Art Imitates Music

I just saw this fascinating article in New Scientist:

Boléro: 'Beautiful symptom of a terrible disease'

The painting above, called Unravelling Boléro, is a measure-by-measure visual representation of Ravel's Boléro. The scientist-turned-artist who painted it, Anne Adams, was suffering from the early stages of a rare neurological disease called primary progressive aphasia. The parts of her brain responsible for speech were slowly degenerating, leaving her eventually unable to speak at all. In its early stages this disease sometimes causes a blurring of the distinctions between the different senses. Victims can also develop repetitive behaviors. Accordingly the painting, like the music, slowly builds to its climax through many variations of the theme. Remarkably, some scientists think that Ravel may also have been a victim of primary progressive aphasia. This could explain the structure of the piece that so captivated Adams. Tragically, the disease eventually cost Anne Adams her life.

Blind Lemon Jefferson

What's in a name? I first heard about Blind Lemon Jefferson a few years ago. He was a famous blues artist in the 1920s. He was instantly my favorite bluesman, even before I had heard a recording. You just can't go wrong with a name like Blind Lemon Jefferson. When I heard his music I wasn't disappointed. (A good place to listen to a few of his old tunes is on Rhapsody.)

Blind Lemon grew up in Texas, a contemporary of my grandparents. But the distance from his world to mine is so much greater than that would suggest. The haunting sound and lyrics seem to come to me from a life dimly guessed or long forgotten. Music can transport us across such distances.

Imagine my shock to discover today that Blind Lemon Jefferson has a MySpace page! Perhaps someone younger and hipper than me can explain how that happens. His last login was 2/29/2008 and he has been a member since 6/10/2006. He even has 5254 friends! I was particularly intrigued by this part of the web page:

It just seems too easy to reach across the chasm by clicking on "IM / Call". What will happen if I do? Who will be on the other end of the call?

Classical Sax

Yesterday the incredible saxophonist Otis Murphy was at University of Houston's Moore School of Music teaching a master class. My lovely wife had the opportunity to hear his solo recital. She was invited by a friend of hers who teaches saxophone there.

I always think of jazz when I think of the saxophone, but there is a classical side of the instrument, and Otis Murphy is an absolute master. We bought the CD. No question. You can listen to a preview here.

Fiddlin' Bill Hensley

Now we're being told to Google ourselves as a security measure -- to see what might be on the Internet about us. Come on, guys, admit it! We've all done it just out of curiosity or vanity.

The first time I Googled myself was a real challenge because it was about ten years ago and Google didn't even exist. There were only a handful of hits. Some grad student in Kansas who was a tornado chaser, just like in the movie Twister. A doctor in Australia. A local politician in Florida somewhere.

Not long ago I tried again and I have found my connection with greatness! Fiddlin' Bill Hensley of Tennessee. Must be a family connection somewhere. My great grandfather came out of Tennessee and staked a claim in the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889. Bill was a pretty tough character. When he was 75 he killed a man in a drunken gun battle and was sent to prison for murder. But boy could he play that fiddle. You can listen to a little bit of his music here.