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Happy 86th, Charles Mingus

Charles Mingus

If you’re in or around New York City, come out to celebrate Charles Mingus’ birthday at the Iridium in Midtown with The Mingus Big Band.

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 Bookmark Comments
Tags: activism, birth and death, jazz, music, new york city

While most people in America “celebrate” Earth Day (think, neo-hippies in city parks, peace symbols, solar panels, and the color green), today I am celebrating the birthday of Charles Mingus. If it wasn’t for artists like him, as far as I’m concerned this planet just isn’t worth saving. I obviously never knew the man himself, but over the years have gotten to know him so to speak through his music and books. He seems to me one of those rare people who trancended his own discipline (a musician, a composer, a bandleader, etc.) and ~~was~~ is first and foremost an artist. Mr. Mingus has without a doubt left an indelible mark on everyone around him as well as many generations too come. He spoke out about the many injustices he faced in his life, stood firm in what he believed, loved more than he hated, and so on—a fantastic inspiration to anyone.

So, best wishes to you Charlie Mingus…happy birthday!

Sat, 22 Apr 2006 Bookmark Comments
Tags: birth and death, famous people, illustration, jazz, music

Happy π Day, Mr. Einstein

Einstein, Pi day
^{Art: Brian Morris}

Today (3/14, get it?) is National Pi Day. Coincidentally, it’s Albert Einstein’s birthday as well. A pie is also a circular thing people eat, but has nothing to do with that famously long number.

See what Yahoo! and Google think of π.

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 Bookmark Comments
Tags: birth and death, science

Abraham Lincoln vs. John F. Kennedy

Lincoln and Kennedy on President's Day
^{Art: Brian Morris}

In honor Presiden’t Day today, I ~~pledge that I will sleep late, watch plenty of daytime TV…~~ offer all of you conspiracy theorists some remarkable presidential factoids to impress your history teacher with. I found this text document years ago and for some reason kept it. I regret that I cannot credit whoever wrote this thing, so I apologize in advance. At any rate, check out these similarities between these two former United States presidents:

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846, John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860, John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

The names Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.

Both wives lost their children while living in the White House.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday…in the head.

Lincoln’s secretary was named Kennedy, Kennedy’s secretary was named Lincoln.

Both were assassinated by Southerners.

Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808. Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839 while Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their three names, of which both contain fifteen letters.

Lincoln was shot at the theater named “Ford,” while Kennedy was shot in a car called a “Lincoln,” which is a Ford.

Booth ran from the theater and was caught in a warehouse, Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater.

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland and the week before Kennedy was shot, he was with (in?) Marilyn Monroe.

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 Bookmark Comments [1]
Tags: birth and death, politics

Nam June Paik

Nam June Paik, revolutionary media artist, passed away on Sunday. Although I don’t know too much about his work, I was able to see his exhibit at the Guggenheim in 2001 and it truly blew my top off.

R.I.P.

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 Bookmark Comments
Tags: art, birth and death, video

Gonzo's final words

Hunter S. Thompson illustration by Brian Morris
^{Art: Brian Morris}

(Previously discussed here)

“No More Games. No More bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun—for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax—This won’t hurt.”

Sun, 11 Sep 2005 Bookmark Comments
Tags: birth and death, books

Aniversário do Danyel

^{Foto: Ben Morris}

Queria dizer “Feliz aniversário” para meu cunhado e grande amigo Danyel Ayala. O cara é velho demais, mas cada ano ele melhorou, he he. Quase chorei hoje pensando nossos saidas da praia todo sábado e domingo a Itaipu e Itacotiara. Agora tô aqui no meio da merda de Nova Iorque e a única coisa que tá pensando é a voltada pro Rio pra continuar minha vida perto da praia e perto do meu amigão. Então, Danyel, parabéns cara, muitos anos felizes!

Tô aguardando minha grana pra nosso bar na beira no mar – só preciso mais R$100!

Sun, 29 May 2005 Bookmark Comments
Tags: birth and death, brasil

FADPM, Feliz aniversário

^{Art: Brian Morris}

Eu espero que você tem um dia maravilhoso com sua família hoje. Parabéns querida, feliz aniversário.

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 Bookmark Comments
Tags: birth and death, illustration

125 Candles

^Foto:AP

Maria Olivia da Silva of Paraná, Brazil is thought to be the oldest living person, 125 years old. Read more here

Fri, 04 Mar 2005 Bookmark Comments
Tags: birth and death, brasil

Yipee for Yahoo!

Yahoo celebrates 10 years of virtual, cyberspaced-out world domination via the internet by knocking off Jonathan Harris of Number 27 and his kick-ass 10×10 piece. In all fairness, big up to Señor Marketing Vice President, Mr. Moneybags Yahoo for offering members a FREE scoop of birthday ice cream today. Only in America are things either expensive or free.

See what Yahoo looked like back in 1995.

Wed, 02 Mar 2005 Bookmark Comments
Tags: birth and death, yahoo!

Hunter S. Thompson commits suicide

^{Art: Brian Morris}

I once went to Amsterdam for a two week vacation and ended up staying for three months. One of those days, I bought a copy of Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and devoured it (along with my fair share of beer). I couldn’t tell you a damn thing I remember from that book, aside from the fact that I adored it.

David Carr, of the NY Times, writes a nice article on Thompson.

Tue, 22 Feb 2005 Bookmark Comments
Tags: birth and death, famous people, literature

Jazz Organist Jimmy Smith passes away at 79

Jimmy Smith was one of my favorite jazz musicians ever. He elevated the Hammond B, but more importantly, he did it with crazy style. You can Google him for all sorts of impressive details on his career. However, listen to me when I tell you he was just a cool cat. – The Incredible Jimmy Smith, The Cat, The Fantastic, and the list of his nicknames goes on and on.

I could kick myself in the ass for not checking him out at the Iridium last month. I really regret never seeing Jimmy play live. However, he left behind a massive legacy of recordings, most with Blue Note records, to keep any jazzophile happy for a long time to come.

One of the simple pleasures I had (have) are his album covers. Especially the Blue Note releases from the 1950s, these photos of Jimmy are just spectacular!

I got turned on to The Incredible Jimmy Smith back in college in 1992 through a roomate of mine whom I used to argue with all the time. About the only thing positive I got out of her was her father’s old jazz records, including Home Cookin’.

This inspired my radio show at the college radio station immensely. After this, I began to dig and dig, later discovering Jimmy McGriff, Kenny Burrell, and many more.

His music, his persona is just cool. R.I.P. Jimmy.

Fri, 11 Feb 2005 Bookmark Comments
Tags: birth and death, famous people, jazz

Happy Birthday Mr. Miller

Henry Miller Illustration by Brian Morris
^{Art: Brian Morris}

Today is Henry Miller’s birthday, so I thought I would wish him well with a quick illustration. So, from one Capricorn to the other, here’s to the tropics Mr. Miller.

Sun, 26 Dec 2004 Bookmark Comments
Tags: birth and death, famous people, literature

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