Quote of The Day 4-30-13

"It feels so good to be happy."
Etta James

Damn skippy.  Enough said.

Etta James (1938-2012) was an American singer.  Her style ranged from blues, rock, soul, gospel, and jazz.  Truly one of the greatest singers in modern history, Etta James influenced a slew of singers after her.  She has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Blues Hall of Fame, and the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Quote of The Day 4-29-13

"Shoot for the moon; if you miss you'll end up in the stars."
Artie Shaw

Why not?  Mr. Shaw puts it well with this one.  We should always aspire for our greatest dreams.  If we fail, we at least have the satisfaction of trying as well as knowledge and experience gained.

Artie Shaw (1910-2004) was an American clarinetist, band leader, and composer.  He was widely popular during the 1930's  and early 1940's as one of the greatest clarinet players in the world and led one of the greatest big bands of the time.  Shaw's difficult personality was matched with an intense intrigue of experimenting with musical styles.  He was an early champion of Third Stream music which combined classical with jazz.  In 1954 Shaw retired from playing the clarinet as he believed he had taken the clarinet as far as it could go.

Quote of The Day 4-28-13

"When I sing, trouble can sit right on my shoulder and I don't even notice."
Sarah Vaughn

Music sweet music.  No, not everyone can sing as well as Sarah Vaughan, but we all sing in one way or another.  Even if that is simply listening to another and allowing your heart to sing along.  Music heals and causes troubles to disappear.

Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990) was an American jazz singer.  She is widely considered one of the greatest voices in modern history.  Vaughan got her start with big band leader Earl Hines and subsequently Billy Eckstine when he left to lead his own group.  Among the musicians in these groups were future jazz luminaries Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Art Blakey, and Dexter Gordon amongst many others.  "Sassy", as she was nicknamed, went on to be very successful throughout her entire career earning much critical and widespread acclaim.  She was also dubbed "The Divine One" by disk jockey Dave Garroway from Chicago.

Quote of The Day 4-27-13

"Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple."
Charles Mingus

I am going to go ahead and agree with this statement.  Though this particular passage may come off as convoluted and pretentious (an artist? pretentious? never) I find significant truths in it.  Firstly, I do believe that making the simple complicated is often the case in many aspects of life.  Essentially every argument ever had accomplishes this.  It is called differing points of view, end of story.  Instead we insist on emotionally driven circular "discussions" that too often yield no tangible result.  Anywho, I also believe that creativity involves making the complicated simple in at least two ways.  1) The creative process: even though the product may be perceived as simple, the process never is.  Whether the complication is of unrelenting deliberation or a tactile nature, process is always complicated.  And 2) the end result, meaning the emotion that a creative piece provokes, can be simple while the piece itself is emphatically complicated.  Emotion is raw and all artistic endeavors should aim to evoke emotion.  Often this emotion can be ephemeral and intangible, but the process of conjuring is undeniably simple.  Well, I have really gone of the deep end on this one, I think Mingus would be proud.  Perhaps it's my hangover speaking...

Charles Mingus (1922-1979) was an American jazz upright bass player, composer, and band leader.  Mingus is well known for his unique composing style of combining hard bop, gospel, free jazz, and classical genres.  He preferred the collective improvisation style of old New Orleans parade music and employed it in his ensembles.  He was known to cite Duke Ellington and church as his main influences.  Mingus was also known for his fierce temperament and being uncompromising of his artistic integrity.

Quote of The Day 4-26-13

"All music is folk music.  I ain't never heard a horse sing a song."

Louis Armstrong

A joke for sure, but true nonetheless.  Many people obsessively put labels on music (guilty myself).  But the fact is that in the grand scheme of life, music is art and is meant to uplift and stimulate.  It is made for everyone and transcends boundaries and definitions no matter how opinionated and linguistically gifted you are.

Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) an American trumpet player and singer.  He was widely revered for his soloing abilities with both his instrument as well as his voice.  Satchmo, as he was nicknamed, was very influential in shifting the emphasis of jazz music from group improvisation to solo performance.  Other traits that contributed to his iconic status were his distinct gravelly voice and charismatic stage presence.

Quote of The Day 4-25-13

"I have to change a tune to my own way of doing it.  That's all I know."
Billie Holiday

Amen.  Confidence and individuality.  Traits that all artists should strive for.  Simple as that.

Billie Holiday (1915-1959) was an American jazz singer.  Holiday is vaunted as one of the best singers of the 20th century by many.  Her unique style consisted of odd phrasing and timing developed in imitation of jazz instruments.  Holiday was truly a revolutionary and shaped much of the music to come after her.  Though she only helped write a few tunes, her writing credits include several standards including "God Bless The Child", "Fine and Mellow", and "Lady Sings The Blues".  Sadly Holiday was another victim of drug and alcohol addiction as so many of the great jazz artists were of that time.

Quote of The Day 4-24-13

"A problem is just a chance to do your best."
Duke Ellington

Amen to that Sir Duke.  Well said indeed.  Succinct, concise, true.  What a concept: problems are chances, opportunities to transcend.  Certainly problems are frustrating and difficult, but to overcome them is the mark of human strength, no matter how large or small a problem may be.

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (1899-1974) was an American pianist, composer, and big band leader.  The Duke is commonly associated with the big band jazz genre which he was undeniably a luminary of, but his influence reaches further than can be measured.  Considered widely to be THE greatest composer of the 20th century, Ellington's career included movie scoring and stage musicals.  Though he is chiefly remembered for his compositions numbering more than 1,000.  Respectably, Ellington preferred to label his music "American music" as opposed to jazz music.

Quote of The Day 4-23-13

“Learn the changes and then forget them.”

-Charlie Parker

So. Here we are with another line from a legendary jazz master.  The changes Mr. Parker refers to are of course the chord changes in a song.  And the essence of what he implies with this sentiment is to embrace the freedom of improvisation.  Improvising was at the very heart of the bebop era, of which Charlie Parker was boisterously at the forefront.  Surely it is necessary to gain knowledge in order to perform any task.  But attempt it less regimented, you may be surprised with the result in a pleasing way.  That is the beauty of improvising.

Charlie Parker (1920-1955) was a jazz saxophonist prominent during the bebop era of jazz music.  In his time he was heralded as the greatest saxophone player living and to this day is still considered one of the best.  Parker is well known for being a charismatic bandleader and quite the wild man.  He died at the young age of 34 as result of pneumonia, a bleeding ulcer, and cirrhosis of the liver all brought on by his unrelenting abuse of alcohol and narcotics.  Despite his unfortunate end, Parker's virtuosic skills remain as jazz legend and he is remembered as a figurehead of the Beat Generation and hipster culture.

Quote of The Day 4-21-13

"Do not fear mistakes.  There are none."

-Miles Davis

Fearless.  I respect this statement.  Though it applies best to artistic endeavors and such.  Not so much a practical creed to follow in say accounting or architectural design.  But for looking at life on the grand scale this quote gives comfort.

Miles Davis (1926-1991) was an American jazz trumpet player and composer.  I figured I would continue with my jazz musician theme for QOD since I believe jazz is America's truest and possibly singular native art form and does not receive the wide appreciation it deserves.  Anywho.  Davis is truly an iconic figure of not only jazz and music culture but the world of hip all together.  Considered widely to be among the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Davis was at the center of several revolutions in jazz music including bebop, cool jazz, modal jazz, and jazz fusion.  He also worked with composer Gil Evans on several projects which are among my favorites including MIles Ahead, Porgy and Bess, and Sketches of Spain.  In October of 2008 Davis' monumental record Kind of Blue was certified platinum for the fourth time in its history.

Quote of The Day 4-20-13

"You can play a shoestring if you’re sincere."

John Coltrane

Coltrane.  Few people in this world have mastered a craft so thoroughly and mystically as he did the saxophone.  His artful ability is purely undeniable.  Yet, as his statement suggests, it is intent that matters most.  Coltrane displayed some of the most difficult and advanced skills on an instrument ever obtained.  But without his sincerity to share and advance music and mankind, his music would fail to transcend.

John Coltrane (1926-1967) was an American jazz saxophonist.  Coltrane is well known for coming up as a sideman in the groups of Thelonius Monk and Miles Davis and going on to achieve success as a leader of his own groups.  He helped pioneer modal jazz and was a leader in the free jazz world.  His compositions and improvisations were monumental in the development of American music.  To this day Coltrane remains one of, if not THE greatest jazz saxophone players to ever live.

Quote of The Day 4-19-13

"Disbelief in magic can force a poor soul into believing in government and business."

Tom Robbins

This quote comes from my very favorite author.  And I mean for this statement to be taken tongue in cheek.  Surely government and business are very real and necessary parts of not only the world but any person's every day life.  But like the true hippy that I am at heart I must insist on believing in the magic of this world.  And if you cannot agree with me for even a brief moment then I pity you.

Tom Robbins (1936?-) is an American writer.  As I stated above he is my favorite, and I would like to further emphasize that statement by saying that he is unequivocally my absolute favorite author.  Every novel of his resonates in my being more than any piece of writing I have read.  His blend of the mystical, the goofy, the sexual, the psychedelic, the poetic, the philosophical, the scientific; is particularly unprecedented in my limited opinion.  If you have not read any of his books please do so immediately.  I have read them all and I am sad that more do not exist for me to indulge in.  My favorites include Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, Still Life With Woodpecker, and Half Asleep In Frog Pajamas.

Quote of The Day 4-17-13

"I fear nothing, I hope for nothing, I am free."

-Nikos Kazantzakis

Freedom.  Such an obvious yet mysteriously intangible concept.  But as Mr. Kazantzakis says so bluntly above, being free can simply amount to the absence of desire and fear.  And though freedom is different and unique to each individual, I believe there is wisdom to be gathered from this statement.  This quote can be found on his grave stone.

Nikos Kazantzakis (1883-1957) was a Greek writer and philosopher.  He is most famous for his works Zorba The Greek and The Last Temptation of Christ.  In the latter he portrays Christ as an infallible human being with reservations, fears, and regrets.  As a result Kazantzakis was excommunicated from the from the Greek Orthodox Church. 

Quote of The Day 4-16-13

"I am trying to be unfamiliar with what I am doing."
John Cage

Spoken like a true artist.  When process and deliberation become too familiar in an artistic endeavor, the risk of producing stale and inaffective work presents itself.  I believe that familiarity is a good quality in a final product even when that familiarity is inexplicable; it provides the ability to connect.  But to get there, the stranger the better.

John Cage (1912-1992) was an American composer.  He is also well renowned for his musical theory studies and experiments.  As an artist Cage is lauded as one of the most important composers of the 20th century and considered a leader of the avant garde in music.  He was heavily influenced by his studies of Indian philosophy and Zen Buddhism in the late 1940's and began applying it to compositions in the early 1950's.  He was especially interested in chance-controlled music.

Quote of The Day 4-15-13

"A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others."
Ayn Rand

Now.  I do not take issue with healthy competition.  I enjoy sporting events very much.  But in the realm of creativity and art, I would have to agree with the above quoted sentiment.  For succeeding in the creation of something whether it be physical object or ethereal opinion, the driving force that will ultimately yield best results is the basic ambition to accomplish simply for oneself and the rest of humanity.

Ayn Rand (1905-1982) was a Russian-American author.  Rand was born, raised, and educated in Russia before moving to the states in 1926.  She got her start writing film scripts in Hollywood and also wrote a play which was produced on Broadway in 1935-36.  Rand's first two novels were met without much success.  Though after her novels Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead  were published she received much praise and subsequent success.  Rand is also well known for developing a philosophical system which she branded Objectivism.

Quote of The Day 4-13-13

"As soon as you have made a thought, laugh at it."

-Lao-tzu

I do not wish to be Mr. Cynicism, I know that thoughts are important and without them humanity does not progress onwards.  However, we also need levity to calm the psyche.  A sense of humor provides a vision of a kind world.

Lao-tzu, my boy!  He is only the second person to join the exclusive club that has the honor of being featured on my mediocre blog twice.  I have a substantial stockpile of Lao-tzu quotes and they are all among my favorites.  Love this guy.  Best known as having written the Tao Te Ching, this monumental man is credited with founding Taoism, and Lao-tzu is even revered as a deity in many Taoist religions.

Quote of The Day 4-12-13

 
"I love being a woman and I was not one of these women who rose through professional life by wearing men's clothes or looking masculine. I loved wearing bright colors and being who I am."
Madeleine Albright

Amen.  I love the sentiment of this statement not merely for empowering women, but for supporting individual character at its core.  No matter who you are, always be who you are unequivocally and with confidence.

Madeleine Albright (1937-) was the first women to be United States Secretary of State.  She was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1996 and was confirmed in the Senate by a unanimous vote of 99-0; an atestament to her strength of character.  To be the first at anything inevitably requires great courage and bravery.  Secretary Albright certainly possesses these qualities in spades.  Currently she is Professor of International Relations at Georgetown University.  She also holds a PhD from Columbia University as well as numerous honorary degrees.  In 2012 Albright was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.  Truly Madeleine Albright is an inspirational figure.

Quote of The Day 4-11-13

"Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God."

Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut, big fan.  I also love traveling, and peculiar traveling as well.  The new strange experiences that we absorb through travel affect the psyche and broaden horizons both literal and figurative.  To embrace the odd or unforeseen is to improvise, to tumble through unknown motions, to learn from whatever privilege presents.  Much like dancing lessons from God.

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922-2007) was an American author best known for his satirical dark humor.  A personal favorite of mine, Vonnegut’s style commonly combined science fiction along with his typical dark humor.  He also chronicles some of his wartime experience in Germany during World War II in several of his novels.   His books Cat’s Cradle, Slaughterhouse Five, and Breakfast of Champions are among his most popular and widely considered American classics.  Vonnegut was an outspoken pacifist, a lifelong supporter of the American Civil Liberties Union, and was an honorary president of the American Humanist Association.

Quote of The Day 4-10-13

"A lie may fool someone else, but it tells you the truth: you're weak"
Tom Wolfe

Big fan of honesty in case you were wondering.  I mean, come on.  What do lies and bullshit really achieve.  It certainly succeeds in annoying others and causing hostility.  Then again so can truth.  But at least truth is indisputable.

Tom Wolfe (1931-) is an American author and journalist.  He is associated with the New Journalism movement which emphasized objectivity.  Wolfe became widely popular after the publication of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, in which the author gives a spirited account of his experiences with Ken Kesey and The Merry Pranksters.  His first novel Bonfire of The Vanities received much praise and is a personal favorite of mine.

Quote of The Day 4-9-13

“It is not half so important to know as to feel."

Rachel Carson

Totally.  And I am a pretentious didactic butthead.  At least that is the character I play in this blog.  However, to feel is to live.  And living is what we are here to do, no?

Rachel Carson (1907-1964) was an American marine biologist and author.  She is well known for her book Silent Spring which is commonly considered the work that birthed the modern environmental movement.  Carson was also awarded the U.S. National Book Award for her book The Sea Around Us and her books The Edge of The Sea and Under The Sea Wind were also monumental works.  Her advocacy against synthetic pesticides sparked national concern which ultimately led to the nationwide ban of DDT, more strict regulation of other pesticides, and spawned the grassroots environmental movement that eventually led to the forming of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Quote of The Day 4-8-13

"No man should go through life without once experiencing healthy, even bored solitude in the wilderness, finding himself depending solely on himself and thereby learning his true and hidden strength."

Jack Kerouac

Perhaps this one is not for everybody.  Certainly not every person is capable of such a feat due to particular inabilities.  But the essence rings true for me nonetheless.  Especially as I am a person that enjoys solitude in the great outdoors very much.  I do believe that it is healthy to immerse oneself in the calm of nature.  Even if only sporadically in brief docile settings and not in prolonged rigorous attempts at isolated survival.  For the repose of wilderness garners humility.

Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) was an American author.  He is best known for being a leader of the Beat Generation along with such writers as Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs.  Kerouac typically wrote in an impromptu style which was met with criticism but also influenced an entire generation of writers and beyond.  His best known work, On The Road, exemplifies Kerouac's generally autobiographical approach.  Using several different monikers for himself and other real life characters in his life, Kerouac considered his main body of work to be installments in a continuous legacy which he dubbed The Duluoz Legend.  Kerouac died from internal bleeding caused by a lifelong abuse of alcohol.

Quote of The Day 4-7-13

"I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear." 
Rosa Parks

Truth.  Utter truth.  There may be no better examples of courage, bravery, and self respect than Rosa Parks provides.  And this quote is a creed that can be adhered to by everyone.  For there are certain virtues and desires that we have as humans which are unequivocally undeniable.  In some particular circumstances these aspirations can be daunting.  However, if one can determine that a thirst must be absolutely quenched, no matter how great or small, then fear will wash away and be replaced by fierce determinism.

Rosa Parks (1913-2005) was a true American hero and icon.  As all should know, Mrs. Parks refused to move to the back of a segregated bus when asked and was subsequently arrested on December 1, 1955.  She in turn became a national figurehead for the Civil Rights Movement.  At the time of her arrest Mrs. Parks was a secretary of the Montgomery, AL chapter of the NAACP.  In her time she also worked with Civil Rights leaders Edgar Nixon and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Everyone can take some inspiration from this remarkable woman.

Quote of The Day 4-6-13

 

"Risk is part of the process."

-Larry Diamond

Yes indeed it is.  If you want something, if your desire demands as most minds will, even if that desire is to desire nothing, then you must take the risk.  You simply do not get anywhere by not taking chances.  End of argument.

Larry Diamond (1951-) is an American scholar in the fields of sociology and political science.  He is a professor at Stanford University and has been published widely on the subjects of foreign policy, foreign aid, and democracy.  Diamond serves as a senior fellow of the Freeman Spogli Institue for International Studies which is Stanford's hub for researching international issues.  This organization aided significantly in constructing a technological community between Tehrir Square in Egypt and Silicon Valley during the recent uprising in Egypt which ousted President Mubarak.  Diamond was also a senior advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, is an advisory board member of the Roosevelt Institution, and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution.

Quote of The Day 4-5-13

"A little unlearning goes a long way."

-Richard Kehl

Okay.  This one is not going to be for everybody.  I chose this one to highlight what I will sophomorically describe as my artsy-fartsy attitude towards life.  This passage is certainly not a creed that can be applied in general to living.  Try if you like, but in the realm of pragmatism I imagine it will not serve you well.  However, if you wish to witness beauty or be stimulated through art or create art, then this is a wonderful quote to guide you.  Because art, whether it be painting, sculpture, music, or other type of performance, should be witnessed with a naked eye free of cultural inhibitions.  Of course there are limits to everything including our mental capabilities.  And to wipe one's slate clean of learned expectations and norms is nigh impossible.  But to unlearn just a little bit can possibly prod you towards "learning" a little something new.

Richard Kehl is a visual artist originally from Mexico, Missouri.  Kehl gained his reputation as an abstract painter during his time studying at the Kansas City Art Institute where he earned both a B.F.A. and M.F.A.  His art which he defines as "Kehlages" have been exhibited in over 70 galleries in New York, Washington D.C., St. Louis, Seattle, Tokyo, and Paris.  Kehl has published nineteen books and has a multitude of corporate clients.

Quote of The Day 4-4-13

"Forget injuries, never forget kindness."

-Confucius

Grudges.  They happen.  But they are simply no good.  Harboring grudges puts a weight in one's heart that affects one's propensity to give.  And we must give in this world if we expect to receive any sort of positivity.  So perhaps it will be helpful to ignore the injuries, whether physical or emotional, sustained from offenses and to focus more on the kindness one receives as well as the kindness one can provide.

This is indeed the second time Confucius has made a Quote of The Day appearance, a first for this insignificant babble of a blog. Among the salient attributes that were not covered in the previous feature on Confucius are his emphasis on educating oneself in order to apply ethical behavior, corresponding authoritative language strictly with truth, and supplying faulty leadership with proper guidance toward a more virtuous authority.

Quote of The Day 4-2-13

"There is a road from the eye to the heart that does not go through the intellect."

-G.K. Chesterton

Raw emotions.  We all have them.  How they happen, where they come from and why is an abstruse matter.  And no amount of delving or research or blogging will uncover the mystical truths of these natural feelings.  An allowance should be made for the inexplicable spirit that lives in our core.  Tap into it.

G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936) was an English writer.  He wrote on many subjects including philosophy, ontology, poetry, plays, literary and art criticism, and journalism amongst several others.  He also wrote fiction in the form of fantasy and detective novels.  Chesterton was especially renowned for his writing on Christian apologetics.

Quote of The Day 4/1/13

"I was thrown out of college for cheating on the metaphysics exam; I looked into the soul of the boy next to me."

-Woody Allen

Alright.  It is April Fools Day.  Though I cannot say I enjoy this "holiday" I figured I should keep it nice and light for this day of jest.  This little joke from Woody Allen is brilliant.  It highlights the intangible essence that is metaphysics while also acknowledging the potential absurdity of being taught a subject which is so abstract.

Woody Allen (1935-)  is an American comedian, screenwriter, director, actor, author, playwright, and musician.   Allen began his career in the 50's writing jokes for television and publishing several humorous short stories.  In the 60's Allen performed standup comedy and was unique for his emphasis on story telling in his neurotic stage character.  He advanced to directing films in the mid 60's and has subsequently become one of the most respected writers/directors in the film business.