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December 14, 2007:

BITS OF TID

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, this week has flown by, like a gazelle eating a churro. I have decided that today’s notes will consist of tidbits – you know, those little bits of tid that leap from thing to thing without a care in the world. I like bits of tid, don’t you? I feel we haven’t had nearly enough tidbits around these here parts, and I am saying loudly and clearly that I am bringing the tidbit back. So, let’s get to the tidbits, shall we? Right now, as I write these here notes – uh, tidbits – I am listening to a wonderful CD, very moody and atmospheric, slightly nourish in feel. When I was a kid, I would frequently go to a record store and just thumb through albums and sometimes a cover would just cause me to check out the album and its contents and artist. And sometimes, without knowing a thing about the artist, I would just take a chance and buy it, because something about the album spoke to me. More often than not, what I took a chance on introduced me to a whole new world of music – it’s how I discovered Bill Evans and Claus Ogermann and Stan Getz and Stephen Sondheim and The Fantasticks and many other albums. Because the Internet has made shopping at home so easy and has put a lot of stores out of business, people today don’t get to have that sense of discovery – actually going into a store and just thumbing through a section of music (harder to do with CDs – LPs were a perfect size for seeing something and having it appeal to the eye), the tactile sense of holding a product and checking out what it is. That’s why I still make extended visits to stores that sell CDs and carry interesting stock, because I never want to lose that sense of discovery. So, I’ve been using credit and taking chances on all sorts of CDs that look interesting. And, I must say, I have lucked out with most of them and have discovered some amazing music. Most of you know, I’ve been on a huge bossa nova jag. I’ve always loved bossa nova, but only knew its biggest artists, the ones who’d crossed over to America. I had the Getz albums, and all the Jobim albums, and the Gilberto albums, and all sorts of other offshoots. Anyway, the CD that’s playing now is one I took a chance on just because I liked the cover and I picked it up and it looked like it might be my cup o’ tea. The CD is called Round About Roma and its artist is Stefano di Battista, a sax player, and a jazz trio. In checking out the inlay card, I immediately saw a conductor conducting a symphony orchestra, and also saw there were some good jazz guest stars on it. So, I got it, and boy is it good – symphonic jazz at its best. I also recently picked up a CD called Black Dahlia – not the soundtrack from the film, but an album done back in 2000 by jazz composer Bob Belden. The CD had an interesting cover and, of course, the title intrigued me. Mr. Belden was inspired by the case of the Black Dahlia to write a large-scale work – twelve tracks. And just looking at the list of players, and then the key phrase – with a 65-piece orchestra, I just knew it would be interesting, and it certainly was. At times very soundtrack-like, but at times more jazzy and atonal, a cross between noir and more jagged music, but I really liked it a lot.

Well, that long paragraph was the first tid of today’s notes. Perhaps it was a bit more than a tid and/or tidbit. Here’s another: Last night, I was watching the 1936 Showboat on TCM, the film directed by James Whale, which I’m quite fond of (and when is this film coming to DVD – it’s disgraceful that it hasn’t – I still have the laserdisc box set). Well, it got to Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man Of Mine – I haven’t seen the film since I got the laserdisc, which is probably over twenty years now. And this number is simply one of the best musical numbers ever put on film. I know that’s a big statement, but everything about it works, and just when you think it can’t get better, Irene Dunne gets up and starts doing the most sublime shuffle step ever, and I must couldn’t stop grinning while I was watching her. I ran the number about six times in a row and was more delighted with each viewing.

That was what we in the tid business like to call tid two. I’m enjoying these bits of tid – it’s a refreshing change of pace, at least for the likes of me.

I also got two Pat Williams CDs the other day, both marvelous big-band albums. Mr. Williams is a fantastic arranger and composer, and I didn’t know either of these albums were on CD. One is just an album of him and a great band doing various songs (including a couple of Williams originals), and the other is a tribute to songs Sinatra sang – it’s a knockout. The sound on these two CDs is amazingly amazing. I’m really jumping from tid to tid, aren’t I? The point is, I wouldn’t have known about any of these CDs if I hadn’t taken the time to go to different stores and just thumb through the jazz sections, the bossa nova sections, whatever sections that interested me. And at least I can share some of these wonderful discoveries with you dear readers.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’m quite certain there are more bits of tid awaiting in the next section.

Yes, Virginia, we do have some more tids in this section. For example, yesterday I had a lovely lunch meeting with the lovely Kevin Spirtas and Sean McDermott, and it looks like I’ll be directing a two-person show for them. Another tid, this one slightly annoying, is that I didn’t have one piece of mail at the mail place. It was three o’clock when I checked, and my guess is despite them telling me they’d checked, that I would have found at least a Hollywood Reporter in the box. They are just getting slower and slower getting the mail put out.

Today, I shall do a few errands, and some writing, and some listening to CDs and whatnot, then this evening I’ll be attending the opening of The Kid From Brooklyn, a new show about Mr. Danny Kaye. I will, of course, have a full report for you.

Well, the plethora of December birthdays continues, so let’s put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s break out the cheese slices and ham chunks, let’s dance the Hora and the Kangaroo, for today is the actual birthday of our very own fellow Ozian, tomovoz. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own fellow Ozian, tomovoz. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN FELLOW OZIAN, TOMOVOZ!!!

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do errands, write, and attend an opening night. Also, and I can’t believe it, but there were two turtle doves on my porch when I got home – my true love sent them. They’re currently trying to get at the Partridge Family in the pear tree. Well, I suppose my true love means well. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player, and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, a whole bunch of new CDs that I’ve taken a chance on. I’ll be sure to talk about the ones that turn out to be gems and I’ll reiterate that this Stefano di Battista CD (I’m now on my third listen) has become an instant favorite – it’s really quite breathtakingly beautiful. DVD, Mario Bava’s Lisa and the Devil is in the bedroom player, and next up in the den player will be Hairspray. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and I do hope I have given you enough bits of tid to tide you over until the next batch of tidbits is ready.

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