Beth Custer, my grandmother, Dina, Jess & David take New York

Dina and Jessica my distant Jewish cousins, although neither of them knew my actual grandmother, who actually was from Georgia or within a couple thousands miles, "the pale"

Dina and Jessica my distant Jewish cousins, although neither of them knew my actual grandmother, who actually was from Georgia or within a couple thousands miles, “the pale”

Beth and I had breakfast Just For You yesterday and I bid her bon voyage as “My Grandmother” plays New York Saturday, part of a Georgian film festival with parts at Berkeley PFA and New York Museum of Modern Art.

David James the exquisite guitarist and all around nice guy sent this picture of two of the ensemble — there are 8 me thinks — the string section Dina McAbee (also known as half of Ramon & Jessica confusingly enough, and she is Ramon) and Jessica Ivry, cello.

The film is about bureaucracy in 1930s early Soviet-mess. It was banned by the powers that were, which sort of affirms our view on it post-glasnost. (I am very tempted to drop a DVD of this project — Beth wrote the original score for she and her colleagues — at Hoover, attention of my favorite son-of-musician diplomat professor scholar, and I happen to be only ten minutes away).

My Plasty brain flashed not to 1930 which was before my time, and not to Ronald Reagan’s re-election lobster dinner parties at Dartmouth which made me nausea even second-hand at Dartmouth in The Eighties but to 2008 and the Earthwise 15 party at BOTH in that Jessica Ivry although she did not appear I recall Lisa Fay Beatty saying they jammed together in El Fay.

Sadly I could not give Beth any ideas about what to see in New York not having been there since about 2005, with Walrath. Philly, maybe, Le Bec Fin for a splurge, the new Museum, Last Drop. New York, nyet.

We also caught up with JFY founder Arianne from Lafayette, LA and I reminded her of putting her on not cello just cell with a member of Magnolia Sisters, which earned me a yet-to-be-redeemed Free Beignets card. I’d like to hook her up in the 650.

I tried to book Eric Walzcak to cover My Grandmother for Plastic Alto. I could try my ops at Anthology Film Archive.

(Meanwhile I hope to escort Curtis McMurtry to see Stanford, and his hit Friday at Cafe Zoe, Earthwise@20 with RachelGarlin. I chatted up Joe Ed Dick of “Lubbock or Leave It” at KFJC, Sarah Bellum of “That’s Not Bluegrass” KZSU — who reminded me that Rachel Garlin was our in-studio guest once for “Fits the Format” the Jewish-themed show within a show of her “Jewish Music Alternative” at KZSU and Mike of KZSU who was nice enough to announce our little soiree twice and suggest my booking via old family friend Richard Foos of Shout! Factory Sussanah Hoffs and Matthew Sweet and turn Earthwise@20 into a campaign not just 50 hours from now for about two hours, duly noted. )

and1: just heard in real time in between drafts of this Rachel A. Sale a photographer from D.C. area who has traveled thru Peru shooting indigenous Nampas people (check that!) the Jaguar people and is raising money to promote that, I would like to help. Rachel and I met in 2006 or so at Beth Custer’s house when Beth was raising money to travel with Dina and maybe Jessica to Russia to show this film, and I bought a collage on credit from Matt Gonzalez and Rachel was there with Tom Erikson although this should be and3.

You don't know San Francisco if you don't know the work of Arienne Landry and or Beth Custer

You don’t know San Francisco if you don’t know the work of Arienne Landry and or Beth Custer

Posted in ethniceities, music, Plato's Republic, sex | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Curtis McMurtry & Rachel Garlin to headline ‘earthwise@20’ Friday, Nov. 21 at Cafe Zoe Menlo Park

curtis guitarAustin-based Curtis McMurtry and San Francisco’s by way of Berkeley singer-songwriter/activist Rachel Garlin headline a bill at Cafe Zoe in Menlo Park Friday. The event, open to all ages, is also known as the Earthwise Productions Twentieth Anniversary concert or “E@rthXXise” or “earthwise@20” rather.

More information to come.
Info: (650) 305-0701 or (650) 322-1926

Berkeley now Sf folkie to appear in rare 650 hit Friday, for e@rthXXise

Berkeley now Sf folkie to appear in rare 650 hit Friday, for e@rthXXise

Earthwise Productions is a concert and artist management company founded by Gunn and Dartmouth graduate Mark Weiss, as a spin-off of Bay Area Action and Earth Day at Stanford. It has produced nearly 300 concerts in Palo Alto, most notably The Cubberley Sessions at Cubberley Community Center, 1994-2001.

coda:
1) I advanced with Curtis McMurtry today, while he was driving to Eureka for a show, then Friday at Hotel Utah then here in the 650 Friday. I offered to show him around Stanford, where his grandfather, Lawrence McMurtry was once a creative writing grad student or fellow, working with Wallace Stegner. I joked that if his career takes off people will say “James McMurtry, Curtis McMurtry’s dad” but it came out “James McMurtry, Colin McMurty’s dad” which Curtis graciously said was even funnier. (There is a Jimmy Dale Gilmore, who played one of my shows in 1997, who has a son named Colin, if that explains it). Spoke by phone and left this message on the Stegner Fellows contact window doohickey:
Rachel Whalon-
Hey, I’m gonna come by with Curtis McMurtry Friday late afternoon just to show him the campus and your offices. His grandfather Larry McMurtry was part of the creative writing fellowship back in 1960-1961 under Wallace Stegner himself and wrote his first novel here or there, as it were. He also, the grandfather, wrote “Last Picture Show” “Lonesome Dove” and more. Curtis is 24 has a b.a. and is a songwriter. Maybe he is prospective Stegner fellow some day. His father James McMurty, also of Austin, TX is a better known songwriter and recording artist.
Fyi Curtis performs friday Nov. 21 2014 at Cafe Zoe in Menlo Park with Rachel Garlin, 7 p.m. 10$ all ages welcome.
I am inviting Nancy Packer another former Fellow and program staff person, who lives in my mom’s building. and herself begat two or more writers of sorts. excuse the run on.
mark weiss a Dartmouth .b.a and blogger and former neighbor on and off from 1974 to 1993 of Wallace and Mary Stegner knew them slightly

Rachel meanwhile, my Rachel, Garlin, said to excise future references to her Alma Mater. Duly noted. Veritas and all that. But not to make her blush crimson or sea red, parting.

edit to add, some time later: The event went well enough that Cathleen Daly the owner of Zoe Cafe of Menlo Park offered me a second date for another Earthwise@20 showcase, Friday, January 30, 2015 same format but acts to be announced. Meanwhile, Rachel Garlinr rocked it at her Z Space CD release for “Wink at July” and both she and I (and Terry, my Terry, and The Flying Cohens visited the Keith Haring show at De Young Museum and are all suitably inspired and optimistic about the season and new year.

Posted in ethniceities, music, words | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Gratuitos and random Cody Sanderson shout

Cody Sanderson proposed monument over entrance to Palo Alto's Mitchell Center

Cody Sanderson proposed monument over entrance to Palo Alto’s Mitchell Center

I been workin’ today from Palo Alto’s Mitchell Center Library, near Mitchell Park, the new building, the one with the Bruce Beasley granite arch marking the automobile entrance.

I hereby declare that we raise a few extra bucks and replaced the granite monument with a giant silver span created by Santa Fe artist Cody Sanderson. See above (although above the piece is about 5 3/4 inches long and I am suggesting something close to 50 feet across that you can drive under).

Cody also has a boy who was in the Joel and Ethan Coen movie the remake of True Grit, he was a Native lad who was accused of mis-handling a mule and was consequently treated even ruffed-like my not Matt Damon but Jeff Bridges I think it was.

I met Cody back in my Santa Fe days, and also: Mateo Romero, Pat Pruitt, Melissa Talachy, Jody Naranjo, Jonathan Batkin, Diego Romero, Ryan Singer, people like that. I once offered or nearly promised Bill Hearne to fly him out here in a giant balloon to do some shows (I presented or Earthwise presented Bill and Bonnie Hearne in Santa Clara, at Cafe T or Cafe Trompe L’Oleil, circa 1998).

Yikes, I bet myself I could take five days away from the blog and “Platos Republic” but after two hours here at library I got restless and made this post, this one and the one about the developer with the firm handshake. I have wasted 20 minutes here. You, too, back to work!!!

edit to add, now that I am 30 minutes not 20 minutes awol from my tasks and takes I re-read Manoghla Dargis in The Times about “True Grit” and was duly impressed again. He quotes Coen “A Serious Man” the proverb about receiving with simplicity what you are offered. Also, I like to point out that Mattie the kid is the one with True Grit beyond the obvious John Wayne or Jeff Bridges icon manly man figure.

I also found this clip of my poster from the era about Bill and Bonnie Hearne.

i doubt there are many people who wear a cody sanderson cuff and booked a bill hearne show but who knows?

i doubt there are many people who wear a cody sanderson cuff and booked a bill hearne show but who knows?

This is also a perfectly swell place to declare that although this building is now called Mitchell Park Library more properly and simply it should be Mitchell Center, or Mitchell Center Library and Mitchell Center Library and Mitchell Center Park. We shall see. I will have satisfaction for my money as Ms. Hattie says. Also, Kudos and thanks to Becky Morgan and her family, lead donors on the library although it is a wee bit crass the name in such large letters “a gift in honor of Becky Morgan”) I hope that is temporal like, like all things. But in this case more so. I tend to think the Morgans (and their neighbors),and the Grove’s are classy in the way they support things without being showy. 35 minutes

and1:
If you got 3 minutes to spare, check out this film a nice lady made on tour in Cody’s studio, especially the thing at the end about “injun-uity” and his being able to solve a Rubik in 2 minutes and design an all-silver device based on such:

also not that i have to splain any of this but in deference to my grippa and Affordable Care Act I spent $45 which they took up front and met a new doctor Dr. Julia Fong (from Lowell High, UC Berkley and St.Louis medical school which put their arch in my head and later I guess this. She said she’s been to Chi-town but did not notice the bean or Cloud Gate). You see all this makes perfect logic in real world not just Plastic Alto.

for reference sake here is St. Louis Arch which reminds of the wedding of my cousin Jenny Moats in St. Louis Marriott the one with baseball theme we could see it form the ball room banquet room probably the last family trip my Momma will get to take:
stlouisnotcody

Posted in art, music, Plato's Republic, sex | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Row row row the vote (John McNellis non-endorsement photo op)

Mark Weiss, Palo Alto council candidate and John McNellis, notorious developer, at Peets the former St. Michael's Alley, fall, 2014

Mark Weiss, Palo Alto council candidate and John McNellis, notorious developer, at Peets the former St. Michael’s Alley, fall, 2014


John McNellis is a former rower and a developer in Palo Alto, although he lives in Atherton. I run into him at a local coffee shop. He kindly posed for this photo during my campaign (see also the photo but not endorsement from Rich Kelley, son of the founder of Hare Brewer and Kelley, Ry Kelley)

McNellis is most famous for his role in Alma Plaza Alma Village. He also was instrumental in the recent ordinance banning amplified music at Lytton Plaza.

We need development, don’t get me wrong, but we need to vet each project and not kow tow to power. (And speaking of power I’d rather be back to back with this guy in a bar room brawl than virtually anybody on City Council — not that I know bubkas about bar room brawls; but I have hired security crews for about 300 small concerts for what that is worth; McNellis says he is a former rower and I believe him, take him at his word).

Posted in Plato's Republic | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Titan gridders it shall come to pass

IMG_20141115_155154002_HDR

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Rachel Garlin cd release Saturday, December 6 in San Francisco

scrappy 5'9 guard for harvard her axe surrounds hate and loves it towards positive and inclusive change, like Keith Haring did

scrappy 5’9 guard for harvard her axe surrounds hate and loves it towards positive and inclusive change, like Keith Haring did

Rachel Garlin has been on my radar, and intermittently, like a comet, come to think of it, in my orbit for about 15 years.

I heard “Sweetly” on KZSU and tracked her down. The song was produced by a member of Rebecca Riots who had played The Cub a few times. Later I recall hanging at that punk Latin club in outer Missioin and commenting to Victor Little her bass player at the time that I was inspired by Rachel’s politics.

“What politics?” Victor posited.

She is descendent of Scottish and Jewish activists and educators, played basketball for both Berkeley High and Harvard, that’s what politics! Ok! Interrobang! Bang! I prefer her politics, I am certain, on any issue, to those I can only imagine of Monroe Trout. (Look him up. And marvel at the Weissian or Plasty seque).

Saturday December 6 at Z Space in San Francisco which I am not sure what this is. But I spoke to Rachel the other day and she has sussed it out.

On Friday, December 5,a “How many days” KK

Posted in ethniceities, sex, sf moma | Leave a comment

Landing on a comet

1415913577019

If I am landing on a comet today, and that’s pulled from the headlines of The New York Times, I am doing so with eight books, a DVD three consecutive years of Who’s Who In Baseball and fourteen cilps or sheets torn from either said journal or raggedest of the local rags.

Later we Terry and I hope to hear of Robert Frank and Keith Haring.

I am also seether like Veruca Salt about Palo Alto political shenanigans going from bad to wurst.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

MARK WEISS 2014 My vote for Palo Alto City Council

Terry my Terry, Terry Acebo Davis the “Artist, Arts Advocate, and Healer” read me aloud this essay she posted on her own wordpress blog, Terry Acebo Davis: artisty visual musings anting anting” which is tagalog for “look it up” rote this day before election –d id I metnin I got me more than 2,00 votes! Tanks Tewwy.

edit to add it: i ended up with 2,171 votes.Never under-estimate what a small group of two thousand, enough to fill the Warfield could do to change the world!

Posted in Plato's Republic, sex | Leave a comment

Kismet Kate

Steve Levy and Eric Rosenblum have appealed to me ex parte that I am under-estimating Kiss Me Kate.
Duly noted.
What I actually said, in my own blog post, which started merely as a back-up to the points I raised above, which I assume would be, like half of what I post here, quickly deleted — and I am certain I am the only person who posts under his or her own name and is regularly deleted — like comparing Arrillaga to Genghis Khan — three-fourths of which is about Kim and not Kate, is that Kate Downing compared to Mark Michael is unqualified for leadership here. Fair point.

My other hypothesis is that people of her generation, under 35, as Tom Wolfe calls them “Mutant Millenials” often channel so much of their energy thru mediated and electronic devices that they lack social skills, as perceptible by other humans, apart from or offline from these machines.

I have met Kate a couple times and that was a further observation. I drank two beers in her honor on a Monday.

Even if she is a brilliant attorney and very useful for the industries that profit by the proliferation of computers and military/industrial/information/entertainment complex, that does not qualify her for leadership per se here; she is getting thru, fair opinion on ideology and her commitment to growth. She is useful, it is fair to put, to the non-governmental political machine that controls policy here.

and1:
Palo Alto Forward members are the policy equivalent to Ring Girls at a boxing match: they look good, their message is oversimplified, they take their orders from somebody else behind the scene and they are basically clueless.

Yet five of them are now part of leadership!

What about: rent control.

Posted in Plato's Republic, sex | Leave a comment

Newsvendor be livelier (1973/2014)

I see a Panda piggy bang, a Samsung flat screen tv, a lady walking her dog, The Who at Kilburn, Buckaroo banzai, the last supper envisioned or revisioned by some Africans, Blessed is The Match which I've never seen although I know the song, Yale Beats Harvard, The Readers Companonion to American History, a rake bowl, TheTImesOfHarveyMilk...

I see a Panda piggy bang, a Samsung flat screen tv, a lady walking her dog, The Who at Kilburn, Buckaroo banzai, the last supper envisioned or revisioned by some Africans, Blessed is The Match which I’ve never seen although I know the song, Yale Beats Harvard, The Readers Companonion to American History, a rake bowl, TheTImesOfHarveyMilk…

Posted in art, ethniceities, media, music, Plato's Republic, sex, words | Tagged | Leave a comment