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Savage on Bristol
Man, is Dan Savage good: Teen mom Bristol Palin and her fiancé, Levi Johnston, called it quits last week. So we’ve been cheated out of the Royal Rube Wedding we were promised during last summer’s Republican National Convention—and another child will grow up without a father in the home, which is a tragedy for the child, according to America’s Talibangelists. Or
JFREJ on Churchill
[Cross-posted at Z Word.] This Sunday, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ), the New York-based activist group, will dedicate part of its weekly WBAI radio program Beyond the Pale to a live reading of Caryl Churchill’s play Seven Jewish Children, to be followed by a discussion with the actors. Novelist Howard Jacobson has denounced the play as antisemitic. Churchill
On David Sanchez
My preview of tenor saxophonist David (“dah-VEED”) Sanchez — at the Village Vanguard through Sunday — in the current Time Out New York. [Update: Go here for audio of Sanchez’s first set, opening night — completely out of this world.]
Three dangerous ideas
1. Torture is justified, or can be called something other than torture. Read Mark Danner’s essential NYT op-ed. 2. Antisemitism is “understandable.” So says British moviemaker Ken Loach. Does he believe that going out and harassing Muslims after a terror attack is “understandable”? I very much doubt it. 3. One-party dictatorships have rights; civilians who raise grievances against them do
Speaking nonsense to power
[Credit where it’s due: the above phrase is Bill Maher’s.] Because writeups of the band Propagandhi appear in this week’s Time Out and Philadelphia Weekly, right alongside my own work, I feel obliged to comment. I don’t know Propagandhi’s music. I do know their politics, however. The links to ZNet and to the likes of John Pilger tell you all
The week on disc (38)
In case you missed the last one… David Binney, Third Occasion (Mythology) Gilad Hekselman, Words Unspoken (LateSet Records) Leonardo Cioglia, Contos (Quizamba) Abdullah Ibrahim, Senzo (WDR/Sunnyside) Denny Zeitlin, The Columbia Studio Trio Sessions (Mosaic Select) Martial Solal, Live at the Village Vanguard (Cam Jazz)
On Daniel Kelly
My review of Daniel Kelly’s solo piano disc Portal, in the current Time Out New York. Daniel plays solo at The Stone this Sunday, March 15.
On Sonic Liberation Front
My preview of Sonic Liberation Front (Gojjo, March 15), in the current Philadelphia Weekly.