Agree completely with checking out the credits on any creative work. And it drives me NUTS when movie/show credits are sped up or are squeezed out to run an ad. The people behind the scenes deserve their moment, too!
I agree with the sentiment about memorizing a poem and the way it works on you through different seasons of life. I long ago memorized “Sweet darkness“ by David Whyte, read here by Whyte himself: https://onbeing.org/poetry/sweet-darkness/. Note how, in his own distinctive reading, the order of words and even the words will change from his written text when he recites from memory. I would recommend his poetry as well as his nonfiction work, including “The Heart Aroused.“
Two cups. The word joy comes to mind when your newsletter arrives. It's way early here on the West Coast Time Zone to not enjoy that first cup ritual. I am old, way old, so I pour myself a second cup while adventuring into your links provided. Thank you.
James Earl Jones—I love his many TV appearances, especially his cameos on The Simpsons and his portrayal of himself on The Big Bang Theory. I’m going to watch Field of Dreams and Coming to America this weekend, too.
Reading by pencil—yes! I love this phrase. Right now I’m into using Staedtler fine-point mechanical pencils or a similar Pentel one for marking up my books. I love Blackwing pencils, but sometimes they smear depending on the book’s paper.
Loved Gioia's jazz book. A few times a year, and late at night, I crank up Benny Goodman's Live at Carnegie Hall (1938) and play Sing Sing Sing. And I am astonished every single time. The sound, the sitting -on -the -edge- of -your -seat- energy. And Gene Krupa. The song finishes and I still ask myself "what just happened?"
There is a great biopic on Miles Davis, Miles Ahead by Don Cheadle, well worth watching. And as it relates to listening to Jazz, yes, pay attention to the musicians and also just let it wash over you---the melodic line and how they each interpret, play with it---taking it to places that surprise and WOW. And to paraphrase Miles Davis, if you want creativity, you have to be all about change....
Miles had so many excellent players who were great (or perhaps became?) leaders themselves. There's a straight line that goes from Charlie Parker -> Miles -> Bill Evans -> Paul Motian -> Bill Frisell (what would be next?). One can do the same with any of these in Bill Evans' place (not meant to be exhaustive by any means): Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter (Weather Report!), Al DiMeola, Scofield, ... and on and on. It boggles my mind that one man, Miles, connects them all.
I'm eternally grateful to my college Film Prof who insisted we all sat watching the credits in their entirety. I taught my husband to enjoy that also -- and he's influenced many of his students over the years.
I was just reading various links about indexing on your blog. Here's a thought: the Index (which is found at the end of a book, alphabetized) in various forms is great for tracking and summarizing data locations -- but what Tables of Contents for organizing?
Every single week I get something out of your newsletter! Thank you for being an inspiration for a more creative life. Much appreciated in an otherwise overwhelming life!
I look forward to this newsletter every week. Each and every one an inspiration.
Agree completely with checking out the credits on any creative work. And it drives me NUTS when movie/show credits are sped up or are squeezed out to run an ad. The people behind the scenes deserve their moment, too!
Exactly!
Another great newsletter!
I agree with the sentiment about memorizing a poem and the way it works on you through different seasons of life. I long ago memorized “Sweet darkness“ by David Whyte, read here by Whyte himself: https://onbeing.org/poetry/sweet-darkness/. Note how, in his own distinctive reading, the order of words and even the words will change from his written text when he recites from memory. I would recommend his poetry as well as his nonfiction work, including “The Heart Aroused.“
I have THE HEART AROUSED! The parts I’ve read are good!
Thank you for sharing this. I love this poem!
Two cups. The word joy comes to mind when your newsletter arrives. It's way early here on the West Coast Time Zone to not enjoy that first cup ritual. I am old, way old, so I pour myself a second cup while adventuring into your links provided. Thank you.
James Earl Jones—I love his many TV appearances, especially his cameos on The Simpsons and his portrayal of himself on The Big Bang Theory. I’m going to watch Field of Dreams and Coming to America this weekend, too.
Reading by pencil—yes! I love this phrase. Right now I’m into using Staedtler fine-point mechanical pencils or a similar Pentel one for marking up my books. I love Blackwing pencils, but sometimes they smear depending on the book’s paper.
I LOVE coming to America. “Hello my neighbors!!”
Congrats on the 30th printing. Well deserved.
Loved Gioia's jazz book. A few times a year, and late at night, I crank up Benny Goodman's Live at Carnegie Hall (1938) and play Sing Sing Sing. And I am astonished every single time. The sound, the sitting -on -the -edge- of -your -seat- energy. And Gene Krupa. The song finishes and I still ask myself "what just happened?"
There is a great biopic on Miles Davis, Miles Ahead by Don Cheadle, well worth watching. And as it relates to listening to Jazz, yes, pay attention to the musicians and also just let it wash over you---the melodic line and how they each interpret, play with it---taking it to places that surprise and WOW. And to paraphrase Miles Davis, if you want creativity, you have to be all about change....
Seen it! I did a zine about Miles: https://austinkleon.com/2021/05/26/a-zine-about-miles/
I simply can’t read without a pencil. Thanks for the shoutout to us scribblers.
Miles had so many excellent players who were great (or perhaps became?) leaders themselves. There's a straight line that goes from Charlie Parker -> Miles -> Bill Evans -> Paul Motian -> Bill Frisell (what would be next?). One can do the same with any of these in Bill Evans' place (not meant to be exhaustive by any means): Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter (Weather Report!), Al DiMeola, Scofield, ... and on and on. It boggles my mind that one man, Miles, connects them all.
So great For those of us who like to swim upstream and downstream
I'm eternally grateful to my college Film Prof who insisted we all sat watching the credits in their entirety. I taught my husband to enjoy that also -- and he's influenced many of his students over the years.
I was going to say “check the copyright page for the book designer(s)!” And then I finished reading that entry 🙂
Love the idea of memorizing poems.
I have toyed with this but haven’t put into practice.
Except for a couple of lines from one to put me in the right frame of mind before a performance.
Fabulous to see the poems that people are picking.
Check out “Saved by a Poem” by Kim Rosen. She has a lovely voice for reciting poetry. My favorite poem…”Optimism” by Jane Hirschfield.
I was just reading various links about indexing on your blog. Here's a thought: the Index (which is found at the end of a book, alphabetized) in various forms is great for tracking and summarizing data locations -- but what Tables of Contents for organizing?
Every single week I get something out of your newsletter! Thank you for being an inspiration for a more creative life. Much appreciated in an otherwise overwhelming life!