Friday, December 28, 2012

Weekend Overnight



The Miles Davis Quintet, Nefertiti, 1967.



The Oscar Peterson trio (Ray Brown & Ed Thigpen), Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night of the Week), 1959.



 Charlie Haden & Chet Baker,  Silence, 1987.



Moe Kofmann, Killer Joe, 1996.


Saturday, December 22, 2012

Weekend Overnight



Bill Evans, On Green Dolphin Street, 1959.



Duke Ellington, African Flowers, 1965.



John Coltrane with the Wynton Kelly Trio, Walkin', 1960.



Dave Brubeck (R.I.P.), Paul Desmond, and Gerry Mulligan, Take Five, 1973.

Friday, December 21, 2012

The Big Squeeze



'It isn't necessary to imagine the world ending in fire or ice. There are two other possibilities: one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia.' - FZ.

I (and presumably the planet as well) am still here to honor Frank Vincent Zappa on what would have been his 72nd birthday.  
FZ was a strong influence on myself personally in terms of attitude toward authority (both the honest and undeserved variants), and in observing the need for constant and forward generational change generated from within the individual to effect meaningful progress within a civilization...should that civilization be desired. The jury is still out on that one, I suppose - but time will tell.

Musically, in a career that fair leaped the gamut between moronic and sublime with a pavane across the slime-caked underbelly of 20th century America, he and the musicians who worked for and with him have provided the listener with timeless and timeful bodies of work, for which the word 'daunting' (among others) hardly suffices.

What attracts me to the beauty of Zappadan as a yearly event is that one may celebrate it in any fashion they wish to...no tradition, compulsion, key club membership or bunting needed.
It is one's time to observe and do as they wish, without 'spiritual camp counselors' to prompt or goad.

You can even not celebrate it, a celebration in and of itself...approximately.

Thank you to all who stopped by, new and old acquaintances alike - and see you next year...or even sooner, as time permits.

;>)

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Ultimately...

All The Way, That's The Way They Go

"My theory is that music is good, it's the only religion that delivers the goods." - FZ

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Just Another Boring Day In Laurel Canyon



...in 1971.

Caution: occasional child nudity and adult behaviors of their time and place on exhibit

...I won't say NSFW, because what are you watching this crap at work for? Stop chiseling the company and get that in box cleared, drone.

;>)

Don't Get Too Excited, Baby



...before the cake. Happy birthday, Keef.

Monday, December 17, 2012

This Dance Is Sweeping The Ocean

FZ

""The whole music business in the United States is based on numbers, based on unit sales and not on quality. It's not based on beauty, it's based on hype and it's based on cocaine. It's based on giving presents of large packages of dollars to play records on the air. ... Modern music is people who can't think signing artists who can't write songs to make records for people who can't hear." - FZ

Saturday, December 15, 2012

New Memes In Old Bottles 21 - A Jomentous Occasion

The Kvetch Who Stole Coverage

The Kvetch Who Stole Coverage, 2009.

Those of my readers who have been following the progress of this blog over time may have been aware of the special place that Joe Lieberman has held within these pages...in fact, the very first post of darkblack was a tribute to the loyal qualities that this public servant exhibited on a regular basis. Much of my early artistic notoriety stemmed from a work which attempted to reflect the ham-fisted, yet breezy approach to race relations in an electoral season that the worthy senator so doggedly embodied.

However, all such wonderment must betimes come to an end, and I have been told that a party was thrown, yet no one came...And this, of course makes darkblack sad to think that such a valued muse could be treated so thoughtlessly by a fickle public.

And so dear reader, allow yourself a review of some of the many standout performances and appearances of Joe over the years, as we wish the retiring senator 'rots of ruck' in his new self-enrichment career to come...which will no doubt not be markedly different from his previous self-enrichment career, save in the amount of said self-enrichment.

One Of Those

Best Served Cold, 2010.

Liebag

Steeped In Blood, 2007.

Mr. Joe's Wrangled

You Ain't Heard Nothing Yet, 2007.

Swine Flew

Soaring On The Wings Of Pigs, 2009.

Regrets, I've Had A Few

The Old Mutt And Jeff Game, 2009.

The Old Switcheroo

I'd Rather Switch..., 2007.

Time Bombs Are A Churl's Best Friend

Time Bombs Are A Churl's Best Friend, 2008.

One Sows And Another Reaps

One Sows And Another Reaps, 2008.

Liebertross

The Liebertross, 2010.

;>)

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

All The Colors He'd Blend

Be My Chum

"We're involved in sort of a low key war against apathy. Most of what we do is designed to annoy people to the point where they might just for a second question enough of their environment to do something about it. As long as they don't feel their environment, they don't worry about it — they're not gonna do anything to change it. Something's gotta be done before America scarfs up the world and shits on it." - FZ

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Monday, December 10, 2012

Some Folks Got It, Some Folks Don't

FZ

“Let’s be realistic about this, the guitar can be the single most blasphemous device on the face of the earth. That’s why I like it… The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar: now that’s my idea of a good time.” - FZ

Saturday, December 08, 2012

Weekend Overnight




Ben Webster & Joe Zawinul, Soulmates, 1963.



Elvin Jones & Richard Davis, Summertime, 1967.



Duke Ellington, Second Line, 1971.



Thelonious Monk, Solitude, 1955.

Friday, December 07, 2012

Thursday, December 06, 2012

Scab Of A Nation Driven Insane

Let Us Take You Down

'Government is the Entertainment Division of the military-industrial complex.' - FZ

I Asked As Nice As I Could

FZ

"The person who stands up and says, 'This is stupid,' either is asked to behave or, worse, is greeted with a cheerful 'Yes, we know! Isn't it terrific!'" - FZ



;>)

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

In Your Dreams You Can See Yourself As A Prophet

Fast Food Rushmore

"Mount Rushmore should either be replaced or have a companion. Another part of the mountain, carved up with some heads that had the biggest influence on what America is today. His (Joe McCarthy's) head should be there. J. Edgar Hoover's head should be there. Nixon's head should be there. And Reagan's head should be there. These people have done more damage to the idea of Democracy than anybody-from another country- could ever imagine." - FZ

Floating In A Broth

Frank And Beans
"The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way, and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theatre." - FZ



FZ and The Ensemble Modern, Food Gathering In Post Industrial America, 1992.

original image © 2008

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Monday, December 03, 2012

Zappadan Is Nigh

Zappa Redendor

'See the chrome
Feel the chrome
Touch the chrome
Heal the chrome'


;>)

Friday, November 30, 2012

Weekend Overnight




Austin Peralta (R.I.P.), Algiers, 2011.


Jimi Hendrix, Easy Blues, 1969.


Brand X, Not Good Enough - See Me!, 1979.


John Coltrane, Mars, 1967.

Sweet Dreams, America...Again.



Sweet Dreams, America

Since the Senator is so exercised about 4 deaths abroad...but he couldn't get quite as worked up about over 110,000 casualties in a war of choice created by his birthday pal.

;>)

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Monday, November 26, 2012

New Memes In Old Bottles 20 - Congress, Take Me Away

You're Soaking In It

Seems that well-scrubbed fellow Grover is facing a lot of 99 3/4% impurities that are running rings around his dream...Won't you help him pull the plug, America?

...from 2007.

;>)

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Weekend Overnight



Weather Report, 1, 1971,



Power Tools (Bill Frisell, Melvin Gibbs, & Roland Shannon Jackson), Strange Meeting, 1987.



Ornette Coleman & Charlie Haden, O.C., 1976.



Bill Evans, The Shadow Of Your Smile, 1968.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Sunday Overnight - 11th Hour Special



Teddy Wilson Trio (Jim Atlas & Jo Jones), Honeysuckle Rose, 1963.



Ted Curson & the Georges Arvanitas trio, Pop Wine, 1971.



Miles Davis, Mademoiselle Mabry, 1969.



Chet Baker, You Don't Know What Love Is, 1953.

Friday, November 09, 2012

I Got Dem Electoral Post-Mortem Remorse Blues Again, Mama

Just One, I'm On A Diet

Crooks & Liars:
Coulter: The last two weeks of the campaign were consumed with discussions of women's "reproductive rights," not because of anything Romney did, but because these two idiots decided to come out against abortion in the case of rape and incest. After all the hard work intelligent pro-lifers have done in changing the public's mind about a subject the public would rather not think about at all, these purist grandstanders came along and announced insane positions with no practical purpose whatsoever, other than showing off.

So now it begins - the shrillest propaganda spearpoint of the Right finally comes to the penultimate saw stroke upon a very splintered branch on which she has perched these many years...and yells "Fire!", er, "Enough!". Whilst plugging her latest direct-to-the-remaindered-pile tome, yet.

Perhaps this pampered media darling can keep that sweet, sweet appearance fee gravy train rolling a while yet. 'Stay tuned'...or, if your habits parallel mine - DON'T.

;>)

Saturday, October 27, 2012

New Memes In Old Bottles 17 - Ronesia

Who Would Ronald Reagan Do?

Ah, that old first time thing. What a shame to be so ...forgetful about such a special moment, one among many others.



...from 2009.

;>)

Friday, September 21, 2012

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Awesome Preznitcy, Dude

Awesome Preznitcy, Dude

...way gnarly.

;>)

New Memes In Old Bottles 16 - Komedy al Fiasco

Vot's Der Freakwency, Limbaugh?

Once again, radio comedian (and by 'comedian', I mean unintentionally funny) and sex-touring Viagra enthusiast Rush Limbaugh has reached deep into his bag of slightly damp and spotted gags and come up with a real side-splitter deluxe.

'Batman is Romney'.

While I'm sure Riddler and the Joker will now be awaiting their invitation to do battle over at stately Bain manor, the truth, as with so many other things that elude Rush on a moment to moment basis...like logic, verbal clarity, erections not involving livestock...is even more shocking.

...from 2009.

;>)

Tuesday, July 03, 2012

New Memes In Old Bottles 15: Blind Pig Finds Corn Nugget

Do It Live

MMA: Bill O'Reilly Apologizes For Incorrect Prediction About Health Care Ruling

"And the award for least heartfelt and most insincere apology goes to..."
Of course, I'm sure you're all as surprised as I that Mister 'Tide comes in, Dirt goes out, can't explain it, duh' ( a stance remarkably similar to the Texas GOP's war on children's brains) even bothered to mouth the word 'sorry' - the self-identification as minor buffoon was a nice bit of unintended irony, however. Very European stylish-like.

Salud, Bill-O!

;>)

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Old Memes In New Bottles 14 - The Bare Facts

Bum In The Sun

Raw Story: Declassified document contradicts Cheney’s claim of Iraqi connection to 9/11

Well, of course it does. Only a simpleton bereft of senses due to a combination of intermarriage and alcohol abuse (in reduced terms, a Tea Sheep doing his master's bidding) could ever think otherwise. All the facts to counter the lies were available then, but many would rather maintain their personally and objectively childish fictions than face inconvenient realities like adults.

Somehow, I don't think they'll ever be able to handle the truth. Selah.

;>)

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Old Memes In New Bottles 13: A Peck Of Pickled Pikers

I Ain't Got No Body

Raw Story: HBO apologizes for depicting George W. Bush’s head impaled on a pike

Well, isn't this a marvel...I raise all kinds of pixilated Hell for years, sweating over a lukewarm keyboard, and only got demands to apologize once (from progressives, even) - but let some prop person on a cable network use the 'wrong' mannikin head for a long tracking shot and the GOP whips itself into a collective knicker-knotting frenzy. Sucks to be obscure, doesn't it? Maybe everybody needs a little head in the morning, or something.

...from 2008.

;>)

Monday, June 04, 2012

Even the Internet Wanted Him Dead

Even The Internet Wanted Him Dead

Although foreign infidels are expressly not permitted (alas), one keeps one's hand in when they can....especially when the end result is the same.

;>)

Friday, June 01, 2012

New Memes In Old Bottles 11 - The Official Portrait

The Official Portrait

Apparently, my favorite muse has returned to the site of his misdeeds long enough to commemorate his presence in some sort of 'official' manner...but what he didn't know was that I had rendered him in that capacity some time before...perhaps he didn't get that memo either.

...from 2008.

;>)

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

What would Rush Limbaugh's Statue Look Like...

Becksniffery

...with a big cigar in his mouth?

A thick, wrinkly, veiny cigar?

"Disclaimer: No such statue of Rush Limbaugh actually exists. This composite fantasy is altered from the original for our imagination, does not depict reality, and is not to be taken seriously for any purpose."

;>)

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

New Memes In Old Bottles 10 - A Touch Of Dick

Nous cousins Américains

It seems that one of history's most notorious Dicks (non-sucker variant) has once again inserted himself into the breach, dear friends...no doubt with the sort of cock-eyed purpose that makes sensitive (and formerly fireproof) document safes tremble in their steel-clad booties at night.

Such a shame that he can't keep such largesse 'in the family', hmmm?

...posted 2007.

;>)