Amy Winehouse July 23, 2011

Amy has, to paraphrase Kurt Cobain's mother, gone and joined that stupid club.  And a Norwegian right wing christian fundamentalist whack job kills almost a hundred people, most of them innocent children, instead of turning a gun on himself.  One is reminded of Camus' response to the horrors of existence, referencing "the benign indifference of the universe".  There are lots of great singers and songwriters.  But there are very few artists for me, that, from the first note you hear, you know you will care about what they do for the rest of your life, and theirs.  Billie, Ella, Frank, Tony, Miles, Trane.  Phoebe Snow, for me.  And Amy Winehouse.  I didn't think she would be with us for very long.  Driving downtown today I couldn't find her on any radio channel.  Times change.  I'll put Frank (her cd) and Back to Black on my car cd player tonight.  There was a Portuguese radio station playing Amalia Rodriguez, and Nirvana on another station.  Fitting tributes, I think.  More than most tragic artists (and I think it is important not to over-sentimentalize medical problems) I don't think Ms. Winehouse realized how much she meant to others.

Craftsmanship July 2, 2011

Craftsmanship is a lifetime journey.  In an age where instant fame is celebrated, content is often secondary.  Visiting my luthier of 30 years or so, Al Milburn, yesterday, I am once again reminded how rare and precious true craftsmanship is.  Al was working on the intonation and action of my latest guitar, a Danelectro DC 59 12 string.  Made of masonite and with lipstick tube pickups, they are a true expression of American genius.  Inexpensive, easy to mass produce, with a distinctive tone.  But with some challenging intonation and action issues.  Very few musicians have the privilege of knowing a craftsman like Al, who can take an off the shelf guitar, and turn it into something special: as good an instrument as it can be.  He can do it with an inexpensive instrument such as the Dano, or my Gibson Byrdland, or 00028 Martin.  My produver Cookie Marenco remarked that the 00028 had the sustain of a 30 year old guitar.  Al's magic in shaving the braces turned a new instrument into a classic.