Louise Glück and the Power of Poetry
Sean MurphySad to see Louise Glück depart our puny planet, but glad she received the love and attention she richly deserved, and was able to feel that approbation while she was…
This Day in History: “Porgy and Bess,” the first great American opera, premieres on Broadway
From History.com On October 10, 1935, George Gershwin’s opera Porgy and Bess premieres on Broadway. Porgy and Bess began its journey to the Broadway stage in 1926, when George Gershwin wrote a letter…
Something Sweet, Something Tender: Richard Davis, RIP
Another irreplaceable giant has left the planet. Richard Davis, God-Level on so many occasions, IMO arguably never more so than on this track from an album that continues to defy,…
The Wild, The Innocent & The E-Street Shuffle at 50
Believe it or not, Bruce Springsteen wasn’t always the Boss. In fact, he paid persistent and less-than-productive dues for years as a work-in-progress. The breakthrough success of Born to Run, which…
Roll the Stone Away: Jethro Tull’s ‘A Passion Play’ at 50
During the years between my senior year in high school and my sophomore year of college Jethro Tull went from being an important band in my life to, by far,…
September 11
(From 9/11/21.) An absolutely gorgeous, cloudless September day, just like 20 years ago. I spent a couple of indescribably serene hours kayaking around the Katama Great Pond with my brother…
Labor Day Rant: Unpaid Internships are Evil
First off, with very few exceptions, unpaid internships are immoral and disgusting. Any business, especially a multi-million dollar tech behemoth, that justifies not paying interns is evil. But because the…
For My Mother, on Her 80th Birthday
i. August 2002 – August 2023 (August 23, 1943 - August 23, 2023) Twenty-one years, and on what would be her 80th birthday. I’m of course of a certain age…
1455 PRESENTS: A CONVERSATION WITH BEN PURKERT, AUTHOR OF ‘THE MEN CAN’T BE SAVED’
Writers strikes. Fear and Loathing of all-things-AI. Cutbacks within the industry and academia. One could be forgiven for assuming it’s all bad news all the time, so when a genuine feel-good story unfolds within…
8/15/79: Apocalypse Now
Released in theaters on this date, 44 years ago. Anyone out there who has not seen this movie? Anyone who hasn't seen it several times? Like most masterpieces, nothing can…