Klezmer and Shtetl and Sephardic, OH MY!

Today, out of sheer curiosity, because I'm not Jewish and know nothing about Jewish music and culture, I attended a presentation at the downtown Ann Arbor library branch entitled, "The Silver Age of American Jewish Music is Happening Now!" by Jack Zaientz.  Evidently, he had given a five-minute presentation at Ignite2 on the same topic last year on June 30th which led to an invitation to do a more comprehensive presentation.  He had a very useful handout categorizing different genres of Jewish music with corresponding website addresses.  Who knew that there was hip-hop Jewish music and jazz Jewish music!  It would have been remiss of him not to play a variety of selections, and he did not disappoint.  He was enthusiastic and joyous throughout, and one selection was even a favorite of one of his little girls.

He used the term "Ashkenazi" several times which was not on the handout so I had to try several phonetic variations until I was finally informed by Wikipedia which leads me into a mini-rant.  I really don't care what people say about Wikipedia being an unreliable source of information because it has given me at least a starting point innumerous times!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashkenazi_Jews

Anyway, the presentation was interesting enough that I now have to seek out more information (whenever my life slows down enough to pursue another peripheral interest) and more music!  An audience member added that Anat Cohen will be appearing in Detroit at Cliff's Bell on March 20.  She is a clarinetist and saxophonist cross-genre musician who is most renowned for her jazz work.  Jack was not familiar with her music but promised to give her a mention on his blog.  Actually, after reading the reviews, I really want to hear her as well.

Jack's blog dedicated to this passion is at:

http://teruah-jewishmusic.blogspot.com/

La Chaim!

(I had to look that up, too!  LOL!)

Update on Friday, March 5, 2010:  I attended ignite3 in Ann Arbor last night which was very interesting, and it will get its own post later.  During the closing remarks, Jack Zaientz was acknowledged as the first and only speaker at the ignite1 or ignite2 events in Ann Arbor so far who, as a result, was invited to give an extended presentation.  Another round of congratulations to Jack!

Another Cultural Find - Stargazey Pie

As ET keeps us updated with daily entries in her blog about her travels, first Lebanon and now Syria (and next Iran - yikes!), her description of the culture is often even more intriguing than the places she visits and the things she sees.
http://www.elisabeth-thoburn.com/

I'm on somewhat of a Daniel Brühl  jag right now as I just saw him recently in Inglorious Basterds.  Then last night I watched him in Ladies in Lavender with Maggie Smith and Judi Dench (can't go wrong with those two!).   The story is set in Cornwall, England, an area that apparently has a traditional culinary Cornish dish called stargazey (aka stargazy) pie that appears in the movie.  It is, without a doubt, one of  the most "interesting" if not especially appetizing entrees I've ever seen.  Because the fish heads are pointing skyward, they are therefore, evidently, "star gazing".

A Serendipitous Nugget!

When I watched Inglorious Basterds (see post below) recently, the movie featured an outstanding example of a cultural difference that would have never occurred to me otherwise.  That alone made the movie worth watching.

SPOILER ALERT!
An American impersonating a German military officer was undone because he held up his index, middle and ring finger to order three glasses of scotch.  He had unwittingly given himself away because the German way to indicate "three" is with the thumb, index finger and middle finger!  Who would have thought!  Or as ET would say, "Go figure!"

 German "3"

(actually most Europeans indicate "three" this way)

 American "3"

So, what is my point?  Be open to new experiences.  Inglorious Basterds is not a foreign film, but I was rewarded with a very interesting insight unexpectedly anyway.  If I can discover something like this without even trying, what else might I come across if I just said, "Ok, let's just see what this is all about."  Life should be an adventure and that means there should be treasure hunts!

So, consider experiences that are heretofore (I love the excuse to use that word) unventured (is that a real word?) as one way to enrich your life!

Inglorious Basterds

This past Saturday I watched Inglorious Basterds.  I usually don't get too excited about films by Quentin Tarantino since he is so violence-oriented, even if it is what a male friend of mine calls "light-hearted violence", whatever that might be.  Anyway, I enjoyed the movie very much.  Diane Kruger just gets better and better, and Brad Pitt was in his usual top form.  But it was Christoph Waltz, nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actor, who was absolutely amazing to watch and who stole scene after scene.  His character was wickedly exuberant as he delightedly carried out his unspeakable duties of an SS officer.  Oh, the casting gods were watching over this endeavor!

Update: Christoph Waltz won for best supporting actor!

Speaking of Damascus . . .

http://www.elisabeth-thoburn.com/

Why am I posting Caravaggio's depiction

of St. Paul's conversion?

Was Caravaggio from Syria?     No.

Was he ever even in Damascus?     No.

Well, why then?

Conversion of Saint Paul on the Road to Damascus,

Caravaggio, 1601

It's because of Corey's comment made on day 15 of ET's blog   ;o
http://www.elisabeth-thoburn.com/2010/01/30/day-15-damascus/

Another Fabulous Landscape Painting

Gorgeous!

 A View of Toledo by El Greco, 1596-1600

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/View_of_Toledo

"View of Toledo, is one of the two surviving landscapes painted by El Greco. The other, called View and Plan of Toledo lies at Museo Del Greco, Toledo, Spain.  

Along with Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night and some landscapes by William Turner, it is among the best known depictions of the sky in Western art, and features sharp color contrast between the sky and the hills below. Painted in a Mannerist (or Baroque) style, the work takes liberties with the actual layout of Toledo (some buildings are depicted in different positions than their actual location, but truthfully depicts on the side the Castle of San Servando). It is signed on the lower right corner by El Greco."

The Thinker ( s )

Today's post was inspired by another blog,

http://www.elisabeth-thoburn.com/ 

that made mention of The Thinker.

Familiar to most people is this one:

The Thinker

(originally intended to depict Dante in the Divine Comedy)

Auguste Rodin, 1902

But, the one mentioned by ET upon visiting the Gibran

Museum in Bcharre, Lebanon, is this one:

The Thinker by

Kahlil Gibran,

(I'll have to do some research to get the date.)

http://www.elisabeth-thoburn.com/2010/01/26/day-11-national-treasures/

It is interesting to note that in 1908 Gibran went
to Paris to study art with Rodin for two years.

Hence, the name of his work?    Not sure.