#Lenny McLean

[roughridingrednecks]

Lenny McLean

[principiumindividuationis777]

[jazzdailyblog]

Paul Bley: The Maverick of Modern Jazz

Introduction: Paul Bley, an influential figure in the world of modern jazz, left an indelible mark on the genre through his innovative approach to piano playing and fearless exploration of musical boundaries. Born ninety-one years ago today on November 10, 1932, in Montreal, Canada, Bley’s musical journey spanned over six decades. From his early days as a precocious pianist to his later years as…

[ur-mag]

Inside Dave Courtney’s friendships with the Krays and Lenny McLean as gangster boasted he had ‘scariest phone book’ | In Trend Today

Inside Dave Courtney’s friendships with the Krays and Lenny McLean as gangster boasted he had ‘scariest phone book’ Read Full Text or Full Article on MAG NEWS

[bluewinnerangel]

FITF Tour exit songs

- NA LEG - Uncasville: Tina Turner - The Best

Gilford: The Smiths - This Charming Man

Laval: Petula Clark - Downtown

Toronto: Bryan Adams - Summer Of '69

Cuyahoga Falls: The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony

Sterling Heights: Shed Seven - Chasing Rainbows

Cincinnati: The Killers - All These Things That I've Done

Columbus: R.E.M. - The One I Love

Indianapolis: Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Maryland Heights (St. Louis): Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode

Kansas City: Van Morrison - Moondance

Milwaukee: Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now

Chicago: Earth, Wind & Fire - September

Minneapolis: Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

Council Bluffs: Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)

Sioux Falls: Don McLean - American Pie

Seattle: The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Vancouver: The Police - King Of Pain

Troutdale: Elvis Presley - Always On My Mind

Berkeley: INXS - Never Tear Us Apart

Los Angeles: 2Pac - California Love

Las Vegas: The Killers - Human

Phoenix: Spear Of Destiny - Liberator

Irving: The Doors - Hello, I Love You

Austin: Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag

Houston The Woodlands: The Police - Walking On The Moon

St. Augustine: The Police - Every Breath You Take

Hollywood: Elton John - Your Song

Tampa: Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Atlanta: The Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want

Nashville: Duran Duran - Hold Back The Rain

Charlotte: Lou Reed - Perfect Day

Raleigh: Van Morrison - Moondance

Columbia: Commodores - Easy

Boston 1: Boston - More Than A Feeling

Boston 2: Pixies - Here Comes Your Man

Philadelphia: Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

Asbury Park: Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark

New York: Queen - We Are The Champions (dj elf asked a fan to pick between this one and David Bowie - Heroes)

- EU & UK LEG - Hamburg: Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Copenhagen: Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure

Oslo: Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends

Stockholm: The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army

Helsinki: Elvis Presley - Always On My Mind

Tallinn: Smash Mouth - All Star

Riga: AC/DC - Thunderstruck

Kaunas: Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling in Love

Krakow: Iggy Pop - Lust For Life

Łódź: Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop

Vienna: Oasis - Supersonic

Ljubljana: The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It

Budapest: Bloc Party - Helicopter

Bucharest: Foo Fighters - My Hero

Sofia: Rage Against The Machine - Bombtrack

Bilbao: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Lisbon: White Lies - Farewell to the Fairground

Madrid: Editors - Munich

Barcelona: At the Drive-In - One Armed Scissor

Turin: Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way

Bologna: Bloc Party - Helicopter

Luxembourg: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Antwerp: Queens Of The Stone Age - My God Is The Sun

Paris: Biffy Clyro - Bubbles

Amsterdam: Blur - Song 2

Cologne: The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now

Prague: Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Berlin: The Cure - Friday I'm in Love

Munich: Fatboy Slim - Praise You

Zurich: The Strokes - Last Nite

Dublin: Inhaler - These Are The Days

Sheffield: The Killers - Mr. Brightside

Manchester: The Smiths - This Charming Man

Glasgow: The Snuts - Gloria

Brighton: Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated

Cardiff: T. Rex - 20th Century Boy

London: The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now

Birmingham: Boyz II Men - End Of The Road

- ASIA & AUS LEG - Jakarta: Iggy Pop - Lust For Life

Melbourne: Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Brisbane: The Temper Trap - Fader

Sydney: Oasis - Rock 'N' Roll Star

- LATAM LEG - Panama: Hard-Fi - Living for the Weekend

San Juan: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Rio de Janeiro: Nirvana - Heart-Shaped Box

Like last time the plan is to keep editing this post as tour goes on - 2022 LTWT here

Apple music playlist here

[hit-song-showdown]

[Image description: a collage of photos of the 10 musicians and musical groups featured in this poll. In order from left to right, top to bottom: Lifehouse, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson, Train, Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule, Matchbox Twenty, Eve and Gwen Stefani, Dido, Lenny Kravitz, Destiny's Child. End description]

More information about this blog here

A lot of alternative rock this year, especially with the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart having major influence over the Billboard Hot 100. Rap and R&B are also blending a lot more, which artists from both genres appearing on each others' tracks.

However, when it comes to music business history, this year kicked off with a bang. 2001 marks the release of iTunes and the iPod, which would heavily alter trends in music listening and try to provide one solution to the issue of music piracy. After the previous decades of listeners being expected to pay full price for a CD, going to $0.99 per song felt like a downgrade in terms of profits. But even with Napster shut down, but piracy still left the music industry scrambling for a solution. With listeners being able to buy individual songs, the rising popularity of iTunes was great for singles, but not the best for album sales. With the iPod, music listening trends were also moving in favor of individual listening as portable music became more accessible. It will take a few years for both this product and platform to reach their cultural and economic peaks, but the trends are starting to shift here.

Also to address the elephant in the room, this was also the year of the September 11 attacks. Despite the event forever affecting American culture, those effects aren't that obvious when looking at this chart. Like with the Vietnam War era, some songs had the event projected onto them. But unlike the Vietnam War era, protest music won't be as prominent in the mainstream. The popular music at the time seemed to want to be defiantly apolitical, whether as a coping mechanism or to avoid public backlash (which we will definitely get to in a few years) differs depending on the artists. But to get to the music itself, iHeartMedia (formerly Clear Channel Communications) famously banned the airplay of a number of songs following the attacks. I'm not going to go over all 165, but previous poll entries featured on this list includes: Walk Like an Egyptian by the Bangles, Johnny Angel by Shelley Fabrares, Bennie and the Jets by Elton John, American Pie by Don McLean, Under the Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bridge over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel, War by Edwin Star, and Jump by Van Halen.

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 5.26

Holidays

Battle of Pinhincha Day (Ecuador)

Bob Day

Boulder Day (Republic of Molossia)

Carb Day

Crown Prince’s Day (Denmark)

Drool Day

Dzien Matki (a.k.a. Mother's Day; Poland)

Feast of VooDoo Economics

Go Barefoot Around the House Day

Grey Day

Independent Artist Day

Mother’s Day (Poland)

National Death Busters Day

National EMS Recognition Day

National Grey Day

National Paper Airplane Day

National Poppy Day

National Ranboo Day

National Sorry Day (a.k.a. National Day of Healing; Australia)

National Wig Out Day

National Work From Home Day

Oat Grass Day (French Republic)

Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day (Hawaii)

Sally Ride Day

Starfleet Remembrance Day (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds)

Windmill Day (Netherlands)

World Dracula Day

World Lindy Hop Day

World Orienteering Day

World Product Day

World Redhead Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Blueberry Cheesecake Day

National Cherry Dessert Day

World Sherry Day

4th & Last Friday in May

Ascension Friday (Belgium)

Bermuda Day [Last Friday]

Don't Fry Day [Friday before Memorial Day]

European Neighbours’ Day [Last Friday]

Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival begins [Last Friday, thru Sunday]

Heat Safety Awareness Day [4th Friday]

National Cooler Day [Friday before Memorial Day]

National Death Busters Day [Friday before Memorial Day]

National Heat Awareness Day [Last Friday]

National Polka Festival begins (Ennis, Texas) [Friday before Memorial Day]

National Road Trip Day [Friday before Memorial Day]

National Wig Out Day [Friday before Memorial Day]

Portland Rose Festival begins (Oregon) Friday in late May; thru June 26]

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day (Western Australia) [Last Friday]

Trader-Willi Syndrome Awareness Day [Last Friday]

Title Track Day [4th Friday]

Independence Days

Erenian Republic (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Georgia (from Russia, 1918)

Guyana (from UK, 1966)

Molossia (f.k.a. the Grand Republic of Vuldstein; Declared; 1977) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Augustine of Canterbury (Anglican Communion and Eastern Orthodox)

August Kopisch (Artology)

Buddha Day (Buddhism)

Doc Owl (Muppetism)

Dorothea Lange (Artology)

Eleuterus, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Festival of the Valley (Ancient Egypt)

Lambert of Vence (Christian; Saint)

Lemminkainen’s Day (Pagan)

Lenny Bruce Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

St. Monica (Positivist; Saint)

Oduvald (Christian; Saint)

Peter Sanz  (Christian; One of Martyr Saints of China)

Philip Neri (Christian; Saint)

Philippe de Champaigne (Artology)

Quadratus of Athens (Christian; Saint)

Shavuot (Judaism) [6 Sivan] (a.k.a. …

Feast of the Harvest

Feast of Weeks

Festival of Weeks

First-Fruit festival

Wheat Harvest

Thargelia (Birthday Festival of Apollo & Artemis; Ancient Greece)

Totally Random Day (Pastafarian)

World Hunger Day (Pastafarian)

Zachary, Bishop of Vienne (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Premieres

Absolutely Free, by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention (Album; 1968)

American Pie, by Don McLean (Song; 1971)

Avengers Assemble (Animated TV Series; 2013)

Beatlemania! (Broadway Musical Tribute; 1977)

Big Jake (Film; 1971)

Buddy of the Apes (WB LT Cartoon; 1934)

Caspar (Animated Film; 1995)

Dracula, by Bram Stoker (Novel; 1897)

Flying Home, recorded by Lionel Hampton (Song; 1937)

Games People Play, by Eric Berne (Self-Help Book; 1966)

God’s Men, by Pearl S. Buck (Novel; 1951)

Johnny Mnemonic (Film; 1995)

Kung Fu Panda 2 (Animated Film; 2011)

Mad Love (Film; 1995)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (Film; 2017)

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, by The Beatles (Album; 1967)

Sourcery, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 1988) [Discworld #5]

The Whole Truth and Nothing But, by Hedda Hopper (Memoir; 1963)

X-Men: The Last Stand (Film; 2006)

Yellow Submarine, recorded by The Beatles (Song; 1966)

Today’s Name Days

Alwin, Philipp (Austria)

Anamarija, Filip, Zdenko (Croatia)

Filip (Czech Republic)

Beda (Denmark)

Miina, Minna, Valme, Valmi, Vella, Velli, Vilma, Vilme (Estonia)

Miina, Mimmi, Minna, Minni, Vilhelmiina, Vilma (Finland)

Bérenger (France)

Marianne, Philipp (Germany)

Alfaios, Karpos, Sinesios (Greece)

Evelin, Fülöp (Hungary)

Filippo, Pellegrino (Italy)

Eduards, Edvards, Varis (Latvia)

Algimantas, Eduardas, Milvydė, Vilhelmina (Lithuania)

Annbjørg, Annlaug (Norway)

Beda, Filip, Marianna, Paulina, Więcemił, Wilhelmina (Poland)

Carp (România)

Dušan (Slovakia)

Felipe, Mariana (Spain)

Vilhelmina, Vilma (Sweden)

Felipe, Flip, Phil, Philip, Philippa, Phillip (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 146 of 2024; 219 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of week 21 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Huath (Hawthorn) [Day 13 of 28]

Chinese: Month 4 (Ding-Si), Day 8 (Jia-Shen)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 6 Sivan 5783

Islamic: 6 Dhu al-Qada 1444

J Cal: 25 Bīja; Foursday [25 of 30]

Julian: 13 May 2023

Moon: 42%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 6 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Monica]

Runic Half Month: Odal (Home, Possession) [Day 2 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 68 of 90)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 6 of 32)

[drzito]

Las 211 peliculas que he visto en 2022 (parte 2)

En negrita las que os recomiendo:

106. Azul oscuro casi negro (Daniel Sanchez Arevalo, 2006).

107. Destino Final 3 (James Wong, 2006)

108. El territorio de la bestia (Greg McLean, 2007)

109. Lake Mungo (Joel Anderson, 2008)

110. Las Ruinas (Carter Smith, 2008)

111. Los limoneros (Eran Riklis, 2008)

112. Superagente 86 de película (Peter Segal, 2008)

113. Petit Indi (Marc Recha, 2009)

114. Edificio España (Víctor Moreno, 2010)

115. El hombre sin pasado (Lee Jeong-beom, 2010)

116. Tron: Legacy (Joseph Kosinski, 2010)

117. Beyond the black rainbow (Panos Cosmatos, 2011)

118. La bicicleta verde (Haifaa al-Mansour, 2012)

119. The Bay (Barry Levinson, 2012)

120. Ahora me ves (Louis Leterrier, 2013)

121. El gran simulador (Nestor Frenkel, 2013)

122. The Borderlands (Elliot Goldner, 2013)

123. Frank (Lenny Abrahamson, 2014)

124. The Big Men (Rachel Boynton, 2014)

125. The Guest (Adam Wingard, 2014)

126. Caza al asesino (Pierre Morel, 2015)

127. El despertar de los dragones (Soi Cheang, 2015)

128. La juventud (Paolo Sorrentino, 2015)

129. Perdiendo el Norte (Nacho G Velilla, 2015).

130. Una pastelería en Tokio (Naomi Kawase, 2015)

131. Ahora me ves 2 (Jon M. Chu, 2016)

132. Cien años de perdón (Daniel Calparsoro, 2016)

133. Doña Clara (Aquarius) (Kleber Mendonça Filho, 2016)

134. El Caso Sloane (John Madden, 2016)

135. El Vacio (Jeremy Gillespie y Steven Kostanski, 2016)

136. La autopsia de Jane Doe (André Øvredal, 2016)

137. Paterson (Jim Jarmusch, 2016)

138. Reina de Katwe (Mira Nair, 2016)

139. The eyes of my mother (Nicolas Pesce, 2016)

140. Un italiano en Noruega (Gennaro Nunziante, 2016)

141. Ingrid Goes West (Matt Spicer, 2017)

142. Lady Bird (Greta Gerwig, 2017)

143. Tierra Firme (Carlos Marques-Marcet, 2017)

147. Verónica (Paco Plaza, 2017)

148. Default (Kook-Hee Choi, 2018)

149. El ombligo de Guie’dani (Xavi Sala, 2018)

150. Searching... (Aneesh Chaganty, 2018)

152. Silvio (y los otros) (Paolo Sorrentino, 2018).

153. Un pequeño favor (Paul Feig, 2018)

154. Upgrade (Leigh Whannell, 2018)

155. Así crecen los enanos (Raul Serrano, 2019)

156. Bliss (Joe Begos, 2019)

157. Brittany corre un maratón (Paul Downs Colaizzo, 2019)

158. Contagio en alta mar (Neasa Hardiman, 2019)

159. El bosque maldito (Lee Cronin, 2019)

160. First cow (Kelly Reichardt, 2019).

161. La cabaña siniestra (Veronika Franz y Severin Fiala, 2019)

162. La democracia en peligro (Petra Costa, 2019)

163. Los días que vendrán (Carlos Marques-Marcet, 2019)

164. Nación cautiva (Josh Wyatt, 2019)

165. Quien a hierro mata (Paco Plaza, 2019)

166. The Beach House (Jeffrey A Brown, 2019)

167. Vivarium (Lorcan Finnegan, 2019)

168. Aves de presa y la fantabulosa emancipación de Harley Quinn (Cathy Yan, 2020)

169. Casa Ajena (Remi Weekes, 2020)

170. Come true (Anthony Scott Burns, 2020)

171. El capital humano (Marc Meyers, 2020)

172. El hombre invisible (Leigh Whannell, 2020)

173. Hillbilly, una elegia rural (Ron Howard, 2020)

174. La boda de Rosa (Iciar Bollain, 2020)

175. Mandíbulas (Quentin Dupieux, 2020)

176. Mas allá de los dos minutos infinitos (Junta Yamaguchi, 2020)

177. Minari. Historia de mi familia (Lee Isaac Chung, 2020)

178. Murder Death Koreatown (anonimo, 2020)

179. Sputnik (Egor Abramenko, 2020)

180. Tenet (Christopher Nolan, 2020)

181. Underwater (William Eubank, 2020)

182. Un lugar tranquilo 2 (John Krasinski, 2020)

183. Black Widow (Cate Shortland, 2021)

184. Chavalas (Carol Rodríguez Colás, 2021)

185. El buen patrón (Fernando Leon de Aranoa, 2021)

186. Freaks Out (Gabrielle Mainetti, 2021)

187. Gaia (Jaco Bouwer, 2021)

188. Hombres lobo entre nosotros (Josh Ruben, 2021)

189. In the Earth (Ben Weathley, 2021)

190. Kate (Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, 2021)

191. La abuela (Paco Plaza, 2021).

192. La peor persona del mundo (Joachim Trier, 2021)

193. Los voyeurs (Michael Mohan, 2021)

194. No mires arriba (Adam McKay, 2021).

195. One Shot: Mision de Rescate (James Nunn, 2021)

196. Paris, distrito 13 (Jacques Audiard, 2021)

197. Petit Maman (Céline Sciamma, 2021)

198. Sin tiempo para morir (Cary Joji Fukunaga, 2021)

199. Spencer (Pablo Larrain, 2021).

200. Spiderman: No way home (Jon Watts, 2021)

201. Titane (Julia Ducornau, 2021).

202. Ultima noche en el Soho (Edgar Wright, 2021)

203. Un héroe (Asghar Farhadi, 2021)

204. Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched (Kier-La Janisse, 2021)

205. Alcarras (Carla Simón, 2022)

206. Bullet Train (David Leitch, 2022)

207. El agua (Elena López Riera, 2022)

208. Kimi (Steven Soderbergh, 2022)

209. Minions: El origen de Gru (Kyle Balda, 2022)

210. Thor: Love & Thunder (Taika Waititi, 2022)

211. Todo a la vez en todas partes (Dan Kwan y Daniel Scheinert, 2022)

[my-chaos-radio-90s-list]

I Belong To You - Lenny Kravitz

I Can’t Dance - Genesis

I Can’t Get Enough - Chyp-Notic

(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You - UB40

I Don’t Know What You Want But I Can’t Give It - Pet Shop Boys

I Knew I Loved You - Savage Garden

I Love You Always Forever - Donna Lewis

I Love Your Smile - Shanice

I Need To Know - Marc Anthony

I Show You Secrets - Pharao

I Swear - All-4-One

I Touch Myself - Divinyls

I Try - Macy Gray

I Wanna B With U - Fun Factory

I Want You - Savage Garden

I Want You Back - *NSYNC

I Wish It Would Rain Down - Phil Collins

I’ll Be Missing You - Puff Daddy feat. Faith Evans & 112

I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight - Robert Palmer, UB40

I’ll Stand By You - Pretenders

I’ve Been Thinking About You - Londonbeat

Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice

If You Had My Love - Jennifer Lopez

In private - Dusty Springfield

In These Arms - Bon Jovi

Independent Love Song - Scarlet

Infinity - Guru Josh

Inside Out - Traveling Wilburys

Intergalactic - Beastie Boys

It Feels So Good - Sonique

It Keep’s Rainin’ - Bitty Mclean

It's Ok, All Right - Def Dames Dope

-

Johnny Wanna Live - Sandra

Join Me In Death - H.I.M.

Jump Around - House Of Pain

Justified & Ancient - The KLF

-

Killer - Adamski

Killing Me Softly With His Song - Fugees

Kiss Them For Me - Siouxsie And The Banshees

-

Land Of Dreaming - Masterboy

Laura Non c'é - Nek

Let Me Live - Queen

Lie To Me - Jonny Lang

Life - Haddaway

Lift Me Up - Howard Jones

Little Good-Byes - SheDAISY

Living On My Own - Freddie Mercury

Looking For Love - Karen Ramirez

Losing My Religion - R.E.M.

Lost In Music - Stereo MC’s

Love & Devotion - Real Mc Coy

Love… Thy Will Be Done - Martika

Love Sees No Colour - U96

Lovefool - The Cardigans

Lucky Love - Ace Of Base

-

Macarena - Los Del Rio

Man On The Moon - R.E.M.

Mercy Mercy Me - Robert Palmer

Mi Chico Latino - Geri Halliwell

Miles Away - Winger

Missing - Everything But The Girl

Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm - Crash Test Dummies

Mouth - Merril Bainbridge

Move Your Body - Eiffel 65

Movin’ On - Bananarama

Mr. Loverman - Shabba Ranks

Mr. Vain - Culture Beat

Mustang Sally - The Commitments

My Destiny - Lionel Richie

My Side Of The Bed - Susanna Hoffs

-

Never Be The Same Again - Melanie C

Never, Never Gonna Give You Up - Lisa Stansfield

Night In Motion - U 96

No One - 2 Unlimited

No Scrubs - TLC

Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinèad O'Connor

November Rain - Guns N’ Roses

[jpbjazz]

LÉGENDES DU JAZZ

LENNY WHITE, SUR LES TRACES DE MILES DAVIS

Né le 19 décembre 1949 à New York, dans le Queens, Leonard "Lenny" White III avait commencé à s’intéresser à la musique dès son plus jeune âge. À Queens, White avec grandi aux côtés de grands musiciens comme Count Basie, Roy Haynes, Illinois Jacquet, Lester Young, Brook Benton et James Brown. De grandes vedettes du baseball comme Roy Campanella et Jackie Robinson vivaient également dans le quartier. Durant sa jeunesse, White avait été particulièrement influencé par des personnalités comme  Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Jimi Hendrix, Malcolm X, Willie Mays, James Brown et Mohammed Ali.

Lorsque son père vivait à la maison, il emmenait aussi souvent Lenny assister à des concerts dans les clubs.

DÉBUTS DE CARRIÈRE

Batteur autodidacte gaucher, White avait amorcé sa carrière en jouant avec des groupes de New York, plus particulièrement dans le quartier de Queens, où il s’était produit dans des clubs comme l’Aphrodisiac, le Slugs et The Gold Lounge. C’est d’ailleurs au Gold Lounge que White avait fait ses débuts avec le saxophoniste Jackie McLean. 

White avait commencé à jouer avec McLean à la la fin des années 1960. White avait tellement excellé dans le cadre de sa collaboration avec McLean qu’il avait attiré l’attention de Miles Davis qui l’avait invité à participer à l’album Bitches Brew en 1969. White raconte comment Davis l’avait contacté: ‘’Miles called and my mother picked up the phone. Miles’s voice was very quiet and I could hear my mother saying, ‘Who is this? What? You’d better speak up, or I’m going to hang up this phone!’ Well, I spoke to Miles and he told me to be at his home the next day for a rehearsal.’’

Commentant son passage dans le groupe de Davis, White avait expliqué: ‘’When Miles Davis asked me to do Bitches Brew, there was no music involved. I got into the studio and he said, ‘Think of this as a big pot of stew and I want you to be salt.’ What musical knowledge am I going to call upon to be salt – play a paradiddle? I was given a musical assignment and I had to fulfil it – I had to think about it. So what happens to me when I come to music is that I think about what should be created – what visual musical thing I can do.’’ White avait ajouté:

‘’Miles was a sage. He was a person that was extremely sensitive and he created this thing because of how sensitive he was. When people see Miles and go, ‘He’s like agghhh!’ and they listen to ‘Summertime’ and they think, ‘how could a guy play with that much soul and be so gruff?’ He was always great with me – he was always teaching. He asked me to come down to a Village [Vanguard] date, because he wanted me to listen to the music, as I was about to go on the road with him. Between sets we’d I’d listen to [pianist] Les McCann’s group and he’d say, ‘See that? Listen to that. No, that’s wrong’ – he was a teacher. I have only great memories. I can equate all the great feeling I got by listening to Miles Davis play and going to his house and listening to music with him.’’

L’album Bitches Brew avait été enregistré avec une formation tout-étoile composée de Dave Holland, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Bennie Maupin et Jack DeJohnette. Évoquant l’enregistrement de l’album, White avait ajouté:

‘’It was very interesting. I was like a deer in the headlights – it was pretty amazing. To a certain degree I had it under control. We didn’t rehearse much material from the album – we only did the introduction to ‘Bitches Brew.’ We recorded the album in August and I went back to school. In October, I was in a deep sleep and in the middle of the night, I woke up and thought, ‘I’ve recorded with Miles Davis!’ That’s how long it took to hit me. I had done something that was documented and was going to be there for the rest of the world – I had played with Miles Davis.’’

Mais Davis avait toujours su ce qu’il voulait et était le seul maître à bord. Décrivant la détermination de Davis, White avait précisé:

‘’Miles was very hands-on over what he wanted. If you read the book [Listen to This: Miles Davis and Bitches Brew by Victor Svorinch], you’ll see that Miles was very hands-on. I don’t think Teo could have come up with what Miles wanted, but he was an aide in helping Miles translate what he heard into a coherent thing that people could hear and say, ‘Wow!’ If you think about it, there were thirteen musicians; a bass clarinet – Teo Macero wasn’t thinking about a bass clarinet. Teo Macero wasn’t thinking about electric keyboards – Miles had this in his head. I believe Miles had listened to the landscape at the time, which was rock ‘n’ roll and said, ‘I can play rock ‘n’ roll, but from a different perspective – this is what I think it should sound like.’ And that’s what we did, because nobody had heard that music before, and we didn’t know what it was when we creating it. And after we played it, we still didn’t know what it was!’’

Commentant l’originalité de Davis comme musicien, White avait ajouté:

‘’The genius of Miles Davis was to hear something that nobody else heard, and to surround himself with people, and get them to hear or conceive a new kind of music without knowing how to play it, but by just giving certain ideas to see what the artist comes up and how they form together to create this new puzzle. Nobody knew what it was; he didn’t know what it was {...}. They tried calling it fusion, but come on! It was diametrically opposed genres of music that smashed together. Jazz and rock – biff!

Le fait que White ait été peintre avait aussi contribué à le rapprocher de Davis. White avait précisé:

‘’I was a painter – that’s what I went to school for, so now it’s just a matter of me painting with notes as opposed to colours [Interestingly, Miles one said, ‘Music is a painting you can hear; a painting is music you can see.’]. I’ve been able to surround myself with people who are forward thinking – that don’t necessarily need something that’s regimented. Although when I played with Chick [Corea] and Return to Forever, that was somewhat regimented, because it was compositions from the perspective of form and certain things. So I had to learn how to discern that and make it work. There have been ups and downs, but what has happened is that, fortunately for me, I have gotten calls because of what I can do, and there are a lot of people who don’t read music – Buddy Rich, George Benson, Dennis Chambers – they all did pretty well without it.’’

White s’était également fait connaître pour avoir refusé d’aller jouer avec Jimi Hendrix. White expliquait:

‘’The deal was this – I was enamoured with Miles; he was my mentor. I didn’t just want to play with Miles Davis; I wanted to be Miles Davis. So when Miles asked me, I wanted the gig with him, not the gig with Hendrix. Now it seems stupid of me not to do it, but I was young, and the fact was that I was going to play with Miles. Lydia DeJohnette [Jack’s wife] was pregnant and Jack was going to stay home with her and I would take Jack’s place. Miles manager Jack Whittmore had called me and I was going to play at [the Massachusetts-based jazz club] Lennie’s on the Turnpike for at least a week, and then Miles got shot [In October 1969, Miles was sitting in a car with his lover Marguerite Eskridge (mother of his youngest son Erin) when a gunman fired five shots at the car; no one was hurt in the attack.’’

Décrivant l’enregistrement de l’album Bitches Brew comme un épisode marquant de sa carrière, White avait ajouté: ‘’Mahavishnu, Return to Forever, Weather Report, Tony Williams’ Lifetime and Head Hunters – somebody from each of those bands was represented on Bitches Brew, so there was music before Bitches Brew, and music after Bitches Brew. There was a very healthy competition between those bands and all of us got to be friends.’’

Le fait que Tony Williams ait joué dans le groupe de Davis à l’âge de seulement dix-sept ans avait également permis à White de tisser une relation très spéciale avec le groupe. Williams avait ajouté: ‘’It gave me a purpose. Being the age that I was and hearing that record and it was someone who was my age that done something I could look up to and respect with the mentor Miles Davis. That was very important to me, and right away, Tony Williams was my guy.’’

White avait été très ébranlé par le décès de Williams, qui était mort en 1997 à l’âge de seulement cinquante et un ans. White poursuivait: ‘’It was a shock, because the potential of what he could have created was vast, because of what he left. The legacy he left is so vast, so you never know what he could have continued to do and how much more his legacy could have been. But because of what he left, it’s still being explored, and that could last forever.’’

White avait de nouveau travaillé avec Williams dans le cadre de l’enregistrement de l’album Red Clay de Freddie Hubbard en 1970. En 1972, White avait enchaîné en se joignant au groupe Return to Forevever de Chick Corea. Il était aussi devenu membre du groupe Azteca la même année. Le groupe avait été fondé par le percussionniste de Carlos Santana, Coke Escovedo. Après la dissolution du groupe l’année suivante, White avait concentré ses activités sur Return to Forever. Durant cinq ans, White avait collaboré à plusieurs albums à succès du groupe dont  No Mystery et Romantic Warrior. Lorsque le groupe s’était séparé en 1977, White avait signé un contrat avec les disques Nemperor avec qui il avait enregistré deux albums comme leader. Lorsqu’on avait demandé à Williams si le groupe Return to Forever s’était séparé parce qu’il y avait trop de musiciens vedette dans la formation (Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Al Di Meola, Airto Moreira, etc.), White avait rétorqué:

‘’You could say that. Whatever I say is just from my perspective. I’m not trying to say something that would fault somebody. Every artist has their trajectory they will try to adhere it. What they want to do is they should try to do and they should not let anybody shape that, because that’s destructive. I don’t fault anybody – that’s not the issue at all. I want everybody to understand that the reason why I started to play music was not to make money – never was. But when I started to make money, it became an issue!’’

En 1973, White avait même failli se joindre au groupe rock Journey. Il expliquait:

‘’What happened was that I was in San Francisco with Azteca – all the guys were from the Bay Area, and I was the only one not from there, so I would commute from New York to San Francisco and stay out there for six weeks. While I was out there, Chick Corea called me from Japan because the Return to Forever band with [percussionist] Airto [Morera] and [singer] Flora [Purim] and [woodwind player] Joe Farrell, Stanley [Clarke] and Chick was breaking up. Stanley and Chick were coming to San Francisco to play at the Keystone Korner [jazz club] and they asked me to play.’’

À l’époque, Corea était sur le point de former une version électrique du groupe Return to Forever et avait demandé à White s’il désirait en faire partie. White avait finalement décliné l’offre car il se était toujours membre du groupe Azteca. Un peu plus tard, Steve Gadd ayant quitté le groupe Return to Forever parce qu’il ne supportait plus les longues tournées, Williams avait finalement accepté l’offre de Corea. White poursuivait:

‘’Meanwhile, I was still out in San Francisco and a manager called me and said, ‘Listen, Neal Schon and [bassist] Ross Valory would like to jam with you – do you have time?’ We went to SIR [Studio Instrument Rentals whose facilities include a rehearsal studio] and we jammed. [keyboardist and vocalist] Gregg Rolie – who I knew from Santana – said, ‘Listen man, the guys really love the way you play. They’re starting a band and would like you to play in it.’ By this time, Chick had called me again, because Steve Gadd didn’t want to go on the road. He asked me again and this time I said yes. So I went back to do Return for Forever and the band that I was supposed to join became Journey.’’

En 1975, White avait enregistré un premier album comme leader intitulé ’’Venusian Summer’’ avec les guitaristes Al Di Meola et Larry Coryell. Évoquant la collaboration des deux guitaristes, White avait commenté: ‘’ It was interesting because Larry was kind of Al’s mentor, in terms of the electric guitar, but they had never played together on a record.’’

White avait enchaîné en 1977 avec un second album sous son nom intitulé Big City. L’année suivante, White avait poursuivi sur sa lancée avec un troisième opus intitulé Streamline. La même année, White avait également publié un ‘’Space opera’’ intitulé The Adventures of Astral Pirates qui était très inspiré par le film Star Wars. Évoquant ses multiples influences de l’époque, White avait précisé:

‘’I had recorded with Miles Davis – I started with the master. The music was on an upward trajectory and I wanted to continue that trajectory. I had worked with great conceptualists like Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Herbie Hancock. I had a really good viewing of the different kinds of musics that I was playing. There was the energy of rock and roll; the sophistication of jazz and my respect for orchestral music.

So when I got the opportunity to do my own project, I included all the different things that were influencing me at the time. With Venusian Summer, I had been listening to Jimi Hendrix, Sly [Stone] and classical music too.’’

Après être passé chez les disques Elektra en 1978, White avait formé l’année suivante le groupe de fusion Twennynine (d’après son âge de l’époque), qui comprenait Skip Anderson aux claviers, Barry Johnson à la basse, Eddy Martinez à la guitare, et Carlo Vaughn et Jocelyn Smith au chant. Le groupe avait enregistré trois albums: Best of Friends (1979), Twennynine with Lenny White (1980) et Just Like Dreamin' (1981). Le groupe, qui interprétait une musique qui était très influencée par le jazz rock, le funk et le R & B, avait d’ailleurs fait une tournée avec Prince en 1980.

ÉVOLUTION RÉCENTE

En 1982, White avait fait une apparition sur l’album Touchstone de Chick Corea. La même année, White avait produit l’album de Chaka Khan LP Echoes of an Era. L’année suivante, White avait publié l’album Attitude. Il avait aussi co-produit l’album Joyride du groupe Pieces of a Dream.

À la fin des années 1980, White avait également fait partie des Jamaica Boys, un groupe qui comprenait Marcus Miller à la basse et Dinky Bingham au chant. Évoquant sa collaboration avec Miller, White avait commenté:

‘’I met Marcus when he was seventeen. There was a mentor to all of us by the name of Weldon Irvine, who had come from Hampton, Virginia and settled in Jamaica, Queens. He was a mentor to all the guys that wanted to play jazz and progressive music. He had a band that everyone was in and out of – Billy Cobham, George Cables, Marcus, Omar Hakim, Bernard, Donald Blackman – there were a lot of people. I gave Marcus his first recording date. He was always carrying his bass around and he came to the studio. I had this piece of music that needed a funky bass line and I said, ‘Go ahead and play,’ and he said, ‘Me?’ I said, ‘yes’ and he played [on the track ‘Egypt’]. Later on, Marcus, Bernard and I formed The Jamaica Boys.’’

White poursuivait: ‘’He made his mark. When Marcus was in my band, he came up to me and said, ‘Can I talk to you?’ I said, ‘Sure’, and he said, ‘Everything I play sounds like Jaco [Pastorius] to me – Jaco’s my guy. What should I do – I want to sound like myself?’ I said, ‘Keep continuing to sound like Jaco; keep playing like Jaco, because you think you sound like Jaco, but there are things that you do that are your own. You’re going to realise that the more you play.’ And he found a way to come out sounding like Marcus.’’

Décrivant sa collaboration avec Pastorius, White avait commenté:

‘’What happened was that [Columbia Records producer] Bobby Colomby – who I knew from Blood, Sweat and Tears – had discovered Jaco and he called me up and said, ‘Hey listen man, I got this great bass player and he wants you to do his album – are you interested in doing it? He’s using Herbie [Hancock] and Hubert Laws.’ I said, ‘sure’ and we went to the studio in New York and met him for the first time. We went into the studio and started recording. In between takes, we’d go outside and play basketball. I thought it was great what we were doing – it was cool, but I never thought it was going to be the ground-breaking album that it was. Jaco was a nova [a bright star] in terms of playing the bass, and while I was extremely impressed with what he did, I had played with Ron Carter and Stanley Clarke! Jaco had a new way of playing that was different from them. I thought it was great but never knew it was going to blow up to be so big.’’

Très apprécié des autres musiciens, White avait toujours refuser de blâmer ses camarades de jeu quand les choses ne tournaient pas comme il le voulait. Par exemple, lorsqu’on avait demandé à White de commenter les aspects plus négatifs de la personnalité de Pastorius, il avait tendance à se concentrer sur les côtés plus positifs. White expliquait: ‘’Jaco went through a few different stages and I saw him in all of them. I refuse to talk about his manic stages, because there is no purpose. My involvement with him was really great – you can hear it on the recordings. He loved his family and they were great. There was a really positive rivalry between Weather Report and Return to Forever that produced great music. I remember him being a consummate person, a great guy and a family man – that’s what I take.’’

Lorsque le groupe Return to Forever s’était reformé en 2008 avec Corea, Stanley Clarke et Al Di Meola, White était retourné avec la formation. L’année suivante, White avait participé à une tournée avec Corea et Clarke avec qui il avait enregistré un album live intitulé Forever qui s’était mérité un prix Grammy. En 2011, le groupe avait fait une nouvelle tournée, mais avec Frank Gambale à la guitare en remplacement de Di Meola, et avec Jean-Luc Ponty au violon. Décrivant son retour avec le groupe, White avait précisé:

‘’That project came about because of the demand. We got a reach from the audience, from the fans – they wanted to see that [band]; they missed it. We had left a mark and our fans had gotten older. They had kids and wanted to bring their kids to experience what they had experienced when we came on the scene. It was great because there was a lineage. When you discover some music; when you discover some art or a movie, you want to give somebody the same opportunity to be inspired in the way you were. It was fantastic; it was great. I would do it again but I wouldn’t want to play that same music again, because everyone has grown and I would love to see what we can do now. That would be an interesting scenario.’’

Maheureusement, la mort de Corea des suites d’un cancer en février 2021 avait empêché le projet d’aller plus loin.

Au cours de sa carrière, White a collaboré avec de grands noms du jazz comme Joe Henderson, Chick Corea, Woody Shaw, Al Di Meola, Jackie McLean, Geri Allen, Gato Barbieri, Gil Evans, Jaco Pastorius, Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, Miles Davis et Stan Getz. White avait également travaillé avec les super-groupes Echoes of an Era et Griffith Park. 

Un peu comme Miles Davis, White avait l’habitude d’utiliser des musiciens particuliers selon les besoins des pièces qu’il devait interpréter. Il expliquait:

‘’I kind of got that from Miles Davis. Miles was really adept at choosing musicians that he could ask to do something and not tell them exactly what to do. They had a vision and he thought that they could bring something to the project that he might not have thought about – Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Ron Carter, Wayne Shorter – they were all visionary musicians and they might not do things that normal musicians would do. You can get someone who is very adept at reading charts but might not be the kind of musician you need to inspire something that hasn’t been heard or done before. I kind of use that perspective because a lot of the music that I might try to do is not bound by certain guidelines.’’

White enseigne présentement à l’Université de New York où il dirige son propre groupe en plus de faire des lectures sur l’album Bitches Brew intitulées “The Miles Davis Aesthetic.”

Résident de longue date de  Teaneck, au New Jersey, White avait été mis en nomination cinq fois aux prix Grammy et l’a emporté à quatre reprises. Considéré comme un pionnier du jazz-fusion et du jazz funk, White avait tendance à se montrer plutôt nostalgique lorsqu’on lui demandait d’expliquer le déclin de ce genre musical. White avait déclaré:

‘’There are a lot of different theories and I wouldn’t go out on a limb and say, ‘this is the reason why,’ because I think there are a lot of different reasons why things happen. But that music was extremely strong. One of the things that will stay for me for the rest of my life is that Return to Forever released Romantic Warrior, and in Central Park there’s a skating rink which held concerts during the summer that held 7000 people. When Return to Forever played there, they broke down the fences and there were 12,000 people for that concert. We did not have a lead singer; we did not have a radio hit and yet 12,000 people came to see an instrumental band play music that was not played on the radio – it was very powerful music {...}. At the time, I was trying to be the best that I could be. That was a meritocracy. That movement was really strong because everybody within it was on-point. It had to be, to be able to have that thrust. There was an arc with that music and that direction and it was very powerful.’’

White avait ressenti durement la perte de certains de ses collaborateurs comme Corea, le guitariste Larry Coryell (mort en 2017) et le bassiste Victor Bailey (décédé en 2016). White expliquait:

‘’I had played an awful lot with Victor – Victor is on almost all my records. The three of us had gotten an offer to do a record for an audiophile company Chesky. We did a couple of records and there was a single microphone. There was no mixing – it was just like the time when you played and that’s what it was. We had a great time playing together {...}. Very much so, and because I saw Victor go through a debilitating disease [he had a genetic muscle-wasting disorder]. He was a great musician. I was with Victor up to his last days – it was heart-breaking to see a spirit like that silenced. He was a great spirit and that made him a fantastic musician. I had done a record that he wanted released and I started working to finish it, but I ran out of money to be able to do that. I still have that music and hope one day to put it out, because he was a special spirit.’’

Très déçu de son expérience avec les compagnies de disques, White avait déclaré après la parution de son album Anomaly en 2010:

‘’I’m still not happy because of what the original intention was. As I said earlier, I didn’t get into the music business to make money; I got into it because it was a form of expression – I got to express myself in bands and with artists that were ground-breaking. I wanted to perpetuate that feeling and that energy. I wanted to continue to do that on my own. Then there’s the fact that you want to make music that is inspirational, but in doing that, someone gives you an opportunity, and you have adhere to a certain quota to be able to continue that. So you have to make music that generates money for whatever company gives you the opportunity.

What happens is that you tend to somewhat compromise your original intention, because you have to abide by the status quo. Maybe at the beginning you just compromise enough, but as it goes on, your obligation comes back on you, and you may have to compromise a bit more. That attitude is counter-productive to art, because art creates an arc, and so now if you’re starting to manufacture your art, then maybe the arc turns and goes down – I believe that’s where we are. I believe that artists are not necessarily trying to inspire and create new things – they’re trying to be popular because music has become a commodity. In order to have that opportunity to create and put it in the market place, you have to abide by certain things. What has changed is that you do not have to do that. You can make your own music for yourself and put it out yourself. It’s just might not get felt the way it should – that’s the issue. You can get heard, but I don’t just want to get heard; I want to get felt, and that’s a big difference.’’

Même si White avait remporté quatre prix Grammy, il considérait toujours qu’il n’avait pas obtenu sa juste part de sa collaboration avec les compagnies de disques. Il poursuivait:

‘’If I was an actor, the equivalent would be an Oscar. If I had four Oscars I could name my price and could do work that I would feel good about. It’s not the case with music because it’s been devalued since Napster – people don’t want to pay for music anymore. Music had a value; people paid money to listen to it and to go and see and experience music – they don’t want to do that anymore because there has been the opportunity to get it for free. ‘Why pay for something you can get for free?’ We don’t say that about water.’’

Décrivant l’impact de la musique en ligne sur les musiciens, White avait ajouté:

‘’When the music business was losing a lot of money because people were not buying albums anymore, they got something called streaming. Now, the music business is making a whole bunch of money but not the artist. They have found a way to jack the artists and make money. You get a million streams and make $300. What has happened is that some artists have gotten pretty despondent because of these situations: ‘why am I working and making the time to make this music? No one’s going to hear it. If it’s streamed, I’m not going to make any money from it.’ Something has to change.’’

Lorsqu’on avait demandé à White s’il n’avait pas retiré un peu de fierté pour ce qu’il avait accompli, il avait répondu:

’’Yes, I actually do, but it’s all relative. I think if more people were educated about all these different musical stops on this journey, I think recognition would be informed. Basically, I’m not asking, because that would be begging – I don’t need that. I know who I am, I know what I have done; I just want the opportunity to talk about it. The more opportunities I can get to create art and put it in the market place [the better], because I honestly do feel that I can create some art that can change these conditions. I think I can make a positive statement in these conditions. Because I’ve done it before; I’ve been involved in bands where the energy of what we were creating was extremely positive, uplifting and it had an arc. So I spend my waking hours trying to recreate that positivity – that’s all I ask.’’

©-2024, tous droits réservés, Les Productions de l’Imaginaire historique SOURCES:

‘’Interview: Lenny White.’’ The Last Miles, 2024.

‘’Lenny White.’’ Wikipedia, 2024.

‘’Lenny White.’’ All About Jazz, 2024.

[brookston]

Holidays 5.26

Holidays

Battle of Pinhincha Day (Ecuador)

Bob Day

Boulder Day (Republic of Molossia)

Carb Day

Chemical Industry Workers’ Day (Russia)

Crown Prince’s Day (Denmark)

Defense Lawyer Day (Tajikistan)

Drool Day

Dzien Matki (a.k.a. Mother's Day; Poland)

Entrepreneurship Day (Russia)

Feast of VooDoo Economics

Go Barefoot Around the House Day

Grey Day

Guide Dog Day (Ireland)

Independent Artist Day

Kent Day (UK)

Mother’s Day (Poland)

National Arbor Day (Venezuela)

National Death Busters Day

National EMS Recognition Day

National Family Fun Day

National Grey Day

National Paper Airplane Day

National Poppy Day

National Ranboo Day

National Sorry Day (a.k.a. National Day of Healing; Australia)

National Work From Home Day

Northumberland Day (UK)

Oat Grass Day (French Republic)

Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day (Hawaii)

Royal Ploughing Ceremony (Cambodia)

Sally Ride Day

Starfleet Remembrance Day (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds)

Windmill Day (Netherlands)

World Dracula Day

World Lindy Hop Day

World Orienteering Day

World Product Day

World Redhead Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Blueberry Cheesecake Day

National Cherry Dessert Day

World Aperitivo Day

World Sherry Day

Independence & Related Days

Erenian Republic (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Georgia (from Russia, 1918)

Guyana (from UK, 1966)

Molossia (f.k.a. the Grand Republic of Vuldstein; Declared; 1977) [unrecognized]

4th & Last Sunday in May

Botanic Gardens Day (Australia) [Last Sunday]

Cavalcata Sarda (Sardinia) [Last Sunday]

Children’s Day (Hungary) [Last Sunday]

Indianapolis 500 Race Day [Sunday before Memorial Day/8 Days before 1st Monday in June]

Kyiv Day (Ukraine) [Last Sunday]

Mad Sunday (Isle of Man) [Last Sunday]

Mother’s Day (France, Sweden) [Last Sunday]

Neighbor Day [8 Days before the 1st Monday in June]

Palo Dei Balestrieri (Italy) [Last Sunday]

Festivals Beginning May 26, 2024

Chowderfest (Waterville Valley, New Hampshire)

Cuban Sandwich Festival (Ybor City, Tampa, Florida)

Idaho Beer Week (Statewide, Idaho) [thru 6.1]

Indianapolis 500 Race Day [Sunday before Memorial Day/8 Days before 1st Monday in June]

Kraków Film Festival (Kraków, Poland) [thru 6.2]

Soft Shell Festival (Crisfield, Maryland)

Vista Strawberry Festival (Vista, California)

Feast Days

Augustine of Canterbury (Anglican Communion and Eastern Orthodox)

August Kopisch (Artology)

Buddha Day (Buddhism)

Doc Owl (Muppetism)

Dorothea Lange (Artology)

Eleuterus, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Festival of the Valley (Ancient Egypt)

Goblin Races (Shamanism)

Lambert of Vence (Christian; Saint)

Lemminkainen’s Day (Pagan)

Lenny Bruce Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

St. Monica (Positivist; Saint)

Oduvald (Christian; Saint)

Olaf Gulbransson (Artology)

Peter Sanz  (Christian; One of Martyr Saints of China)

Philip Neri (Christian; Saint)

Philippe de Champaigne (Artology)

Prayer to Frigga Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Quadratus of Athens (Christian; Saint)

Sacred Well Day (Everyday Wicca)

Thargelia (Birthday Festival of Apollo & Artemis; Ancient Greece)

Totally Random Day (Pastafarian)

World Hunger Day (Pastafarian)

Zachary, Bishop of Vienne (Christian; Saint)

Christian Liturgical Holidays

General Prayer Day (Roman Catholic)

Trinity Sunday [8 Weeks after Easter]

Orthodox Christian Liturgical Calendar Holidays

Paralytic Sunday [4th Sunday of Easter]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Lucky Colours: Dark Grey, Black, Dark Blue & Purple

Lucky Stones: Amethyst, Dark Sapphire, Black Pearl & Back Diamond

Premieres

Absolutely Free, by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention (Album; 1968)

American Pie, by Don McLean (Song; 1971)

The Anvil Chorus Girl (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1944)

Avengers Assemble (Animated TV Series; 2013)

Beatlemania! (Broadway Musical Tribute; 1977)

Big Jake (Film; 1971)

Buddy of the Apes (WB LT Cartoon; 1934)

Caspar (Animated Film; 1995)

Dizzy Kitty (Andy Panda Cartoon; 1941)

Dracula, by Bram Stoker (Novel; 1897)

Flying Home, recorded by Lionel Hampton (Song; 1937)

Games People Play, by Eric Berne (Self-Help Book; 1966)

God’s Men, by Pearl S. Buck (Novel; 1951)

Johnny Mnemonic (Film; 1995)

Kung Fu Panda 2 (Animated Film; 2011)

Mad Love (Film; 1995)

A Passage to India, by E.M. Forster (Novel; 1924)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (Film; 2017)

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, by The Beatles (Album; 1967)

Sleepy-Time Tom (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1951)

Sourcery, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 1988) [Discworld #5]

Tarts and Flowers (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1950)

Titus Awakes, by Mervyn Peake (Novel; 2009) [Gormenghast #4]

A Universal History of Iniquity, by Jorge Luis Borges (Short Stories; 1935)

The Whole Truth and Nothing But, by Hedda Hopper (Memoir; 1963)

X-Men: The Last Stand (Film; 2006)

Yellow Submarine, recorded by The Beatles (Song; 1966)

Today’s Name Days

Alwin, Philipp (Austria)

Anamarija, Filip, Zdenko (Croatia)

Filip (Czech Republic)

Beda (Denmark)

Miina, Minna, Valme, Valmi, Vella, Velli, Vilma, Vilme (Estonia)

Miina, Mimmi, Minna, Minni, Vilhelmiina, Vilma (Finland)

Bérenger (France)

Marianne, Philipp (Germany)

Alfaios, Karpos, Sinesios (Greece)

Evelin, Fülöp (Hungary)

Filippo, Pellegrino (Italy)

Eduards, Edvards, Varis (Latvia)

Algimantas, Eduardas, Milvydė, Vilhelmina (Lithuania)

Annbjørg, Annlaug (Norway)

Beda, Filip, Marianna, Paulina, Więcemił, Wilhelmina (Poland)

Carp (România)

Dušan (Slovakia)

Felipe, Mariana (Spain)

Vilhelmina, Vilma (Sweden)

Felipe, Flip, Phil, Philip, Philippa, Phillip (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 147 of 2024; 219 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of week 21 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Huath (Hawthorn) [Day 15 of 28]

Chinese: Month 4 (Ji-Si), Day 19 (Geng-Yin)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 18 Iyar 5784

Islamic: 18 Dhu al-Qada 1445

J Cal: 27 Magenta; Sixday [27 of 30]

Julian: 13 May 2024

Moon: 88%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 6 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Monica]

Runic Half Month: Odal (Home, Possession) [Day 2 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 69 of 92)

Week: 4th Week of May

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 6 of 31)

[newnoirstories]

Neo-Noir Sequel

(I encourage fan fiction based on these characters, to give fresh perspectives on them.)

"Losing the Dragon"

Chapter I

London, 1967, Sally Orton, known to most just as "Wailing Sally" for her frequent weeping, had died of an overdose. Her unnatural posture in the grimy alley was too much for one of the policemen on the scene.

"We know who sold her the horse, Reggie," said the policeman with stronger nerves, "It's that b*stard Smack Boy. Any excuse to take him in."

However, before the bobbies could bring in Smack Boy, an addict of the substance that was his entire identity, as well as a dealer, someone else, someone outside the law, got at him first.

Smack Boy, sensing that the police would be looking for him, cut through an alley in the seediest part of London, only to see a woman on the other side of fifty, a bit haggard, toying with a switchblade and strutting like the roughest of men in these parts.

"Where do you think you're going, Smack Boy?" asked the woman.

"What's it to you?"

"Let's get this straight, Smack Boy. I've got a better supply. You're not buying from 'enry no more, but from me. You'll be taken care of so long as you understand this."

"You say it's better?" inquired a twitching, sniffling Smack Boy.

"Much stronger stuff. Follow me, but remember, I'll shiv you soon as look at you, so mind your manners."

Smack Boy followed the brazen new queen of the neighborhood into a dark area behind an abandoned store. Paraphernalia, one could say, and the woman reached for a needle.

"Let me give you a free sample," said the woman, her eyes suddenly glowing in a fury, as she lunged at his arm.

Poisoned, Lee "Smack Boy" Carter's death was almost instantaneous. Looming, seething over him, the woman removed bits of a mask, slowly erasing the haggard Caucasian face, revealing a beautiful woman, Chinese by heritage, as we shall see, closer to forty but looking thirty, if even that, still glowering at the remains of Smack Boy.

Chapter II

About a fortnight later, a similar incident occurred in the same part of town. The Low Crow pub was much like any other gutter pub, except for its barman, a haggard, wretched, dejected philosopher, at least in his own mind.

"Gloomy" Gorman Knowles, rather than saying a greeting or trying to sell you a drink, would greet every customer with a saying such as "Science proves we are decaying already, but the heart of every poet knew it already."

Many came to the pub just to laugh at Knowles, or to prove to a friend that the stories about him were not an exaggeration. On this day, however, the focus of the deadly assassin who took Smack Boy was not on Gloomy, but rather on the bouncer, William "Billy Bouncer" Smith Jr.

Billy's great weakness was not drink, as so many of the patrons, but women, and evidently, the fair lady knew it, for, locking eyes with Billy from the first instant, she arrived as herself, catching more eyes than just Billy's. Her outfit was a gaudy mismatch of colors, as if an awkward attempt to be up to date and fashionable.

Within a minute or two, Billy was boasting that he was the toughest bouncer in London, "harder than Lenny" (likely a reference to Lenny McLean), and telling the mysterious woman, batting her eyes at him, that he was "the most man even a woman like you ever 'ad".

Using much the same wording as before, the beautiful woman said, "Well, give me a free sample in the alley. Work can wait…"

The bobbies, this time with Inspector Daniel Graves on the scene, a rather more formidable intellect than most police in the area, found Billy dead, a knife evidently thrown at him, based on the forensics, the deduction of Graves.

"Also," said Graves wrily, "I believe the assailant was kneeling when she- perhaps he, but more likely she- threw the knife, from the angle of the injury."

Chapter III

So it continued, three weeks on from Billy's death, with another target of the mysterious assassin in London's lowest areas, and this time, the target was a fence of any and every sort of illicit or stolen good, Judy "Nixer" Nixon.

The Chinese woman, this time dressed more normally, posed as someone trying to get rid of stolen goods, and negotiations began over a price. When the assassin demanded rather more than Nixer thought the items were worth, however, the conversation became heated, and Nixer grabbed the other lady by the blouse.

The assassin, however, had intentionally provoked just such a moment, and did the least expected thing, kissing Nixer on the lips.

"Have you gone mad? You're a…"

Judy Nixon fell over, dead from poison, to which her killer had taken a partial antidote.

Once again, Inspector Graves was on the scene, though a driving rain was washing away any evidence that might have been found.

"Unless there is a man wearing lipstick, this killer is a woman, the same as the first two murders. She must also be an expert on poisons. A literal kiss of death, gentlemen," said Graves.

"What motive is there? I don't see any robbery," inquired a Sergeant.

"The first two victims were both associated in some way with the Red Goats, the men responsible for the Mollyside Bridge explosion, about three years back. I was at the scene of that. If we find that this woman had the same connections, we have a motive."

"Family of a victim?"

"Most likely, but that means 32 families."

On inquiring, Inspector Graves found that indeed, Judy "Nixer" Nixon had, for a price, helped transport explosives for the Red Goats.

Chapter IV

About a month after this, during a particularly rainy November, the killer from London appeared at none other than Oxford University, seeking employment lecturing in language, as she, Pak Wai-Lam, spoke English, Cantonese, Greek and Latin.

After a few lectures as a guest, Pak was placed on staff, and as part of her research, often went to a library on campus, where she developed a close bond with the normally taciturn librarian, Wilhelm "William" Euler, one that quickly blossomed into romance. Euler was not conventionally handsome, but he had another trait Pak loved far more in men: Genius, so much so, however, that he deduced her secret.

On a bit of leave, Euler invited Pak to his home. She began to undress, but Wilhelm stopped her, explaining that was not the purpose of their visit.

"I needed to tell you two things I could not on campus: First, I know your secret. I know about those three killings in London. Second, I sympathize with you entirely."

Pak looked at him with a concern far deeper than apprehension of capture, to which she had resigned herself as a possiblity, but a fear of losing the first man for whom she had allowed herself any true feelings in years. Her eyes welled up with tears.

"No, Pak. Don't cry. I'm on your side. I know why you came to Oxford. The Political Science Professor, he is a member of the Red Goat lodge, and not only that, I know one or two other things about him that make me hate him with a passion of which I did not think myself capable."

Pak looked Euler hard in the eyes, but saw truth there, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Chapter V

A visibly haunted Wilhelm Euler explained the situation.

"It was seven years ago that I learned what Charles Whale was. Everyone heard rumors about the Red Goat, that Whale was a member. This was before Mollyside, so that did not bother me. Then Whale carried on with a student of his, Bobby Chaucer, and the Bursar made Robert's education here free to keep him quiet. Even then, Pak, I still went out drinking with Whale. That was in 1960, but as he drank, he began to tell me things, not only boasting about Chaucer. Everyone knew that. He told me he was a Red Goat. Everyone knew that as well, but after enough pints he told me… he told me about what he did on a playground, and he laughed, he laughed, Pak. I was sick for weeks. I went to Dean Clarke, but the Dean said many men make up stories when they are drinking. True enough, Pak, but I saw what he was, and I will not forget the ring of that laughter. Something of the sort happened to me as a lad. I made up my mind that Charles Whale would die, and I would have something to do with it. Patiently, I have waited seven years for an opportunity, and now you're here."

"So… are we simply partners in what the law calls crime, or more than that?"

"Believe me, Pak, I love you. I never said that to anyone before, as I never felt it until now. But we cannot have peace together until we carry on with this. Since that day with Whale, I have kept an eye not only on him, but on the Red Goat. When everyone with a brain knew they were behind Mollyside, I recall your name as the widow of one of those… one of the ones that day."

"Colin McShane, my late husband, killed by those demons. He was the only man I loved until I met you, Wilhelm."

"I know," said Euler, wiping away a tear on Pak's cheek, "And that's why we have to finish this matter, no matter what the law thinks."

Chapter VI

Back on campus, neither Pak nor Euler showed any signs of the emotions of their painful conversation, both returning to being intellectual machines.

Pak made the acquaintance of a Comparative Religion Professor, Charlotte Norris, a prim, elderly lady. Pak soon discovered that Norris would give a chapter and verse from the Bible- not a quote, but only the book and the numbers- and said nothing else to fellow faculty.

"She is actually quite eloquent in her lectures," explained Euler, "I have myself attended them, but the rest of the time, she gives only chapter and verse."

Later that day, without saying a word, Pak went up to Euler's desk and pointed, in a book, to the name of a poison. Little by little, without anyone suspecting, by pointing at words and passages in various books, some on utterly random subjects, they constructed a plan to rid Oxford of Professor Charles Whale.

A startling interruption in their plans, however, came in the person of Inspector Daniel Graves, visiting that very college, and that very library, though technically off-duty. A friend of his, also off-duty, Special Constable Harry Higgs, accompanied him.

Higgs, however, blushed hotly at the mere sight of Pak, and Graves looked at Higgs, saying cryptically, "Oh, she was the one, was she?"

Pak knew that Higgs was a policeman, and explained this to Euler, as Graves appeared to be a mere bibliophile.

"Why did he react that way?" asked Euler.

"Two years ago, I was driving too fast. I made the Special Constable feel a little more special, and I paid no fine. I told myself it was to save the money, but really, it was for me. I was lonely. I would have done anyone in pants, honestly."

"A familiar feeling to me, except for the pants part… kind of amusing about the Constable, there. I never saw a man turn quite that shade of red."

Little concerned with Higgs, the duo were visibly shaken, however, when Inspector Daniel Graves introduced himself, by that title.

Chapter VII

One look at Graves and the conspiring duo knew that he was more formidable and clever than Higgs. He took them to a secluded parkland. Obviously, not being on duty, he could not be arresting them, but the Inspector's stern face still made even the strongest nerves tremble.

"Sorry to give you a fright. I cannot say this in front of the less than brilliant Higgs- don't misunderstand, he is a friend, but, well, you know, madam, that his judgment is not always the best, but I digress. When Mollyside Bridge was destroyed, I was the first Inspector on the scene. I will not describe what I saw, especially not in front of Miss Pak, but it made me sympathize entirely with the murderer in those London cases. However, regarding Charles Whale, I think that I know a better way to ruin the Red Goat lodge once and for all."

"What would that be?" inquired Euler.

"On what does the Red Goat depend? Some measure of secrecy. Since Mollyside, I have compiled a list of names. I know everyone affiliated with the Red Goat lodge, I am sure of it. As a prominent man at the British Broadcasting Corporation is actually on that list, they will not touch it, but a sensational tabloid man, both the best and the worst in England, he will be very eager to sell his papers that way. This is his business card."

"Handy Andy the Dandy, Sensation for the British Nation", it read, along with a telephone number and address.

"Andrew Powers is his full name," explained Graves, "He will seem a buffoon at first, but he is extremely clever, albeit unscrupulous, but also unaffiliated with the Red Goat, as he would think them superstitious for their occult practices."

"How do we know this isn't all a trap for us?" Pak was bold enough to ask.

"As one cannot prove a negation, madam, technically you do not, but if you look at press clippings, you will find that I was at Mollyside. If you decide not to pursue the tabloid option, and to take more drastic measures against Graves, I have been transferred to Oxford by my own request, and shall, of course, have to make an official investigation, but I will do my best not to implicate either of you."

Pak, who felt certain of her ability to read the soul through the eyes, turned to Euler saying, "He is telling the truth."

Chapter VIII

Pak and Euler decided to take the Inspector's advice, and ruin the Red Goat by means of the press, but their plans again shifted when Euler heard word that Whale had been with another of his male students, who was threatening to expose him.

"Between this and Whale's increased drinking of late, I fear for the young man's life," explained Euler.

Later that day, Professor Norris approached Pak, saying only, "Genesis 4:8", then leaving as quietly as she approached. Pak looked up the passage in one of the college libraries, and it described Cain slaying Abel, said to be the first act of murder.

Even amidst the horrors of their lives, Pak had not lost a certain impish sense of humor, however. Euler questioned her utter confidence that she could sneak up on Whale without the latter noticing, and in response, Euler found his trousers around his ankles.

"You did not hear me sneak, neither will he."

While reading a book on criminology, Pak was herself approached quietly, the same day, by a student, Cassandra Nolan, nicknamed "Lonely" by the other students.

"I study criminology too…" said Nolan, in a crackling voice, stammering a bit as she told Pak her name.

"Hello, Cassandra, can I help you with something?"

"M-maybe… you're very beautiful, so beautiful…"

"Thank you, Cassandra. You're pretty too."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes. I love your hair."

Stammering nervously, Cassandra finally got up the courage to ask, "Do you, d-do you like girls?"

"Technically, I kissed one," said Pak, with an ironical face, remembering Nixer, "But no, not in that way."

"Oh, okay. I'm used to that…"

Pak took Cassandra by the hand, encouraging her to smile.

"I wish I could love you that way, Cassandra, but you know how it is. Is there anything else I can do?"

"You could let me paint you. I paint women. I want to be a great painter."

"Okay, I promise you can paint me. Good day, Cassandra, and show people that pretty smile."

Chapter IX

Charles Whale, drinking heavily, had a knife in his right hand. He may have planned to use it to silence a student of his, but that would never be known with certainty, as like a cat, Pak Wai-Lam approached, and twisting Graves's own hand, made the wound, a mortal one, appear self-inflicted.

Inspector Graves, by now advanced in years and status, had indeed arranged his own transfer to Oxford, and so was assigned the case. Performing a perfunctory investigation, he kept his word to Pak and Euler by commenting only, "Probably self-inflicted", to the Sergeants and Constables.

Pak and Euler also, however, took up the Inspector's offer to send the list of names to "Handy Andy the Dandy".

"One thing baffles me, Inspector," said Euler, "Why did you not give the names to Andy yourself?"

"Because if a Yard Inspector released such information, which would be deemed irresponsible rumor by official sources anyhow, to the press, his career would be finished, a price I would gladly have paid to ruin the Red Goat, yet I wished to remain on the force to arrest them also."

With their names released, the Red Goat's leadership dissolved, membership having already declined for fear of their mysterious hunter.

Pak Wai-Lam and Wilhelm Euler were married in April, 1968, and true to Pak's word, at their wedding was Cassandra Nolan, painting both bride and groom.

The end.

[principiumindividuationis777]

To the old question of who I would want in the trenches with me- i.e. fighting on my side- you are looking at him. I am convinced, and will always be convinced, that both through nature and nurture, Leonard John McLean would win a fight without rules against anyone.

[beardedmrbean]

Former London gangster-turned-actor

has died aged 64.

Courtney, who claimed to be an associate of the notorious Kray twins, was found dead at his home on Chestnut Rise, Plumstead, in the early hours of Sunday.

A post announcing his death on his Instagram account said Courtney "took his own life".

It said: "It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Dave Courtney at the age of 64."

In a statement, Courtney's family said he lived "an incredible, colourful rock 'n' roll life in which he touched the hearts of so many".

"The physical pain of living the lifestyle he chose, especially due to the pain of both cancer and arthritis in his later years, became too much," his family added.

Courtney was rumoured to be the inspiration behind Vinnie Jones's character "Big Chris" in Guy Ritchie's gangster film Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels.

He swapped his life of crime to become an author and actor, publishing six books, and starring in a film called Hell To Pay.

"I may have been a bit naughty when I was a young man," Courtney told BBC London last year.

"The word gangster is a very historical word. It's a romantic figure of the past, gangsters, like knights in shining armour, cowboys, pirates, gangsters.

"Today definitely is not the time to try and be a gangster... you're trying to beat technology and you can't do that."

Courtney told BBC London he had a mural painted on the side of his house that depicted the Kray twins, Lenny McLean, Joey Pyle, Charlie Richardson, Ronnie Biggs, John Gotti, Roy Shaw, Freddie Foreman, Howard Marks and Al Capone.

"And I'm stuck right in the middle of it, me and a bunch of mates," he said.

In his final Facebook post, Courtney could be seen watching Charlton Athletic win 4-0 against Reading on Saturday.

The Met Police said officers attended an address on Chestnut Rise at about 11:25 BST following reports of a man found deceased.

A 64-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, the force said.

His family has been informed.

Formal identification has not taken place, and the death is being treated as unexpected and is under investigation, the Met said.

No arrests have been made.

[bamboomusiclist]

2/7 おはようございます。David Schnitter / Invitation MR 5108 等更新完了しました。

Wynton Kelly Wes Montgomery / Smokin' at the Half Note v6-8633 John Coltrane / John Coltrane PR24003 Barney Kessel / Easy Like c3511 MJQ Modern Jazz quartet / Concorde prlp7005 Miles Davis / In Person Friday Night At The Blackhawk Volume1 Cl1669 Jackie McLean / Hipnosis BN-LA483-J Joe Bonner / Suite for Chocolate scs1215 Lennie Tristano Warne Marsh Billy Bauer / Live At Birdland 1949 jr-1 Miles Davis / Someday My Prince Will Come 682 524 TL Illinois Jacquet / The Blues That's Me prst7731 Zoot Sims / Joe & Zoot cr128 Dicky Wells / Bones for the King sja2006 Joachim Kuhn Group / Bold Music　mps15239st David Schnitter / Invitation MR 5108 Charles Moffett Family / Vol. 1 LRS-RT-6142 Freddie Hubbard / a Soul Experiment sd1526 Gino Marinuzzi Jr / Rhythms in Suspense sp124 Jeff Beck / Truth 26413 Frank Zappa / Sheik Yerbouti Cbs88339 Brooklyn Bronx & Queens Band BB and Band / Wee Thee People  Zr0301/2

~bamboo music~ https://bamboo-music.net  info@bamboo-music.net   530-0028 大阪市北区万歳町3-41 シロノビル104号 06-6363-2700

[boomboxfic]

Starry Night - December Drabble 1/31

Rating: T

Pairing: Ben Stone/Mike Logan

Hiya! Here’s the first of the December Drabble set. Using a drabble set by @creativepromptsforwriting​

Here: https://at.tumblr.com/creativepromptsforwriting/december-prompts-word-prompts-to-use-for/e2q4xocz0cro

Looking forward to working through the prompt list. I’m sure future fic ideas will sprout up, ready to join the bajillion WIPs I have in progress already. :D Will try to be up to date on the writing. Lots of fluff, some smut, probably together. Some canon-related, some AU. 

Ratings will be included in the title. 

The whole series will be posted on AO3 as well: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43374400/chapters/109033336

Hope you enjoy!

Ben Stone minded a lot of things.

A drunk Mike Logan crooning Christmas tunes to him as they made their way to his apartment was surprisingly not one of them.

However, the night was bitterly cold, and Ben minded that. A lot.

An hour ago, Lennie Briscoe had called Ben at home. Mike apparently had imbibed too many drinks at the 27th’s Christmas party at the local pub. Lennie had a date, and thus was unable to ferry Mike home. So it fell to Ben to pick up his boyfriend.

Ben raised his collar, adjusting his scarf to protect against the cold. He raised his eyes to the peculiarly clear night sky, clear enough to see the stars. Mike must have noticed it too, as his one-man Christmas concert took a huge left turn from Bing Crosby and Burt Ives.

Starry, starry night…paint your palette blue and gray…

Ben couldn’t help but laugh, the burst of air puffing out as Mike continued to mumble drunkenly through the classic Don McLean song based on Vincent van Gogh.

“Michael, that’s not a Christmas song…”

“It should be,” Mike grinned loosely at Ben. There was a glint of mischief in those gray eyes. Ben knew that look well. That look meant trouble. He watched as Mike threw himself on a patch of snow, in the process tripping up the hapless attorney.

Next thing Ben knew, he was flat on his back alongside his partner who was sweeping his arms and legs. Watching Mike rediscover some childhood happiness was all well and good, but Ben definitely minded being on a Manhattan sidewalk with a drunken boyfriend who was gleefully making a snow angel.

“Benny.”

“Mike…y.” Ben decided that he disliked his current predicament very much. The snow was dampening the back of his khakis, and he mournfully missed the warmth of his apartment. He made to get up, but groaned when he realized Mike wasn’t going to let him.

“The stars, Benny.”

With a sigh, Ben decided to indulge Mike. It was something to behold, Ben thought. It was difficult enough to see the stars in the New York sky, especially in the winter. From street level, the stars were often obscured by streetlights. You’d often have to go up to the roof of your apartment building to see them properly. One day, Ben thought to himself, one day, he’ll own a place with his own rooftop deck. What the hell, a man could dream.

As Ben let his mind wander, he felt Mike’s gloved hand cover his, entwining their fingers together.

Ben smiled, as he felt Mike’s lips press against his cheek. He didn’t mind this at all. No, sir, he didn’t.

Starry, starry night indeed.