Phil's Seminal Jazz Rock and Politics Videoblog

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Don't forget: Monday is the last day to register to vote for the May 18th primary.

Don't forget: Monday is the last day to register to vote for the May 18th primary.

Posted using ShareThis

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Sign the petition for Tier 5 unemployment benefits and help Dems win midterms.(Jobless folks vote.)

Sign the petition for Tier 5 unemployment benefits and help Dems win midterms.(Jobless folks vote.)

Posted using ShareThis

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Catholics vs. Atheism w audience polling

Sunday, December 20, 2009

This is the Old Acid Jazz Channel

Important Update: For New Vid Adds Go Here and Here (Widescreen!) Big screen version of Acid Jazz Channel. Got tired of looking for new videos. Note to Atrios: the kewl kids aren't creating old fashioned MP3 lists. They're creating their own television channels. I told you I'd have my vengeance Reginald Hudlin. Newest version of the Anti Bet on J/Anti Tony Mowad jazz channel. Actually, it's more than just acid jazz. There's straight ahead and a few rock tunes thrown in for good measure. Plus toons and politics. This is set on random play so every time you refresh the 80 ~~230~~ ~~350~~ ~~502~~ ~~1060~~ ~~2100~~ 4500 or so vids appear in a different order. You shall rue the day that you crossed me Reginald Hudlin. And Goddamn you Reginald Hudlin. Goddamn you and BET on J to Hell. More legal update: This is actually more of a search engine (me plus the tech). All of these vids are available on the public youtubes (or have been publicly available) and such. Vids that are copyright violations are often taken down. More Update: Fullscreen function fully enabled. ON the bottom right corner that's the box that's furthest to the left.

Friday, May 08, 2009

ITEM: You know, there just has to be a primary challenge for Arlen. By the way, Arlen's track record so far: He won't switch on his vote on EFCA, he voted against the president's budget, he's helping block Dawn Johnson--one of the few progressives that Obama has even nominated--and today we find out that Arlen is still rooting for his good pal Norm Coleman of Minnesota. It would be one thing to do that before the race. It's quite another now that we now that Norm has lost and that the only way he could win would be yet another Supreme Court appointment/coup. Of course, why should some privileged senator actually have to deal with the bother of an election of and by the rabble anyway. It fits Arlen's privileged "Shouldn't I always be a senator?" viewpoint.

I guess the question is who could make the best run against Arlen. Joe Sestak seems to have gotten the most heat and the most mention, perhaps even not so subtle endorsements from the Daily Kos frontpage and even Atrios. Bad news about Sestak: he's against the public option on healthcare reform. Here's the short version of what that means: there is no real healthcare reform without the public option. Nothing changes.

There is another challenger, again out of the Philly area, and his name is Joe Torsella. He doesn't have a website and we don't know a lot about him. We think he was Rendell's boy which means he's center/right, or at least a guy who doesn't mind selling off public highways to rich people just like the governor. He has managed to raise a half million dollars. That makes him serious. Related: Early polling not looking good for Sestak vs. Specter, according to Open Left. Bowers does point out that its early. Observation: This is the kind of race where a well funded independent or Hollywood "Al Franken" liberal with significant resources should consider getting in. More Related: Funny line from my close and personal friend Markos:

But seriously, his arrogance is overwhelming, his obvious dislike for Democrats palpable. He's clearly telling us, "I switched to avoid Toomey, not deal with you fucks." And since Obama has clearly promised him support, come hell or high water (no matter how he little support or loyalty he delivers in return), he feels like he can shit on anyone with impunity.

I think Markos has learned a very important lesson: just having a big "D" doesn't make you a decent democrat. We really have to take a close look at the people running for office.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Big Screen Version of Acid Jazz Channel Classic (Over 10000 videos)

The artists here include: George Bensen, Bjork, Boards of Canada, Brazilian Girls, Broadcast, Cat Power, Chomsky, Cinematic Orchestra, Larry Coryell, Dining Rooms, Sam Harris, Jaga Jazzist, Mahavishnu Orchestra, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, Flora Purim, Gil Scott Heron, Steely Dan, Stereolab, Sugarcubes, Sun Ra, Return to Forever, Weather Report, Frank Zappa. And many other artists.

Friday, May 30, 2008

The Able Mable Thomas Channel

Friday, May 16, 2008

Two by the Mahavishnu Orchestra

I've been using this new video search engine called Truveo. With it, I found these very rare Mahavishnu Orchestra tunes posted by a girl from Belgium. What kind of woman is into the Mahavishnu Orchestra? The woman I would like to marry that's who.

Mahavishnu Orchestra - Dream
Uploaded by black-fairy

And:

Mahavishnu orchestra - birds of fire
Uploaded by black-fairy

Thursday, May 15, 2008

If I had money, and I could responsibly bank and if banks hadn't put me on that "list", then I would use Carousel Checks

I actually kind of don't have a bank account right now. Of course, the reason I don't have a bank account right now is that my cousin's stupid ass half brother wrote me a 300 dollar check that bounced all the way to high heaven.

But if had an account, or as I dream in my sleep, then I would want photo checks that I could put my favorite photos on. These would be the kinds of checks that would have my personal artwork on them or Ansel Adams or the Jim Starlin Warlock era kind of pics on them. Have I mentioned that my dreams are vast and will fill up the night sky? Or I would prefer personal checks that came customized with really cool designs on them Perhaps, say, crayons or a picture of a violin. That would show those fancy people at the fancy Target store that I had some class. Tell me when my dream has become all too surreal and Salvador Dali for you. Tell me when you would be forced to spurt out: "Phil, that's just crazy talk. Cut it out before your mad dreams compromise our very reality itself...!" But I wouldn't stop. I would continue my mad and dangerous Lathe of Heaven like dreaming. I would add a couple of cats, a loving perky gymnast wife and a job I liked that paid decently. Go ahead. Call me mad.

Oh, and I would to make sure I could find such a site that made such checks online. That's my quixotic dream of the day.

Finally: A Jazz Piano Version of Black Hole Sun

It's about time. Good job Brad Mehldau.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Scary New Coryell Guitar Solo (Larry in his prime)

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Loka vs. Koop Or Special Animation Video Music Bloodbath

Link: sevenload.com

Let's get it on! Just a couple of notes: Koop mostly does music by way of vocals. But this instrumental is very nice and of course the animation is beautiful. One very interesting thing I learned via Wikipedia: Koop consists of two Swedish guys who like to wear dresses, although that's not readily apparent in this live performance here. On second thought, the makeup comes through loud and clear. Does that mean they're artistic or really really gay? Can't tell. Great musicians and song writers though. Meanwhile, below, Loka is a brand new band on the scene. Here's what their myspace page say s: "Loka's multi influenced aural excursions tell tales aplenty, but not necessarily with a happy ending." They remind me a lot of jaga jazzist.

Link: sevenload.com

Labels: koop, loka, music

Why the Future Beats the Past or Why I Use Pay Per Post

When I began my writing career a very very long time ago in the early 80s you didn't have a lot of options in terms of publishing or places that you could publish. Here in Pittsburgh what that meant is that if I wanted to be paid for writing then I had to write for the Pittsburgh Press, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and perhaps the alternative weekly In Pittsburgh. That was it. My other option was chalk and sidewalk. Or perhaps hundreds of pages that would be written into a diary that no one would find or read and that I would probably misplace.

Now, if you're an aspiring writer, there's this thing called the Internet. There are so many ways to make money that I've lost track. Don't get me wrong it's not easy. Like anything worthwhile, you have to put a substantial amount of time and energy into it, but at least you have the opportunity. One of those opportunities involves the pay for blogging phenomena and one of the services I use is payperpost. Now, I confess, I can't afford a mansion by the sea from doing these posts but I can make a living while I write things that I find personally valuable and interesting. It's one of the very cool things about living in the future and makes writing in 2008 a whole lot better than writing in 1985. And the real cool part is that no one is stopping you from attempting to drive traffic to the site and make a living.