their feet. Knox Chandler, who has played with R.E.M., the Psychedelic Furs, Depeche Mode and Cyndi Lauper, appeared at the P&G last week. The week before it was Jeff Pevar, who has played with Crosby, Stills & Nash, Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, James Taylor, Phil Lesh, Jackson Brown and many more. Each has totally mastered the instrument, but they are so distinctly different. It was awesome to watch. I love talent on this level! Knox Chandler Jeff Pevar Music Frank Beacham Sat, 05 Dec 2009 06:30:22 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/pictures-in-the-everglades.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/pictures-in-the-everglades.html Standing waist deep in the swamp, under attack by aggressive mosquitoes and keenly aware of the nearby alligators and snakes, I fumbled under a large piece of dark cloth to see the dim upside down image through the back of a wooden view camera. "You know in the video world we have viewfinder hoods," I shouted from under the thick black cover to Clyde Butcher, sweltering from the oppressive heat. "Hoods are for wimps," responded Butcher, one of the world's best landscape photographers. "This is Mathew Brady stuff!" Yes, it is, I quickly realized. Photography as it was done in the 19th century, when the great Mathew Brady and his assistants lugged similar equipment around battlefields to create the most memorable images of the American Civil War. As a member of the video generation, I found myself in a bit of a technology time warp. A world where a new fangled gadget like a viewfinder hood is looked upon with suspicion. In this branch of image making, old fashioned craft and vision reign supreme over new technology and the latest widgets. Frank Beacham and Clyde Butcher in the Everglades. It was the summer of 1996. --- Yet, I found going... Art Photography TV News Frank Beacham Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:37:30 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/revisiting-orson-welles-is-a-reminder-of-vast-change.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/revisiting-orson-welles-is-a-reminder-of-vast-change.html I moved to New York City nearly 19 nears ago in large part due to Orson Welles. Through a strange set of circumstances, I was lucky enough to work with the great man during the final year of his life in Los Angeles. After his death in 1985, I came to New York to interview the living members of the Mercury Theatre Company for a documentary on Welles. I fell in love with New York City and eventually moved here. The New York City I was attracted to was of the 1930s. To hear the exciting stories I was told by the Mercury actors, I thought those wonderful times still existed. Like so many before me, I was lured to the city by a false dream. One soon learns they have to make their own dreams come true in this town. On Sunday afternoon, I was reminded of this again by Timothy “Speed” Levitch, the legendary New York City tour guide, who gave an Orson Welles tour of the Broadway area as a promotion for Me and Orson Welles, the new film opening this week. Though I had been an executive producer of Cradle Will Rock, a 1999 film about... Art Film History Theatre Frank Beacham Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:14:34 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/on-the-movie-me-and-orson-welles.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/on-the-movie-me-and-orson-welles.html This film is an excellent portrayal of a truly magic moment in the history of Broadway theatre. In 1937, there were about 200 plays open at one time in New York City and the average cost was $12,000. Everyone could afford theatre then, since prices were very low. It was a wonderful era in New York City, despite economic hard times. Genius bloomed. Creativity flowed. And life was affordable. This story will transport you back to that time. And, the actor who plays Orson Welles—Christian McKay—is a revelation. I knew the man and Christian has nailed him cold. Film Frank Beacham Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:58:00 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/jeanne-claudechristos-better-halfpulled-off-some-big-moments-in-art.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/jeanne-claudechristos-better-halfpulled-off-some-big-moments-in-art.html I first met Jeanne-Claude in 1983, when she and her husband, the artist Christo, were doing their Surrounded Islands project in Biscayne Bay in Miami. The couple involved the entire community in their huge projects—because they had to in order to make them happen and because collaboration with the community was part of the art itself. All Christo photos by Frank Beacham The last installation I experienced by the couple was in 2005, when they installed 7,503 vinyl gates with saffron-colored nylon panels in Central Park. Each day, the panels looked different—due to the weather conditions and the direction of the light. When it snowed that February, the panels took on a transcendent beauty I’ll never forget. I was very sad to learn that Jeanne-Claude, at 74, has died. Though Christo’s name is better known, everyone that knew the team understood that Jeanne-Claude was an equal partner. The single name was for easier branding. The couple met in 1958 and three years later did their first project of oil drums and rolls of industrial paper wrapped in tarpauli on the docks in Cologne, Germany. Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s work always had critics. On virtually every project, they were accused of wasting... Art Frank Beacham Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:59:07 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/bob-dylan-opens-three-nighter-in-new-york-city-with-smiles.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/bob-dylan-opens-three-nighter-in-new-york-city-with-smiles.html It has become a standing joke. I come home from every Bob Dylan concert and say it’s the best I’ve ever been too. This has been going on for more than 30 years. I can’t help it. I love the man and his music. So I’m not a good person to offer a dispassionate opening night review of Dylan’s three-night stand in New York. But I’ve got some pictures—taken against the strong will of the security guards, with whom I always play a cat and mouse game. Dylan smiled more than usual, and moved from behind his electric piano to sing and play the harp a few times. I’ll let others review this concert, but I think it was the absolute best ever! Bob frowns, then smiles... Charlie Sexton on guitar Tony Garnier on bass and George Receli on drums Dion opened the New York City shows for Dylan. It was a killer performance—both new songs and old rock & roll favorites. Music Frank Beacham Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:40:16 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/seeing-the-forest.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/seeing-the-forest.html To fully understand the broad implications of any new technology, it’s important to see the forest—not just the trees. That’s common sense, one might think, until it comes down to trying to separate the forest from the tree people. America’s television broadcasters, the tree people—with a status quo to maintain—have tried to block a clear view of the forest. Along the way, their delusions have sold the equivalent of several Brooklyn Bridges. Today, the Federal Communications Commission is trying to reclaim airwaves to expand the use of low-cost wireless Internet services throughout the nation. They have suggested taking it from the broadcasters—since they are the one group in the nation who has never paid for the use of the spectrum they use. Long ago, you see, the broadcasters were given the use of free spectrum in exchange for providing a public service. What the FCC is proposing is more than fair. They would actually pay the broadcasters to get the spectrum back. Yet, the broadcasters are still screaming bloody murder. The broadcasters tell us they still provide a valuable public service. They actually, with a straight face, contend the news from their blow-dried anchors is essential to keeping the public... Current Affairs Television TV News Web/Tech Frank Beacham Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:46:16 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/christopher-ricks-dylan-is-a-special-kind-of-genius.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/christopher-ricks-dylan-is-a-special-kind-of-genius.html With Bob Dylan making three appearances in New York City this week, it seems there is an unusual burst of activity concerning the artist in town. On Sunday, Christopher Ricks and Sean Wilentz, both writers of books on Dylan, appeared at a roundtable at the Philoctetes Center. The audience ranged from professional people to teenage kids who had never seen Dylan sing in person. At a coffee shop after the seminar, I sat next to a table of four high school kids fascinated by the artist. One, who had never seen Dylan in concert and had no money, told the others of his plans to break into the theatre to see the man in concert. When I left, I wished him luck. Since we just wrote about Sean Wilentz in the previous post, this time I’ll focus on Christopher Ricks, a professor of humanities at Boston University. In 2004, while a professor of poetry at Oxford in England, Ricks published Dylan’s Visions of Sin. Ricks compared Dylan to other artists, including writers and actors, who had sustained long careers. He noted the old maxim that anything an artist creates will be misinterpreted and will follow him for the rest of... History Music Frank Beacham Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:28:47 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/what-influence-did-aaron-copland-allen-ginsberg-have-on-bob-dylan.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/what-influence-did-aaron-copland-allen-ginsberg-have-on-bob-dylan.html Often, when confronted with huge amounts of disparate information gathered over a long period of time, one needs to pause and connect the dots. It’s only then that the pieces take form and give shape to a larger, more coherent story. That happened to me with Sean Wilentz’s excellent presentation this week on his upcoming new book, Bob Dylan in America. Wilentz, one of best writers on Bob Dylan, does on a wider scale what Greil Marcus did in The Old, Weird America, his revealing examination of Dylan's Basement Tapes and their links to a now lost American tradition not found in most history books. Wilentz, through a series of linked essays, attempts to examine what Bob Dylan tells us about America and what America tells us about Bob Dylan. Sean Wilentz at the 92nd Street Y. Photo by Frank Beacham --- In a preview of the work-in-progress presented at Nina Goss’s Dylan class at the 92nd Street Y, Wilentz discussed two parts of the book: the effects on Dylan by the American composer Aaron Copland and beat poet Allen Ginsberg and the other writers of the Beat Generation. Aaron Copland --- In essence, Wilentz connected the dots between the... Frank Beacham Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:22:27 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/folk-music-and-political-figures-celebrate-the-life-of-mary-travers.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/folk-music-and-political-figures-celebrate-the-life-of-mary-travers.html Sen. John Kerry, the former Democratic presidential nominee from Massachusetts, said the gathering was a like a class reunion of the Nixon enemies list. An earlier Democratic presidential nominee, George McGovern, said Mary Travers was the voice of the people in a troubled time in our country—a voice against bigotry and racism. The four-hour memorial for Mary Travers, of Peter, Paul and Mary fame, was held on Nov. 9 on what have would been the singer-activist’s 73rd birthday. She died on September 16. The celebration was led by her partners in the group—Peter Yarrow and Noel “Paul” Stookey and held at New York City’s historic Riverside Church. The memorial opened with Peter and Paul asking the audience to sing Mary’s part on Leaving on Jet Plane, the hit song written in 1966 by John Denver. The pair noted it was the first time in 50 years they had sung without Mary at their side. --- Mary was noted for her mesmerizing beauty, fierce activism and an opinion that was laser sharp. “Never ask Mary how she feels about something if you don’t want to know the truth,” said an old friend. Whoppee Goldberg, who got a big laugh when she... Current Affairs Music Politics Frank Beacham Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:29:36 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/a-tree-owner-tries-to-outsmart-a-squirrel.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/a-tree-owner-tries-to-outsmart-a-squirrel.html I have a friend who is annoyed by a squirrel that eats nuts from a tree in his yard. He lives in a house in Florida and claims the tree belongs to him because he bought and paid for the land that the tree is on. The squirrel, of course, doesn't recognize my friend's supposed "rights" to the tree because those rights are only determined by other humans. So the squirrel continues his business—gathering nuts and eating them—leaving shells in my friend's driveway. I tell my friend that, despite his claims to ownership of the tree, the squirrel was not only there first, but will ultimately win the contest—no matter what he does. His "ownership" of the tree can only keep other people away—not squirrels or other animals. The best part of the situation is that the squirrel is actually smarter than my friend. You see, the squirrel didn't pay one cent for use of the tree. He eats for free whenever he likes. Not a bad deal at all. Current Affairs Frank Beacham Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:01:27 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/rosch-all-star-jam-bands-are-a-good-reason-to-live-in-new-york.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/rosch-all-star-jam-bands-are-a-good-reason-to-live-in-new-york.html New York City can be a tough place to live. But the heavy load is lightened considerably after a Tuesday night at the P&G Bar with Jonny Rosch’s all-star band of sidemen. Week after week, Rosch has assembled some of the best players in the music business for a free jam session that one can only find in a place like New York City. Last night, on guitar was Marc Schulman, who has played with B.B. King, Bo Diddley and a who’s who of major music stars; on bass was Conrad Korsch, a veteran of Rod Stewart, Carly Simon, Billy Joel and the Saturday Night Live house band, and on drums was Joe Bonadio, a killer player for Chuck Mangione, Rosanne Cash and many, many more. In the house and called to the stage to play was Dan Cipriano, a supreme sax player who blew the lid off the place. Cipriano has played with nearly everyone, including Sting, Bruce Springsteen, The Allman Brothers, Elvis Costello, Wilson Picket and on and on. I remember Dan as the featured sax player in the New York City cast of Love, Janis, the sensational off-Broadway musical about the life of Janis Joplin. And he... Music Frank Beacham Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:02:52 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/answering-the-next-generations-question.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/11/answering-the-next-generations-question.html I recently wrote a column for a television industry trade magazine—TV Technology—about opportunities for young people in journalism. The article got a big response. I didn't realize how many people who work in the media industries are having a major debate with their college-age offspring about whether or not to study for a career in media. Even with a continuing loss of jobs in all media—including motion pictures, television and print, Columbia University reported it’s journalism school enrollment increased 39 percent this year. Why is this? Do the kids know something we don’t? In the column, I tried to explain the reasons for the current turmoil. Part of it is a cruel side effect of the shift from analog to digital technology. Digital is a disruptive technology. It's a game changer. Physical media—including printed paper, film stock, vinyl records, CDs and DVDs—is disappearing. All this "stuff" is being replaced by digital files. The manufacturing cost has been erased. Anyone, even a kid at the kitchen table, can create digital files. This shift from analog to digital technology has been going on for more than a decade, but this year the effects really hit home. Much of the calamity was fueled... Film Television TV News Web/Tech Frank Beacham Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:53:27 -0500 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/10/ch.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/10/ch.html A few weeks ago, when reviewing a performance of the Harlem Parlour Music Club at the Village Underground in Greenwich Village, I was disappointed to learn that Chris Tedesco, a member of the group, would not be performing that night due to the death of a friend. I had met Chris sometime ago through Ann Ruckert, a mutual friend. He’s a great guy with a wonderful wife, Janelle, and a very cute 13-month-old son. Janelle is a musical theatre performer who has been in the national road companies of The Best Little Whore House in Texas and The Producers. Chris is a fantastic singer-songwriter who plays acoustic guitar and fiddle. He’s music director of The Ranchhands, a fine group featuring the performing team of Chris and Mickey Kennedy. The group stays true to the roots of country music but has a fresh, modern sound. It has made its mark touring throughout the world. Chris is also bringing his talent to the the Harlem group, which will soon release a Christmas album which I'm told was his idea. Chris Tedesco at the Red Lion. Photo by Frank Beacham --- Already an in-demand musician, Chris has shared the stage with Willie Nelson,... Music Frank Beacham Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:52:45 -0400 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/10/multimedia-is-the-new-mantra.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/10/multimedia-is-the-new-mantra.html I went to PhotoPlus Expo in New York City last week in an attempt to get a handle on “what’s new” in photography. Oh man, did I get an earful! First of all, many photographers -- including Pulitzer Prize winners -- are now out of a job. This creative “depression” that we’re in has cut a wide swath, even the top talent at most newspapers. Traditional photography businesses are drying up. Most of the best and brightest in photography -- like other fields -- are reinventing themselves and the way they operate. Photojournalism has been replaced by a new buzzword: “multimedia.” That’s a form of digital storytelling that combines photography with video, audio, graphics and the written word. Unfortunately, most “multimedia” looks a lot like well-produced television news, if you can find it anymore. As one who learned most of the elements of multimedia before the word was ever formed, I was somewhat amused (or was it depressed?) hearing a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer talk about the basics of audio. This photographer had taken four days (not including editing) to shoot a “multimedia” piece that a good television crew would have done in a day. When I asked how the photographer... Science Television TV News Web/Tech Frank Beacham Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:35:00 -0400 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/10/new-dylanproduced-barry-goldberg-cd-is-a-found-classic.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/10/new-dylanproduced-barry-goldberg-cd-is-a-found-classic.html Sometimes great records—for whatever reason—get lost over time. That happened with Barry Goldberg, a 1974 Atlantic Records release designed to spotlight the songwriting talent of the excellent blues keyboardist. The album is unique for several reasons. It was the only record produced by Bob Dylan for another artist. Once finished, its great Muscle Shoals sound—with Dylan himself on vocals—was stripped by Atlantic’s Jerry Wexler in a new mix—ruining the record and making it an almost invisible artifact for 35 years. Then, this summer, a miracle happened. Micro Werks, a new reissue label owned by Rhino Records, brought out the original Muscle Shoals mix of Barry Goldberg, accompanied with the missing background vocals, the original vibe and some added new material. It was a longtime dream of Goldberg. It’s no wonder why. This is a wonderful, magical record that should be widely heard. --- Barry Goldberg in 2006 at B.B. Kings club in New York City. Photo by Frank Beacham --- For those who don't know, Goldberg—a 16-year-old friend of the guitarist Mike Bloomfield—was allowed to repeatedly sit in on the keyboard by the great pianist Otis Spann in the Muddy Waters' band. After several months, Goldberg earned a coveted smile... Music Frank Beacham Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:53:06 -0400 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/10/when-clarabelle-introduced-me-to-soupy-sales-.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/10/when-clarabelle-introduced-me-to-soupy-sales-.html As a kid growing up at the beginning of the television era, I began each day at sign-on watching the Howdy Doody Show. Little could I have imagined that I would grow up to know both Buffalo Bob Smith and Clarabell, a/k/a Lew Anderson, in real life. Ironically, I would meet Lew after he read an obituary I wrote about Buffalo Bob. He invited me to New York’s Birdland, where he conducted an orchestra every Friday evening. It was there that he introduced to me to Soupy Sales, the slapstick jokester of a million pies, who had been another TV star of the 1950s. Often I sat with Soupy, along with other veterans of 50s television, to hear their endless stories of working in the new, live medium when it was just starting. Soupy told me all about pies—especially how to make the ones that would splatter the face perfectly. He would gulp martinis in a huge glass—happy to listen to Lew’s band play his beloved jazz. After Lew died at age 84 in May, 2006, the old 50’s-era get together at Birdland ended. The last time I saw Soupy Sales was at Lew’s memorial service. But I’ll never forget... Television Frank Beacham Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:43:39 -0400 http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/10/peter-stone-brown-the-internetready-bob-dylan.html http://www.beachamjournal.com/journal/2009/10/peter-stone-brown-the-internetready-bob-dylan.html Peter Stone Brown, a Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter and writer, has followed Bob Dylan’s life and work for 46 years. He has frequently written about Dylan, and on Tuesday night was guest speaker at Nina Goss’s new Bob Dylan class at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. One of the fascinating things about Dylan is that nearly every serious student of the man’s life and work has something unique to say about him. Brown had many views, but two stood out. One is that Bob Dylan is one of the most Internet-ready musicians of our time; and second, many people misunderstand the outwardly dour Dylan’s incredible sense of humor. --- Peter Stone Brown at the 92nd Street Y in New York. Photo by Frank Beacham --- Brown said there are so many aspects to Dylan—his music, lyrics, poetry, religion, privacy and all the interconnections—that he’s “perfect” for the Internet. When it all started, Brown noted, there were no instant set lists or databases to compare Dylan’s works. All the Dylan websites are a rather recent phenomenon. Now there are dozens of communities of Dylan fans — from the “Slow Training Coming” site, to the “Tangled Up in Blue” site to... Music Frank Beacham Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:31:03 -0400 nonadult