The trip itself was a lot of fun and it allowed the summer program students to do a little bonding and get to know each other away from our dorms or classrooms, which is doubly good for me because i don't live in the dorms! The first stop on our trip was Odawara Castle (i'm going to have to post pictures later, I really need to clear some harddrive space!). Odawara Castle was enjoyable, albeit brief.

I think the real highlights of the trip were the views of Fuji-san, and Saiko Iyashi no Sato. This was a recreation of a traditional village that was destroyed by a natural disaster a few decades ago. We were never clear if it was some kind of massive mudslide or volcanic eruption.

The recreated village was amazing... Traditional thatched roof houses, carefully manicured gardens and waterfalls, and a number of sites for traditional crafts and artwork. I bought a small figurine and a ceramic wind chime. Both gorgeous.

Another terrific stop was the hot spring/sulfur pits. At this point in the trip im not even sure where we were, but the view from the top was amazing and, sans the smell, the area was really interesting. Local tradition calls for boiling some eggs in the sulfur pits. apparently a chemical reaction occurs turning the shells of the eggs black. Eating one of these eggs is supposed to extend your life by seven years. I bought six. Longevity is important to me and thats gotta be over an extra 1/2 century!

During the second day of the trip we visited Erinji Temple. The temple was founded in 1330 A.D. and was later rebuilt by Tokugawa Ieyasu. Within the temple entrance corridor there is a long, narrow, wooden hallway. As you walk on it a sound is made that is reminiscent of singing. This was created as a security alarm for intruders within the temple, as they were often sought out as places of sanctuary. As a side note I wonder if this was the inspiration for part of the book 'Across the nightingale floor'.... well its just a thought.

The Onsen itself was amazing. We all slept in rooms with about 4-6 other people on tatami mats and futons. The experience of bathing in a traditional hot spring, or even in just the traditional Japanese style is one the i enjoy immensely. To begin with you take your shoes off and enter the changing area (this is a communal bath. It was separated by sex, but some of them aren't). you remove your clothing and step into the bathing or shower area. Usually there are a number of stools that you sit down on with water faucets, towels, and soaps. The idea is to scrub yourself down and get clean before you set foot in the water. If you're really thinking ahead you can also use this time to douse yourself with increasingly hotter and hotter water from the shower head to prepare yourself for the bath if it requires it. At this point you rinse down, slide yourself into the bath, maybe leave a hand towel sitting on your head to use to mop up the sweat or cover yourself up when you move around, and just soak in the pools. It sounds simple enough (it is), but there is something so cathartic and relaxing to be found in the ritual of bathing.

As always, here is a video of some of the trip. Hope you all are doing well!

I was listening to Weekend Edition on NPR today and they were doing an interview with singer/songwriter Amos Lee. I'd never heard of him before but I became intrigued from the program.

Lee was an obscure indie artist when Norah Jones noticed him and helped sign him to a major label. Since then he's opened for big acts like Bob Dylan and Paul Simon.

Amos was apparently a school teacher in Philadelphia and started learning guitar as an outlet for the frustrations he felt trying to get through to the inner city kids. He wrote a song called "Street Corner Preacher" after seeing a preacher helping the homeless on the street in Camden, NJ.

Lee discussed his old job working at a record store and how it exposed him to artists varying from Coltrane to current hip hop rappers.

His music is acoustic blues/folk with a soulful twang, and the songs are just great. In his song "Truth" his voice is reminiscent of the early African American blues singers like Blind Lemon Jefferson. I'm a fan of his song "Keep it loose" in particular. 

You can listen to the Weekend Edition interview and sample some of his songs here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92691367

In between interview segments they played clips from his songs then he did an impromptu live performance of his song "Keep It Loose."

With Koop (via settembrini) - In a heartbeat

Hardcandy - Advice

Theme from Spartacus (Zero 7 remix)

With Beth Orton - Beautiful world

Born in Chicago on May 24th 1945, Terry grew up singing alongside soul greats Jerry Butler, Major Lance and Curtis Mayfield.

In the late 90s Callier began his comeback to recorded music, contributing to Beth Orton's Best Bit EP in 1997 and releasing the album Timepeace in 1998, which won the United Nations Time For Peace award for outstanding artistic achievement contributing to world peace. Curiously, his colleagues at the University of Chicago never learned of Callier's life as a musician, but after the award the news of his secret life became widely known and subsequently led to his firing. Callier today is continuing his recording career having currently released five albums since Timepeace.

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Website

Excelente prog blues rock el que practican estos finlandeses. El LP está impregnado de buen gusto, buenas guitarras y voz, capitaneados por el sonido del hammond en casi todos los cortes, con momentos realmente brillantes. De disfrute atento y apacible; cojonudo.

Ferris - "Ferris" (1971)

01. Mama (2:41)
02. Vagabond (3:31)
03. You Could Tell Me (3:04)
04. Chrystal Angel (2:54)
05. Mr. America (2:36)
06. Basically Pure (5:26)
07. Stirling (1:25)
08. Black Friday (1:39)
09. Shugga Pog (2:11)
10. Women Are Allright (2:19)

Dave Lindholm (guitarra, voz)
Heikki Hiekkala (teclas, guitarra, voz)
Matti Saxelin (batería)
Jaakko Itävaara (bajo)

"You Could Tell Me":

[audio=http://www.goear.com/files/sst4/e55f61edc1ebf6edf0e07c72d5285d38.mp3]

My wife Debie and 4 other ladies are organizing a blues performance group. Their first gig is at Earls Hideaway in Sebastian Florida on the 17th of August. Should be good. "Hears" a taste of the audio treats to be. Guitar Lyn with another band she's in.

"No, you're on the right road," Crystal said.

"Jenn, I think that's it." Holden pointed.

A small building squatted on our left just off 85th. The sign said, "B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ." People milled around in the fenced outdoor patio like penned animals. Cars were packed just as tightly in the tiny parking lot.

"Wow, it is really crowded here," I said as we pulled into the parking lot. "I don't know if we'll even get seats."

The more immediate concern was finding a parking spot. We wound up parking in the back. We figured it was probably employee parking, but there really wasn't anywhere else to park. (This becomes important later.)

We started to go inside, eager for barbecue and blues, but were stopped by a wall of sound and by the door guy. The guy looked like my friend's husband Tony. "$5 cover charge," he half-shouted over the din of people talking more loudly than they strictly had to. I fished a twenty out of my wallet to cover all three of us and looked around while he counted out my change. There weren't any empty seats.

"Is there anywhere to sit?" I hollered at him.

"No, standing room only." He looked apologetic. "It's usually not this busy; it's probably because of the band. You would've had to get here at 6 to get a seat." It was 8:45.

We inched through the crowd and tried to flatten ourselves against a wall. Waiters constantly dashed past us at high speed, weaving their way through the picnic tables holding aloft baskets of battered fries and pulled pork sandwiches. I looked down at the nearest table. The red-checkered table cloth was anchored down by plates of stripped rib bones and empty beer bottles. It was too dark to see much of the decor, but I saw a neon-outlined Fender resonator hanging on the wall above the patio door next to an antique Dr. Pepper sign (we checked the menu before we came; Dr. Pepper is tragically not served here) and a couple of old hacksaws.

Next to me, Holden said, "Whazzabansame?"

"What?" I shouted.

She leaned closer. "What's the band's name?"

"Trampled Under Foot," I said. "They're really good."

They are, indeed, really good. I'd found their website a few weeks ago and within a few days had bought a CD as a birthday present to myself. (I hardly ever buy music unless I am convinced it is excellent.) T.U.F. won the International Blues Challenge, which I guess means that out of almost a hundred blues bands from various countries, they were considered the bluesiest. All I know is that the Schnebelen family plays the heck out of "Rather Be Blind." Etta James would be proud.

As we waited for the band to start, I considered ordering something. The smell was tormenting me. I've only had barbecue once since I've moved to Kansas City. But I would've had nowhere to put my food. So I just stood there and sweated instead as the ceiling fans futilely stirred the hot air.

The band started after a few minutes. All three of us enjoyed their set, but after an hour we got tired of standing and were quite hungry. We worked our way to the door and then got in my car...

...which we discovered was blocked in by a Subaru Legacy hidden in the shadow of a bush.

Holden jumped out and investigated the gap between the Legacy and the dumpster. "I don't think you can make it," she said.

We stood around for a few minutes, wrinkling our noses against the smell from the dumpsters as we called various friends to see if they could come pick us up. No answer from any of them. Finally we decided to move around to the front of the building away from the trash and just wait until the band was done and everybody left. We didn't want to wait inside; it was too hot in there, and we could hear the band pretty well from where we were.

After a period of silent contemplation of my empty stomach, I decided to see if I could get someone to announce the license plate of the car and ask the owner to move it.

The door guy told me I should talk to Lindsey, the owner of the restaurant. Lindsey was really nice but I felt bad that I was putting him to so much trouble—I'd gotten the license plate number but had forgotten to write down the make of the car, so he walked me out to go look at it, gently mentioning that the back was employee parking only. When he made his announcement, some drunk guys briefly heckled him. I didn't see anyone leave the building, but thanked him anyway and went back out to find my friends, figuring we would just wait it out. But lo! What happy sight did greet our eyes but that of the Legacy pulling away!

Full of great rejoicing (and not much else—by that point, all of us were hungry), we negotiated the maze of cars and were on our way. We eventually wound up going to the house of pancakes.

I was reaching into my pocket for my wallet when I realized something. "You guys," I said, "I think I stole Lindsey's pen."

So that is the story of how we went to get some blues and barbecue and came away with a pen. It was the best birthday celebration ever.

Postscript: The band is playing at a festival put on by a Catholic church this afternoon. I think we're going to try this blues thing again. Although I doubt there will be barbecue. :-)

It’s an all-day affair featuring two stages – acoustic and electric – and a dozen area blues bands, including Sunapee favorites Roxanne and the Voodoo Rockers, all for a mere 10 bucks.

Headliner TJ Wheeler mixes musical knowledge into his performances, taking audiences on a journey from Delta blues to New Orleans jazz.  Boston’s Love Dogs bring a Dixie vibe to a rocking blues sound that recalls the Fabulous Thunderbirds, with horns.

Singer/guitarist Bruce Marshall played with Toy Caldwell of the Marshall Tucker Band, and has a lightning touch on the fretboard.  He’s also playing the Newbury Bandstand this Thursday (July 24) if you need a fix right away.

The event is sponsored by the New Boston Blues Association, and benefits Webster House, which helps kids ages 8 through 18 who need to live away from home.  All of the NBBA’s efforts are focused on raising money for Webster House, whose work is focused on “providing stability to a child's life and rebuilding family relationships leading towards family re-unification, foster placement or independent living.”

MUSIC LINE-UP AND SCHEDULE

Barnful of Blues Festival - August 2, 2008

SIDE STAGE (ACOUSTIC)

National Anthem          12:00 PM     12:05PM
Chris Bonoli                 12:45 PM     1:00 PM
Arthur James                1:45 AM     2:00 PM
Jackie Lee                     2:45 PM     3:00 PM
Francine Calo               3:45 PM     2:00 PM
Arthur James                4:45 PM     3:00 PM
RAFFLES                       5:45 PM     6:00 PM
RAFFLES                       6:45 PM     7:00 PM

MAIN STAGE (ELECTRIC)

Michael Vincent &
Double Shot                  12:05 PM     12:45 PM
The Hayes Brothers       1:00 PM     1:45 PM
Sweet Willie D &
the Continental Walk    2:00 PM     2:45 PM

Bruce Marshall             3:00 PM     3:45 PM

Lisa Marie &

All Shook Up               4:00 PM     4:45 PM
The Love Dogs            5:00 PM     5:45 PM
Roxanne &
the Voodoo Rockers    6:00 PM     6:45 PM
TJ Wheeler                   7:00 PM     8:00 PM

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Sim, 100 milhões de euros! Cerca de R$ 251,4 milhões! Apesar de o presidente do Milan ter dito que o jogador não tem preço, um representante dos Blues entrou em contato com o Kaká e com o Milan. A proposta deve ser aceita ou negada até 31 de agosto que é quando fecha a janela deles de transferências internacionais. Bah, por essa grana toda, acho certo que o Kaká vá, ainda mais que o Scolari é tri fã do ex-são paulino.

E o Chelsea já contratou outro reforço, que eu não li ainda isso mas, creio eu que tenha sido chamado a pedido de Felipão!

Deco! Apresentado hoje no clube pelo Felipão, já até treinou e diz que quer jogar com Frank Lampard, que ele é um excelente jogador contra o qual já jogou várias vezes. Ele diz isso pois Lampard está quase quase na Inter de Milão. No artigo do DailyMail, o presidente da Inter afirma que Lampard já está com sua cabeça mudada quanto a ficar no Blues, e que em breve ele deverá ir para o clube de Milão.

Boh, só sei que Chelsea com Lampard, Deco, Drogba, Pizarro, Malouda, Kalou, e tantos outros, forma um timão. Acho que este ano eles realmente estão na Champions para ganhar. Vamos ver se tantas estrelas vão dar em nada, ou em tudo.

Por: Kaka'

IMG

1) El disco es una completa y total obra de arte.
2) Es una basura que merece ser mandada al olvido.

Afortunadamente para el disco debut del Guitarrista y cantautor Simone Massaron la opcion numero 1 es la que le queda al dedo.

Dandelions on Fire es su primera placa y en la cual ingresa al amplio y repetitivo campo de la musica, sobretodo del Blues , jazz y del Folk. Pero para que su disco no sonara repetitivo se junta al lado de mucha gente importante que hacen que sea una experiencia totalmente distinta y unica.

Una de esas personas es la cantante Carla Bozulich quien ha trabajado con The Geraldine Fibbers, aqui, ella canta la segunda mitad del disco mientras que Simone toca explendidamente la guitarra.  En dandelions desde la primera pieza que lo abre "Never Saw Your Face" notamos que se tratara de un disco distinto, una pieza experimental que nos abre el camino a escuchar diferentes generos y etapas que son magnificamente representadas.  "Love Me Mine" es una hermosa balada folk en toda la expresion de la palabra, digna de alguna pelicula de John Ford. "The Getaway Man" inicia como eso, como un folk tranquilo que despues en su recta final pasa al blues country, donde escuchamos los dotes de Simone en la guitarra. Despues como si cambiaramos de disco, es el turno de Carla quien a partir de "Five Dollar Lottery" convierte el disco en un viaje lleno de experimentacion sonora y en momentos alcanzando niveles de una sensualidad psicodelica; acordeones, violenes, harmonicas y toda una actitud digna de Derek Bailey o Fred Frith nos acompañan durante este track que marca una pauta distinta al inicio. Claro que nunca alejandose del Blues, solamente que se transforma en un sonido distinto. Una imagen de humo y whisky nos remite la voz de Carla, mezclandose con todos los efectos que el guitarrista, compositor y maestro de musica Simone nos entrega.  Como dijimos la Experimentacion inicia y se demuestra en Baby, You So Creepy y I Saw Him.

En pocas palabras un album distinto que esta muy buena desde la primera escuchada y te obliga a volver a oirlo.

Pagina Oficial de Simone Massaron
Myspace

I have fond memories of playing at Lillians; rocking out in front of a small group of 40-something-year-old regulars and about three friends who stuck around on a Monday night. There is nothing to make you more humble.

The dynamics and location of the place create a strange vibe. The last time I was there, a man from a club next door called the music inside, "some country music there." Tim and Terry's is more of the hot spot for open mic nights and general jamming, but I think Lillian's would be much more fun, with better sound, if people would give it a chance. It is a great place to see bands get a shaky start.

The tradition goes: before anyone can start playing, the house band must open. It is an amusing quirk to the bar. Their songs rarely change and are predominately bluesy covers of popular songs from before 1976. The drummer, and co-coordinator, looks like a gentlemanly gremlin. He sings on the songs that work best with his country tinged sound, songs like "Sitting on The Dock of the Bay." The guitarist seems droopy and sad, but plays some mean licks. He sings on most of the other songs. The bassist, meanwhile, stands corpse stiff, with a constant deer in the headlights look on his face. I find him to be hilariously archetypal of a rock bassist. Only his fingers seem to move. Overall, I find them to be a blast: a hoot if you will.

But that is just my two cents. Here is their MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/lilliansmusicstore

Go out and judge for yourself. Keep me company in that strange, strange venue.

gaspiller sa vie c'est plutôt passer son temps à ne pas vivre...la privation n'a de bon que le nom!!! il ne faut pas se restraindre et foncer...c'est moi qui forge mon destin et pas des hommes qui me disent qu'il y a un enfer après ma vie d'anti-conformiste débauché!!!

chassons le blues avec les balles du je-m'en-foutisme!!!

But starting tomorrow are the popular music events in Walpole Park. If you've got nothing good on this weekend, take the Central Line out west, sit in the park (or stay in the tents if it's raining), and have a listen.

Tomorrow, Saturday 19-July, from 2pm to 10:30pm, is the Blues Festival. There are two stages to choose from, with acts like The Dani Wilde Band, Funkdory, Amrit Sond and clapalong favourites The Guv'nors. Check the link for a full list. And you can stay all day for just £1 (kids under 12 get in free).

On Sunday 20-July it's the Global Festival. Once again there are two stages of music from 2pm until 10:30pm, with Radio Revolución, Zywiec (what, the Polish beer?), BOSforUS, Discipulos De Otilia, and plenty more.  Once again: you can get in for just £1.

Then from Wednesday 23-July to Sunday 27-July you get the Jazz Festival. Every weekday evening (and all afternoon too on the weekends) you get two stages of live music. Check the link because they start at different times each night. As before, each night is only £1.

There's a lot of tunes there for very little cash. The park is a nice setting, and not too big. As for all these things there's always lots of beer and food on sale inside.

And put 10-August in your calendar, because that's the London Mela: a massive and excellent celebration of south Asian music, food, and culture.

Photo from Paul Robinson via Creative Commons license

As a white kid, growing up somewhat poor in a working-class neighborhood, I gradually resonated with the music. It captured for me the grittiness of my life, my family’s life. As we watched our father become an alcoholic with violent rages, music comforted us in ways that nothing else could. And our family was embedded in this larger community where life was hard. There were no guarantees that things would ever get easier, in the family or out. So, music was more than the proverbial soundtrack everyone seems to reference these days. It was a healthy outlet. The struggle might find tearful expression of the love ballads or a song with social commentary like the Temptations “Poppa Was a Rolling Stone.” Our mom, would prance around our house dancing to Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.” In some of their good moments, my 6’5” father would slow dance with my 5’2” mom to the Platters. What a sight that was! I think my grandfather referred to a comic strip that encapsulated the size differential. Grandpap would say about my parents when we arrived to visit, “Well, there’s Mutt & Jeff.”

Along with this music was the music of the church. The music of the pentecostal and sanctified churches became rock n’ roll. It’s fascinating to watch people’s disdain for the emotionalism of the “holy rollers,” but embrace the soulfulness of a Janis Joplin. Most people are totally ignorant of the connection of the early rock & roll sound of Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and even Elvis to the exhuberant and expressive music from the community churches. This bias against emotional fervor in worship continues.

Thank God for Mrs. Page, our music teacher, in the Jones Avenue middle school and North Braddock Scott high school. She exposed us to many of the spirituals as part of the chorus and choir. When I went away to college, the preference for r&b and gospel remained, but it took another leap when we moved to southern California so I could pursue my doctoral studies. We began attending a little mom & pop church that had a choir and choir director that were unbelievable. Terry Marden and his wife Shelva were music ministers at Crossroads Community Church in Westminster, California. I was a part of the choir on and off for the four years we attended that church (1987-1991). The Mardens did all sorts of gospel genre, but my favorite was black gospel. We actually participated in various competitions throughout southern California. So, we were a multi-ethnic black gospel choir. We had ethnic Romanians who could not speak English that recently immigrated, Asian-Americans, Mexican-Americans, African-Americans and all sorts of whites along the various class and regional strata. We performed in churches at Compton and Watts in Southcentral Los Angeles (now called South Los Angeles) and ended up competing as part of a fundraiser for the Orange County Urban League at the Crystal Cathedral. These performances were not just singing. Symmetrical and asymmetrical choreography was an important part of the worship expression. Gradually, the portion of the choir that had little rhythm began to sway and clap off beat and move as one with those who could. Now of course there were exceptions, you know. There are one or two people in any choir, especially including so many white members that just aren’t going to get it. So, you work around them. The Mardens might move them to a less obvious location in the choir, but they always kept them. We did three songs at the Crystal Cathedral. I'm trying to find the date, but I think it was in 1988. We did renditions of the Walter Hawkins great “When the Battle's Over” with Gigi Fiero doing the solo, “Let Us Not Be Weary in Well Doing” with Keith ???? doing the tenor solo and a finale that included the Douglas Miller “Do Not Pass Me By” with Terry Marden doing his solo. (The links here are the originals. But we sounded just as good!) Unfortunately, Terry passed away several years ago.

It was during this time that I began collecting music of the great gospel choirs and soloists. I actually can remember the moves to some of the songs and hope to find a similar choir to fit into someday. If not, you can bet where you’ll find me in heaven. I’m sure there’ll be high church music from the Episcopalians and Catholics. There’ll be the Protestant hymns of the Methodists. And I may stop and listen and try to sing a few notes in each, but I will not tarry too long before I make my way to the gospel sounds and choreography of the Pentecostals. So, Terry, please make room for me. I’m coming to worship.

Pandora radio is a great place to listen to various gospel choirs and artists. I got the application through Facebook. If you need any suggestions on where to start or expand, feel free to ask. This ol’ dumb white guy knows a thing or two at this point. Thank God for the contribution of African-American culture to our lives! One of my all time favorites is by the Mississippi Mass Choir, "I'm Not Tired Yet."

Now here's a question for everyone? I know I am not the only ol' white guy with this passion. Are these multi-ethnic choirs out there doing black gospel music or was this entirely a unique experience? Thanks for your thoughts in advance.

Soon, I'll be posting "Works In Progress" - new songs I'm working on that you'll have the first peek at, er... listen to. These will be rough, hot-off-the presses pieces not available to the public. Other future offerings include discounts on CDs from me and others, my "top-ten" and "favorites" lists, discounts on shows, and more!

How to get into the Fans-Only page? Simply be a part of my email list, click on the "fans-only" tab on this site, enter the password, and you're in. If you are already on my email list, you'll be receiving the password in the next e-newsletter. Can't wait? Email me at heather@heathermariephilipp.com and I'll send it to you.

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Zero Youth Records Showcase w/ Brutally Frank, K.T.P., 7 Shot Screamers, Queen City Saints @ Outland Ballroom

Protomen, Future Pilot, Spidermums @ Outland

Jason Ricci @ Nathan P. Murphy's, featuring guitarist Shawn Starski, listed in Guitar Player as one of the "Top 10 Hottest New Guitarists." But if you'd like to form your own opinion (which we hope you do), here's a guitar solo we found on The YouTubes. Enjoy!

Wann: 2. Juli - 14. August 2008

Wo: Nei Grotti e nelle Piazza di vari comuni della Vallemaggia

Mehr Info´s .....

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You Shouldnt Have Hurt Me - Pat Travers

&
PAT TRAVERS - THE PAIN...

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…Gentile sunt aici!

So, in honor of this dreary July day, I present to you a list of books to read when you're feeling a little blue. Not "Terms of Endearment" blue (I'll save those for February), just embracing your heavy heart blue. So grab one of these books, curl up in the fetal position, and give in to the rain, sister:

1. The Truth About Celia by Kevin Brockmeier

Brockmeier's main character, Christopher, is a science fiction writer whose seven-year-old daughter disappeared from their yard one day while he was home. Don't read this if you're looking for a crime mystery. It is more about dealing with the guilt and the loss that accompanies the disappearance of a child.  Parts of the book depict how Christopher and his wife cope and other parts show Christopher imagining different scenarios where his daughter ends up safe. I don't usually read books that sound this sappy but once I started reading, I got completely lost in Brockmeier's world; praying with him that his kid was okay; aching along with his wife; being puzzled along with the other characters of the town.

2. Fidelity by Grace Paley

Okay, okay, I know I already mentioned this book in my other blog. The truth is, all of Paley's books are sort of melancholy. A lot of her stories remind me of my family and make me miss them and miss my grandfathers, who have passed away. This collection of poems, which was her last before she passed away this past September, deals with death and getting older: Paley calling her dead sister's phone number; Paley wondering about her own mortality, her body giving out. There are light moments too, it's not a total downer. Her writing here, just as in her other work, is spare and poignant and familiar.

3. Blue Suburbia: Almost A Memoir by Laurie Albanese

This book of prose poems chronicles Albanese's adolescence: growing up with a not-so-great family. It is sad in the way that coming-of-age stories are always sad because someone is leaving behind a part of their life. Some great images, if it was a full novel it might be overkill but her short poems reveal just enough. This is also a great book for someone who "doesn't get" poetry, such as myself.

4. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathon Safran Foer

This is one of my all-time favorite books and features one of the most lovable characters I've read, Oskar, an eccentric and bright eleven-year-old who embarks on a mystery of sorts to find out more about his father who died in the World Trade Center collapse. This story is paralleled by the story of his grandfather who came to the U.S. after the bombing of Dresden during World War 2. Wonderful, awesome, divine storytelling. Fabulous characters whom, at times, you wish you could take by the hand. I won't do it justice by explaining it any longer. I do suggest, though, that you read it along with a friend so you have someone to gush with.

5. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Although the writing was not all that I hoped it would be, the story of the time traveler and, yeah, his wife is superb. The plot is too complicated to explain and, actually, sounds a little creepy. Suffices to say that there is a man who involuntarily time travels and visits the women he will marry at different points in her life. You will probably cry. You will probably feel real lovey-dovey toward your significant other after reading it and then get peeved when he/she won't write you a love letter or go back in time to visit you when you were a child. Read it anyway, though.

Si estás en Cádiz, acabas de llegar de la playa de la Victoria y no tienes plan para esta noche, tal vez te convenga saber que a partir de las 22:00 horas se celebra en el Baluarte de la Candelaria el XII Festival Internacional la isla del Blues. En este festival participarán Tito & Tarántula (sí, los de Tarantino), Kool y la Lance López Band

Abrirán la velada los gaditanos Kool, banda que se formó a finales de 2005 cuando Verónica Díaz (voz) y Jose Simonet (guitarra) decidieron llevar a cabo un proyecto conjunto tras años de carreras musicales paralelas. Así, contactaron con Miguel Rodríguez (bajo) y Manuel Pantoja (batería) para completar una formación en la cual la solidez rítmica y la delicadeza armónica confluyeran para crear un estilo de rock en español original y moderno.

A Kool les sucederán Tito & Tarántula llegados desde Los Ángeles. El alma del grupo es el cantante y guitarrista Tito Larriva, conocido anteriormente como fundador de la banda punk The Plugz y por algunos pequeños papeles en películas como "Repo Man". El éxito que disfrutaron de mediados a finales de los 90 se debió en parte al director Robert Rodríguez, que usó su música para las películas "Desperado" (1995) y "Abierto Hasta el Amanecer" (1996). Ya en 1997 apareció su álbum de debut, "Tarantism". Su directo ha sido calificado como algo que no hay que perderse.

Cerrarán el festival Lance Lopez Band, una banda cuyo líder hace las veces de guitarrista, productor, letrista y multi-instrumentista. Lance Lopez comenzó en el mundo de la música a la temprana edad de 8 años y con 17, fue contratado por el cantante de soul Johnnie Taylor. Desde entonces no ha parado de cosechar éxitos, premios y reconocimientos en el mundo de la música. Durante una etapa de su vida, estuvo probando suerte con varios grupos y actuando como telonero para las grandes leyendas B.B. King, Steve Vai y Jeff Beck, sin dejar de publicar discos y lograr un gran prestigio musical. Su último reconocimiento ha sido el de no estar lejos del status de legendario.

No estamos ante un festival que destaque por un precio atractivo (20 euros) pero la calidad musical del cartel bien merece el esfuerzo.

Blues music was derived from the African-American communities in the U.S. out of work songs, spiritual songs, field hollers, chants, shouts and simple ballads that rhymed. A lot of aspects of the blues are indicitive of African influence.

The call-and-response aspect of the music came directly from African roots and there were a lot of lines that would get repeated twice or more. This later evolved into a line repeating twice and then on the third time around there would be an 'answer line'. You can still find these characteristics of early blues in modern day music, especially hip-hop.

The term 'The Blues' refers to the 'blue devils' which means down spirits or sadness.

The blues guitar plays a heavy role in blues music as well as modern music. It has influenced Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Bluegrass and even Rock N' Roll tremendously.

The original blues of the early 1900's, otherwise known as "poor man's blues" was normally associated with hard times, oppression from white folk, cruelty of the police, gambling, economic depression, floods, magic, farming and dry periods. This music was fueled by a lot of heartache and depression. Usually a lost loved one or an overall harsh environment inspired the lyrics and the tone of the blues guitar.

After the world war, you began to see blues songs that were about relationships and sex. Also, humor was added to the mix. Here is a funny example:

"That must be your woman, cause mine don't look like that...

I said That must be your woman, cause mine don't look like that...

Have you seen my baby? She's so big and fat..."

The blues guitar style emerged from the American South's instruments of the time which were the banjo and the Diddley Bow. This was a home made one stringed instrument that was popular in the early 20th century. Figures such as Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, Son House and Blind Willie McTell were a part of the delta blues style which used a lot of finger picking techniques and slide guitar innovations.

Eventually, after WWII 'electric blues' became increasingly popular where the blues guitar was played on electric guitars as were the bass guitars. This was most prevalent in the Chicago area.

The history of blues guitar and poor man's blues is rich with culture and stories of good times and bad. I could go on for days about the history of the blues guitar but let's make this part 1 so you don't fall asleep on me!

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