LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Friday, January 7, 2011

It Snows Here, It Snow There

It's also damned cold.

Last night was Love of Life Orchestra at le Poisson Rouge.  The gig was an occaison perfect for seeing many of the people I wanted to see and otherwise wouldn't have had the time or opportunity to see all of them.  Some of them were visiting from out-of-town, as are we this time around.  The musicians were a line-up of very old friends and colleagues, some of whom go back together as far as the end of the 70's at least.  The audience however, like the newest members of the line-up last night, weren't born then.

PG's music has been recently put out by DFA, James Murphy's record label.  James Murphy, DJ and his band, which is really just him mostly, LED Sound System, is the hottest thing of the moment.  The all-important music demographic, the twenties - mid-thirties white male, just love him and his music, and the music he puts out on the label.

The kids in the line-up last night are younger than that:  PG and KF's son, who is walking on air because his first school of choice, Yale, accepted him.  He plays trumpet.  He's been professionally gigging for the last four years.  He also has been professionally DJings for the last year and a half.  RA's daughter has inherted her mother's incredible vocal range, perfect pitch and tuning (back in the days of telephone black boxes she could sing the pitches so perfectly that she could access the overseas lines by just singing).  D VT's daughter is younger and no quite as solid as the other two kids, but strong.  I can only imagine what the feelings are for the parents to be performing with a stage filled with their own lives' dear ones, with all that history of various experiences, not to mention drama -- and now to have your own children up there with you, performing at professional level.

Also, newer members that have come out V's Afro-latin music worlds:  Elio Villafrancas and Robbie Ameen, providing a rock solid bottom plus African and Latin jazz soul -- yes indeed, this was music that you wanted to dance to and did dance to, because you couldn't help it.

This was one of the reasons I'll be glad to move back to NYC.

By the way, guess what people have learned recently?  People who are poor aren't as happy as people with money.

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