BigFish Has Big Heart

BigFish Has Big Heart

June 21, 2005

By Richard Kuper

The Op Ed Page

http://theopedpage.blogspot.com

Most producers just want to put on the best show they can for the audience. Bernie Furshpan and his company BigFish Productions have, in their brief time so far in the business, managed to take it a step further.

At the "Legends of Motor City" show on June 10th in New York City, starring the Temptations, Martha Reeves, and the Spinners, young musicians from Delaware State University backed up the legendary artists. According to its website, Delaware State University was established on May 15, 1891 as the State College for Colored Students by the Delaware General Assembly, under the provisions of the Morrill Act of 1890. This was the way in which land-grant colleges for Blacks came into existence in states maintaining separate educational facilities. For the modern day students of Delaware State University, performing with the "Legends of Motor City" was an opportunity of a lifetime.

This was not the first time that BigFish Productions has shown a big heart. Last October they produced a show called “Russian Splendor.” Weeks before the scheduled show, tragedy struck in Russia. Thirty two terrorists stormed a school and took some 1,200 adults and children captive in a 48-hour siege. The siege ended with the deaths of 335 hostages, about half of them children. Mr. Furshpan, whose parents emigrated from Russia, announced that a portion of the proceeds from “Russian Splendor” would be donated to the families and victims of the community. In addition, at the show, Curtis Sliwa, leader of the Guardian Angels, presented an honorary membership in the Guardian Angels to a young Russian student hero who helped rescue his friends during that terrorist siege.

Opening Night: “Alice’s Restaurant 40th Anniversary Massacree Tour”

Opening Night: “Alice’s Restaurant 40th Anniversary Massacree Tour”

June 16, 2005

By Richard Kuper

The Op Ed Page
http://theopedpage.blogspot.com

Last night I attended the opening night of “Alice’s Restaurant 40th Anniversary Massacree Tour” at Rockefeller Park in NYC. What a show! First, the Mammals came on and performed an extremely varied mix of bluegrass, folk, folk-rock, and other interesting music. They performed for an hour and, except for a few numbers being overly loud and distorted, they were terrific. One of the members of the group is the grandson of Pete Seeger. I’m sure Pete is proud.

Following the Mammals, someone from the Parks Department made Arlo Guthrie an honorary Park Ranger. Then Arlo started his most famous story: “Alice’s Restaurant.” It was like going back in time 40 years, and the audience went back and talked/sang along. Along the way Arlo ad libbed now and again, which made it even more fun.

When he completed the twenty-something minute piece, Arlo received a standing ovation. Arlo told more stories and weaved them into some of his most famous songs, such as “Coming into Los Angeles” and “City Of New Orleans.” Sadly for this writer, he did not play one of my other favorites, “The Motorcycle Song.” Instead, he made time to do a rousing bluegrass-style number with the Mammals, who backed him up during his set, he talked about his father, Woody Guthrie, and closed his set with “This Land is Your Land,” interrupting it several times with more stories.

This was an outdoor concert in a park, and so the show was supposed to end by 9pm, but the audience wouldn’t stop its standing ovation until Arlo came back on stage, and so he did one more number. I won’t give it away, in case he varies it at different shows, but it was a great rendition of an old song written by a famous songwriter/musician and made even more famous by a famous folk group with another famous songwriter/musician.

I’m not sure if Arlo and company are still feeling out the sets, or if they are just making it seem that way as part of the show, but I have a suspicion that other than including “Alice’s Restaurant,” “Coming into Los Angeles” and “City Of New Orleans,” each show on the tour will be somewhat different than the one I saw last night.

If the “Alice’s Restaurant 40th Anniversary Massacree Tour” is coming to a venue near you, I recommend you find a way to be there. It’s a happening! You might even say: "It’s a movement."

Getting less safe every day

Getting less safe every day

June 13, 2005

By Richard Kuper

The Op Ed Page

http://theopedpage.blogspot.com

In an article titled "They Won't Go" Bob Herbert writes in the June 13, 2005 issue of the New York Times:

"With the war in Iraq going badly and allegations of abuse by military personnel widespread, young men and women are increasingly deciding that there's no upside to a career choice in which the most important skills might be ducking bullets and dodging roadside bombs."

In an article titled "Take My Privacy, Please!" Ted Koppel writes in the June 13, 2005 issue of the New York Times:

"The Patriot Act - brilliant! Its critics would have preferred a less stirring title, perhaps something along the lines of the Enhanced Snooping, Library and Hospital Database Seizure Act. But then who, even right after 9/11, would have voted for that?"

Then there is the continuing failure to secure our borders and guard our nuclear plants and other power facilities. There is the faking of the intelligence and the lies this administration has told and keeps telling about the US invasion of Iraq (see today's news about a British memo warning about post-war instability that was expected because the Bush administration had no post-war plans, and couple that with the Downing Street Memo). There are all the issues surrounding Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib. There are the significant increases in terrorism in Iraq and around the world.

All these sadly bring us to the same point. We are getting less safe every day thanks to the actions of the current administration. Now if only there were some members of the so-called press who would report on these issues as the lead story every day and night until the truth is known and understood by every citizen of the USA. Then maybe, just maybe, something will be done to correct the erroneous and extremely dangerous course the US is on.

Trucks banned, curbed, on NY bridges

Trucks banned, curbed, on NY bridges

June 10, 2005

By Richard Kuper

The Op Ed Page

http://theopedpage.blogspot.com

According to an article in the NY Daily News (Truck curb on 2 ailing bridges, http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/317346p-271353c.html), "Heavy trucks are being banned from the Whitestone Bridge and restricted on the Throgs Neck Bridge because of concerns over the spans' sturdiness." If one reads all the way to the end of the article, one finds the following statement:

"[T]he problems with the two bridges - as well as with some 300 other bridges with repair needs across the state - underscore the need for the $2.9 billion transportation bond act that will go before voters in November. [T]he potentially higher cost of consumer goods amounts to "the kind of indirect tax that happens when government doesn't maintain the roads and bridges.""

So here is my question (and probably yours too):
Where the heck is all the toll money going if it is not going toward maintenance and repairs?

Another Forgotten Generation

Another Forgotten Generation

June 6, 2005

By Richard Kuper

The Op Ed Page
http://theopedpage.blogspot.com

First it was the Greatest Generation. Now it is the Baby Boom Generation.

A few years back, the music of the Greatest Generation-- big band, swing and pop music from the 1930's, 1940's and early 1950's -- disappeared off the radio airwaves. This music should be on the free airwaves of radio. This was a great loss, as the music from that generation was phenomenal and stands the test of time.

This past weekend, the music of the Baby Boom Generation-- real rock and roll music from the 1950's, 1960's, and early 1970's -- disappeared off the radio airwaves with the demise of WCBS-FM in New York City. Elvis Presley is off the air! The 4 Seasons are off the air. The Beach Boys are off the air. The Beatles are off the air. The Rolling Stones are off the air. The Supremes are off the air. The Drifters are off the air. The Temptations are off the air. Stevie Wonder is off the air. Many, many other great artists are off the air. One can still catch some of the late 1960's and early 1970's music on a few other radio stations, but this is the death knoll, and those stations will likely be disappearing soon. This is a great loss. This music should be on the free airwaves of radio.

Now it may be true that the bulk of the music-buying public is the teenage market of the day, but the rest of the population also likes to listen to the music they enjoy, and also still buys music. In fact, I would argue that the odds are that more adults actually still buy music from establishments that sell CDs and other media than do teenagers, who find ways to get their music for free. And it seems to me that the record companies (or whatever they call themselves now that records, as such, are no longer the media recordings are made on), would want to do everything in their power not to lose any segment of their paying customer base. Yet, as I recall, when the music of the Greatest Generation disappeared from the airwaves, I did not hear any cries from the music industry, while these days they take children to court for downloading songs from the internet. There was also no central voice from the Greatest Generation demanding that their music be on the radio. They just quietly receded and listened to whatever records they might have owned, and satisfied themselves with that, and perhaps someone (e.g., a son or daughter) would surprise them with an occasional gift of a CD with recordings of the music they loved.

So now the question is: will the record companies again take the disappearance of the music of the Baby Boom Generation lying down? Will the Baby Boom Generation also take this lying down? Will the advertisers who are trying to reach the Baby Boom Generation also take this lying down?

Well, here is your chance to be heard. A new blog has been created to voice your opinion. It's called: "Bring Back The Music" and it can be found at:

http://bringbackthemusic.blogspot.com

Make your voices heard. Let the radio executives know that you want your music to be available on the radio.

What's your opinion? Make it known at:

http://bringbackthemusic.blogspot.com