The above performance showcases Michael Jackson as a mere star, on the cusp of world super-stardom, a time before his lunatic antics superseded his manifold talents. There’s something otherworldy in Jackson’s combination of kung fu stylings and marionette gesticulations, as if his actions were not his own.
A fan of Jackson’s, one Abeja Mariposa Jr, has created a trio of shorts worth watching. In Smooth Criminal, he re-choreographs Fred Astaire at his zaniest to a Jackson hit. Jackson was obviously influenced by Astaire, often paying him homage. The respect was mutual. Astaire called up Jackson to congratulate him after he first performed the moonwalk.
Which brings us to the second of Mariposa’s triology, Origins of the Moonwalk. I have little interest in actually understanding the historical lineage of the lunar lindyhop, but the toe tapping and foot frenzy showcased in this short is exhilirating.
All Things Considered recently covered Israeli viral VJ Kutiman. His claim to rightful fame? Mashing up musical Youtube clips of musicians of variable talent in divergent settings. People singing to their isight and hokey musical instructional videos and locked-off piano rehearsals and old school keyboards. The result is a fun, marvelous swampy soul-funk groove video album that has to be seen (and heard) to be believed.
Currently, he’s the third most popular Israeli on Youtube. The late-night crooners and percussion practicioners he appropriates are now getting thousands of hits. In his Youtube comments, fans claim he has invented a new genre. I’ve certainly never seen anything like this.
Entertainment Weekly has alerted me that thirteen.org is providing episodes of their 1968-1973 black variety hour, Soul!, online. Mostly comprised of musical performances, the show also showcased a wide range of black entertainment, from poets to political figures (Louis Farakhan, Jesse Jackson). Of the six shows currently online, the most cohesive is the Tito Puente and Willie Colon episode, whose performances are nicely framed with a variety of vignettes (free-form raps, poems, even documentary clips).
I can’t wait to see more of the artists of this era that explored the intersections of psychedelia, jazz, and soul. Current highlights include Earth, Wind, and Fire in their heydey, and Rahassan Roland Kirk, who often plays multiple saxophones at once. My favorite number is one in which Kirk, with his Vibration Society starts off with an gorgeous Ray Charles-style ballad and climaxes in a free-form jazz explosion while Kirk destroys a metal chair. Somewhere in there he madly blows his whistle, bangs his gong and plays the conch.
The promotional video for Microsoft’s Songsmith is so atrocious that parody would be redundant. Sleep well, knowing that you had nothing to do with this ad, or for that matter, this product.
No wonder the recent trend of post-modern meta-art inspired by this karaoke machine from hell. This extremely catchy bluegrass Billy Idol cover is my favorite so far. I dare you to get it out of your head after a listen.
I like how it’s done straight. You can find more form the artist at his blog, entertainmentweekly.com. I’m beginning to become I am a big fan of eighties pop videos. They are like the American version of Bollywood, unapologetically surreal, bombastic, and ostentatious. Sort of like, er, Songsmith. I think I may be becoming a convert. Thank you, Laughing Squid.
