ALLEN TOUSSAINT AND ELVIS COSTELLO - "WHO'S GONNA HELP A BROTHER GET FURTHER"

From their wonderful album, The River in Reverse.

From a review at Amazon:

By 

Tim Brough "author and music buff"
The most searing of musical indictments during 2006 didn't come from some young buck MC or a snorting enraged punk band. It came from a pair of wizened musical vets. Elvis Costello teamed up with Allen Toussaint and dropped this amazing 13 song collaboration that both celebrates the spirit of New Orleans' music makers at the same time it ravages those that willingly stood off and averted their eyes. "Ascension Day" is this album's centerpiece, mournfully delivering the lyric "40 days passed by, 40 alibis" with the clarity of his best work. "The River In Reverse" takes on this dichotomy and doesn't flinch. The angry young man of old finally gets to harness his vitriol to a new cause, and Toussaint gives Costello a whole new batch of colors to work with.

Oddly enough, it is the catalog numbers from Toussaint that really bring out the soul to "The River In Reverse." Versions of "Tears and More Tears," "Freedom for the Stallion" and "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further" (with the lead sung by Toussaint) make their emotional mark to the time, even despite their age. Toussaint's arrangements (often not varying much from their older recordings) also draw out some of Costello's better vocal skills. He sounds more soulful here than on his "My Flame Burns Blue" CD, released with the same year as "The River In Reverse."

FAMILY GATHERING - SEPTEMBER 2013

In the month of September, we celebrate four birthdays (Patrick, Alison, Joey, and me) and one anniversary (Tom and me).  We try to gather the family together each year for the celebration.

As the grandchildren grow older, it's not easy to have everyone together at the same time.  We're missing two grandsons because they were out of town.

We had dinner at Café Milano in Houma, Louisiana, and I believe we all agreed the food was excellent.  My daughter kindly let me taste her delicious appetizer that included rolled crepes stuffed with goat cheese - food for the gods.

A Facebook friend suggested the restaurant would do well to check the silver as we looked like a shady bunch.  I was thinking a motley crew, but my friend said she never liked that band, so shady bunch we are, not to be confused with The Brady Bunch.

THE TREACHERY OF IMAGES

René Magritte

Image from Wikipedia.

NO WORDS

Until I see the possibility of the enactment of sensible laws to regulate ownership of guns in the United States, I have no words. I am silenced by the insanity of acceptance of a culture of frequent mass shootings with no will to change.

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Surely, when the framers of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution included the words "A well regulated Militia", they did not intend the amendment to give free rein to the carnage we see happening all too frequently today.  Why do we continue to ignore the words "well-regulated" in the amendment?  That is all. 

COMMENT MODERATION IS ENABLED

Wounded Bird receives fewer comments now than ever before in the six years of its existence.  I'm not complaining, simply stating a fact.  Except for the most popular blogs, those with thousands of readers, commentary has moved from blogging to other social networks, such as Facebook, etc.  When I disallowed anonymous comments earlier, due to the overwhelming numbers of spam comments coming through, mostly in the name of "anonymous", some regulars here were unable to comment because they were not registered with Blogger, Google, or one of the other blogging formats.  Now, perhaps too late, I invite those readers back to the comments, because with comment moderation enabled,  anonymous comments are permitted.  I ask those who comment as "anonymous" to sign a name, any name, make up a name, when you leave a comment, so we can distinguish one anonymous from another. 

My wish has always been to keep the comment function open and free, and, for many years it was possible, but no longer.  Wounded Bird must change with the times.  Thank you for your cooperation.

R. I. P. LAPTOP - THE CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL CAT

We are sad to report the death of Laptop, the Cathedral cat. The friendly feline had lived at the Cathedral for many years and it was estimated that he was over 18 years old.

Laptop was a free spirit and the exact story of how he came to live at the Cathedral is somewhat of a mystery. It is believed he started his life here visiting the choir boys at Choir House, and this is how we think he got his name, as he was forever trying to jump on people’s lap when they stroked him.

See the cathedral website for more adorable pictures of Laptop.  Surely after 18 years at Canterbury, Laptop ought to have a title, if only honorary.

IN HONOR OF FATS DOMINO

Irvin Mayfield, Fats Domino, Davell Crawford

Rock ’n’ roll pioneer Fats Domino, 85, was honored Wednesday at his home by New Orleans Jazz Orchestra founder Irvin Mayfield and keyboardist Davell Crawford.
....

Domino’s ascendancy began in 1949 with his million-selling recording of “The Fat Man.” By the early 1960s, he had racked up 35 Top 40 records including the No. 1 hits “Ain’t That a Shame,” “Blueberry Hill” and “Blue Monday.”

My relationship with Fats goes back a long time, to the early 1950s, when we jitterbugged or slow danced to his music.  Fats' recordings remain in my music collection today, and I listen fairly often.  Congratulations, Fats.  The gold records, No. 1 hits, and honors are well-earned and well-deserved.

Here's Fats with "Blue Monday".

A SUPERMARKET ENCOUNTER

A man came up to this gorgeous woman who was shopping in a large supermarket and asked her, "Excuse me, but I seem to have lost my wife here in the supermarket.  Can you talk to me for a couple of minutes?"

Surprised, she responded "Why, what good would that do?"

"Well," he responded, "every time I talk to a beautiful woman, my wife appears out of nowhere."


Cheers,

Paul (A.)

SENATOR VITTER (R-LA) AND REPRESENTATIVE BILL CASSIDY (R-LA), PLEASE STOP

[Sen.] Reid, D-Nev., said Vitter and other Republicans must stop trying to prevent the Affordable Care Act from being implemented and that they need to “grow up” and “stop denying reality.”

Dear Sen. Vitter (R):

Please stop playing the fool in the US Senate. You are an embarrassment.

Sincerely,

Disloyal Constituent

U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, also announced that he will support a House version of Vitter’s Obamacare proposal.

Dear Rep: Cassidy (R):

Do not make the mistake of asking me for a contribution to your campaign for the US Senate. One Louisiana senator acting the fool is one too many.

Sincerely,

Disloyal Constituent

DAYLIGHT MOON

The photo above, which I snapped around 6:35pm yesterday, is of the moon in the eastern sky in full daylight.

The photo below is of a not-very-spectacular sunset in the western sky, taken a few minutes after the moon picture.

I am moonstruck in the sense that I am infatuated with the moon, but it is Grandpère who is my true love.  When I step outside at night, the first thing I do is look for the moon. I have to walk my old dog Diana at night so she doesn't wet her bed, and she and the moon are my favorite companions.  When there's no visible moon, something seems missing.  Last night, the moon was so bright when it was high in the sky that it cast dark shadows on the ground.  Diana, me, and our shadows made for a comfortable walking group.