Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the
bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. - Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865
We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. - Barak Obama, Inaugural Address, January 20, 2009
The nonagenarian pianist presented de Barros with every biographer’s hope, unrestricted access to his subject’s personal papers and nearly unrestricted access to her private thoughts. He made the most of it, turning exhaustive research and hundreds of hours of interviews into a true story with the sweep of a novel. From the early discovery of McPartland’s musical gift through her wartime service, her ecstatic and stormy marriage to Jimmy McPartland, her growth as a pianist, her deep affair with Joe Morello, and the radio show that made her a national figure, she has had a fascinating life. It makes a splendid read.
Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band had three fewer musicians than most big jazz outfits. Its size permitted precision, flexibility and subtlety, yet the band had the power of sprung steel. In this concert from a half century ago, the CJB is as fresh as yesterday. Arrangements by Mulligan, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn and Johnny Mandel set standards to which big band writers still aspire. Bassist Buddy Clark and drummer Mel Lewis inspired Mulligan, Brookmeyer, Conte Candoli, Gene Quill and Zoot Sims to some of the best soloing of their careers. This beautifully produced issue of the complete concert is a basic repertoire item.
‘Twas a great day for the US of A, with our Lincolnesque young President taking over in a time of trial, and no doubt hoping to channel some of that Abe and Franklin Delano magic– just as John Williams reworked the Shaker hymn Americana of Lincoln Portrait/Appalachian Spring master Aaron Copland. Some years ago, when becoming President was still a faint gleam on a distant horizon, Obama was the Narrator for one such Lincoln performance, dreaming his own dream no doubt.
Obama also quoted Dorothy Fields & Jerome Kern (Swing Time, 1936):
“Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, start all over again.”
Well, Obama does have one thing in common with Lincoln-they both reached the Presidency. Oh yeah, they both are/were lawyers.
That’s it.