THE SIGNAL from David Katznelson
"Only through art can we emerge from ourselves and know what another person sees."-Marcel Proust
Today in 1925 began The Scopes Monkey Trial—the “Trial of the Century”— where a substitute teacher was put on trial for teaching evolution. John Thomas Scopes went against the Butler Act that mandated no teacher in Tennessee spew knowledge at students that denied the biblical story of creation. It is an incredulous notion that Scopes lost the case initially (although it was thrown out on a technicality) and the idea of evolution was erased from science books for decades. Even when the groundbreaking play and its accompanying film about the trial, Inherit The Wind, was released, documenting the sheer craziness of the trial (with, in the film, a masterful performance by Spencer Tracy playing a fictionalized version of defense attorney Clarence Darrow)…even then it was years before The Butler Act was finally overturned in 1967. Us generation Xers were some of the first to learn about evolution in Tennessee schools…at least legally.
One of the definitive books about the trial was recently updated, Jeffery Moran’s The Scopes Trial: A Brief History with Documents, Second Edition. One interesting point Moran makes, which seems obvious upon reading, is that the “African American newspapers and journalists of the time all commented on the Scopes Trial because they wanted to align themselves with scientists, and they saw the future as being a scientific discussion of race. Of course, they saw anti-evolutionism as being counterparts of the South, which was not as friendly to racial liberalism.”
And here we are, almost 100 years past the trial, sitting around and wondering if some basic religious tenants will soon make it impossible for women to get abortions in this country…sitting around watching state after state already banning most abortions and threatening even harsher restrictions. The sides have been drawn, drawn pretty much along the same territorial lines as they were during the Monkey Trial…and history repeats itself. And yet if we stick by the idea of repeat, that means we are just as many steps away from science winning again. It will just take a hell of a lot of sweat and anger and leadership to get there….
So here it comes…the much anticipated Velvet documentary…and there are already some reviews that have me a little nervous (although dazzling is dandy). The fact is, I am not really sure anyone can capture the Velvets besides the Velvets themselves with their recordings and the raw footage from the era (don’t get me wrong, I am still psyched to see it and the above interview is worth reading). That NYC immersive experience a few years ago…this doc now…cannot hold a candle to a good ole fashion bootleg of Sister Ray….
Sound research Scientific innovations harness noise and acoustics for healing
It is hard to post anything that comes out of Stanford (Go Bears) but what they are doing around audio sounds and healing is righteous. One thing is for certain…I would love to be a acoustic bioengineer. Working with mosquito buzzes to “the Shazam app of the insect world”….triggering audio waves that can “shepherd the heart cells into nearly any pattern they want”…it is mind-blowing.
New Orleans council unanimously approves Caffin Avenue name change to honor Fats Domino
Well, it looks like we finally have SOMEWHERE to actually walk to…now all we need is some muddy boots and a big roadie of ju-ju-juice and we got ourselves a good time.
PFEIFFER FALLS TRAIL RESTORED in BIG SUR
The beauty of Big Sur is something to behold. “The League and California State Parks have unveiled the fully renovated Pfeiffer Falls Trail in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. The spectacular trail features amazing views from the new expansion bridge and stairways among the coast redwoods”
My friend Mike Minky introduced me to Jerry Zolten during this seemingly endless production of the Specialty box set we are working on. Amongst many incredible musicology achievements, Zolten helped make a spectacular film about mid-century-ish gospel music. How he found the footage he included? I have no idea. But the resultant work is spellbinding, telling the story of a crucial time in music through some of the main gospel groups paving the way. And this week, the film finally got a distribution deal. Now everyone will have a chance to see it! Trailer here.
Proust’s Madeleine
BY KENNETH REXROTH
Somebody has given my
Baby daughter a box of
Old poker chips to play with.
Today she hands me one while
I am sitting with my tired
Brain at my desk. It is red.
On it is a picture of
An elk’s head and the letters
B.P.O.E.—a chip from
A small town Elks’ Club. I flip
It idly in the air and
Catch it and do a coin trick
To amuse my little girl.
Suddenly everything slips aside.
I see my father
Doing the very same thing,
Whistling “Beautiful Dreamer,”
His breath smelling richly
Of whiskey and cigars. I can
Hear him coming home drunk
From the Elks’ Club in Elkhart
Indiana, bumping the
Chairs in the dark. I can see
Him dying of cirrhosis
Of the liver and stomach
Ulcers and pneumonia,
Or, as he said on his deathbed, of
Crooked cards and straight whiskey,
Slow horses and fast women.
~~~~~~~~~~
(oh when will I find the time to read all of Proust!)
