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Archives for June 2010

From London to the ‘Burg … Musical Impressions

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DSCF1983-520x404Yesterday was a day of Music. Throughout the city sounds of bands, pianos and even opera could be heard, whatever the borough. Make Music NY celebrated the first day of summer, for the fourth year, with over 1,000 city-wide free concerts. My favourites were the guitarists playing Beatles songs in Union Square and the pop-up gigs of rock bands all along Bedford Ave. Music is a great collector of the people, so it was no surprise to see all different kinds of music lovers out and about. One point about outdoor impromptu performances is that you can never plan ahead, in terms of scheduling your performance after an assembly of fire trucks have bombarded their way through the street. Gunfight! learned this the hard way, but they did not let it dampen their musical energy.  

DSCF1984-520x390As well as Make Music New York, Play Me, I’m Yours was set up. An Artwork by Luke Jerram, consisting of pianos, beautifully decorated and strategically placed in many different points across the city, available to be played by the public. And what better a place to set this piece up than in New York City! Musicians flock to the five boroughs to learn, play and be discovered, so there was no doubt that when walking through McCarren Park I would hear sweet music being played.  It makes a lovely change from the eye-sore elephants that have graced London Town this summer.

Not only does Play Me, I’m Yours give people who have never played a piano the chance to do so, it is also raising awareness and promoting Sing For Hope, which is an artists’ peace corporation, defined by the needs of the community.

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Bicycling: How I Learned to Ride a Straight Line by John D. Eustice

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john eustice

. . . from an Older Belgian Woman, By John D. Eustice

I went to Belgium in the mid 1970s as part of a wave of American riders who wished to infiltrate the mysterious and distant European racing scene. The Belgians condescended to us who were fool enough to attempt to endure their cobblestones, side winds, cold rain, and high-speed racing. To them we were the “English,” lumped together with the Aussies, the Kiwis, the Yanks, the Brits, and the English Canadians. We were one and the same. (The Quebecois were smarter than we were, and went to the Parisian racing clubs.) The rest of us would arrive, put up with decrepit 19th-century factory housing (which was illegal for anyone except the Turks and the “English” racers) and most of the English would last only two to three months before going home with broken bikes, broken hearts, and broken dreams. Many even quit racing forever after their first Belgian campaign.

I, on the other hand, loved it. But then I had had the advantage of being schooled in New York City by the descendants of the Madison Square Garden Six-Day racers. I could ride a bicycle and I fit right in with the hurly burly of the Belgian “Kermesse” races. Good results were coming and I thought that I was pretty hot stuff. That is, until the old Belgian lady.

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Opinion/Editorial: North Brooklyn Creative Economy Zone

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By William Harvey

This afternoon, I was reminded why I love this area: A culturally-mixed group—Hasidic, Hispanic, Polish, African- and Anglo-Americans—were playing a friendly pick-up game of soccer in McCarren Park. Where else does one see such a diverse group?

I hope this area of North Brooklyn will continue to be this diverse, economically, culturally, and ethnically. I write this to share an idea I have that might help to preserve and to enhance this diversity. I do not wish to divert attention from problems such as racism, economic discrim­ination, ecological disaster, affordable housing, and the lack of city services in North Brooklyn nor do I wish to be disjunctive in any way, I hope to share an idea that might benefit everyone in North Brooklyn.

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