Natural splendour, real musics, wines, wordpower
Oblivion is a 1982 composition by Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992), Nuevo tango’s pre-eminent composer and bandoneon virtuoso.
Perhaps his most uncanny piece, it has survived/endured countless covers.
Some of its finest interpreters are not Argentinian, and although one of this post’s two very different versions does feature a “squeezebox”, it is not a bandoneon.
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This post is the fruit of a lunchtime walk through the walled, “old city” section of Jaipur, Rajasthan’s largest city.
Approaching four million people, its metropolis has around twice as many residents as Perth’s.
Its “old” part’s hub makes any part of Perth – or of most “Western World” city CBDs – feel relatively monochrome, lifeless.
Comments closedHumans may find Lead Belly’s wise advice rather easier to sing than to adopt, but a well-loved local “street cat” exemplifies the notion… most especially when the sun has suitably warmed her favourite footstep.
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Greenhood orchids are currently blooming in Perth’s Kings Park.
Not all of them have green “hoods”!
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The world’s most extensive tropical coastal wilderness is that of the Kimberley, in northern Western Australia.
Its landscapes are epic.
So are the skyscapes; Kimberley thunderheads can dwarf Everest.
Comments closedThe featured image depicts maternal tenderness, but Macaca thibetana is also a strikingly aggressive, opportunistic species.
Unsurprisingly, this species’ “near threatened” status is the result of pressure/competition from our own aggressive, opportunistic species!
Tibetan Macaques live in cool subtropical Asian forests at elevations between 800 and 2500 metres above sea level.
Comments closedThelonious Monk (1917-1982) is one of my favourite composers.
Ruby, My Dear has always been one of my favourite Monk ballads.
Among living pianists, Fred Hersch has, I think, proved the most consistently rewarding interpreter of Monk.
Until a few weeks ago, I had never heard Brian Landrus; I have heard literally thousands of Monk “covers”, but none lovelier than the one which concludes Brian’s new album.
Comments closedThis post alerts you to two provocative essays about Australian governments’ approach to “public spending”.
One looks at general home truths, facts, fictions and illusions, with particular reference to our “post-pandemic” economic & social well-being.
The other addresses Australia’s response to “the threat from China”.
According to Richard Dennis, we Australians are reluctant to look into the simple truth hidden in plain sight:
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Four kilometres south of the little town of Augusta is Cape Leeuwin, atop which sits the Australian mainland’s tallest lighthouse.
The much-promoted notion that this is where two oceans meet is highly debatable; arguably, the Indian Ocean laps both sides of Cape Leeuwin.
Regardless, it is our continent’s bottom left hand “corner”, and the Augusta/Leeuwin “corner” is a wonderful place.
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