This is a kind-of arthouse documentary…  “The journey of the Romany people told through musicians and dancers of India, Egypt, Turkey, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, France, and Spain”.  It’s kind of like Baraka or Koyannisquatsi, but more energy than either one.  It gets profoundly heavy, and exceedingly high.  This here is one of my favorite scenes.

This year we’ll be doing Thanksgiving dinner at our house on “Black Friday”.  Usually we reserve this day for just lounging around the house letting all the food from the day before digest in it’s own time.

I didn’t really know what this thing called “Black Friday” was until I began to work in retail back in 2000.  I did 5 years worth of working the jewelry counter at Wal-Mart on that fateful day and I vowed to never, EVER, actually do any shopping on this day.  For some reason, maybe it’s all the turkey eaten the day before, the day after Thanksgiving turns people into crazies.  Flat insane is what they get.  I’ve seen people do some seriously strange things for a $5 toaster, okay?

Last year Cam talked me into going out into the craziness.  I mean it was Friday after all and we couldn’t pass up on our “Fun Friday”.  We didn’t really have a certain plan of action.  We were just going to be going.  This is what we ended up doing.

Yes, it turned into an interesting day.  I missed her so much this week!!  I can’t believe she is so far away!

I hope that everyone had a safe and happy holiday yesterday.  If you are/were out and about on the “busiest shopping day of the year”, then I hope that you make it through unscathed!  Have a great weekend!!!

Now this won’t be an easy thing to explain if you, dear reader, aren’t Hungarian. But I’ll try my best.

This recipe was inspired by my gypsy grandmother, but the original is part of a 2-day feast and they make the stew of hen. I sometimes make that feast, too, but it takes half a day to spend in the kitchen so without company and an inspiring amount of beer it isn’t very fun to do. Hence, I created this quick but still very extraordinary version.

The stew itself requires two (plus an optional third and fourth), and the gypsy style another one very Hungarian ingredients, so if you are cooking it elsewhere, make sure that you have a Hungarian shop nearby or try the links (I never ordered anything from this store, I just found it now when writing this).

First of all, I tell my guests what I’ll be making for dinner and even the Hungarians make a funny face when they hear it. The ingredients are very uncommon to go together (except in gypsy families) but they – as usually everything gypsy-originated – taste divine. Okay, long story short, I get it, here’s how it’s done.

I make stew from 1 kg of pork-thigh. I heat up a tablespoon of lard (if you can’t get some, use 2 spoons of oil). I braise a nice big onion and a few slices of garlic (sliced up well) with 2 teaspoons of salt, until the onion gets glassy. Then I stir-fry the meat, chopped into small cubes and dried with kitchen paper before. When the colour has changed, I turn the cooktop low, and spice it with freshly ground black pepper, a pinch of basil, a pinch of marjoram, 2 teaspoons of noble sweet red paprika, 2 teaspoons of hot piros arany (it is hot and salty red paprika creme, a very intensive taste) and optionally, a teaspoon of goulash paste (it is like the leftover sauce from yesterday’s stew, so an intensely spicey, thick essence). I also put a sliced-up tomato and a bell pepper in it. Fill the pot with cold water so it nearly covers the meat and cover it. Let it boil for a good 40 minutes (or as long as the meat is tender). Then uncover it and let the unnecessary water (if any) steam away.

In the meantime, cook noodles and top it with curd cheese, farmer’s cheese, thick cottage cheese or whatever you can buy, but make sure it isn’t sweet. Real curd cheese look like on the left picture, by the way. And it looks like on the right when on top of noodles.

When the stew is done, simply put it on top of the curdy noodle. Traditionally, it’s eaten this way, but you can make it even better by siding it with fermented jalapeños.

Yummy!

Hey Ya’ll!!! 

Happy Thanksgiving!!!  Hope everyone has something to be thankful for this year!!!  I am thankful that you are reading this blog!!! 

This T-Day I’m taking a minute to watch Terri Clark (who is looking better than ever I must say) and her video for “Gypsy Boots”!  After randomly walking around in the desert for a while (that will burn up the calories!!!  hmmm?), Terri decides to take a break and dreams of gettin’ back to her roots!!  After hanging out with a band of hippies and tellin’ her man “audios”, she mysteriously wakes up with a kickin’ new pair of boots!  I want to have that dream too!  I give this video a 5…it made me a little sea-sick! 

Check out the video @ Terri Clark – Gypsy Boots  at www.yallwire.com!

Country Rocks!

JW

01 – 95 Charing Cross Road
02 – Don’t Count On Us
03 – Come Back When You Have More Ambition
04 – You Have Wasted Your Life, Now Please Stop Wasting Your Money
05 – The First Time I Saw Angels
06 – I Won’t Argue When I’m Dead
07 – Hit Hard, Aim Low
08 – I Used to Have Such Nice Dreams
09 – Bring Back Brando
10 – Gypsy Hospital Death March

Download Here!! // Bajar de Acá

Esta banda es de las que puede llegar a mezclar distintos estilos que van desde el Balkan, el Country, el Gypsy Punk, Rock y Ska. Se los puede alinear en el camino que transitan los Gogol Bordello y al igual que la banda Kultur Shock, los The Penny Black Remedy tiene integrantes que provienen de distintas partes. Un Cantante guitarrista y compositor Escocés, una percusionista y corista de Croacia, Un baterista de Holanda y un bajista Ingles.

CILENE GUEDES (cileneg@gmail.com)

- Você vai fazer o teste pra “Gypsy”?

Acho graça de quantas vezes tenho ouvido essa pergunta nas últimas semanas. E antes que alguém pense que isso tem algo a ver comigo, explico. Não tenho ouvido a pergunta porque acham que eu deva fazer o teste. Tenho ouvido a pergunta porque não se fala de outro processo de produção nos corredores daquela escola lá nas Laranjeiras.

E não deve ser só lá. Os testes foram divulgados em anúncio de revista, email-market, banner no site oficial de Charles Möeller e Claudio Botelho… Não dava pra passar despercebido. Não era para passar despercebido, claro. Era para causar alvoroço. E causou.

Vai ter fila. E torço para quem haja uma boa fila, qualificada, que realmente reflita o imenso interesse que o teatro musical tem despertado nas novas gerações de atores – mérito, óbvio e inconteste, dessa dupla de diretores.

Mas, também por conta dos sucessos em série dos musicais de Möeller e Botelho, é bem provável que haja gente sem noção nessa fila. Muitas Roses, Junes e Louises devem passar pelas audições, cada uma cumprindo seu papel, em vidas muito reais – e muito cheias de ilusão.

Não me interessa sacudir ninguém pra acordar do sonho de ver-se no elenco da primeira montagem brasileira de “Gypsy”, musical levado ao palco pela primeira vez em 1959, por Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim e Arthur Laurents. É um sonho mais do que genuíno para quem ama o teatro. Möeller e Botelho julgam ser este o maior dos musicais da Broadway (no vídeo abaixo, os diretores e as atrizes Totia Meirelles e Adriana Garambone comentam o musical.) E só isso já seria mais do que suficiente para se presumir que vão tentar superar a precisão e a eficiência de tudo o que já levaram ao palco. Fazer parte disso é um privilégio. É um sonho mesmo.

Mas, sugiro – apenas sugiro – pés no chão.

Não que eu tenha condição de dar conselho. Quase tudo o que eu conheço de teatro musical – quase nada – é o que vivi como espectadora.  “Sete”, “Gota d’água”, “A Noviça Rebelde”, “Wicked”, “Avenida Q”, “Gloriosa”, “O despertar da primavera”, “Aquarelas do Ary”, “Beatles num céu de diamantes”… Estou certamente esquecendo alguma coisa. E não incluo na lista o que vi em versão para cinema. ( “West site story”, visto aos 12 anos, em vídeo, me marcou profundamente…) De qualquer forma é pouco. Pouquíssimo.

E confesso que também tenho a memória de uma certa bizarrice, uma aparência de fantasia de carnaval, alimentada por umas imagens meio esparsas, não muito convictas, de coisas como “O fantasma da ópera” e “Cats”. Pode ser preconceito do tipo não-vi-e-não-gostei. Pode ser.

Há três meses, porém, ando ganhando novas e surpreendentes memórias. Nomes como “Gypsy”, “Chicago”, “A chorus line”, “Dreamgirls”, “Fame”, “South Pacific”, “The Producers”, “Hair”, entre uma infinidade de outros, começaram a ganhar mais sentido. Mirna Rubim, craque absoluta do ensino do canto, e Menelick de Carvalho, diretor teatral que vem fazendo sua carreira na ópera, estão dando uma oficina sobre teatro musical, na qual me inscrevi por impulso. A oficina está consumindo o que me restava de tempo livre nessa vida – lá se foram meus sábados! Mas também está me abrindo janelas e arejando a cabeça. Ao mesmo tempo, o curso constrói, de dentro (das minhas cordas vocais modestas e do meu corpo exausto) para fora um profundo respeito aos musicais. Em dezembro, vamos nos divertir, transformando o que aprendemos no curso em um despretensioso espetáculo sobre a Broadway, uma costura de canções de grandes musicais que falam justamente sobre o show business.

Uma das músicas é tirada de “Gypsy”. Chama-se “You gotta get agGimmick”. Quem está preparando seu currículo para enviar para a Aventura Entretenimento (as inscrições vão até dia 3 de dezembro) deveria ouvi-la.

Você pode assistir ao vídeo (tirado da versão para o cinema, de1962) e apenas achar graça dos truques das stripers. E rir da frieza com que elas falam que não é preciso talento para fazer o que fazem. Ou você pode enxergar que, por trás da ironia, o que elas falam é muito real – e isso tem sido uma das maiores lições das aulas com Mirna e Menelick. Para fazer diferença numa fila de “200 garotas mais jovens e magras que eu” – como diz a moça de “Climbing uphill”  em “The last five years” – é preciso ter algo a mais.

Se você se inscreveu na seleção de “Gypsy”, estou presumindo que saiba cantar e dançar – nem tente se não souber e leve a sério os pré-requisitos. Mas não é só isso. Não será uma corneta ou uma roupa luminosa. Não será algo externo. E nem será técnica apenas. O que faz diferença é a verdade com que você seja capaz de exprimir-se, cantando, dançando ou atuando. É sua arte, afinal.

Pode ser que nem isso garanta sucesso na audição, muito menos um lugar no elenco de “Gypsy”. Mas, com certeza, quem for com esse espírito terá colaborado para que não se veja nessa seleção algo que lembre um concurso de misses, um show de calouros ou um desfile de egos inflados. Honestidade não é truque. Mas é um baita “gimmick”.

E pra fechar a tampa da discussão sobre como se faz, deixo Patti Lupone, 35 anos de Broadway, ganhadora do Tony de 2008 pelo papel de Rose, neste musical. Melhor que todas as minhas mil palavras, é ver e ouvir essa mulher cantando. Um assombro.

¿Lo Puedes Creer?

Si compras un Gypsy antes del dia 30 de noviembre del 2009  a tan solo $199.00 recibes un credito de $100.00 para la tienda Cricut.com.

Aqui esta el enlace: Cricut Machine

¿Que es Gypsy?

Es el mas nuevo Dispositivo Electrónico Portatil al mercado de Provo Craft, para tu maquina Cricut. Esta funciona sin la necesidad de usar una computadora. Unas de las funciones que mas me gustan son que puedes soldar las letras y imágenes y te permite la rotación de estas. También guarda todos tus proyectos en su memoria hasta estar lista para cortarlos la maquina Cricut.

Gypsy contiene todas las demás funciones e aplicaciones que el programa Cricut Design Studio. Requiere la instalación de tus cartuchos Cricut y ya incluye 2 cartuchos nuevos precargados. Su uso es sensillo y se programa mediante los botones al lado y un lápiz diseñado para este.

Beneficios y Características

Tamaño – 8” x 3” x 1.5”
• Peso – 11 onzas
• Pantalla – 4.7”, 16:9, 480 x 272
• Lápiz – 3.75”
• Memoria – ~4000 Cartuchos, 10000+ Diseños
• Duración de batería – 4 horas uso continuo 18 horas uso intermedios
• Compatible con toda maquinas Cricut y Cartuchos
• Permite Soldar, Inclinar, Girar, Estiramiento, Vista Previa
• Precargado con 2 Cartuchos nuevos

As clic en AQUI para ver el Video De Provo Craft.

Gypsy

I came across these two lovely articles covering master accordionist Daniel Colin on his tour in Japan.

Musette Delivers Taste of France, from Friday November 20th, 2009, in The Japan Times Online. Written by Yung-Hsiang Kao. The piece covers French Accordionist Daniel Colin’s current tour there, and includes a little backup history on the mordinary (a better word for extraordinary) music that is Musette! Interestingly, the article also connects the Musette interest with Japan’s larger Francophilism: Louis Vuitton bags, french baking, and frog legs (just kidding about that one.)

“For 15 years now, there has been a comeback of the accordion and musette — trash musette, hip-hop musette — but with this group (with Colin) it is a more traditional French musette and chanson.”

Musette is an accordion-centered traditional French music created in Paris in the 1920s from a mix of sounds by Italian immigrants and Auvergne folk from the Massif Central region.

It is to France what jazz is to the United States, according to Cravic, a producer and guitarist.

“Musette was very successful until the beginning of rock ‘n’ roll,” Cravic says in English on a recent visit to Japan with Colin, an accordion player. “Accordion players were overwhelmed, so most of these guys tried to be more showy.

And the other article, Paris, Love Song for You, in Metropolis, written by Dan Grunebaum, from November 12th, 2009.

The accordion revival took hold in Japan in the ’90s, rooted in the continued popularity here of musette and its more sedate cousin, chanson. Among its exemplars are virtuoso Coba and young chanteuse Uri Nakayama.

“It’s an instrument that can be impressive even for young people. They are used to electric guitars, keyboards, and usually this music is not complex. But when we have the experience of playing in front of different musicians in France who are involved in rap or whatever, when they see and hear and feel Daniel, it’s very impressive for them. From the mid ’80s, accordion came back in all sorts of different fields. Now you can hear accordion players in rap or even punk.”

Enjoy!

Another post about Contemporary Accordion Classical Music

Another post about Communist Fighting Accordionist

Another post about World Accordion Trio

Another post about Bluegrass Accordion

Another post about my latest project

Another post about Guido Deiro

Another post about Richard Galliano’s recording Paris Concert

Another post about Accordionist Richard Galliano

Another post about Accordionist Maria Kalaniemi

Another post about Accordion Event Calendar

Another post about Octoberfest Accordion Babes

Another post about New Polka

Another post about Punk Rock Accordions

Another post about Busking

I’ve made a few changes here at Gypsea Tree and I hope you will like them. I’m now keeping all blog links in the tab above called “Other Places to Wander”. If you would like to be added to the list please leave me a comment or send me an email. I would be delighted to link you.

I’ve also made it a little easier to follow Gypsy Tree. Towards the bottom of the right column there is now an option to join my gypsy campfire. I hope you will!

I’ve also added tabs of what  books I’m currently reading and what music I’m listening to. I’m always interested to know this about others so I thought I would add it here. I hope you have a lovely weekend ahead…

In partea a doua a aventurii prin Romania, englezii recunosc din start ca parasesc Bucurestiul inca “uimiti de aceasta tara minunata”. Dar surprizele pentru ei abia erau pe drum.

• Cum autostrada se termina repede, cele trei masini nu se mai simt in largul lor, James May are ocazia sa conduca un Sandero, pe care-l considera ca are tot ce-i trebuie, esenta unei masini si e foarte distractiva….pacat ca la final e regizat un accident.
• Urmeaza Romania Rurala, “borat country” o numesc. La fazele astea se exagereaza mult cu tiganii…sau poate e doar realitatea, asa arata unele sate de la noi.

De la min 3 ne intereseaza:

• un mic accident cu un Lambo vs “Classic Deisia”, dupa care se ratacesc noaptea, dorm in masini si consuma “ceai de canabis” cumparat din benzinarie si ceva gen tuica de prune. Foarte misto e filmat barajul Vidraru, langa care se trezesc ca din intamplare.

Banyak orang mengenal Mama Laurent, sebagai paranormal, setidaknya lewat iklan televisi. Tapi hanya sedikit orang yang tahu bahwa ia berdarah Gypsy. Dan, sementara ia bisa hidup layak dan cukup terhormat di Jakarta, saudara-saudara sedarahnya di Rusia hanya menjadi warga kelas dua yang selalu menjadi sasaran perlakuan dikriminatif dari pemerintah dan sesama warga.

Mama Laurent, peramal top (tapi sering salah?) Indonesia berdarah Gypsy.

Wartawan dari FRANCE 24 menemui orang-orang Gypsy yang tinggal di Chudovo, sebuah kota yang letaknya sekitar 100 km dari kota Saint-Petersburg selatan. Komunitas beranggota 2000 orang tinggal di kawasan itu tak lama setelah bencana (ledakan instalasi nuklir) Chernobyl tahun 1986.

Selama 20 tahun, pemerintah setempat tidak memedulikan kehadiran mereka.  Tapi kejatuhan Uni Soviet mengubah segalanya, antara lain tanah jadi harus didaftar dan dibeli. Musim semi tahun 2007, polisi dan tentara menghancurkan perumahan kaum Gypsy. Saat ini agaknya mereka sedang terancam lagi.

Sejak tahun 2005, pemerintah telah memperketat hukum pemilikan tanah. Alhasil, mereka memerintahkan pemusnahan salah satu perkemahan kaum Gypsy yang terletak beberapa meter dekat sebuah pabrik aspal yang telah ditutup lima tahun lalu, demi alasan-alasan kesehatan. Anehnya, rumah-rumah orang Rusia yang letaknya 50 meter dari situ tidak terkena ancaman apa pun.

Musim semi berikutnya, kaum Gypsy harus sudah pindah. Dengan pembayaran 4000 rubel, mereka bisa menempati kawasan berlumpur yang dijepit jalan kendaraan bermotor dan rel kerea api, dan tidak ada gedung sekolah yang dekat dari situ. Di situ pun, mereka disambut dengan sikap agak bermusuhan. “Kami tahu persis perilaku mereka. Mereka mencuri kayu bakar, mereka membuat kekacauan di mana-mana,” kata seorang wanita penduduk desa, yang mengaku hendak mengirim petisi ke Moskow untuk mencegah kaum Gypsy pindah ke tempat tersebut.

Para penguasa lokal juga tak sudi memperlakukan mereka secara lebih baik. Pemerintah setempat tak mau mendafar mereka. Karena itu mereka kehilangan segala hak pelayanan kesehatan, segala bantuan keluarga, dan akhirnya segala hak hidup yang legal.

Apa yang mereka terima di Chudovo bukanlah satu-satunya kasus. Sejak tahun 2006, setengah juta kaum Gypsy Rusia mengalami pengusiran. Walau mendapat kecaman dari lembaga-lembaga HAM dan peringatan dari PBB, pemerintah federasi Rusia tidak pernah melakukan apa pun untuk menyelesaikan masalah kaum Gypsy.

* Untuk mengetahui lebih jauh identitas orang Gypsy, bacalah di Wikipedia.

01 – Cha Cha
02 – Bulgarian Chicks (ft. V. Tomova, M. Alexieva)
03 – Adir Adirim
04 – The Ladies 9or 4
05 – Shushan
06 – Ya Man
07 – Grass feat. Boom Pam
08 – Sunday Arak
09 – Hassan’s Mimuna
10 – Meboli
11 – La Bush Ressistance feat. Tomer Yosef

Download Here!! / Bajar de acá!!

Primer disco de esta banda neoyorquina. Hacen una fusión de ritmos balcánicos con hip hop, todo gracias a la electrónica. Gracias franja por recomendarme esta banda y enseñarme a apreciar el arte de estas fusiones…

when i met BikerMan
i was at the start of what was supposed
to be
a 12 month working holiday in
london

i was there to work as a nanny
for an american family
with one very spoilt brat boy

i was going to see london
enjoy being on the other side of the
world to the majority
of my family
enjoy not knowing anyone
and no one knowing me

travel around europe
and just generally enjoy life

i met BikerMan via the
internet
3 weeks after i arrived in london

we spoke every day via the net
after a couple of weeks we
started talking on the phone

a couple of weeks later he came down
to london
and we met

just after christmas we became
“a couple”
by the middle of january
we were engaged

by march i had moved up
to live with him
by november
(so a year after meeting)
we were married

the bastard totally
and
utterly
fucked my plans
for travel
exploration
and a general good
drunken
time
right up

instead he made me fall
in love with him
made me want to get married
settle down
become domesticated
for christ sake!
he made me want to procreate with him

you see i never
wanted to get married
never wanted children
preferring to wander the world
explore
live
enjoy life and new destinations
always be on the move

i married
however
a complete
homebody

can you see the problem here?

now fast forward 9 years
we have no children
probably won’t have children
and so
(once the dogs are sadly no longer with us)
we are in the perfect position
to go travelling
see the world
not be tied down

but i’m still married
to the same
homebody
that i was married to 9 years ago

my dream is to move from
place to place
every 6 months or so
exploring new countries
new cities
meeting new people

i have gypsy blood
and a gypsy heart
and being tied down to the one spot
(NOT the one husband)
is making me feel suffocated
and yet i have no hope of
changing BikerMans mind
re the travel

sometimes i sit outside
and stare at the planes landing
and taking off in the sky
and wonder what could have been
where i may have been
what i may have been experiencing
had i not met the love of my life
had i not met my soul mate
had i not fallen in love
had BikerMan not tamed my heart
and domesticated me

sometimes i just plain daydream…..

On continue avec les tests, et cette fois c’est l’Ile du Vent à Noirmoutier (85) qui nous parle de la Boss 12m² et de la Smoke 9m² 2010.
Les tests sont visibles ici:
- Smoke 9m² 2010
- Boss 12m² 2010
Enchanté par l’essai des voiles, Eric le gérant à décidé de rentrer toute la gamme cette année.
Les voiles seront à l’essai, n’hésitez pas à le contacter, il saura vous conseiller!

BROADWAY BABIES: After they co-starred in Evita, she went on to recreate stellar stage roles at home and abroad in Sunset Boulevard, Anything Goes,

MANDY & PATTI: together in T.O.

Sweeney Todd and Gypsy and on screen in the hit TV series Life Goes On. He graduated to Sunday In The Park With George, made his mark on the big screen in The Princess Bride and Yentl, then scored a hit in three top-notch TV series, Chicago Hope, Dead Like Me, and Criminal Minds. But they always were, and still are, traffic-stopping singers who remain dream-come-true interpreters of Broadway’s greatest composers. The good news is, they’re together again at last, on a rare reunion concert tour. The better news is, they’re coming to Toronto. An Evening With Patti Lupone & Mandy Patinkin will rule the Royal Alex for one short week only, Feb. 9-14, and tickets are already on sale. So don’t say I didn’t warn ya. Because this will truly be a night to remember.

NO, NOT THAT MADONNA: After kicking off its 40th (!!!) anniversary season with Brad Fraser’s high-octane crowd-pleaser True Love Lies, Factory Theatre reportedly has another big winner in The Madonna Painter. After a

HUDSON: that's Mrs. Mandela to you

week of buzz-provoklng previews the world premiere of Michel Marc Bouchard’s theatrical parable, directed by Eda Holmes, opens tonight with a stellar cast including Bartholemew Fair scene-stealer Juan Chioran, who’s already set to headline the Stratford revivals of Kiss Me Kate and Evita next season. In Bouchard’s play, set in rural Quebec at the end of World War I, a village priest commissions a fresco dedicated to the Virgin Mary to protect his parishioners from a flu epidemic, and assistant director Cory O’Brien hints that the synergy between the premise of the play and our current H1N1 headlines was downright eerie. “Coughing rattles throughout the rehearsal hall,” he blogged two weeks ago. “Either our actors are overly ‘method’ or we’ve encountered a very strange coincidence. In a play filled with the ominous threat of the Spanish flu our cast has fallen sick. Stay home? Or come to rehearsal? Ginseng. Hand sanitizer. Cold formula tea. To get the flu shot or not to get the flu shot. That is the question.”

Should be fascinating to see who makes it to the stage tonight.

NO PEOPLE LIKE SHOW PEOPLE: Glee club guru Will Schuester (aka Matthew Morrison) and rabid cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (aka Jane

MORRISON & LYNCH: Glee-full

Lynch) got together last week when Morrison stopped by the off-Broadway’s theatre to catch Lynch and Tyne Daly in the current Nora & Delia Ephron hit Love, Loss and What I Wore … Lisa Ray, currently being treated for multiple myeloma, is preparing for a stem cell transplant to treat her rare cancer. Next week the gorgeous star of Water and Bollywood/Hollywood starts a two-week procedure that involves releasing her own stem cells back into her blood to “reboot” her system before any further treatment … Jennifer Hudson will go to South Africa next spring to star in a screen biography of Winnie Mandela, the controversial ex-wife of Nelson … and L.A. audiences got an unexpected bonus last week when Dick Van Dyke joined the national touring cast of Mary Poppins for their curtain call at the Ahmanson Theatre.

TOMORROW:

Lily in Las Vegas

-/-

Ratatouille tonight. But with bacon this time. Nestled in a perfect al dente noodle nest, topped with fresh parmesean and a basil leaf to garnish..

The basil is really what does it for this dish, the fresh feel and perfect blend of pugnency and sweetness makes basil one of my favorite herbs. Plus basil and tomato are lovers.

They laugh as they rock back and forth, posessing each other, gentle and bold, complementary even in color.

It makes me lonely to see them so happy, and to look across the table,  with pure joy rolling around in  my mouth and see no love looking back at me.

we could make love like they do…damn the eggplant and zucchini and carrots, what do they know about true love? The love that’s theirs…and ours…

but we are not tomato and basil. we are you and I. and they are not eggplant, and god is not a zucchini. 

A

A gypsy is not free. A gypsy is a captive moreso than any other of our kind. You see, a gypsy, while free in the sense of evading a mortgage payment, an arrogant boss or a clock that must ring at precisely 6:10 every weekday morning, a gypsy struggles in a cage much tighter, a cage much less forgiving, and the worst part is, it is the most beautiful cage of them all…at least on the outside.

Just as I am a regular, everyday person…on the outside.And just as I pace across another kind of golden jewelled cage.

I have had the same adress since i was eleven years old. Not exactly one of the criteria for being a gypsy as such, but please allow me to explain.

A most amazing man, D once said to me that home is not defined or contained by four walls and a floor. Home is an essence, a spirit, home is inside of you. You’re lucky if the four walls around you absorb and radiate the spirit inside.

I have held these words close to me, cried on them, wrapped around them and clung to their every letter like the blanket of a toddler for some time now. And as I think more and more upon it, i realize that a gypsy does not chafe at the thought of baseboards and floorboards and ironing boards so much as the though of containing the spirit of their people, and the spirit they themselves posess.

They wander to find a physical place they can trust to cherish and protect all they have, and all they are…the problem, so far, has been finding one.

With this understanding then, i adopt the title of gypsy unto myself, so that, in time, dear reader you may come to know me, understand the world through the eyes of another. Through the eyes of one who cannot find a place to contain the spirit given, giftlike to their keeping.

A

I still have alot of work to do on this one.

Recently someone I know who works for a great program for up and coming musician kids, Grammy Camp, sent me an old photograph of a guitar player. It originated from the now defunct Museum of Rock Art in Hollywood. He wanted to know if I could identify the musician either just by knowing him or at least identify the guitar he was playing. I hadn’t a clue so I sent it out to some knowledgeable music folks on my twitter page and got a bevy on answers from some great people (by the way check them out on my twitter list called “music peeps“). Here’s the photograph:

In looking at the hat and the size of the guitar, I’m thinking the musician is Caribbean. Other ideas people had: Django Reinhardt, Tommy Johnson and Robert Johnson. We all agreed he was none of the three, but I did find the commonality of the mystery and legend surrounding all these guitarists quite interesting.

Django Reinhart

Jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt (1910 – 1953) has an aura of legend and awe rather than mystery, as his history is quite intense. Born of Belgium gypsy heritage, he grew up extremely poor in the gypsy encampments surrounding Paris, never having lived in an actual house until the age of twenty. He was a child prodigy with violin, banjo and guitar, astounding adults as he rapidly picked up fingering by watching those around him. At 18 years of age, he was in a devastating fire that threatened to have his leg amputated and paralyzed his fourth and fifth fingers. He refused the amputation and did walk again. Rather than stop his guitar playing, he developed his own unique style soloing with his index and middle fingers and went on to become a musical legend. Later during World War II, he survived the fate of many of his gypsy brethren, who were killed in Nazi concentration camps. His compositions went on to become jazz standards and influence on other jazz, swing, and rock guitarists is legendary. Here is a rare video of his finger work:

Tommy Johnson

The mysterious Tommy Johnson (1896 – 1956) was a talented guitarist and delta blues singer from Mississippi who was known for his vocal acrobatics; he would go from a growl to a high falsetto. He was also was a really bad alcoholic who wrote the song in 1928 “Canned Heat Blues,” from which the 60s blues-rock band, Canned Heat, took their name. Johnson wrote the song about drinking methanol from the cooking fuel Sterno. Johnson created a sinister persona by claiming, as told by his brother LeDell, that he made a pact with Ol’ Scratch at the crossroads, a story either attributed wrongly or also used by the more famous bluesman Robert Johnson (no relation).

In the movie, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? there is a character named Tommy Johnson who sold his soul to play guitar. I’ve read in various places that the character was based on Tommy Johnson, Robert Johnson, or a composite of Tommy Johnson, Robert Johnson, and Skip James; he sings the songs of Skip James throughout the film. He was portrayed by New Orleans musician, producer and actor Chris Thomas King, who subsequently put out an album inspired by the film, called The Legend of Tommy Johnson, Act 1. As a side note, Chris Thomas King also gave a haunting performance as Blind Willie Johnson in the Martin Scorsese produced PBS Blues documentary by Wim Wenders, “The Soul of Man.” Here is Tommy Johnson doing his song, “Cool Drink of Water Blues”:

Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson (1911 – 1938) needs no introduction. He is one of the most famous blues legends in history yet one of the most mysterious. There are only two photographs of the man! He has a sparsely documented life and death at the young age of 27. Martin Scorsese said “The thing about Robert Johnson was that he only existed on his records. He was pure legend.” Eric Clapton, who recently did an album of all Robert Johnson songs, has called him the most important blues guitarist who has ever lived. He has influenced pretty much any blues or blues-rock musician since him. As far as his famous “deal with the devil” at the crossroads, that myth is murky. It could be just a widely told folk tale (used to describe many highly skilled folks in that era) or a tongue and cheek bravado to develop a persona. Even as recently as this week Robert Johnson continues to make stories. An article by the Associated Press five days ago, talks about finding and restoring Robert Johnson’s birthplace home. Movies are being developed and many books have been written searching for some answers about this man’s life and death. Here is “I’m A Steady Rollin’ Man”:

I’m so curious about Robert Johnson! I think I’ll pick up one of those many books written about him. Truly fascinating…a mystery and a legend… Meanwhile, that brings us back to the mystery that remains. Who is the man in the mystery photo playing the guitar? If anyone knows or at least has some ideas, please let me know!

Gracing the Main Street Public House in Philmont, NY on Thursday night was Shotgun Party, an exuberantly energetic powerhouse of a band. Based of out Austin, TX, Shotgun Party is a fine medley of killer fiddle, soothing guitar, gorgeous vocals, and percussive bass. The band plays badass bluegrass, swing, and gypsy music, yet in a curiously endearing manner.

Each of the three times I’ve seen Shotgun Party there has been a different bassist. The first time I saw the band was at Jason’s Upstairs in Hudson, NY and Christopher Crepps was playing. He was the original bassist for Shotgun Party but stopped touring with them because he didn’t want to leave his family for extended amounts of time. The second time I saw the band was at The Main Street Public House, and bassist Jared Engel was filling in for Christopher during tours outside of Texas at that point. The bassist this time was Andrew Thomas Austin-Petersen. Andrew is the band’s new bassist, now a permanent fixture in the splendor that is Shotgun Party. Andrew, Jenny Parrott, and Katy Rose Cox have been playing a lot of shows together and, although Shotgun Party was never less than great, after Thursday’s show I was ultimately rendered speechless. Part of the reason why was because of how impressive they were, while the other part was because I was having so much fun I couldn’t stop smiling — it’s a little hard to talk when your cheeks are stretched as wide as mine were…

The musicians were wearing matching outfits, but each had their own individual style and variation on a theme of red. They always color coordinate what they wear, a charming fact that I forgot. The band plays and sings fun swing numbers, fiery tangos, and mysterious waltzes, and all the songs performed on Thursday were made more exciting by eerie lighting set up at the pub courtesy of the band. Topics among the songs included cowboys, love, and…pickled eggs! Indeed. I love a good offbeat band, and Shotgun Party most definitely is just that. As for the music itself, a lot of the tunes are catchy without having the slightest hint of earworm (a song that gets stuck in your head) annoyance to them. Jenny plays guitar and is the lead singer of the band. She has an adorable yet sophisticated voice, a rare duality, and she and Katy have lonesome sister vocals even though they’re not related. Andrew has a pleasing voice, singing lead on a few songs, and was amazing on bass. He creates distinct percussive sounds with his instrument and has a unique way of playing it. Katy is honestly one of the most incredible fiddlers alive today, and watching her go wild with her instrument is both exhilarating and slightly terrifying at the same time. I’m not at all superstitious yet I can’t help but feel as though she might be conjuring the devil when she plays, and I mean that as the most generous of compliments.

The band played three healthy sets, each one chock full of delightful songs. At the beginning of the third set, musician and Shotgun Party friend Seth Travins joined Jenny and Katy for a song, and Andrew joined the audience and danced. Later in the third set Seth took up bass a few more times, Andrew stepping out into the audience again and dancing with various people. In addition to being a great bassist he’s an excellent dancer! He caused a ruckus on the dance floor with his two-stepping, swing dancing, girl twirling moves. As the night went on the atmosphere at the Public House got more relaxed, and by the end of the night nearly the entire packed pub was dancing. It was hard to resist the power of the music, for it kept increasing in brilliance. Rising above all my preconceived notions of greatness, Shotgun Party delivered one of the best concerts I’ve ever attended.

Here are two videos from the show:

Shelly Swore

Yell Out The Chords