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Archive for the ‘HISTORY’ Category

By Doug Levine
Washington
© 2009 VOA

Some of the greatest blues musicians of the 20th century made their mark in Chicago, Illinois. Among them, music pioneers Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon. The memory of these and other modern blues maestros lives on with a new tribute album titled Chicago Blues: A Living History. When blues musicians from the Mississippi Delta looking for work gravitated north to cities like Chicago, a more polished, urban style of blues was born. Caught up in the city’s fast pace, they traded their acoustic guitars for electric guitars, and turned up the volume with a full ensemble of amplified harmonicas, thumping bass guitars and drums.

Leading the tribute to their hometown heroes are four veterans of Chicago’s ever-growing blues scene, guitarists Lurrie Bell and John Primer, and harmonica masters Billy Branch and Billy Boy Arnold. Producer Larry Skoller, who recruited the all-star lineup, assembled the backup band and handpicked the songs, explains how the arrival of Muddy Waters in 1940 signaled a whole new era in Chicago blues.

“The Delta blues musicians, notably Muddy Waters who came from the Delta to the north for work and for better living conditions, went to Chicago, which had lots of opportunities,” Skoller says. “And, people would go up through Kansas City and St. Louis; and Chicago was the big center. It attracted a lot of people from the south, and when people like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf came up from Mississippi, Muddy Waters was pretty much the person, if you had to pinpoint one bluesman from the Delta who really electrified the music, and really was the foundation and link between it, it’s Muddy Waters.”

“We, of course, couldn’t pay tribute to everybody that had an influence on the music, but we really picked the ones we felt were the most important people in sound innovators,” Skoller adds. “Without question, Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon were two of the giants who really had, on multiple levels and for multiple reasons, had just an amazing influence and (were) probably the most important among them; certainly, Willie Dixon (who was known) for his songwriting and the kinds of songs that he wrote, and his producing abilities and his ability to bring people together for Chess Records.”

Chicago Blues: A Living History spans the years 1940 to 1991, beginning with the band’s version of John Lee Williamson’s “My Little Machine.” It continues in chronological order with tracks by Elmore James, Lowell Fulson, Sonny Boy Williamson, John Lee Hooker, Buddy Guy and other “Windy City” legends.

By Will Pfeifer
GateHouse News Service
Copyright © 2009

The biggest folk hero in modern American film is the serial killer. Cold, calculating and above all cool, the serial killer is always one step ahead of the law and constantly working on new and imaginative ways to dispense with his victims. Most of this popularity can be traced to Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter and his Oscar-winning portrayal by Sir Anthony Hopkins. But in the decades since “Silence of the Lambs” we’ve seen plenty of imitators: John Doe in “Seven,” the entrepreneurs in “Hostel” and the mechanically minded villain (hero?) of the “Saw” franchise.

Here’s the thing, though: There are serial killers in the real world, but they’re not cool, cold or calculating. They’re disturbing, desperate men who take innocent lives. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a good serial-killer thriller, but every so often, you should sprinkle a bit of reality in with all that fantasy. Two recommendations:

“Manson”: Released to cash in on the 40th anniversary of the Manson murders, this History Channel production combines slick re-enactments with interviews of actual participants.

Prosecutor (and “Helter Skelter” scribe) Vincent Bugliosi is present, along with Manson family member Linda Kasabian, who was there the night of the Sharon Tate murders. Tate’s sister, Deborah, also comments on the crime, and it’s her input — along with the gruesome crime photos — that convey the horror of what Manson and Co. did.

As for the re-enactments, they’re a bit too slick. Adam Wilson, who plays Charlie, can’t compete with the genuine article (or, for that matter, with Steve Railsback’s portrayal in the 1976 TV movie). He’s too smooth and handsome — and not nearly crazy enough. It is fascinating to watch him try to buddy-up to Beach Boy Dennis Wilson, though, and you do hear a tantalizing clip of Manson singing a folk-rock song. If only his music career had taken off …

“Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer”: This 1986 film (just released on Blu-Ray) is fictional, but it manages to feel more horrifyingly real than the re-enactments in “Manson.” Inspired by the crimes of Henry Lee Lucas and Otis Toole, “Henry” follows a quiet, deliberate murderer (Michael Rooker in a chilling performance) as he moves in with his buddy Otis (Tom Towles, even creepier) and Otis’ innocent sister, Becky (Tracy Arnold).

There’s not much plot; Henry just kills people, talks about killing people, then goes and kills more people. Eventually, of course, Otis and Becky get involved in very different ways, and — spoiler alert! — the film does not end on a happy, life-affirming note.

Thanks to the actors’ dead-on performances and John McNaughton’s low-budget, low-key direction, “Henry” is terrifying because it seems so real, as if McNaughton just happened to catch footage of these screwed-up souls when they weren’t looking. It’s not fast-paced, and it’s not fun, but it is one of the most chilling, most disturbing movies I’ve ever seen. Watch it at your own risk.

Will Pfeifer writes about new DVDs on Tuesdays and older ones on Fridays. Contact him at wpfeifer@rrstar.com or 815-987-1244. Read his blog at blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/.

By Margaret Smith
GateHouse News Service
Copyright © Sep 30, 2009
Worcester —

Worcester Art Museum ---- Thomas Gainsborough, ‘Portrait of the Artist's Daughters,’ about 1763-1764, oil on canvas.

A woman sits in bejeweled finery, the perfect image of elegance and comportment. Her posture is impeccable and enviable, especially to those of us living in an age when office chairs and long hours at computers do little to keep our vertebrae in alignment. Of course, we can always use lower lumbar cushions or head out to the chiropractor or yoga class. For hundreds of years, ladies of means had another solution – the corset.

“Bound by Fashion,” on view at Worcester Art Museum, is curated by John Garton of Clark University and includes 13 European paintings of women in corsets dating between the 16th and 20th century – all rich with messages about sexuality, status, beauty and wealth. In short, corsets were excruciating to wear and virtually impossible to put on without help. But some women, it seems, wore them gladly, knowing that owning a corset signified status, wealth, and restriction of movement that meant the wearer had the luxury of doing little or no work. But corsets also had health consequences, including diminished respiratory capacity, restriction of internal organs and fainting, as depicted humorously in the film, “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Because of these problems, it is easy to dismiss the corset as yet another illustration of ways in which women in the past were made to suffer in order to create an attractive and compliant vision for men. But, as the exhibit suggests, this is a much too simplistic view and little about women’s history is this straight forward. The corset does speak to a mostly-failed effort to suppress female sexuality (witness the number of tracts railing about how the corset promoted lewdness of thought in public and probably actions in private.) It’s hard to argue that corsets did more to limit mobility than, say, high heels — or had any more attendant medical risks than cosmetic surgeries, liposuction or injections of dubious substances to plump the lips to elasticize the skin.

Strange to tell, the corset became an unexpected partner in the economic liberation of women, when the industrial age ushered in mass-production and countless jobs, including the making of garments such as corsets. The city of Worcester became home in the 1880s to the Royal Worcester Corset Company, which employed hundreds of female employees, allowing them to support their families through the manufacturing of these undergarments. Overall, this exhibit is intriguing and sure to make the viewer take a second look at his or her own closet. That said, it’s a little hard to follow; the paintings are mixed in with others and it’s not entirely obvious at first which ones belong to the exhibit.

Additionally, the beautiful space of this museum is difficult to enjoy fully with the plethora of over-vigilant staff. This is an unfortunate a and diminishes what would otherwise be an illuminating and memorable experience of any exhibit program. If you can overlook that, go, stand straight and tall, and breathe freely – and perhaps see fashion sense and sensibility  more clearly.

If you go..

‘Bound by Fashion’

Where:  Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester

When:  Through Jan. 10.

Hours:  Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Dec. 31.

Admission $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students with ID; free to children 17 and under and for members. Free admission Saturdays 10 a.m. to noon.

For more information Call 508-799-4406 or visit www.worcesterart.org.

Margaret Smith is Arts and Calendar editor at GateHouse Media New England’s Northwest Unit. E-mail her at msmith@cnc.com.

By Zorislav Baydyuk
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
Copyright © 2009 VOA

Medieval days re-enactment in Pennsylvania

For two weeks every summer, a campground in (the U.S. state of) Pennsylvania is transformed into a medieval village where people dress and act as if they were living back in the middle ages. There are tournaments, musical performances and, perhaps most importantly, battles in nearby fields just for the honor and glory of it all.

It looks like the real thing. Knights under the command of kings battle for personal honor and the glory of their kingdoms. While the weapons are wooden and the “dead” leave the battlefield on their own feet, the passions of the warriors are real. Excitement drives them on. They train at home during the year to prepare for these events and go by names of their choosing. Many return year after year. This commander of a Roman cohort, who calls himself Dominus, is a veteran of 14 such wars. “It gives me and my friends some great stories, some great experiences, some great adventures to share, to talk about and remember together for years to come,” Dominus said.

A code of honor governs what happens. The warriors determine for themselves the seriousness of their wounds. Marshals responsible for safety and order declare timeouts to regroup. The Society for Creative Anachronisms organizes the event. “We work very, very hard at our safety,” says, Master Maceanruig, “In 40 years of the society we haven’t lost anybody in the battle yet.” A full authentic set of regalia and weapons can cost $10,000. And, in one concession to the modern age, warfare is not only for men.

“You get a real challenge when you go out there,” Caecilia Decurion explains, “because when you’re wearing a helmet not many people realize you’re a girl. You kind of get like a fair fight and that’s cool.” But most of the 12,000 people here do not participate in the fighting. They choose less violent pleasures. They go to the bazaar and sample goods that would be available to a person who lived between the sixth and sixteenth century. They learn crafts that were popular in a slower and less complicated age.

“Pennsic – as a whole, is an experience where I can get away from the hustle-bustle of everyday life,” Issac Rothstein says, “and get to know the meaning of community with my friends.” There is even a daily newspaper, which publishes news of village life, including news of who is winning the tournaments, which dedicated to honoring women. “Today our theme is definitely the pleasure of the ladies. In fact, the ladies have directed these gentlemen, who are currently fighting at a barrier, to fight for their pleasure,” Mistress Marcele De Montsegur states.

The winner of the war this year was the Eastern Kingdom, comprised of warriors from the eastern parts of Canada and the United States. And as their reward? They had the right to claim the city of Pittsburgh, a claim they understand probably won’t be honored by any of the city’s modern-day politicians. As for the losers, their pride may have been injured, but they know that they can come back again next year.

Weegee’s photos from the 1930s and ’40s defined Manhattan as a film noir nightscape of gansters, bums, slumming swells and tenement dwellers.

By Greg Flakus
Houston
Copyright © 2009 VOA

Theodore Roosevelt

In an age when “green,” as in environmentally friendly, is all the rage, one of the most prominent U.S. historians has written a book about a man who provided the foundation for much of the conservation movement, former U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt. In his new book, “Wilderness Warrior,” Douglas Brinkley portrays President Roosevelt as a crusader for the cause of protecting America’s wild heritage, in the form of national parks, forests and grasslands. Brinkley teaches atf Rice University in Houston. The wilderness has been a feature of the American experience since the nation’s beginnings, but present generations might not have had much opportunity to enjoy such natural splendors had it not been for a sickly easterner who went to live on a ranch in North Dakota in 1883. Theodore Roosevelt overcame illness and mental depression by roughing it in the Dakota badlands, according to Historian Douglas Brinkley. “So Roosevelt came to a very modern conclusion … that we needed to save nature, not just because it is pretty, but because it had redemptive spiritual value and was the great replenisher of the soul. And he felt that urbanization was destroying souls,” he said.

In his book, Brinkley focuses on Theodore Roosevelt’s lifelong commitment to preserving nature by reserving large areas as national parks and protected zones. “Although my book, ‘The Wilderness Warrior,’ is about history, it is about Theodore Roosevelt’s life from 1858 to 1919. It resonates today because all over the country people are looking to save land, to rehabilitate endangered species, to clean up rivers and lakes and create a sustainable environment for us to live,” he said.

Roosevelt was a Republican, but his appeal crosses modern party lines and Brinkley thinks Republicans of today are beginning to reconnect with the conservationist policies he triumphed. “There are many Republican conservationists who are saying what the modern Republican Party has lost is T.R.’s vision of the environment. In fact, Newt Gingrich, of all people, is saying that the modern Republican Party should be the leader on environmentalism,” he said.

Douglas Brinkley

At the same time, Brinkley says some of the people who call themselves environmentalists today need to look at Roosevelt’s practical side and his promotion of economic development. “There are people who are stopping building over a snail darter. That is taking the endangered species act in a kind of anti-development extreme,” he said. In addition to the books he has written about such historic persons as Theodore Roosevelt, Brinkley has written about contemporary figures like writer Hunter S. Thompson, newsman Walter Cronkite and rock singer and poet Bob Dylan, all of whom he met personally.

“There are huge boons and advantages because you actually get to know the human being, you are not just writing out of the cardboard boxes of letters,” he said. But in the end, he says, whether the subject is from a century ago or today’s world his task is to share what he learns about them. “When you are a historian you feel a bit of an obligation to communicate your findings to the public at large and hopefully get them interested. I am an enthusiast for history, so part of my job is to get people excited about it,” he said. Brinkley shares many of his insights on a regular basis on television news programs, where he is a frequent guest. But he says his own celebrity is sometimes a burden, taking him away from what he really loves, which is researching and writing.

By: VOA

Copyright © 2009

Mary Travers

Mary Travers, one third of the famous 1960s folk music trio Peter, Paul and Mary has died of cancer. She was 72. A publicist for the group says Travers died Wednesday at a Danbury, Connecticut hospital where she was being treated for leukemia. The publicist said she had been battling the disease for a number of years.

Travers and her band mates, Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey made up one of the most popular American music groups of the 1960s. Peter, Paul and Mary mixed folk music with political activism, promoting civil rights and protesting the U.S. war in Vietnam with such songs “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “If I Had a Hammer” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?.”

The group also scored major hits with “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” “Lemon Tree,” and “Puff (The Magic Dragon).” Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.

On October 16, after an afternoon meeting at the White House with Booker T. Washington, President Theodore Roosevelt informally invited Washington to remain and eat dinner with him, making Washington the first black American to dine at the White House with the president. A furor arose over the social implications of Roosevelt’s casual act.