Portishead - Third

With my love of opera and classical music, friends find it fascinating that I am also passionate and knowledgeable about certain popular music. I remember having a conversation with a friend -- a very important opera singer who sings leading roles on the world's great stages but who, in private life, primarily follows popular music -- about the band, Van Halen. My friend was speaking to another friend in a social environment about loving different Van Halen songs and I asked "which did you prefer, David Lee Roth Van Halen or Sammy Hagar Van Halen?" My friend, with whom I can have several hours of discussion at a time about nuances of Richard Strauss or Verdi or works of the Second Viennese School, was stunned that I not only knew Van Halen's music, but that I would make the David Lee Roth/Sammy Hagar distinction. Unfortunately, I confessed that, though "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", "Jump", "Hot for Teacher", et. al., which were part of the David Lee Roth period/origins of the band, are, essentially, the classics and the preference of my friend and her friends, I prefer the power of Sammy Hagar's voice. BUT I DIGRESS...

This weekend, I was in the Union Square Virgin Records -- a last holdout of a large, well-stocked music store where so many are fading because of the online purchasing and/or downloading phenomenon (WHERE WILL I GO WHEN THERE ARE NO MORE MUSIC/VIDEO STORES... :-( ) -- and heard a new album on the loudspeakers. When I inquired about the song that was playing -- a richly powerful piece of electronica with passion but the almost semetrical coldness which is often characteristic of that musical genre -- I learned that it was a single off of the new album from the pioneering British electronic band, Portishead. It turned out to be their new album entitled "Third", their first in a decade. It was the track, "We Carry On", which was being played. An awesome, in the dictionary definition of that word, piece of music. The rest of the album is filled with musical diversity. I've not bought a pop CD in a long time but I couldn't wait to get this one into my hot-little-hands, so I made an impulse purchase.

Here, from YouTube, is the video of this extraordinary musical work.

The Jews of New York - Touching Tribute

This week, PBS Television re-ran an extraordinary documentary narrated by Tovah Feldshuh, called The Jews of New York. According to the film's website: "THE JEWS OF NEW YORK profiles Jewish individuals and institutions that changed the face of New York, woven together with expert commentary, to present a broad spectrum of the ways in which the Jewish community has impacted secular New York life from the earliest immigrants through today."

Profiles in the documentary include incisive histories of New York's groundbreaking Mount Sinai Hospital, the making of the legendary Broadway show (and film), "Fiddler on the Roof" (explaining its New York origins), the Schiff Family (including the remarkable philanthropy of Jacob Schiff), and an interview with ubiquitous former New York Mayor, Ed Koch. Most touching for me, however, are portraits of the Hasidic Rabbi, Haskel Besser -- which really must be seen/heard to be appreciated -- and of the Russ Family of the Lower East Side's more than 100 year-old "Russ & Daughters Appetizers" (an unparalleled Jewish food shop). As for the latter, I find the most tear-inducing, special part to be that the most recent generation of Russ's is now, with aplomb, keeping the tradition.

I don't identify a lot with the Jewish portion of my heritage. I am more parts Italian-American Catholic (my mom's side) and German/Hungarian-American Agnostic Socialist (my dad's side) than Jewish. However, my great-grandmother -- my father's father's mother, whom I knew as a child and who lived 99 years -- was a Jewish immigrant from Germany to the U.S. This, of course, made my grandfather (my father's father) Jewish. However, there, for my lineage, it stopped--my grandmother, my father's mother, was not Jewish and the bloodline ended with my grandfather. Perhaps it is that fact -- something "in my blood" -- which drew me so much to the beauty and sentimentality (the most positive meaning of that word) of this documentary? Perhaps it is just being a New Yorker? New Yorkers of any ethnic background, of my generation and many, many New York generations before mine, felt the rich culture of Jews as an integral part of the fabric of the city. The food, the influences on the healthcare, financial, education, legal systems and so much more, the language (I grew up using Yiddish words without even knowing they were Yiddish!), the music, the art, the film, the Orchard Street of old... so, so much. It is certainly that, plus having a Jewish great-grandmother and grandfather (and when he remarried after divorcing my grandmother many years before I was born, he married a Jewish woman--an Austrian immigrant who spoke fluent Yiddish), which called my attention to many of the nuances of this terrific cinematic work.

It is also the craft with which the Jews of New York was made which captured my attention. It is a very simple film, but while it is sentimental in the right ways, it never oversentimentalizes (if that is a word!) even when being nostalgic. It lets the interviewees tell their stories in a very straightforward and contemporary way. Another not-to-be-missed work!

Clips (on the film's website, with more available):

• Three Generations of the Russ Family: http://www.jewsofnewyork.org/stories/three-generations-of-the-russ-family
• Hasidic Rabbi Haskel Besser: http://www.jewsofnewyork.org/stories/hasidic-rabbi-haskel-besser

Asian Images in Film - Turner Classic Movies

Throughout June 2008, Turner Classic Movies is broadcasting a series entitled "Race & Hollywood: Asian Images in Film". The special website dedicated to this very important film festival says that it "explores the variety of Asian characters depicted in American films, ranging from negative stereotypes and caucasian actors made up to look asian to the emergence of martial arts films that created their own Asian superstars, and the more sensitive and sophisticated vehicles of such dedicated actors as Sessue Hayakawa (*早川 雪洲, Hayakawa Sesshū), Miyoshi Umeki (*梅木 美代志, Umeki Miyoshi) and Pat Morita." Curated by University of Delaware professor, Peter X. Feng, in collaboration with TCM's great host, Robert Osborne, the festival -- with films ranging from the silent era through the start of the 21st Century -- is not only expository but, in the purest sense, provocative.

Asian Images in Film kicked off last night (June 3) with a one-hour documentary entitled "The Slanted Screen". It concentrates specifically on the "portrayals of Asian men in American media, chronicling the experiences of actors who have had to struggle against ethnic stereotyping and limited roles." The Slanted Screen features 15 interviews -- from Oscar-nominated actors James Shigeta and Mako (マコ岩松, Iwamatsu Makoto), to TV pioneers Dustin Nguyen and Bobby Lee, to director Justin Lin and more -- which, in a way, summarize the entire TCM series to come. That summary is their important perspective on the overwhelmingly maddening, virtual shutting out of Asian and Asian-American performers, and particularly Asian/Asian-American men in U.S. cinema. For all of the distinguished Asian and Asian-American artists who have directed, produced, written, photographed, and graced the screen in U.S. films, there are still today, in 2008 (!), virtually no major Asian or Asian-American actors on the U.S. cinema scene who command the same salaries as Caucasian actors. The rare exceptions are those who, even in very high quality films, still, in blatent or subtle ways, perpetuate Asian stereotypes.

TCM's series has purposely opened this and many other complex "doors" to the issues of Asian images on screen--with films to admire and admonish, respect and decry, sometimes simultaneously. Ongoing commentary by Professor Feng and Robert Osborn will bring out topics of discussion which will, no doubt, demystify, puzzle, inspire, enrage, empower and educate.

Race & Hollywood: Asian Images in Film can be seen on TCM on Thursday nights throughout June (check local listings).

From YouTube: The Trailer from Sidney Franklin's (and the uncredited Victor Fleming) "The Good Earth" (1937):

Barack Obama - The Projected Democratic Presidential Nominee

Tonight, Barack Obama made history. I'm ecstatic.

I wish him the very best on his road to an historic victory in November.

Bo Diddley - R.I.P.

The great Bo Diddley passed away yesterday (June 2). May this legendary singer, songwriter and incomparable guitarist, known to many as the true founder of Rock 'n Roll, rest in peace.

Let this be the week

I really hope this thing will finally be sewn up after tomorrow. It is time.

Philippine Independence Day Parade NYC 2008

I've had a lifelong fascination with, and have learned a great deal about, Asian and Asian-American culture. I just attended the 2008 Philippine Independence Day Parade and Celebration in NYC. Ironically, with no Filipino heritage whatsoever in my background, I was a member of, and later an officer (!) in the Philippine-American Organization of the City College of New York, C.U.N.Y. when I was an undergraduate student.

The latter fact is very interesting. I had occasion to see a dear friend at today's parade -- who is visiting NYC with his wife and three children -- with whom I attended college, who was the reason I joined the C.C.N.Y. Filipino/a Club. I had not seen my friend Romy in nearly 15 years when his daughter, Chelsea, was first born. Chelsea, now at 15, is a beautiful young woman but was an infant when I last saw her. It is such a fascinating emotional "journey" when one sees friends again after such a long time. I feel very special to know that my friend is alive, well, thriving and has such a lovely family.

(Romy and me, NYC June 2008)

One of the most important aspects of the event for me was the political activism. I'm glad to see people not just being part of corporations (and advertising them), or politicians with their "canned" appearances, but real cultural organizations with voices. Moreover, there were protests for immigrant rights and for rice production/import-export which were profound statements in an otherwise politically-quiet event.

The colors, as usual, were beautiful this year. What I missed, however, was music. There was very little music at today's parade. This was something conspicuously not Filipino for a a Filipino/a event, for there is always music and dancing in any Filipino celebration. Following the parade, however, was a festival which would certainly find many musical performances from local and even international talent. I wished I had been up to attending the festival as well--I'm still recovering from a recent medical incident which tires me more than usual.

Another fact is that, when I was in college and a member of the C.C.N.Y. "P.A.O.", I weighed approximately 300 pounds. I since lost over 150 pounds--okay, okay, give or take 20 depending on my life state at any given moment! Still, I am a dramatically different person physically than I was during my college years. This is an eye-opening revelation for some friends whom I have not seen since my PAO involvement. Others from those now long-ago days who have seen me in years since are somewhat amazed that I've kept my weight off. In my mind, I had no choice--I'm sure it has kept me alive.

With such wonderful yet complex memories of my college years and a beautiful parade on a gorgeous New York afternoon, what a nice way to spend a day! :-)

From YouTube