Roy Lichtenstein - Girl with Hair Ribbon [1965]

Django Reinhardt - Djangology [1949 - Belgium]

Django Reihndardt is undeniably one of the world greatest guitarist. He's influenced countless contemporary musicians through his compositions (many of which are now jazz standards) and virtuosity. If he were still alive, January 23rd of this year would have been his 100th birthday. This month, events all over are being held in his honor, including my stomping grounds, the Bay Area. If you haven't been learned on Django yet, I'll shed a little light on this amazing fellow.

Django was born January 23rd, 1910 in Liverchies, Belgium to a nomadic gypsy family. He started playing banjo and accordion at the age of twelve which eventually brought him to playing night spots around Paris. When he was 18, his caravan caught fire while he and his pregnant wife were in it. They both survived, but Django was left forever disfigured. Due to severe burns, his left leg became immobilized, and he lost movement in 2 fingers on his left hand. But Django didn't stop playing. Instead he developed a unique playing technique that not at all hindered his ability. In fact, he proved to play better than guitarists with all working fingers and soon captured the hearts and ears of audiences worldwide.

The recordings on this album are performed along with violinist Stéphane Grappelli back in 1949.

Celebrate 100 years of Django Reinhardt!

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Tom Caruana - Enter the Magical Mystery Chambers [2010 - England]

I caught word of this interesting mash-up album off my homie Will's super duper blog YoursTruly. It's hot off the press and free. Innovative UK producer/rapper/Tea Sea Record's owner Tom Caruana cleverly superimposes Wu-Tang members' a capellas over Beatles tunes. The result varies from straight dope to hilarious to chaotic.

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disposable camera photographs

Dave in SF [2009]

Pinecrest Lake, CA
Guggenheim Museum, New York

Dave Skating [circa 2000]

James Kavanaugh - There are Men Too Gentle to Live Among Wolves [1970]

There are men too gentle to live among wolves

Who prey upon them with IBM eyes

And sell their hearts and guts for martinis at noon.

There are men to gentle for a savage world

Who dream instead of snow and children and Halloween

And wonder if leaves will change their color soon.

There are men too gentle to live among wolves

Who anoint them for burial with greedy claws

And murder them for a merchant's profit and gain.

There are men to gentle for a corporate world

Who dream instead of candied apples and ferris wheels

And pause to hear the distant whistle of a train.

There are men too gentle to live among wolves

Who devour them with eager appetite and search

For other men to prey upon and suck their childhood dry.

There are men too gentle for an accountant's world

Who dream instead of Easter eggs and fragrant grass

And search for beauty in the mystery of the sky.

There are men to gentle to live among wolves

Who toss them like a lost and wounded dove.

Such gentle men are lonely in a merchant's world

Unless they have a gentle one to love.

Vincent van Gogh - The Church at Auvers [1890]

Manfred Hübler & Siegfried Schwab - Vampyros Lesbos Sexadelic Dance Party [1971 - Germany, Spain]

Since its reissue, this one has become big on the web; and for good reason. The music on this soundtrack is really impressive. Anything with funky drums and sitar- I'm all over it.

Vampyros Lesbos is an erotic horror flick with both Spanish and German production credits. It's directed by Jesús "Jess" Franco (Count Dracula, 1970) and stars the gorgeous Soledad Mirando who sadly died in a car accident before the film was released.

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