7 Quick Takes

—1 —

Still here. We’ll be heading out in the near future for a voyage. Look for interesting (I hope) photos on Instagram and then longer updates, depending on internet access, in this space.

— 2 —

College Guy has been home for a few days, so there’s been a bit of film viewing. Wednesday night, he and I watched The Conversation. It was one of the films shown in a film studies class I took in college, and as such, it had quite an impact on me. I had not seen it since.

It still has an impact, but from the perspective of 2021 and middle age – it’s probably a different sort of impact.

My attention was still drawn, of course, to Hackman’s masterful portrayal of Harry Caul and his life of self-imposed loneliness, detachment and guilt.

But just as striking now is the broader vision: not only how antiquated and middle-school science club the super-high tech surveillance equipment of 1974 looks today, but even more the impact of all of this on a person, on a culture.

For the point of The Conversation is that with all of the information he has, Harry Caul still doesn’t know what he knows. He can’t piece it together, he’s not sure, his understanding is not “objective,” informed as it is by his past experiences, and even by the end, when the normal story arc has led us on a journey of purportedly solving a mystery, albeit with a twist, we’re still not sure what really happened and what’s living only in Harry’s head – and neither is he.

Surrounded by data, immersed in information, what do we know?

We don’t even have to spy. People just lay it all out there, they just publish it, share the photos, post the details, cry the tears.

Even with all that, what do we know? And why do we want to know it?

And is any of it real?

— 3 —

Then tonight, I subjected the two of them to Hud. My thinking is: they can watch any trash they want to on their own time – when it’s my turn, I’ll call the shots, and well, you know what’s coming: Teachable Moment.

The American Anti-Hero Origin Story?

That’s what they say. No redemption arc here, for sure, but honestly, if there were, it would cheapen the thing.

A great film, marked, not only by Newman’s, um, attractive performance, but the deservedly-Oscar-awarded work of Knoxville’s own (sort of) Patricia Neal, as well as memorable scenes – such as the solution to a hoof-and-mouth disease outbreak among the cattle – and fantastic lines like Newman’s below:

— 4 —

I somehow ran across Shelby Lynne’s new album of pared-down spiritual music. I’ve been a fan of Lynne’s music and her rich, strong voice since the late 90’s, and this is just a beautiful album. If you’re put off by the cover, well, too bad. It powerfully conveys the foundational naked-before-you sensibility of the music.

— 5 –

Pew Research took advantage of the pervasiveness of online church services to study sermon content. Here’s a New Yorker look at the findings – hampered by being fairly uninformed about the the relative role of preaching in Protestant and Catholic services.

Interesting, because I’ve used the same pandemic-driven phenomenon to do my own informal surveys of online Catholic Masses over the past 18 months, focusing mainly on music.

And then I stop, because there’s enough to be depressed about in this world these days without that.

— 6 —

Better music notes!

There’s a new biography of Mary Lou Williams out, one which emphasizes her spiritual journey. Mike Aquilina takes a look at it here.

I bring Mary Lou Williams to your attention every year on the feast of St. Martin de Porres (November 3)  – remember?

In 1953-54 Williams was living and working in Paris, France, which had become a refuge for African-American artists and writers. Always a seeker, she began to pray in earnest. A Catholic friend introduced her to his favorite place to meditate, a small church with a fenced-in garden. Williams later told friends that she had a vision of the Virgin Mary there.

When she returned to the States in 1954, she took up residence in Manhattan. She started attending daily Mass.

In 1956 she was received into the Catholic Church. At first she thought she would give up performance. It seemed to involve her in a world of vanity, rivalry, and drug use. But she realized, after some time away from the stage, that while at the keyboard she could be “praying through [her] fingertips.”

She sensed that God was calling her to compose sacred music in the jazz idiom. She floated the idea to several churchmen, who strongly discouraged her. Pittsburgh Bishop John Wright was at first skeptical, but gradually won over. Eventually he invited her to return to Pittsburgh and teach music at Seton High School in Brookline.

In time she would release several albums of sacred music: Black Christ of the Andes (1964), a jazz hymn to Saint Martin de Porres, and Music for Peace (1970), a suite of songs inspired by the Catholic liturgy. With the Paul Quinlan Trio she wrote and played for the album Praise the Lord in Many Voices (1966). She would eventually compose several different jazz settings for the Mass.

— 7 —

Finally – some family time. Repeated from the past couple of weeks, but hey – you still might want that craft!

And besides, next week’s takes will undoubtedly be more interesting than this mess, full of lots of pretty pictures. I hope.

Looking for a cute Halloween craft? Simple and quick? Take a look at these kits from my daughter’s Etsy shop. 

(Click on the images)

(Patterns alone also available for digital download here and here. ) 

Check out SIL’s new single on Spotify here – and follow him!

And finally – Movie/Writer Son (blog here) is publishing another novel in November – The Sharp Kid – ebook available for pre-order here.

For more Quick Takes, visit This Ain’t the Lyceum!