Category: Music

City Sidewalks, Checking the Pulse of Downtown

3/30/2016

A Story of . . .
Portland, record albums, comic books, handbags, dancing, dining, and diets

City sidewalks, where anonymity meets adventure. Where walking alone is accepted and walking into open doors not only expected but encouraged. Last Saturday I walked the length of Congress Street (well, really a portion of Congress, from State Street to Elm Street), and was intrigued by all the sandwich boards along the way. After treating myself to a slice of pizza at Otto's I did a bit of window shopping, visited a few galleries and made my way to the library. Here's some of what I saw . . . some bargains, some love, and a tasty invitation.

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A Poem, A Song, A National Treasure

3/3/2016

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A Story of . . .
American history, needlework, conservation efforts, music, and poetry

Watercolor and pencil on paper

The Star-Spangled Banner
National Museum of American History
Free Admission
Open every day except 12/25

National Anthem Day
It was during the War of 1812, that Major George Armistead commissioned the making of two over-sized flags to fly over Fort McKinley in Baltimore, Maryland.

As anticipated, the fort was attacked by the British, and when it was over, the smaller storm flag, though damaged, signaled the fort remained under American control. The following morning, the larger garrison flag was raised in its place. That flag is what we now know as The Star-Spangled Banner.

Poet Francis Scott Key saw the garrison flag flying over the fort the morning after the attack and was inspired to write “The Defence of Fort McKinley.” The poem would be set to music and become our national anthem.

Today the flag is missing one star and measures 30x34 feet, down six inches in length from its original 30x40 feet, diminished by keepsake clippings.

Housed at the National Museum of American History the flag is conserved in a sophisticated exhibit that controls light, temperature, and moisture.

It’s a fascinating artifact that touches on American history, sewing (the flags were commissioned and cost just over $400), conservation, music, and poetry.

This is a Calendar of Days post: National Anthem Day

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The Ukelele: Fine Tuned

2/2/2016

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A conversation with Seth Perry

The Ukelele: Fine Tuned

There are plenty of things to like about the ukelele. “First of all,” says Seth Perry, “it’s easy to tote around.” And that’s obvious as Mr. Perry slips the four-stringed instrument from its case and tucks it into the crook of his elbow. Reaching with his free hand, he pulls a chamois cloth from his gig bag and eases into our interview by putting a polish to his “uke.”

After polishing, Mr. Perry tunes his instrument. Using a fully modern clip-on tuner with LCD display he plucks one string at a time, checks the gauge and adjusts the tuning peg until it rests in the desired range. Then, relying on his own ear Mr. Perry again plucks one string at a time to the halting rhythm of “My Dog Has Fleas,” the go-to song for tuning.

Ukelele’s have four strings and come in varying shapes: a figure eight, the pineapple, the Fluke, and boat paddle. And because the ukelele looks a lot like a guitar, only smaller, people often mistake them as toys. It’s an image perpetuated in the 1960s when Tiny Tim, an eccentric singer and ukelele player, found success when his high-pitched rendition of “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” became a hit.

But the ukelele is bona fide instrument. Modeled after the small guitar-like instruments brought to Hawaii by Portuguese and Spanish sailors in the 19th century, the ukelele comes in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone.

Tiny Tim aside, Mr. Perry talks of contemporary and other well-known artists who play the ukelele. Artists like Eddie Vedder with the band Pearl Jam, Greg Hawkes with The Cars, and “Elvis of course was famous for ‘Blue Hawaii,’” he says.

There’s Kermit the Frog’s “Rainbow Connection”— the ukelele version. When I raised an eyebrow, unable to bring the tune to mind, Mr. Perry tilted his head, repositioned his fingers, strummed the ukelele, and sang: “Why are there — so many — songs — about rainbows?”

“I know that!” I said.

“Of course you do,” he said.

But perhaps the rainbow song most often associated with the ukelele is Hawaiian singer and ukelele player Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole's melodic version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” The song became a platinum hit in 1993.

For Mr. Perry, it was nearly three years ago when a family friend introduced him to the ukelele. Months later, on his birthday he received one as a gift. And although he has some experience playing guitar, he doesn’t read music. “I’ve never had one lesson,” he says with a hint of self-satisfaction. Instead, he relies on a book of chords: easy-to-follow charts that diagram finger placement.

A graphic designer by trade and professional comedian, Mr. Perry likes to keep his instrument close by. He takes it to work with him, enjoying a bit of practice during breaks. Evenings at home he sits on the couch, spontaneously composing songs, sometimes muting the sound with his elbow.

“It’s not like I’m learning the saxophone,” he says, “the uke is quiet.” Though sometimes not quiet enough. He admits (with a chuckle) that on occasion it’s been suggested, “maybe you can put that away now.”

But practice is key Mr. Perry says. Whether it’s a song from his book of chords or a spontaneous tune he strums in response to something happening in the moment, he’s practicing. Once in a while his fingers cramp, and he’s been spending a lot of time recently “trying to get the E chord,” right.

“With chords that are difficult,” he says, “like a bar chord, that’s where the practice comes in. You can feel when it’s right.”

He also writes his own songs. Paying close attention to the sound he’s after, Mr. Perry examines his finger placement, makes notes, and diagrams the chords. He also records a lot of his music and shares his recordings with other ukelele players on Facebook.

Though he’s tried playing with other musicians, Mr. Perry claims he’s been told he “throws them off,” and says, “I don’t have any rhythm.” But, he adds, “I’ve got a lot of very talented friends,” and he’s content sitting off to the side where he can pluck along.

He may not be comfortable joining a jam session, but Mr. Perry clearly enjoys an audience. His rat terrier, Daisy, perhaps his most ardent fan, provides howling accompaniment to his rendition of a “Bicycle Built for Two.” And throughout our time together he weaves his answers to my questions with music and humor. Which is how I discovered him—ukelele in hand at the print shop.

Whether he has rhythm or not, Mr. Perry clearly finds pleasure in the process.

And that, well it’s music to the ear.
___________________

There's also the Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain and a performance.
Listen to Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole's performance of "Over the Rainbow"

This a Calendar of Days post: World Play Your Ukelele Day

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McCartney In Paris!

8/7/2015

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Pursuits, the final proof - looks good!

In the upcoming issue of Pursuits, we've got a guest writer with an adventure 50 years in the making. Macca fans will enjoy the story . . . and so will everyone else! (Macca was a new term for me, do you know what it means? A clue is in the blog title.)

It's a story like so many in Pursuits. A story that starts with one thing, then takes us in new, exciting directions.

The issue is being printed, along with some of the wonderful goods that will be part of our souvenir issue. After makings some minor adjustments on photos and the cover, it looks great.

Giving the final o.k. is always the last big step in production. Cross every "t" and dot every "i" . . . I think we've done it!

In our Calendar of Days, today we celebrate American Artist Appreciation Month with the suggestion to take in a summer concert.

We did that last night and caught Jerks of Grass on the Eastern Promenade overlooking Casco Bay. We kept it simple and headed out after dinner, some people brought elaborate picnic food, while still others grabbed something from the food trucks at the top of the hill. What a nice way to spend the evening.

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City Sidewalks, Checking the Pulse of Downtown

A Poem, A Song, A National Treasure

Watercolor and pencil on paper

This is a Calendar of Days post: National Anthem Day

The Ukelele: Fine Tuned

McCartney In Paris!

Pursuits, the final proof - looks good!

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