197. Mother-Daughter Journey: Any Day Now, I Shall Be Released

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

  “I Shall Be Released” Bob Dylan They say ev’rything can be replaced Yet ev’ry distance is not near So I remember ev’ry face Of ev’ry man who put me here I see my light come shining From the west unto the east Any day now, any day now I shall be released. They say ev’ry man needs protection They say ev’ry man must fall Yet I swear I see my reflection Some place so high above this wall. I see my light come shining From the west unto the east Any day now, any day now I shall be … Continue reading →

New Musicians, Great New Music: Lo Moon

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

Lo Moon I’d like to introduce the group, Lo Moon. Matt Lowell is the son of my doctor (of more than thirty years), he is an amazing musician who has finally made it, arrived. He’s out in L.A. and got a COLUMBIA contract. Way to go. Visit this and scroll down to read and give a listen. Or this:    

Continue reading →

Song In My Head Tuesday: The Band

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

I switched on PBS the other night and fell into some nostalgic reverie. After that I have been unable to get the song, “It Makes No Difference” out of my head. (see video at 10:42) Call it post-election-funk, or disbelief each time I read the newspaper at the state of this world. I do believe we are going through a strange period in history and I do believe that even knowing and understanding history is not changing anything in the present. So, I pack my mental bags and leave to my sci-fi fantasy world which includes: Westworld, Orphan Black, Game … Continue reading →

Song in My Head: MN Indie Group on WFUV Got Me: Hippo Campus

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

Suicide Saturday by Hippo Campus I heard this group of young kids from Minnesota while driving and listening to WFUV, New York’s very cool Indie-oriented station which is a member of National Public Radio. The sound just stuck with me. Everything about. These kids are going places.

Continue reading →

An Evening at Carnegie Hall: Requiem for the 20th Century

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

Made it on the subway in a light snow. Nothing like Manhattan; streets are packed day and night. I’ll try to reconstruct the concert for you. This is not full of yuletide cheer, if anything it is downright sorrowful, depressing, and serious. Sometimes you need some of that. The 2oth Century was one helluva hundred years. Each composer was affected by war. May the century rest in peace.   Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 6 Excellent introduction.  Listen for the saxophone solo.     Gyorgy Ligeti: Requiem A most incredible choral piece. Think: you have heard it.       … Continue reading →

Be Happy, Or At Least Pretend To Be

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

Years ago when I was on a teaching sabbatical I was walking through Manhattan to a class. I remember crossing a street near The New School. It was around noon. I was wearing a gorgeous sweater I made under a red coat. It was early Winter, somewhat cloudy and I remember the chill. It was about twenty-eight years ago. I was pregnant with my son. A young man approached me and said something like, “you look happy, would you like to get a cup of coffee?” He likely approached me because I was smiling. I often smile to myself when … Continue reading →

An Angel Played the Violin–On Seinfeld?

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

I attended a wonderful concert last night at a local college. I even ran into friends there. The Moscow State Symphony Orchestra was to play and the scheduled violin soloist was the highly esteemed Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg.   She played in the second piece, Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No 1. The women in the orchestra were garbed in elegant black fabrics: lace, silks. They wore high heels. I mean, these young women were Muscovites and they take pride. But who was the woman who came out to play the solo? She was holding a violin! Where was Nadja? What happened to … Continue reading →

NYC Photo Journal: Halloween 2014: Rob and Dorit Thereminize at Joe’s Pub

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

Joe’s Pub is a nightclub/bar/theater venue for New Yorkers of all ages. Halloween night is special: out come the theremins for a little spookiness to add to your dinner. Meanwhile, outside, and a few blocks down, you have the world renown Halloween parade, and chances are while walking the streets you’ll see a lot of fake blood and some very interesting costumes. If they are costumes. After all, this is the Village. (Greenwich Village)   Meanwhile, inside, the usually great burgers are being served (it was a busy night and many orders were incorrect), but (cousin) Rob Schwimmer and Dorit … Continue reading →

Carry On

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

Next stop on the migraine trail was, at the recommendation of the neurologist, a visit to an opthal-neurologist who declared my optic nerves were fine. He was a busy doctor of stature, serious, maybe too serious. I wanted him to smile, to make light of it all, to tell me he had the key. He didn’t. No smile, no key. A healthy optic nerve is a good thing, we know that. So the migraine story continues and hits the wall. There are two kinds of ocular migraines going on and there is from what I can see, read, learn about: … Continue reading →

Part 68: The Changing Of The Guard

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

One went, one came. Another will come. The new guards will take turns. It’s different. What was, since the end of February, is now over. After Cynthia said “goodbye,” dressed in her fancy blouse, Capris and huge peep-toed heels, dragging her seventy-five+ pound bags after her, my mother shed a tear and sang  “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face.”  The deal was done. Peaches from The Bronx had taken Cynthia’s place and would be living in.  Peaches looked childlike and was shivering in fear at the newness.  Sunday, she commuted on the Q44 bus from The Bronx at 9:00 a.m.  … Continue reading →

Part 6: A Travel Journal: Yiddish and Klezmer

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

sunset after the concert Wednesday, July 17, 2013: Hanging out at the National Yiddish Book Center which is located on the campus of Hampshire College. Another annual trek which I have been through and watched the evolution of since it opened. This night was Klezmer concert night. The Klezmer Conservatory Band was great as usual.     My favorite exhibit at the Book Center is called, ” A Bintel Brief.” From the website: A Bintel Brief: Illustrations adapted from letters to the Forverts newspaper’s advice column A Bintel Brief Exhibits, exhibits, Forverts, graphic novels, Liana Finck, Yiddish newspaper A Bintel … Continue reading →

NYC Photo Journal: Louis, Louis! Hot Jazz!

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

Louis Armstrong’s favorite food was rice and beans. That’s what is served along with hot jazz in the cool garden, a summer concert series held under the trees in Louis’ yard in Corona, Queens. There is a fascinating house tour, films and audio tracks that illustrate how remarkable this man was and how he lives on. Louis’ birthday party was celebrated on July 4th with the usual rice and beans, lemonade and a celebratory birthday cake. Bria’s Hot Five with Bria Skonberg was the billed show. This is one amazing young lady.

Continue reading →

New York City Photo Journal: Goodbye Rosie, Queen of Corona

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

        The website is here “Our corn is non-genetically modified and non-transgenic. It comes from Rovey Seed Farm Company, a company located in Illinois that applies kosher-certified practices along with an unprecedented process for selecting only the best quality corn for nixtamal production.” Nixtamal Tortelleria 10405 47th Ave. Corona, NY 11368 | (718) 699-2434 It’s time to eat! Fabulous food; the best mole sauce, friendly staff and lots of rain.   ↕  Click to enlarge photos See Nixtamal Torterlleria on the food network: Show: Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives -> Episode: Latin Street Food Hosted by: Guy Fieri / … Continue reading →

Part 54: Out Of Balance

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

Yesterday was my mother’s first day out in the real world; Cynthia, her aide (how will we live without her?) researched and booked the first of several appointments with doctors. This one was with an orthopedist who checked on the healing of the fracture of my mother’s arm which occurred at the beginning of February and was the starting point of months of decline. My mother said that no one believed that she is ninety-five. She, however, sees the difference, the radical change from last year. “People say I look great,” she said, but she doesn’t believe it. I think … Continue reading →

Part 51. Did You Ever Have The Feeling …

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

What keeps us in the same place? Is it comfort? Fear? Complacency? Habit? Click to play >> [ti_audio media=”13661″] (A track from the Flushing House Band CD recorded by members of the Flushing House Community, the senior residence; How charming is this? singing; Susan Guerra, Tom Cherkin) My mother moved to Florida in the 1980’s when her doctor advised her to “stay out of the cold;” she was plagued by respiratory issues, and allergies. And so she and my dad packed it in and left New York City. She grew roots in the sandy Florida soil and stayed. She missed … Continue reading →

Part 45: Background Music

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

Since I last spoke to you, my friends, I have been consumed by the usual deluge of details. I spent several days on the phone and computer trying to make sense of possible placements for my mother. I made an appointment for this Wednesday to visit “am affordable assisted living” on Long Island. I have an appointment with an elder attorney on Friday. I made lists and lists of nursing homes in the area. Then I remembered what a friend said last week when I was describing the situation which is that my mother currently resides in an assisted living … Continue reading →