Confessin' the Blues

It's been kind of dull around here lately. I didn't really do anything this weekend except get some reading and studying done. Oh, I did clean the kitchen again, it looks fabulous! I think I was the last to do it, of course.
I did discover, or really uncover an artist that I absolutely love now, but I haven't been able to download much (just 2) of the songs since most of his music is from the 70's, but I'd really love to get one of his cds. Jay Mcshann, the pianist who played blues and jazz music. I was watching the movie 'Hanging Up' and heard his music playing, so I looked him up. I couldn't find any good videos of him, singing and playing, anyway on youtube or anything, but there's a 14 min. segment on NPR if you're interested.
NPR: Jay McShann
This week will be one of movies and music. In my American class we'll be watching 'Head of State' with Chris Rock, and in my Dutch class we're watching 'A Bridge too Far'. I'm also going with a few people to cultuur club on campus to see the band 'Stairs to Nowhere' perform. They're a dutch band from Utrecht who sing in english.
Speaking of, when we were shopping in Rotterdam I saw (they had t.v.s set up) a dutch rapper music video. It was pretty hilarious. In the music video the rapper was supposed to be in the ghetto? It was very strange, I'm pretty sure they're aren't any ghettos in the Netherlands, but that's definately what it was supposed to look like. Other than the guy rapping in dutch, I would've thought he was just another american rapper.
I was talking with one of my dutch friends, and she was saying some songs she doesn't really understand what they're saying (in english), but that makes it more poetic sometimes. She was using the example, they play 'I kissed a girl' here ALL the time, everywhere, by Katy Perry (by the way, Marsha, she's the one who sings 'you're so gay' that you were telling me about, but i was clueless). Where most people probably don't really get the message of the lyrics, but the music is fun. I can definately see that, I listen to Edith Piaf, Amadou & Mariam, Tinariwen, Sarband, Iz, etc. and I think it does make the music more poetic, more of just the joy of music than if you knew the person was singing about poverty, or war, or something mundane.

Doei!
p.s. title song by Jay McShann