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Every Monday through Thursday morning, Michael G. Haskins introduces his WBAI radio Morning Show with a snippet of “Hang Loose,” by the Brooklyn-based band, Mandrill. I thought it might be fun to post a full live performance of the song with a Soul Train audience digging it in true 70s style.
Thanks to YouTuber Neftali Santiago
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Joseph Mirachi in The New Yorker
Recently, I bought a set of electric hand warmers. They are little devices that you put in your gloves or socks to keep you warm during the winter. I was familiar with the one-use little plastic package warmers, so I thought a reusable electronic version might be useful. Little did I know until I read the directions which made me laugh out loud, that I had just purchased the equivalent of the true-life version of the legendary fictional Happy Fun Ball. I especially enjoyed the helpful advice in Precaution note #5, should misfortune arise:
Rest assured, I will not Taunt the Fourheart Hand Warmer.
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Monday morning, you jump out of bed onto a lamppost for the opportunity to make a splash.
The wonderful title song from the movie, performed and choreographed by the effortless Gene Kelly, and brilliant direction by Stanley Donen.
Favorite part: the explanation to the cop at the end.
Thanks to YouTuber ozabbavo77
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A fun and surprisingly progressive view of relating to students in 1947. The “before” is a little more believable than the “after,” but it’s not bad advice.
Thanks to YouTuber Time Train
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Magician Richard Turner, the fabled blind card mechanic, is the subject of a compelling new film documentary directed by Luke Korem called Dealt. I interviewed Korem who spoke about the challenges and pleasures of making the film. Though ostensibly about magic, the story is also about independence, disability, discipline, creativity, and about learning how best to play the hand that life has dealt us.
Click on the grey triangle to listen to the interview as broadcast yesterday on the Arts Express radio program on WBAI 99.5 FM..
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When Thanksgiving dinner just gets way too tense…
More SNL skits at Saturday Night Live
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Jack Ziegler in The New Yorker
(Click to enlarge)
Reykjavik, Iceland
I don’t often do this (umm…never in fact), but I enjoy Edward Law’s daily blog Learn Fun Facts so much that I’m re-blogging his kind post where he offers other bloggers a place to share their blogs. Thanks, Edward. I think that if you enjoy reading my blog you will also greatly enjoy Edward’s daily posts as well.
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Monday morning, get the accordion out and dance to the Zydeco version of this great Hank Williams song.
Thanks to YouTuber FredCDobbs00
(Click to enlarge)
Inflatable rodent, part of a protest against non-union construction labor.
New York City, NY
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Willie Nelson’s sadder but wiser take of the Paul Simon classic.
Thanks to YouTuber willietribute2000
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Our friends Bob and Ray with another helpful interview.
Thanks to YouTuber The Classic Archives
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The “bench scene” from Carousel, “If I Loved You,” with the original Broadway cast, John Raitt (father of Bonnie) and Jan Clayton. In my opinion, the best love scene and music that Rodgers and Hammerstein ever wrote. And stay until the end to catch the amazing Jan Clayton in the final clinch.
Thanks to YouTuber fvydt
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Roz Chast in The New Yorker
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(Click to enlarge)
E 16th Street
Brooklyn, New York
***Bonus: if you enlarge the picture and look at the orange window sign, you’ll see the announcement of the owners’ new business plan to change the name of the store to “99¢ & up.”
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Monday morning you wake up in a panic and realize it’s been more than a year since you posted another version of “All The Things You Are.” (For other versions I’ve posted, see here, here, here, and here)
So, another great take here:
Sonny Stitt – alto & tenor saxophone
Joe Newman – trumpet
Duke Jordan – piano
Sam Jones – bass
Roy Brooks – drum
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Last year, Penn & Teller performed this little stunt from their classic repertoire on their television series, Fool Us; it’s still a knuckle-biting performance.
But for the purists who remember the original version, here’s a clip from twenty-five years ago, back when Teller took a few more hair-raising chances . . .
Thanks to YouTuber secretSociety40
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Roz Chast in The New Yorker
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“Every one leaving the Palace was searched, no matter on what side he was. There were priceless treasures all about and it was a great temptation to pick up souvenirs…”
A hundred years ago this month, The Russian Winter Palace was taken over by the Bolsheviks as the culminating act of the Russian Revolution. American journalist Louise Bryant was an eyewitness to these events, and wrote about them in her exciting memoir of the period, Six Red Months in Russia.
Mary Murphy and I produced this 10-minute radio segment featuring readings from Bryant’s memoir, broadcast yesterday on the Arts Express program on WBAI-FM.
Click on the grey triangle above to listen.
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I recently had the pleasure of seeing Harrison Greenbaum’s comedy magic act at two different venues, and he killed at both of them. His philosophy of performing comedy magic is that the comedy has to be good enough to stand alone without the magic—and indeed that is what he has done for a good deal of his career; that is, he often performs hilarious stand-up comedy only, without the magic. But don’t underestimate his magic chops either—his routining and performance of the venerable magic Baby Gag is a standing ovation wonder.
Here’s Greenbaum with one my favorite comedy routines of his—no magic—“Lightning Roy,” the man who defied lightning.
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Roz Chast in The New Yorker
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What a trip. It’s the third anniversary of this blog this week. It’s a little scary to think I’ve posted that many times. It’s been so nice to hear from readers.
Here are a dozen of my favorite posts and memories from the past year that you may have missed, which you might also enjoy:
Finding the Red Card: The Performance of Three-Card Monte
Late In The Day: Constance Norgren
“Jack Hath Not Gill”: Love’s Labour’s Lost
