Archive
Our Taxes present The National Jukebox
This was flying around the interwebs last week… finally got as chance to check it out. The Library of Congress presents the National Jukebox, which makes historical sound recordings available to the public free of charge. The Jukebox includes recordings from the extraordinary collections of the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation and other contributing libraries and archives.
** http://www.loc.gov/jukebox/ **
facebook.com/libraryofcongress
twitter.com/librarycongress
Within the first 48 hours since its launch on May 10th, it logged more than 1 million page views and more than 250,000 streams. The project has opened up the library’s archive with an initial posting of more than 10,000 pre-1925 recordings from the Victor record label, now under the Sony Music umbrella. The recordings span jazz, blues, ethnic folk, gospel, pop, spoken word, comedy and other genres dating to the early 20th century.
You think tax dollars aren’t going towards something good? Well, as far as archival music, I’m super happy that my tax dollars helped make this possible.
~Dan – np: The Book of Mormon (original cast recording) 
Howard Zinn dies at 87
Howard Zinn, an author, teacher and political activist whose leftist A People’s History of the United States became a million-selling alternative to mainstream texts.
Zinn died of a heart attack in Santa Monica, Calif., daughter Myla Kabat-Zinn said. The historian was a resident of Auburndale, Mass.
He was 87.
He will be missed, but he left a legacy.
~Dan
Haiti Relief :: RED CROSS
Haiti needs your help. Please visit the RED CROSS for more information!
You can donate $10 to the relief efforts in Haiti by texting “HAITI” to “90999.”
The charge will show up on your phone bill.
Change I can get behind…
The new 2009 quarter representing the District of Columbia has jazz great / composing legend Duke Ellington featured on it… this is change I can get behind:
I haven’t paid attention. Of the state quarters, do any of them have people outside of presidents? Looking here, it looks like the Duke Ellington quarter is the one with a person the most prominently featured (outside of the Helen Keller one for Alabama). Anyway, it’s great to see a jazz great on our currency. Jazz is one of the most truly American creations.
Oh, and unrelated, anyone go to the Album Leaf show last night in Portland at Rotture? Was it good? I wasn’t able to go, but I’m hoping Jimmy LaValle swings through again soon…
~Dan – np: Cyro Baptista – Love the Donkey
Happy Year of the Ox!
Happy Year of the Ox!
Here’s a string-quartet version of Sufjan Stevens‘ “Year of the Ox,” which originally appeared on his (brilliant) electronic album, Enjoy Your Rabbit! The string quartet version was arranged and played by the Osso Quartet, based in NYC.
The performance above is from Osso’s 2007 appearance at Cincinnati’s MusicNow Festival (click here for my review). Check out Sufjan’s Enjoy Your Rabbit, too…
~Dan – np: Steve Lacy – New Jazz Meeting : Baden-Baden 2002
comedy that just writes itself
To George W Bush,
Comedians everywhere hope you stay in the public eye for years to come… the rest of us 78% who don’t approve of the job you’ve done hope you just go away.
Good riddance, #43. Don’t let the shoe hit you on the way out…
Here’s hoping #44 is better. Quite frankly, it’d be hard for anyone to be worse than you as far as public policy goes, Mr Bush.
Buh-bye!
(click for larger)
~Dan – np: Fiona Apple – When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He’ll Win the Whole Thing Fore He Enters the Ring There’s No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You’ll Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won’t Matter, Cuz You Know That You’re Right
Senator Al Franken
2 months later and 225 votes ahead… and it’s now official. Congratulations, Senator Al Franken of Minnesota!
~Dan – np: Alice in Chains – Alice in Chains
-Eyvind Kang
-Frank Zappa
Amazon.com mp3 downloads
Creative Commons
This blog and concert photos therein are licensed under a Creative Commons License. Available with Attribution for Non-Commercial, Non-Derivative Use.
