Speed Racer, The Mach 5 and Chim Chim's Bad Ass Revenge
by E. "Doc" Smith‚
May. 09‚ 2008
As a child growing up in DC, I became a huge fan of the newly arriving Japanese anime series; Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion, Gigantor and of course, Speed Racer. The adventures of Speed, his gal Trixie, his pal Sparky, his constant stowaway little brother Spritle and his chimp, Chim Chim, were a must see TV event for me and my siblings. Speed's mysterious brother, "Racer X", his parents, the evil "Snake Oiler" and the equally dangerous "Car Acrobatic Team" were riveting fare, but the true star of the show was Speed's car... "The Mach 5". Like 007's Aston Martin, the Mach 5 could not only slice tires, it could jump, drive under water, defying gravity like no vehicle ever could. Now comes the Wachowski Brothers latest effort, the blue screen heavy "Speed Racer". Once again, Hollywood has tried to make another film from the animated archives of the past and by most accounts, they've come up short.
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The Invincible Iron Man
by E. "Doc" Smith‚
May. 02‚ 2008
One of my all time favorite comic book heroes was Marvel Comics' "Invincible Iron Man". First appearing in Marvel's "Tales of Suspense" comics along with Captain America, Iron Man told the tale of wealthy arms industrialist Anthony "Tony" Stark, injured in a cold war ambush near Vietnam. Captured by by an evil warlord, Stark is forced to build some WMDs, all the while injured with a piece of shrapnel lodged near his heart. Stark decides to fool his captors and make a crude suit of amour, effecting a thrilling escape. With a change of heart, Stark decides to use his weapons knowledge for good and a legend is born. This new film by actor/director Jon Favreau, starring Robert Downey Jr. as Stark and Gwyneth Paltrow as Stark's girl Friday, Pepper Potts, is perhaps, next to Spiderman, Marvel's best ever comic adaptation.
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They Still Should've Been Called the Senators
by The Nationals Curmudgeon‚
Apr. 28‚ 2008
So I'm walking down Hayes the other day when I spy my good buddy, "The Giants Curmudgeon." "Hey NC, what's going on?" he asked. "I hear you're goin' back to DC for a visit. Gonna see a Nationals game?" "I hate the Nationals," I told him. "They should have been called the Senators. They're the Expo's, stolen from Montreal. I hate it when teams move." "We'll I'm glad the Giants are here," said the GC. I told the GC that a buddy had season tickets and I was going to see them play the Cubs. "Ooohhhh, that could be ugly", said the Curmudgeon. "Hey, why don't you write up somethin' for Beyond Chron?", he asked, "Report on what you see and hear on the Nats. I'm takin' Monday off." "You're on GC", and I headed off to Dulles by way of the new Virgin America flights from SFO.
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"The Works" of Kit Watkins
by E. "Doc" Smith‚
Apr. 25‚ 2008
Recently, I received a copy of a fantastic DVD by the the multi-talented musician Kit Watkins entitled, "The Works". This Data/DVD is an incredible collection that spans nearly thirty years of this prolific artist. Watkins first came to my attention on the campus of Georgetown University, during his tenure as founding member of the group, "Happy the Man". Sponsored by the university's then forward thinking radio station, WGTB, Watkins and his group produced a show that is now the stuff of legend and heralded the age of prog-rock and new age music of the late '70's and '80s. There are 27 albums and 12 bonus tracks in mp3 format on the DVD, (including my personal favorite, "Over the Andes" with Coco Rousell), making this a must have collection of a true musical genius.
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Billy Cobham Comes to Yoshi's... Both of Them!
by E. "Doc" Smith‚
Apr. 18‚ 2008
Billy Cobham is clearly one of the greatest drummers of this or any era. At age 63, he still brings it. His career is certainly legendary; Miles, McCoy Tyner, Horace Silver, Stanley Turrentine and a founding member of one the greatest fusion groups of all time; John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, just to name a few. Last week, Cobham began a week long stint at the Yoshi's on Fillmore with his "Spectrum Revisited" quartet, featuring guitarist Dean Brown, keyboardist Mark Soskin and bassist Victor Bailey. That group ably covered some of Cobham's electric music of the '70's, '80's and '90's.
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Manring Kassin Darter at 142 Throckmorton Theatre
by Lisa Star‚
Apr. 11‚ 2008
with Edo Castro and E. "Doc" Smith
Bassist Michael Manring is well known for his work with groups like Montreux, Henry Kaiser and Wadada Leo Smith's Yo' Miles!; his duets with the much beloved and sorely missed Michael Hedges, songwriter John Gorka and a host of the Windaham Hill label's best known recording artists like George Winston. His most recent CD, "Soliloquy", is yet another musical milestone. However in 2001, Manring began his collaborations with fellow virtuosos, flautist Larry Kassin and pianist Tom Darter, resulting in their seminal work "Scatter". This Saturday night at Mill Valley's 142 Throckmorton Theatre, the trio reunites for what promises to be another wonderful evening of "chamber music for the new millennium".
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Freddie Hubbard Comes to Yoshi's
by E. "Doc" Smith‚
Apr. 04‚ 2008
One of my fondest jazz memories came many years ago at Maryland's Merriweather Post Pavilion. I had come to see the fantastic pianist Herbie Hancock's V.S.O.P., (very special onetime performance), quintet. This was the reunion of Miles Davis' original quintet, featuring saxophonist Wayne Shorter, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Tony Williams and in Miles' stead, the one and only Freddie Hubbard on trumpet. Each performer began the show by trading and soloing, until settling in on Hubbard. He didn't disappoint. Tonight and Saturday, Hubbard makes his debut at the new Yoshi's on Fillmore, celebrating his 70th birthday.Joining him are Bobby Hutcherson, George Cables, James Spaulding, Craig Handy, and Lenny White.
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Sonny Rollins Comes to Zellerbach
by E. "Doc" Smith‚
Mar. 28‚ 2008
The incredible Sonny Rollins comes to Berkeley's Zellerbach Hall, next Thursday, April 3rd, and begins a world tour that will take him to Japan, Europe and Brazil. When Rollins picks up the tenor saxophone, the world listens. "The last jazz immortal," according to the Village Voice, he is the most formidable of all improvisers and a living inspiration to musicians and listeners alike. Rollins first recorded in 1949 and today, he is one of the few surviving icons from a golden era of jazz that will probably never be equaled. Rollins chooses to "live lightly on the planet," and at the core of his humble lifestyle is a demanding practice regime, essential because of the tremendous demands he places on himself. Rather than exploit his fame, he chooses his creative venues carefully, working only when he likes and recording sporadically. Consequently, every Rollins live appearance sparkles like a rare gem, to be admired and treasured.
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The Final Odyssey of Arthur C. Clarke, 1917-2008
by E. "Doc" Smith‚
Mar. 21‚ 2008
In 1968, I was a young lad of eleven, an avid reader of science fiction and desperate to see the latest and much heralded film of it's genre, Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey". The anti-grav Pan Am Space Clipper, the Moon-bus, the eerie black Monolith, the psychedelic space-scapes and that incredibly scary computer, HAL 9000, was something I just couldn't miss. This was my "Star Wars" and I begged my parents to let me go see it. My Mom paid the kid across the street to drive me to Washington, D.C.'s famed 70mm Uptown Theater, and after obtaining a ticket, I made my way to it's balcony seats. For the next several hours, I sat mesmerized by Kubrick's stunning cinematography and special effects. I knew I was watching something we had never seen before, but at age 11, there were things going on the film that just I couldn't quite comprehend. Undaunted, I decided to learn more about the story and the writer behind it. What I found was the mind of Arthur C. Clarke, a science fiction genius and visionary whose tales have shaped the way we look at technology forever.
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The Seven Stringed Wonders of Edo Castro
by E. "Doc" Smith‚
Mar. 14‚ 2008
May 10, 2008
