I have always loved the works of this young American Brahmin artist who was felled by AIDS – far too soon. He was, of course, related by marriage to two of the most iconic Americans – at least for me – of the 20th Century: Gore Vidal (whose Michael Overleaves are to be found on the Michael Overleaves Appendix page) and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis – both of whom were king souls.
Love these works especially more so as they have been recently relocated within the gallery; they are better displayed now. A true shaman of the first order, Norval Morrisseau.
Michael Jackson by Andy Warhol. On this the anniversary of Michael Jackson’s birth, I thought to pay tribute to one of the most inspiring creative geniuses to have ever graced this world. This is a work by Andy Warhol which is part of the Revolver Gallery’s Andy Warhol: Revisited – A Pop Art Exhibition in Yorkville at 77 Bloor Street West, Toronto. One of the truly fantastic shows to have graced Toronto in long ages.
I finally got to attend a couple of weeks ago with my brother and my only nephew – in town for the summer from the Bahamas. We had a good visit and the show was the most spectacular show I have seen in long ages. Beautifully curated and just intimate enough that it doesn’t end up being overwhelming or, more importantly, underwhelming.
Michael Jackson: August 29, 1958 [-O-] June 25, 2009.
Here’s a dream, previously shared in this unique and utterly unrivalled blog of mine, of Michael Jackson being his marvellously shamanic wonderful self. I love you more, Michael – sweet and blissful dreams.
Happy 148th Canada – for more than half my life, I have had some truly remarkable, uplifting experiences whilst living here. Too, I shared a great love with my Canadian-born task companion, Merlin.
Regrettably, I could neither find the dimensions nor year of creation for the masterful Charles Pachter flag which I would presume is an Oil on Canvas.
Happy Canada Day – my life experience has been immensely enriched for having remained focussed here in this great land.
Speculative Provenance: Likely the Al-Thani family. I would like to think that Sheikha Al Mayassa Al-Thani has acquired this masterpiece for her family’s burgeoning collection. Possibly the most powerful woman in art today; she also happens to be the daughter of the most stylish woman on the planet at present, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned!
Sold today, May 11, 2015, which would have been my mother, Harella da Braga’s 95th birthday – she is now reincarnated. Harella died in August 1980 in Toronto. Reborn male in London, England; he is male biracial (Caucasian/East Indian) and upper middle class. The winning bid in New York City was 179$m!
Composition: Billie Holiday, Arthur Herzog Jr. c. 1939
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Fine and Mellow
Written: Billie Holiday c. 1939
Live TV recording 1957.
Voice: Billie Holiday
Piano: Mal Waldon
Double Bass: Milt Hinton
Guitar: Danny Barker
Tenor Saxophone: BenWebster & Lester Young & Coleman Hawkins
Baritone Saxophone: Gerry Mulligan
Trombone: Vic Dickenson
Trumpet: Doc Cheatham & Roy Eldridge
Drums: Osie Johnson
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Strange Fruit
Written: Abel Meeropol c. 1937
Composition: Billie Holiday c. 1939
Voice: Billie Holiday.
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Lover Man, Oh Where Can You Be.
Written: Jimmy Davis & Roger Ramirez & James Sherman c. 1941
Live performance 1958, Oakdale Music Theater, Wallingford, Connecticut.
Voice: Billie Holiday
Piano: Mal Waldron
Bass: Milt Hinton
Trumpet: Buck Clayton
Drums: Don Lamond
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One of my all-time favourite Billie Holiday tunes. I first fell in love with it whilst working at the Underground Railroad Restaurant on King Street East just west of Sherbourne Street back in the late 1970s – all whilst finding time to run around the city taking ballet class and studying in high school then later at York University – when Salome Bey was doing her Cabaret show and her husband, Howard Matthews was part owner, along with Jazz drummer, Archie Alleyne. There was an intense and wonderful Jazz education!
Too, there was that memorable Sunday Brunch in late 1982 at the actress, Patricia Neal’s grand Upper West Side apartment which Merlin took on a short-term sublet. Frederick Jones and his Puerto Rican-born lover were there, along with a couple of dancer friends of mine and, of course, fellow dancer and friend of Merlin’s, Miguel Godreau.
Merlin the night we met, Friday, October 1, 1982, had excused himself from dinner at the Afro-Cuban restaurant, around from my West 49th Street apartment, on 9th Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen. He had gone to make a phone call – ah yes, there was an age before the cellphone’s ubiquity – and cancelled getting together with Miguel. They had been dating after Miguel had appeared in Ken Russell’s 1980 film, Altered States starring, William Hurt and who at that time was a member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Just in case, I had proven an utter bore, Merlin had made alternate plans; however, after I had passed most of dinner to the groovy music massaging his burgeoning lap across the deuce from me with my nimbly dexterous pointed feet, Miguel did not stand a chance.
Besides, one does not exactly say no to one’s task companion when first meeting on the physical plane… again, especially when it was planned. In any event, after fruit-filled pancakes drowned in Canadian maple syrup, Merlin and I – who by then had had multiple ménage-à-trois with Miguel – blew each other soft kisses whilst he sat admiringly looking at Miguel and me slow dance to this truly haunting tune.
Merlin almost never danced; however, our pas de deux between the sheets has left Merlin an unsurpassed lover of magical skills.
Happy Birthday Billie Holiday and, wherever you are, may your current incarnation be a most blessed lucid dream. You know, I really ought to do her overleaves…
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Dreams are the poetic expression of the soul. 