Monthly Archives: May 2010

A Universal Art

Because the University of California is required to accept the top percentiles of high school grads, the incoming freshman class tends to be larger than the university can comfortably admit. Cal has chosen a two-pronged solution to the problem. First, … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on A Universal Art

The Historical Record

These past few days I’ve been re-visiting Harmonia Mundi’s fine “Century” series of compilation recordings. Each volume in the series is devoted to a particular era in music history, starting with the music of the ancient world and ending twenty … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on The Historical Record

Still Limp

ArkivMusic has inadvertently created one of the handiest tools around for judging a composer’s popularity with the general public—at least in the august judgment of the record labels. Arkiv’s online database indicates the number of albums available containing a particular … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Still Limp

Is it Live, or Is It X?

Perhaps I’m dating myself by the title of today’s article, referring to commercials which touted the superiority of Memorex audio cassettes over other, woefully inferior brands. Each commercial would feature well-known performers (I seem to remember Ella Fitzgerald among them) … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Is it Live, or Is It X?

Audiophiles in Retreat? Nah.

San Francisco Stereo, on the corner of Market and Sanchez, has shut its doors. I could see that coming for the past year or so, but it’s kind of sad anyway. I peeked in the show window and saw a … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Audiophiles in Retreat? Nah.

The Sun Never Sets on the Full English Fry-Up

Northern California natural-ingredient foodie? Check. Middle-aged guy who needs to keep a grip on his cholesterol level? Check. Middle-aged guy who needs to make at least a token gesture towards keeping his weight down? Check. Environmentally conscious citizen who embraces … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on The Sun Never Sets on the Full English Fry-Up

Heaven is Art Deco

If Venice actually looked like the gleaming Art Deco theme park of Top Hat, I’d go in a minute. What an idealized vision of loveliness it is, the perfect setting for posing in immaculate evening attire as you sing the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Heaven is Art Deco

House of The Records that Mattered

I’m back to my series of articles on the recordings that fired up my childhood, teen and early college years. Think of it as a mini-autobiography on vinyl. Previous installments: The Records that MatteredSon of The Records that MatteredBride of … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on House of The Records that Mattered

Discovery

A friend of mine, former chair of philosophy at UC Berkeley, once got a huge laugh with his introduction of a piece of music about Columbus discovering America. “Now I know that a lot of folks insist that Columbus didn’t … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Discovery

Sunday Brunch vs. Sunday Dinner

Go anywhere in the Castro on a Sunday late morning or early afternoon and you’ll see restaurants crowded with folks indulging in Sunday brunch. Brunch has become the Sunday meal of choice, but it wasn’t always that way. There was … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Sunday Brunch vs. Sunday Dinner