Marilyn’s Neighborhood

Soldier's goodbye & Bobbie the cat, ca. 1939-ca. 1945 / by Sam Hood
from the State Library of New South Wales collection on flickr

It is really time to ditch the canned food! Visit the healthy librarian to find out why.

My friend Mickey at Nicholas Landon Jewelery in Texas is having a Thanks-Give- Away
Her work is really lovely!

Another friend, Mark Brennen shared this link to a really interesting 1941 film produced by the National Film Board of Canada about the famous painter A.Y. Jackson following him on his painting journeys into the bush.

Still trying to raise $1000 for a digital mammogram machine and getting ready for those 6 hours of fitness classes on January 30th for Bust a Move! If you could help me please I'd be very grateful. It says Canadian $ but will convert US to Cdn.

Delicious Butternut Squash and Pear soup. I use an immersion blender and you don't have to add the cream at all or you can use evaporated skim milk for creamy no fat flavour.

Also, don't forget to enter my bloggy 1st Anniversary draw:)

Have a fun weekend:)

Upcoming Live Performances on MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC with host JASON BENTLEY

Tuesday, November 17, Forro In The Dark is based in New York, but they tap into their Brazilian roots to create hip-swiveling grooves. Their fans include KCRW favorites like David Byrne and Bebel Gilberto-- you’ll hear why on Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.

Thursday, November 19, As a young woman, Rosanne Cash told her father Johnny she wanted to play country music. He put together a list of 100 essential songs for her to listen to and, years later, she’s put together an album highlighting her favorites. Hear it live on Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.

Tuesday, November 24, We first met Lissie at KCRW in 2007, when she came in to sing backup for Jesca Hoop. Now, she's opening for Ray LaMontagne and has just released a terrific debut EP. Hear her new songs live on Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.

Wednesday, November 25, Tune in for a special pre-Thanksgiving visit from UK production and remix team Simian Mobile Disco. They'll deliver fresh tracks from their sophomore release when they join Morning Becomes Eclectic live at 11:15am.

KCRW.COM PRESENTS

Tues, November 24, ROYKSOPP at WEBSTER HALL in NEW YORK.
Fri, December 11, FIERY FURNACES at THE MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG in NEW YORK CITY.

KCRW PRESENTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Thursday, November 12, ORGONE AT ZANZIBAR.
Thursday, November 12, BURAKA SOM SISTEMA AT THE MAYAN.
Fri, November 13, BOMBA ESTEREO AT THE ECHO.
Sat, November 14, JENNY LEWIS & FRIENDS AT THE ACTOR’S GANG.
Wed, November 18, SWELL SEASON AT THE WILTERN.
Wed, November 18,  ROYKSOPP AT CLUB NOKIA.
Wed, November 18, FORRO IN THE DARK at THE SOHO in Santa Barbara.
Thursday, November 19, FORRO IN THE DARK AT THE MINT.
Sat, November 21, FRIENDLY FIRES WITH THE XX AT THE MUSIC BOX AT THE HENRY FONDA.
Fri, November 20, FAT FREDDY’S DROP AT THE ROXY. Jeremy Sole will host and deejay the evening.
Sat, November 21, BEN GIBBARD & FRIENDS AT THE ACTOR’S GANG.
Sat, November 21, PETER BJORN AND JOHN with FOOL'S GOLD AND EL PERRO DEL MAR AT CLUB NOKIA.
Mon, November 23, EL PERRO DEL MAR  AT THE HOTEL CAFÉ.
Tues, November 24, LISSIE at THE BOOTLEG THEATRE.
Tues, November 24, CAFÉ TACUBA AT CLUB NOKIA.
Fri, November 27, JULIAN CASABLANCAS AT THE PALACE THEATRE.
Fri, December 4, FINK AT SPACELAND.
Sat, December 5, SARA WATKINS AND TOM BROSSEAU AT LARGO AT THE CORONET.
Fri, December 11, BAND OF SKULLS AT THE TROUBADOUR.
Sat, December 12, BRETT DENNEN AT THE WILTERN.
Sat, December 12, JOHN DOE with JILL SOBULE AT THE ACTOR’S GANG.
Wed, December 16, ZERO 7 AT THE ORPHEUM.
Fri, December 18 and Sat, December 19, OZOMATLI AT CLUB NOKIA.
Fri, January 8, SONIC YOUTH AT THE FOX THEATRE IN POMONA.
Sat, January 9, SONIC YOUTH AT THE WILTERN.
Fri, March 12, BRANDI CARLILE AT THE HOUSE OF BLUES (ANAHEIM). 

KCRW DJ Mario Cotto (Sat, 8-10p) has a way of describing bands that is unlike anyone else I’ve ever met. We recently had an email discussion about Washed Out -- a band that made a splash at CMJ, but who had been on our airwaves for sometime thanks to Mario.  Here’s his description, which of course he didn’t expect me to publish since it was just a discussion between two music geeks: “It's rad. It's all gauzy, hazy lo-fi disco. Like 10cc nightdrivin' a Ferrari to Studio 54 on ecstacy. “ (In case you don’t remember, 10cc are the UK band responsible for this hit)

Mario continues… “It seems there's this whole lo-fi psychedelic loop sound that's taking over -- bands like Washed Out, Memory Tapes, Toro y Moi, Kurt Vile, Atlas Sound. And of course, Former Ghosts...but they're doing more of a cold-wavey romantic synthpop thing.”

So there it is...a short list of bands to check out over the weekend!

RR

Colombia’s Bomba Estereo gave us a live lesson in Cumbia this morning as part of an explosive set of dance
music. They gave us a taste of the genre in its simplest form during the interview with Jason, but the bulk of
their live performance was a mix of Afro-Caribbean rhythms with electro, dub, hip hop and more for a sound they
call "electro-tropical."  Raul Campos came back from this year’s Latin Alternative Music Conference raving
about the band and, around the same time, they played to huge crowds at Denmark’s prestigious Roskilde
Festival.

Check it out for yourself

RR  

KCRW DJ Anthony Valadez is celebrating the release of his first full length album this week. Audio/Visual is a collection of beats layered with live instrumentation and some great vocalists, such as Stockholm's Kissey Asplund. The 18 instrumental tracks capture the heartbeat of a city asleep, but very much awake. “After DJing at KCRW and around town, I always love to take the streets home.  4 am in Los Angeles could feel lonely, but at the same time there is this pulse underneath the buildings, trees, and bus stops. That was the inspiration for this album.” “Firefly,” featuring Kissey, is Today’s Top Tune and available for the download over the next 24 hours. (after that, you can still hear it streaming on the site)

Here’s more from Anthony himself:

“Audio/Visual is a concept in my head that tied in many scenes from my past and giving it a kick, snare and melody to accompany it.  I have always been a fan of instrumental music that could take you on a journey. I can’t sing, but under each kick, snare, or high hat is a thought that I wanted to convey through sound.  As funny as that might sound, I stand by it.

I had all these amazing musicians layer their sounds over my skeleton beats and then I began looping and chopping their contributions into what became a  musical bowl of soup with many ingredients and spices.”

RR

Renowned street artist and graphic designer Shepard Fairey will fill in for KCRW DJ Henry Rollins this Saturday, November 14. He visited Morning Becomes Eclectic for a Guest DJ set this summer and his playlist included The Equal’s “Police on My Back” and Black Flag’s “Rise Above” -- a tribute to Rollins influence as a musician. Tune in Saturday at 6pm PST.

RR

I might be starting something with this entry but I felt I had to post this in a larger venue. I received a response last night from a plea I wrote last year about educating girls in Afghanistan. You can read that post here.

Here is the response

Anonymous said...

So we should educate them so that they come to have the same western thinking and values we do? literacy is the mark of civilisation. These people have lived for thousands of years without literacy.What then after they have built rows of schools,then rows of malls, then rows of mcmansions?

Here is my reply....

Dear Anonymous,

I don't usually comment on things like this but your response prompted me to reply. Who said anything about Western thinking and values? Maybe if those values mean equal worth of women to men, yes.

Education = good health, tolerance, long life, greater understanding, ability to learn more to help others and yourself.

Afghanistan is ranked number 2 in the mortality of children under 5 years of age. As of 2005, 25% of children in Afghanistan will not reach their 5th birthday. Only Sierra Leone is worse. "Living for thousands of years without literacy" has helped create this situation. Knowledge saves lives.

The life expectancy today in Afghanistan is 44 years. In 1970 it was 35, education and knowledge are responsible for the lowered death rates. Vaccinations started also. Without education, how do programs like this get off the ground?

Only 29% of women in Afghanistan are literate. They are the caregivers and raise the children. They need to be filled with knowledge on how to make their lives and those of their families healthier. 40% of children under 5 are underweight and over half of the children in Afghanistan, 54% suffer from permanent stunted growth!!

As of 2005 the maternal mortality rate is 1 in 8. Out of every 8 pregnancies, one will result in death. Education and knowledge will go a long way to alleviating these statistics.

Broad education can only help, it does not harm.

Do you want to deny these people a chance at an extra 30 years of life? Children their mothers? Mothers their children?

I am sorry, but I disagree with you on the value of educating women and people in general.

I am not a fan of giant malls and mcmansions, I live simply, but I do believe that with knowledge, people are equipped to make better choices and can understand the consequences of those choices. People with literacy know how to find information about the things they are not sure of and can act accordingly. It is a great equalizer.

If people want malls and mcmansions so be it. Who are we to say no? Better malls and mcmansions than poverty, illness, ignorance and death. Creating buildings like these is a choice.

You have a computer, you have internet, you can read, you are educated. Would you prefer sickness, early death and a life with no words? Reading can bring comfort.It doesn't have to mean 'Western", What about the hundreds of Persian authors and the literature they have created over two and a half millennia? Jelaluddin Rumi, one of the greatest poets ever alive was born in Afghanistan.

I believe education is a gift that continues to give long after it has been received.

"All religions are in substance one and the same.
In the adorations and benedictions of righteous men
The praises of all the prophets are kneaded together.
All their praises are mingled into one stream,
All the vessels are emptied into one ewer.
Because He that is praised is, in fact, only One,
In this respect all religions are only one religion.
Because all praises are directed towards God's light,
Their various forms and figures are borrowed from it.
Men never address praises but to One deemed worthy,"

- Jelaluddin Rumi, Masnavi I Ma'navi/Book III, story 12

Ashley Force Hood

If you haven’t heard of Ashley Force Hood, you probably don’t pay much attention to racing. Not only is she extremely successful -- in September, she became the first woman to win a National Hot Rod Assn. U.S. Nationals championship in the funny car division – she is also part of a racing dynasty, as the the daughter of four-time national champion John Force. Also, she was voted the Hottest Athlete in an AOL Sports Poll in 2007. From racing to romance, she reveals the music that has gotten her through both triumph and tough times in her Guest DJ set.

This weekend, Ashley will be in Pomona as part of the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals. She’s been writing updates for USA Today that you can read here.

RR