She dots her i’s but doesn’t cross her t’s.
Category: Retro & Vintage
The Drolatic Dreams of Pantagruel (1565)
“In 1565, twelve years after the death of François Rabelais (1494-1553) — the French Renaissance author best known for his satirical masterpiece The Life of Gargantua and of Pantagruel, the bawdy tale of two giants, Gargantua and his son Pantagruel — the Parisian bookseller and publisher Richard Breton brought out Les songes drolatiques de Pantagruel (The drolatic dreams of Pantagruel). The slim volume, save a short preface from Breton, is made up entirely of images — 120 woodcuts depicting a series of fantastically bizarre and grotesque figures, reminiscent of some of the more inventive and twisted creations of Brueghel or Bosch.”
[…]
“Despite the claims (echoed too in the book’s subtitle), the book’s wonderful images are very unlikely to be the work of Rabelais himself — the attribution probably a clever marketing ploy by Breton. […] The creator of the prints is now widely thought to be François Desprez, a French engraver and illustrator behind two other sets of imaginative designs, similar in style.”
Those prints remind me of Jim Woodring’s stuff.
[Images and commentary from here.]
Saturday Matinee – Jerry Jeff Walker, The Marcus King Band & Rachel Mazer
Jerry Jeff Walker‘s re-recording of “Trashy Women” from 2014. Glad to see he’s still around (even if his rhymes still suck donkeys). Don’t remember him? He first came onto my radar with his cover of one of the greatest beer bar singalong songs ever.
[Bonus clip: Here’s Ray Wylie Hubbard asplainin’ the background story of the song he wrote.]
The Marcus King Band fires all 12 cylinders. Nice style mash IMO.
Rachel Mazer rolls a nice groove, wants me so bad she can’t let it go. (Rachel, get in line and be patient. I’ll get to you in time.)
If you didn’t notice, all three vids are from the same source, Jam In The Van (backed by Turtle Wax). Nice to hear some fresh air.
Have a great weekend, folks. See you back here tomorrow for more fun stuff.
Saturday Matinee – Trapeze Strip Tease, Al Cohn, Shaye Cohn & Tuba Skinny
From the Utoobage description:
Laverie Vallee, known better as Charmion, was a Sacramento born trapeze artist who possessed strength and a physique most men would be envious of. However, she was most well known for her risqué striptease performances. The act was incredibly impressive and provocative for the era. One of her greatest fans was Thomas Edison. As a result of that adoration, on November 11, 1901 Charmion committed a simplified version of her act to film for Edison. Charmion eventually retired to Santa Ana, California. She passed away on February 6, 1949 at the age of 73.
[Video found here. It’s silent. Talkies didn’t become commercially viable until the 1920s, so don’t crank up the volume and blow your speakers later.]
The Al Cohn Quartet at the Sanremo Jazz Festival 1987.
Al Cohn (1925-1988) was one of the greatest improvisational jazz saxophonists of all time. Now check this out:
That’s Shaye Cohn, Al Cohn’s granddaughter, playing stride.
Now check THIS out:
Tuba Skinny on Royal Street, New Orleans, April 2013 (covering Bessie Smith‘s “You’ve Got To Give Me Some” 1929).
Current lineup:
Shaye Cohn – Cornet, Piano, Fiddle, Accordion, Banjo & Spoons
Craig Flory – Clarinet & Saxophone
Barnabus Jones – Trombone, Banjo, Fiddle, Guitar, Vocals
Todd Burdick – Tuba
Gregory Sherman – Vocals, Guitar & HarmonicaMax Bien-Kahn – Guitar & Banjo
Jason Lawrence – Banjo & Guitar
Robin Rapuzzi – Washboard & Drum set
Erika Lewis – Vocals & Bass drum
Dang. I’ve been impressed with Shaye Cohn’s stuff for years without knowing her pedigree, and now I know where she got it from. Note how she cues the band while playing.
Have a great weekend, folks, and we’ll do something else tomorrow.
USMC Dental Office, Saipan, WWII
“A Marine dentist sets up his office on Saipan, using a Japanese box as a footrest, a Japanese pail as a waste-bucket, and a Japanese shrine (left background) as decor for his waiting room. In order to keep his dentistry really ‘painless’ a Marine patrol nearby kept on the alert for Jap snipers.” (U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archives)
[Caption and image found here. Story at the link.]
Saturday Matinee – Maddy Bailey, Zappa’s Bolero, The Cadillac Three & John L. Hooker Suckuppery
Maddy Bailey takes no offense [via].
Frank Zappa conducted Ravel’s Bolero, one of the most boring compositions ever, but added a Reggae beat. Why not?
The Cadillac Three make some fun noise. Never met ’em, but I grew up with some just like ’em. Good people.
Holy crap! Look at the lineup of that John Lee Hooker backup band!
Have a great weekend, folks. Boogie chillun’.
Державне підприємство “Антонов” 1961
“In the mid twentieth century there was made a series of photographs advertising Soviet “An” planes to western buyers. Some of these photos have been revealed just recently. Party leaders didn’t allow them to be used abroad and the photos were kept in the archives of “Antonov” company.”
[Image and caption found in here. More about the Ukraine-based company here.]
Gonna Turn It On Wind It Up Blow It Out GTFO
Casper’s – Springfield, Missouri
#3 Rebar With Neon Skimmer & Tomato Plant Hot Links
How to make a Miraphone.
László Bíró is possibly the greatest pen name ever.
Marcel Marceau‘s last words were, ” .”
This illusion works only once… as far as you know. If you’ve never seen it, stop the video at 0:55, reset to 0:00 and watch it again. If you’ve seen it before, watch the entire video non-stop, then smack your forehead.
Neither Southside Johnny nor Maria Muldaur wrote the song. Lois Mann & Henry Glover did, and The Swallows recorded it in 1951.
I first heard this song when I was 11. This song sounded so good, but I was curious as to what they were talking about. I’m like “Grandma, what are they talking about?”
She looked at me for a minute and replied, “They’re talkin’ ’bout cuttin’ meat.”
BTW, Lois Mann’s real name was Sidney Nathan.
[Top image: Libellula croceipennis aka “Neon Skimmer” spotted in my side yard.]
Tacky Raccoons 