Graceland at 25: Acclaimed and still influential

Graceland at 25/ Still rightly acclaimed and controversial, too

I read with interest recently the news of the 25th anniversary of Graceland, Paul Simon's groundbreaking album, that will be commemorated with musical and film celebrations this year.

On June 5, Graceland 25th anniversary editions will be released to commemorate the anniversary of the acclaimed and influential 1986 album that continues to inspire generations of music fans. Simon will headline the Hard Rock Calling festival in London July 13-15. A film, Under African Skies, which documents the story of the album and its attendant controversies, screens Wednesday in Toronto.

Peter Aspden, a culture columnist for the Financial Times of London, wrote two weeks ago about how Graceland was rightly acclaimed on its release in 1986. Yet, it was also dogged by political controversy, too.

Paul Simon

You see, in collaborating with a talented group of South African musicians that included the a cappella singing group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Simon was accused of having broken the cultural boycott against the nation's apartheid regime. As Aspden commented, "it was a mess of an argument and it continues to be so today."

Much of Graceland was recorded in South Africa and it featured many South African groups and musicians. And, while Simon faced accusations that he had broken the cultural boycott that was imposed by the rest of the world against the apartheid regime in South Africa, which at the time was in its final years, it was a view that was not supported by the United Nations Anti-Apartheid Committee. This was because the album featured the talents of black South African musicians while offering no support to the white South African government led by State President P.W. Botha.

As Aspden opined: "No one was in any doubt as to Simon's intentions, which were entirely benign. The album brought a relatively obscure musical tradition to the ears of the world (it sold 14 million copies). The South African musicians on the album went into the project with eyes wide open. 'We used Paul as much as Paul used us,' said the guitarist Ray Phiri, one of Simon's collaborators. This was not an obvious case of cultural exploitation."

According to Aspden, Simon had his detractors. They included Jerry Dammers, who wrote the political anthem "Free Nelson Mandela." While Dammers believed it was wrong for Simon to go South Africa in the 1980s, he said it's in the past. "It's the time not to forgive and forget but to remember and forgive." And, added singer/songwriter Billy Bragg: "He was on the wrong side of the argument despite his good intentions. The cultural boycott was part of the economic boycott that brought South Africa to heel."

In traveling to South Africa when it was not politically correct to do so, Aspden said Simon "found an artistic community that was tired of being ostracized and hungry for the outside world." He created an album devoid of anger. "Not because he didn't find any there but because he believed, in that time and place, in art's power to transcend politics."

Graceland became not only Simon's most commercially successful album ~ it reached No. 3 in the national Billboard charts ~ it also drew praise and accolades for its mixture of African polyrhythms, pop, rock, Zydeco and Tex-Mex as well as the South African Zulu isicathamiya and mbaqanga singing styles. Rolling Stone called it "lovely, daring and accomplished." And, Simon said he considered the title track the best song he's ever written.

"Actually, the achievement of Graceland and what it overcame was not a political thing," Simon told the Toronto Globe and Mail. "It was an artistic bridge that was new at the time. And that was really the achievement. But the other is a juicier story."

To read Peter Aspden's March 23 column:  http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/bc70acc2-7362-11e1-9014-00144feab49a.html#axzz1qlP2VYu1

Tutu: A simple, Sunday morning message

Archbishop Desmond Tutu /
"Isn't it exhilarating to be
an agent of transfiguration?"

The Most Rev. Desmond Tutu is a much beloved spiritual leader, one of the most recognizable public figures in the world.  As an apartheid fighter and Nobel laureate, he is also a man of many hats, not including the commanding mitre he wears as an Archbishop emeritus in the Anglican Church.

On Sunday, the soft-spoken and genial Tutu was guest of San Francisco's Grace Cathedral, where he delivered a nearly 20-minute homily during the 11 o'clock Episcopal Choral Eucharist service that was part political, part grandfatherly wisdom.  He preached a simple message to the standing-room-only congregation numbering about 1,000, that as human beings: "We are all agents of transfiguration."

Archbishop Desmond Tutu /
"We are all agents of transfiguration."

Tutu explained that transfiguration can happen because "you have smiled on someone carrying a heavy burden. Transfiguration can happen because you uttered a word of concern."

Although much of Tutu's sermon was gentle in its tone, he did speak out about the forever-changing world political climate, one that has transformed since he was awarded the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his work in defeating apartheid in his native South Africa. He chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and has been credited with coining the term "Rainbow Nation" to describe post-apartheid South Africa.

"Apartheid in South Africa gives way to a nascent democracy. You helped us gain that freedom," Tutu said in his recognizable, lilting voice.

He continued:  "A Berlin Wall tumbles down.  Soviet injustice collapses.  The horrid, oppressive Mubarak steps down.  No situation could ever be described as hopeless."

Tutu spared no punches, giving mention to oppressive nations around the world, including Burma, Tibet and Libya.  He had a warning for each:  "All those who strut across the stage of the world as if they were invincible, they, too, without fail, will kiss the dust and become the flotsam and jetsam of history."

The sound bites contained in the brief political message of Tutu's homily played well for the local TV cameras that were positioned in a corner of the French Gothic-style cathedral near the pulpit, and just a few feet from where my wife and I were seated for the Choral Eucharist service.  Our seats provided us with an excellent sight line for seeing and hearing Tutu's moving homily.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu / At the Grace Cathedral altar
for The Blessing and The Dismissal.

These days, Tutu, 79, is retired as Anglican archbishop from Cape Town, South Africa.  The global activist makes few public appearances. So, I feel privileged and honored to have shared company with this most revered of homilists.

"You, I, we are agents of transfiguration," Tutu preached. "Go forth and transform your personal relationships, your community, God's world, so it becomes hospitable to laughter, to joy, to caring, to sharing, to compassion, to justice, to freedom, to peace."

Reflecting afterward, I think what most parishioners took away from Tutu's message ~ and, hopefully will remember ~ is his thoughts and wisdom regarding transfiguration.  I know I did.

"You are an agent of transfiguration," Tutu said. "As you walk the pavement of this city, you do not need to do anything that is spectacular.  As you pass someone on the pavement, how about signing the sign of the cross over them in your mind.

"Isn't it exhilarating to be an agent of transfiguration?"

Amen.

It was a simple message, but it resonated throughout the cathedral on this rainy, winter morning.  Then, the congregation rose and gave Tutu a standing ovation that left him smiling.



Editor's note ~ To listen to Archbishop Tutu's sermon:
http://www.gracecathedral.org/church/overview/sermons/


All photos by Michael Dickens, copyright 2011.  All rights reserved.

The Beautiful Game

The Beautiful Game is synonymous with soccer, a sport blending both artistry and athleticism.  And, no other sporting event captures the world stage quite like the quadrennial World Cup.

What Americans commonly refer to as soccer is known throughout the rest of the sporting world as football, not to be confused with our NFL-style football.  The World Cup of football serves as an ultimate geography lesson, teaching us about the culture and language of the 32 participating nations as well as about team nicknames, national flags and national anthems. Yet, why stop there?  Let's extend it to culinary treats and add a bit of international musical flavor to the mix ... well, you've got endless possibilities.  Who knew international sport could be so much fun while also being educational?

The month-long, 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament, hosted by the Republic of South Africa ~ the first time the Cup has been played on the African continent ~ started last Friday in Johannesburg to great fanfare and buzz from the incessant drone of those pesky vuvuzelas.

After the first few days of group play, there's been plenty of excitement on the South African pitches, from Durbin to Port Elizabeth to Cape Town.  Among the highlights:

* Host Republic of South Africa's moral victory, a 1-1 draw with Mexico, in the opening match of the World Cup before 84,490 at Soccer City Stadium.  Bafana Bafana ("The Boys" as South Africa's team is known in its homeland) scored the tournament's first goal, a superb left-footed shot by Siphiwe Tshabalala.  He and four of his teammates celebrated with an impromptu theatrical chorus line dance.

* England's huge goalie gaffe, as Robert Green ("Hands of Clod" as he was vilified by the London tabloids) let an easy one dribble past him that enabled the U.S. squad to gain a 1-1 draw with the Brits.

* Germany's pin-point passing, which penetrated Australia's defense for four stunningly beautiful goals in their 4-0 victory over the Socceroos.

* The delightful enthusiasm shown by the Brazilians in their 2-1 victory over North Korea, and their impeccable passing skills, which set up the wonderfully choreographed goals by Maicon and Elano.

The World Cup tournament continues through July 11, with 32 countries competing in eight groups of four teams each.  Italy ("The Azzurri" for Sky Blues) is the defending World Cup champion.  Group play runs through June 25 before the knockout rounds commence ~ and the real fun begins.  ESPN (with assistance from ESPN2 and ABC) is broadcasting all of the World Cup matches live (in all U.S. time zones) ~ thankfully, there's no waiting around hours after a match has finished for an Olympics-style, tape-delayed prime time package like NBC regularly dishes out with the Olympics.

Match times are uniform each day during group play, which makes scheduling your day or programming your DVR simple ~ 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT; 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT, and 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT ~ and matches are free of commercial interruptions during play, so you needn't worry about missing any goals.  Living in the Pacific Time zone, I've enjoyed tuning in for some of the first-week matches while eating breakfast and reading the newspaper, others during a midday lunch break.

Of particular interest, and not to be missed, is the pre-match ceremonies just minutes before kickoff, which include the starting lineups from both teams walking out onto the stadium pitch, hand-in-hand with local school kids dressed in soccer uniforms, then singing along to their respective national anthems ~ many of the players actually seem to know the lyrics to their anthems and always sing with proper enthusiasm.  Prior to playing Brazil, one North Korean player was shown visibly moved to tears during the playing of the "Aegukka".  After exchanging keepsakes and handshakes, the referee hands the Jabulani (the name of the soccer ball manufactured by Adidas and inscribed with the names of the two teams for each match) to the team kicking off, and before you know it, play is underway and the soap opera on grass begins.

The production values of the World Cup matches have been high-definition tremendous ~ including crisp, uncluttered graphics; running time clock; multiple replay angles, which capture the thrill and agony of each goal and near miss ~ and, to its credit, ESPN has put together an expert crew of play-by-play commentators and analysts, most with ties to English or European soccer, to dissect strategy and explain a lot of nuances of the sport ~ and, just as importantly, inflect the right amount of emotion and enthusiasm to maintain our interest and make us want to care about each match.

If you're unable to tune in to watch the matches, you can keep up with the World Cup with video highlights via ESPN's website at espn.com, as well as reading all about it online in the New York Times.  For a British take on things, try reading the Guardian online.

Whether you're rooting interest is with the Oranje of the Netherlands, La Furia Roja of Spain, the Three Lions of England, or Team USA, it's going to be an exciting month of play on the South African pitches, and with Wimbledon and the Tour de France overlapping, it's international sport at its pinnacle.

Now, if we can just get those colorful-but-crazy fans to put away their noisy vuvuzelas ~ those plastic trumpets that make a loud, buzzing sound ~ and, instead, get them to engage in some traditional English football-style singing and chanting, maybe a few choruses of "Ole', Ole', Ole'!"  Then, the Beautiful Game would truly be beautiful.