Nob Sugino - Lap Steel Artist - MBPYNHO

A few months back, around my birthday, I think, I purchased an album sound unheard (and sight unseen) by a Japanese lap steel guitarist named Nob Sugino. I had read his name somewhere and thought it might be interesting to hear how he played one of my favorite instruments. The album was "Wake", and you can ge it here.

The album is an eclectic and surprising blend of sounds, textures, and styles. I like it a lot. Sugino's approach to the instrument is aggressive and confident, but also nuanced and sensitive. It is a fascinating listen. I visited his website and learned more about his equipment and technique, signing up to receive updates as they became available.

Well, this morning, I received a nice personal email from Sugino, inviting me to check out three videos of new performances that he recently uploaded to YouTube. These are all really well done. Great performances on three different, unique instruments.







And check it out! He is using the Boss RC-20XL Looper Pedal! The same one that I've been playing with for the last couple of months and that I've written about here repeatedly.

Jesus Stands Corrected

- excerpt:

I've been corrected many times by Christians -- after reading (on-air) something Jesus actually said. They don't like it. I'm serious. "You know, all the commandments can be summed up with love the Lord your God with all your heart, and mind, and soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus said that, and..."

Ringing phones. "Hello?"

"You forgot one: Evangelize."

Jesus stands corrected.

From Brant Hansen. Read the whole thing.

U2's "With or Without You" by Neanderpaul - MBPYNHO

In this broadcast of Music By People You've Never Heard Of, I bring you this inspired and inspiring home-brewed version of the famous U2 anthem as performed by Neanderpaul. I'll tell you up front, this is not a great recording, even by the standards of YouTube. It won't matter, just check it out.



I know nothing about this guy, and I found him as I was searching for videos of artists using the Boss RC-20XL Loop Station. For those of you not hip to what the Loop Station is all about, Neanderpaul is an able demonstrator of it's considerable creative possibilities. He plays, sings, and records every sound you hear in this video in real time....this is a completely live performance.

There are a lot of folks using this kind of fun tool nowadays, and I've written about it before. In Neanderpaul's videos, though, I was especially struck by his unpretensious demeanor and his passionate approach to every performance, whether it is a cover tune like this one or an original. You get the sense that it doesn't matter who or even if anyone is listening. There is an implicit devotion to honesty, economy, and simplicity that is admirable. His commitment to the music really shines through.

I don't know the guy, but he's an artist, and I like what he's got going on. It's not about perfection, it's about passion.

Michelangelo's Pieta

A passing reference in a book I am reading reminded me today of one of the most arresting works of art that I have ever seen, Michelangelo's Pieta. We saw it last April while in Italy, celebrating our 25th anniversary.

I have seen a lot of famous art in my life, and one of the blessings of our marriage is that Nancy and I both enjoy art museums and art history, as well as creating our own art.

Yet, nothing I had ever previously seen or read or thought I knew about Michelangelo and his legendary body of work prepared me for the exceeding beauty, the grandeur, the grace, and the power of this particular statue.

Located in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, the heart of the Roman Catholic Church, this statue of Jesus' battered and lifeless body, cradled in the arms of his mother, Mary, simply must be seen to be appreciated. It is one of the few works that commands one's complete rapt attention when in it's presence. This is, of course, due in part to the solemnity of the subject and also to the majesty of its representation, hewn from stone and meticulously polished by the hand of a supremely gifted artisan. Far more than a mere religious icon, which, in Rome, number in the millions and towards which I am relatively inurred, I was taken aback by the unexpected wave of emotion and introspection that this image inspired.

Completed by Michelangelo in 1499, there are several interesting things about this statue's design. It has been noted that some of the body proportions of the two figures are not "right, " strictly speaking, due to the inherent difficulty of portraying a fully grown man splayed limply across the lap of a woman. Much like a painter, the artist seemed to understand that adjustments needed to be made so that , from the perspective of the viewer some distance away, the image would appear perfectly normal and natural. The overall shape of the sculpture is pyramidic, with the thick folds of Mary's clothing largely creating the necessary mass to balance the image and support it's overall effect.

While the subject of the Savior's mother in grief at the death of her Son was by no means unique, Michelangelo's depiction of Mary differed significantly from those that had come before. The image of Mary is clearly that of the serene, young, teenage virgin mother, not the grief-stricken, mature, 45-ish woman that she certainly was at the time of Jesus' crucifixion. There are a number of theoretical explanations for this, but the one I find the most compelling posits that Michelangelo is intentionally bridging Christ's birth to His death in this single image. The young virgin mother sees in her arms the precious little newborn baby whose selfless life will eventually lead Him to the fulfillment of prophecy at Golgotha. At the same time, we who view this scene are actually seeing the grim future, which is at once the greatest of victories, draped in sorrow and loss.



This statue has an interesting history, too, a summary of which can be read here.

Finally, if you have never travelled abroad or are intimidated by the idea or cost of going to a faraway country, I encourage you to reconsider. It is far easier and much less expensive than most people think and the rewards are incalculable. It will change forever the way you look at the world.

Btw, the top pic is mine. The bottom one is shamelesly purloined from Wikipedia.
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Leadership

"NOT ONE MEMBER HAS READ THIS BILL!"

Do you think that our nation's leaders have any idea in what low regard they are beheld by those they govern?


UPDATE: The Democrats finally made the bill's language available around 11 p.m. Thursday, approximately 10 hours before members meet Friday to consider the bill and 38 hours short of the time promised Americans to review the bill.




That our leaders cheat on their taxes, lie with impunity, and twist both the letter and spirit of the law for the sake of personal power and material gain should not surprise us.

That we allow it is the greater crime. And yet, most of them will, I daresay, be reelected.


Yeah...change we can believe in.

Action Figure Museum

I have been driving through Paul's Valley, Oklahoma for years on our semi-annual trips back and forth from Texas. This is totally worth stopping for.



If you missed the Wired mag article and pics, check it out here.

Peanut Butter and Cabbage Sandwich

This is an exhilarating post by chef and author Michael Ruhlman. Check out this picture, taken by his wife (a superb photographer), then go read about it.



I want one now.

Say it out loud. It's not magic...

...but it is supernatural.

I have found this to be true.

Economic Prognostication

It is a very rare day that I read, much less rebroadcast, financial articles, but
this one
from CNN Money is particularly timely, understandable, interesting, and.....concise.

h/t microlesia

"The Last Lincolns" and Books I Haven't Read Yet.

As I mentioned a short time ago, I need a new category tag entitled "Books I Haven't Read Yet," so that I can offer unqualified recommendations and initiate uninformed discussion and opinions on books that look interesting but which I may or may not actually get around to reading.

Here is one such book, entitled "The Last Lincolns: The Rise and Fall of a Great American Family," by Charles Lachman.

Here is a blurb from the publisher:

Most books about Abraham Lincoln end on April 14, 1865, the day he was assassinated at Ford's Theatre. But that historic event takes place near the beginning of The Last Lincolns, a singular title in the vast output of Lincolnia and one of the most unusual books ever written on the sixteenth president and his family. Going far beyond that fateful day into uncharted territory, it's a gripping page turner written by a TV producer with proven storytelling skills. This absorbing American tragedy tells the largely unknown story of the acrimony that consumed the Lincolns in the months and years that followed the president's murder. This was not a family that came together in mourning and mutual sadness; instead, they fell out over the anguished mental condition of the widowed Mary. In 1875, Robert — the handsome but resentful eldest Lincoln child — engineered her arrest and forcible commitment to an insane asylum. In each succeeding generation, the Lincolns' misfortunes multiplied, as a litany of alcohol abuse, squandered fortunes, burned family papers, and outright dissipation led to the downfall of this once-great family.

Charles Lachman traces the story right up to the last generation of Lincoln descendants: great-grandson Bob Lincoln Beckwith, his estranged wife, Annemarie, and her son, Timothy Lincoln Beckwith. Bob, who was according to all medical evidence sterile, believes the son who bears the Lincoln name was the product of an adulterous affair. Annemarie, however, wanted the boy to be a "Lincoln," putting the child in line for a vast inheritance. There's even evidence — uncovered by Lachman for the first time — that a scheme to obtain possession of the Lincoln fortune was orchestrated by Bob Beckwith's chauffeur, who may have been the notorious outlaw and skyjacker, D.B. Cooper.

Published in advance of Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday in February 2009, The Last Lincolns provides an unforgettable glimpse into the personal legacy left by the man who could unite a nation…but not his own family.

George Bush saved 10 million lives

Yes, George Bush saved 10 millions lives.

DOOT-DOOT by Freur - MBPYNHO

From the Music By People You Never Heard Of wholly owned subsidiary of PikeSpeak, here is "Doot-Doot" by Freur, circa 1983.



Other than "doot doot", most of the lyrics are completely unintelligible. It doesn't matter, though, there is much to love about this song/video and I suspect that deep, thoughtful lyrics would probably just get in the way. Sure the haircuts and clothes look funny, but so what?

Things I like about this include the understated "slow-burn" groove, the synchronized echoey vocal sounds and the complex texture created by layering multiple simple parts.

My favorite section starts about 2:32 when the drummer comes in, attacking that classic Simmons drumkit with such drama. That is also where the synth strings come to the fore....and I really love the rich, warm sound of 80's analog strings.

h/t Chordstrike

Winners

Just go read this story.

Do it. Go. NOW.



h/t AIM & Kamp Krusty

Comical. Or not?

Personally, I was always a little suspicious of Aquaman.

This is just darn silly, in my opinion. But Stan Lee is a man who knows a business opportunity when he sees it, that is for sure. I, too, wait with baited breath, to see what super-power this "hero" will reveal.

The middle distance

I just noticed that on my blog masthead, I have the same expression as Miles Davis does on the "In A Silent Way" album cover. Except I'm all neon-y and he's a famous jazz trumpeter noted for his extraordinary creativity and crotchety demeanor.

The importance of context

"...I got rid of the body. I kept the neck, but I had to trash the body..."

This was what I was saying to my wife in a matter-of-fact voice just as the window opened in the Starbucks drive through. I turned to see an earnest, wide-eyed young man with a startled expression on his face, reaching out to me with a Grande Americano (plus half-and-half) in each hand.

I received the beverages, smiling broadly as I handed him the payment.

I am certain he wondered what I was talking about.

Blonde Joke

A blonde is watching the news with her husband when the newscaster says, 'Two Brazilian men died today in a skydiving accident.'

The blonde starts crying to her husband, sobbing 'That's horrible! So many men dying like that.'

Confused, he says, 'Yes dear, it is sad, but they were skydiving, and there is always that risk involved.'

After a few minutes, the blonde, still sobbing, says, 'How many is a Brazilian?'

A Gaza Stripped of Hamas?

Here is an excellent summary on the politics swirling around the current conflagration between Israel and the Hamas terrorists.

Do you believe that we'll be reunited with our loved ones when we get to heaven?

Thanks to Blog.Worship.com for pointing to this compelling Q&A from ChristianPost.com:


Q: Do you believe that we'll be reunited with our loved ones when we get to heaven? I deeply hope we will be, but with all the millions and millions of people up there, how will we ever find them? Maybe I shouldn't worry about this but I do. - Mrs. R.E.


A: Yes, I firmly believe we will be reunited with those who have died in Christ and entered heaven before us. I often recall King David's words after the death of his infant son: "I will go to him, but he will not return to me" (2 Samuel 12:23). This truth has become even more precious to me since the death of my dear wife, Ruth, a year and a half ago.


And, yes, there will be a vast number of people in heaven, for every person through the ages who has trusted Christ for their salvation will be there. The Bible says that because of Christ's death for us, heaven will be filled with "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb (Christ)" (Revelation 7:9).


But you shouldn't worry about getting lost, or never finding your loved ones in heaven - not at all. If God brought you together on this earth - out of all the billions of people who live here now - will He be able to bring you together in heaven? Of course.


Never forget: Heaven is a place of supreme joy - and one of its joys will be our reunion with our loved ones. But heaven's greatest joy will be our reunion with Christ, our Savior and Lord. Is your hope and trust in Him?


The person that answered this question is Billy Graham.

"Coldplay rips off Joe Satriani?" The fur is gonna fly....

The kids over at ChordStrike have been on a roll lately and you should check them out for their ideas and recommendations for music that is often off the beaten path.

Here, though, is their take on the recent lawsuit brought by guitar-samurai Joe Satriani against the pop superstars Coldplay in which it seems their huge hit, Viva La Vida may have borrowed too generously from one of Joe's instrumental tunes off of a 2004 album.

You definitely want to check out the YouTube video that they have showing the two songs overlaid. It's pretty incredible. I am usually pretty skeptical about these kinds of claims, because pop/rock music is so pervasively inbred anyway these days. But this time...this time it really sounds eerily close and I'm thinking ol' Satch may have an axe to grind with the youngsters.


One thing I know for sure, and this video proves...Coldplay really could be the best band in the world if they got Joe Satriani to play guitar.


Followup: Coldplay says, "Oh, no we din't!"