Barack Obama: Let’s do this!

Barack Obama

Since September, I’ve been getting text messages from former president Barack Obama. 

“Hey! It’s Barack. Click on the link to sign up so I can respond directly to you,” the first text read. “I won’t be able to get to everything, but I’ll be in touch to share what’s on my mind and I want to hear from you, too. Let’s do this.”

After texting in the run-up to the November elections to make sure I had a plan for voting, last week, Mr. Obama checked back. “Hi there. As 2020 comes to a close, I wanted to share my annual lists of favorites I’ll start by sharing my favorite books this year. I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I did. What are you reading?”

Then, the other day, “Hi there. As 2020 comes to a close, I wanted to share my annual list of favorites. I hope you enjoy.” And he proceeded to list his favorite music and films.

I seem to recall that the former president started to compile his cultural lists while still in office. Imagine if we had a president now who made time for reading and kept up with music and film. Instead, for Donald Trump, it’s all about keeping up with appearances and about TV ratings and wild conspiracy theories.

Somehow, I would like to think that President-elect Joe Biden, while maybe not quite as hip as his former boss, will restore a sense of curiosity and interest to books – and, perhaps, music and film, too – during his days ahead in the White House.

In the meantime, as we count down the days until President-elect Biden’s inauguration on January 20, here’s the impressive list of Barack Obama’s favorite books of 2020: 

• Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar

• Jack by Marilynne Robinson

• Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

• The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

• Luster by Raven Leilani

• How Much of These Hills is Gold by C. Pam Zhang

• Long Bright River by Liz Moore

• Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey

• Twilight of Democracy by Anne Applebaum

• Deacon King Kong by James McBride

• The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio 

• The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett

• The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel

• Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker

• The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson

• Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn

• Missionaries by Phil Klay

 

Evermore: Taylor Swift continues alchemy and teamwork started with Folklore

Last Friday, music megastar Taylor Swift released her ninth studio album on very short notice, Evermore. It’s the sister record to her eighth studio release from earlier this year, the Grammy-nominated Folklore. 

“To put it plainly,” Swift wrote on her Instagram, “we just couldn’t stop writing songs. To try and put it more poetically, it feels like we were standing on the edge of the folklorian woods and had a choice: to turn and go back or to travel further into the forest of this music. We chose to wander deeper in.

“I’ve never done this before. In the past I’ve always treated albums as one-off eras and moved onto planning the next one after an album was released. There was something different with Folklore.

“In making it, I felt less like I was departing and more like I was returning. I loved the escapism I found in these imaginary/not imaginary tales. I loved the ways you welcomed the dreamscapes and tragedies and epic tales of love lost and found into your lives. So, I just kept writing them.”

What immediately caught my attention – and I’ve never spent much time listening to or exploring the immensely popular music canon of Taylor Swift – is Swift’s collaboration with members of one of my favorite indie rock music groups, The National. In particular, Swift worked closely with the multitalented Aaron Dessner and she shared vocals on “Coney Island,” a song that deals with losing oneself in a relationship, with The National’s melancholy frontman, baritone vocalist Matt Berninger. In listening to both the song and the album, there’s a sense of artistic freedom and a break away from Swift’s conventional pop radio sensibility to create a folk album that’s full of sound and texture.

 Taylor Swift / Evermore

Meanwhile, sitting across the kitchen table, here’s what Aaron Dessner wrote on his Instagram: “It’s only been five months since Folklore was released. But truth be told, Taylor Swift and I never actually stopped exchanging ideas and somehow we’ve finished a sister record called Evermore that I love just as much. 

“These songs are wilder and freer, sometimes in strange time signatures and darker hues, but very much a continuation of what we started with Folklore. 

“I can’t begin to express my gratitude and respect for Taylor – I never cease to wonder at her seemingly boundless talent as a singer and a songwriter and storyteller. It’s been the experience of a lifetime to work so fast and furiously with her. ...

“My band mates in The National – Matt, Bryan and Scott, along with Bryce – are here, too. Hearing Matt sing with Taylor and the entire band perform on “Coney Island” – things have come full circle.”

Perhaps, Berninger put it best. He wrote on Twitter: “Singing a song with Taylor Swift is like dancing with Gene Kelly. She made me look good and didn’t drop me once. ‘Coney Island’ is an incredibly beautiful song she and Aaron Dessner wrote together. It really made me miss Brooklyn. Such a blast being a part of Evermore.”

Hearing the Swift-Berninger duet “Coney Island” for the first time recently was very intriguing and it’s what nudged me into giving the entire Evermore album a good listen on Spotify – and I like what I heard. If you’re someone who has always had an appreciation for the sense and sensibility – and seriousness – of The National, I think you’ll like what you hear from Swift with backing from The National on Evermore.

Cover photos: Beth Garrabrant (@taylorswift13/Twitter). Video: Courtesy YouTube.

What day is it today?

Looking out my front door on Saturday morning.

What a difference a month makes. Indeed, as someone recently wrote, “Time looks different than it did a month ago.” No more commutes, allowing an extra hour of sleep on weekday mornings, no more Saturday morning grocery shopping – Thursday mornings at my local Trader Joe’s seem less crowded and hectic – and no baseball or any live sports of any kind to distract the rhythm of hurried lives. Instead, watching sports means watching classic replays of NCAA Final Fours or World Series.

By the way, what day is it today? I woke up this morning swearing it was Wednesday. It wasn’t, it was just Tuesday in Mount Rainier, Md.

Now, social distancing is likely to recognized as the buzz phrase of the year – and it’s only the beginning of April. Suddenly, my Google calendar is full of cancelled entries – from my Friday docents tours at the Library of Congress to hosting our Seattle friends last week to our own weekend mid-month theater trip we looked forward to in New York City. Lots of plans and hopes dashed – cancelled – because of the global coronavirus pandemic that’s spreading across the country like nothing I’ve ever experienced. No sense in buying concert, theater or baseball tickets or planning any travel until we know when our lives return to normal and it’s safe to do things that until last month we took for granted. By the way, what will the new normal be like anyway?

The past month has been filled with strange and scary times. Our narcissistic president has shown his incompetence, greed and his lack of empathy. He and his inept administration are in way over their heads. Decorum is not one of this president’s strong suits. Speaking of suits, would it pain this president to button his suit coat when he’s in front of the cameras, which lately seems to be every day since he can’t hold one of his “campaign rallies”?

Now, no matter how busy – or panicked – we might become, day by day, worrying about our health, our finances, our future, we look for diversions. Anything to avoid thinking about the coronavirus crisis and how POTUS wants to get us all killed. Fortunately, there are ways to break the monotony and find daily solace in our discretionary time while we stay at home “flattening the curve” in quarantine. For me, these simple pleasures include:

• Watching live or on demand Steve Nieve’s daily improvisation. Steve who? Steve Nieve. For those in the music know, The British-born Nieve, 62, is a longtime keyboard maestro who for more than 40 years has anchored Elvis Costello’s Attractions and Imposters bands. He’s an accomplished classical and jazz pianist, and each evening, he turns the naturally-lit living room of his and wife Muriel’s simple-but-colorful French home into a music salon for about half-an-hour on his Facebook page, Steve Nieve Page. Nieve plays, Muriel operates the smartphone camera (and sometimes shows images of their colorful backyard while she hums and sings along in her delightful French accent). They are joined by young singer Ajuq. Chances are good you’ll hear Nieve break out into some Costello faves like “Alison,” “Shipbuilding,” “The Long Honeymoon,” and “Useless Beauty.” These sessions will definitely make you smile.

• Watching live or on demand NPR Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon’s nightly “Open Book” family get-together that he broadcasts via his Twitter page @nprscottsimon. Each evening, from his home in Washington, D.C., Simon talks about and reads from books and also FaceTimes with special guests. The art of conversation about literature and music lives on.

• Also on Twitter, former longtime ESPN SportsCenter anchor Keith Olbermann joins us from his New York City residence, sitting alone in his comfortable reading chair – sometimes joined by one of his dogs – and reads to us in his wonderful and distinctive voice. His nightly “Thurbercast” is both delightful and enjoyable. Like the others, you can catch the “Thurbercast” live or on demand on Olbermann’s Twitter page @KeithOlbermann.

• Finally, NPR Music has an abundance of Tiny Desk Concerts which you can link to through their website. Thanks to the pandemic, it’s be re-branded for now as Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts. One of the newest ones features Death Cab For Cutie’s frontman Ben Gibbard singing a newly-penned tune, “Life in Quarantine,” as well as “Me & Magdalena,” a tune Ben wrote for The Monkees’ Good Times album, and finally  “She’s Got a Problem,” an homage to songwriter and musician Adam Schlesinger of the band Fountains of Wayne, who passed away on April 1 from complications due to COVID-19.

There’s no right or wrong way to spent your hours and days and nights and weekends and weeks. Many different cultural organizations from coast-to-coast such as the Kennedy Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center and San Francisco’s de Young Museum of Fine Arts are offering music and conversations and virtual exhibition tours.

And, of course, what better time than now to binge-watch something you’ve been wanting to binge-watch? There’s lots to find perusing through streaming channels like Netflix and Acorn TV. I’m currently enjoying Ugly Delicious, New York chef David Chang’s original series for Netflix, in which he combines travel, cooking and history – three things I’m very fond of. Each episode highlights a single dish or concept, and he explores how it is made in different regions and how it evolves. Pretty cool, eh?

In the meantime, “Let people know you love them and wash your hands everybody. We’ll see you on the other side,” says Gibbard at the conclusion of his NPR Music Tiny Desk (Home) Concert.

 It kind of says it all, doesn’t it?

The way it is: Find your joy whatever it may be

On the grounds of the Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C.

What a difference two weeks makes.

Two weeks ago, my wife and I attended a book signing event at Politics & Prose Bookstore in Washington, D.C., featuring Washington Post sports columnist John Feinstein talking about college basketball – telling some wonderful and funny stories – and signing copies of his new book The Back Roads to March, and also scored tickets to two outstanding concerts. One feted Garth Brooks, who was awarded the 2020 Gershwin Prize for Popular Song by the Library of Congress at DAR Constitution Hall and the other featured Bruce Hornsby and yMusic at the Strathmore Music Center in Bethesda, Md., a beautifully constructed, small hall with breathtaking architecture and sight lines and awesome acoustic qualities.

How could I know then that soon after, the coronavirus would shake up our lives and shut down the country? No longer would it be arts and sports as usual. Within a matter of hours and days, professional and college sports were sidelined in the nation’s interest to combat the spreading of the coronavirus. Soon, the arts and entertainment world followed. This is a time of year when we’re used to having basketball, ice hockey, baseball, soccer, tennis, golf, and March Madness with the NCAA basketball tournament all going on at the same time and fighting for our attention and interest. There’s also plenty of great Broadway theater this time of year in New York City and we recently had bought tickets for a Broadway musical and an off-Broadway play at the Brooklyn Academy of Music scheduled over Easter weekend. Now, nothing. Broadway is dark for the foreseeable future and our trip effectively scrubbed. We hope to trek to New York City when times are safer and our health isn’t in danger.

Bruce Hornsby and yMusic

Many of us are asking this simple question: How can we get by when arts and sports – so much of our civic life and pastime – are shut down? After all, each in its own way fosters human connection and a sense of community. Just about all of us are suffering, whether it be mentally, physically or emotionally.

There’s plenty of anxiety for everyone to handle and no one knows just when we can expect a sense of normalcy, again. Will it come in June, July? Maybe. Will it come by September or October? I hope so. Nobody really knows for sure.

As we practice social distancing as a means of overcoming the coronavirus pandemic, through working at home and going out only when necessary to buy groceries, visit pharmacies or pickup a take-away meal – self quarantining – it becomes more important to have family and friends to stay in contact with, through picking up the telephone, through FaceTime and Skype, through texting and email. Thank goodness for modern technology while we are all sequestered and following the rules.

Take breaks to find your joy whatever it may be. Each day, turn off the news for a little while and turn on to your favorite kind of music. Mine includes everything from Elvis Costello to Pink Martini to Wynton Marsalis to Emmylou Harris. I’ve got plenty of great CDs to enjoy – and Spotify to fill in the gaps. Washington, D.C., has an outstanding classical music station, WETA-FM, which my car radio is always tuned to, and it’s accessible via the NPR app as well as online via the station’s website. There’s no better time than now to appreciate listening to music.

For those who can, going for a good solitary walk or a run through the park is seen as essential for our health and wellbeing. For half an hour yesterday afternoon, my wife and I went for a walk through our neighborhood and explored some streets we weren’t familiar with. Our journey was maybe a mile in duration but it felt so good. Perhaps, planting a garden or watering early-season flowers is a possibility as spring begins soon. Anything that allows us to escape the mundane, anything to get away from cable news or Twitter overload is a plus in my book.

A glimpse of my Roger Angell books

Speaking of books, it’s a great time to make time to read. I’ve got plenty of books on my bookshelves ready for me to turn their pages. With baseball usually in the spring air this time of year, I’m always eager to read one of Roger Angell’s excellent books on baseball like The Summer Game.

Remember, we are all in this together and however we can, each of us must help one another – whether through simple politeness while we queue for our groceries at the local market or by stepping up to the plate and showing responsibility in matters of importance. Don’t do anything daring or stupid. Indeed, the coronavirus makes no sense and how dare it take over our lives – but it has, and we hope our federal government finally shows some of the same leadership that many in the private sector have been showing for over a week.

One of these days, things will start to come back around. We just don’t know when – and that’s a pretty scary thought. In the meantime, do take care of yourself and those whom are nearest and dearest to you, too.

A Tuesday Night Memo at 10: Getting to know me ...

My blog, “A Tuesday Night Memo,” recent turned 10. Yes, I’ve been writing a blog for a decade!

People who know me well know that I’ve been interested in writing, reporting and storytelling for much of my life. So, it’s only natural that I turned to blog writing because it gave me an opportunity to hone my writing skills and provided a forum for writing about things that truly interested me that I wanted to share with others.

Here’s a little touch of history about my blog:

I started writing “A Tuesday Night Memo” on January 26, 2010, as a means for sharing musings about my life filled with music, sport and urban travel, and to foster community with my friends, family and Facebook acquaintances. More recently, I added a Twitter profile, which has allowed me to reach a wider audience across the country and the world. Finally, I jumped onto the Instagram bandwagon earlier this year in order to share and comment on some of my favorite photographs and subjects.

Folks who read my blog know that I’m passionate about music, sport and urban travel Additionally, I have used “A Tuesday Night Memo” as a vehicle for writing from time to time about art, food, fashion, gardening and religion – and in the age of Trump about politics. Before we moved to the east coast nearly three years ago, sharing news about our former Oakland, Calif., flower gardens at home always seemed to generate great interest and enthusiasm. Maybe, it was the pretty shapes and colors of our flowers that others found appealing, especially since we could maintain a garden all year long. Here in Maryland, thanks to having four distinct seasons of the year, our gardening and gardens are limited to certain times of the year.

The feedback I’ve received from the 482 “blogged” entries for “A Tuesday Night Memo,” which collectively have received more than 179,000 page views, not only is very much appreciated but also very useful. Among the many subjects I have written about, some of my favorites have been: my appreciation of tennis champion Roger Federer; how the city of Seattle fosters community through international cinema; a history of the world as seen through 100 objects; classical music conductor Gustavo Dudamel; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr; my music love affairs with Elvis Costello and Pink Martini; validating our travel experiences through the photographs we take; and Jerry Seinfeld’s internet comedy Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.

Among my recent posts, I have written about: An appreciation of women’s tennis grand slam champion Ashleigh Barty; a look at what makes makes a good city great; figuring out adulthood through the web series “The Female Gaze”; a profile of Rhiannon Giddens and a look at her global voice that resonates with curiosity and purpose in these troubled times; and “Getting Lost at the Smithsonian,” a podcast crafted by comedian Aasif Mandvi.

In the meantime, I thoroughly enjoy sharing my writing week in and week out, and I look forward to contributing more of my words and thoughts in what is shaping up to be another exciting year awaiting all of us. With a shoutout to Monocle, the London-based global briefing magazine that covers international affairs, business, culture and design, here’s a Q & A so you can learn a little more about me:

Where do we find you this week?

On Sunday, I was at The Cinema Club in northwest Washington, D.C., discussing the best new American and foreign independent films. This week, we saw Saint Frances, written by Kelly O’Sullivan, which is filled with plenty of empathy, humor and grace. It’s definitely worth seeing. On Monday evening, I was at Politics & Prose listening to a lively discussion about college basketball with John Feinstein, whose new book, The Back Roads to March is a must read for NCAA March Madness.

What’s the ideal start to your Sunday?

I’m an early riser, so I like to pull out one of my three French presses and make a pot of coffee to enjoy while perusing the Sunday “fat papers” – The Washington Post and The New York Times. Also, it’s a chance to update my status on Facebook and check Instagram.

Soundtrack of choice?

Lately, I’ve been enjoying the music of George Gershwin, from Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls and other light classical fare based on my choice via Spotify. I always have dreamed of being a pianist giving recitals in small concert halls or playing in sporty jazz clubs. Gershwin’s music always puts me in or leaves me in a good mood.

What’s for breakfast?

I love a good bowl of granola cereal with maple yogurt and, perhaps, a slice of toast with peanut butter. On weekends, when I’ve got more time, I enjoy springing for a cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese. Coupled with a small glass of orange juice and coffee, my breakfast puts me in a good mood for the remainder of the day.

News or not?

Always in the morning. I tune in to listen to “Morning Edition” on NPR and peruse the online editions of  The Washington Post and The New York Times. I often use my Twitter feed as a means of tapping in to NPR and other media like The San Francisco Chronicle (from living in the San Francisco Bay Area for 20+ years) and The Guardian. I also try to keep up with a variety of long-form articles from The New Yorker and my favorite magazine is Monocle, the London-based monthly that focuses on world affairs, art and architecture, and cultural arts.

Some exercise?

I enjoy riding an exercise bicycle every chance I get – which isn’t often enough – but I’ve always been an avid walker and the flatness of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., makes walking very inviting. 

Cultural musts?

Living five miles from Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., as well as being a docent at the Library of Congress, I’ve learned there’s so much culture to tap into – if you’ve got the time and interest. The National Gallery of Art has become a favorite destination and, of course, I never tire of exploring the Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress.

A glass of something you’d recommend?

I enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. During the winter months, I drink mostly reds and quite often it’s Pinot Noir. During summertime, when the weather is warm and I’m often grilling on our patio deck, I enjoy drinking a Pinot Grigio from Oregon or a California Sauvignon Blanc.

Ideal dinner venue?

I’m fond of many of the Chef José Andrés concepts in Washington, D.C., including Jaleo and China Chilcano. Closer to home, about five minutes by car, is Franklins – our go-to place for ourselves and when we’re hosting out-of-town friends. I love their shrimp and grits and Carolina pulled pork.

Favorite look?

This time of the year, I enjoy wearing Lands End traditional fit blue jeans, a Navy blue or black turtleneck shirt with a Uniqlo down vest, knitted socks crafted by my wife, and either a pair of Navy blue Cole Haan or charcoal black Adidas sneakers. I like to coordinate my colors!

Stay tuned!

“Stop Making Sense”: Same as it ever was ...

David Byrne once said that the goal of the Talking Heads’ 1984 documentary film Stop Making Sense was “to show how a concert gets made” even as it’s taking place. With an eye toward going to see the famous Talking Heads frontman star in David Byrne’s American Utopia on Broadway next month, I re-watched the 35-year-old, Stop Making Sense in its 88-minute entirety earlier this week. I’m happy to say that not only did this seminal movie directed by Jonathan Demme seem so quaint, but it perfectly captured the band’s enormous and joyous energy and multicultural sound.

For the uninitiated, the Talking Heads were a 1980s American rock band band that evolved from East Coast new wave and avant-garde to a funk and world music sensibility as their sound gained popularity and their clean-cut image became a part of our aural and visual comfort zone. As one critic once suggested, the Talking Heads sound “dissolved barriers between disco and rock, conceptual art and dance pop.” They were one of the most popular bands when I was a university student in the Upper Midwest and many of their songs were indeed staples on my college radio show’s playlists back in the day.

At the beginning of Stop Making Sense, from the moment Byrne walks out onto a bare Pantages Theater stage in Los Angeles wearing a grey suit and white docksider sneakers – slinging an acoustic guitar over his shoulder and toting a boombox – and says “Hi. I got a tape I want to play,” everything comes to life as he launches into a solo version of “Psycho Killer.” Then, song by song, the concert builds as additional members of the Talking Heads – bassist Tina Weymouth, drummer Chris Franz and guitarist/keyboardist Jerry Harrison – come out on stage, one at a time. Later, they are joined in the mix by guitarist Alex Weir, percussionist Steven Scales, keyboardist Bernie Worrell, and vocalists Ednah Holt and Lynn Mabry, all who contribute to the excitement of watching this great music documentary unfold and build to a delightful crescendo. Through it all, Byrne’s wide-eyed enthusiasm and his staccato-like dance moves – his appreciation for live performance art – are nothing short of memorable.

Stop Making Sense is a groundbreaking concert film that not only is packed with 16 of the Talking Heads’ most memorable songs (their excellent cover of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River,” “Life During Wartime,” “Heaven,” and “Burning Down the House” among many), but thanks to the wall-to-wall sound, wonderful cinematography and Byrne’s quirky and bodaciously-boxy “Big Suit,” it adds up to one of the best rock movies ever filmed.

I remember seeing Stop Making Sense for the first time shortly after it was released in the fall of 1984 in a downtown Minneapolis movie theater. Mind you, this was long before the internet and social media came along. However, if either had existed like today, no doubt I would have taken to Facebook or Twitter to share positive thoughts about Stop Making Sense and my word-of-mouth excitement. It’s still a timely reminder of music that sounds so good.

“The Weight” – 50 years, still transcending time and space

Robbie Robertson / “The Weight”

Growing up as a teen in Ocean Springs, Miss., then continuing through my university days at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, The Band always stood out as one of my favorite music groups. Starting with their outstanding live LP Rock of Ages, I started collecting their albums over the years and my appreciation for this Canadian-American roots rock group never wavered. They made critically-acclaimed soulful music enriched by a singular voice that was influenced by country, blues and Americana. Going on a musical journey with The Band also meant hearing gospel and mountain music – even Angelic hymns.

I always appreciated that there was stability – and versatility – in The Band’s lineup, which featured Robbie Robertson on guitar and vocals; Levon Helm on drums, vocals, mandolin and guitar; Rick Danko on bass guitar, vocals and fiddle; Garth Hudson on Lowrey organ and keyboards, accordion and saxophone; and Richard Manuel on piano and keyboards, drums and vocals. Though The Band had three vocalists sharing lead and harmonies, Manuel was seen as their primary vocalist. All but Helm, who was born among the dirt farms in Elaine, Arkansas, hailed from the provinces of Canada. It was during their time spent backing up Bob Dylan when he ditched folk and went electric that The Band gained not only prominence but also their monicker. They were originally formed as The Hawks, a backing band for the rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins, joining him one by one between 1958 and 1963.

Although they were always “the band” to the various frontmen and locals in Woodstock, New York, where they moved after touring with Dylan in the U.S. in 1965 and around the world in 1996, Helm once said the name “The Band” worked pretty well when they came into their own. Once they began performing as The Band in 1968, they recorded 10 studio albums and collaborated again with Dylan in 1974 on a live concert album. The original quintet ended their touring career back in 1976 with “The Last Waltz” concert at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, which featured many iconic musical celebrities of that era, including: Dylan, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Dr. John, the Staples Singers and Joni Mitchell. The performance was filmed by Martin Scorsese and released as a 1978 documentary, The Last Waltz.

Since then, three of the original members of The Band have passed away – Manuel committed suicide in 1986, Danko died of heart failure in 1999 and Helm, who went on to a successful film career with roles in The Coal Miner’s Daughter and The Right Stuff, died of throat cancer at age 71 in 2012. Meanwhile, Robertson, now 76, found success with a solo career and as a Hollywood music producer. He has scored the music for 10 Martin Scorsese films. Hudson, now 82, went on to record a number of solo projects and is still a much in-demand studio musician. Last year, he was named a Member of the Order of Canada.

Although my music tastes have expanded over the years since my days as college radio disc jockey at Macalester’s WMCN-FM, I have maintained a fondness for The Band’s musical template of Americana, roots rock and country rock, which along with The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, helped pave the wave for the popularity of The Eagles.

The Band’s first album, Music From Big Pink, which was released in 1968, included three songs penned by Dylan: “This Wheel’s On Fire,” “Tears of Rage,” and “I Shall Be Released.” It also included “The Weight,” which was featured in the seminal counterculture film Easy Rider, making it one of the group’s most memorable and best-known songs. According to The Wall Street Journal, the songs on Music From Big Pink combined “vivid imagery with a touch of Impressionism; they sound both utterly original and like folk songs that have been passed down for generations.”

While it’s been a while since I listened to Music From Big Pink, lo and behold, a week ago I came across an interesting Rolling Stone article about Robbie Robertson playing “The Weight” with Ringo Starr and musicians across five continents, captured in an epic “Playing For Change” video, that was the result of two years of work spread across 10 countries. I was intrigued by the possibilities and gave the video a good watch and listen.

“The Weight,” written by Robertson and sung by Helm, has been described as “a masterpiece of Biblical allusions, enigmatic lines and iconic characters,” and its enduring popularity makes it an essential part of not only the American songbook but it’s also one of the great songs that shaped rock and roll, too.

“What key is it in, Robbie?” Starr, sitting behind his drum kit, asks Robertson, who’s in Los Angeles, during a telephone conversation at the beginning of the video. The former mop-top Beatles drummer nods. “F-demented!” What follows is a delightful and heartfelt cover of “The Weight,” beginning with Robertson’s soulful guitar lick that brings back memories of the original introduction. From there, the song takes off verse by verse as a series of all-star musicians spanning the globe – Lukas Nelson (son of Willie), Marcus King, Congolese soul singer Mermens Mosengo, Japanese guitar virtuoso Char, among many – add their own distinctive influence to enhance the palate of the song, each from different locations around the world.

According to Rolling Stone, the project for “The Weight” came from Playing For Change, a group that is dedicated to “breaking down the boundaries and overcome distances between people.” It includes 15 music schools across 11 countries, documentaries and viral videos bringing artists from different cultures together. Co-founder Mark Johnson, a Grammy Award-winning producer-engineer who has worked with Paul Simon among many, told Rolling Stone that it took a year and a half of production over five continents. “We made it brick by brick, starting with Robbie. That’s what makes this special. We could never have assembled this group in the studio. You need to go there, and then when you go there, you’re where they feel comfortable. You hear that in the music.”

After watching and listening to this version of “The Weight,” I’m gobsmacked. After 50 years, thanks to time and space, this enduring classic has only gotten better. Levon Helm would be proud.

Credits: Video courtesy of YouTube.com. Screenshot photo of Robbie Robertson courtesy of Playing For Change.

These are my (social) media habits

In our modern age of 24/7 social media and never-ending news cycles – plus our desire to stay ahead of the latest cutting-edge trends in music and pop culture – what does our media habits reveal about us?

With a shout out to The Monocle Minute newsletter for its list of questions it often asks movers and shakers, here’s a few things you might like to know about my media habits ...

What news source do you wake up to?

NPR, home delivery of The New York Times, and the Washington Post online. On Sundays, I also receive home delivery of the Washington Post. 

Coffee, tea or something pressed to go with headlines?

As I am not a tea drinker, I have three different-sized French presses at home at the ready and plenty of Community Coffee brand French Roast. Also, I maintain a supply of Community Coffee instant coffee & chickory, and once a week I treat myself to a Starbucks grande mocha.

Something from the FM dial or Spotify for your tunes?

When I’m driving up and down U.S. Highway 1, between College Park and Washington, D.C., and occasionally elsewhere within the confines of the Beltway, I enjoy – borderline love – listening to classical music via WETA. The more Dvorak the better. Otherwise, when at home, I enjoy listening to the “Morning Becomes Eclectic” show via KCRW, the Santa Monica, Calif.-NPR affiliate. While I’m late to the Spotify phenomenon, I enjoy putting together some simply playlists centered around some of my favorite musicians, such as Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, Wynton Marsalis and Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Pink Martini.

Papers delivered or a trip down to the kiosk?

At home, it’s seven-day delivery of The New York Times and the Sunday Washington Post for me. When I’m traveling, I usually look for the nearest destination that carries The New York Times. There’s something about holding it in my hands every day and reading it wherever I am in the world. However, if that’s not possible, I’ll fall back on looking at the Times, either online or via its app. 

Magazines for your weekend sofa-side stack?

I look forward to perusing my two faves, Monocle and Racquet. The former I stop by one of the Hudson News kiosks at Union Station to purchase my monthly copy, while I subscribe the the latter, which is published quarterly. For years, I used to subscribe to The New Yorker just to make sure I never missed reading Roger Angell’s wonderfully penned baseball tomes. Eventually, I fell behind reading the magazine, week to week, and let my subscription lapse. If I’m going on a vacation trip, I might be tempted to buy a good travel magazine to put me in the right mood.

Are you a subscriber or more of a newsstand browser?

A subscriber although if I’m in a good bookstore, like Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle or Politics and Prose in Washington, D.C., I’ll be tempted to browse a bit just to see what I might be missing out on. As someone who is interested in content and design, occasionally I buy Dwell, which is all about design and technology.

Bookshop for a drizzly Saturday afternoon?

In Seattle, Elliott Bay Book Company on Capitol Hill. In Washington, Politics and Prose on Connecticut Avenue NW. In San Francisco, Book Passage in the Ferry Plaza Building. All of them are independent booksellers. Sorry, no Barnes & Noble for me.

Sofa or cinema for the evening?

A little of both, although much of my cinema going takes place on Sunday mornings, as my wife and I belong to a cinema club in Washington, D.C. Otherwise, I spend a lot of time looking for hidden gems to view via Netflix or watch tennis on Tennis Channel because my job as a contributing editor for an English language tennis website based near Munich, Germany, requires me.

What’s the best thing you’ve watched recently on TV and why?

Two shows, actually. First, Good Karma Hospital, a British dramedy about a disillusioned doctor who heads to South India for a fresh start. It’s available via Acorn. Second, Kim’s Convenience, which is available on Netflix, is a Canadian sitcom about a Korean Canadian family who run a convenience store in the Moss Park neighborhood of Toronto. Each includes people of color in starring roles and the stories are believable.

Sunday brunch routine?

It starts with bringing in the Sunday newspapers from the front porch, turning on the radio to “Weekend Edition Sunday” and fixing coffee for myself. Brunch at home usually consists of a parfait of vanilla yogurt accented with maple pecan granola, a small glass of orange juice and a bagel with cream cheese or, possibly, coffee cake made by my wife. 

Last media of the day?

Usually before lights out, I make one final, brief pass through my Facebook and Twitter feeds. Sometimes, it’s valuable if there’s a late-break story worth reading or a sports score I’m searching for. Also, I’ll check to see if any of my family or friends has tried to text me or shoot me an e-mail. Then, it’s lights out by 11.

Illustration: Courtesy of Google images.

On music: Five songs worth hearing this week

Discovering new music provides me with much joy – a moment of zen, maybe? – and listening to good music is a blissful, aural pleasure. Today, there’s so many different avenues for discovery, including Spotify, NPR Music, and through binge-watching shows on Netflix – even conventional FM radio. Never underestimate the value of your Shazam app to help identify new sounds, too.

Whether you’re still digging out of a winter storm or have already escaped to a sunny, warm beach on a Caribbean island, here are five songs I’ve recently discovered – some through serendipity – that are worth adding to your playlist:

1. Zero 7 - “Aurora,” featuring vocalist José González.

Famous for their downbeat jazzy rhythms, Zero 7 returns with a new single, “Aurora,” featuring Swedish vocal contributor José González. I’ve been a longtime fan of this European electronica duo, which helped launch the solo careers of not only González, but also Sía and Tina Dico.

2. Hatchie - “Without A Blush”

Stereogum described Hatchie’s music as a “cosmic concoction of dream-pop and shoegaze.” I would have to agree. Born Harriette Pilbeam, the 25-year-old Australian singer/songwriter’s music has been influenced by Mazzy Star, the Cocteau Twins and the Cranberries. “Without A Blush” is from Hatchie’s forthcoming June 2019 album ‘Keepsake.’

3. Jungle - “Heavy, California”

London soul collective Jungle (Josh “J” Lloyd-Watson and Tom “T” McFarland) caught my attention with the groovy disco-funk rhythm of “Heavy, California” from their newest album ‘For Ever.’ It’s full of excitement and guided by a funky ‘70s rhythmic and bass soundtrack. The video for the song is a must see as it’s filled with some outstanding dance moves.

4. Jessica Pratt - “As The World Turns”

“As The World Turns,” by Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Jessica Pratt is quiet and subtle, a great song to listen to while going on an evening walk or caught up in pensive thoughts. Her new album, ‘Quiet Signs,’ reflects a sense of quiet meditation and calm. NPR Music called Jessica Pratt’s music “cosmic brilliance.” Indeed, this is a very soothing listen after a hectic day.

5. Real Estate - “Darling”

It’s been said that the members of the Brooklyn-based group Real Estate look like a bunch of school teachers who decided to quit their day jobs and form a great indie band. After listening to “Darling” from their 2017 album ‘In Mind,’ their dream pop sound reminded me of great indie groups like Phoenix and Tame Impala.

A Tuesday Night Memo: Thoughts on turning nine

My blog, “A Tuesday Night Memo,” turns nine later this month.

People who know me well know that I've been interested in writing, reporting and storytelling for a long time. So, it's only natural that I turned to blog writing because it gave me an opportunity to hone my writing skills and provided a forum for writing about things that truly interested me that I wanted to share with others.

Here’s a little history about my blog:

I started writing “A Tuesday Night Memo” on January 26, 2010, as a means for sharing musings about my life filled with music, sport, and urban travel, and to foster community with my friends, family and Facebook acquaintances. More recently, I added a Twitter profile, which has allowed me to reach a wider audience across the country and the world.

People who read my blog know that I'm passionate about music, sport, and urban travel. Additionally, I have used “A Tuesday Night Memo” as a vehicle for writing about art, food, fashion, religion and gardening – and, in the age of Trump, about politics. Before we moved to the east coast, sharing news and photos about our former Oakland, Calif., flower gardens at home always seem to generate great interest and enthusiasm. Maybe, it was the pretty shapes and colors of our flowers that others found appealing, especially since we could maintain a garden all year long.

Up to now, I have "blogged" 439 entries for “A Tuesday Night Memo,” which collectively have received more than 161,700 page views. Among many subjects I have written about, some of my favorites have been: my appreciation of tennis champion Roger Federer; how the city of Seattle fosters community through international cinema; a history of the world as seen through 100 objects; classical music conductor Gustavo Dudamel; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr; my music love affairs with Pink Martini and Elvis Costello; validating our travel through our photographs; and Jerry Seinfeld's Internet comedy Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.

Among my recent posts, I have written about the Golden Globe-winning film “Roma”; the humanitarian work of Washington, D.C. chef José Andrés; and recent books written by American historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham. Also, I have shared my interest in digital photography since beginning my blog, which has enabled me to illustrate many if not all of my posts with colorful visuals to match the words I've written.

The feedback I have received not only is very much appreciated, but I also find it very useful. Much of it has been positive, but sometimes it's also been critical. Whether good or bad, I've found the feedback readers provide to be a valuable learning tool. Occasionally, I like to sneak a look at my blog's statistics, which are the key indicators that show how many total "hits" my blog has received, which stories have been read the most, and what countries comprise the blog's readership. The numbers are modest but nevertheless interesting.

Here are a few fun facts about “A Tuesday Night Memo” I thought you might enjoy:

• Since my blog's debut, it has been read in dozens of countries, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, France, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and Hong Kong – even Brazil, India, Vietnam, and Australia. The top five countries reading my blog include the U.S, Russia, United Kingdom, Germany and France. I hope Russia's interest in my blog has nothing to do with their wanting to hack me because of my occasional blog posts about President Donald Trump.

Looking ahead, two years since he was inaugurated, the Trump presidency continues to garner my interest and attention from time to time. How could it not? However, there's so much more to write about. Among things that I look forward to learning about include my continuing interest in exploring museums – and what we can learn from them. Also, I would like to explore the effect digital music and media have in connecting our world.

In the meantime, I thoroughly enjoy sharing my writing week in and week out, and I look forward to contributing more of my words and thoughts in what is shaping up to be another exciting year awaiting all of us.

Stay tuned! 

Thoughts on 2019’s arrival: It’s time to write another book

We are barely removed from the end of 2018,

which is a good thing because it was a very challenging year.

The world lost a lot of dear and talented people: 

Stephen Hawking, Tom Wolfe and Penny Marshall come to my mind.

And, there were lesser known but just as important ones we 

lost such as Irena Szewinska, 72, a sprinter and long jumper from 

Poland, who won seven medals in five Olympic Games, tying an 

Olympic women’s record and becoming a national hero in her country. 


For the entire year, the U.S. dealt with a President named Trump.

And, we know how well this has turned out for our country.

However, with the arrival of 2019, the first blank page of a 365-page,

year-long book that each of us will author began to be filled.

All of us start the New Year with a clean slate.

Hopefully, each of us will take the time to write a thoughtful book, 

be it a memoir or a best-selling novel,

day by day, page by page.

 With 2019 coming into clearer view, we welcome its challenges.

Remember, the words of Ecclesiastes, who said:

"The race is not to the swift,

nor the battle to the strong."

Life is to be enjoyed day by day,

 one day at a time.

Take time for family,

read a good book, 

listen to good music,

master a hobby like photography,

talk to good friends – and listen to them, too.

Support the arts, support newspapers.

Vote your conscience, but do vote!

Here's wishing you and your loved ones a Happy New Year.

May each of you enjoy cheers, love and peace on earth

in the New Year ahead.

Thoughts on Elvis Costello: Look Now and Then

Elvis Costello / The master storyteller at the
DAR Constitution Hall, in Washington, D.C.

Elvis Costello knows how to charm the pants off an audience. He’s done it successfully for more than 40 years as one of his generation’s greatest songwriters and performers. He’s worked diligently at his craft to attain a special place in the music world. Whether with a simple wink, a friendly smile, or just the right choice of words and upbeat tone of voice, the bespectacled and iconic English musician, who was once described by a critic as a “pop encyclopedia,” has become a master of the craft of storytelling.

Now, healthy again after recovering from surgery for a small but very aggressive cancerous malignancy, Costello once again is delighting crowds with his good-natured manner and geniality of performing. He’s taking great care not only of himself, but also the stories he’s sharing with his audiences, through their lyrics and unusual combination of musical instruments.

On November 4, at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., in just the third night of his current 20 city “Look Now and Then ...” tour – and in what was my 12th Elvis Costello adventure – I saw a show like no other he’s given, and I’ve seen Elvis perform solo; with his various backing bands, including the Attractions, the Imposters, and the Sugarcanes; in a duet show with his longtime keyboardist Steve Nieve; accompanied by the late extraordinary New Orleans pianist Allen Toussaint backed with a brass horn section – even dressed to the nines in a black tuxedo performing with the San Francisco Symphony.

Musically, throughout the evening’s two-and-one-half-hour performance, accompanied by the always sharp and in-form Imposters (Nieve on a variety of keyboards, drummer Pete Thomas, and bassist Davey Faragher) and joined by vocalists Kitten Kuroi and Briana Lee, who added soulful backing harmonies to new songs such as “Unwanted Number” and the classic “Alison,” the 64-year-old Costello moved freely between introducing 10 new “uptown pop” songs from his recently-released album ‘Look Now’ such as “Burnt Sugar Is So Bitter,” which he co-wrote with Carole King; “Don’t Look Now” and “Under Lime.” There’s a little bit of swagger in Costello these days and as one critic recently remarked, the new material is “full of rich characters loaded with desire and heartache.” Costello also dug into his vast catalog of spinning-wheel classics to share “This Year’s Girl,” which has been remade into the theme song for the HBO series “The Deuce;” “Clubland,” “Green Shirt,” “Watching the Detectives,” (performed as a spacey solo under a green spotlight for full visual affect); “Pump It Up,” and “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding.”

Truly a music fan, Costello delights in championing the works of other musicians, from country star George Jones to rock guitarist and producer T Bone Burnett to influential Philadelphia hip-hop band The Roots – even former Beatles icon Paul McCartney – to name just a few whom he’s collaborated with over the years. Whether immersing himself in pop, rock and roll, country, Americana, soul or jazz, among the many genres that he’s mastered over many years, in concert Costello shares many of the lessons he learned and we’re rewarded with songs that are as literate as they are artful.

On ‘Look Now,’ Costello has revisited his partnership with Burt Bacharach, himself a master songwriter, on three impressionistic tunes, “Don’t Look Now,” “Photographs Can Lie,” and “He’s Given Me Things.” Bacharach’s piano lines, as interpreted and performed live by Nieve, are both poignant and beautiful – and reminded me of some of Bacharach’s brilliant late ‘60 pop collaborations with lyricist Hal David.

Throughout the show’s 27 songs, Costello showed he can be acerbic and witty, as well as lamenting and sad. There’s a fine balance between rock and balladry in a Costello performance. As his Washington, D.C. concert reminded us, his shows have become more than an exercise in nostalgia and pastiche. I have no doubt that this tour will be a triumph for Costello, providing him with an opportunity for enlivening his mastery of the songwriting form – and with a keen dramatist’s eye, too.

Because of Costello’s desire to showcase his new songs, his show is now very much of the present. Collectively, his body of work is that of adept storyteller who’s learned more than a few things from the past. On this night, Costello took his mostly baby-boomer audience on a musical journey through his expansive songbook that was not only intimate and entertaining, but also humbling and inspiring.

Elvis Costello’s DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C., set list:

Main set: This Year’s Girl / Honey, Are You Straight or Are You Blind? / Clubland / Don’t Look Now / Burnt Sugar Is So Bitter / Green Shirt / Photographs Can Lie / Temptation / Brilliant Mistake / Why Won’t Heaven Help Me? / Under Lime / Watching the Dectectives / Deep Dark Truthful Mirror / He’s Given Me Things / Unwanted Number / High Fidelity / Alison / Everyday I Write the Book.

First encore: Stripping Paper / Suspect My Tears / (I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea / Mr. and Mrs. Hush / Pump It Up.

Second encore: A Face in the Crowd / Blood & Hot Sauce / American Gangster Time / (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding.

All photos: © Michael Dickens, 2018.

Thoughts on music: Cécile McLorin Salvant

When I recently listened to Cécile McLorin Salvant sing the hard-hitting “Okie Wise,” during an NPR “Tiny Desk Concert,” I was awed by the way in which she embraced the discomforting theme of this acapella American folk song with both calmness and ease. “Okie Wise,” which tells a tragic story of a murder victim, Naomi Wise and her husband and killer, John Lewis, addresses gender-based violence head on and McLorin Savant places it in a historical context, too.

Then pushed her in deep waters
Where he knew that she would drown
He jumped on his pony and away he did ride
The screams of little Okie went down by his side.

I’ve always been impressed by the powerful sound and range of the Miami-native McLorin Salvant’s voice and her choice of songs. She can at times sing spiritually, and other times jazzy, but always – always – it’s her voice that’s both superb and exquisite in its sound and in its presentation. Little did I realize that as a teen, McLorin Salvant, 29, the son of a Haitian father and French mother, once sported a Mohawk hairdo and was into bands like Alice In Chains and other “radical feminist punk stuff,” she recently was quoted as saying in an NPR interview. “Sometimes I still really like Bikini Hill, and I still have my little Pearl Jam grunge moments.”

I first became acquainted with McLorin Salvant a few years ago when she was a featured guest vocalist during a Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra holiday concert, and have always thought of her first and foremost as a jazz vocalist – think of her as a young Sarah Vaughan. I still remember how much expressiveness came across in her voice – not to mention that she exuded such a wonderful vocal foundation thanks to a classical music upbringing.

McLorin Salvant’s set list for her recent “Tiny Desk Concert,” which featured, “Fog,” “Look At Me,” “Monday” and “Okie Wise,” showed off the depth and breadth of her vocal range. Her just released fifth album, The Window, is a series of duets with pianist Sullivan Fortner that “explores and extends the tradition of the piano-vocal duo and its expressive possibilities.” Throughout, we see how “the two are free to improvise and rhapsodize, to play freely with time, harmony, melody and phrasing.”

On The Window, McLorin Salvant covers Leonard Bernstein’s “Somewhere” from West Side Story and “Were Thine That Special Face” by Cole Porter. Plus, she sings in French on two songs, her own composition “A Clef” and “J’ai L’Cafard.”

McLorin Salvant isn't interested in the idea of relevance – although being a Grammy Award-winning artist has given her credibility and drawn much attention toward her music. Instead, as she noted in a press release for The Window, she’s interested in the idea of presence. Nothing wrong at all with that kind of attitude.

Hearing "I'll Still Love You" sung in a very unusual way

Elvis Costello wrote "I'll Still Love You" in 10 minutes.

Johnny Cash: Forever Words, an upcoming compilation of various all-star artists performing songs based upon the unrecorded poetry, lyrics and letters of the late Johnny Cash that's due out April 6, includes a lovely and elaborately orchestrated piano ballad featuring Cash's poem, "I'll Still Love You," performed by Elvis Costello. 

More than a dozen different country, blues, gospel, rock and R&B artists, including Willie Nelson, Roseanne Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Alison Krauss, T Bone Burnett, and the late Chris Cornell from Soundgarden, contributed to Johnny Cash: Forever Words, which was produced by Cash's son, John Carter Cash. Thanks to its recent sneak preview, Costello's composition is already drawing lots of praise from music critics for its non-Johnny Cash-like approach.

Although Cash (who died in 2003) was known throughout much of his legendary career as a country artist, Costello's composition for Johnny Cash: Forever Words shouldn't necessarily be labeled a country song despite the songsmith's appreciation toward country music. Rather, think of it as a mature pop tune about extending love into the afterlife which "brings to mind the likes of Harry Nilsson and Paul McCartney with, thanks to its jazz chording and crooner inflections, a touch of Frank Sinatra," writes Spin music critic Winston Cook-Wilson. 

Another critic suggests that Costello's contribution is "a breathtaking ballad with dramatic strings and a gorgeous sense of melody, sung with a vulnerability that suits the lyrics as Cash poetically reflects on mortality."

"I'll Still Love You" reminds me very much of Costello's original song "You Shouldn't Look At Me This Way" from last year, which he penned for the motion picture Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool.

In a video interview that accompanied the release of "I'll Still Love You," Costello muses about how everything fell into place. "The folio of lyrics was before me on the kitchen table, and there was one lyric that was thought to be one that might suit me," he recalls. "And then I was glancing through the folio and that particular lyric was on the page, and the next thing I could hear it in a very unusual way."

As Costello explains, he didn't hear Cash's musical sensibility in the poem. Instead, he says, "I knew right away it wasn't meant to be played. ... You could hear his musical voice on many of the lyrics on the page but not this one; not me anyway. I heard something completely different."

In this case, according to Costello, he went downstairs to his upright piano and "pretty much wrote what you hear in 10 minutes," in putting the Man in Black's poem to music.

One of these mornings

I'm going rise up flying

One of these mornings

I'll sail away

Beyond the blue

I've gotta promise

There's a world ahead

I want you to know that when I come

I'll still love you

I won't be a stranger

When I get to heaven

'Cause you gave me heaven

Right here on earth

If I get rewarded

With an ancient heart of gold

and for what it's worth

I'll still love you

One of these mornings

When my trouble's over

One of these mornings

When all my suffering is through

I'll go out singing

It'll be a day to sing about

And I'll guarantee for eternity

I'll still love you

I'll still love you

I'll still love you

I'll still love you.

Screenshot photograph of Elvis Costello and "I'll Still Love You" video courtesy of YouTube.com.