Wreck my car...

Witness the sad end of my beloved 1984 Mercury Grand Marquis. I was stopped at a stop light just in front of my work, when some knucklehead in a big Chevy truck slammed into me, no breaks no nothing, at about 45 MPH. Thanks to this big slab of Detriot iron, I lucked out and only sustained your typical whiplash. (Time will tell how luck am I however as a week later I'm still on the pain meds.) Oh yeah, the bastard ran from the scene and the cops are too busy to find him. Thank goodness I carried full coverage on this Blue Book $500 car.

This was to be the new jewel of my "Styling Gag Guzzling Lead Sleds of 1984," taking it's rightful place next to my gold Mercedes 540 SL. (Which by the way won't inspect and is headed to the salvage yard as well.)

If you don't hear from me, don't take it personally as the drugs make me goofy and my back and neck are killing me. Other than that, I'm fine. thanks for asking.

Master Class w/ Maxim Vengerov

Folks who know me know how little I care for Classical music as a whole and for classical musicians in particular. The scars of Suzuki violin lessons with the reigning Ms. Oklahoma 1971 when I was 6 years old have yet to heal. And worse still, the insight I have gained as a violin shop manager has done little to improve my opinion that the vast majority of classical players are no more than well trained house monkeys using music as a way to rise out of lower class.

So listen when I tell you. I caught a broadcast on the Ovation network called "Maxim Vengerov: Master Class." All I know about Vengerov is that he's Russian, he ran away from the Soviets and then confused everybody by devoting himself to chamber music and improvisation rather than doing the obvious route of superstar solo violinist. That all gains high marks in my book. But having experienced "master classes" myself, I was very curious to see the fellow's approach.

Rather than go into any great detail, may I simply suggest you seek out hour long show and see it for yourself. Only once before in my life have I had music explained to me in a way that not only resonated with me but also changed how I percieved it altogether. Vengerov may have in fact done that for me in regards to dead European court music. In essense he challenges his students, all very accomplished technicians, to add context and intention to thier performance. Something I really think any musician would benefit from.

He really clicked with me with the final student, who chose a very obtuse modern piece, but come alive with Vengerovs context:

Check it out if you can. It get's rebroadcast from time to time on the Ovation network on Time Warner cable.