Happy Birthday to One of My First Heroes as a Child, the Amazing Ballerina, Maria Tallchief.

In the fourth grade I found a book in my school’s library about the ballerina, Maria Tallchief. I was instantly enchanted with her story. In honor of her 87th birthday, I am posting this blog showing some of her beautiful photos and footage of her dancing. “Maria Tallchief is a world-renowned ballerina and one of the premiere (first-ranking) American ballerinas of all time. She was the first American to dance at the Paris Opera and has danced with the Paris Opera Ballet, the Ballet Russe, and the Balanchine Ballet Society, later renamed the New York City Ballet.” - Read more: Maria Tallchief Biography – life, family, name, school, mother, young, old, information, born, college http://www.notablebiographies.com/St-Tr/Tallchief-Maria.html#ixzz1kPPRn6Hc

Maria started dancing at an early age:

Maria Tallchief with the New York City Ballet:

Perhaps one of her most famous photos.

Such a beauty.

Maria married George Balanchine one of the 20th century’s most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States and the co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet. Balanchine wrote several of his most famous works for her and she helped create the New York City Ballet where she danced as Prima Ballerina.

Credit: Chronicle file photo 1955

Balanchine and Tallchief rehearsing.

Footage of Maria Tallchief’s most famous performances in Balanchine’s “Firebird” and “Sylvia.”

More Balanchine Choreography.

Maria and her sister Marjorie who was also a prominent ballerina.

Maria Tallchief dancing “The Dying Swan” as Ana Pavlova in “Million Dollar Mermaid” 1952.

1966 Television Performance of  ”Allegro Brillante”.

Maria Tallchief is made a member of the state’s (Oklahoma) ambassador corps by Gov. Henry Bellmon:

Read more: http://ndepth.newsok.com/five-indian-ballerinas#ixzz1kPTKhqve

Coaching.

A more recent photo.

More reading on Maria Tallchief:

Interview: http://www.bruceduffie.com/tallchief2.html
Interview: http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=8334628
http://womenshistory.about.com/od/dance/p/maria_tallchief.htm

How music is related.

The first two songs I have posted in this blog, “Get Misunderstood” by The Troublemakers and “She’s Not There” by The Zombies are two seemingly unrelated songs that have been turned into relatives of sorts by the third song. The question posed by some about the third is was it a rip-off or is it a piece of music to be enjoyed for the new blend of elements? I do enjoy Malcom McLaren’s “About Her”, but I am glad to have learned the background of it. I think if fits well into Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: Vol. 2″ soundtrack. The whole “Kill Bill” is an homage to several films and viewers of this film have had the same critique as listeners of “About Her”. In the end, only the viewers and listeners can come to their own conclusion about what they like and what they consider to be good music/film/art.

Thank you to the people who commented on this first video for enlightening me to the origins of this song. In the 3rd video, another YouTube user took the time to put a clip of Bessie Smith singing the refrain, “My man’s got a heart like a rock cast in the sea.”

“and the text is actor Jean Pierre Léaud in the beginning of “Liberté , La Nuit”, dir. Philippe Garrel, 1983.
gr0upthe0ry 2 months ago
Reply
@ELSHADAZERI This is the song that was stolen in 2004 by Malcolm McLaren, and appeared, reworked in Tarantino’s Kill Bill v2. The original refrain is of course Bessie Smith’s “St. Louis Blues”… the refrain being, ‘My man’s got a heart like a rock cast in the sea.’
gr0upthe0ry 2 months ago”

Two French Bands to add to your music rotation.

This past Thursday (October 6, 2011), I had a chance to catch Chateau Marmont & Revolver at The Prophet Bar in Dallas, TX as part of their “Voulez-Vous?” tour. So glad I went as both of these French bands put on an excellent show. I managed to take a bit of video for each band. It’s only from my mobile phone, so the quality is lower. Also, I couldn’t help but groove out to the music, so sorry for the shaky cam, heh, heh. I have also included a few snap shots, again the quality is to be desired, but at least some of the moments of this enjoyable experience were captured.

Revolver, who played first, is a delightful pop de chambre (chamber pop) band. Their music has been described as a bridge between pop and classical music or even the Renaissance or the Baroque and influence everything from Beatles to Bach, from Benjamin Britten to Elliot Smith.

Here is a video of them playing “Get Around Town”. ( Check out the Get Around Town – Official Video and Balulalow – Official Video)

Chateau Marmont was up next. This Space Pop/Rock band mesmerizes with its futuristic, airy, and rich tunes. Not too long ago, I posted Chateau Marmont’s video “Solar Apex” along with some other “outer-space” music videos for those interested in seeing more space inspired videos and music. Space. The Final Frontier. A Music Video Tribute.

Chateau Marmont performs “Solar Apex”. (Check out Chateau Marmont’s One Hundred Realities – Official Video)

I’d like to thank all of these gentleman again. Not only did they put on a great show, but they were very amicable to the audience. It was great to meet them all and to see them perform live. They still have some tour dates remaining and I suggest you check them out if they are near you.

Check out more links on Chateau Marmont and Revolver:

Live Review: Chateau Marmont, Revolver, Kelli’s Starlight Wishes at The Sunset

TOUR DATES CHATEAU MARMONT & REVOLVER US TOUR (Follow the Voulez-Vous? Tour Tumblr Page)

Revolver – Official Website

Chateau Marmont on Bancamp

Shopping List Music en Français.

I’ve come across a few shopping list songs that I adore!

Les Cornichons by Nino Ferrer





Foux du Fafa by Flight of the Conchords





Zooom! by Sukia off the compilation Pop Romantique.(Slide show fan video I created for this track.)

Beat Hollow – Brian Siskind Live at the Rothko Chapel (40th Anniversary)

2011 has marked the 40th Anniversary of the Rothko Chapel in Houston, TX. According to the official Rothko website (About the Chapel), “The Rothko Chapel, founded by Houston philanthropists John and Dominique de Menil, was dedicated in 1971 as an intimate sanctuary available to people of every belief. A tranquil meditative environment inspired by the mural canvases of Russian born American painter Mark Rothko (1903-1970), the Chapel welcomes over 60,000 visitors each year, people of every faith from all parts of the world.” Commemorating 40 years of calling people to contemplation and inspiring them to action, Rothko Chapel planned activities to remember the founders and the Rothko Chapel’s mission including four musical events. “As an art form, music speaks an international language and has the capacity to bind diverse people together through a shared experience. It can nurture interfaith understanding and has the transformative power to enlighten the mind and spirit.” (Rothko Chapel Summer Music Series) I had the privilege of attending the last of these musical events scheduled for this summer, Beat Hollow with Brian Siskind. Beat Hollow was a unique, meditative, sonic environment created in reverence of the chapel’s sacred space.

Upon arriving at the chapel, I was kindly guided to an open spot in the quiet, octagonal shaped main room where I and fellow audience members patiently sat waiting to be transported. Within a couple of minutes, Siskind’s ambient sounds began to fill our ears with pleasant energy. As I sat listening, I often found myself with my eyes closed to experience the feeling even more. Occasionally glancing up and to my side, I found the audience also to be in a meditative state. We all seemed to be going in and out of reflecting in our own minds to being aware of all our fellow human beings attending the event that day. A beautiful aural experience was created out of Siskind’s abstract composition of ambient soundscapes and field recordings, ” …from documented rituals of Bhutan monks in Brooklyn, to the birds in the ruins of Pompeii, and an altering portrait of rural and urban life from across the United States and Europe.” (Rothko Chapel Summer Music Series) The performance itself lasted about an hour, but as other visitors to the Rothko Chapel later mentioned, time seemed to stop. The sounds of life and phenomena on this planet reminded us that we are all of one kind; we are no different in our pursuit of life and finding our place and meaning. Surrounded by Rothko’s massive paintings that are dark but full of texture and depth with light filtering through the chapel’s sky light, Siskind’s sounds did indeed transport us to a place that allowed us to grasp transcendence if even just for the time we were there.

After the live performance, an outside reception was held between the chapel and Barnett Newman’s sculpture Broken Obelisk dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s memory. Normally a very hot and humid time of year, the day decided to contribute to the beauty of the whole experience. People gathered to talk and enjoy the nice breeze drifting between Newman’s sculpture and the chapel. Audience members from many different walks of life came up to Siskind to tell him how much the experience meant to them. I was particularly struck by the comments of one lady who I believe was from Germany. Siskind had given out old post cards from the world to enhance the experience. She was very impressed by this and was asking about his field recordings and their origins. I couldn’t help but smile feeling the interconnectedness that we all share. Siskind succeeded in greatly enhancing and supporting Rothko’s vocation and I am very pleased I did not miss this inspiring experience.

 A link to listen to and purchase the live performance:   http://fognode.bandcamp.com/
Brian Siskind:  http://www.briansiskind.com/