Archive for November, 2006

Wednesday, November 15th, 2006

Phineas Newborn Jr., Oleo

In my previous post, I reference the traces of Phineas Newborn Jr. in Kenny Drew Jr.’s piano. Here is a video of Phineas playing Oleo, showing his gift of speed and precision. I think William will appreciate it. Nevertheless, sometimes I prefer the same story to be told with fewer notes.
And don’t worry, I […]

2 Comments » - Posted in Jazz by eric

Sunday, November 12th, 2006

Jazz and My Favorite Things

John Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things” (shown here with a 22 year old McCoy Tyner on piano) was one of the first pieces of Jazz that really turned me onto the genre. I think that listening to a standard or a popular song interpreted by a Jazz musician gives the listener a good idea of what […]

2 Comments » - Posted in Jazz by eric

Saturday, November 11th, 2006

The Roots

 

Here is a great video by the Roots, poking fun at your standard Rap videos. Very good, very funny.

6 Comments » - Posted in Digressions by eric

Saturday, November 11th, 2006

Laura, únicamente Laura

Mi querida amiga, Laura, me ha señalado hoy que una de las razones principales por no seguir mi blog con regularidad es que apenas le dedico los posts que corresponden a su importancia en mi vida. La única respuesta que le puedo dar es que hasta yo mismo tengo algunas cosas que guardo solamente para […]

No Comments » - Posted in Friends / Family by eric

Friday, November 10th, 2006

Venus, así te vi

Mi poema favorito de Féderico García Lorca que además va muy bien con este cuadro del nascimiento de Venus:
Venus, así te vi
La joven muerta
en la concha de la cama,
desnuda de flor y de brisa
surgía en la luz perenne
Quedaba el mundo,
lirio de algodón y sombra,
asomado a los cristales,
viendo el tránsito infinito.
La joven muerta,
surcaba el amor por […]

No Comments » - Posted in Digressions by eric

Friday, November 10th, 2006

Martirio and Kenny Drew Jr.

Tomorrow evening (inshala), I am going to see Martirio accompanied by the Kenny Drew Jr. Trio at the Festival de Jazz de Madrid. When I tell people that I am a Martirio fan here in Spain, everyone looks at me as if I were a total freak. Apparently, Martirio has a reputation in Spain […]

2 Comments » - Posted in Jazz by eric

Friday, November 10th, 2006

Blue Monk

This is my favortie clip of Thelonious Monk playing. Not only does it display Monk’s music at his coolest, it also portrays the fullness of Monk’s piano in the trio setting. Direcly in front of Monk watching with a grin (that supposedly annoyed him) is Count Basie. Notice the white guy in the background […]

No Comments » - Posted in Jazz by eric

Friday, November 10th, 2006

Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait

Here is the trailer to Zidane, un portrait du 21e siècle, filmed entirely during a Real Madrid v. Villareal game in 2005.

4 Comments » - Posted in Zizou by eric

Monday, November 6th, 2006

Viejas amistades, nuevas rivalidades

Este domingo se jugó el partido entre el UB Barça y el Burgos donde se enfrentaron las ex-compañeras Rose Superstar y Sonia Blanco. Salió vencedor el Barça 58-54. Es una pena que no pudiera presenciar el encuentro y ver a mis dos amigas. Ojala en breve pueda asistir a algún partido del Barça con la mega-Laurita […]

No Comments » - Posted in Rose Superstar by eric

Saturday, November 4th, 2006

Happy Birthday, Leo!

Today, one of my closest friends here in Madrid, Waya, gave birth to a healthy boy. I would like to welcome Leo Varsavsky Quiviger into this world. This world is sometimes difficult, but most of the time, if you stop for just one short second to reflect and to look around you, you will experience an […]

1 Comment » - Posted in Friends / Family by eric