Sunday, February 29, 2004
Kraftwerk is in town!
I love this band...
They will be at Shibuya AX,
3/2, 3/3, & 3/4.
I’m za appa rayta ohf my pohket cahl ku laytah
Till next time... 'Mela
7:20 PM
Friday, February 27, 2004
Today, at last, I'm off to the
The Japan Grand Prix International Orchid Festival 2004.
I will bring my trusty rig with me.
I hope to get some excellent shots of the orchids
for a future canvas...
I have two paintings on my agenda:
My son's 18 year old portrait,
and, of course, the orchids...
The scent is calling me with curving dancing fingers...
Till next time... 'Mela
5:59 PM
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
What a night!
My friend Hiroshi took me to The Sumida Triphony Hall
to see The Jan Garbarek Group.
The MC, Peter Hohensee, came out and delivered in his most elegant voice,
the message:
“Welcome, thank you for coming out tonight, and now
The Jan Garbarek Group”
And out they came,
Jan Garbarek- soprano, tenor sax
Ranier Bruninghaus- piano, synthesizer
Eberhard Weber- bass
Marilyn Mazur- percussion, drums
True to form, there was a minimalist air about it-
There were no excesses; no blathering on about each song-
In fact, there was no speaking at all.
Just music...
The set was decorated with a white tent pulled and stretched,
each lighting change bringing about a subtle new element to the constantly changing puzzle...
At one time, it resembled the Northern lights.
The set list:
Trollsyn (J.Garbarek)
Conversation (L.Shankar)
Goin’ Home (J.Garbarek)
Malinye (Don Cherry)
New Bein’ (J.Garbarek)
Last Stage (E. Weber)
Brother Wind March (J.Garbarek)
Hu Hai (J.Garbarek)
Molde Canticle (J.Garbarek)
Voy Cantande (J.Garbarek)
Mission (J.Garbarek)
This was my first time to see The Group.
The previous performance I saw was Jan with the Hilliard Ensemble- a four part vocal group.
Together they performed Gregorian Chants, and original pieces of a classical nature- using the acoustics of Opera City,
Tokyo, it was completely accapella.
Last night's performance was a whole 'notha smoke!
Each musician was individually splendid,
and collectively, magical.
Listening, I felt as if in a dream, or a storm, or a tribal dance,
or some whirlwinded escapade...
I was proud to be part of the listening experience.
And imagine my happiness to meet
Jan, Ranier, Eberhard & Marilyn after the show...
I got a few words with each of the members,
and the very dashing MC,
and signatures for my new CD .
Beauty!
Till next time... ‘Mela
7:01 PM
Saturday, February 21, 2004
It all started for me while visiting my family in upstate New York
in the summertime...
Being in Tokyo 11 months of the year,
when I go home, I shop.
This particular year,
I was elbow deep in what has to be
a staple of American life:
the discount music bin.
I can't figure this out,
as a jazz artist myself,
why such great material is placed in bargain bins,
while the trash that passes for popular music is sold at high prices.
Who knows.
Who cares.
It cooks for me, Jim...
I found a tape of Carmen McRae sings Monk,
which blew me away!
( I saw this concert at Carnegie Hall
before Carmen recorded this work!)
I kept searching...
I came across a tape with minimalist artwork-
Titled "Works" by Jan Garbarek.
With no knowledge of this artist at all,
I had a psychic feeling about this tape.
I bought it.
Upon listening to it,
I became an instant fan.
WORKS (ECM)
This album is a collection of tracks put together to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the ECM label.
Artists playing include: Charlie Haden, Egberto Gismonti, Palle Danielsson, Bill Connors, John Taylor, Jack DeJohnette, Arild Adnersen,
Edward Vesala, Ralph Towner, Nana Vasconcelos, Terje Rypdal,
Jon Christensen, and Babo Stenson.
Jan Garbarek is a woodwind player
from Oslo, Norway.
His technique is ethereal:
His soprano sax sounds like birds flying, or a sirens wail...
His tenor sax sounds as if he were singing from a mountain top...
I have bought a few other works of Garbarek's since:
"All Those Born With Wings"
"Visible World"
Last year, Garbarek appeared at Tokyo's Opera City
with The Hilliard Ensemble.
The performance was absolutely mesmerizing.
I added the 2 CD work to my collection.
It is entitled MNEMOSYNE.
On Wednesday, Feb 25th, The Jan Garbarek Group
will appear at Sumida Triphony Hall, Tokyo.
I will be there...
Till next time... 'Mela
8:27 PM
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Pamela MacCarthy, Jazz Vocals
I'll be appearing at the Tokyo Dome Hotel's Artist Cafe tomorrow night, Feb 19th.
Joining me will be Tom Pierson,
on piano.
It has been awhile since I've played this room,
ascending to the top, the 43rd floor-
Combined with Tom's piano and my voice,
and the lovely view of Tokyo-
A nice night out...
Till next time... 'Mela
12:36 AM
Sunday, February 15, 2004
I saw the most excellent movie late last night,
called Ship of Fools.
It was a movie that I haven't seen the likes of in a long, long time.
The story is of a German cruiseship
leaving Mexico bound for Germany.
It is 1931.
Some of the best lines ever:
Lee Marvin's character, a drunken baseball player,
brashly states to Vivien Leigh's character,
an ostrich feathered, aging coquette:
"I've had a bad case of diarrea for weeks now"...
She replies:"How interesting... Tell me all about it."
The following pause was priceless...
All the actors and actresses were mesmerizing.
The story was riveting.
Truly, I kept thinking to myself,
Why haven't I seen this before?
I found Mel Ferrer's character to be abrasively annoying.
But that was his role as a future Hitler
supporter.
Simone Signoret was hauntingly beautiful...
A very young George Segal...
This movie was made in 1965.
Watching this film I kept thinking,
this is great...
The acting was so different than today's films.
Somehow it had more gravity...
It was an adult film without swearing or nudity.
The story, the acting, the costumes
and cinematography were all top notch.
Refreshing.
A complete treasure...
Till next time... 'Mela
5:43 AM
Friday, February 13, 2004
© 2000 Pamela MacCarthy
All rights reserved
“Raining Hearts”
Digital
I created this originally in 2000,
before this blog was started...
Happy Valentine's day!
Till next time... 'Mela
8:35 PM
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
Pansies remind me of my late grandmother,
Ethel Mae Myers.
Today was her birthday.
She was a great person who taught me a great deal...
She was an independent woman, long before it was en vogue-
She worked in women's fashion, retail.
She was a widow,
my grandfather was quite a bit older than her.
She used to drive to visit me and my three sisters every Sunday.
She'd take us for long drives in the countryside.
I still get chills thinking about our trips along the cliffs of the
Shawangunk Mountains, going towards Ellenville...
In the Autumn, my grandmother would take us
to the lovely Hudson Valley apple orchards,
for a bushel basket of McIntosh's.
Every Autumn that comes and goes since, I remember that...
I remember her stories,
of her girlish days...
She took zero guff from anyone.
I always admired the way she dressed-
Her beautifully tailored wool suits, silk stockings, and her granny dynamite style handbags and matching gloves.
Her scarves, and simple yet elegant jewelry.
Her hair was always so neat and stylish.
Her favorite perfume was Ma Griffe by Carven.
She was always feminine, and in control of things...
She was patient,
but don’t you dare think about crossing her.
She taught me how to drive on her standard shift
1967 Volkswagon Beetle.
Her words: If you don’t listen, you don’t drive.
I listened.
She was one of the people in my childhood whom I had a genuine respect for:
I learned by her example.
She left me her beautiful Amethyst birthstone ring,
and as much as I adore it,
I'd trade it in a minute just to talk with her again.
She loved me and my sisters equally.
She was a stickler for fairness-
She always made sure she gave equally to each of us,
both in attention and gifts.
Each of my sisters loved her as much as I did.
We all still do...
On her birthday, I’d like to offer this tribute to her memory.
Thank you, Gramma...
Till next time... ‘Mela
9:57 PM
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Photo: Michio Yves Ueda
