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Art in Philly
Good report from Randy Kennedy in the NYT: There is a particularly Philadelphian brand of hardy, low-budget, do-it-yourself, do-it-for-love creativeness evident in art and art spaces across the city. Yes, I loved it so. And on that note, I’m sorry to see Sci Fi Philly, the hardy, low-budget avant-jazz series, closing up shop with a blowout show on October 4.
Guts
I’m all for artists taking political stands, but I don’t think doing so is necessarily brave. In fact, it’s often preaching to the choir and even downright conformist. This, on the other hand, is brave. [Hat tip Adam Holland.]
#jazzlives cont’d.
More discussion brewing on Howard Mandel’s #jazzlives Twitter initiative, from Nate and Darcy. And a very relevant radio exchange between Terry Teachout and Vijay Iyer here. Interesting also to note this finding, that Twitter is not a youth medium….
The donkeys of Fes
Susan Orlean, writing magnificently about the medina in Fes (or Fez), Morocco: The medina in Fez may well be the largest urbanized area in the world impassable to cars and trucks, where anything that a human being can’t carry or push in a handcart is conveyed by a donkey, a horse or a mule. … If you have a heart
#jazzlives
Howard Mandel is spearheading a Twitter campaign to document live jazz around the country/world. There’s a scrolling feed at his site. Join in!
Philadelphia haps, cont’d.
In the current Philadelphia Weekly: Knu Gmoon Wed., Aug. 26, 8-11pm. $12. Chris’ Jazz Café, 1421 Sansom St. 215.568.3131 www.chrisjazzcafe.com Noah Jarrett happens to be the son of legendary pianist Keith Jarrett, but in Brooklyn he’s one of the cats, a compelling bassist and composer in the trenches, steering through the labyrinth of modern jazz on terms of his own
Torture and health care
Re the blizzard of torture-related documents in the news in the last few days, Andrew Sullivan offers the essential commentary (even while on leave): Understanding the current right’s embrace of total state power against the individual takes time to absorb. But liberal democracy has no more dangerous enemies than these. [Update: More here and here.] And I’d add that the
Afghanistan carnage
If it’s true that horrific terrorist attacks are the inevitable and understandable result of violence perpetrated by the U.S. and its allies against Muslims, then someone needs to reconcile that with events like these: A huge bomb detonated in the center of the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on Tuesday night, flattening a two-story building and destroying 20 homes in