Christmas Music For You & Yours

I am not sure one is properly able to celebrate Christmas without music. Here is a small selection from my personal favorites. Hopefully yours too. Do enjoy them this Christmas and in future Christmas' to come.

HEROES

Our’s is a world of heroes and villains. We see both every day in in our personal lives and on the world stage. It is without question that we emulate the heroes; we long to be heroic in whatever way we can.  The markings of a hero is one that often and repeatedly does the exceptional. Heroes exhibit certain greatness and are many times lauded but often they show a quiet, restrained resilience that remains unrecognized by most. You know them and I’m certain you have many of your own.

 I have always been drawn to and recognize many in literature, myth, legend and in real life. Samson and Superman; Kennedy and King, just to name a very few. This page features some of those men and women of the arts of whom I love them all. They are hardly stand alone but I recognize them here.

Ai Wei Wei

         Jean Michel-Basquiat
            

Frida Kahlo

                             Gordon Parks

Kiki Smith

   Louise Bourgeois         
                       

Miles Davis

                            Misty Copeland

Georgia O'keefe











                                           

                                          
                                       
                                      Salvador Dali   

                                                                                    

Don Cheadle's MILES AHEAD

Don Cheadle has delivered a beautiful love letter to Miles Davis, Davis fans and all who cherish good story telling in the form of cinema. I had the immense pleasure of viewing this; the directorial debut of Mr. Cheadle with members of the press and supporting Indie-gogo contributors.  Cheadle; a member of   the fraternity of actors that always give remarkable; flawless performances, shines here in the lead. The work was compelling funny, balanced and of a very high caliber. We see Miles with all his attributes and flaws (which are vividly the spice of every life) in this sophisticated, funny and emotional film. “Miles Ahead” is pure, cinematic joy!  

The Columbia music and recording years of Miles Davis are featured heavily here in remarkable style. Cheadle uses flash backs in scenes that blend seamlessly from the films present into the memory and reminiscing of the main character. The film is placed within a five year period that Miles withdrew from performing and recording. The artistic and varied Davis album covers feature as much as the music as bridges between the many narratives revealed in both the truths and mythologies of Miles.       

                   

Ewan McGregor portrays a Rolling stone reporter that within his attempts to interview Miles becomes a cohort in retrieving stolen come back tapes Davis had recently recorded. They develop a kind of “Butch and Sundance” comradery that drives much of the storyline. Actress Emayatzi Corinealdi; stuns, as Francis Taylor the wife and muse of Davis.  Taylor was pivotal to the life of the man and Corinealdi portrays her as the grand passion she must have been.   Another highlight is the performance of an All-Star band featuring actual former Miles Side Men; Herbie Handcock and Wayne Shorter along with contemporary greats Esperanza Spalding, Gary Clark Jr. and Antonio Sanchez.  

Don Cheadle has created a “crowd pleaser” of a film that has every potential of becoming a legitimate hit.  “Miles Ahead” a visionary homage, completely satisfies and makes me look forward to the next Cheadle project. For all its worth; something for which I am already on board; something certain to be another tremendous, roller-coaster of a ride. “Miles Ahead” is not to be soon be forgotten...Oscars?

Bitches Brew

 

There was a time when music was saved or recorded onto vinyl discs; the discs were packaged and sold in wrappings that were decorated as works of art. Artist including Andy Warhol, Frank Frazetta, Salvador Dali and Roger Dean would be commissioned and their works reproduced for these designs. One of the most radical and innovative works of cover art was for a new music by musician Miles Davis. The Davis recording of what he referenced as “New Directions in Music” was titled “Bitches Brew.” It was a landmark and pivotal work in that it changed perceptions of the nature of music itself; particularly Jazz. What the music really was is still being argued. The cover art was by artist Mati Klarwein. He would produce several famous works for recording artists/performers like Miles including an incredible rendition of “The Annunciation” that Carlos Santana would see and use for his opus; “Abraxas.”

The cover for “Bitches Brew” was a painting somewhat surreal in nature featuring an African couple; lovers, standing on a beach gazing at a stormy sea and beyond into infinity. To the left of the couple is a flower erupting in flame as it begins to ignite the woman’s hair filling the sky with smoke. Above the couple to their left is an extreme close up of another African profile with large beads of sweat strategically placed adding intensity to the portrait. The cover wraps around to the back and becomes a sort of a mirror/reversal of the front. The large dark tone face morphs into pink or extremely lighted skin on the back. The images of the facial profiles snake into two joined hands; one black the other white which could be seen as a form of commonality and unity reflected in humanity even with the obvious differences in skin hue. The stars of night subtly illumine the darkness of the reversed back cover. A figure seemingly in a fit of rage or pain grimaces.  A woman of resolve or quiet hope rounds out the composition as we are left to ponder.

Klarwein's original piece for “Bitches Brew” was much admired and sought out by Miles but he was unable to acquire the piece. It would have been an amazing addition to Davis’ art collection but it was not meant to be. Miles was himself a water color and pen & ink artist. His tastes ran from fine sculpture to French and European graphic novels.   

Davis and Klarwein were immensely creative.  Their admirers were and remain many. “Bitches Brew” an achievement for both men and all from a time when music albums were vinyl and the covers were works of art.

 

Miles Music