JaZzArt en València

Many, either from within or without of the «art world», feel that there aren’t any good artists any more. That there are businessmen of art accumulating huge fortunes, but producing rubbish. And many of us feel that frustration with the art world right now. The high-profile names (Koons, Hirst, Emin, Kusama, etc.) are not even painters! They are mostly about spectacle, branding, and marketability. They thrive in the gallery–auction–collector ecosystem, which rewards shock, gimmicks, and recognisability far more than subtlety, craft, or genuine vision.

But that doesn’t mean that good painters don’t exist anymore. In fact, there are many remarkable contemporary painters working today — they just don’t always dominate headlines because they don’t fit the art-market circus model. Some examples:

• Cecily Brown – British painter whose large, gestural works sit somewhere between abstraction and figuration, with real painterly energy.
• Peter Doig – Scottish-born, Canadian-raised painter, creating atmospheric, dreamlike landscapes and figures.
• Jenny Saville – Known for her monumental, raw depictions of the human body, technically virtuosic. (definitely one of my faves)…
• Kerry James Marshall – American painter who explores Black identity and art history with both narrative depth and painterly brilliance.
• Julie Mehretu – Abstract painter, blending cartography, architecture, and gestural abstraction in vast layered canvases.
• Neo Rauch – German painter, mixing surrealism, socialist realism, and dream imagery in technically masterful ways.
• Dana Schutz – Contemporary American painter, combining grotesque humor, bold color, and real painterly skill.

There’s also a huge wave of lesser-known artists working outside the mega-gallery scene — in local studios, regional galleries, or online — who are pursuing painting with as much rigor and creativity as any “old master.”

The tricky part is that the fame system in contemporary art doesn’t necessarily reflect talent. The business side rewards those who can generate headlines, big installations, or are able to move nuveau riche collectors who are trying to emulate the old rich but cannot have the paintings they already have, usually from the great masters, so they create new masters, (usually talent-less businss-savvy ones) and collect their art and pay exhorbitant prices for them. The «artists» think they are artists and they think they are collectors and it all works out because with a lot of money you can do many things. Meanwhile, many strong painters remain semi-underground or known mainly to curators and serious followers.

So yes — there are still excellent painters, even brilliant ones. But the system makes it seem as if all that’s left are marketers and showmen.

CHEERS

Hemos entrado en la época de las fiestas, para los cristianos, el Advenimiento y la Natividad de Jesus y para los judíos Chanukah… Dias para celebrar y festejar con colegas y familia… Bueno, para algunos, días de concertar funerales, llorar, sufrir y tratar de superar el horror y la tragedia. Ayer vimos horrorizados como dos hombres (que resultaron ser padre e hijo) abrieron fuego, indiscriminadamente, pero cruelmente, contra aquellos judíos que celebraban el comienzo del «Festival de las luces», matando a 16 personas e hiriendo a mas de 40… En Amsterdam, protestas violentas que necesito venir la policia, contra el cantor de las Fuerzas de la Defensa de Israel que estaba programado a dirigir una ceremonia y un concierto el el Royal Concert Hall de esa ciudad… Y yo me pregunto: ¿Por qué este odio? ¿Qué derecho tiene nadie a meterse con otra persona, o a tratar de censurar la religion de nadie? … Pues no lo tiene nadie, no hay derecho a eso. Y ojalá que estas personas, motivadas por el odio que han fomentado gobiernos, como el mismo de España, (y de muchos otros aquí en Europa), contra los judíos, y a favor de los terroristas, recapitulen y se den cuenta que lo único que uno necesita para vivir es AMOR.

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Well, we are finally into the holiday season where Christians celebrate Advent and then Christmas and Jews Hanukah. These are days of parties, fun and uniting with coleagues and relatives for a good time… For some… For others these days are the days to plan funerals, to lament, cry, suffer loss and attempt to overcome the horror and the tragedy. Yesterday we all witnessed how two shooters, a father and son team, gunned down innocent people celebrating Hanukah at a Sydney Beach in Australia. Sixteen people dead and more than 40 injured all because they were out there celebrating the beginning of the eight day Celebration of Light… In Amsterdam violent protests to which the police had to respond, all because the Cantor of the IDF was about to leada concert at Amsterdam’s Royal Concert Hall… And I ask what fecking right do these people have to try to deny others their rights to celebrate their religion? What right have they to judge? What bloody right have they to try to censure? They have no right at all! NO one does! I just hope that these people, motivated by the hatred fomented by many governments, including the Spanish and British governments, against Jews, come to the conclusion that they have been used and manipulated by those who support, not peace or coexistence, but terrorism. It is about time that people realise that to live all you need is LOVE.

GRACIAS

CHEERS

Bueno, entonces seremos mar… ¿No?

Ryan Weideman (born in 1941) is an North American photographer who, while driving a taxi in New York City, took photos of his passengers… He drove the taxi between1981 and 2016 and converted his unique and unusual photographs into a book he titled In My Taxi: New York After Hours, published in 1991. Additionally he also makes lithographic print-based art… I found the photographs brilliant and intriguing, reminding me of the New York of the early 80’s, the decadence, the glamour, but mostly the energy of life that one finds (or use to find) in New York between the hours of 5pm and 5am.

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Ryan Weideman (nacido en 1941) es un fotógrafo norteamericano que, mientras conducía un taxi en Nueva York, tomó fotos de sus pasajeros… Condujo el taxi entre 1981 y 2016 y convirtió sus fotografías, únicas e inusuales, en un libro titulado In My Taxi: New York After Hours, publicado en 1991. Además, también crea arte basado en impresiones litográficas… Encontré las fotografías brillantes e intrigantes, recordándome la Nueva York de principios de los 80, la decadencia, el glamour, pero sobre todo la energía de la vida que se encuentra (o se solía encontrar) en Nueva York entre las 5 p.m. y las 5 a.m.

CHEERS – GRACIAS

¿No lo conocías? Pues yo te lo voy a presentar. Venga, te presento a Bobby Keys… Este saxofonista fenomenal, durante la década de los años 1970, tocó con muchos de los mas grandes grupos de rock incluyendo a los Rolling Stones,[1] Lynyrd Skynyrd, Harry Nilsson, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, George Harrison, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker y, bueno que más quieres… Keys nació en Texas en 1943 y a los 15 años comenzó a tocar profesionalmente con el cantante Buddy Knox (conocido por su hit de 1957 «Party Doll«)… Y aquí viene lo bueno pues mientras tocaba con la banda del cantante norteamericano Bobby Vee, conoció a Keith Richards y se hicieron buenos amigos. Esta amistad lo llevó a que los chicos lo incluyeran en la banda y Keys debutó con The Rolling Stones en el disco Let It Bleed tocando en la canción «Live with Me» en 1969. Pero para mi, lo más importante fue que también tocó en mi canción preferida de la banda, «Brown Sugar,» y también en otras como «Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,» «Rip This Joint» and «Sweet Virginia.» (todas estas las vas a oír hoy aquí)… Y esto sigue bueno pues de 1973 a 1975, Keys tocó con John Lennon en Los Angeles junto a Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson y Keith Moon, además en dos discos de Lennon: Walls and Bridges, fíjate en la canción «Whatever Gets You thru the Night» y en Rock ‘n’ Roll… Bobby Keys murió de cancer del hígado en Tennessee, diciembre de 2014.

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You don’t know him? Well, allow me to introduce you to Bobby Keys… This phenomenal saxophonist played with many of the greatest rock bands during the 1970s, including the Rolling Stones,[1] Lynyrd Skynyrd, Harry Nilsson, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, George Harrison, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, and many more… Keys was born in Texas in 1943 and started playing professionally at the age of 15 with the singer Buddy Knox (known for his 1957 hit «Party Doll«)… And here’s the good part, while playing with the band of American singer Bobby Vee, he met Keith Richards and they became good friends. This friendship led to him being included in the band. So Keys made his debut with The Rolling Stones on the album Let It Bleed, playing on the song «Live with Me«, in 1969. Now for me, the most important thing was that he also played on my favourite song by the band, «Brown Sugar,» as well as others like «Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,» «Rip This Joint,» and «Sweet Virginia» (you’re going to hear all of these today)… And it gets even better, from 1973 to 1975, Keys played with John Lennon in Los Angeles, along with Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, and Keith Moon. He was part of two of Lennon’s albums: Walls and Bridges (check out the song «Whatever Gets You thru the Night«) and Rock ‘n’ Roll… Bobby Keys passed away from liver cancer in Tennessee in December 2014.

GRACIAS

CHEERS

Without a doubt, for me The Beach Boys were the ultimate American band! They came in second only to The Beatles, and that is saying a lot because, as you have seen, if you have been following the series, I like many American bands. But these guys, who transformed themselves from the early 60’s boy band singing doo-wop, to tremendous artists, led by the genius of Brian Wilson, always managed to be at the forefront of popular music. Hell, Brian Wilson’s magic (the album Pet Sounds) even influenced Paul McCartney and guided him to create Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band…

Okay, a little background. These lads got together in Los Angeles, California in 1961. Led by Brian Wilson, they managed to find a way to mix jazz, doo-wop, and early rock and roll into their unique sound. The original band was formed like this: Brian Wilson (composer, vocals, bass and piano); his brother Carl Wilson (guitars and vocals); other brother Dennis Wilson (drums, vocals); cousin Mike Love (vocals); a friend, Al Jardine (vocals, guitar). A little later another friend of the group, Bruce Johnston joined them playing bass, singing and playing the piano. He substituted Brian Wilson on tour and on live gigs.

In 1966, with their album Pet Sounds and their single «Good Vibrations» they placed themselves as the greatest innovators of rock. Imagine that! More than The Beatles! These lads were phenomenal. But, and there is always a but, as the 1980’s approached there was much infighting in the band, and the band, the only band that ever challenged The Beatles, began to fall apart. Later on there were legal battles, including for the use of the name… but the original Beach Boys, sans Carl and Wilson, whom we lost along the way, got together in 2011 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the band. They also edited and produced the 2012 album That’s Why God Made the Radio.

This is their discography:

1962: Surfin’ Safari
1963: Surfin’ USA
1963: Surfer Girl
1963: Little Deuce Coupe
1964: Shut Down Volume 2
1964: All Summer Long
1964: The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album
1965: The Beach Boys Today!
1965: Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)
1965: Beach Boys’ Party!
1966: Pet Sounds
1967: Smiley Smile
1967: Wild Honey
1968: Friends
1969: 20/20
1970: Sunflower
1971: Surf’s Up
1972: Carl and the Passions – «So Tough»
1973: Holland
1976: 15 Big Ones
1977: Love You
1978: M.I.U. Album
1979: L.A. (Light Album)
1980: Keepin’ the Summer Alive
1985: THE BEACH BOYS
1989: Still Cruisin’
1992: Summer in Paradise
1996: Stars and Stripes Vol. 1
2012: That’s Why God Made the Radio

Now it is time to hear them. I will proffer you one of my favourites among all my favourite Beach Boys songs…

But one is not enough. Let us enjoy some soul by The Beach Boys…

CHEERS

MUSIC & DANCE

Within a beating heart that keeps the 3/4 time of the waltz, the 4/4 time of the ballad and the 6/8 time of the rumba,

surrounding the air that vibrates, resonates, and lightens each note,

the violin and the guitar spar with the drummer, while the drummer converses with the bass about the very essence of the universe, for such is music, and such is the dance…

(C.2025/Francisco Bravo Cabrera/10/12/2025/Valencia, España)

* For my readers who might not yet know what an «Euro-ku» is… Well it is my way, as a Westerner, to honour the Japanese traditional poem, the Haiku. Being that I do not speak or write in Japanese I have re-created the beautiful Haiku into something that Westerners can easily create. First, we do not need to keep the Japanese syllabic content, as we are not writing in Japanese and our languages are quite dissimilar. Second, we must keep a continued thought and not let our phrases drift off into outer space never to be fully understood or recovered. and third, and this is the novelty part, we must accompany our Euro-ku with an original illustration, be it a painting, drawing or photograph by the author. That is all you need to create something new from an old tradition, and still maintain respect and honour

CHEERS.

I really got into these phenomenal girl groups much later, but I knew right away that I was hooked on their sound, the harmonies and the melodies. Actually many of the great bands of the 1960s were influenced, and I mean like The Beatles and the Stones…

The 60’s definitely were the golden age for girl groups… Some of the most popular ones were: The Supremes (no doubt supreme), The Ronettes (my favourite), The Shirelles, The Shangri-Las, Martha and The Vandellas (Absolutely phenomenal), and The Crystals, among others not so famous… These groups like The Marvelettes, The Chiffons, The Angels), created a lasting legacy with songs about love, heartbreak, and teenage life, becoming cultural touchstones. Too bad this musical tendency does not exist anymore. The talent is missing as today mediocrity is hailed as greatness…

So not only did the girl groups influence pop but also R&B…

Hope you like them…

CHEERS