"YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS ARE AS DAZZLING AS YOUR SUBJECTS"

Sunday, January 31, 2010

JANIS JOPLIN ... AND THE INFLUENCE OF BIG MAMA THORNTON


JANIS JOPLIN 
AND 
THE INFLUENCE OF 
BIG MAMA THORNTON 


Janis Joplin at Her Last Concert 

Harvard Stadium, Boston, Massachusetts 
August 12, 1970 

In his review of "Big Mama Thornton in Europe," discussed in yesterday's post, Bob Koch traces the influence of "Big Mama" on "Pearl":  Thornton "could belt it out," Koch wrote, "but she shows on this album that she could also pull it back when needed, a lesson clearly absorbed by acolytes such as Janis Joplin." 


BIG MAMA THORNTON here 

More JANIS JOPLIN here 

Saturday, January 30, 2010

BIG MAMA THORNTON ... AND BUDDY GUY


BIG MAMA THORNTON
& BUDDY GUY


Bob Koch has a striking review out today of a 1966 
album entitled "Big Mama Thornton in Europe."

"Big Mama" was Willie Mae Thornton (December 
11, 1926-July 25, 1984).

Koch lists the "legendary" Chicago musicians 
present for the London studio recording of what he calls "a killer album," starting with Buddy Guy 
(above).

Amazingly, there are still LPs (as well as CDs) 
available for purchase.

Friday, January 29, 2010

THE BLAIR PROJECT: IRAQ MEANS NEVER SAYING "SORRY"

THE BLAIR PROJECT:
IRAQ MEANS NEVER SAYING
SORRY
Tony & Cherie Blair

The Brits are running an inquiry into the U.K.'s role
in the invasion of Iraq, and former Prime Minister
Tony Blair was finally called to testify today. There is
a wonderfully evocative description of the proceedings here.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

ON A WING AND A PRAYER ... AND A MOON

ON A WING AND A PRAYER ... AND A MOON

Coming back from a Very Important Political gathering

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

NIGHT FALLS IN MACHU PICCHU (AGUAS CALIENTES), PERU, IN MORE TRANQUIL TIMES

NIGHT FALLS IN MACHU PICCHU
(AGUAS CALIENTES), PERU,
IN MORE TRANQUIL TIMES


NOW AN ESTIMATED 1500 OR MORE
TOURISTS ARE STILL STRANDED
AS FLOODS CUT OFF ACCESS; A DOZEN
OR MORE MAY HAVE DIED; HUNDREDS OF
LOCALS HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Monday, January 25, 2010

EDUARD SHEVARDNADZE

EDUARD SHEVARDNADZE


b. January 25, 1928

LEADER OF GEORGIA,
SOVIET & POST-SOVIET
FOREIGN MINISTER FOR & WITH GORBACHEV
RESIGNED & RE-HIRED
FIGHTER VS. CORRUPTION
&
BROUGHT DOWN FOR IT
IN THE ROSE REVOLUTION

More on Shevardnadze in Soviet politics
in "Pivot" (RUSSIA REDUX Chapter One)
&
in U.S.-Soviet relations
(an excerpt from RUSSIA REDUX Chapter Three)

Sunday, January 24, 2010

CHINA THEN AND NOW: COAL BRAZIER ON A SHANGHAI STREET

CHINA THEN AND NOW


WORKING ON A COAL BRAZIER
IN THE STREET
IN SHANGHAI (1981)

One of a Series

To be published in


Saturday, January 23, 2010

MOON OVER MOSCOW: BACK IN THE USSR


MOON OVER MOSCOW 


BACK IN THE USSR 

Moscow Apartment Blocks 
Away from the Center 
(1990) 

One of a Series 


Some buildings are deliberate symbols; 
some are unintentionally symbolic. 

Friday, January 22, 2010

THE SEATS OF POWER, CHINESE STYLE, III: LIAONING

THE SEATS OF POWER 
CHINESE STYLE 
One of a Series 



LIAONING PROVINCE
LEADERSHIP DELEGATES
TO THE 16th PARTY CONGRESS
BEIJING 2002

(Bo Xilai on the extreme right; more Bo here

Thursday, January 21, 2010

LENIN IS DEAD. COMMUNISM LIVES ON. IN CHINA?


LENIN IS DEAD.
COMMUNISM LIVES ON.
IN CHINA?


THE LENIN MAUSOLEUM 
Red Square, Moscow 

On this day (January 21) in 1924, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (ne Ulanov) died. The New York Times has a rather intriguing obituary

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

OBAMA & THE SCREW UP II

OBAMA & THE SCREW UP II


No, that is not Martha Coakley
with Barack Obama....

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

JANIS JOPLIN b. January 19, 1943


JANIS JOPLIN 
January 19, 1943-October 4, 1970 


THE LAST CONCERT 
HARVARD STADIUM 
August 12, 1970 


Monday, January 18, 2010

Sunday, January 17, 2010

THE STEERAGE II: THE USSR, KIEV, & THE UKRAINIAN ELECTIONS


THE STEERAGE II:
THE USSR, KIEV,
& THE ELECTION IN UKRAINE

The presidential election in Ukraine today
(January 17, 2010), has resulted in the need
for a second round (no majority winner).

Above, a reminder of what politics looked like under the USSR. I call it "THE STEERAGE II." Here in Kiev
(Ukraine), on September 1, 1984, is a mass rally for Peace & Knowledge Day. Notice that although the participants have been vetted, the authorities keep their distance -- with a large divide between them and their "constituents," and only (Soviet) security and media allowed in an otherwise "no man's land" separating the leaders from the led. 

For me, there are echoes of "THE STEERAGE," the photograph by Alfred Stiegltiz. The photograph can be seen here, and an interesting discussion of it found here

Saturday, January 16, 2010

A BOY & HIS DOG & PROPINQUITY


A LAD & HIS DOG

Giessen, Germany

IN HONOR OF

ALLEN ROSS MONASMITH

(HAPPY BIRTHDAY!)

&

PROPINQUITY

Friday, January 15, 2010

THE SEATS OF POWER, CHINESE STYLE II: SICHUAN

THE SEATS OF POWER
CHINESE STYLE
One of a Ser
SICHUAN DELEGATES
TO THE 16th PARTY CONGRESS
BEIJING 2002

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Monday, January 11, 2010

WARS, ALARUMS, AND EXCURSIONS

WARS,
ALARUMS AND
EXCURSIONS

THEIRS & OURS


"The Ghostly General"
Lima, Peru