Friday, December 8, 2023

A00057 - The Songbird of Asia

 

It is often amazing to me that there is talent in every corner of the globe.  In that corner of the globe, there is often a rare talent that becomes a national treasure ... but all too frequently that national treasure is relatively unknown outside the nation that treasures her.

Such is the case with Regine, the woman recognized as the Songbird of Asia


Probably, like me, you have never heard of her.  However, once you have heard her sing, it is impossible to forget who she is.

Here are a few of the English language treasures she has produced.  You only imagine what her impact is in Tagalog.





Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Manila, Philippines
November 14, 2023
Posted by at No comments:

A00056 - In Praise of Omar

 


On Saturday, November 11, I took my sister to see the relatively new, Pulitzer Prize winning opera entitled "Omar".


Before the singing even began, the show in the hallways was the most unique in my brief five-year history of attending the San Francisco Opera.  What was so unique was the large presence of African Americans in the halls and even more impressively the large number of Muslims.  I can tell you that those who believe the hijab to be a rather drab piece of clothing would have been startled by vibrant colors being worn by the Muslim women on this night.  I do not know if the display of high fashion was intended to do so, but many of the women were simply stunning.

As for the opera, "Omar" itself is a stunning opera. Focusing on the spirituality and Muslim faithfulness of Omar ibn Said


this opera sends a powerful message about Allah, and the enduring faith that sustained one man over a lifetime of trauma, turmoil and slavery. 

In the end, as I, and, almost everyone else, stood in rapt awe at the power of the performances and enthusiastically yelled "Bravo" to the bowing cast members. I began to revise my list of my favorite operas.  Move over, Madame Butterfly.  Move over for Omar.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Manila, Philippines
November 14, 2023  
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, December 7, 2023

A00055 - Music from the Barrio

 

One of my fellow black alumni mentioned that he could not open the Bing videos listed in the email below.  Since it is my purpose to serve, here are the YouTube videos for 

Rock 'N' Roll Gangster by Aalon


On A Sunday Afternoon by Lighter Shade of Brown


and, of course, Together by Tierra


Hope you enjoy them.  However, as a bonus, please check out these two tunes from Pepe Marquez:

Be Thankful For What You've Got



and an all too relevant What's Going On


Paz,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Fairfield, California
October 31, 2023



----- Forwarded Message -----
From: skipjen2865@aol.com <skipjen2865@aol.com>
To: 
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2023 at 06:06:02 AM PDT
Subject: The Immortal Life of Art Laboe


As I reported last October (see below), the great Art Laboe died.  But I may have been wrong, As I drove through the Central Valley late Sunday night, the Art Laboe radio show came on the radio.  Using a vintage program from an October from some time ago with some updated written requests, the Art Laboe radio show was still going strong over a year after he had transitioned to another plane.  I always loved his show which seemed geared towards a somewhat black but largely Latino crowd.  Focused on the Central Valley many of the requests came from women whose boyfriends and husbands were incarcerated in one of the State prisons located in the Central Valley, particularly the one at Corcoran.  Last night, I had to chuckle over a request for a young woman who love was in Corcoran.  She requested the following song in sentimental remembrance of the glorious times with her man


but there were others that reminded me so much of my Victorville brothers who were a lighter shade of brown
 

and, of course, it reminded me of time when we were young and together


Ah, those were the days.

Thank you, Art Laboe. In my world, you are still very much here.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins



888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Southern California lost another great radio personality.  On the heels of losing the great Vin Scully in August

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/02/sports/baseball/vin-scully-dead.html

we are now mourning the loss of the great Art Laboe


For those who grew up in Southern California, or those who have traveled up and down Interstate 5 at night, it was hard not to have listened to Art Laboe and to be hooked by this Oldie but Goodie playing the oldies but goodies of a musical lifetime.  The following California Report broadcast on Art Laboe at 93 highlights the allure of the man and his show. 

https://www.kqed.org/news/11723524/at-93-this-california-dj-is-still-connecting-loved-ones-on-the-air

What is a bit harder to highlight are the memories of listening to Art Laboe while driving through the desert on a moonlit Summer night.  

He will be missed ... but he will continue to live in our memories.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Fairfield, California
October 22, 2022

Posted by at No comments:

A00054 - The Immortal Life of Art Laboe

 


As I reported last October (see below), the great Art Laboe died.  But I may have been wrong, As I drove through the Central Valley late Sunday night, the Art Laboe radio show came on the radio.  Using a vintage program from an October from some time ago with some updated written requests, the Art Laboe radio show was still going strong over a year after he had transitioned to another plane.  I always loved his show which seemed geared towards a somewhat black but largely Latino crowd.  Focused on the Central Valley many of the requests came from women whose boyfriends and husbands were incarcerated in one of the State prisons located in the Central Valley, particularly the one at Corcoran.  Last night, I had to chuckle over a request for a young woman who love was in Corcoran.  She requested the following song in sentimental remembrance of the glorious times with her man


but there were others that reminded me so much of my Victorville brothers who were a lighter shade of brown
 

and, of course, it reminded me of time when we were young and together


Ah, those were the days.

Thank you, Art Laboe. In my world, you are still very much here.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Fairfield, California
October 30, 2023



88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Southern California lost another great radio personality.  On the heels of losing the great Vin Scully in August

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/02/sports/baseball/vin-scully-dead.html

we are now mourning the loss of the great Art Laboe


For those who grew up in Southern California, or those who have traveled up and down Interstate 5 at night, it was hard not to have listened to Art Laboe and to be hooked by this Oldie but Goodie playing the oldies but goodies of a musical lifetime.  The following California Report broadcast on Art Laboe at 93 highlights the allure of the man and his show. 

https://www.kqed.org/news/11723524/at-93-this-california-dj-is-still-connecting-loved-ones-on-the-air

What is a bit harder to highlight are the memories of listening to Art Laboe while driving through the desert on a moonlit Summer night.  

He will be missed ... but he will continue to live in our memories.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Fairfield, California
October 22, 2022

 

Posted by at No comments:

A00053 - The Weekend Theme Song

 Went to Victorville on Friday on October 27.  After a nice lunch with my four of my high school classmates and two of their spouses where we were able to catch on a great deal of classmate updates, I went to the Desert View Cemetery to pay my parents a visit and to give my mother two dozen pink roses for her birthday.  My brother who lives in Victorville had beat me to the cemetery and had already placed some flowers in each of my parents vases.  A nice touch of class.  However, the flowers were not pink.  So while saying sorry to my father, I placed all of my brother's flowers in his vase and placed my two dozen pink roses in my mother's vase because pink roses were her favorite flowers.


I suppose some might find my gesture to be overly sentimental, but I am old school.  

On the drive back to Fairfield, while driving on Highway 99 just north of Bakersfield, I was listening to the Art Laboe radio show when coincidentally a song came on which expresses my feelings perfectly.  Maybe you might enjoy listening to it as well.


Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Fairfield, California
October 30, 2023
Posted by at No comments:

A00052 - The Integration of Country Music

  It is almost 3:00 am and I am in a timeshare unit in Palm Springs. I just finished trolling the television stations and was stopped when I came across this classic Tracy Chapman song being sung by the good ol' boy, Luke Combs on CMT -- Country Music Television



"Fast Car" was written and made famous thirty-five years ago as a pop/folk song by the Grammy Award winner Tracy Chapman, an African American. 


Soon after the Luke Combs version -- a version that retains Chapman's female gender references -- aired, another song came on featuring two current stars of country music, Mickey Guyton and Kane Brown, both of whom are African American.


Some of us remember the good old days when the only black face at the CMA (Country Music Association) events was dear ol' Charley Pride.  Well, that was fifty years ago, and while the country may be more segregated than it was fifty years ago, it is encouraging that at least the country music is not.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Palm Springs, California 
October 27, 2023
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)