On this day in history.

[giradman]

Toots Thielemans - Jazz Harmonica & Guitar Great - Died Today

Not my usual post in this thread, but I was a fan of this jazz performer and saw him play live twice - selected quotes from his Wiki Bio below. Currently, I own just 4 of his many recordings (shown as a composite - the 'Silver Collection' is a good start if not familiar w/ him), and will go on Amazon today to see what else I might want to obtain. Also below a video of Toots playing the theme from the film Midnight Cowboy. Dave

Toots Thielemans (29 April 1922 – 22 August 2016) was a Belgian jazz musician. He was known for his guitar and harmonica playing, as well as his whistling skills. Born in Brussels, Thielemans began his career as a guitar player. In 1949 he joined a jam session in Paris with Sidney Bechet, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Max Roach and others.[2] In 1949 and 1950 he participated in European tours with Benny Goodman, making his first record in Stockholm with fellow band member, tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims. In 1951 he became a band member of the singer-songwriter and compatriot Bobbejaan Schoepen. (At the time, he was still performing strictly as a guitarist.)

He moved to the United States in 1952 where he was a member of Charlie Parker's All-Stars and worked with Miles Davisand Dinah Washington.[citation needed] From 1952 to 1959 he was a member of the George Shearing Quintet, primarily playing guitar but also being featured on harmonica both in performances and on recordings. He also played and recorded with Ella Fitzgerald, Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Stephane Grappelli, J.J. Johnson, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Shirley Horn, and Joe Pass, among others. And once ("I'm a singer": The shadows of your smile) vith Billy Eckstine.

A jazz standard by Toots Thielemans is "Bluesette," where he used whistling and guitar in unison. First recorded by him in 1962, with lyrics added by Norman Gimbel, the song became a major worldwide hit. He worked both as a bandleader and as a sideman, including many projects with composer/arranger Quincy Jones. He performed on many film soundtracks, such as Midnight Cowboy, Cinderella Liberty, Jean de Florette, The Sugarland Express, The Yakuza, Turkish Delight, the 1972 version of The Getaway, French Kiss, Dunderklumpen!, and in various television programs, including Sesame Street, whose closing credits (which did not list him accordingly) featured his performance, on harmonica, of the show's theme, the Belgian television series Witse, and in the Netherlands, for the Baantjer program. He composed the music for the 1974 Swedish film Dunderklumpen!, in which he also provided the voice of the animated character Pellegnillot. His whistling and harmonica playing can be heard on Old Spice commercials that have been made over the years.

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[J. A.]

August 23, 2011:
Austrian mountaineer Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner climbs K2 successfully, after six unsuccessful attempts. She becomes the second woman to climb all of the 14 eight-thousanders, and the first woman to do so without supplemental oxygen.

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Wikipedia

K2, Wikipedia

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[KevinJS]

Today in 1966: First photograph of the Earth taken from the Moon.

 

[giradman]

Vesuvius Erupts in 79 A.D. Destroying Pompeii & Herculaneum

Today, the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius destroys the Roman cities of Pompeii & Herculaneum just south of Naples - Kevin mentioned this event in one of his threads which prompted this posting - first two quotes below from the History Website - check the link for further information. A map below shows the location of the Pompeii ruins (along w/ a panoramic pic w/ the dormant volcano in the background). In 1971, Susan & I did a 3-week tour of Italy which included a beautiful Amalfi coastal drive - we lunched on the lower slopes of Vesuvius and visited Pompeii on our way to a few days on the Isle of Capri. Dave

P.S. In 2008, there was an excellent touring exhibit at the Discovery Place in Charlotte, NC - we did a 2-night trip from Winston-Salem (just 90 mins in the car) - a great experience which brought back memories.

After centuries of dormancy, Mount Vesuvius erupts in southern Italy, devastating the prosperous Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum and killing thousands. The cities, buried under a thick layer of volcanic material and mud, were never rebuilt and largely forgotten in the course of history. In the 18th century, Pompeii and Herculaneum were rediscovered and excavated, providing an unprecedented archaeological record of the everyday life of an ancient civilization, startlingly preserved in sudden death (Source).

The ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum thrived near the base of Mount Vesuvius at the Bay of Naples. In the time of the early Roman Empire, 20,000 people lived in Pompeii, including merchants, manufacturers, and farmers who exploited the rich soil of the region with numerous vineyards and orchards. None suspected that the black fertile earth was the legacy of earlier eruptions of Mount Vesuvius. Herculaneum was a city of 5,000 and a favorite summer destination for rich Romans. Named for the mythic hero Hercules, Herculaneum housed opulent villas and grand Roman baths. Gambling artifacts found in Herculaneum and a brothel unearthed in Pompeii attest to the decadent nature of the cities. There were smaller resort communities in the area as well, such as the quiet little town of Stabile (Source).

Guests Can Spend A Day in Pompeii When New Exhibition Opens at Discovery Place
More than 10,000 advance tickets currently sold for world-class exhibition.
June 24, 2008

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The ancient Roman city of Pompeii is brought up from the ashes as Discovery Place introduces its newest exhibition, A Day in Pompeii, opening Friday, July 11. The exhibition only has appeared in three U.S. cities with Charlotte being the fourth and final U.S. destination.

A Day in Pompeii paints a rich portrait of ancient Roman life in 79 A.D. and explores the fateful day in history when the city was buried by the catastrophic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

The exhibition features dazzling examples of ancient Rome’s artistry and craftsmanship. More than 13,000 square feet, A Day in Pompeii showcases the city’s sophisticated culture, national treasures, priceless artifacts and beautiful art with more than 250 exceptionally, well-preserved items that once were buried beneath 13 feet of volcanic ash and mud (Source).

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[scifan57]

August 25, 2012;

Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the surface of the Moon, passes away in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Neil Armstrong - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[KevinJS]

I could have been that kid in your last image. I was 8 years old and remember it like it was yesterday.

 

[scifan57]

I could have been that kid in your last image. I was 8 years old and remember it like it was yesterday.

I was 12 and my parents let me stay up most of the night to watch the landing live.

 

[giradman]

Krakatoa - Most Powerful Volcanic Eruption in Recorded History Occurred Today in 1883!

Krakatoa, a volcanic island east of Java - the eruption destroyed two-thirds of the island (Source). Average global temperatures fell by as much as 1.2 degrees Celsius in the year following the eruption. Weather patterns continued to be chaotic for years and temperatures did not return to normal until 1888 - same LINK above.

Below are just a few pics of the island's location, a lithograph of the explosion, and what remains of Krakatoa. A number of years ago, I read the book shown below - a recommendation for those interested in the most historic volcano eruption in modern history - I cannot imagine 'how many' people would have died w/ the current population there? Dave

The most powerful volcanic eruption in recorded history occurs on Krakatau (also called Krakatoa), a small, uninhabited volcanic island located west of Sumatra in Indonesia, on this day in 1883. Heard 3,000 miles away, the explosions threw five cubic miles of earth 50 miles into the air, created 120-foot tsunamis and killed 36,000 people (Source).

Of the estimated 36,000 deaths resulting from the eruption, at least 31,000 were caused by the tsunamis created when much of the island fell into the water. The greatest of these waves measured 120 feet high, and washed over nearby islands, stripping away vegetation and carrying people out to sea. Another 4,500 people were scorched to death from the pyroclastic flows that rolled over the sea, stretching as far as 40 miles, according to some sources.

In addition to Krakatau, which is still active, Indonesia has another 130 active volcanoes, the most of any country in the world (Source).

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[KevinJS]

Born today in 1953, Alexandar Zivojinovich, in Fernie, B.C.

The world knows him better as Alex Lifeson, virtuoso guitarist with Rush.

 

[J. A.]

August 28, 1749 was the birthday of the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[giradman]

King Speaks to March on Washington this day in 1963!

Today, when I was still in high school in 1963, Martin Luther King gave his 'I have a dream..' speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. - I've been there many times since (first in the early 1970s) - hard to imagine the number of people packed into that expansive area - Dave

On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., the African American civil rights movement reaches its high-water mark when Martin Luther King, Jr., speaks to about 250,000 people attending the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The demonstrators–black and white, poor and rich–came together in the nation’s capital to demand voting rights and equal opportunity for African Americans and to appeal for an end to racial segregation and discrimination (Source).

“I have a dream,” he boomed over the crowd stretching from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument, “that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’ I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today (Source).”

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[giradman]

Hurricane Katrina Makes Landfall Today in 2005!

Hurricane Katrina slams the Louisiana & Mississippi coasts this day in 2005 causing billions of dollars of damage and leaving over 1300 dead; 80% of New Orleans was flooded - St. Bernard Parish was hard hit w/ water to the rooftops of houses.

About 5 years ago, Susan & I returned to New Orleans and stayed in the French Quarter, which was barely affected by the flooding (the original site of the city built on 'high' ground back then) - we took several 'Katrina Tours', the most poignant one given by a lady who had lived in St. Barnard Parish and lost her house and her treasured possessions. Pics below show the storm and some of its effects. Dave

Hurricane Katrina makes landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana, as a Category 4 hurricane on this day in 2005. Despite being only the third most powerful storm of the 2005 hurricane season, Katrina was the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States. After briefly coming ashore in southern Florida on August 25 as a Category 1 hurricane, Katrina gained strength before slamming into the Gulf Coast on August 29. In addition to bringing devastation to the New Orleans area, the hurricane caused damage along the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama, as well as other parts of Louisiana (Source).

In all, it is believed that the hurricane caused more than 1,300 deaths and up to $150 billion in damages to both private property and public infrastructure. It is estimated that only about $40 billion of that number will be covered by insurance. One million people were displaced by the disaster, a phenomenon unseen in the United States since the Great Depression. Four hundred thousand people lost their jobs as a result of the disaster. Offers of international aid poured in from around the world, even from poor countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Private donations from U.S. citizens alone approached $600 million (Source).

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[giradman]

Gene Wilder Dies on August 29, 2016 at 83 years!

Well, I was not planning to add another post, but just heard on NPR - the great comedic actor, Gene Wilder, has died - he was 83 years old - shown below are the films in my collection, although he made many more - the movies that I own were all directed by Mel Brooks (still alive @ 90 years of age! - I'm sure he is quite sad today). Dave
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[giradman]

Frank Capra, Hollywood Film Director, Died Today in 1991!

Frank Capra made some of my favorite Hollywood films of yesteryear - a few quotes below - check the link for more information or his many Wiki articles. Pictures below, mainly scenes from some of his famous films, a picture of his favorite movie actress, Jean Arthur (one of mine also). Finally, a list of just his more famous films that were up for Oscars - I put an 'asterisk' by the ones I own - if you're an old movie fan and have not seen all of these films, then search them out.

In the 1980s, Susan & I were at a medical meeting in Southern California, and stayed at the La Quinta Resort, which was a favorite retreat for Frank Capra - he apparently wrote It Happened One Night there (see last quote below - Source) - believe that we may have stayed in that same cottage complex. Dave

On this day in 1991, Frank Capra, a leading Hollywood director in the 1930s and 1940s whose movies include the now-classic You Can’t Take It With You, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and It’s a Wonderful Life, dies at the age of 94 at his home in La Quinta, California. According to his obituary in the New York Times: “Capra movies were idealistic, sentimental and patriotic. His major films embodied his flair for improvisation and spontaneity, buoyant humor and sympathy for the populist beliefs of the 1930s (Source).”

Capra was born in Sicily, on May 18, 1897, and as a young boy sailed to America in steerage with his family, who settled in Los Angeles. After graduating from the California Institute of Technology and serving in the U.S. Army, Capra worked his way up through the movie industry; he had his first big success as a director with 1933’s Lady for a Day, which received a Best Picture Academy Award nomination. The following year, Capra helmed the comedy It Happened One Night, starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. The film took home Oscars in five categories: Best Director, Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor and Actress. Capra won a second Best Director Oscar for Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), which starred Gary Cooper as a man who inherits a large fortune and wants to use it to help Depression-era families. Capra received a third Best Director Oscar for You Can’t Take It With You (1938), a movie about an eccentric family that starred James Stewart, Jean Arthur and Lionel Barrymore and was based on the Pulitzer prize-winning play of the same name by Moss Hart and George Kaufman (Source).

This is where the legendary director and screenwriter Frank Capra traveled when he needed to get away from hectic Hollywood. He repeatedly booked the San Anselmo casita.

A plaque on the lawn says Capra wrote “It Happened One Night,” here. The movie, starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, won five Oscars, including best picture (and actor and actress), in 1935.

Ten years later, Capra may have worked on a draft of the Christmas classic “It’s A Wonderful Life” in the same cottage.

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[scifan57]

September 3, 1783;

The treaty of Paris is signed, officially ending the American Revolution. With this treaty Britain officially recognized the independence of the United States and the boundaries were agreed upon. Treaty of Paris (1783) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia