The Morgan Library and Museum Revisited Today

 

The Rotunda over the Morgan Library

I last visited the Morgan Library and Museum in March 2019 so I thought it was time for a return visit.  The exhibit that I enjoyed the most was David Hockney: Drawing from Life.

David Hockney (b. 1937) is one of the most internationally respected and renowned artists alive today. This exhibition will be the first to focus on his portraits on paper and one of very few exhibitions to investigate his drawing practice.

Self-Portrait of David Hockney from 2003

There were many over self-portraits of Hockney from other times in his life.

Another exhibit was Betye Saar: Call and Response. She emerged in the 1960s as a major voice in American art. Part of a wave of artists, many of them African American, who embraced the medium of assemblage, she is known best for incisive collages and assemblage sculptures that confront and reclaim racist images.

This sculpture stood alone on the ground floor:

A small statue of William Shakespeare.

The Hot Stove League is Starting Up

For my readers who are not baseball fans, The Hot Stove League is speculation and rumors about free-agent signings and trades made during the off-season.  All teams are trying to improve themselves to be in contention for the 2021 season.  All teams also have budgetary constraints especially since they did not get revenue from ticket sales in 2020.

Baseball America list of Free Agents for each team

The Mets should have a new owner very soon who is a multi-billionaire.  He has to be careful not to spend big bucks on mediocre players.  The Mets' biggest need is a catcher, but what will the price by for J.T. Realmuto?  They also need to need to improve their starting pitching.

The Yankees will be under pressure to make some moves since they have not won a World Series since 2009.  How much will D.J. LaMahiew command on the open market?

Let's also hope the 2021 season will be "normal" with full stadiums on opening day.

I Decided to Vote on Election Day instead at an Early Voting Site

 The coronavirus situation has certainly complicated voting in this presidential election.  In other years I've simply gone to the polls at the local elementary school and voted.  It was usually a very quick process taking no longer than 10 minutes.  I have seen on the TV news that early voting sites have long lines requiring people to wait a few hours to cast their ballot.  Likely, the process is slowed by the necessity to sanitize the areas regularly.  The mayor and governor have also criticized the Board of Elections for not having enough poll workers.

The early voting for my area is about 1 1/2 miles from my home. I would either walk 30 minutes or take a bus to get there. If I have to wait on a line, I may as well do it at my local school which is right around the corner.  I also think there will be more poll workers on the site on Election Day.  I;ll bring some reading material with me to help pass the time on the line.

Sunday at the Jewish Museum

 

Passover Seder from the Collection

The Jewish Museum on 5th Avenue and 92nd Street is graciously allowing patrons to visit free of charge through December 2020.  However, one must make a reservation for a specific time slot.  I last visited the museum on December 26, 2019, a few months before the pandemic forced all cultural institutions to close.

Wes started on the ground floor where we viewed the works of Rachel Feinstein that we saw last December.

A sculpture by Rachel Feinstein

The second floor was devoted to an exhibit called We Fight to Build a Free World: An Exhibition by Jonathan Horowitz.  He is a New York-based artist who looks at how artists have historically responded to the rise of authoritarianism and xenophobia as well as racism, anti-Semitism, and other forms of bigotry. The exhibition also addresses issues surrounding immigration, assimilation, and cultural identity.

The third floor was "Scenes from the Collection, a rotating collection exhibition that features nearly 600 works from antiquities to contemporary art—many of which are on view for the first time.  I always enjoyed viewing the Channukah menorahs on display.

Bob Dylan Best of the Bootleg Series is Available Online Only

 

Since 1991 there have been 15 volumes of the Bootleg Series issued.  Several of the volumes were multi-CD sets.  The Best of The Bootleg Series provides a 28-track selection from all of the previously released volumes.  However, this compilation is online available online through services such as Spotify, Amazon Music, and Qobuz.

The set list:

1. Up to Me – Take 1
2. Blind Willie McTell – Studio Outtake – 1983
3. Baby, Let Me Follow You Down – Live at Royal Albert Hall, London, UK – May 26, 1966
4. Maggie’s Farm – Live at Newport Folk Festival, Newport, RI – July 1965
5. The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar – Live at the Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA – November 13, 1980 (listed as 1979)
6. Dink’s Song
7. Pretty Saro – Unreleased from “Self Portrait” Sessions
8. Mama, You've Been On My Mind – Studio Outtake – 1964
9. Mississippi – Outtake from “Time Out Of Mind” Sessions
10. Visions of Johanna – Take 5, Rehearsal
11. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues – Take 3, Rehearsal
12. Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here with You – Live at Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec – December 1975
13. Born In Time – Outtake from ‘Oh Mercy’ sessions
14. You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere – Take 1
15. All You Have to Do Is Dream – Take 2
16. Wanted Man – Take 1
17. Tell Me That It Isn’t True – Take 2
18. Wallflower – Alternate Version, 1971
19. Most of the Time – Alternate Version from ‘Oh Mercy’ sessions
20. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall – Live at Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec – December 1975
21. Series of Dreams – Outtake from ‘Oh Mercy’ sessions
22. Slow Train – Live at Earls Court, London, UK – June 29, 1981
23. I Pity the Poor Immigrant – Take 4
24. Moonshiner – Studio Outtake – 1963
25. Seven Days – Live at the Curtis Hixon Convention Center, Tampa, FL – April 1976
26. Tangled Up in Blue – Take 3, Remake 3
27. Guess I’m Doing Fine – Witmark Demo – 1964
28. Every Grain of Sand – Demo – 1980

The Captain by David Wright - a New Autobiography

 

David Wright was a phenomenal player for the New York Mets whose baseball career was cut short by spinal stenosis.  He discussed growing up in Norfolk, Virginia where the Mets had a AAA farm team.  He could have enrolled at Georgia Tech, but decided to sign with the Mets.  He moved up through the minor leagues and eventually made it to the parent team as the third baseman.  He discusses the 2006 season as the Mets just missed the World Series and the 2007 and 2008 season when the team collapsed and didn't quite make it to the postseason.  The highlight of his career was the 2015 World Series that the Mets lost to the Kansas City Royals.

Sadly, at that time he confronted injuries that required surgery.  He described his condition of spinal stenosis that ended his baseball career prematurely.  It obvious that the Mets will eventually retire his number 5 and induct him into the term Hall of Fame, but he won't get into Cooperstown since his career was cut short.

The only shortcoming was that there was minimal discussion of his non-baseball life.  I highly recommend the book to all Met fans.

David Wright's statistics from Baseball Reference

1960s British Rock Star Spencer Davis Dies at 81

 

Even though it was called the Spencer Davis Group, Steve Winwood was the lead singer on most of their hits.  Although Gimme Good Lovin' was their best-known hit, I have chosen to feature Keep on Running.

Obituary in New York Times