A very odd day in musical coincidence for me, so far.
I haven’t been listening to rock or pop music muct at all for the past couple of years – in fact, have sold many of my CDs of that style music because they rarely are played – but yesterday I played an album by Elliott Smith (“XO”) that I like for its dark, intelligent lyrics and interesting structure (sort of Beatles-esque, sort of contemporary, but it works). Cruising the web today, I see that Smith killed himself a day or two ago; a sad thing for talented young folks to be in such despair.
Then last night, my wife asked that I put something other than Irish music on the player. She’s taking some classes at a local university in prep for veterinary school, and finds IrTrad not very conducive to studying. So I put on the Bach cello suites by Casals (I have Yo-Yo Ma’s recording, too, but don’t like it nearly as much as Casals’).
It was just odd to have listened to each of those recordings yesterday, and then to see each artist mentioned on the Web today, with death touching a bit on each . . .
Probably no one knows who these guys are… On the left is El Camaron de la Isla, playing guitar is Tomatito. They are two of the most influential Flamenco artists of their generation.
Mike
Funny, I was thinkng more along the lines of a duet between Steven Tyler and Richie Sambora…
The fact that I can come up with these names is actually quite disturbing
You must be kidding about our not knowing. Camaron is one of the most moving singers of recent years in any style. Now if I could post photos I’d treat you to several others: Carmen Linares, Dick Gaughan, Amalia Rodrigues, Oum Kalthoum, Baaba Maal, June Tabor, Aster Aweke, Sotiria Bellou, Marta Sebastyen. That’s enough to be going on with.
I am a genius in some areas, in others I am a total retard. I have dyscaculia and dyslexia. Can’t balance a checkbook. I have done pretty darned well, considering I’ll never get rich. Now, if I could only improve my short term memory! Got a bad case of CRS!
Rufus developed his interesting reg style in the bathrooms of O’Gara’s back before the great box surge. His style is being revived in the area by devotees who shall remain un-named at this time. (But I’m sure you know who they are )
Harley was sadly passed over when the great fiddle revolution replaced the boxes as the most played weapon in the area. No one is quite sure why. Perhaps his leanings toward micro-tuneing and slack strings had something to do with it. Harley is also credited with being one of the first to bring guitar into the ITM mix. His fret abilities seem to have out run his fiddleing because there is one devotee to his plodding down stroke only right hand style still in the area.
Hey, that’s enough to form a club. We could call it The Great Nothern Somethingorother. And the first meeting could be a great metronome bonfire. You could toss your tuners in too just for good measure.
It’s not good Celtic music with all those gadgets anyway.
The proliferation of the keyboard has made my dysgraphia moot but much to late to do me any good as far as my education goes.
Dysnomia ended my career as an actor in my college level Sheakspear class because a famous scene may have gone something like this:
Oh…what was his name again…um…it might start with b but I KNOW it has an N in it…you know that guy with the mask and great lips. Wherefore art thou…Oh!! I still can’t get it. What’s in a name? A…you know that thing with pricklies… by any other name would smell as sweet. So…Darn I haven’t got it yet…would, were he not…It’s right there on the tip of my tongue…called retain that dear perfection which he owns without that title. That guy again…Deny thy um…it’s not your mother but…Ya that’s right…and refuse thy name and I shall no longer be a…lets see…I think it starts with S and has a b int it…oh ya…Capulet.
Other actors had a problem with not getting the right cues ya know.
)
You could toss your tuners in too just for good measure. 
