Thursday Throwback: Living All Alone

i have such a special place in my heart for ms. Phyllis Hyman.  and the whistling?!?  she was a gem.

"I Wonder" Wednesdays: Remy Shand

eight years later...where is Remy Shand?

hmmmmm...

"You're Still Pretty."

"you're still pretty."  actually, no.  i'm still tryna figure out whether or not that's a compliment.

annnnnyway, i'm really loving my new 'do.  it's been a week since my big chop, and i have to say (a bit surprisingly even) it's been all positive.  and i actually didn't know how sensitive i was to others' opinions until i was so moved by the overwhelmingly positive responses of friends, arts fam, and strangers alike.

"positive" includes the weird responses of people i'm assuming mean well, like "oh, but you could put a pig on your head and still look good."  why, exactly, would i put a pig on my head?

now i'm just trying to decide whether i'm keeping it low or growing it out.  initially i was going to wear it low for a few months and then let it grow.  but i'm kinda liking the feeling of just letting my hair be itself, un-tampered with.  this, of course, without having yet experienced the inevitable awkward phase.  meh.  we'll see.

be.  fly.
rhythm

License to Cover: Good and Bad Remakes

let's get right to it.

for a few weeks now, i've been downright irate about Boyz II Men's cover of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me."  i refuse to listen to it ever again.  i'm partial to originals.  and while i do make exceptions here and there, i only do so for the very best.  [i'm a self-proclaimed music snob.  and i like me.]  and i tend to have one rule when it comes to a good remake: KEEP IT SIMPLE.  Raitt's classic about unrequited love is beautifully haunting, raw, and bare.  as you can imagine, Boyz II Men took that thing and cluttered it with runs and riffs galore.  a mess.  i like them as a group, but this cover is tragic.

Joe, on the other hand, recently released an impeccable cover of "Cant Get Over You," originally recorded by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly.  the cover is part of Silky Soul Music: All-Star Tribute to Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly.  i've yet to hear the album, but if Joe's offering is any indication of the album's potential...i'm interested.  Joe did the damn thing.  he took a classic and freshened it up a bit.  he made it his own, but not so much so that it's unfamiliar.  he found the balance.  Boyz II men (and countless other artists who cover classics and even obscure gems) should take note.

both vids are below for your own judgment.  holla at youtube for the originals of both (i'm following my own rule and keeping it simple here).





what say you?  and what are some other good and bad remakes?

Wine. India Arie. Scissors.

...i'm havin' a private party.  ain't nobody here but me, my angels, and my guitar, singing "baby, look how far we've come, yeah."  i'm havin' a private party.  learnin' how to love me.  celebratin' the woman i've become... -India Arie "Private Party"

wine.  India Arie.  scissors.

i cut my locs.  i've been thinking about it for a while now, and for some reason, i finally decided on today.  so i set an appointment with a barber for tomorrow morning.  then i got to work.

i made sure to fit in a couple of stereotypes along the way...i had starting singing "Private Party" to myself on the way home, so i knew i had to listen before the cut.  lit some incense.  poured myself some wine.  found a Law & Order marathon.  said a prayer.  and commenced to cutting what remained of almost 8 years of growth (i had about 6 inches trimmed over a year ago).

i feel good.  aside from a few folks via cell phone shots, no one's seen me yet.  i'll be able to process more about how i feel once i take this new head out for a spin (and actually get a professional cut).  to add to the collection of stereotypes...i definitely feel a sense of peace and renewal.  and the weight of a lot of energy has definitely been released.

 





 









 







 






 








 

 











...celebratin' the woman i've become...

Memorial Flowers: Teddy Pendergrass

Teddy was great.  this clip is of him with Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, but it's one of my favorites and a message that's still relevant.

rest peacefully, Mr. Pendergrass.

Global Garden: Haiti

i don't have anything to add that hasn't already been said.  in fact, i don't think i've yet wrapped my brain around the ramifications of the earthquake.  all i have is prayers and sincere hope that funds and assistance are swiftly and openly provided.

viva Haiti.

Flowers for the Garden: Corneille

mmmm...cheeseburgers.

Corneille's The Birth of Cornelius is my new ish.  get up on it.  the video for his single "Back to Life" reeled me in, and i think i'm officially a fan.  he also happens to have quite a story, which i had read somewhere before, but it gut-checked me nevertheless as told in "Foolish Heart," the 5th track on the LP.  i wasn't ready.

so what does he sound like?  why, like this, of course:






be.  fly.
rhythm

Friday Flowers: Don't Touch Me Tomatoes

one of my favorite clips.  cedella marley recalls her son bob's first performance:







be.  fly.
rhythm

Thursday Throwback: Do What You Do

does anybody else remember this?  does anybody else know what to say right now?

"I Wonder" Wednesday: And You Say He's Just a Friend

is there really such a thing as platonic friendship?  age old question.  what's your answer?

sidebar: dude's cowboy boots are creepy.

Flowers for the Garden: Corinne's Return

not only am i extra happy about Corinne Bailey Rae's return to music after the death of her husband.  i'm also so moved that her first single, "I'd Do it All Again" and its accompanying video are pure magic.





2010 is gonna be a great year for my ears and my soul.

be.  fly.
rhythm

Letters from the Garden: Kanye

dear kanye,
you recently posted this on your blog.

part of me wants to nitpick the whole poetry thing.  maybe that's the poet in me.  maybe it's the ego in me.  at any rate, i can't argue with the sentiment.

love,
rhythm