Recently, here at the Jefferson Agrarian headquarters, we’ve been talking lately about all of the Western stereotypes of artistic genius.
There’s the genius touched by the hand of The Creator (Raphael, et al); the precocious, “I just want to be normal, but I can’t” genius (W.A. Mozart, et al); the cranky, curmudgeonly genius (Michelangelo, et al); the everything-they-touch-turns-to-gold genius (Leonardo); the weird and outlandish genius (Caravaggio, Dali); the physically-challenged genius exploring inner space (Frida, Chuck Close); and, finally, the dark, brooding and eternally tortured genius (Van Gogh, et al.)
It is this last category that seems to be the stereotype that pervades our Western culture. Especially if the *genius* dies young. There is no shortage of examples to choose from - we won’t be so presumptuous to list some here, especially when you have Google at your fingertips.
The crux of the argument is that many assume that genius is a prerequisite for creating great art. We would beg to differ. Any time someone is brave enough to make meaningful art, they risk scrutiny. Who among us is free of demons and strange behaviors?
Food for thought, anyway.
Most of us have a real soft spot for the Unknown Genius. This post is dedicated to Tim Hardin, a reclusive folksinger and songwriter (If I Were A Carpenter, Reason to Believe) who had the unfortunate twin demons of stage fright and heroin addiction. His unassuming gravesite can be found in the little town of Turner, Oregon.
Find the original artwork, made by the original composer, and we renew our appreciation for the art. Works every time.
It’s our charge to make the effort.
Tags: Art and Music · Art and Writing
(Editor’s Note: from Tom O’Hara at the Stage Door in Mt. Shasta)
Just a reminder that you have a chance to see the world’s #1 Irish piper, Paddy Keenan and the great Irish guitarist/singer Tommy O’Sullivan Tuesday evening, August 26 at Stage Door at 7pm. Adm: $15. This is another opportunity to see a musical great up close and personal. This music is haunting and lyrical and gets right to the heart of Irish culture and song.
It will be a memorable evening - don’t miss it.
Tags: Uncategorized
Thanks to a tip from Agrarian reader/provocateur Herr Claus, we’ve been wasting inordinate amounts of time at a website with the unlikely name of Probe: Turning On the People, merrily downloading a bunch of free music, both obscure (Don’t Blow Your Mind by The Spiders, featuring a young Alice Cooper) to the familiar (Jimi’s Like A Rolling Stone, from Monterey Pop ‘67). Plus, when Bo Diddley died last June, we scored about ten of his classic Checker label recordings, as a sort of Probe memoriam.
We’ve coupled the Probe material into a playlist we’ve entitled Wonderful Weirdness that contains the amazing Arhoolie 40th Anniversary Boxed Set (106 great songs collected by Berkeley’s Chris Strachwitz), PLUS a bunch of songs from the I Hate CDs: Norton Records 45 RPM Singles Collection, PLUS the Percy Trout Hour (and pretty much everything else at radio WRFL from Lexington, Kentucky.)
We’re feeling rather musically blessed lately, here at the Agrarian.This ought to help us through the dog days of August. As they useta say at KFAT back in those salad days of yore - ‘praise the lard.’ Thanks, Herr.
Anybody else have free music sites they want to share? Long live Radiohead.
Tags: Art and Music · New Jefferson Kulcha
The Jefferson Agrarian is back from Guadalajara - we’ll have a feature article next week about the International Artists Collaborative that will be making its way to Dunsmuir in October.
Meanwhile, there’s some great stuff happening this weekend ’round these parts:
Music:
- On Friday, August 15, the unbelievable slide guitarist Roy Rogers and his Delta Rhythm Kings appear at Sengthong’s Blue Sky Room.
- Saturday, August 16, Mt. Shasta’s popular gypsy jazz band Kazango Jazz will have it’s CD release party at the Stage Door in Mt. Shasta. Admission is a mere $5, or free with cd purchase ($15). Support local music!
- The Mt. Shasta Resort and Positive Productions will feature the Grammy-award winning vocalist Laurie Lewis on Sunday, August 17, at 4:30pm. Ms. Lewis received a Grammy award for “True Life Blues: The Songs of Bill Monroe,” has twice been named Female Vocalist of the Year by the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association), and received Song of the Year for “Who Will Watch the Home Place?”
Lewis’ dedicated following includes Alison Krauss, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Ralph Stanley, and pop superstar Linda Ronstadt, who makes a guest appearance on her latest CD The Golden West. “Judging by the respect she has among fans and peers in the industry,” says IBMA executive director Dan Hays, “I would certainly say Laurie is one of the pre-eminent bluegrass and Americana artists of our time, and one of the top five female artists of the last 30 years.”
Viz Art:
You can still sign up for classes at College of the Siskiyous, where the fall semester begins on Monday, August 18.
Tags: Art and Music · Art and Photography · New Jefferson Kulcha · Siskiyous Gypsy Swing
August 5th, 2008 · 1 Comment
The Jefferson Agrarian will be on hiatus until August 14, as I will be participating in the International Artists Collaborative in Guadalajara. The Rostel Gallery will also be closed, as John and Rika will also be participating. There will be a full report upon our return…
Meanwhile, you can visit the following venues for a bit of Jeffersonian kulcha:
Viz Art:
Music:
You can also sign up for classes at College of the Siskiyous, where the fall semester begins on Monday, August 18.
So, if you’re bored, it’s your own fault!
Hasta luego, amigos.
Tags: Art and Music · New Jefferson Kulcha
