Buenos días
#art, Gertrude Abercrombie in the Women Artists Series 2024
I must confess not knowing hardly anything about this painter from the United States. Gertrude was born in 1909 in Austin, Texas. One thing I discovered fascinating about her was her love for jazz. She was based in Chicago and there she kept up with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Sarah Vaughn. She said their music inspired her work. That seems phenomenal to me.
She came from an artistic family, as both parents were opera singers. They were from Berlin. Gertrude studied art briefly at the Art Institute of Chicago. As of 1932 she focused solely on her career as an artist.
Among the interesting anecdotes in her «bohemian» life was that she was the inspiration for Richie Powel’s song «Gertrude’s Bounce». Interesting to note is that she played piano and was very good at jazz improvising and at times played with Dizzie Gillespie at private events.
Gertrude Abercrombie died in 1977, the same year that a major retrospective of her work was exhibited at Hyde Park Art Center (the oldest exhibition space in Chicago).
I think you will enjoy her work…
CHEERS
#art, #photography, Pels carrers de València – On the Streets of Valencia
Caminant pels carrers del barri de Ruzafa pel matí…
A stroll through Russafa in the morning…
Gràcies – Cheers
#music, Great American Bands, Chapter 10: Grand Funk Railroad
This was another of those kick-arse bands that I loved during my Middle School and High School years. They were powerful, guitar-driven and funky. Their cover of Little Eva’s «The Loco-Motion» was something else (far out!) back in those precious 1970’s…
Well, Grand Funk Railroad (the epidemy of the «American Band») was formed in 1969 by Mark Farmer who played guitar and did the lead vocals for the band. Their song «We’re an American Band» was a number one hit in 1973, their first one to top the charts. In total, Grand Funk had six platinum and seven gold-certified albums between 1969 and1976. Not bad at all I would say.
Let us take a listen to the band…
CHEERS
Buen día
#poem, «Things» (A Euro-Ku)
Things, in the timeless of space,
can never occupy the space that surround us,
but just as mysterious,
there are things that fill our lives with misery,
and others that fill us with gladness.
These things do not inhabit timeless space,
they have made a home within
our time-controlled existence
and define our personality.
God carved the rocks of Mother Earth,
perhaps through a love song
as He pondered time in the timelessness of space…
Wisdom…
God has sprinkled grains of wisdom
on every mountain,
valley,
desert,
beach and sea,
and sculpted in the depths of the deepest oceans
things not meant for us to see.
C. 2024, Francisco Bravo Cabrera – 04 DEC 2024 – Valencia, España
NOTA BENE
The above poem I have called a «Euro-Ku» because, as a Westerner, I cannot do justice, artistically or philosophically, to the original Japanese Haiku and I love the style and the intention. Therefore I have developed a way to express, utilising three paragraphs (stanzas/verses), without syllabic count, the intent of the original Haiku but in a way that allows me to express my thoughts, emotions, art and philosophy in a Western manner keeping true to my history and culture. I find that it would be impossible to write an original Haiku if you are not Japanese, if you have not been privileged with their history and culture, as those elements created the style, that unique style of expression.
The only ingredient, or requirement, I have added is that the Euro-Ku must be accompanied by an illustration created (or photographed) by the author of the poem. And that the verses (regardless of length) must flow evenly and consequentially into each other without floating off into outer space. Try it…
CHEERS
En Masticadores…
#opinion, Know Thyself
KNOW THYSELF
Know Thyself… The quest to know one’s self began as a concept, and once in a while we allow it to surface and plague our head. But it seems to me to be a difficult subject that we always push aside and leave for another day. What day? When? We, the collective “we” simply do not know. I do not know. Perhaps never.
But I am, in fact, referring to an ancient aphorism that throughout history has been transmitted, from generation to generation, in one form or another. So I ask myself, what is it good for? Again I don’t know. My conclusion is that it could be something valuable or merely rubbish.
But since it…the aphorism, supposedly…comes from Ancient Greece I should consider it valid. No? Well, in my country there’s also an old saying that says that the devil is wise not because he is the devil but because he is old. If we have been told since ancient times that we must know ourselves, this knowledge is something imperative. It must be had. It must be gained. Or not.
But, caveat emptor, if you do decide to look inside and search for your inner self, lookout. Be aware that the result of that inquiry/investigation might not really make you happy. It is quite possible that you discover you are not much more than a cretin, or an idiot. And it is also quite possible that the devil is not wise because he is old but because he is the devil. Since we do not know, then everything is possible, no?
In any event, experts (good grief experts!) say that we must be conscious creatures who know full well what we are and who we are. To discover that we must endeavour to search diligently and bravely. That whatever the results of the search may be, we must accept them and as The Beatles said, let it be. The result of our deep and profound introspection is to assimilate the results of our soul search even if they lead us on a short, and straight road to a loony bin. We must dive into the abyss of the psyche…as the Ancient Greeks called the soul…and discover who we are.
Can this be the real meaning/purpose of life, to know ourselves?
Personally, after analysing this aphorism from various angles, instead of searching within myself, I prefer to instead ask myself, what is it good for? I do not believe that such a “psychological” epiphany will lead me to greater riches, fame or make me more good looking. And if it does not serve these purposes, or do these things which are crucial for modern life, then what is it good for? Well, guess what, I cannot answer that question either. I just do not know. All I know is that it may lead to a discovery that I may find atrocious, or one that I may find glorious? Hmm…
Now, since we are assured that ancient philosophers were indeed wise men, we confront our modern life and try to live according to their aphorisms. Their ancient words are considered valuable. Our modern society venerates old sayings to the point of practically considering them infallible truths.
And not only old sayings, we also value very highly what we consider to be a classical education. Our culture, after all, comes from Ancient Greece and Rome. We show off uttering something in Latin or Greek (or Chinese, Hindi, Hebrew or Arabic) even if we really don’t know what it means. To be consequential with how sophisticated and cultured we think we are, we attend concerts of classical music, sonatas, cantatas, opera. We sit in the theatre as the music flows through our bored out ears, but steadfast we remain. We stroll through museums admiring statues of Ancient Greeks and Romans standing there naked defying our new puritanical ways. We rummage through archaeological ruins et cetera et cetera.
But when we return home, tired of so many music conservatories, theatres, museums and archaeological sites, the only thing we want is a cold beer or a glass of Rioja, and perhaps, if you are Spanish, accompany our wine with chorizo, Iberian ham and Manchego cheese. No?
So, in my humble opinion, I would rather not know any more about myself and stay as I am, as I am happy. And I think I’ve a point as there is another old saying (at least in my country) that says that better to stick to the evil known than look for the good to be discovered. So, since I think like this, I am willing to leave my interior self wandering through the depths of my soul, at least for the time being. I don’t care to meet its acquaintance. I do not know about you, but I like the “me” I live with.
Francisco Bravo Cabrera – 04 DEC 2024 – Valencia, España
Today’s Spanish Class
Buenos días
JaZzArt en València 