- “This Love of Mine” by Alex Amen. With a melody no less ethereal and cloying than Glen Miller’s rendition of “Stardust,” Amen manages to bring this dreamy original down to earth by keeping things very simple–with only a guitar and piano, we somehow get the swells and releases of a full orchestra but in a less distracting package. The lyrics are sad and searching, but the overall impression is one of anticipation of a future that lives just beyond the horizon of the song.
Although not taken from a musical, the song decidedly belongs in musical theater’s “I Want” song classification. One can almost imagine a heartbroken Broadway hero stepping away from the action to ponder his future in midnight reverie. - California Blues, the official music video for Alex Amen’s eponymous song. The song itself is decent but forgettable, but the music video contains a naïve exuberance that few have captured so well so quickly on film. Shot in a vintage style with low resolution with shaky camera work, the video is a travelogue of young people adventuring their way through the natural beauty of California.
Some of the shots are recognizable landmarks in Yosemite and elsewhere, but this is less a tribute to California’s beauty as it is to the magic of exploring it. Amen shot, directed, and edited the film. I’d like to see more talented musicians try their hands at this type of piece. - Yo-Yo Ma’s Debut Performance for President JFK at The Kennedy Center (known at the time as the National Cultural Center). A great reminder of what the Kennedy Center was and forever should be. The performance was held almost exactly one year before the assassination of JFK.
Eisenhower is also in attendance, and Leonard Bernstein provides a brief introduction; but what is captivating about this video is the relationship between the 7-year-old (!!) Ma and his 11-year-old sister Yeou-Cheng Ma. They coordinate wordlessly, pridefully, and tenderly.
This one has stuck with me for years and is more relevant (and impressive) than ever. Uplifting and beautiful. Recommended for sure.
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