This past December 7 was the 100th birthday of Louis Prima. I'm not a biographer so I'm not going to give you a point by point, date by date on the life of Louis. I'm just wanted to show my appreciation for this "wild cat". And let's face it- this blog is about the soundtrack
I remember Louis Prima mostly from movies. His songs had a way of giving a charge to a film. There's "The Jungle Book"- as King Louie, the orangutan that wanted to be "just like me". Or "Big Night", where he's a huge part of the plot- used as a tool to ruin a couple of brothers who own an Italian restaurant. This film is worth a rental just to see Marc Anthony do some acting pre J-Lo.
His music was infectious- you could not move- never more evident in his composition "Sing Sing Sing".
Perhaps he is best known for his collaborations with his fourth wife Keely Smith. Together the revolutionized the Las Vegas lounge act. The show was called "The Wildest"- meaning that it was the "wildest" show in Las Vegas. To be fair- she is a fantastic singer but it was Louis Prima who created the "Keely Smith" persona (pageboy haircut, the silent observer)- together they were unbelievable.
"A Christmas Memory" is one of my favorite holiday stories. Written by Truman Capote, the story is of a unique friendship between a boy and his childlike older cousin. At this time of year it is not uncommon to reflect back on happier times and comparing them to the life we live now. Some memories are good- simple joys, fine foods, smiles and laughter Some memories bring a sense of sadness because some part of the memories are no longer with us. Still, it is a time to celebrate (even if you don't celebrate the holidays). Celebrate life. Celebrate the little things. Celebrate the memories.
Listen to "A Christmas Memory" by clicking on the title above or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes One Thousand Hertz.
I know it's been a while since I last posted but I've been in the middle of a big move from Oakland to Los Angeles. Here's some advice: when renting a truck don't believe the specs when they say a 10' truck is perfect for a 1 bedroom. It's like the measurements on your coffee maker carafe: it may have been true in the past but not now. Let's just say I'm glad it's over.
Moving to L.A. means I've left my radio position and am looking for another. In tribute to my 20 years at KPFA in Berkeley I am presenting "Instant Radio" written and directed by Bill Chessman. It's a full day of radio programming in 30 minutes which I think is becoming a reality at KPFA (not bitter- not bitter). Click on the title to listen or download on iTunes.
This is a new adventure for me. Here's to some great memories.
Day of the Dead. I've always enjoyed the Day of the Dead. The idea of honoring loved ones who had died seemed right in some way. Not forgotten but always present.
This has become more apparent as I have gotten older. I am of a generation that was hit hard by death due to the AIDS pandemic. My experiences with friends dying prepared me for what I have recently gone through in being a caregiver for my parents although I didn't know this at the time.
"Remembrance" is about how we honor our dead. How we fight to keep the memories of them from fading away. It's about saying this this person- this life was important. It's a celebration a life through the transition of death.
So this blog posting and podcast is dedicated to friends and family who have died and my way of saying to you that it's O.K. to mourn the passing of a loved one but don't forget to celebrate them as well. Live your life as a celebration of who they were- who they are.
This is the second post of the Alan Lipton series. I have to say, I am very impressed with Alan. I think that he is very talented but I didn't know how far his passion for creativity went. I recently went to hear him perform (sing) in Berkeley. Despite it being fairly hot, in BERKELEY, and the usual Berkeley characters milling about AND the scheduled BART trains shaking the outside venue, Alan played and sang with passion and conviction. I enjoyed myself.
"The War That Never Was" was the first piece the Fools did with Alan. The script seemed more cinematic than something for radio so it was a challenge to make it work for radio. I think we did.
Click on the title of the post to listen or download it on iTunes.
Alan Lipton is a writer/musician/character living in the San Francisco Bay Area. We met when I was doing Pagliacci's Fools. He was a writer. I was looking for writers. Perfect fit.
One day in brought me this short piece, "Death and Taxidermy". I fell in love with the piece right away and wanted to record it. Instead of doing it in a live setting I thought it would work best as a pre-recorded piece. There was this actor that I wanted to work with, Brent Rose, who was working with the Shotgun Players at the time. Brent came in the studio, performing both parts and hit it out of the park.
Brent is now in New York, working as an actor. Check out how talented this guy is by going to his blog "50 Characters in 50 Weeks" http://50in50.wordpress.com/. You will be impressed.
Kim Nicolini. That's a name you should have heard of before now. Kim Nicolini is one of the most talented individuals I know. A mother, poet, artist, photographer- a Renaissance Woman. You should know her name and her work.
Kim and I worked together in Concord California back in the early 1990s. Rarely do I get involved with co-workers passions but for some reason I felt there was something about Kim I wanted to experience. One day she invited me to come to one of her poetry readings in Vallejo California. I still remember that evening. Kim's poetry was intense, raw, unapologetic- it bled. I bought two of her books of poetry and wanted to get her on tape. I created a show featuring her and her poetry and the result is "Razor's Edge".
You can discover more about this uniquely gifted woman on her website http://kdotdammit.livejournal.com/. But first, experience this woman's passion by listening to the podcast either by clicking on the above title or through iTunes (One Thousand Hertz).
