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Six Picks: November 2008
My monthly list of recommended CDs, as published in All About Jazz-New York, November 2008: Adam Birnbaum, Travels (Smalls) Bill Cantrall, Axiom (Upswing) Todd Coolman, Perfect Strangers (ArtistShare) Rob Mosher’s Storytime, The Tortoise (ind.) Paul Motian Trio 2000 + Two, Live at the Village Vanguard Vol. II (Winter & Winter) Bebo Valdés & Javier Colina, Live at the Village Vanguard
The state of our union
While canvassing for Obama Saturday in Northeast Philadelphia — the 55th Ward I believe — my partner and I stopped for a bathroom break at a tavern on Verree Road near Griffith Street. The place was choked with cigarette fumes, despite Philadelphia’s smoking ban. Middle-aged white men in ball caps were drinking and puffing away at 11:30 am. You knew
Creative Music Studio in perspective
My review of last Friday’s Creative Music Studio celebration at Symphony Space, now online at Jazz Times.
Defending Khalidi
John McCain has compared Rashid Khalidi, the Palestinian scholar, Columbia University professor and Obama acquaintance, to a neo-Nazi. A new low, even in this, one of the lowest campaigns in presidential history. In the aftermath of 9/11 Khalidi appeared as one of a number of guests on Newshour to discuss the origins of al-Qaeda. McCain should denounce Jim Lehrer for
Philadelphia Phillies: World Champions
It’s not just baseball — here’s to the great city of Philadelphia. And to the great state of Pennsylvania. And a Tuesday victory in PA for our next president, Barack Obama. Yes we can.
The week on disc (30)
In case you missed the last one… Harris Eisenstadt, Guewel (Clean Feed) Mostly Other People Do the Killing, This Is Our Moosic (Hot Cup) Peter Bernstein, Monk (Xanadu) Royal Hartigan Ensemble, Blood Drum Spirit (Innova) Mike LeDonne, FiveLive (Savant) John Bunch Trio, Plays the Music of Irving Berlin (Arbors)
Chávez: another thing
A pro-Chávez commenter writes: Evil President Hugo Chavez is one of those scary Socialists Senator McCain warns you about – those who care more for the wretched than for the rich. This Washington Post report of a Miami criminal investigation tells us much about Chávez’s supposed concern for the poor: Transcripts of the taped conversations reveal intricate details of the collaboration
Hugo Chávez, thug
Jose Miguel Vivanco and Daniel Wilkinson of Human Rights Watch write about their experience being thrown out of Venezuela for the crime of criticizing the Chávez government. Here’s one lovely detail: [A] close Chávez ally in the legislature suggested on national TV that the two of us had been sharing a single hotel room where we were indulging our “weaknesses.”