Grace Under Pressure: Laura Jane Grace returns home to Gainesville

Laura Jane Grace’s current solo tour is already booked through June, and it will eventually take her to nearly 30 cities on both coasts, and everywhere in-between. But it begins here, in Florida, her old stomping-grounds. Out of all the venues booked, there is none that she’s worked more often than the High Dive, where she’ll be playing on Friday night, April 14. “When it was Common Grounds, I used to play there all the time,” she says via Zoom from Brooklyn.

Gainesville in the 1990s was an extremely fertile ground for not just musicians, but also a new generation of political activists whose efforts remain a factor today. Laura Jane Grace was an early convert to those cadres, following a traumatic encounter with the police, and the lessons she learned in that era continue to influence her art and her politics, to this day. “Back then, 1997, 1998, there was an awesome group of activists spread out across the state, and we would get together in different cities every month. And every group did Food Not Bombs in their local cities, and we’d organize rides to the protests in the bigger cities. We would all gather in the Ocala National Forest. When I moved to Gainesville, it was primarily because of the Civic Media Center, and everything that was happening around there.”

She’s picked a fine time to come back to Florida, given the current chaos in our politics and our culture. But the timing was no accident for her. The tour began at 926 Bar & Grill in Tallahassee on Tuesday the 12th, and she’ll be at The Social in Orlando on Saturday the 15th, followed by Floridian Social Club in St. Petersburg on Sunday the 16th, then Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday the 18th, before concluding the Florida run at Jack Rabbits on Monday the 19th. There will likely be a number of fans going from show to show, some of whom have been fans from their earliest days.

She may take her full band on the road later this year, but this present spring fling is a more stripped-down, relatively solitary affair for Grace. But she’s got a solid opening act throughout this month: Weakened Friends, a winsome trio formed in Portland, Maine in 2015, consisting of singer and guitarist Sonia Sturino, bassist Annie Hoffman and drummer Adam Hand. Their second album, Quitter, was released by Don Giovanni Records last November; they also have three EPs, and a nice Audiotree session. Joining them, also, is Gainesville’s own Mike & The Nerve, founded here in 2017. Their album Watershed Drive was released in 2021.

Laura Jane Grace was born at Fort Benning, but she is best-known for the she began in her adopted hometown of Gainesville. The most famous, of course, is Against Me! That band has released seven albums, four EPs and two live albums on six different labels since their founding in 1997. Her second solo album, Stay Alive, was released by Polyvinyl in October 2020, and she’s released two EPs as well.

Being an independent artist these days is about more than just playing the actual music, but also cultivating and maintaining a fanbase that can undergird creative efforts. “I’ve been really lucky to have had a wide variety of experiences,” says Grace, “and what’s really contributed to me and my band having such a unique fanbase is that we’ve had the opportunity to tour with a LOT of different bands. And when I came out as transgender, I think that enabled a lot of people who might not feel comfortable at a punk show, queer people or whatever, feel comfortable being there, made it more of an inclusive environment. And, also, at this point I’ve been doing it for 25 years. There’s that segment of the fanbase that’s grown with me. So you’ve got your 40 year-old punk rockers, but what makes punk rock so amazing is that there’s always that newer generation. And then, also the opportunity to play a wide variety of festivals, and picking up new fans from there, writing a book, doing the docuseries. Everything you do like that, you get a little more from, and then you put it all together and it brings it all in. If you stay totally linear and in your lane, in my opinion, that’s what leads to the death of your career, the death of your art.”

After all these years on the road, the logistics of touring remains essentially the same for her, although the all-pervasive influence of technology cannot be denied. “In some ways, it’s dramatically easier,” she says, via Zoom from her home in Brooklyn. “But in other ways, it being easier makes it much more stressful, because of how quickly it moves. When I started out, it was literally a matter of literally writing a letter, putting it in the post box, then waiting however long to hear from some stranger, like, ‘Can we play your house in Rochester, New York?’ And then you’re going out there, totally blind, and you don’t know this person or what the situation will be. We would go out and do tours that were a month long, and maybe like a dozen out of 30 shows booked would actually happen. In the old days, when you were on the road, and the van broke down, you were pretty much fucked–you’d just have to walk down the road to the nearest gas station to find a pay phone to call a tow truck or whatever.”

Ultimately, artists in her realm make the majority of their income from touring, so Grace, like countless other artists, is still kinda playing catch-up on the money missed during the pandemic. “We were three shows into a tour, and it got canceled,” she says. “How bands survive is going out and playing live shows, but I’ve tried to put myself in a position where, if something like that ever happens again, the effect isn’t completely devastating.”

Having started in the music business as a teenager, Grace has matured into a mentor for newer bands, which she views as both a blessing and a responsibility. “I know that there were those bands who did that for me,” she says. “For me, the way that I learned to do it was by looking to the bands who were already doing it. ‘They’ve got a van, we need a van.’ ‘They’re booking their own tours, we can be booking our own tours.’ ‘There’s no record label that wants to put out our record, we’ll record it ourselves. Following the example of others is what allowed me to be able to do it, so of course I feel obligated to do the same.”

These are tumultuous times in Florida, of course, and for Grace the personal is very much political. As one of the leading trans female performers in America, she has long been an influential advocate for LGBTQIA rights in and around her native state, and she shared our general concern with the direction things are going in. “Yeah, I don’t mind talking about this stuff at all,” she says. “Honestly, part of me is scared. There’s a part of me that wonders, could this be my last time touring through Florida, because soon enough, a person like me could be outlawed from existing in the state? In some ways, these things are becoming more and more glaring.” There are no easy answers, but Laura Jane Grace is here to ask the questions.

https://www.laurajanegrace.com/

Weakened Friends

Quitter | Weakened Friends (bandcamp.com)

(15) Mike & The Nerve | Facebook

Houston? We have no problem: N’Kenge joins the Jax Symphony in tribute to Whitney Houston

The tragic, accidental death of Whitney Houston did, at first, threaten to overshadow her vast catalog of essential material, but the passage of time has restored at some measure of balance to her public perception. Still, though, it will never really be the same. Many of our greatest singers led lives laced with sadness and self-harm, while a few–Joplin, Winehouse, Billie Holiday–are forever defined by it. Despite all the rumors and gossip and jokes, which did as much to help shorten her life as the alcohol and drugs did, Whitney’s demons never really constituted the true existential threat that they did for so many others, but still they killed her.

All the same, Whitney Houston’s legacy remains one of joy, and that is what will be celebrated by the Jax Symphony at Jacoby Hall, inside the Times-Union Center, on Friday and Saturday nights, March 18 and 19. The band will be led by Assistant Conductor Daniel Wiley, who  also serves as Music Director of the Jax Symphony Youth Orchestra. Stepping in for the legend, behind the microphone, will be N’Kenge, who has performed with the Jax Symphony in the past, notably in “LEGENDS”, a Diana Ross tribute, presented in March 2018. 

With a background that includes extensive work in pop, opera and soul, N’Kenge has already been nominated for the Emmy and the Grammy. She’s a Broadway veteran, most recently earning praise for her work in “Caroline, or Change”. She’s performed all over the world, including that holy trinity of New York concert halls, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Madison Square Garden. She’s also been a featured performer with symphony orchestras in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Seattle, to name just a few, in addition to working with jazz legends like Wynton Marsalis and Ornette Coleman. Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, hsa called her “the most versatile artist I know”, which is rare praise from a man not known for loose talk about such things.

Younger readers may not be acquainted with Whitney Houston, beyond just the hits, but a deep dive into her back catalogue can be quite fun.Blessed with an almost genetic predisposition for success in the music industry, Houston (1963-2012) took one of the most pure voices of the modern era and paired it with top-shelf production, much of which was directly overseen by Clive Davis himself. All seven of her studio albums went at least gold, and most went platinum, with the first three hitting #1 on the album charts; her seven consecutive #1 singles remains an industry record that will probably never be broken. By the time her first decade in the spotlight was over, she was already established as one of the all-time greats. The next decade saw Houston surpass achievements that were already unprecedented. 

Houston was only 27 when she sang “The Star Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXV. It remains arguably the definitive version of perhaps the most performed and (thanks to TV) most recorded non-religious song in the history of the world; of course, you partisans for Jimi Hendrix and/or Marvin Gaye do have very strong cases to make. She followed that  by co-starring in “The Bodyguard” with Kevin Costner in 1992. Is the movie great? Nope, but it’s good. Both stars were at the peaks of their powers, and the chemistry was positively palpable. 

“Bodyguard” is notable for being a very rare instance of a major US pop star making a major movie that wasn’t clearly awful, and that is an achievement that sets her apart from almost all of her peers, aside from Prince, Beyonce and, most recently, Lady Gaga. It made over $400 million worldwide, on a budget of just $25 million, so there’s that. Also, the soundtrack sold 45 million copies. One of the songs was a Dolly Parton cover called “I Will Always Love You”, which most human beings have heard at least once.

How many American female artists can exceed Whitney Houston, in terms of sheer clout? Aretha Franklin, Beyonce and Madonna are the only ones indisputably in her league, in terms of record sales, awards, longevity, crossover appeal. We could name plenty of others worthy of discussion, and time will render its own judgment on that, but it’s currently unclear if anyone will ever top her run in the 1980s and early ‘90s. And all those who try will be operating from a playbook that was largely developed by her. Houston thankfully lived at least long enough to know how much she was valued by her fans, and occasions like this concert provide an opportunity to experience her music in a pretty interesting new context.

The Music of Whitney Houston

Sterling, Cooper

Sterling, Cooper: Liz Cooper returns to Florida, finally!

For the first time ever, Liz Cooper is making a proper run through Florida, and that is sure to bring a little extra sunshine into our state. Her gig at Jack Rabbits on Friday, March 18, will be her first time in Jacksonville since her first time in Jacksonville, when a shockingly sparse crowd of just a couple dozen caught her act at 1904 on February 17, 2019. That was over two years ago, and the world was very much different back then. So was Liz Cooper.

Many of our ambitions were curbed, to at least some extent, by the pandemic that began the following year, and which continues to linger in our minds and, in some cases, our bodies. No one in America’s cultural sphere suffered more than touring musicians. Consider someone like Billie Eilish, for example, who entered that era fresh off a near-sweep of the Grammys, with a James Bond title track on its way and sold-out arenas from Hollywood to Hong Kong already lined up. The pandemic cheated Eilish out of more revenue than arguably any other artist. 

Liz Cooper’s situation was not nearly as severe, of course, but also worse, in certain ways. “It’s been hard, for sure,” she says via Zoom from NYC. “From a standpoint of momentum, definitely. But I feel like, for most musicians, we’ve been hustling so hard, and working so hard to play shows. Then when you get a team around you, and all of a sudden you’re able to play a lot of shows, so that’s what you do, and you do it 150, 200 days a year. So, to then just stop is so shocking to the system, after doing it for so long.”

New York’s pandemic experience was perhaps the harshest of any state in the country; there was serious trouble for quite some time, and the city that never sleeps was certainly way sedated for a while. “It took me a really long time to adjust to just being still,” she says. “And, also, I had to adjust to being still in a different city, trying to figure out how to make things work, and learning to get comfortable with not being able to plan anything.” She, too, had most of the year booked fairly solid, which was standard practice for her. Cooper had been on the road fairly close to constantly over the previous three or four years. 

Cooper’s newest album, “Hot Sass”, represents a departure from the more languid, atmospheric sort of jam-rock that previously defined her. The title track is probably her most aggressive song to date, with heavy feedback and rapid-fire tempo shifts more akin to punk rock. The songwriting is more complex now, and she is less apt to lean on her prodigious guitar chops, although there’s still plenty of that.

Part of that evolution, of course, is a function of geography. The Maryland native spent the first few years of her career in Nashville, which is where the rest of her band still resides. It’s more open and spread-out, and those values were reflected in her earlier work. Cooper has ridden out the pandemic in Brooklyn, which is a whole different vibe–more urban, gritty, high-energy, almost sinister at times. Again, those values are reflected in the new album, which was basically written from scratch and recorded over the course of a year.

Liz Cooper & the Stampede first came to public view via their session on Audiotree Live, recorded in Chicago in October 2016. The first track was “Mountain Man”, an instant classic that remains arguably her definitive recording and the first thing I play for people who’ve never heard her before. She did another Audiotree session the following year, that one in front of an audience, and she did a third last year. Her debut album, “Window Flowers” (2018), was a masterpiece, and her high-energy performance style was helping her build a fiercely loyal fanbase, before the world went on pause.

A lot has changed since I last saw her perform, three years ago. Drummer Ryan Usher remains an essential component of her sound, but longtime bassist and backing singer Grant Prettyman has since modulated to family life in Los Angeles, and that marked the end of “Liz Cooper and the Stampede” as we knew it. The name change doesn’t reflect a shift in priorities, but is more of a clarification; as she told Forbes last year, “I just didn’t want to hide behind the name anymore.” Oddly, none of her previous material appears to be available for sale today, and her Wikipedia entry hasn’t been updated in quite some time. (I will forever regret failing to buy “Window Flowers” on vinyl!) 

Comparing “Hot Sass” to “Window Flowers”, it’s hard to think of a recent artist who has released two albums that were so completely different, in such a short period of time.  “I wrote ‘Window Flowers’ when I was 20 or 21,” she says. “I turn 30 this year. It’s just a natural progression. I’m not going to make anything that’s not myself, so if it doesn’t resonate with people, that’s ok.” Having basically mastered a particular approach, early in her career, Cooper put it all aside and built herself a fresh new sound, from the ground up, and she did it in the middle of the most chaotic period in our lifetimes. That takes guts.

Aside from the actual music, which is great, the album itself is gorgeous. “Hot Sass” comes as two pieces of see-through red vinyl, with each record imprinted with graphics from the album art. There’s also a double-sided poster that doubles as the liner notes. The album is also available on CD and cassette.

Her videos have always been interesting, but the ones she’s made lately are even more so. In “Motorcycle”, she comes off almost like a Batman villain. As aesthetics go, Cooper has traded in her signature one-piece jumpsuits for hot pants and leggings, her long curly hair straightened and cropped to earlobe-length, bright red lipstick and makeup like “Transformer”-era Lou Reed. There has always been a palpable fierceness about her approach, but her command presence feels more reinforced. She now seems fully aware of her own power.

When asked what she likes about Florida, Cooper’s answer comes instantly: “It’s warm, and it’s weird,” she says, laughing over Zoom in a black Sonic Youth t-shirt. “The people are strange, not everybody, and it’s fun. It’s a completely different animal. A lot of bands don’t usually tour through Florida, because it’s so big and so out of the way, depending on where you’re based out of. For me and my band, we’ve never really toured through Florida, though we have played Tampa and Jacksonville before.”

The show at Jack Rabbits is part of a mini-tour that will take Liz Cooper all through the southeast. It comes after a gig in Charleston on the 17th. She then plays the Innings Festival in Tampa on the 20th and the High Dive in Gainesville on the 22nd, followed by dates in Athens, Birmingham and Louisville, wrapping up with a homecoming of sorts in Nashville on the 26th. She’ll take a little break after that, because the summer and fall will be busy.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past couple of years, it’s that the future is never certain, and our efforts to control such things are, at best, adorable, and at worst can be deeply destructive to one’s mental and emotional well-being. So, Liz Cooper has no idea what will happen for her next, although she has a few ideas. “I think I’m kind of playing it by ear,” she says. “I would love to go to Europe. I would just love to play overseas. I don’t know if that’s going to happen this year, but I hope so. I’d also like to open for some bigger rock and roll acts.” I’m not psychic, but I predict that all of that will happen for her, this year. 

“I’m trying not to set too many goals,” she says. “I feel like I was very goal-oriented for most of my life, and I think it’s just become kind of unhealthy, so I’m learning to let go and just take things day by day. I’m taking it one day at a time, because that’s all that I can control.”

There’s no way to know for sure, of course, but it’s hardly a stretch to suggest that, if the governments of the world hadn’t botched their initial response to covid-19, Liz Cooper would almost certainly be a millionaire right now. But, at the rate she’s going, that’s probably going to happen, anyway, and few people deserve it more.

https://lizcoopermusic.com/

Sleeping on WOKE: attack on CRT makes even less sense than usual

Sleeping on WOKE

DeSantis’ attack on CRT makes even less sense than usual

When I first heard about the Stop WOKV Act, I was peeved, perturbed, and positively punch-drunk from the alarming implications of this legislation. Talk radio has been an essential part of American culture since the early post-war era, and WOKV has carried the torch for this genre for decades. It’s doubly curious that DeSantis would move against a radio outlet that is virtually synonymous with the coo-coo conservative right that he rightly (or wrongly) relies on to reign. None of this makes any sense, but that’s nothing new.

Wait, what? What’s that, you say? Ohhhhhh, oh, OK, whoops, my bad…

It’s not “Stop WOKV”. I was just being funny, early on, while I can, because there’s really nothing funny about the governor’s current infatuation with inveighing against Critical Race Theory. It appears to be part of his long-term gimmick of making non-issues into issues, and using the resulting drama to boost his Q rating in sympathetic media outlets–like Newsmax, Fox News and the Daily Caller, all of which have allotted outsized oxygen stores to help the governor flame on, before he flames out in 2022. 

Actually, the strategy is working just fine, and he’s looking fairly solid  for reelection next year. He has a strong, but weird, array of challengers on the Democratic side, but no one really lined up for a primary challenge in August. So, he will probably cruise into November with a cushion of dark money, ready to face a Democratic nominee that will hopefully not be already compromised by internal party conflict (always a possibility with them folk).

In this bold foray into what often looks like performance art, DeSantis has had no shortage of material to “work” with. First, there was the global pandemic, which he effectively monetized by minimizing efforts to fight it, which cost many innocent Floridians their lives, but also did wonders for the state’s economy. The population grew, and now we have hundreds of thousands of new residents who think that all of this is normal. Sadly, they are right. He followed up by signing legislation banning trans girls from amateur athletics in this state; the courts will be weighing in on the legality of that next year. And now this CRT kerfuffle. 

Critical Race Theory, in essence, is a catch-all term for the effort to systematize teaching of the Black Experience in America. This has been an ongoing process for generations–a people robbed of their self-identity have crafted their own, a process that played out throughout the 20th century. Presently, a huge proportion of the cultural and intellectual product in this country, and around the world, is derived from the results of that particular process; we see this most strongly in music and sports, but also in aspects of film, theater, literature, painting, business, the military and politics. Of course, there is also academia.

CRT, in a sense, represents an intersection of all these things, and it is one of the most wholesome and harmless things to come along in quite some time. It’s weird that conservatives are so uncomfortable being depicted as villains in the media, when they blatantly pursue such characterization with seemingly every word and deed. For example, DeSantis and his allies have taken something that is firmly patriotic–the effort to help Black students better understand a whole bunch of crazy shit that, in many cases, they are just hearing about for the first time–and going after it in ways that Stalin and Mao might appreciate.

The “Stop Wrongs Against Our Kids and Employees Act”, aka the “Stop WOKE Act” is so incredibly weird and silly that I still don’t really believe it’s real, even though I’m already 600 words into writing about it. I’ve almost had my fill, but let me just ask how, exactly, one expects to scrub the curriculum of documented history? How will students in Florida, and America in general, compete effectively in the global economy when they are operating on an incomplete, and often wholly false, grasp of the world’s collective knowledge? 

I have no idea, but perhaps we’ll find out.

Velocity Girl: Emily Remler, 1957-1990

Emily Remler would be turning 63 this year, but she is not because she died in Sydney, Australia on May 4, 1990. This year marks 30 since one of the most promising young musicians of the 1980s was lost, at the very cusp of a new decade in which she would have surely figured prominently. It’s impossible to calculate what was lost from her death, but much was gained from her life. Remler is one of the greatest guitar players there ever were, of any gender, but her unique status among female musicians of her era earns her degree of influence and infamy to which few others quite compare.

Put most simply, one might say that Remler was to the world of jazz what Amy Winehouse was to pop music: a phenom who fell at the height of her powers, for similar reasons. Emily Remler, a Virgo, was born into a Jewish family in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on September 18, 1957. Her fate may have been written into the stars, seriously. 1957 was one of the most important years in the evolution of jazz music, with almost every major artist of the era doing some of their most important work. It was, for example, the year that John Coltrane spent much of working at the Five Spot under Thelonious Monk, which directly precipitated the “sheets of sound” concept that would animate his subsequent work.

She also happened to grow up in just the right city, at just the right time for someone who might aspire to a career in jazz. Rudy Van Gelder, arguably the greatest recording engineer of all-time, was not even ten miles away in Hackensack, where he recorded essential titles for Blue Note, Prestige, Riverside and other labels in a custom studio he’d built at his parents’ house in 1946. Van Gelder built a bigger and better studio at his own home in 1959, when Remler was 2. The location? Englewood Cliffs. Every jazz fan owns multiple albums that were recorded there.

The town has a little over 5,000 people now, as opposed to the 2,913 counted in the 1960 census. That number doubled in the 1960s, reaching a peak of 5,938 in 1970, and it’s lost about 10% of their population since then. One of those lost was Emily Remler, who moved to Boston to attend the Berklee College of Music. She’d started playing guitar at age ten, drawing early inspiration from rock artists like Jimi Hendrix. It was the fertile Berklee scene that cultivated her taste for jazz. She immersed herself in the tradition of Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, Joe Pass, Tal Farlow. One assumes that, given her early love for rock, she’d have also been familiar with Sister Rosetta Tharpe, whom most would consider the most important female guitarist of her time, as well as Nancy Wilson, the iconic lead guitarist of Heart who crafted some of the most duplicated riffs of the ‘70s.

She would also have known about Mary Osborne (1921-1992), who was perhaps the first woman to make a name nationally for playing guitar, in any genre, let alone jazz, and belongs in the same conversation. Osbourne was affiliated with a number of with several other luminous ladies of the business, including Marian McPartland, Mary Lou Williams and Billie Holiday, in addition to men like Dizzy Gillespie, Stuff Smith, Joe Venuti, Papa Jo Jones, Art Tatum and Thelonious Monk. She released at least three albums under her own name, while making guest spots on other records. One notable example would be “The Mighty Two”, a drum-battle record from 1962 by Louis Bellson and Gene Krupa.

As a white woman from North Dakota, she started working in territory bands as a pre-teen, clocking thousands of hours in playing experience by the time she was old enough to drink. She saw Charlie Christian in person, a rare honor, since he died in 1942. She was established in the New York jazz scene in time to witness the birth of bebop firsthand, mixing band gigs and studio work there and in Chicago, Philly and Los Angeles for decades. She continued working well into her late-60s, ultimately passing away just a couple years after Remler. (I have no idea if they ever met, but I would assume so.)

Remler was 24 when she recorded her first album “Firefly” (1981). Like many of her early albums, it found her with an ad-hoc unit hired by her label, Concord Records. The group included bassist Bob Maize, veteran drummer Jake Hanna and legendary pianist Hank Jones, a first-ballot hall-of-famer by any standard. Remler never had a serious regular unit during most of her career; she was always presented as essentially a solo artist, and not much effort was made to get her formally linked-up in the public mind with comparable talent of that era. She played with many talented musicians, but rarely was she ever in setting that seemed truly worthy of her.

Remler was married once, to pianist Monty Alexander from 1981 to 1984. It’s unclear why they broke up, and that doesn’t really matter. She was also romantically-linked with fellow guitarist Larry Coryell, the “Godfather of Fusion” with whom she recorded the sublime duet album “Together” in 1985. In terms of the study of jazz guitar technique, it’s an essential recording, and a touchstone in both their individual careers. It’s probably his most accessible title of the time, and a great introduction to Remler, who was named “Guitarist of the Year” by Down Beat that same year.

She spent a considerable stint touring the world with bossa nova pioneer Astrud Gilberto, then went back to running her own small groups. A smattering of sumptuous bootlegs available on YouTube find her also playing in the company of folks like Monika Dannerlein and John Abercromie. Perhaps the best of this material may be found in two sets recorded a couple years apart at the Musicians’ Institute in Michigan. The trios are rounded out by a bassist and drummer from the faculty, a fresh group with fresh material. The second session, in particular, is indispensable; Remler seems to stretch out far more than she does in most other settings. (In the first, probably recorded in 1984, you can see her playing her first guitar, a Gibson ES-330 that she got from her older brother)

All but one of Remler’s seven official albums were made for Concord Jazz, which is unfortunate. They did good work, but the production comes off just a touch antiseptic in those first years of “DDD” sound. A lot of the low end of Remler’s guitar is suppressed in the mix, and the bass players come off consistently muted. (The Musicians’ Institute session, for example, paints a much fuller picture of how her sound actually sounded.) The same music, if recorded under auspices of Verve, Impulse or Blue Note, would have packed dramatically more sonic punch, and those labels’ superior marketing budgets would have meant more commercial success and a bigger public profile, which might have helped stave off some of the artist’s darker moments. Plus, her legacy would have benefited immeasurably from association with such brands. She would have been a particularly nice fit at ECM Records, for example.

The exact circumstances of Emily Remler’s death remain unclear, 30 years later. Technically, she died of heart failure, likely exacerbated by drug use. She had suffered from heroin addiction for years prior, and some reports suggest dilaudid, as well. Remler’s chaotic personal life gave way to occasional depressive episodes, but nothing has ever emerged to suggest that her death was anything a terrible accident. The fact is that she never got nearly as much coverage as she deserved, while a combination of bad luck and worse choices means that much of her story will always be a matter of pure speculation.

She died at a time when jazz music was just beginning to emerge from creative hibernation, right before the CD market (which was always largely driven by jazz, due to the Sony connection) really took flight, and the nostalgic appeal of the culture helped subsidize an entire generation of new stars. Had she lived, Remler would have surely figured prominently in that resurgence. She would have been a regular on the exploding jazz festival market, made the covers of all the magazines and seen huge new sales growth, regardless of what label she was on. But there would have definitely been a bidding war, and it’s entirely possible that she’d have ended up going mainstream, signing with one of the firms that were buying up jazz labels throughout the decade.

The story of a white Jewish girl from New Jersey becoming one of the top-ranked guitar players in the world would have had great appeal to the media, not just because of her ethnicity, and gender, but also the fact that she wrote most of her own songs, in a genre built around the endless flogging of standards. That music would have appealed to a growing market for jazz fusion, crossing over into jam rock.  The early ‘90s was defined by a renewed focus on female musicians in multiple genres, particularly in rock and roll. Remler would’ve been a star in an era populated by women like Kim Gordon, Liz Phair and PJ Harvey, an icon without even trying to be one. Had she lived, Emily Remler would’ve been the only jazz musician to show up on MTV in the ‘90s.

For years, people openly wondered if women could be great guitar players. The cognoscenti know that question was answered 60 years ago, and everyone knows it now. Remler was the crucial link between those generations of female guitarists. When the light had almost gone out completely, as far as popular awareness, Remler carried the torch until her body gave out, at which point that torch fell to ladies who may have never even heard of her, but who could be considered kindred spirits.

Nowadays, the list of prominent—indeed, dominant—female guitarists is nearly endless: Tash Sultana, Anna Calvi, Sharon Van Etten, Mackenzie Scott (aka Torres), Kelley Deal and, of course, the great Liz Cooper, who has emerged in just the last couple of years to become the current standard-bearer within that particular subset. Mary Halvorson has led most jazz polls over the last few years, making her the nominal heir to Remler’s legacy, while somehow catering to the mainstream and avant-garde in almost seamless fashion. Where once this was a subject of serious scholarly inquiry, we have thankfully progressed to a point where such discussions will never be necessary again, and the too-short life and shorter career of Emily Remler was a crucial step in our advancing to this point.

Ultimately, when looking back in consideration of someone readily acknowledged as a jazz icon, the most obvious takeaway is that her contributions transcend any particular genre. Remler was rooted in the jazz tradition, but took creative leaps at seemingly every opportunity, such that she’s very much in the tradition of the rock and folk musicians she admired as a kid. At its most extreme, the work touched on elements of electric blues, or even prog-rock. The enormity of her skillset, coupled with the scope of her influences, meant she could have thrived in any musical environment she chose for herself as her 30s progressed into her 40s and beyond. But that never happened, and it really sucks. It really, REALLY sucks.

Notes on Press Freedom and the Special Election in Montana

The folks defending Greg Gianforte for assaulting that reporter should remember that 79 journalists died on the job last year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 18 of whom were murdered, often in broad daylight, and almost always without legal repercussions. We’ve already seen the deaths of ten journalists in seven countries so far this year, and that number is sure to increase.

We’ve had a mayor downstate openly boast about pointing a machine gun loaded with blanks at reporters last week, and one of Trump’s staff joked about him using a sword against the White House press corp–a ceremonial sword gifted from a country that has no freedom of the press whatsoever. There’s nothing funny about any of it, especially given his documented connections to a foreign government that has itself been implicated in the murders of several journalists in recent years.

Our president has referred to the media as “the enemy of the people”, mocked a handicapped journalist on the campaign trail, had reporters physically removed from his events, and openly suggested to his then-FBI director having others locked up for reporting on his own abuses of power, which is a real thing that has happened multiple times in this country over the years.

On local and state levels, countless journalists have been attacked, stalked, doxxed and threatened, including right here in my own hometown. Numerous journalists sit behind bars all over the world for doing their job, and several outlets have had to shut down because of attrition due to violence.

I don’t know much about Gianforte or his opponent, Rob Quist and I won’t pretend to have any special insight about the internal politics of their state, but this contest is now a national issue, with direct implications for the entire industry. If Gianforte wins, the voters of Montana will be on-record as having signed off on a dangerous dynamic that undermines our democracy and the people’s ability to get the information they need to make informed decisions about their lives–and they know it.

Personally, I’ve been slapped, punched, spit on, threatened, shot at with BB guns, had knives and guns pulled on me–and that’s just from exes, LOL. But seriously, I don’t begrudge any of the heat I’ve gotten, because I work a particularly ruthless and hyperbolic style that entails saying extremely controversial things about extremely dangerous people. If anything tragic ever happens to me, it will probably be at least somewhat my fault. But my concern is for the decent, impartial working journalists who walk the straight and narrow path and do their best to call it right down the middle–the kind of people who will still give those scumbags the benefit of the doubt, despite everything.

This escalating trend of violence and intimidation against journalists here and around the world needs to stop. Voters in Montana need to make a firm stand, today, right now. If they don’t, the consequences could be truly horrifying. And if you think I’m making mountains our of molehills, I’ve got two words for you: “Charlie Hebdo”…

French, Licked: the Certain Uncertainly of May 7

 

Having just heard about the tragic passing of Corrine Erhel, a French socialist politician who suffered a fatal heart attack while stumping for Emmanuel Macron on Cinco de Mayo, one’s first instinct is to view her death as a tragic omen for the cause she died in support of. With the final round of France’s national elections wrapping up May 7, the reasonable possibility of an upset win by Marine LePen and her National Front (FN) means that Erhel, who was only 50, may go down as merely the first to perish in the wake of a vote whose results will likely be cataclysmic for her country, no matter who wins.

While superstition is ultimately just that, it’s tempting to indulge such sentiment, given the recent sequence of events. Erhel’s death was immediately preceded by news of—believe it or not—massive hacking of Macron’s emails, the leaking of which was smartly timed to coincide with the legally mandated two-day period of silence before the vote. It’s an interesting quirk of their parliamentary system, one that would be intolerable in the United States, whose politicians can hardly be compelled to shut up, even when they’re asleep.

And they are certainly asleep, figuratively if not necessarily literally, although there can be little doubt that any number of our leading politicians are so heavily pilled-up that they need help tying their own shoes and neckties, to say nothing of reading the legislation being foisted upon them on an almost weekly basis early on in the Trump Era. Indeed, when the president’s controversial (to say the least) health-care plan passed earlier this week, by the narrowest of margins, despite ample partisan cushion, it was attended almost immediately by reports that some members of Congress had not bothered to read the very legislation that their historical reputations are now intractably tethered to. At least one of them actually admitted this on television, which strikes me as something other than the behavior of someone who is acting in their right mind.

The elections in France are being touted as a critical indicator of the trajectory of western politics in the new reality, and while it’s easy enough the parallels to events in the US in Europe, it’s worth remembering that the French are famously unpredictable. After all, the idea of the National Front getting anywhere near the runoff was openly scoffed at, as recently as a month ago. No one in proper political circles would’ve guessed that the hard-right, with all their bluster and bully tactics, would be capable of finishing as strongly as they did, let alone that their momentum would only continue in the interregnum. The LePen family has been flirting with fanaticism for years, with the father put out to pasture by his own daughter, who herself has struggled to achieve even basic credibility.

The struggle is real—at least, it was. Now she’s so credible that the political establishment is having night-sweats all weekend. Tensions are high, and so are the figureheads; in café society, the SSRIs are flowing free like fine wine, with blood soon to follow, perhaps. After watching the police torched with Molotov cocktails on May Day, it’s hard to conceive of any scenario in which the nation is not at least partially in flames within days. If Macron wins, as currently projected, the FN and its adherents will likely respond with violence. If LePen wins, violence is guaranteed. No matter who wins, the majority of French citizens will be not only dissatisfied, but terrified for the future of their country. This is not their first rodeo. They are firmly aware of the worst-case scenario. Good luck to them!

Bromancing the Stone: Roger Stone dishes on Trump, Florida and political combat

“They may call me a dirty trickster. I’m a real partisan; I’ve got sharp elbows. But there’s on thing that isn’t in my bag of tricks: treason.” Roger Stone has never backed away from a fight; indeed, he almost relishes starting them. Stone has been a human melee weapon, wielded to great effect in some of the biggest political brawls of the past half-century, dating back to his earliest years in the crucible that was the Nixon White House.

“1968 and 2016 were very similar, in many ways,” he says. “Just as leaders, Donald Trump and Nixon are similar. They’re both really pragmatists, neither is an ideologue, they’re both essentially populists with conservative instincts. … Both of them are very persistent, both of them had to come back from disaster.” The opposition is praying for further disaster, and they may well get their wish. To that end, Stone is one of several Trump affiliates under investigation for their dealings with various foreign nationals whose efforts helped facilitate Trump’s victory.

Stone’s newest book, “The Making of the President 2016: How Donald Trump Orchestrated a Revolution” (Skyhorse Publishing) lifts its title from the seminal series written every four years between 1960 and 1980 by journalist Theodore H. White (1915-1986), a quintessential DC Beltway insider who is, no doubt, spinning in his grave as we speak. One can’t help but view this choice as high-level trolling of the first order, which is his forte.

The subtitle is cunningly phrased, as every conceivable meaning of the words “orchestrated” and “revolution” seem to fit in this case. Speaking of which, Stone’s book notes the crucial role of one revolution—that waged in the Democratic primary by Bernie Sanders—in helping foreshadow the future president’s. “In many ways, Trump and Bernie, they’re riding the same wave. Donald’s voters think these trade deals have fucked America, and Bernie’s voters think these trade deals have fucked America. … And also, new voters: Both Trump and Bernie Sanders attract new voters in the primaries. It’s just more people upset about the so-called ‘rigged system’. Bernie rags constantly about the corruption and the power of Wall Street; so does Trump. So I think they’re very similar.”

This similarity was noted early on, and was key to Trump’s victory, according to Stone. “In order to win, Trump had to win three of ten Sanders voters, and he did.” Despite being a nominal frontrunner, Hillary Clinton was burdened with a top-heavy hierarchical campaign, largely disconnected from political reality. For all her billions spent, that money was squandered on failed strategies and poor logistics, reaching a peak as Trump barnstormed battleground states in the closing days, while Hillary had already begun taking victory laps. The Clintons expended so much time and energy fending off the Sanders insurgency that they never really got a handle on what awaited them in the general.

“I think they made the exact same mistake as did Jimmy Carter,” says Stone, who worked for Ronald Reagan in 1980. “The Clintons misunderstood Trump’s appeal. They didn’t think that his simple messaging would be credible; they didn’t understand that Trump talks more like average people than elites. The underestimated both his skill as a candidate, they underestimated his skill as a communicator, and they underestimated his ability to land a punch.”

When Trump first declared for president in 2015, there was almost no one who thought the man had any chance at all—except for Stone, who had raised the very possibility as early as 1988, when he arranged a meeting between Trump and his earliest political benefactor, Richard Nixon. “It certainly seemed possible to me, but let’s recognize that I’m a professional political operative, and I had at that point nine individual presidential campaigns in which I’m playing a senior role as experience. Plus I’ve known Donald Trump for 39 years; I have a very keen knowledge of his management style, his style on the stump, so I understand a lot of the basis of his appeal. … Trump is a giant, and he ran against a lot of career politicians who were essentially pygmies.”

As usual, Florida was a decisive factor in the election, and Stone expects that to continue in 2018. “Florida has proven once again to be the ultimate purple state. It truly is a state that’s always competitive in a presidential race, and less competitive, leaning slightly Republican, in a non-presidential race. The Democrats in Florida, because they have been out of power in the legislature so long, and because they have (generally-speaking) not done well in local offices, they really have no bench. They are yet to come up with a candidate who is a viable candidate for governor. It’s WAY too early to try to determine how Trump’s candidacy will impact the Florida electorate; it’s an entirely open question. Trump could be exceedingly popular, if he sticks to his agenda and gets things done by the mid-terms, or he could be unpopular, theoretically, for any number of reasons. But in politics, a year is a lifetime.”

Speaking of Florida, 2018 will be the first year in nearly three decades in which the shadow of Jeb Bush will not be blanketing the states political landscape, and by Stone’s reckoning, you can thank Trump for putting our former governor into permanent retirement. “If Jeb had stayed in the race, and there had been another debate, Trump was prepared to say, ‘Jeb, the [FDLE] had over 22 individual tips about the 9/11 hijackers training in Sarasota; you seem to have done nothing with that information. Don’t you think you could have stopped the attack on America if you had actually done something?’ That was coming, and I think Jeb knew it was coming, and of course that’s all documentable. Only Trump would’ve had the courage to do something like that.”

Today, at 64, Stone is prepping for what may be his biggest fight to date, waged on behalf of his good friend, President Donald J. Trump, whose election was somewhat controversial, to say the least. Although Stone has not officially worked for Trump since last fall, he remains very much in the mix, as far as the president’s wider circle of advisors and adjutants. Indeed, the fact is that the very idea of Donald Trump as POTUS originates in the always-fertile mind of Roger Stone, who never stops thinking of new angles and novel approaches to shaking up the political status quo. Of course, a lot of folks really wish he would stop, but after last year, that seems unlikely.

Whereas most folks tend to get all shy and introspective when talk of subpoenas begins, Stone is embracing his opportunity to face off with congressional Democrats before a live, mainstream audience. Having served in the White House under presidents Nixon and Reagan, Stone is by no means a stranger in Beltway circles, but his appearance at the Capitol will mark, for many national observers, their initial introduction to a man that, without whom, everything would be different today.

Stone has still not appeared before Congress at press-time, but he has made no secret of his enthusiasm. “They dragged my name through the mud in a public hearing. Several statements made by members were just flatly incorrect, others were chronologically out of order, and still others were written in such a pejorative way that I must have the opportunity to take that language and re-tell it my way, and then bitch-slap the member for his partisanship. … Here’s my proposal: Waive your congressional immunity, so I may sue you, and we’ll let a judge and jury decide if you have slimed me. And you know they won’t do that.”

sheltonhull@gmail.com

March 28, 2017

 

Album review: “Flight of the Vultures” (Parsons/Buckner/Barlow)

“Flight of the Vultures” is a snapshot of a band in ecstasis, a showcase for three jazz masters at the height of their creative powers. Trumpeter Longineu Parsons, who just recently earned his doctorate from the University of Florida, is joined by longtime collaborator Von Barlow and bassist Lawrence Buckner on a searing set of nine tunes, of which all but one are original compositions. Barlow and Buckner are well-known to local audiences from their longtime residency at the Casbah in Avondale on Sunday nights; with tenor saxophonist Eric Riehm, they comprised one of the best jazz groups working anywhere in the world.

The album starts out hot with Parsons’ own “Hannibal’s March part II”, then gets downright searing on the classic Coltrane tune “Mr. P.C.”, named for the late great bassist Paul Chambers (who played alongside Trane in the Miles Davis quintet of the 1950s). Barlow’s ride cymbal carries through into “Flute Song”, which leads into “Forward”. Buckner’s adept handling of the upright bass is featured prominently here, laying down a fantastically funky backdrop for Barlow’s tom-toms and the inimitable flute-work of the leader—shrill trills that chill and thrill as thoroughly as when you see him live, as I did at Jazzland Café just a few days ago.

From there, the band moves into their “Orgasma Suite”. Wilhelm Reich would be proud. 20 minutes of slow rising, brooding backbeats, building to a boil behind and the piercing wail of arguably the most underrated trumpeter of his generation. The recording is perfect, evocatively atmospheric; you can practically hear the shadows in the room. The last two tracks “Deeply” and “Searching”, sound like their titles, and make a fine aperitif after the stiff fluidity of the rest of the set. Overall, of my favorite albums by three of my favorite people. Good stuff…

http://tribaldisorder.com/ 

Sweet Theories: Pocket of Lollipops are the flavor of every month

Franco Carmelino/Pocket of Lollipops/Rickolus/J Chat/Vowls/Jayel

Jack Rabbits, Saturday, February 11; $10

Maintaining a successful band is hard. Being married is harder. Doing both simultaneously usually ends in disaster, but Pocket of Lollipops has made it look easy for years now. Singer/guitarist Maitesojune Urrechaga and vocalist/drummer Tony Kapel are no strangers to Northeast Florida audiences, nor are they strangers to each other. The band is a true labor of love from two people who love the labor—and odds are beyond decent that you’ll love it, too.

They’re playing Jack Rabbits in support of their third album, 2016’s Thanks Theo, the follow-up to their universally accepted Letters to Larrup EP and one of the best albums of the year that was. So thanks, Theo, whoever you are. The band’s sound can confound even the most descriptive scribe, but there’s one word that formulates first: “Fun”. It’s jangly, propulsive pop, laced with joy and good humor, like ice cream for your ears. With a name like “Pocket of Lollipops”, that could mean almost anything, but for the Miami-based duo, it’s a rare case of truth in advertising.

It’s not just that they sound like candy; they sound like candy that you bought earlier and put in your pocket, then forgot it was there while you went about your business—work, a concert, rioting, whatever—and it melted a little bit in your pocket. You forgot it was there, until you got home later; you felt the bulge and reached in, with the kind of mortal terror one only gets when there is melted candy in the pocket of your favorite pants. But it turns out that the candy was wrapped up so well that your pockets are completely clean, and you’ve got this warm, kinda gooey mass of sugar and pectin that still retains the essence of its original shape, and instead of stressing about ruined pants, you fall asleep with candy in your mouth—and no one dares wake you up, because it’s just too cute. Real talk. (For me, it’s blue raspberry Blow Pops, but to each their own.)

Likewise, upon first listen, you might think you’re being assaulted with random noise generated by the diddling of dilettantes, but you quickly learn that the chaos is organized better than the Strategy of Tension. At first glance, you might think they’re insane, and they may very well be, but they know exactly what they’re doing. Do you? Nope. Okay, then.

sheltonhull@gmail.com

Southern Discomfort: Idle Bloom brings the new Nashville sound back to Duval County

 

The last time Idle Bloom was in town, working the Shantytown, they were known as Fancytramp, and their CDs were covered with glitter. Two years and one name-change later, and the band returns in support of the ten-song debut album Little Deaths, which isn’t even officially released until the 17^th. The Nashville-based quartet delivers a fresh variation on that now-ubiquitous indie sound, which has allowed them to thrive in one of the world’s most competitive music scenes.

“Technically speaking, Fancytramp is a different band, just has two of the same members,” writes bassist Katie Banyay, by way of correction. Singer/guitarist Olivia Scibelli leads the group through a torrent of tightly arranged fuzzbox fantasia, alongside second guitarist Callan Dwan, harmonizing over top with bassist Banyay while drummer Weston Sparks pushes the pulse forward like an offensive lineman in Flying Wedge formation. The band has grown closer and more confident during their hiatus; now they’re coming for theirs, and failure seems unlikely.

“‘Idle Bloom’ comes from a poem by Caroline Clive called I Watched The Heavens. We had the name and [Fancytramp’s] last show set up, but needed a new drummer. So Weston Sparks was suggested to play with us from a friend. We clicked instantly and he was such a trooper. He learned an entire Fancytramp set that he’d never play again! Soon after, we found a second guitar player and began as what was truly the beginning of Idle Bloom. The lineup has switched around some with Gavin Schriver being added recently.”

Issued through the Fraternity As Vanity label (FV008), Little Deaths meets and well exceeds the promise of their 2015 single Fare Fumo, a split 7” with Churchyard, yet another fine Nashville band (whose self-titled album from 2015 is a steal at $5). “Little Deaths differs from the EP (Some Paranoia), mainly by two things: I think it has a bigger sound and was planned out more thoroughly,” writes Banyay.

”With Some Paranoia we had the intention of it being a full length. It was recorded in our friend Shibby’s grandma’s basement. We were all anxious to release something. It was very ambitious of us to want to start off with a full length, so once we had all of the songs finished, we chose the best performances from that session and turned it into an EP. The songs we didn’t add to Some Paranoia, we ended up rerecording with Kyle Gilbride (plus other songs, one recorded with Joe McMahan) and those are on Little Deaths. So we had all this extra time to rework the songs and figure out exactly what we wanted our sound to be. I’m really proud of all the hard work and time we put into this album.”

Joining them at Rain Dogs will be Terror Pigeon (one of the greatest band names ever), Totally KAROL, from Tallahassee, and Ruffians, who could be called local legends about as surely as anyone working today. Bonus: Free t-shirts from promoter Big Dunn, auteur of the infamous “Smoke Meowt” line, which completely took on a life of its own last year. He’ll be starting his birthday month out in style—and so will you, if you get one of them dang shirts, for realsies.

 

sheltonhull@gmail.com

Friends of Flint: Kemetic Empire leading water-drive

The ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan has quickly captured the attention of the entire country, and pushback has been coming far and wide. Graphic pictures of brown water, laced with lead and other toxic contaminants, sparked immediate national outrage, to the point that President Obama declared a state of emergency for the entire city of 100,000-plus people, of whom over 9,000 children have already tested positive for lead exposure.

Activists and citizen groups have been collecting drinking water for the people of Flint, with their efforts being bolstered by celebrities like Meek Mill, Pearl Jam, Cher, Diddy, Mark Wahlberg and Michael Moore (whose classic film “Roger and Me” introduced Flint to a national audience in the 1980s. Some are donating water directly, while many others (like Jimmy Fallon) are providing cash to buy water.

Northeast Florida has plenty of water to spare, of course, and some of it will be heading to Flint this Friday, January 29, in a caravan being organized by the Kemetic Empire and Urban Geo-Ponics. Diallo Sekou co-founded these organizations several years ago to help highlight the political and economic disparities affecting the urban areas of Jacksonville, while drawing attention to the practical solutions being developed in response.

For him and his colleagues, the situation in Flint only reinforces concepts that he and his colleagues have been stressing locally for quite some time. “The community has to play a more important and vital role when it comes to day to day business of their lives,” says Sekou. “For poor people there are several issues affecting us all. starting with our own self-interest and not wanting to operate as a collective to change these types of conditions. Ownership and control of our areas is the key to shifting the paradigm.”

Water and supplies can be dropped off at the Ethio Discount Store on Main Street and 16^th, or people can call Sekou or Ishmael Muhammad directly. All donations are tax-deductible.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1693550497589311/1693558050921889/

http://www.thekemeticempire.com/operation-flint-get-clean-water-to-the-people/

https://www.gofundme.com/dyy8spt8

Nixon in the Rear-View: Three newish books offer three fresh perspectives on our 37th President

The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose From Defeat to Create the New Majority, by Pat Buchanan. New York: Crown Forum/Random House. 392 pp, illustrated.

Nixon’s Secrets: The Rise, Fall and Untold Truth about the President, Watergate and the Pardon, by Roger Stone, with Mike Colapietro. New York; Skyhorse Publishing. 661 pp, illustrated.

Pat and Dick: The Nixons, an Intimate Portrait of a Marriage, by Will Swift. New York: Threshold Editions/Simon & Schuster. 447 pp, illustrated.

The year 2014 was an important one for the friends, family and fans of America’s infamous 37^th president, who died 20 years ago this April. August 8^th marked the 40-year anniversary of Nixon’s resignation, followed by his dramatic exit from office the following day. It was the beginning of a long journey back into America’s good graces, a process that continues to this day. This country and the entire world have changed a lot since his death, and time has rendered a different judgment of Nixon than the one rendered in his lifetime, as old information combines with new developments to clarify old perceptions.

These anniversaries have triggered a small flood of Nixonalia into the marketplace, and each project wrestles with a central problem: Richard Nixon is not a man who can be spoken of objectively. The nature of his work forces all those who study it to make their own decision at so many different points. Let’s keep it real: His enemies called him “Tricky Dick”, and even his allies would concede how utterly appropriate the nickname was—more so than maybe any president since Andrew Jackson, aka “Old Hickory”. HBO released “Nixon: In His Own Words”, an excellent 75-minute mashup of audio clips and video footage spanning the scope of his career. It’s an ideal introduction to one of the great character studies of the entire 20^th century.

Richard Milhous Nixon cut one of the most unique swaths through our nation’s political history, and that influence persists today, a generation after he took leave of this dimension. As President Obama lurches toward the anticlimactic end of his administration, recent scandals have proven that, despite whatever early pretensions he may have had to the legacy of JFK, history will regard him as the closest thing we’ve had to Nixon since Nixon himself—a cold-blooded pragmatist, driven by inner tensions that he can hardly articulate.

Each of the three books tends to center on specific aspects of Nixon’s story, and will be of varying appeal, depending on the reader’s views of the subject. Two of the authors can be considered partisans: Buchanan and Stone were both recruited and trained in part by Nixon himself, and both went on to work for Reagan, as well.

But just as Nixon’s worst enemies would allow for the man’s obvious ability, his key supporters will readily own up to his major flaws—and, seen in its totality, the Nixon Legacy seems like something that could have never gone any differently than it did. Although Nixon himself would later own up to his many mistakes, it is unlikely that, given the opportunity, he would have never corrected them, because Richard Nixon was, by all accounts, pathologically incapable of admitting weakness. The whole debacle involving the infamous “Nixon Tapes” is a case in point. Even as his presidency was lurching, slowly and painfully toward its inevitable conclusion, he retained the power to save his presidency by simply burning the tapes.

Of course, veteran GOP operative Roger Stone, who started working for Nixon while barely out of his teens, posits that Nixon was set up for scandal by his own underlings, through a combination of incompetence and outright corruption, and that even he may not have known exactly what was up until the end. By the time his resignation was a fait accompli, the old man (who aged prematurely, like they all do) had already pivoted into plotting his post-presidency career. Stone argues that the affable ax-man Gerald Ford was selected to replace Spiro Agnew with a mind toward the pardon that he would eventually grant the fallen Nixon; he further argues that Nixon secured that pardon essentially through blackmail—specifically, his knowledge of Ford’s crucial role in whitewashing what became the Warren Commission Report. And that is the axis around which his narrative rotates.

Only in recent years has it become common knowledge that many of the people closest to the situation—Bobby Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and even Fidel Castro—had all privately admitted extreme skepticism of the commission’s findings. Note that the latter three frequently turn up in conspiracy theories related to the real architects of the assassination; for what it’s worth, Stone fixes the blame squarely on LBJ, as he wrote in his previous book, and one may assume that his views were influenced heavily by Nixon’s own.

During his presidency, Nixon was known for making frequent references to “the Bay of Pigs situation”, particularly as the Watergate investigation began to pick up steam. Although he never spoke to the point directly, it was always widely believed that the phrase was a reference to the murder of JFK, but Stone makes this theory explicit: In his telling, Nixon as Vice-President was deputized by Eisenhower to plot the removal of Fidel Castro, in conjunction with the CIA and members of the mafia who’d been alienated by the Cuban regime. This effort, called “Operation 40”, led directly to the ridiculous failed assassination plots run by Bobby Kennedy under his brother, which then led directly to the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion, which many (including Stone) led directly to the tragedy in Dallas in November 1963. (Add Stone’s name, also, to the list of writers who have alleged that other assassination plots had been in the works prior to November 1963.)

What made all this relevant to Nixon’s interests is that A) JFK was, at one point, a friend of his, and, having survived attempts on his own life over the years, he was deeply disturbed by the idea of any president being killed; and B) Nixon knew that several of the people thought to be involved in the murder plot—including people like Frank Sturgis, Felix Rodriguez, Santo Trafficante, Johnny Roselli and the infamous E. Howard Hunt, who confessed membership in the conspiracy shortly before his own death—were veterans of Nixon’s Operation 40, and as such he knew he could’ve been implicated in the conspiracy himself, even though he presumably was not. The fact that Hunt and Sturgis both went on to be part of the original Watergate burglary team is a historical anomaly that, in Stone’s telling, led directly to the Plumbers’ apparent failure, and the end of their boss’ tenure.

Stone’s book “Nixon’s Secrets” is probably the most must-read of the three books. It’s loaded with insider dirt, rendered by an author whose dirty-tricks credentials are rock-solid. Stone’s book is kind of a throwback to this writer’s personal favorite Nixon book, Anthony Summers’ infamous biography The Arrogance of Power: The Secret World of Richard Nixon (2000), a tome crafted and marketed as an epic takedown that, as so often with aspects of Nixon’s blowback, backfired.

In a country that glorifies gangsters and anti-heroes of all stripes, it makes perfect sense that Richard Nixon is arguably more popular now that he was at any point in his life, and his fan-base is built heavily around people who weren’t even alive during his presidency. Their views of that era are colored by their living memory of all the (for lack of a better word) shenanigans that have transpired in the 40 years since Nixon’s resignation: the Iran hostage crisis, Reagan getting shot, Iran-Contra, Whitewater, Lewinsky, the Drug War, the Patriot Act, two attacks on the World Trade Center, two Iraq wars and countless skirmishes and incidents elsewhere, leading up to things like the NSA and TSA today. It is frankly hypocritical for Americans to pretend that the 1970s elite consensus regarding Nixon remains valid in today’s world, given the men we elected to succeed him as president. At least half of those six may have eclipsed Nixon, in terms of pure ruthlessness, and maybe all of them.

For today’s GOP to attack President Obama for using Nixonian tactics—which he does, no doubt—creates the kind of bitter, cynical historical irony that only Nixon could appreciate. And when one considers that the three most successful presidents since Nixon (Reagan, Clinton, Obama), all basically came up from nothing, with fathers who were either absent or insufficient, and all grew up with chips on their shoulders that they carried into the White House with them, along with the attendant defense mechanisms, creating a psychological component that directly influenced their own presidencies (for better or for worse) it could well be argued that we are still living in the Age of Nixon, because they all worked variations on a theme that he established in the larger narrative of the presidency as an institution. The only difference between he and them is that (as every Nixon scholar seems to agree) Nixon was never able to check his darker impulses, which eventually consumed him. But then again, Nixon never had Nixon’s example to draw upon.

As time has passed, and the principals on all sides have grown older, passed on and left their (always selective) memories behind, Nixon’s controversial run has come to be seen in a broader context. This process was initiated by Nixon himself during the David Frost interviews in 1977, his Oxford Union gig in 1978 and the publication of his memoirs that same year. While Nixon did not invent the concept of “revisionist history”, he was without question the all-time master of its use in American politics, and the broader culture. It’s hard to think of another public figure in our nation’s history whose posthumous reputation is more different than their reputation in life, and certainly not in a positive way. Again, this was probably Nixon’s plan all along. Only he could have understood what honest observers would now concede: that the historical value of keeping the White House Tapes would transcend the disastrous short-term effect that it had on his presidency.

Even after he resigned he left behind the framework for what would become a winning coalition for Reagan and Bush that later gave his party 12 more years of power—or 20, if one counts George W. Bush, a very different type of Republican, no doubt. Buchanan’s book goes into great detail on the process of triangulating between two parties that were both in transitional phases; he shows how, at all points in the 1960s, Nixon was working toward an end-game that most of his peers were unable to figure out until it was basically over. Nixon was consistently ahead of the curve when it came to almost everything, except his own career; he consistently sacrificed his short-term interests in favor of long-term legacy concerns, culminating with the fateful and fatal decision not to destroy his tapes, and it’s only now, long after his death, that we can appreciate that calculation

Time has leveled a sort of equilibrium to Nixon’s legacy, in that casual observers will remember him mostly for perceived misdeeds that history has given context to, in not exactly validation. On matters like Alger Hiss, the escalation of war in Indochina, the Pentagon Papers and even the Oval Office tapes themselves, time has led more people to believe Nixon simply made the least-disastrous choice in a number of lose-lose situations that were often not of his doing.

The present era of global chaos makes some nostalgic for the man who engaged Communists in China and Russia, reached out to Arab moderates while strengthening America’s relationship with Israel and managed to pass a wave of progressive social policies while ratcheting up the war on drugs. Nixon had a special kind of hustle that we will likely never see again on any level of the business, and that in my opinion is to our permanent disadvantage.

Hillary Clinton (who might not have met her husband, at least not have met her husband, had the two young rising Democratic stars not shared a common enemy in Nixon, but that’s another story) once defined the difference between politicians and statesmen thusly: A politician thinks of the next election, while a statesman thinks of the next generation. Nixon was both, in spades, but 40 years after his final disgrace, more and more Americans are coming to recognize that his disgrace was not really not that disgraceful after all.

Swift notes that Pat Nixon always suspected that her husband’s undoing may have related to willful shenanigans by members of the Watergate burglary team acting at cross-purposes—a hypothesis that Stone makes extensive effort to verify in Nixon’s Secrets. He implicates Alexander Butterfield, who installed Nixon’s taping system and then revealed its existence to Congress—unprovoked, in his telling—while also calling out the incompetence of key functionaries like Bob Haldeman, John Erlichmann and John Mitchell, who were all key to Nixon’s political rebirth but whose personal flaws contributed to their boss’ undoing, and their own eventual imprisonment.

Stone reserves special venom for John Dean, whom he places at the center of a conspiracy to undermine the president for self-serving ends, and whose own multiple versions of the story are painstaking elucidated. Their feud has only burned hotter since the book’s release; it would make an interesting debate. Stone also hits Alexander Haig, while alleging that he was among the sources for former Navy intelligence operative Bob Woodward, whose seminal reporting on the scandal was, in Stone’s telling, largely specious, if not transparently false. He flatly rejects the idea of Mark Felt being Deep Throat, suggesting the character was merely a composite of several people.

Stone has obviously given a lot of thought to Watergate and related matters, and his views are useful addendums to the established narrative. (Stone and Dean had a brief, but vitriolic verbal battle at the Austin Book Festival; their dispute may ultimately have to be settled in court.) Stone’s next book, due later this year, focuses on the Clintons, and promises to be potentially even more explosive than Nixon’s Secrets. And with a potential run for US Senate in the works for 2016, with Hillary Clinton seeking the presidency in the same year, there is no reason for him to hold anything back, and no reason to think he’d even consider it. Because, after all, he is a Nixon man.

Notes on the 2015 Elections in Duval County

#kayfabe

It’s good to hear that so many took advantage of the early-voting. Analysts have been projecting the usual pathetic turnout for this spring’s elections, and with fewer than three in ten registered voters projected to show up, it’s pretty much impossible to get anything better than politics-as-usual. I didn’t early-vote; I always prefer voting on Election Day. I love the ritual of getting a coffee, then standing in line talking to fellow voters, listening in on conversations, etc.

That said, I’m writing this on Monday, the 23rd of March, the day before Election Day. Assorted friends and readers have inquired about my thoughts on the election, but aside from occasional posts on social media, I have mostly refrained from writing about these elections at all. I’ve probably done less writing about this election than any since 1996, on any level, and that was not by accident. After running for City Council myself, four years ago, and pulling about 1,300 votes in a district with 41,000-plus voters, the experience changed my perspective on how the business works. Is politics corrupt? Of course–deeply, madly, inextricably so. But while we can go on all day about the failures of elected officials and the weakness of new candidates, the bitter reality is that it is the people themselves who are the weak link. Their laziness and passivity creates the broader context in which our leaders can underperform because, deep down, they know they can get away with it. They know the people have neither the courage nor the character to facilitate change, no matter what they say. So, I figured, why bother covering a rigged game–especially when no one wants to get into the exact nature of the rigging, and there is no possibility of being paid for it, anyway? Nah. Let the elite play politics, and let the people pretend to care, and the beat goes on and the beat goes on…

With the first round of elections coming tomorrow, a number of the more interesting candidates this year will be eliminated, because fresh thinking is not really appreciated here. Indeed, we’ve seen a number of instances in which the harshest reactions have come directly at those trying to think outside the proverbial box in which political orthodoxy is housed, fortified like the bunker under the old courthouse. For the amusement of the handful of you reading this, and for the sake of promoting my appearance on WBOB AM600‘s Election Day wrap-up show (Tuesday night, 7-9pm), I offer here a rough glance at the people I’ll probably be voting for tomorrow, and why. These are not endorsements, nor recommendations; I refrain from all that. I have no dogs in these fights; I cannot conceive of any way that any result in any of these races will impact on my life, but that is certainly not true for the vast majority of Jacksonville’s citizens, many of whose lives and livelihoods depends on the decisions these people make, or fail to make. You can view the full slate of candidates online, and all the special-interest groups have made their endorsements as well. And so…

Mayor: Bill Bishop (R). Alvin Brown has been an excellent mayor in his first term, in my opinion, but he’s had a very hard time making that case effectively in this campaign. Despite his overall success, his handlers have manipulated him into a series of disastrous political mistakes (most notably the HRO debacle) that are the only reason he’s had any competition at all. If he’d done things even slightly differently, he’d be cruising like Delaney in 1999 or Peyton in 2007. Instead, he’s fighting for his career against two other strong candidates, Bishop and Curry. I’m voting for Bishop not because of anything he says, because it doesn’t matter what any of them say; they will do what they’re told, and what that will be is beyond my pay-grade. I like the way he’s run a new-style campaign, embracing disparate elements of the electorate in a way that presented a real threat to the local leadership of both major parties, both of which are played-out, mediocre and ineffective. The fact that Democrats and Republican elites basically joined forces to try and shut down Bishop, by any means necessary (including all kinds of dirty tricks that we’ll just not mention), speaks to his potential, as does the fact that nothing has managed to slow his momentum over the past couple of months. Lenny Curry is a nice guy, but he’s a functionary, not a leader; he represents a bunch of bad people who pushed him into launching a fusillade of negative mailers that did him no favors. Brown deserves to be reelected, and when he makes the run-off he’ll probably get my vote. But if he is to be defeated, Bill Bishop is the credible alternative.

Sheriff: Ken Jefferson (D). The dirty secret here is that local Democrats are so weak, Jefferson will probably lose, but through no fault of his own. He pulled good numbers against outgoing sheriff John Rutherford in 2011, despite local Dems assiduously underfunding him, for reasons probably more about tactical incompetence that any kind of bigotry. All seven candidates are talented veterans of the department, and in theory any of them would be good at the job, but Jefferson’s media skills will be useful in representing an organization that will probably be under continual FBI investigation for the rest of this decade. Rutherford has endorsed Greg Anderson, but Jimmy Holderfield looks strong. The real question of the 2015 elections is why Rutherford didn’t run for mayor himself, but I’m sure he had his reasons. There are lots of issues that needed discussion in this particular race, and many questions that needed answering. But all of us in local media made the spontaneous and unrelated decision to stand down on all of it, by popular mandate of the audience. In fact, this is probably the last time I will ever mention the police department in print, in any capacity. It’s just not something to be discussed, and maybe that’s for the better.

Property Appraiser and Tax Collector are crucial positions in city government, and the fact that those spots will be won outright by longtime professional politicians (Jerry Holland and Michael Corrigan), Republicans who had no opposition at all, says all you need to know about how this city works, not to mention how the Democratic Party fails to work. You would think there’d at least be some kind of quid-pro-quo for laying and conceding such key spots to the opposition, but that’s not how they do things. They just lay down, because winning has not been a consideration for them for an entire generation. Brown’s victory in 2011 had nothing to do with his party; it was about his own skillful manipulation of a fractured Republican base (because the only real priority in 2011 was stopping Audrey Moran, for reasons that make no sense, but which I’m sure Bill Bishop can empathize with these days) and his ability to win support of a handful of wealthy powerbrokers.

City Council Districts:

1: Joyce Morgan (D). I’ve often noted–in all seriousness–that our city would immediately and dramatically improve if all our elected officials were fired and replaced with local news anchors. This is a chance to prove that.

2: Lisa King (D)

3: I don’t care. When I say that about these council races, it’s not to be taken as an insult to the candidates. It’s just that I’m not a fan of the city council, in general, and I think their collective role in local politics over the past decade or more has been overwhelmingly negative. So, in certain cases, I happily support people whom I think would be great councilfolk, but by and large I don’t think it matters.

4: Ramon Day (D). One of the most talented candidates running this year, on any level. If he loses, that’s an embarrassment to the city–which, of course, means he will probably lose.

5: I don’t care. Lori Boyer (R) runs unopposed.

6: I don’t care.

7: James Eddy (D). Eddy is one of the many candidates who have expressed support for an inclusive HRO, and one of the few who isn’t lying when he says that. But it’s all academic, since the HRO is most likely dead forever. This is what happens when you don’t stand up to bullies.

8: I don’t care. In this singular case, I say that because there are several good candidates, so it’s almost impossible for voters in District 8 to make a bad choice, which speaks well of a community that doesn’t get a lot of good publicity.

9: Glorious Johnson (D)

10: I don’t care.

11: I don’t care. Danny Becton (R) runs unopposed, so it’s whatever.

12: Abner Davis (D)

13: I don’t care. Bill Gulliford (R) runs unopposed.

14: Jason Tetlak (D). Incumbent Jim Love beat me in 2011, but that’s fine. He’s a good guy, a skilled politician and he will surely stomp Tetlak tomorrow–which is too bad. Tetlak brought it on himself by refusing outside contributions; he probably thought that would endear him to the electorate, but he was wrong. The last either party wants is for someone to succeed who is not on the take, so wrecking him was important. He has a future in politics, but it doesn’t start tomorrow.

City Council At-Large Districts:

1: Anna Brosche (R). A lot of people hate incumbent Kimberly Daniels, which I find ridiculous, but whatever. It’s another case in which progressive interests are best-served by voting Republican, because the Democrats are just so caught up in their losing-on-purpose gimmick that the real political debate in this city now occurs among factions of the increasingly (and refreshingly) fractious GOP.

2: John Crescimbeni (D). Controversial? Yep. But it doesn’t matter. The incumbent will walk away with this election, and has a strong chance of being mayor someday, unless someone pays him not to run. Whoever wins the mayor’s race will need to put a priority on keeping him happy, for their own sake.

3: Tommy Hazouri (D). Mincy Pollock is cool, and I had a couple of friends who tried and failed to run for this spot. But at the end of the day, you don’t vote against Tommy Hazouri; the mere thought is laughable.

4: I don’t care. But the LGBT community endorses Juanita Powell-Williams (D) over Greg Anderson (R), and so that’s good enough for me. This is a good place to make a note: The LGBT community has been ruthlessly used, abused, exploited and extorted by all sides, such that their own political power is shadow of what it could have been. Blame starts with the leadership, who chose personal gain over protecting the interests of their constituents. The HRO debacle was largely of their making–first, by allowing transgenders to be thrown under the bus, in hopes of getting a watered-down version passed, and second by actually believing that a watered-down HRO was going to pass. All it did was show the trans community that their own political leaders view them as a separate class within the constituency, and that their rights were a secondary concern. It also showed the bigots and hatemongers that the LGBT community could be bullied into submission. The mayor double-crossed them, and now they have no actual champion, which sucks.

5: Michelle Tappouni (R). Ju’Coby Pittman (D) is a longtime family friend, but Tappouni is a personal friend, so that’s that. Good luck to everyone, candidates and voters alike–you’ll need it!

Notes on Lobo Marino

Lobo Marino/Joseph Shuck/Jesse Carole Montoya/Swamp Trees/Charlie Hunt—Rain Dogs, 1045 Park St.

Friday, January 30, 8pm; $5

Spirit Animals

Lobo Marino, and their subcontinental drift.

“Lobo Marino” means “Sea Lion” in Spanish—in this case, specifically, the Pacific Sea Lion. Hailing from historic Richmond, VA, Lobo Marino’s national bonafides were certified through relentless touring over the past couple of years, much of which has been documented across the full spectrum of social media. The thermodynamic duo of Laney Sullivan and Jameson Price have certainly built a solid following—wide-ranging, diverse and loyal—in a very short time, and that is largely due to their usage of technology, which stands in stark contrast to their own personal austerity.

My favorite album of theirs is “Fields” (2013), their second, which is built around field recordings made while on the road in places like Cheffcouan, Morocco; Albujaras, Spain; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Chicago; Butte, Montana; Geyserville, CA. It’s truly one of the most singularly unique albums recorded in the 21st century so far—an absolutely essential document. For Lobo Marino, travel is not a means to an end—it is the end, and that is a crucial component of their brand.

Their Tumblr page, for example, is largely devoted to photographs of the various places they’ve slept while on the road, none of which are five-star hotels, and very few of which are even hotels at all. Guest rooms, living rooms, band rooms, barns; offices, couches, floors, tents; garages, farms, hostels, sometimes even their own vehicle. (While in Jacksonville, the band crashed in Antique Animals’ music room.) It’s a funny, fascinating look at the interior life of a working musician in the modern era, and the logistics involved in carving out a niche in this crowded, competitive marketplace. Hopefully they collect all those pictures for a book someday.

They’ve already established a semi-regular presence in Northeast Florida, having previously performed at Burro Bar and Bold Bean. They’ll be playing three local gigs this week, starting with a two-night stand January 28 & 29) as part of Ananda Kula’s “Audio Ananda” concert series on Wednesday and Thursday. Lobo Marino headlines a stacked bill at Rain Dogs on Friday night that includes two of the region’s top singer-songrwriters, Antique Animals frontman Joe Shuck and the delightful Jesse Carole Montoya, as well as fellow Richmond band Swamp Trees and rising star Charlie Hunt. Both settings make for an ideal matching of artist, audience, and aesthetics. Theirs is a breezy, esoteric sound—music for meditation, and maybe astral projection, heavy on harmony, dense with drone and dulcimer. It’s safe to say that no other group anywhere sounds quite like them, nor could any, if they tried. Singer Sullivan and percussionist Price lean toward older, unusual instruments that don’t get as much use in the usual indie-rock toolkit.

Lobo Marino’s newest video is for “Holy River”, the lead track from their fourth album, 2014’s “City of Light”. The Indian influences insinuated throughout the album reflect the couple’s longtime love for the subcontinent, its culture and its music, which only increased after going there a couple years ago. It was recorded at the Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville in Buckingham, VA, with some sounds recorded in India; all proceeds from online sales go toward their friend’s Vagdevi Children’s Art School, which uses music and arts to help lift children out of unfortunate circumstances.

It’s the best record yet from a band that always makes great records, and it was recorded six months ago. Lord only knows how good the next one will be, but you can be damn sure that it will be epic. The band’s sound has expanded dramatically from their experimental indie-folk roots in their five years together, but they had already grown into their mature song by the first time they worked Duval. “City of Light” points the way forward toward even greater creative evolution. “Radhe Radhe” takes the form to its apogee over nine minutes; it’s like an Indian field holler with bass drum (which Price plays Mo Tucker-style), hand-claps and harmonium. It may be cliché to call it “trance-inducing”, but not if it’s true. Buy it, and play it loud, and then do it again.

http://www.lobomarinomusic.com/

http://lobomarino.bandcamp.com/

http://lobomarinomusic.tumblr.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnTTybYkHtPRBs6TteohYEA

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lobo-Marino/124201317615541

https://twitter.com/lobomarinomusic

http://www.bhadrakali-association.com/

http://www.ananda-kula.com/

https://www.facebook.com/anandakulayoga

https://www.facebook.com/events/324076084457277/

Becca Stevens: On Her Way

Riverside Fine Arts Series presents: Becca Stevens

Monday, April 27, 7:30 pm

Underbelly, 113 E. Bay St.

$20

For nearly a decade, the Riverside Fine Arts Series has presented some of the most interesting musicians Northeast Florida has hosted in that time. Most of those concerts have occurred in Riverside, at the historic Church of the Good Shepherd, one of the best places in Florida to catch a show. (The Turtle Island String Quartet’s performance some years back remains a personal favorite.)

That process has proceeded full-speed into 2014. Enter Becca Stevens, hailing from Winston-Salem, NC, by way of New York City. Classically-trained in guitar at North Carolina School of the Arts (c/o 2002), she earned a BFA in vocal jazz and composition at the New School for Jazz (c/o 2007) before going pro. Even out of school, Stevens copped credits quickly, in combos led by pianists Taylor Eigsti and fellow New School alumnus Brad Mehldau (who, incidentally, was born in Jacksonville).

By her count, she’s recorded about 25 songs so far. “I have been writing songs since I can remember,” Stevens writes via email from the road, where she’s currently on tour, “and I’ve recorded a lot of original music with artists and bands other than my own, as well as original material that was never officially released.”

Her solo debut, “Tea Bye Sea”, was released independently in 2008. “Weightless” (Sunnyside) followed three years later, bringing her into mainstream focus for the first time. Speaking to NPR that year, Kurt Elling cited her among his five favorite jazz vocalists. A new album is slated for later this year: “I just finished mixing the upcoming album. I’m in the process of trying to find a label for it. If that doesn’t pan out, I’ll release it on my own.”

“When we perform live, the music tends to be heavier, bigger, and higher energy than how it was recorded on ‘Weightless’,” she says. “My approach is always changing in little ways as I am as an artist. Also, we are playing mostly new material now, from our upcoming release. This new material tends more towards a heavier rock/pop sound, and is a little more danceable and less moody than the songs from ‘Weightless’.”

Stevens is probably best-known to casual fans as the vocalist for Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra, an 18-piece supergroup of New York musicians—who’ve worked for artists ranging from Clark Terry and Ray Charles to Jessica Simpson and Arcade Fire—assembled to perform his original big-band arrangements of Bjork songs. Their 2008 album “Enjoy” was, and remains, an instant classic.

It’s hard to accurately describe music that crosses over so many boundaries; even the artist has some difficulty categorizing the dozens of songs she’s written so far. “I’d say it floats somewhere between pop, Appalachian folk, jazz, rock, and world music,” she writes. “The arrangements are intricate and vocal/harmony driven. The compositions are intimate but accessible, through-composed, and from the heart!”

Stevens currently leads her own band, which she founded in 2005; the group includes Liam Robinson (accordion, piano, vocals), Chris Tordini (acoustic bass, vocals) and Jordan Perlson (drums & percussion). Tordini and Robinson have been in her band since day one, whereas Perlson’s “only” been there five years. It’s a band comprised of friends, who have come up in the business and evolved into their mature style together, which lends a real tightness to the live sets, even as the music itself can be downright laconic.

Stevens is contributing strongly to a rebooting of how jazz is perceived by audiences for whom the music is more often considered a fixed entity, in stasis and currently inaccessible, geographically and aesthetically. It’s no coincidence that Underbelly will also be at the epicenter of the “Jazz After Dark” activities at the jazz festival in May; Stevens’ own band and the Bjorkestra are both prime examples of the kind of acts that should be booked at the festival itself in the future. As for Stevens’ own future, all systems are go. “I’d like to stay on the track that i’m currently on!” she writes. “I’d like to also continue collaborating with likeminded artists outside the music I play with my bandmates. I see myself making music until I can’t make music anymore.”

Having started very early, Stevens (a 15-year veteran) is presently a leading light among the new generation of genre-smashing jazz/pop hybrid female vocalists, several of whom—including Sophie Milman and Esperanza Spalding—have also worked Jacksonville in partnership with RFAS. Although they have worked Miami before, this will be the Becca Stevens Band’s first appearance here in Jacksonville. It will also mark Underbelly’s first time hosting the RFAS. Both those firsts are well worth repeating, as often as possible.

http://www.riversidefinearts.org/concert-series/becca-stevens-band/

http://www.youtube.com/user/beccastevensband

https://www.facebook.com/beccastevensmusic

 

sheltonhull@gmail.com

April 25, 2014

#HateMail!

Here’s the kind of thing I get to mess with sometimes. I dissed Obama online earlier today, at length, and someone sent me this a few minutes ago:

“Shelton, I never expected to see the day that I would find that your curious mind and unique perspective on the world and issues would degenerate to the point that you would not welcome commentary, expect only to be listened to, not challenged and when your ideas are countered determine that the action of so doing is liberal condescending Baby Boomer input. That is just so cliche. I have always viewed your commentary with an open mind even when I didn’t always agree and respected the difference in views but you went off the rails today and it wasn’t cool or edgy, beginning with the scummy white folks surrounding Obama remark to be followed by an uncalled for insult on entire nation of America and the very many fine, courageous, selfless and giving people who make this nation great. For those of us who have had people in wars to protect our country and freedoms as well as those who have lost their lives or loved ones doing so is an unforgivable insult to the good hearts of people who suffered much to give you the freedom to spin your opinions and yarns as openly as you do. I lost all respect for you today and for me that is a sad, sad thing. As someone who has read your work for years and someone you confided in in the past (and have clearly forgotten about) I truly believe that you have lost your balance and perspective. That is not meant as an insult but perhaps just enough of a comment to cause you to step back and rethink. What I read today was ugly pretending at creative commentary. I have always though better of you than that. I don’t expect a response and frankly at this point am not interested in one. What a shame you don’t understand how lucky you are to be an American and the suffering it took in order for you to live as free and openly in opinion as you do. Hurts my heart.”

My response: “Hmm, let’s see… 1) You’re disappointed in me–patronizing tone, and implies that your approval is a valuable prize that, once rescinded, should make me sad. But it does not. 2) Use of the word “degenerate” implies that my style no longer meets your approval. 3) Suggesting that I went “off the rails” implies that your opinion predominates, but it does not. 4) Being “cool or edgy” was not my intent, so I’m not sure where that comes from. 5) I stand by the “scummy white folks” remark, but I’ll amend it to note that he has some scummy black people around him, too–just not usually in position of real authority. 6) I stand by the “cowardly president for a cowardly nation” remark; just my opinion. 7) You seem to feel that I’ve never had friends of loved ones in the military; that is not the case. You also seem to think that I don’t know about the role our troops have played in winning the freedoms we enjoy today; this is consistent with your overall theme, and is another one of those condescending boomer cliches we were talking about. Your having lost all respect for me in the course of an hour’s worth of Facebook chatter begs the question of how much respect you ever had for me to begin with–but I’ll not ask that, because I don’t care. 9) Your suggestion that I “clearly forgotten” about our previous conversations is, again, consistent with your overall theme. 10) Your suggestion that I “have lost balance and perspective” implies that you are in a position to evaluate me, based on whatever your professional qualifications may be. 11) Was what you ready ugly? Of course–we were talking about Obama, lol! 12) If you weren’t interested in a response, you wouldn’t have wasted a moment of this lovely Friday evening doubling-down on remarks that you already knew I took offense to. 13) Your telling me that I do not understand my privileged position as an American citizen, or its history or my ancestors’ history would be a blatant insult, even if that information wasn’t taught at grade-school level. Everything you’ve said here involves talking to down to people, implying that you’re smarter and more sophisticated than anyone else in the conversation, and that anyone who disagrees with you is worth of your hand-wringing pity. That is not the case at all. 14) If your heart hurts, see your doctor; it has nothing to do with me. Good day to you.”

Notes on Scared Rabbits, PopNihil, etc.

Track list and flyer…

Scared Rabbits/Burnt Hair/Vase/Cyril/Andy Borsz/Vile Wine

CoRK Arts District, 2689 Rosselle Street

Friday, August 9, 9pm

Artist Morrison Pierce has been performing and recording as “Scared Rabbits” for nearly a decade, but Darkness To Black marks the group’s first official full-length release. Although he’s already sold couple dozen copies of the album to friends and patrons, its formal debut occurs as part of an event being held at CORK on Friday, August 9 featuring five other bands. (They will also be doing a release party at Rain Dogs on the 22nd.) I met him there, a few days ago, to listen to the album and talk about its development.

While a number of talents have been involved in Scared Rabbits shows over the years (most notably Jay Peele and the late great Brian Hicks), the current incarnation as documented on the album features Pierce on vocals atop instrumental production by Chance Isbell, who’s been involved in the project for about a year. It’s just the latest multimedia collaboration between the two, both men are visual artists by trade, and both fixtures in the CORK scene from practically its inception.

Morrison Pierce, occupying his studio

The album was recorded entirely on four-track tape, and was culled together from hours of material, which will eventually spawn further albums. Tracks range from 2:21 to 12:44, and the overall noisy freak-out vibe is tempered (however briefly) by moments of genuine beauty. For me, highlights include the opening track, “America Loves You”, a tour-de-force running nearly 12 minutes, built around vocal samples of politicians’ overly sunny spin on what the artists view as a society in economic and moral decay. And then there’s the simultaneously  offensive-yet-funny “Lesbian Chicken”, which is the closest thing they have to a radio single—though really not that close.

Chance Isbell, setting that trap…

The evening also sees the release of new product by the local Popnihil label, whose founder Matthew Moyer will be performing as Burnt Hair with Trenton Tarpits. “The genesis of popnihil was really just a dissatisfaction with the creeping, all-consuming digitization of the parts of popular culture that I liked best (music, books, magazines),” writes Moyer, “and a realization that if I truly valued the physical artifact and truly wanted to stand against a sterile future of mp3s and ebooks, it was time to put my money where my mouth was and help make tangible, physical objects. popnihil began with Jason Brown and I making collaborative zines, and I started releasing cassettes soon after, just to get the music of Keith Ansel/Mon Cul out there. Since then, I’ve released a number of other tapes by Jacksonville-area musicians operating on the harsher fringes of sound. And zines, always zines.”

For Moyer, who spends his days toiling at the Jacksonville Public Library, and certain nights hosting “Lost In the Stacks” for WJCT, popnihil has been a labor of love for the music, and his friends who are involved in making it. The CORK show will function in part as a showcase for that whole scene, a scene whose potency has only increased over this long, hot summer. “The product being released this Friday includes the new cassette by Voids, ‘Burial In The Sky’,” he writes. “Voids is the project of noise prodigy Jon Thoreson, and it’s really his most fully realized work yet. Beautiful, spare soundscapes give way to discipline-and-punish grind. And he collaborated with members of NON, Swans, Chelsea Wolfe, and Tim and Eric’s Awesome Show. No foolin’. Then there’s the debut demo from local garage savages The Mold. They make a mighty, blown-out racket with just keyboard, bass, drums and snotty (oh so snotty) vocals. Fourteen minutes of pure juvenile delinquency on a snot-colored cassette, that repeats on the other side. Just like ‘Reign In Blood’ does. They’re not going to be a local secret much longer. And I need to give another mention to the new Game Show tape, which came out at the end of July. It’s Josh Touchton and Zach Ferguson’s severely damaged hip-hop project. It’s kinda the line in the sand between people who say they like weird music and people who REALLY like freaked out music. Also the new popnihil music zine is coming out, if I can get it together in time. And, of course, the last remaining copies of tapes by Encounters and Beach Party will be on offer.”

So, that’s up to a half-dozen new recordings available that night, not to mention whatever else the other bands bring with them; Moyer “handpicked all the bands for Friday’s lineup,” and is far better equipped to describe them than I: “There’s the aforementioned Voids for starters, as this is the their tape release party. Burnt Hair, my coldwave/goth project with Trenton Tarpits of 2416/MREOW, will play a set. Vase (formerly Mohr) is John Ross Tooke’s project, first show of 2013, and it will be full-on overcast industrial nightmarescapes. Andy Borsz from the noise juggernaut Slasher Risk (and new Jax resident) is going to play a rare solo set, and you never what to expect from him. I’m excited that some friends from Austin are going to play this show as a one-off: Cyril is the solo endeavor of Aaron from Weird Weeds, and it’s just evil electronic hypnosis, and Vile Wine is a collaboration between Aaron and Sheila from No Mas Bodas/Suspirians, and it’ll be total armageddon, for certain. Closing out the night will be cult volume abusers Scared Rabbits. What will they sound like? Who will be in the band for the night? One never knows….”

https://www.facebook.com/events/618494358185002

 

Show flyer

 

sheltonhull@gmail.com

August 9, 2013

Quick notes on the massacre in Syria

Although I’ve never been to Syria, and can’t claim to be an expert on their affairs by any measure, I feel obliged to comment on the current situation, for three reasons: 1) The recent massacre(s) rise, in my opinion, to a standard of universal evil and should be condemned immediately. 2) The situation in Syria has direct implications and ramifications for US policy, and the ongoing efforts being waged in the United States to redirect the thrust of these policies away from the prevailing modes of industrialized warfare that we’ve seen to such devastating effect in this century so far. 3) The situation, and adjacent matters, do touch on some points of great relevance for all of us, regardless of whatever particular feelings one may have for Bashar Assad and his so-called “resistance”.

I say “so-called” not out of disrespect for their cause, because it’s one I generally support: neutralization or nullification of despotic regimes. No matter who you are, or who you’re connected to, mass-murder of your own civilians on-camera is mad-dog action, and the “Old Yeller” solution comes into play at that point. We saw that last year with Qaddafi, whose grisly death was the result of cooperation of multiple governments, intelligence agencies and military/para-military assets. It turned, ultimately, on a Judas Goat in Qaddafi’s own camp–he trusted someone who sold him out, just like Saddam did, and he got lynched for it, just like Saddam did. And hey, bravo–that’s the business.

The rat-fink who gave up Qaddafi was, one presumes, at cross-purposes, like most traitors are. To sell out your benefactor is cold-blooded–a compromise of the soul that usually guarantees a similar end. (Insert NKVD joke here.) It wasn’t just the money, but self-preservation, because Qaddafi had himself already crossed the point of basic decency or sanity. Even by his own standards, he’d gone too far, and he had to go before he brought down the whole thing. That is the position being faced now by Syrian insiders who saw what happened the other day and recognize the potential for–indeed, the certainty of–lethal blowback. Methods evolve to suit the purpose, and the Syrian resistance understands now that failure probably means death for all of them.

The tragic subtext is that had the international community levied real consequences for the blatant assassination of Rafik Hariri and dozens of innocent bystanders on Valentine’s Day 2005 (a massacre that even Al Capone would balk at), the 108 bodies laid out in mass-graves across America’s TV screens would still be animated. Collectively, two thousand years of unlived life were snuffed out in a couple of hours, and the atrocity will probably be repeated any day now.

Assad could have just let up, had some rigged elections and claimed a narrow mandate for the status quo, but instead chose to escalate. If he didn’t order the killing of all those women and children and harmless unarmed civilians, then he should be serving up the bodies of those who did as blatantly as they butchered those people in front of the entire world. The notion of a globalized, comprehensive revolution directed by unknown forces for unknown ends may or may not be true, but what is indisputable is that Bashar Assad’s termination will likely precede that of the Mayan Long Count calendar. And when it happens, expect an inside job.

 

Notes on Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011)

[I dashed this off a couple weeks ago, right after he died. It is incomplete because there’s more to be said about the guy than time permits, so until I find myself randomly revising this during idle moments in the weeks ahead, this must stand as my meager contribution to the heaping helpings of hagiography served up by the Hackosphere since Hitch took leave–or, to borrow a phrase of Gore Vidal’s, “dropped the feather”. Resquesciat in pace]

From a personal standpoint, it’s very difficult to explain in detail the importance of Christopher Hitchens on my own career as a journalist and part-time polemicist, nor to capture concisely in words my feelings after watching (from a fan’s distance) his 18-month progression toward the grave, which ended just last week. I recall some writer, whose name escapes me, joking once to the effect that cancer had perhaps overestimated its latest opponent.

See that? When writing about “Hitch”, one immediately and unconsciously lapses into that most-unique narrative voice of his. Most political writers’ work betrays the improvisational aspects of the job: You can almost see their thoughts forming, in real-time, as they make their way down the page. It was different with Hitchens, whose work always read as if his thoughts were fully-formed, elucidated ever so briefly and breezily in those narrow gaps between his vibrant social life. It’s a testament to his skills that he was able to get any work done at all, with his drinking, traveling and constant whirl of activity. He wrote faster, better, and in greater volume than pretty much any writer of his generation, and the majority of his peers have been honest enough to admit as much.

Did Hitchens make mistakes? Did he put forth views on major issues that were perhaps wrong, silly, dangerously misinformed? Of course. The numbers game works against all writers in that regard; show me a political writer whose career was not marked by controversy at some point or another, and I’ll show you a quivering mediocrity of the sort that predominates in DC. The Beltway crowd was never quite comfortable with an expat enfant terrible who could barely bother to pretend the rest were in his league. It takes a lot of moxie to rise to the top of such a ruthless, insular business. These guys guard their spots like functionaries in a dictatorship, and view all outsiders not just as threats, but existential threats.

Key to the elite media attacks on Hitchens’ Iraq stance was the notion that his word, alone, was sufficient to sway the masses in his direction. It presumes that Hitchens’ readers took the opinions of a professional skeptic as gospel-truth, and made no effort to develop their own through the sort of independent research Hitchens would tend to advocate. Rooted in this critique is the thinly-veiled contempt elite media has for its audience, not to mention a sort of jealousy at the general ease and skill with which Hitch performed—on stage, on the page and on TV.

In the parlance of hip-hop, Hitchens went out hard. The cancer was diagnosed early in the promotional tour for his memoir, the sublime Hitch-22 (my favorite book of 2010); he kept up a full writing schedule until about a month before he died. His last Salon piece was published on November 28; his (unacknowledged) farewell to Vanity Fair was done around this time, went online with his death, and will appear in January’s print edition. Arguably was published just a couple of months ago—a thick collection of essays from the last decade of his career, was the last book published in his lifetime. It remains unclear, at this point, how much posthumous writing he left behind, if any. There were rumors that he was working on a book about his battle with the disease that claimed his life, but I’ve heard nothing to indicate that he ever actually got around to starting it, let alone finishing it.

Guest post: Faith Bennett Meets Michelle Bachmann

[Artist Faith Bennett (D-FL) happened to be on-hand when GOP Presidential candidate Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) made a campaign stop at Angie’s Subs in Jacksonville on August 26. Her words and photos follow.]

Michelle Bachman’s blue campaign bus did not come silently, literally or figuratively, to Jacksonville Florida as it pulled into the locally legendary business that is Angie’s Subs. Hundreds packed in the small building pushing the capacity, and much of the crowd pushing 60. Small women stood on chairs, some waited in rocking chairs, others still stood by the glass window anxiously awaiting their favored presidential candidate.

The wait seemed more unbearable than the heat to the members of the First Coast Tea Party that remained inside. Whispers filled the room along with a sing-a-long Tea Party anthem prompting Americans to “Stand up” for freedom. “She’s probably doing her make up,” one woman noted, “she has to.” Another woman took the lull as an opportunity to show off her “I was anti-Obama before it was cool” pin to more people in the room.

When Bachman finally made her entrance, she was greeted with signs and smiles and American flags. The students starting the UNF chapter of the Tea Party seemed nervously excited. The founders of the First Coast Tea Party were proud and stood with their chins up. Ed Malin, the self described “Bible Thumpin’ Gun Totin’ Capitalist Pig,” who owns Angie’s Subs was happy. He had moments ago expressed via microphone that he hoped Bachman to be his next president. Michelle Bachman herself was hard to see at first over the crowd. As one woman put it, “She’s Teensy!” Her diminutive stature is a severe misrepresentation of her personality however. She speaks with a Minnesotan accent and all the enthusiasm in the world and gestures with her hands wildly with the zeal of a tent revivalist (and close to the same values.)

Bachman wasted no time explaining her disagreement with Obamacare. She spoke of how she wrote the bill to repeal Obamacare and how she was “The first member of congress on the floor introducing that bill.” She told of her desire to cut spending to the Enviromental Protection Agency, a declaration that was immediately met with clapping and cheering.. “I intend to turn out the lights and lock the doors on the EPA,” she followed while doing a locking motion with her hands.  When she closed her brief speech she made sure to say “God bless you!” to the crowd demonstrating her beliefs.

She spent longer shaking hands, holding babies, and signing the shoulders of Tshirts than giving her speech, though she didn’t stop speaking as she posed for pictures. As she signed a piece of memorabilia for an older gentleman, she expressed the ease at which she believed the natural gas movement could be started in the United States., “We can. Very easily. That’s the good thing is that we’ve got the resources in abundance.” She also made note however that she didn’t want America to own GM anymore. She is strongly against America owning companies. Bachman and her fans spent the hour of meeting and greeting aflutter with hope to, as Bachman put it, “Change the Change.” The collective spirit of the room was one of triumph in that they believed to be taking back America, and preserving their rights.

Outside, there was a smaller crowd. Ten (maybe) protesters stood on the corner with signs also demonstrating a desire to preserve their rights, and their country. The message was the same but the meaning couldn’t have been more opposite. Patriotism in the U.S. will always be relative.

Notes on Occupy Orlando

Raising the Bar: Occupy Orlando sets the regional standard.

This reporter, who lives in Jacksonville, recently spent a couple of days visiting Occupy Orlando, which was then in its third week. The Occupy movement began in New York City, then quickly went national as graphic evidence of police misconduct inspired others to start their own local offshoots in solidarity. As such, while each Occupy location does have certain features common to all, they mostly reflect the distinctive character of the cities and towns they are situated in.

Having already spent hundreds of hours researching the subject in general, including communications with insiders, observers and other journalists at Occupations around this country, the chance to sprint south and check out the scene in Orange County was welcomed eagerly. It certainly helps that Orlando is a beautiful city with great food, from eateries like Dandelion Community Cafe and Ethos Vegan Café, multi-media madness at Rock and Roll Heaven and Park Avenue CDs, which is the best record store in all of Florida. Right around the corner, Stardust Video and Coffee makes epic soups and sandwiches and a massive selection of DVDs for rental. Each Monday evening, their parking lot hosts the Audubon Park Community Market, while the Homegrown Local Food Cooperative (HomegrownCoop.org) provides sustainable fruits, vegetables and dairy to homes and restaurants throughout Central Florida.

The city’s impressive development in the half-century since Disney’s arrival makes it an ideal location in which to weigh the costs and benefits of the corporatized society the Occupiers stand opposed to. The fact that so many of them (the students, in particular) are beneficiaries of this system does not invalidate their position; rather, it reinforces their responsibility to get involved.

After putting the word out via social media (the author maintains the greatest Facebook page ever, full disclosure), about two hours elapsed before receiving a phone call from Brook Hines, part of their Media Relations team. At 45, her experience in the media and public relations world was put to good use. This type of rapid response and vigor in regard to outreach efforts has been crucial to their rapid success in a state that is generally almost devoid of large-scale progressive activism of any kind. As she puts it, “We want to work with the city, rather than crash it.”

There were veterans of the Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam wars. Some got their first taste of politics via the Obama 2000 campaign. Others are veterans of older movements, including the assorted presidential campaigns of Ralph Nader, Ross Perot and Dennis Kucinich. A smaller segment comprised folks old enough to have participated in the seminal protest movements of the 1960s; for many old-school activists, these may be the final act in their political lives.

As Hines wrote in one of the group’s press releases: “Like Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Orlando is a leaderless movement, but it is far from disorganized. Coordination takes place online and at daily General Assemblies where … participants present ideas and dialogue until reaching consensus. Then, we take action to accomplish out collectively approved goals. The formation of multiple committees, including media, medical, peacekeeping, legal, transportation, food, event facilitation and materials preparation, enables all participants to contribute to the movement.”

The actual Occupation of Orlando commenced on Saturday, October 15, but planning began two weeks earlier, including two General Assemblies held at the Orange County Regional History Center. The date was announced in advance, a website was set up, Facebook pages and Twitter feeds built, supplies gathered, responsibilities designated and promotional materials (flyers, buttons, posters, etc.) prepared. They even sent out a letter soliciting the support of local businesses. The work paid off. The first event was arguably the biggest political protest ever held in Orlando, drawing between several hundred and a couple thousand participants, depending on who you ask.

Beth Johnson Park is just a quarter-mile or so down the street from Boom Art Gallery, a shop showcasing the brilliant hand-crafted work of Glenn and Sandy Rogers, which they describe as “the fusion of functional furniture and nostalgic art”. Their client list is awesome, and includes Ann-Margaret, Jay Leno, Paul Shaffer, Jeff Foxworthy, Mandy Moore, Robert Plant, Carrot Top and Shaquille O’Neal.

The art is must-see, and the artists are two of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. Glenn’s dual backgrounds in fine art and as an International Flooring and Home Furnishings Designer led to a diverse career that included technical work on Broadway, shows, art exhibits in SOHO, storyboarding the “Mr. Whipple” commercials for Charmin, acting credits in Hollywood and the New York stage; he also helped create the Yellow brick Road used in The Wiz. The Rogers met and married during their 15 years spent touring together as clowns in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Sandy was, for seven years, Director of it Clown College, in which capacity she helped train Steve-O. Unsurprisingly, they offered full support for Occupy Orlando.

“This is redress of grievances, not a wedge-issue protest,” said Matthew, a 23 year-old student and musician part of a group of young people sitting on blankets in the park one day. His group included several people who’d been part of the OWS group, but were reticent about sharing further details with a journalist.

Over 2,000 people had taken part in the occupation, over 200 of whom spoke at the General Assemblies; and another 10,000 people had expressed support online in just the first five days, and those numbers spiked in subsequent weeks as Occupy caught steam nationally and Occupy Orlando started getting mainstream attention.

Like many of their fellow Occupy operations, the Orlando group maintained a camera streaming content directly to UStream.tv. Depending on the size of the crowd and the amount of activity in a given city at any given time, most full-time occupations run live video 24/7, while others fill the “dead” time with video of earlier activity; some cities have more than one feed, in addition to whatever is being done by individuals. This type of instant connectivity isn’t just great for outsiders (advocates and critics alike) to watch what’s going on directly and interpret for themselves. It is crucial for the actual occupiers in each of those cities, who can now learn from each other in real-time, share knowledge, adjust their methods, streamline tactics and goals, as well as networking.

Maybe no other city in Florida has brought in as much money from multinational corporations than Orlando, but there are many ways to quantify it. But its public image is tied-in with Disney and Universal Studios in a way no other city is with the many large companies doing business in them. Theme-park money spurred tremendous growth, and the landscape reflects it, especially compared to the relative bleakness and desolation of the outlying areas like Winter Park, Casselberry, Maitland and Ocoee. (The blank-yet-knowing looks on the faces of the kids working at the Walgreens and Steak and Shake in Apopka made me want to adopt them all, or at least write them recommendation letters to the UNF.) Mass-transit out there sucks, putting the lower-income families living out there at a persistent competitive disadvantage for jobs and schooling, the youth in particular.

The reader has probably seen the video(s) from Zucotti Park, where those three wee lasses felt the hot stuff (which really hurts, by the way). Note that at least one officer was already conducting a discussion with the ladies related to their refusal to get up and leave. While not exactly cordial, it was civil until his colleague imposed his own will upon the proceedings. The original cop’s agitated response, directed toward the one who deployed the burning, stinging mist into a group of civilians and fellow NYPD officers, presaged later confirmation of prior complains against the same guy at political events.

The nefarious action of one cop means little compared to the historic reputation of a department that saves and improves the lives of people every day, nor does it mean that the women sprayed that day were necessarily right. But the incident was recorded from a number of angles, and the targets were highly intelligent, well-connected members of a well-organized protest operation that was already ongoing in New York, with affiliated groups already starting elsewhere. The hardest part of civil disobedience is to not fight back when violence is used; that’s why most people generally want no part of it.

NYPD handed Occupy an image to, for lack of a better word, brand their movement, and like all good brands, it has staying power: young people being pushed around for engaging in political protest. Thanks to cell-phone cameras, YouTube and streaming video sites, a huge portion of the thousands of Occupy-related arrests have been documented, replete with scores of clear-cut incidents of abuse. The situation in Oakland alone could fill a book; surely a number of student protesters will apply their field experience directly to the classroom.

It only took a few good squirts of poorly-aimed pepper-spray to transform Occupy Wall Street into a national movement, and Florida is doing its part

 Beth Johnson Park sits at 57 S. Ivanhoe Blvd. It curves off the I-4. Whether approaching from any angle, the first thing one will see is the American Flag. Currently, Beth Johnson Park closes at 11pm. All citizens must vacate by then, but the sidewalk is not subject to those rules. As such, Occupy Orlando adopted what’s called “Sidewalk Solidarity” by standing on the sidewalk in shifts, 24/7. However, the law does prohibit sleeping on the sidewalk, sitting down on it, or sitting in a chair (all activities that are allowed in the actual park when it’s open). Sleepyheads make use of a privately-owned parking lot across the street, 20 feet away. Although trespassing charges was raised by police, they did not occur because the lot’s owner either refused to make a complain, or was otherwise not present.

This is just among the many examples of how, despite the anti-capitalist talking points and the alarmist rhetoric of commercial media, sizeable portions of the business community around the country are exerting subtle forms of support for Occupy activities. Another is that the nearby Doubletree Hotel offers its bathroom facilities for the occupiers. (Note also that Zucotti Park, the epicenter of Occupy Wall Street, is itself owned by a billion-dollar corporation that clearly has no issue with their presence, as long as they clean up after themselves.)

Most occupiers have chosen to heed those rules, but as expected others forced the point. Occupy Orlando took a huge, risky step forward on the night of October 22, when a small group of activists chose to openly defy city rules and remain in the park after 11. They, as individuals, chose to stage their own independent action without the approval of the General Assembly; some 200 people were doing Sidewalk Solidarity at the time. Some allege it was a blatant publicity stunt, others that it was an attempt to be more aggressive in the face of political power.

This civil disobedience resulted in Trespassing arrests for 19 people, including two women and a juvenile. By all accounts, the police were entirely professional in doing their job. (It’s always worth noting that law-enforcement has very little actual influence on the crafting and implementation of our nation’s laws, and citizens are worse off for it.) If it was a publicity stunt, it worked perfectly by forcing the occupation into commercial media, thus helping to grow the numbers. Another 13 arrests were made a few days later, as activists refused to vacate the park following the teach-ins on November 5—Guy Fawkes Day, incidentally, and also a day after the epochal success of Bank Transfer Day.

 

Among those 19 arrested that night was a wheelchair­-bound young man who had been doing unpaid volunteer work for President Obama’s national reelection campaign, similar to his activities in 2008. His disability leaves him unable to do most types of work, so he lives at home with his family, on a fixed income, while he pursues his studies. Like many people in his position, he’s felt the heat of price increases and the pressures exerted on many Americans as state legislatures around the country clip strategic holes in the social safety net; those concerns manifest as political action.

His involvement with Occupy Orlando was as a private citizen, not as any type of representative for an Obama campaign that many critics allege the Occupy movement is designed to help, much as the Tea Party ultimately served Republican interests. However, after the news of his arrest became public, he was dismissed from his official duties and rendered persona non grata, on the pretense that his arrest brought negative publicity to a campaign that hasn’t even been officially declared yet.

Further, the fellowship that made the delicate balancing act of his student life possible was immediately pulled, throwing his educational future into some doubt. The crushing news was delivered by telephone, by a supervisor who was either unwilling or unable to say exactly who made the decision, or to delineate the process by which his life was ruined. He was still emotionally wrecked, visibly and palpably so, as I spoke to him ten days later; the police who arrested him were downright kind, compared to the allies who shafted him, over a petty charge that will most be dropped.

Yet, despite this life-altering humiliation, the young man was insistent that his name not be used here, because that’s how strongly he feels about reelecting Obama. That, in a nutshell, in what the Occupy movement is about: Young (and not-so-young people doing what they think is right, despite the extreme consequences that may result. His plan now is to hit the road, visiting and collaborating with other Occupy operations in places like New York, DC and Chicago, culminating with the ongoing actions in the city of his birth, Philadelphia.

Many activists on the scene gave vocal credit to students from the University of Central Florida. Many of those UCF “Knights” have lived up to the moniker, in terms of their contributions to the effort, from logistics to publicity.

           

            October 25 saw 15 Occupy Orlando activists expanding outreach efforts even further by sitting in to show support for the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1596, which was negotiating with the Board of Directors for LYNX, Orlando’s bus system. According to a press release, “Drivers have not seen wage increase in three years and are being offered only a 0.5 percent wage increase at a time when inflation for food is forecast to rise as much as 4.5 percent.” They had no obvious effect on negotiations, which remain calcified, but it made for valuable experience.

            Such action has become a worthwhile habit.      The day before, Occupy Orlando sent  27 people in business clothes to the Orange County Legislative Delegation meeting, where they had meetings with state representatives from both parties. Occupy has also become a regular presence at meetings of the Orange County School Board and the Orlando City Council.

November 1 was Day 18 of the occupation, and coincided with the “Awake the State” rally. The day’s most popular whipping boy was the local Chamber of Commerce. It operates out of a large multi-story building adjacent to the park, yet reportedly pays only $1 in property taxes per year. Spicing the brew, Mayor Buddy Dyer had apparently, a couple days prior, made the astoundingly absurd claim that there was no corporate money at all in Orlando. 

A low makeshift stage was laid out near the entrance to the park, placing the Chamber building (and the sunset) behind the speakers. Their modest PA was sufficient. Speakers included an older activist whose rights to vote had been forfeited via felony; he copped to his mistakes, and urged everyone else to cast the votes he could not. The owner of Dandelion talked about the wildly disproportionate environmental impact fees that undermined profitability and her ability to hire new workers. A member of the teachers’ union noted that Florida teachers haven’t received a cost-of-living wage increase in three years; “Education cuts don’t heal”, she said. The delightful Sundrop Carter brought glad tidings from the United Auto Workers, who are stepping up organizing efforts in Florida, a state basically built around the automobile.

Although no elected officials made their presence felt on Day 18, the crowd did include a number of veteran political insiders, as well as a couple of candidates. Mike Cantone, 28, is seeking to unseat mayor Buddy Dyer in next year’s elections (scheduled for April 4, 2012). He comes off as a smart, earnest young man who’s quickly developing a certain facility with the lingo of leadership. Having myself run for Jacksonville City Council in Jacksonville earlier this year, I was curious about how his new-reality based, grass-roots approach would fare against an entrenched incumbent like Dyer.

 He began smartly, with a streamlined and systematic approach to his platform. He broke it down into seven key components; for each he created quick, one-line synopses of his vision, then identified a number of forward-thinking proposals he would implement in order to methodically each component of the larger agenda. Listed alphabetically, they are: Clean Energy (4), Coordination (3), Education (4), Innovation (10), Public Safety (7), Quality of Life (6). As a Jacksonville resident, I appreciate the catchphrase “A Bold new Vision for Orlando” even more than his slogan, “I Like Mike!”

As one might expect, he’s fully-synchronous with social media, and his promo materials are well-done; they’re also union-made. The aesthetic centers on soothing blues and greens, reminiscent of the city’s waters and lush plant-life. The candidate’s picture is good, with a nice sunset background, but it can be improved upon.

We both agreed that the non-partisan, “unitary”-style elections held at local levels offer the best chance to get new progressive talent into office, as opposed to the standard process, which allows Democratic gatekeepers to freeze out any dissenting voices. As we have both noted repeatedly, the great efforts made by Occupy so far will be wasted unless they translate to serious political gains in that epochal year of 2012.

Occupy Orlando has a lot of electoral activity they can exert potential influence on. Senator Bill Nelson is up for reelection, and the popular Democrat will have several marginal Republicans chasing his rear bumper; a strong progressive turnout helps bolster what looks so far to be an fairly easy win, and be crucial if conditions change. All seats in the US House are up for grabs next year, and those are always volatile; Occupy’s exact place amidst is impossible to guess..

Locally, besides Dyer’s seat, four of the seven School Board seats in Orange County are up for grabs, as well as three of six seats on the Board of County Commissioners and three of five seats on the Soil and Water Board. The offices of Sheriff, State Attorney, Public Defender, Clerk of Courts, Comptroller, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector and Supervisor of Elections are all on the ballot in 2012, so the stakes are huge. This election will decide the future of their city.

In real terms, a guy or gal like Cantone would need a massive groundswell of progressive activity statewide, the rising tide to lift all boats. He (or any other, similarly-inclined candidates elsewhere next year) can probably build a formidable street team, but to keep them all activated at full efficiency, it takes money. 2012 will be the most expensive election cycle in history; to win in that environment does not necessarily require more money, but it does require a substantial amount of ready cash. My campaign, for example, did not result in victory because I was not an effective fundraiser, and could not find anyone who was. Cantone and his ilk must be a lot better, a lot faster, and it’s quite possible.

I also met a fella named Curtis Southerland, also from Jacksonville. His path into the realm of political activism was neither planned nor voluntary. His obscure, outsider campaign to unseat Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford as a write-in candidate in 2011 was motivated by his desire for redress after his brother Mark[?] was killed in a one of those “police-involved shootings” that have now become an unfortunate trademark of the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office. He lost, of course, but that’s fine because the fix was in from the start; former JSO Public Information Officer Ken Jefferson had an excellent chance to win, but regional Democrats stymied his fundraising, for unknown reasons. Southerland’s campaign was more of a protest against the system and a means of telling people about the tragic death of his brother.

Local media coverage was generally fair, though laced with the same snarky cynicism typical of Occupy reporting in general. Leading the pack, surprising, was the nominally liberal Orlando Weekly, which functions in the case as a gatekeeper for an Establishment Left that has been uncomfortable with Occupy from the get-go. In its October 27 issue, staff writers Billy Manes and Jeff Gore flog the standard commercial media talking points: That Occupy has no “list of demands, a chief goal or an overarching political philosophy”. While conceding their sidewalk strategy to be “brilliant”, they repeatedly note the “(ostensibly) leaderless nature of their organization” and keep the focus squarely on the negative aspects, like arrests and shady characters.

Granted, this was published only 12 days into the Occupation, and surely there is more left for them to say on the subject. But as a visitor to the city, I was disappointed to see its leading liberal publication projecting a generally dismissive attitude toward young people whose political views are basically consistent with the values of alt-media in general. It’s the sort of reductionist thinking that has essentially tanked political-based print media in general, in particular an alt-weekly market that has become aggressively corporatized and unresponsive to the needs of their audience.

Ironically, that issue’s cover features a snarling, broken-toothed Tea Party caricature as part of a series of poorly-done humorous Halloween masks. Occupy gets a nod, too, with a cut-out version of the now-ubiquitous Guy Fawkes mask adopted from “V” For Vendetta, which is now a universally-recognized symbol of Occupy and the larger (and more amorphous) Anonymous movement. “Initially dismissed as iPad-wielding hippies, the occupiers leered and groaned in the face of authority, anxiously anticipating police brutality and pepper spray,” writes Manes.

“The very notion that this leaderless movement had come to life as a pseudo-political monster is enough to cause apoplexy and anxiety among those in power [including, apparently, OW itself]. ‘Give us your list of demands!’ they screamed at the occupiers in a panic, only to realize that there really wasn’t a list of demands.” Imagine, two completely contradictory ideas coming from the same writer, in the same publication, just nine pages apart. This kind of cognitive dissonance certainly helps explain why the mainstream media still struggles to comprehend the depth and complexity of Occupy.

http://www.occupyorlando.org

http://www.occupythehood.org;

othorlando@gmail.com 

http://www.mikecantone.com

http://www.ocelections.com

http://www.HomegrownCoop.org

http://www.stores.ebay.com/boomart

sheltonhull@gmail.com; November 7, 2011

Notes on Alan Justiss and Music

Of the thousands of hours I spent in conversation with Alan Justiss, much of that time was spent talking about music. Like most writers, he was a huge music fan, and used it to fuel his own creativity. I’m a Jazz Fan, first and foremost, and that foundation informs my knowledge of that’s come before and since. My favorite music for listening to while writing remains, with some revision and much extension, essentially the same stuff I fed on while starting out in the business: Monk, Max Roach, Eddie Condon, Sun Ra, the sublime perfection of Lennie Tristano’s “Turkish Mambo” and the otherworldly telepathic kick of “Interstellar Space”. (John’s Coltrane’s final album was augmented years later with a CD of extras from those Feb. 1967 sessions, called “Stellar Regions”. It’s very much worth getting both at the soonest possible opportunity.

Alan’s tastes ran more toward folk, protest music, singer-songwriters. He made me aware of the fact that Bob Dylan had more to offer young ears than just the seminal “Subterranean Homesick Blues”. He told me that Jeff Buckley had a father who was pretty good, too. From him I was regaled with what you might call “actionable intelligence” on names then-unknown to me like Van Morrison, Mickey Newbury, Harry Nilsson. And, of course, the entire Wainwright/McGarrigle clan, whose banner he aggressively carried, without fail.            

I am grateful to have helped enhance his perception, as well. He really liked Regina Spektor, and he loved CocoRosie. As a poet steeped both in Beat mythos and the classical canon, he could readily appreciate what the best rappers are capable of; it helped that he had intimate knowledge of the sociopolitical conditions that produced hip-hop.

We shared a special love for the music of Glenn Gould (1932-1982), who was a) the single foremost interpreter of the world-changing piano literature of Johann Sebastian Bach; b) greatly responsible, by extension of that fame, for stimulating popular interest in the avant-garde, “atonal” musics of Arnold Schoenberg, et al; c) a little-known but major influence on the world of broadcasting, a subject that has never gotten full coverage; and d) a very good writer and critic of music, media and social trends who belongs in a class with Buckminster Fuller and his fellow Canadian, Marshall McLuhan.

Alan Justiss was also a huge fan of the Black Kids, one of a number of truly excellent indie bands based inNortheast Florida. He was good friends with Owen Holmes, and I think he knew several other members of the group. He cherished his autographed CD and poster, and studiously inquired about their progress.

Press Release: Odd Future/Adult Swim

ADULT SWIM PICKS UP LIVE-ACTION SERIES WITH ODD FUTURE WOLF GANG KILL THEM ALL             LOITER SQUAD TO PREMIERE ON ADULT SWIM IN 2012 Adult Swim announced today it has picked up the live-action series Loiter Squad, a 15 minute live-action show that features sketches, man on the street segments, pranks and music from Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. The cast, featuring the Los Angeles collective of rappers, artists, and skateboarders, channel their multi-faceted creative talents in this Jackass-style showcase.  This announcement comes on the heels of Tyler, The Creator’s “Best New Artist” win at the 2011 Video Music Awards.  Creating their own show comes as a natural next step for Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, whose accomplishments have garnered wide media attention in 2011 and continue to compound on themselves.  Singing member Frank Ocean contributed to the new Beyonce album and the collaboration between Kanye West and Jay Z. Tyler, The Creator’s Goblin LP has sold more than 100,000 copies and his Yonkers video has been viewed more than 22 million times. Odd Future is on the verge of their first national tour and the release of their Golf Wang book in November will document their travels and hometown exploits.  Loiter Squad is being produced by Dickhouse Entertainment–the Hollywood production partnership of Johnny Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine and Spike Jonze who have been the creative power behind hits including Jackass, Nitro Circus, Rob & Big, Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory, Wild Wonderful Whites of West Virginia, The Birth of Big Air and Wildboyz.  The Dickhouse sensibility provides a perfect match for the unique viewpoints, masterful pranking and artistic inclinations of the Odd Future crew.  Jeff Tremaine and Adult Swim’s Nick Weidenfeld will serve as executive producers. Adult Swim (AdultSwim.com), launched in 2001, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s network offering original and acquired animated and live-action series for young adults.  Airing nightly from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. (ET, PT), Adult Swim shares channel space with Cartoon Network, home to the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for youth and families, and is seen in 99.4 million U.S. homes. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world. ADULT SWIM CONTACTS: Atlanta     Tim DeClaire                              (404) 575-9283                                                  tim.declaire@turner.com Elliott Niespodziani                     (404) 885-4834               elliott.niespodziani@turner.com Wendy Rutherford                       (404) 827-5097               wendy.rutherford@turner.com ODD FUTURE PR CONTACT: Heathcliff Berru @ Life or Death PR  (773) 344-8216               info@wegetpress.com

Scan and Deliver: Notes on JSO police radios and the media

The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office announced in early July their intent to remove 22 police radios from local TV newsrooms. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department then followed suit by announcing plans to scramble their frequencies, blocking media access to their dispatches. In both cases, officials at these venerable organizations—the guts of our city’s first-response capacity—assert that such access interferes with their duties to protect and serve the public, that media access to scanners leads to excess traffic and possibly slower response time.

Budgetary constraints necessitating their recall seem almost ridiculous; for a city this size to be nickling-and-diming on such essential equipment evokes the infamous faulty radios that caused untold havoc among first-responders on 9/11. Not only media will lose these devices, but so will other law-enforcement agencies, most of which are probably already looking into aspects of JSO activity anyway. It’s unclear if these organizations will be allowed to use their own devices, if they chose to buy them.

According to the Florida Times-Union, the devices (made by Motorola, which is hilarious) cost about $4,600 each, but they are leased for $70 per month; editor Marilyn Young claimed on the paper’s website to have paid over $30,000 for six of them since 2005. “The radios were leased to the media when the JSO’s radio transmissions were encrypted [in 2005],” she wrote. “Before that, we could keep track of breaking news with radios we bought from places such as Radio Shack. … Without the radios, though, no media will be able to tell the public about a call out for a homicide, a police-involved shooting, a rape, an assault or anything else that officers are dispatched to until JSO decides it’s time for the public to know. … It’s not the end of the police beat, but it’s the end of giving the public information it wants, needs and/or deserves in a time period not controlled by a public agency.”

Lauri-Ellen Smith, APR is the Special Assistant to Sheriff John Rutherford, disagrees with the media’s position. In an e-mail to this reporter, she points out that it was not a snap decision on their part, but the result of extended deliberation. “We have been discussing this at JSO since late 2009. We did do some research and polled other law enforcement agencies as to their status with leasing radios to the media.” Smith provided this reporter with a list of all the police radios being leased out, as well as information related to JSO’s research on the issue statewide. According to their records, JSO gave approximately 98 police radios to various media outlets and law-enforcement agencies. Besides the six leased to the T-U, two were leased to WTLV, three to WOKV, three to WJXT and two to FOX-30.

JSO’s “Police Radio Encryption Survey”, dated June 3, surveys the practices of 15 other counties, as well as the Florida Highway Patrol. (Data forBakerCountywas unavailable.) About half those counties (Escambia,Leon, Flagler, Levy, Lake andNassau) and FHP encrypt their radio content.Nassau, which takes its cues on this subject from JSO, is the only other county surveyed that leases radios to the media; they charge $54.26 per month. Media representatives inClay,Leonand Flagler counties had all previously requested access to the radios, but were denied; “[LeonCounty] went encrypted a year ago for the specific purpose of taking access away from the media because of officer safety, suspect information, and tactical information being released.”

When asked whether JSO made this move unilaterally, or in consultation with other departments (as had been widely suspected), Smith notes that JSO was already unique among its peers in the level of transparency afforded the media: “[T]here are no police radios loaned or leased to the media by any law enforcement agencies in the area such as FHP, FBI, FDLE, Clay County SO, St Johns County SO, etc.” She adds that “Many of the law enforcement agencies that had possession of our police radios have been asked to turn them back in, as well.” These outlets include the base cops at NAS-JAX andMayport,FloridaDepartment of Law Enforcement, Neptune Beach PD, the St. Johns County Sheriffs Office and the FHP.

Smith notes that, while the police radios are gone, “We continue to utilize the Emergency Area Radio System (or EARS) text messaging to the media, notifying them of police activity in the area. The retrieval of our police radios from the news outlets means they lose their access to REAL TIME police transmissions, which is in accordance with a Florida Attorney General’s Opinion of September 22, 1997.” Local reporters complain that the EARS system basically allows JSO to censor details and delay giving crucial information to the media; it has been alleged that EARS texts get sent out to the media as late as two hours after the initial dispatch was made. Of course, since they know this only because they can compare the texts to the data from the police radios, it will now be impossible to assess the effectiveness of the system. 

But, to the point: Do police scanners serve to facilitate media interference in law-enforcement business? “Only a media outlet could tell you if they were intrusive into a crime scene, hindered an investigation or police activity, or reporting something to the public that they took off the radio without verifying it with us first”, Smith writes. (For the record, there are more known cases of police investigations being hindered by other police than by the media; that is a matter of public record.)

However, when asked for a specific example of their work being complicated by the media and their access to police radios, she did provide an example: “One of the most notable recent cases was when we received a tip that a man accused of killing two police officers inTampahad fled toJacksonville. While our officers were assembling to affect their tactical strategy at that business, a news truck and crew arrived and parked adjacent to the business. This created a serious public safety issue for not only the [news crew], but every customer in the business. If he had been the suspect (it turned out he was a strong “look alike”) and spotted that news truck, a hostage situation or something more tragic could have occurred.” Other cases have been cited informally, such as the murder suspect whose police standoff was broadcast live, as he watched from inside a house. He ended up killing himself, but any plans to escape or to go out shooting would have been greatly helped by watching police formations on TV.

Cynics would argue that these moves do not occur in a Duval-sized vacuum, but work adjacently to the larger battle between public institutions and the private sector, a battle being waged now in Tallahassee and Washington DC, and on the streets of pretty much every city in America. It’s been said that removing scanners from newsrooms will make it easier for police to cover up police misconduct; rumors have already begun to filter in from other cities that some departments may begin the phasing-out of “dash-cam” videos in a few months. For its part, JSO professes no present plans to remove the dash-cams. “We find the dashboard cameras to be another effective tool in police work, in the specific instances where they are utilized”, writes Smith.

As the dynamic between police and citizens deteriorates, first-responders are having their resources cut nationwide, which probably doesn’t help things. Courts from the federal level on down have consistently struck down the will of voters on local and state levels (including a Presidential election), ruled against citizens bringing suit for excessive force (including dozens of police-involved shootings), signed off on every evolution of the Unitary Executive, permitted rigging of political elections with money proven to be laundered into parties and PACs by unlicensed foreign interests. They have still made no definitive comment on citizens’ right to videotape the police while they are arresting suspects; arrests and beatings of people shooting such video are becoming as common as in any number of nations we should be striving not to emulate.

In the old days, the police beat was the meat and sinew of journalism work. At one point in the late-1950s, there were at least 18 daily newspapers serving New York City—just Manhattan, not counting the boroughs and a lot of the ethnic papers. Young reporters would start out there, get wised-up to the business and the techniques needed for success. The old-timers would take pride in how quickly they wore out a pair of shoes walking the beat; they knew the cops, the criminals, the civilians and everyone in-between. These were giants: guys like Jimmy Breslin, who knew all the hoods in New York; Mike Royko, who witnessed the war for Division St.in Chicagoand whose Boss (about Richard Daley) is a must-read for any political junkie; Irv “Kup” Kupcinet, who ran neck-and-neck with Royko for decades. Here in Duval we had folks like Mark Foley and the late, great Jessie-Lynn Kerr.

When Lepke Buchalter, architect of “Murder, Incorporated”, finally surrendered to face justice after a career of killing professional killers, he surrendered to a guy named Walter Winchell, a reporter and radio host whose style is virtually synonymous with that era. The photography world boats a man called “Weegee”, who spent much of his career shooting shots of shootings on the brutal streets of mid-century New York. His car was a rolling mobile multi-media machine: typewriter, camera equipment and the means to develop them on the spot, extra clothes and copies of the competition, and of course, a police scanner/CB radio. (This was years before television.) As a result, he often got to the scene before the cops; he also carried first-aid gear.

The police beat has been a major casualty of the unfortunate changes to befall the journalism industry in recent years. With many of the country’s leading newspapers on the brink financially, and the rest making significant cuts to keep up with financial pressures, the days of full-time police reporting may be essentially over. There remain a few of the old-style specialists at selected papers, and some interesting blogs floating about, but it’s a dying artform. You’re more likely to see reporters working stories once they get to court than in the crucial early stages; media’s general passivity on domestic issues stands in stark contrast to their bulldog work on the war.

Conspiracy theorists projecting the expansion of a police state should be careful to note that the real trend now, nationally, is toward a sort of faux-anarchy. Government has lost its credibility not only with the American People, but with much of the world. Our economy has collapsed, taking with it much of our leaders’ ability to effectively mediate disputes among citizens. The political and business elite have imposed chaos onto the population, and it is the job of law-enforcement to manage that chaos.

sheltonhull@gmail.com; August 1, 2011