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[L-R: John Herceg, powerhouse Croatian-American baritone
Janelle Barrera, flutist extraordinaire
Vern Pat Nelson, your humble blogger, composer and pianist
Loghman Adhami, Persian-American violinist
The “Rock Doctor” John Hoaglund, geologist, occupier, vocals, sax and keyboards.]
This is why Chairman Vern hasn’t been writing so many stories lately, he’s been preparing for the Best. Concert. Ever. Tonight at 7 at the Huntington Beach Central Library. And you should all try to be there, you’ll be glad you did! Here’s the program:
Pink Floyd: Shine On You Crazy Diamond, first half (1976)
Mike Mower: Bossa Merengova from Sonata Latino (2004)
Jethro Tull: Life’s a Long Song (1970)
………………..Bouree (1969, based on a tune by J. S. Bach)
FOUR NEW Balkan Folksong Arrangements by Vern Nelson:
- Shto Mi e Milo (Bulgarian)
- Vehni Vehni Fijolica (Croatian)
- The Ballad of Fata & Mustafa (Bosnian)
- Moj Garavi Gotovo Je (Croatian)
Charles Griffes: Piano Sonata, 1919
INTERMISSION
Charles Griffes: Poem for Flute & Orchestra, 1921
Jethro Tull: Reasons for Waiting, 1969
Loghman Adhami: Shtomal (by the Caspian Sea) – US premiere!
Brahms: Sonata in F minor, mvts 1, 2 & 5
Pink Floyd: Shine On You Crazy Diamond, second half.
**************
(Greg here:) In less celebratory news, Ron Thomas circulated an open letter today that is worth reading.
Four years ago today, July 10th, Kelly was taken off of all life support. It was determined on the 9th that all of his organs had failed, and it was only the machines (life support) that the monitors were detecting. After continued consulting with Kelly’s trauma staff (Doctors and Nurses), I called Kevin, Tina, and Cathy into a private room. To have Kelly removed from the life support systems was a decision that I felt needed to be made and agreed on by the four of us and not mine alone. After all Kelly was (and will always be) the older brother to Kevin and Tina, and Cathy and mine’s oldest son. I tearfully explained everything that the Doctors and Nurses talked with me about. Kelly had been technically dead for a few days already. The trauma staff agreed to wait until the following day, the 10th, until other family members could get to UC Irvine. It was late in the afternoon when they did the final test for any brain activity. He had none………..We all did a lot of crying and said our final goodbyes. Everything was removed from him, and he was gone.
None of us will ever forget those days in the intensive care room. We were always looking for any possibility that he would open his eyes (even though Cicinelli and Wolfe destroyed them) or just move a little, something. But, nothing. Kelly never regained conciseness after the beating.
I have so much to say to the men who under color of authority brutally beat my son to death. I will say as much as possible during the civil trial, but of course the defense will object to every word that I say. One way or the other though, I will have my day, as all fathers of murdered children should.
This is your Weekend Open Thread: Talk about the above, and whatever you’d like, within those broad bounds of decency and decorum. (And go to Vern’s concert! It helps pay for this blog!)
Wow, that’s a helluva program. I didn’t know anybody knew who Griffes was anymore.
And now that Anaheim is going to be balkanized (to the knickers-twisted horror of the pearl-clutching faux hystericals) we are going to need more Balkan tunes than ever.
Yeah man, the Griffes Sonata has been one of my specialties since I was 20-something. Wild piece. He would have been a great American composer but died young. Kind of dissonant, kind of romantic. And steeped in American Indian music.
I have the Sonata on disc so I’ll have to listen to it again.
Yeah well nobody plays it as good as me though.
Well, the Pettibones are sort of honorary Juicers. In fact I think I’ll do another crosspost of their fun legal newsletter.
Been dealing with a serious computer problem here, which is why my graphics have been so rudimentary. Running diagnostics and fixes. May finally have it under control, if Vern would like to do it all over again tonight.
If it was just me, I would. Probably can’t get together all the other musicians though…
Good luck on all that computer stuff!
Despite all the back(sp)lash over “toilet-to-tap” for drought recovery, perhaps it’s not so bad compared to European solutions*- * no pun intended !
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/european-festival-recycles-urine-to-make-beer–weird-business-news-184056134.html
Another tidbit for anyone wanting perspective on the for-profit/student loan situation-
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/just-20-schools-got–6-6-billion-of-u-s–gov-t-grad-student-loans-143717469.html
“From 2010 to 2015, Bill Clinton was Laureate International Universities’ honorary chancellor.”
There you have it. The Clinton Experience in a nutshell.
*Scenes we would like to see: The following Headlines in the next 30 Days
“US Congress signs Iran Nuclear deal”
“Confederate Flag removed from all Municipal and State Grounds in America”
“US Congress agrees and passes comprehensive Immigration Reform”
“Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal withdraw from the EuroZone”
“Donald Trump withdraws his bid for the Republican Nomination for President”
“New Kurdistan is created by taking land in Syria, Turkey and Iraq”
“ISIS creates their own country and wants foreign aid from the United States”
“Israel promises to re-build the infrastructure of the Gaza Strip”
“Republicans offer Single Payer Healthcare Plan for America”
“All legal immigrants that are convicted of a felony within the first five years –
get Deported and lose the opportunity for citizenship!”
“Solar Powered Turbine Vehicles are mandated by 2025 in California”
“GMO/GE Foods are banned in the United States”
“NO more Big Pharma Ads allowed on Television in America”
“Political Ads are limited to 10 per candidate within 30 days of election only”
“Desalination Legislation (20 or more Locations) is passed by the Congress
of the United States”
“Big Pharma comes up with 20 Cures for Diseases including new anti-biotics”
“All elected and bureaucratic officials have mandatory drug testing before taking
office and twice a year throughout their tenure”
“Derivatives and Hedge Funds fully regulated and proofed before being marketed”
“EPA mandates 100 MPG vehicles before 2025”
“Hillary – The year of the woman” T-shirts released in ash gray and white!
“Jeb Bush – The Third Chance for Brilliance” T-Shirts released in black or white!
There are more……but heck how optimistic can you expect us to be?
i will be listening to the blasters playing “American Music” while watching a dukes of hazards rerun while sitting on my confederate flag sofa waiting for fox to rerun the donalds phoenix speech
and, yes, i will be drinking a budweiser and eating pringles
now that is an american evening
Now that’s “quality of life.”
A certain quality.
i have always believed in quality over quanity
*We get it: A sincere test of heredity! Can your forebears give you the DNA necessary to eat plastic and cardboard and still survive? How about some nice Hostess Twinkees and a 1% Diet Coke to down that with? No need to stop eating cardboard and plastic…..because you are already overweight…..why would you want to start working out now and drinking your NON-GMO Wheatgerm Oil? it’s all the same right? Sounds like TDM comes from the party school of: Stand them all their heads and they look the same! TDM dude, catch on – Whole Foods, Trader Joes and Bristol Farms are in business because they actually have goods which “might be” edible. You can pay your doctors and big pharma or you can buy decent food and pray. Your choice….”It’s a small world after all….it’s a small, small world!”
are by that are you implying that lupe’s el mercado in santa ana is of lesser caliber
talk about profiles and stereo typing
not to mention the assumptions you are making about me and my family
*OK then, sorry we interrupted your workout on the stationary bike.
thank you
you have to remember, i am a very sensitive guy