Art-to-Art PaletteBooks
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Simon´s ´Dream´ is history in the making
It has been said many of times and in many ways, but I remain completely confident we never forget our first loves; those which become so deep-rooted in the fabric of our self--we just can let them go, regardless where we are in our so-far life travels. For me and to this day, Barbra Streisand´s voice and her movies have been the mortar by which I access professional performing greatness. With her joins another artist, one huge talent that makes the ivories sing with acoustical greatness, for Peter Nero´s music is a constant "Summer of 42" reminder on why-well one of the whys, I said I Do. Now I can add another to my list. I find her voice is timeless and when she belts "Amazing Grace" – my ears records an oratorical masterpiece that overwhelms and places me in a state of peace, an under siege calmness, an unconditional surrender to perfection. The voice of Susan Boyle on her album, "I Dreamed A Dream" audiologically illustrates her human endowment, and thusly as well as later in her life, being recognized for being born to greatness. The only question I have for Sony Music is: When does the movie come out?
Review by Ben Rayman
The Color of Experience
George Gallo´s film, "Local Color" has taken the word riveting and has successfully raised its meaning to a new charted height, for this film has opened my eyes more, and has given me the return opportunity to recall the powerful direction I received from my first mentor.
The film truly drives home its message of never giving up on one´s dreams, but more than the latter, to make that road not taken beyond a destiny; moreover, a journey that quenches the soul from acquiring newfound knowledge "...fighting to get out…"
I can guarantee you whether you are "...two inches or 10 feet back" from your viewing screen, Gallo´s "Local Color" will create a link to that one special person in your life. Be prepared for an ocean of onslaught of emotions because the film´s entire acting and production cast merges color and composition in a way that viewer just can´t let go.
On the language side, I found its restricted rating right on; in fact, somewhat sickening because too much of it expressed in a short time, however "Local Color" is still a must see in my assessment; in fact, I recommend it to anyone who wants to see the distance between the inexperienced and experienced, for this is where the age difference prevails with a dramatic contrasting greatness.
There is only one question that remains in my mind, being, I wonder if today´s youth could withstand the verbal mental swings that tend to rise above flood stage when a mentor runs out of steam and has no time to count to ten, however one must stand back and see how well the people give and take, follow and return to their travels on life´s yellow brick road.
Review by Ben Rayman
Yes I will Whitney, but . . .
There are a few quotes I found hurriedly handwritten amongst my many piles that I cannot attribute the authorship to: "You know that you are in love when the hardest thing to do is say good-bye" and "A true lover always feels in debt to the one he loves." These are two of my "partners" in this decision process, an assessment route I take that, in this type of forum, that also coincides with a Yiddish statement I have held onto for years, "Dear God: You do such wonderful things for complete strangers; why not for me?"
I am sure my assessment of rightful vocal ownership will have many in agreement with me; in fact, visually the word awesome, even though of its freely use today for description, would not even come close to conveying the impact I feel each time I watch her and her "bodyguard" in final action. However, I cannot take a total bias or disenfranchise the original song´s author because if it was not for Dolly Parton; I could not be taking this stance for my chosen.
Knowing why the song was written and mainly whom it is directed to, no doubt in my mind on why Dolly Parton´s, "I Will Always Love You" has factually left its mark on the country charts with massive public appeal acceptance, to the point of topping the charts not once, but a total of three each time it made another Parton debut.
On the other hand, my two-cents worth has nothing to do with the numbers or whether or not a preference for country or pop, including all the other classifications, including instrumental, such as Kenny G. It also has nothing to do with voice because I found I could not, just couldn´t, choose by this factor alone. Both were viewed in film and solo performance, and even the different places as well as the other leading men, Kevin or Burt, chosen to play Porter, could not add more strength in my final decision.
For me this is a case of originality and what I would voice as a Turner Classic Movie, being "It is a Wonderful Life" or even the wheel. They cannot be reinvented, however "modernized" to appeal to another generation, another class location, or even in this case another person´s choice of musical preference of delivery. Notably Whitney Houston´s rendition of "I Will Always Love You" did reinvent Dolly Parton´s "wheel" and I strongly believe it did create its own original. I find it so compelling with a strength that gives me the feeling I could move mountains, but a classic never loses its first place spot in historical research. Why? Well, another of my "co-partners" said it all when it deals with the matters of the heart. "Love that we cannot have is the one that lasts the longest, hurts the deepest and feels the strongest." I remain confident Mr. Wagoner would support me in my decision today if probable, and I am completely with the assurance that Dolly´s "stranger" is in agreement.
Review by Ben Rayman
