96 Hours to Tucson

Helen the Great

2011-06-25T19:48:00.000-07:00

with all the buzz over Serena and Venus returning from injuries and making headline grabbing runs at Wimbledon, it would be well at this time to remember Helen Wills (1905-1998), the greatest American woman to ever play the game of tennis; during a period of nearly two decades (1919-1938), Wills (also known by her married name Helen Wills Moody) compiled an astonishing 398-38 record and a 158 match win streak, which included eight Wimbledon titles(a record that stood until 1990 when Martina broke it) and seven US championships; dubbed by writers of the time as Little Miss Poker Face for her expressionless demeanor on court and off, Helen did little to endear herself to opponents, or to fans particularly; her sole focus was on her game, played mainly from the baseline, from which she mercilessly hammered winners, from both sides; she was a fascinating, enigmatic person, and a true champion.

the amazing Bob

2011-05-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

in just a couple days Dylan turns 70; have a great one, partner; this song from his vastly underrated 1990 album Under the Red Sky.

what's goin' on?

2011-05-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

maybe it's some kind of weird defense mechanism against all the bad news in the world these days but suddenly i find myself listening to old Mantovani records, and liking them; never thought i'd live to see the day.

Kiefer calling it quits

2010-12-30T08:47:00.000-08:00

no, we're not talking Jack Bauer here; instead, Nicolas Kiefer, the 33 year old German veteran of the ATP tour, from which he today announced his retirement; Kiefer rose to as high as #4 in the world in 2000, then had another very good year as late as 2006, where he reached the semis of the Aussie Open as well as a few other tour stops; along with countryman Rainer Schuetler, he also won a silver medal for his country in the doubles of the 2004 Olympics in Athens; mainly, though, Nic was just a lot of fun to watch; he was superstitious and would frequently retreat to the corners of the court between points; and he would allow no distractions, making sure the ballkids and the linesmen were perfectly still before beginning a point; belying his deliberate manner, though, Nic was volatile, and could go off the rails at any second; still, he had a very smooth, flowing game; his serve, in particular, was a model of unrushed precision and elegance; he was a real asset to "our sport", as John McEnroe likes to call it, and will be sorely missed.

gritty

2010-12-29T11:04:00.000-08:00

a live performance here by Glen Campbell, of the title song from the 1969 film True Grit, which he also acted in; great playing, great singing, great song; and great hair.

The Passion of the Crust

2010-12-27T20:06:00.001-08:00

cheese and toppings are all well and good, but when it comes to pizza, the crust is numero uno.

Cold Irons Bound

2010-12-27T19:16:00.000-08:00

brilliant live performance here by Dylan and his band; in my view one of his best songs ever; it appeared originally on Time Out of Mind, in 1997.

Leaning

2010-12-26T17:47:00.000-08:00

if you go see the remake of "True Grit", now in the theaters, be sure to stick around for the end credits, to hear Iris DeMent's haunting version of this traditional hymn, "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms"; here's an earlier take on it, by the great Chet Atkins.

music summit

2010-12-17T19:42:00.000-08:00

from the 60's i would guess; Julian Bream meets, and plays the lute for, Stravinsky.

not to be missed

2010-12-08T07:55:00.000-08:00

although he got his start as an illustrator, in the style of N.C. Wyeth and Leyendecker, he was mainly known as a teacher and administrator at the prestigious Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles in the 20's, 30's and 40's; Edwin Roscoe Shrader, who passed away in 1960, went on to paint in a bold post-Impressionistic style, his canvases usually ending up in the hands of friends and family; up until recently, he's been very much under the radar; but now, thanks in large part to LA art dealer George Stern, his works are on display at the Laguna Art Musuem, in Laguna Beach; it's the first major exhibition of Shrader's work; and it's a barn burner; if you love this style of art, you owe it to yourself to view it, before the show closes on January 23rd.

strange fruit

2010-12-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

it's called a sapota; you won't find this fruit in the stores often, but it grows in abundance in Mexico and Central America; sort of the consistency of a peach, but with a creamier texture; very sweet and delicious; try it, you'll like it; if you can find it.

holidaze

2010-11-30T18:24:00.000-08:00

...its been really cold here in SoCal the last week or so; here's to hoping it warms up a bit; although for the rest of the country, this is balmy weather, of course...recommended reading: The Dark Wood (1946) by Christine Weston, another one of my thrift shop finds; Ms. Weston writes like an angel; a tale of post-WW2 domestic discord...kudos to Marc Forgione, on his Iron Chef America victory on the Food Network last week; they picked the right guy; but there need to be more women Iron Chefs, Cat Cora being the only one, currently...Davis Cup finals start this weekend, France vs Serbia, in Belgrade; France will have it's hands full, but i believe, and hope, they will prevail; they are, after all, the home of Suzanne Lenglen and Rene LaCoste, two of the greatest to ever pick up a racquet...pictured above, the work of the great American illustrator J.C. Leyendecker.

Moya bows out

2010-11-20T09:27:00.000-08:00

after a distinguised 15 year career that saw 575 wins, 20 ATP titles, a French Open victory in 1998, and a brief stint as #1 in 1999, Spanish tennis star Carlos Moya announced his retirement from the tour this week; he was, and is, a class act; gracias, companero.

the mighty Martha

2010-11-19T12:26:00.000-08:00

if this were a basketball game, it would be a slam dunk; Argentine pianist Martha Algerich having her way here with Chopin's Polonaise #6, i would guess from the mid-Sixties; beyond great.

come blow your horn

2010-11-16T18:47:00.000-08:00

don't know who this fellow is, but he has mad skills on the marching baritone, a midrange member of the brass family which had it's bell facing forward (unlike concert baritones, where the bell points up) so that it resembles an inflated trumpet; i saw this instrument in a marching band this past Veterans Day, and it intrigued me no end.

say the word

2010-11-10T19:25:00.000-08:00

maybe the best cover of a Beatles tune i've ever heard, Jackie Cain and Roy Kral, aka Jackie and Roy, doin' their thing on "The Word", givin' it a breezy, jazzy, minor feel; i wish i knew who the drummer and bass player were; bleepin' brilliant.

hello goodbye

2010-10-29T18:08:00.000-07:00

to tennis great Jim Courier on his appointment as our new Davis Cup captain; and to Elena Dementieva, who announced her retirement today from the WTA tour; class acts both.

taking the Fifth

2010-10-11T08:36:00.000-07:00

what a difference a few hours makes; at around midday yesterday, Sunday, the gates to our local high school were open, so i took advantage of their outdoor handball courts to practice my tennis strokes; the experience was spoiled, though, as members of our town's local Hispanic gang had succeeded in spray painting their moronic slogans on the court walls, as well as on several adjacent buildings; the paint was fresh, so the deed was probably done the night before, or that very morning even; later in the afternoon, i returned to the high school, as a local symphony orchestra just happened to be performing in the school's auditorium; i got there in time for the second half of the program, Tchaikovsky's fifth symphony; one of the masterpieces of Western music; the conductor didn't even need a score, he knew the piece, all 45 minutes of it, by heart; after the rousing climax was arrived at, the crowd applauded for several minutes, and went home; but i still had a bad taste in my mouth, from what had happened earlier that day.

got you covered

2010-10-09T06:46:00.000-07:00

one of the best versions of this John Lennon song.

by the numbers

2010-10-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

i tell myself that i'm not superstitious and that numerology is a crock, but in just two days we will be at the 10th day of the 10th month of the 10th year of the century, and i can't help but think that something momentous (hopefully not horrible) will come to pass; be on the lookout.

they say it's your birthday

2010-10-08T19:37:00.000-07:00

unless you're living under a rock, and quite honestly i feel as though i often am, or would like to be, you doubtless know that tomorrow, the 9th of October, would be John Lennon's 70th birthday; i prefer to not dwell much on those who have passed, especially to wish them a happy birthday; after all, they are no longer among us, and communication, while perhaps possible, is not to be wished for; we are here, they are wherever they are; Scripture clearly counsels against it; still i can't help but reflect on what a huge influence Lennon was on my life, and on the world; and on the tragedy of his death; "people say we've got it made, don't they know we're so afraid". Adios, amigo, and thanks for the memories.

the really great Dane

2010-10-04T18:47:00.000-07:00

with her win in Tokyo last week, Denmark's own Caroline Wozniaki, who only turned 20 in July, is on the verge of #1 status on the WTA tour, displacing Serena Williams, who has only played in half a dozen events so far this year; sorry Serena, but please tell us again that you're the real #1, like you did when Dinara Safina was on top last year; the Woz is a virtual human backboard and has attained her ranking the old fashioned way-she's earned it. Nice work, kid.

the big heat

2010-09-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

109 was the official high yesterday here in Fallbrook, CA, but actually it was in the 115-120 degree range.

hooked on Jack

2010-09-25T09:26:00.000-07:00

i know i'll pay a price for it down the road,but i'm addicted to Jack's tacos, the 2-for-99cents variety; so simple, so crisp, so good. yum.

together again

2010-09-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

this past Monday night's appearance of Bob Dylan on Pawn Stars on the History Channel prompted me to go back and listen to Bob's last album again, Together Through Life, released about a year ago; i remember playing it maybe once at the time, and dismissing it; boy, was i ever wrong; i guess at the time i was thrown off by the raspiness of Bob's voice; ok, so it's raspy, so what?; it's also extremely subtle, and expressive; and the songs, and arrangments, are brilliant; if you're a true Dylan fan, you're in it for the long haul; together through life, indeed; roll on, pardner.

the greatest show on earth

2010-08-24T17:57:00.001-07:00

it's less than a week now to the start of the 2010 US Open of tennis, in the greatest city on earth, New York, in the greatest country on earth, the USA; the other majors in tennis, Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, can pretend that they are #1, but they simply aren't; let the games commence.

honesty

2010-08-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

it's one of those qualities we are born with and therefore is common in children, but which a lot of us unfortunately grow out of; it's rare that you find an adult whom you feel is telling you the truth, consistently, but it does happen; you don't have to prove it, either; you can feel it, you just know.

it don't come easy

2010-08-09T18:12:00.000-07:00

or not always; Nalbandian and Kuznetsova, winners both in their respective tournaments yesterday, and both in grueling three set finals; sometimes
you just gotta grind.

just say Arnaud

2010-07-28T19:13:00.000-07:00

it's disappointing to find out that someone you had admired turns out to be, well, a jerk; but such was the case this past weekend, in LA, where i had gone to watch the qualifying, and opening, rounds, of the Farmers Classic Open, at UCLA; i was anxious to see Arnaud Clement of France, the #1 seed in the qualifying rounds, play, as i'd always admired his style; he always seemed so "cool", with the shades and the headbands, etc; turns out, though, that Arnaud is a grade A boor, who harasses the gallery and, worse, the ballkids, mercilessly; for no good reason but to distract his opponent; which amounts to interference; i love French players in general; after all, the greatest, male or female, to ever set foot on a tennis court was Suzanne Lenglen; but Arnaud? no way.

leave no one behind

2010-07-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

it was the motto of the film "Black Hawk Down" from several years back, and it applies to the issue of illegal immigration here in California and Arizona, also; let all sides be heard and let everyone have a seat at the table; leave no one behind.

back to vinyl

2010-07-16T18:13:00.000-07:00

records, that is, as opposed to cds or mp3s; having grown up with records, i'm still a huge fan of them, and the good news is that, now, you can pick them up really cheap, at garage sales, thrift stores and the like; and as long as they are in good condition, and you have a decent enough turntable to play them on, they sound as good, or better, and the more recent formats.

going down swinging

2010-07-09T19:31:00.001-07:00

today i was lucky enough to witness the semifinal round of a tennis tournament, the winner of which earned the right to advance to the final, and from there a chance for a spot in the qualifying rounds of a WTA tournament later this month; the match ground to a third set and eventually to a tie break, and after about 3 1/2 hours it was decided in the breaker, 7-5; the names aren't important, the spirit with which both players competed is, though, most points being decided by impossibly long rallies, with neither player giving in; watching it all, it made me so proud of "our sport", as commentator and former great John McEnroe likes to call it, with each contestant literally fighting till the last point.

the Rite stuff

2010-06-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

although it did not receive it's premiere, in Paris, until 1913, this year marks the centennial of the conception, by Igor Stravinsky, of his monumental symphony "The Rite of Spring"; i can't think of another piece of music which has the ability to shock, as this does; 100 years later, it still grabs you by the throat.

sending out an SOS

2010-06-28T18:57:00.000-07:00

your prayers and best wishes are sought for American tennis star Jennifer Capriati, 34, a three time grand slam winner and one of the purest strikers of the ball the game has ever seen, recovering tonight in a South Florida hospital from an accidental overdose to a prescription medication; we love you, Jenn.

the great Nat Cole

2010-06-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

i had the good fortune to find this LP in a thrift store yesterday; has there ever been a greater pop singer?

silence

2010-06-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

sometimes, it's the most eloquent expression.

humility

2010-06-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

it's the absolute foundation for all the other virtues.

noteworthy

2010-06-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

like an actor breathing life into the words of a playwright, so a musician's task is to give expression to the score, as written by the composer.

heroes

2010-05-31T20:31:00.000-07:00

honoring those who gave their all, for us.

a thousand deaths

2010-05-30T19:36:00.001-07:00

it's easy to pull for the frontrunners, for the Rogers and Serenas of the world; what if, though, you see value, greatness even, in those whom no one else pays attention to; to be such a fan is, literally, to die a thousand deaths, as, week after week, they win a match or two in a tournament, only to lose in the next round; we live by faith, not by sight, as the apostle Paul said.

passion

2010-05-29T19:07:00.001-07:00

it's that quality that can't be taught, but which you absolutely have to have, in sports, and in life.

last man standing

2010-05-29T18:56:00.001-07:00

with his five set win today over Juan Carlos Ferrero, Robby Ginepri is the only American man left in this year's French Open, and it gets no easier of course, as his fourth round match finds him up against the third seed in the tournament, Novak Djokovic of Serbia; allez, Robby; the hopes of the nation rest with you.

Miles ahead

2010-05-26T18:37:00.001-07:00

Miles Davis, who passed in 1991, would be 84 today; one of great musicians of the 20th century, whom i loved desperately, and still do.

crash and burn

2010-05-26T09:05:00.001-07:00

another bitter loss for former #1 Dinara Safina yesterday, to Kamiko Date-Krumm, in the first round of the French Open, 3-6,6-4,7-5.

one of a kind

2010-05-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

spontaneous acts of kindness- practice them daily; it's easier when you remind yourself that everyone you meet is your brother, or sister.

if 6 were 9

2010-05-23T18:31:00.000-07:00

His Holy Bobness turns 69 tomorrow; felicidades, amigo.

between nothingness and eternity

2010-05-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

along with Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra was my favorite jazz/rock band in the early 70's; click on the title above to hear "Sister Andrea", from their 1973 live album "Between Nothingness and Eternity"; they were one of the few bands ever that could sound funky in weird time signatures; Jerry Goodman's electric violin solo just shreds, as does the whole band; the poem at the bottom, by John McLaughlin's guru Sri Chinmoy, inspired the album title.

Barren of events,
Rich in pretensions
My earthly life.

Obscurity
My real name.

Wholly unto myself
I exist.

I wrap no soul
In my embrace.

No mentor worthy
Of my calibre
Have I.

I am all alone
Between failure
And frustration.

I am the red thread
Between
Nothingness
And Eternity.

Excerpt from “My Flute” by Sri Chinmoy

Copyright © Sri Chinmoy 1974

the french connection

2010-05-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

France's #2 female player (behind Marion Bartoli) Aravane Rezai demolished Venus Williams today in the finals of the Madrid Open, putting herself into serious contention on the red clay of Roland Garros, ie the French Open, which is a week away from kicking off; may the spirit of Suzanne Lenglen and the Four Musketeers guide you and your countrymen to victory.

also sprach Deodato

2010-05-15T18:23:00.000-07:00

from 1972, Eumir Deodato's brilliant jazz/rock take on the Richard Strauss composition "Also Sprach Zarathustra", made famous in the Kubrick film "2001"; this kind of adaptation is really tough to pull off.

il vangelo secondo Matteo

2010-05-13T19:24:00.000-07:00

the Italian neo-realist film "The Gospel According to St. Matthew"(1964), directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, shot in black and white, is at long last available on DVD; there is a colorized version available, however i would avoid it like the plague; i first saw it in the 70's, in an arthouse theater, and was blown away; and it's still very powerful; ironic that such a simple, moving depiction of the life of Christ should be made by a non-believer; the hand of God is everywhere.

schmuck

2010-05-12T12:23:00.000-07:00

radio talk show host Bill Handel hit a new low on his program this morning, on KFI AM 640 out of Los Angeles; the loud (very loud), opinionated announcer, who also regularly and cheerfully refers to blacks as "schwartzes" and gays as "faygolahs", made a point of bragging about how much he enjoys passing the homeless on the streets, and, when they ask him for change, jingling the coins in his pockets and taunting them; hard to fathom how anyone could stoop to that level.

a mighty noise

2010-05-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

great devotional song, "Your Grace is Enough", written by Matt Maher performed here by Chris Tomlin.

my hero

2010-05-03T19:20:00.000-07:00

Bill Tilden (1893-1953), the Alpha and the Omega of tennis.

america the beautiful

2010-05-03T18:50:00.000-07:00

a poem written in 1893 by Katherine Lee Bates of Massachusetts during a trip that summer to Pike's Peak, later set to the music of Samuel Ward; along with our national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner", it's the greatest song ever written about our beloved land.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassion'd stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness.
America! America!
God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.

O beautiful for heroes prov'd
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life.
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine.

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears.
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.

Elena Dementieva

2010-04-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

it drives me crazy the way commentators on the Tennis Channel, and elsewhere, mispronounce this great Russian player's last name; "Demencheva", as if she were suffering from dementia; please, it's "De-men-tee-AY-va"; not that hard.

Glenn plays Paul

2010-04-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

third movement of Paul Hindemith's Piano Sonata #1, performed by Glenn Gould. All three of the composer's piano sonatas, played by GG, are available on a single disc from Sony Classical.

inflight

2010-04-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

not the original Byrds lineup, but the best one, featuring Clarence White on guitar, Gene Parsons on drums and Skip Batten on bass, along with Roger McGuinn, of course; live at the Fillmore East, 1970.

break the chain

2010-04-22T19:09:00.000-07:00

one of my favorite bands, and songs...

merciless beatdowns

2010-04-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

Australia's Samantha Stosur over Vera Zvonareva 6-0,6-3 in the finals of the Family Circle Cup today, in Charleston SC, on the green clay; and Rafael Nadal, even more convincingly, over fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-0,6-1 on the red clay of Monte Carlo; talk about cold blooded.

Rod, reconsidered

2010-04-17T18:26:00.000-07:00

i must admit that for the longest time i dismissed Rod McKuen as a songwriter, singer and poet; i'm thinking now, though, that i was wrong; i recently listened to a greatest hits cd of his, and found myself really liking it; the thing is, you have to accept Rod on his own terms; once you do, it's easy to fall into his sad and beautiful world, where love reigns supreme; the man's got a heart of gold.

Brian and the Boys

2010-04-15T19:37:00.000-07:00

the best pop song ever; nothing else comes close.

King David

2010-04-15T19:06:00.000-07:00

there isn't a sweeter striker of the tennis ball today than 28 year old David Nalbandian of Argentina, currently ranked around 150, due to injuries last year, but who has been as high as 3 in the world, in 2006; his two handed backhand is as elegant, and deadly, a shot, as the game has ever seen; and his equally well-timed forehand is a close second; he seems to have inherited countryman Guillermo Coria's grace, and Juan Martin Del Potro's power; i hope he wins a slam before he decides to hang it up, and go back to his true love, car racing; David, tu eres el mejor.

que vive la France

2010-04-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

for reasons i don't understand completely, i have a soft spot for all things French; their cuisine, their literature, their language, their art; not to mention their tennis players; for my money, Suzanne Lenglen was the greatest, male or female, to ever set foot on a court; pictured above is Julien Benneteau.

not our fault

2010-04-12T08:08:00.000-07:00

probably just a coincidence, but i heard this twice yesterday, once as bumper music on a radio program, and later on the instore, when i walked into a supermarket; reminded me how much i like the song, and Billy Joel; it's a cool video, too, and a good history lesson.

under the radar

2010-04-09T18:56:00.000-07:00

with all the Tiger Woods at the Masters hoopla, this story has slipped through relatively unnoticed, namely American tennis pro Wayne Odesnik has advanced to the semis of the US Clay Court Championships in Houston this week, despite the fact he plead guilty in an Australian court to importing HGH into that country earlier this year; curiously, Odesnik says he never used the substance, hence the ITF has allowed him to continue playing in tournaments, until the matter is resolved; most of his fellow ATP players want Odesnik suspended, now; but due process is being allowed to run its course; interesting to see how this will play out; stay tuned.

once more with feeling

2010-04-04T15:11:00.000-07:00

i posted the same video a year ago; not good to repeat oneself, but what the hey? seems appropriate today; just love this song, can't get enough of the groove; and along with Miles, Herb has always been my favorite on trumpet; Happy Easter, y'all.

turning point

2010-03-31T18:26:00.000-07:00

with the release of this album in 1969, Miles Davis didn't just kick down the door, he blew it wide open, ushering in the jazz-rock(or fusion) era and changing the face of music, forever; critics like Wynton Marsalis, God bless him, great trumpet player that he is, simply don't get it; Miles was not "selling out"; like Christ with Judaism, he (Miles) came to fulfill jazz, not to destroy it; if it weren't for Miles, jazz would have been relegated to a subcult of beatniks and hipsters and pre-baby boomers; Miles brought it all home, speaking a language the 60's generation, and everyone with ears, could understand; he was, and will always be, my hero.

Avi-tar

2010-03-28T19:19:00.000-07:00

Fallbrook was blessed today, with a visit from world-class Israeli mandolin soloist Avi Avital, who appeared at the high school's Bob Burton Auditorium, accompanied by a string ensemble of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of Benjamin Simon; a transcription of Bach's A minor violin concerto was expertly performed, along with a string arrangement of Beethoven's Variations for Mandolin in D major; the highlight of the afternoon, however, was the ensemble's finale performance of "Last Round" (1996), by contemporary Argentine composer Osvaldo Golijov, a staggering and difficult piece that was meant as a tribute to that country's musical icon Astor Piazolla; it didn't exactly fit with the rest of the program, but no matter; it's been a while since a piece of music has blown me away so completely; bravo!

one of the good guys

2010-03-25T12:13:00.000-07:00

actor Robert Culp, shown with Bill Cosby in their iconic 60's series "I Spy", passed away yesterday at 79; adios, amigo, and thanks for the memories.

right down the middle

2010-03-25T06:58:00.000-07:00

without a doubt the best known ragtime tune, Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" is played here by whom i'm not sure, but the important thing is, he doesn't mess it up, he doesn't try to get cute, by speeding up or slowing down the tempo, which is, i feel, completely wrong; ragtime is best when played at a nice, even tempo, from the first note to the last.

Michelle, la belle

2010-03-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

i made the short drive to Carlsbad yesterday, to watch the practice rounds at the Kia Motors golf tournament at the La Costa Resort, which starts tomorrow; my goal was to see Michelle Wie in person, which i succeeded in doing, for a couple of holes at least; at 6-1, she's taller in person that i thought; and off the tee she really bombs it out, at around 275 yards; a tall drink of water, as they say, and it seems like she's got her pretty head on her shoulders; i wish her all the best.

Rite On

2010-03-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

here, Brazilian pianist Fasil Say performs Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring", transcribed for piano, "four hands" (the other two hands being "performed" by a Bosendorfer electronic piano); the composer first conceived of this work 100 years ago, although it did not receive it's premiere until 1913 in Paris, where it caused an immediate sensation; not hard to understand why, a century later it still grabs the listener by the throat.

winning ugly

2010-03-21T17:40:00.001-07:00

kudos to Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia, on his staight set win over Andy Roddick, today in the finals of the BNP Paribas Open, in Indian Wells, CA; last night, in the semis, big Ivan disposed of defending champ Rafa Nadal, in similar fashion; goes to show, it ain't how pretty your game is, or how pretty you are; it's the score that counts.

Brando is forever

2010-03-19T19:46:00.000-07:00

simply the best.

music 101

2010-03-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

dig it, y'all.

fiddle faddle

2010-03-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

sorry Charlie, that's not how you do it.

beauty is alive and well

2010-03-14T19:48:00.000-07:00

one of the jewels of the classical guitar repertoire, Fernando Sor's "Variations on Mozart's 'The Magic Flute'" is played here as well as i've ever heard it played, by a guitarist i'd never heard of before; notice how he doesn't rush; the video quality could be better, but the audio makes up for it.

no fries, chips!

2010-03-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

today is National Potato Chip Day.

pawn in their game

2010-03-12T10:33:00.000-08:00

discovered this show, Pawn Stars, last night on the History Channel, concerning the day to day dealings of a family that runs a pawn shop in Las Vegas, and the folks who come into the shop, trying to sell some very unusual items; star of the show, for me, is Chumlee, the grandson's buddy who also works there; shows just how entertaining reality tv can be.

Eleni the beautiful

2010-03-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

a veteran of the women's tour, Greece's Eleni Daniilidou currently resides just within the top 200 in the world, although she has climbed as high as the 20's, and claimed five WTA titles in her career; not only is she drop dead gorgeous, she possesses the most fluid and graceful tennis strokes i've ever had the pleasure to watch, especially her one-handed backhand; catch her in action this week at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where she was given a wildcard into the main draw.

jazz' best kept secret

2010-03-02T11:55:00.000-08:00

although he managed to release four albums in the 1950's, pianist Herbie Nichols, born in 1919, was forced to make a living playing second-rate music for much of his career, before his untimely death in 1963; his keyboard prowess, and his compositions, are still lore in jazz' inner circle, however; seek out his recordings, you'll be glad you did.

name that tune

2010-03-01T10:50:00.000-08:00

in 1960 the Everly Brothers made a hit out of this tune by French crooner Gilbert Becaud, renaming it "Let It Be Me"; he followed up in '61 with "Et Maitenant", which charted big on this side of the Atlantic as "What Now My Love?" Bravo!

going green

2010-02-25T19:09:00.000-08:00

replacing fossil fuels with biofuels; these folks are on the right track, with the jatropha plant; develop algae as a renewable oil source, too; just do it.

sehr gutt

2010-02-25T18:46:00.000-08:00

got into a discussion today about this signature German dish, sauerbraten, a kind of marinated beef pot roast, which i grew up eating, and loving, having lived in Germany as a boy, for several years; good luck finding it here; try making it yourself, though; ist Deutsch, ist besser.

desert storm

2010-02-25T11:11:00.000-08:00

less than two weeks now till the start of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, and already some of the tour's top names, on the men's side at least, are questionable entries; injuries continue to hamper Nadal, Murray and Davydenko, while Roger Federer is day to day as he recovers from a mysterious lung infection, that he came down with last week; on the women's side, the Williams sisters will probably continue their boycott of the event, but there's plenty of other talent to go around, led by the Belgian contingent of Henin and Clisters; it's the premiere tennis event on the west coast; if you love the game, you need to be there.

one to watch

2010-02-24T13:31:00.001-08:00

with a folky, Dylanesque rendition of Alanis Morrisette's "Hand in Pocket", Crystal Bowersox came across as an early favorite last night on American Idol, as the show moves into it's 9th season; loved the harmonica playing; can we please have a Dylan night this year, maybe? it's long overdue.

scarlatti redux

2010-02-23T19:21:00.000-08:00

another take on the E major sonata, K. 380; i can only grovel at the genius of DS.

until the whole world hears

2010-02-23T18:58:00.000-08:00

my favorite band; check out this, their new album.

down home, y'all

2010-02-23T18:39:00.001-08:00

their show, "Down Home with the Neelys", airs nightly on the Food Network; it's a breath of fresh air; so real; check it out, y'all.

not needed

2010-02-23T13:12:00.000-08:00

sorry Stephen A., but Tiger owes neither me nor you an apology; it's none of our damn business; i just hope and pray he gets his life back together and returns to the links, where he belongs, as arguably the greatest to ever swing a golf club.

guitar summit

2010-02-23T09:13:00.000-08:00

Bream's soul meets Williams' technical brilliance; wow.

Ornette meets Jerry

2010-02-17T19:10:00.000-08:00

from 1988, with Jerry Garcia sitting in; a match made in heaven.

JB

2010-02-16T14:29:00.000-08:00

he was, and is, my favorite classical guitarist, Julian Bream, seen here in the early 60's performing the Villa Lobos guitar preludes 3&4; where others seem almost aloof from the instrument, and the music, with Bream you can feel his involvement; he really gets it, from the inside out, and he pulls you in along with him.

loved him madly

2010-02-14T19:32:00.000-08:00

priceless trio version of "Take the "A" Train"; a love letter to the universe.

long time gone

2010-02-14T18:13:00.001-08:00

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for me, the whole thing makes no sense at all; yesterday marked a year since Escondido teenager Amber Dubois' disapperance, supposedly on her way to high school; how could she simply vanish, without someone noticing? Hello?

guitar hero revisited

2010-02-14T17:35:00.000-08:00

Domenico Scarlatti's keyboard sonatas sound even better when played on guitar; here is a rare recording by Cuban guitarist Leo Brouwer, of the E major sonata; check out John Williams' take on them, also; they're easy to find.

guitar hero

2010-02-13T20:32:00.000-08:00

from 1975, Chet Atkins' version of "The Entertainer" by Scott Joplin.

44

2010-02-07T14:33:00.001-08:00

next to the Fourth, it's our national holiday; God help us.

Gustavo the magnificent

2010-02-04T12:06:00.000-08:00

final movement of Mahler's first symphony, conducted here by the new music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel; the tempos are all over the place, but he really breathes life into it; most exciting conductor since my hero Lenny.

Andy's hour

2010-01-30T08:59:00.001-08:00

there's no turning back, and defeat is not an option; in just over 12 hours, Andy Murray faces Roger Federer in the finals of the Australian Open; at this point, the last thing Fed needs is another grand slam title; show him who the real #1 is, Andy.