As noted in the December 2005 edition of Mil Mania, I continue to include news in every issue to keep readers up to date on the latest happenings with the three acts most prominently featured on www.artistinsane.com. However, I now also choose one additional artist — in some cases a new discovery I’ve recently made, in others an individual or group whose work I’ve long appreciated — to make a one-time appearance here. And, as with all aspects of Mil Mania, feel free to offer suggestions.
This month’s featured arist:
John Fratella — You prob-
ably haven’t heard of this
artist before; nor will you
find his work at your local
CD store or online retailer.
Rather, as an unsung art-
istic hero, this 83 years
young piano player shares his art — and, as Keela’s madvice question last month mentioned, he-art — primarily at nursing homes and nutrition program sites for the elderly. What’s more, as his (quite vast) repertoire tends toward upbeat standards and classics ranging from Frank Sinatra to Elvis, he is amazed himself at how his gift touches those for whom these songs bear special meaning tied to long-ago memories...evidence of a humility level to which we should all aspire.
Introduced recently through another friend, I feel privileged to have met this vibrant, interesting and interested individual. And, having been further privileged to enjoy both his “tickling of the ivories” and lively conversation for several hours last night, I thought it wonderfully appropriate to today pass on the acquaintance.
……………………..
Third Eye Blind recently kicked off its spring tour in hometown San Francisco (playing shows to commemorate the 10th anniversary of their debut album’s release, as announced in last month’s issue). To read more about these, and check out when they may be visiting a city near you, as always you can go to The Village Churchyard or Jen’s SJ.com.
In the meantime you can read an article/brief interview with Stephan Jenkins by clicking the following link...
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/03/11/PKGLEOFQM21.DTL&
type=music
While on the topic, I must confess I found a certain comment in the aforementioned piece a bit disconcerting, and perhaps a slight cause for alarm. “I think this album is going to be more political…” Stephan said, adding the contradictory statement, “but there’s nothing worse than a political song.” Actually, that last bit may prove the saving grace in my continued admiration for his work, since I couldn’t agree more. If indeed the finished product as a whole is comprised of largely political themes, however, for me no salvation may be possible. See the article under “Temporary Insanity” at right for a fuller explanation.
Brian Fitzpatrick returned to the stage this month as well, and I (at last!) had the privilege of catching one of these shows. You can read my review, complete with photos by clicking here… www.artistinsane.com/paul's_bar__3-3-07.htm.
In other news, I got a sneak preview of two songs expected to be included on the next Brian Fitzpatrick CD and I can tell you beyond question that if the rest are up to the same standard of songwriting and creative use of instrumentation (which I’m fully confident they’ll be) fans are in for an album well worth the bit longer than usual wait.
Brian’s other creative endeavor — graphic design — has also produced some highly rewarding results of late...several of which have received various highly deserved rewards...including a gold record for the artwork on a Rolling Stones project, and landing a much sought after contract for the DVD box set release of (John Lennon’s favorite filmmaker) Alejandro Jodorowsky’s films. Congrats, Brian!!!
And, let’s not forget that other graphic design project...about which someone who’s seen it has said, “the great Brian Fitzpatrick was tapped to do the artwork and came up with a magnificent concept I think you'll all dig.” What’s more as noted on his myspace page, he’s likewise the driving force behind a music video for this artist as well — and I’m sure I’m not the only one who can’t wait to see the (certain to be incredible) finished product.
That artist being, of course…
Michael McDermott — another singer/songwriter who took to the stage for a number of shows in March...all to excellent notice...one of which you can read about by clicking here.
That said, though, I must confess the disappointment expressed above regarding Third Eye Blind has spread to this longtime favorite artist as well. During a 2001 appearance he noted, “I’m not a very political man. I’m not even interested in politics. But I am interested in the politics of the human heart.” — a beautiful statement in complete harmony with my own heart, and “to [his] own self [most] true” (at least, so I firmly believe, given the enormous body of work previously created from his own “he-art”).
Based on the recent prominence of a song called “The American In Me”, however, it seems he too has increasingly adopted an unfortunate tendency toward conventional politicizing….such that if this were the first McDermott song I’d ever heard (especially since neither do I find it at all musically distinctive), I strongly fear it would also be the last. And that, in my opinion, would be a tragedy. Again, I direct you to the “Temporary Insanity” column for a fuller explanation of my objections.
That bit of (I assure you, constructively intended) criticism aside, I continue to wait eagerly for the rest of the new album...and the video currently in production for what I already know to be a favorite track on it, “Mess of Things”.
I also applaud the renewed Monday Morning Musical Madness on Michael’s page at myspace.com that recently brought a great new version of “Darkest Night of All”...and a spoken word poem about Chicago. What’s more, since the latter of these was made available for download, I’ve added it to my website (see the March 7th entry on the Setlists page) for your listening pleasure.
BUT — where are those East Coast
show dates, anyway?!?!??!
