New Year's Rockin'

Catching some air time at Seattle's
Experience Music Project, Oct. 2014. ©

Happy New Year! 2015 is off to a great... dare I say, rockin' start.

One of my favorite hangouts, Bourbon Street Bar & Grill has been running a singing competition, picking two qualifiers each week to square off during the finals, with $1000 to be awarded the winner. So, last week I entered... and won, landing a perfect score for stage presence in the process. From here I advance to the semi-finals, to be held next Wednesday, February 4— I love a challenge and, of course, the chance to perform... wish me luck!

This is great motivation, since I have really been concentrating on music lately, actively singing and taking electric guitar lessons since last summer. It's taking some time, but slowly and surely I'm adding songs to my repertoire, while practicing general scales and chords, reading music, and so on.

As I type this, I'm listening to Mark Ronson's latest album, Uptown Special—I have long admired the producer's skill at bringing back retro sounds in a soulful new way (i.e. Amy Winehouse), and this album certainly continues on that promise. Refreshing! Here is the first hit single off the album: "Uptown Funk":

I have only started listening to Uptown Special, but I wonder if it will be on my best album list by year's end? Quite possibly. 

Black Keys turnin' blue in Philadelphia, September 20, 2014.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

2014 certainly had its share of soulful moments. My favorite of the year was the Black Keys' Turn Blue—the album offered a slightly new sound for this veteran blues/rock duo, as it ventured into more introspective territory (for instance, the title track, which I love). Well, I had merely a passing interest in the Keys' music, but I think I finally got it... so much so that we had to head to Philadelphia last September to see them perform live for the first time. They did not disappoint in concert (even covered Edwyn Collins' epic "A Girl Like You"... wow), and I was excited to hear that they will be playing at this year's Mountain Jam in the Catskills—that's a little closer to home, and I'll definitely take them up on it! Keeping guitar rock alive... thank God.

Sean Rowe and opener "Uncle Tony" Prezio
@ Caffe Lena's, Jan. 19, 2015. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe.

Another great album from last year was Sean Rowe's Madman. Originally from Troy, New York, Rowe has already made quite a name for himself in the Capital Region.. but one listen to the single "Desiree" made me realize why there is so much national buzz going on about the guy! In addition to smart lyrics and melodies, one of the attractions is the singer's vocice—sort of a cross between Tom Waits and Otis Redding (the latter I was pleased to learn was an influence). Sarah and I had a chance to catch him during a very intimate concert last week at the historic Caffe Lena's in Saratoga. Rowe is now embarking on a European tour, but I hope to see him perform again in the area, sometime later in the new year... local boy done good.

Looking back at year-end music countdowns from our favorite local radio stations (WEQX, WEXT), I was hardly surprised to see that Irish singer, Hozier's "Take Me To Church" made the top spot for both stations in 2014—the heartfelt song was an instant classic, and one I need to try sometime at open mic:

Anyway, here's to a year of new musical discoveries... can I get an amen, amen?

Related Links:

Black Keys, Live at Austin City Limits (full set), November 17, 2014

"Mark Ronson: How sampling transformed music," TED Talk, March 2014

Hope for the Future

Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

One of the most memorable events for me this past year was taking part in the People's Climate March in New York City on September 21. The largest climate march in history, an estimated 400,000 people took to the streets to show concern and support for measures to combat the threat of a changing climate. 

In addition to the good will, there was an incredible amount of creativity on display. Enjoy the slideshow (below) of some of my photos from this historic day, which I was proud to take part in. 

Related Links:

"2014 Brought Lasting Action on Climate Change Policy," NPR, December 30, 2014

Remembering The Father of Video Games

Photo of Ralph Baer in his Manchester, NH, home,October 2011. 
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

I was sorry to hear about the recent passing of Ralph H. Baer (1922-2014). Considered "the father of video games," Baer held over 150 patents in the U.S. alone, and was responsible for the creation of such early games as Ping-Pong in the 1960s; and Odyssey, the first home video game console, in the 1970s.

As someone who was obsessed with video games in middle school/early high school, I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to travel to Manchester, New Hampshire in October 2011, to meet Baer and conduct a videotaped interview in his home/studio for Norman Rockwell Museum (where he had been an art donor). Then 89 years old, Baer seemed as active as ever, still tinkering in his studio and trying out new ideas. He was also quite generous with his time, offering a quite thorough interview and explanation of his early experiments in television engineering, which lead to the idea of interactive video gaming. Here is a quick edit I created yesterday of some of the footage: 

Yes, that's Baer trying out Simon, which he also created. I remember being quite taken with that musical toy as a kid, and it's pretty wild to realize that this pioneering engineer also advanced the electronic toy and greeting card industry—I enjoyed having the opportunity to literally see his creativity at work during our meeting. 

Photo by Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Five decades later, video games are a billion dollar industry (today it's my pre-teen nephew hooked on such games as Minecraft). It's nice that Baer had the opportunity to see just how far his ideas had come; it was an honor for me to spend some time getting to know him.

Related Links:

"Video game designer Ralph Baer invented your childhood," Washington Post, December 8, 2014

"Portrait of a Game-Changer," my 2011 article for Norman Rockwell Museum

Holiday Special

This weekend marks the 25th anniversary of the Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas weekend, inspired by Norman Rockwell's beloved holiday portrait of the town where he lived and worked, coincidentally, for 25 years. Stockbridge is also home to Norman Rockwell Museum, so the holidays are always a busy time for us as well. 

Welcome to Main Street- Photo courtesy Time Warner Cable News

One of the highlights of the town's annual festivities is a recreation of Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas, which is part of our permanent collection. The Museum receives it's fair share of press requests connected to the event, and last Friday was especially busy throughout the day--I found myself taking part in a photo shoot in the town's historic Red Lion Inn for Italian National Geographic, and conducted a video interview about the celebration for Albany's Time Warner Cable News. I'm anxious to see the shots from the talented photographer, but you can already watch the TV interview (which has been airing this weekend) here. A nice change of pace from all the depressing national news lately.

Related Links:

"Stockbridge Main St. Turning into Rockwell's Christmas Painting," Time Warner Cable News, December 5, 2014

Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce

Norman Rockwell Museum

I Can't Breathe

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Humanity not brutality: joining the Albany, NY protest over NYC grand jury decision 
regarding the death of Eric Garner. December 4, 2014. Photo by Sarah Clowe.

Creativity on Display

Still from "AHA! A House for Arts" segment on NRM.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for WMHT Educational Telecommunications.

Tonight is the debut of my
latest segment for WMHT-TV's new arts show, AHA! A House for Arts. The video takes a look at Norman Rockwell Museum (you could say I had a little inside knowledge), utilizing footage I filmed onsite this past summer/fall with the Museum's new Sony HD camera (extra footage will be used for a planned Museum promo video as well).

This production was not without it's challenges, since I was still figuring out how to operate the camera and coordinate it with my editing software... talk about learning on the job! I have to thank the thorough Sony Pro Video tech support, as well as several of my contacts in the video/film business (you know who you are), who helped me troubleshoot until I got it right. The segment airs tonight at 7:30 p.m. on WMHT, and will be rebroadcast this Sunday, November 16, at noon (those outside of the area can watch it online here).

In other Norman Rockwell Museum news, we have just opened a new exhibition on the art of illustrator/historical artist, Mort Künstler, with an opening event planned for this Saturday, November 15 (with artist in attendance). Meanwhile, in Rome, Italy, the Museum's traveling exhibition, American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell has opened at the Fondiazone Arte Musei Roma--this European debut seems fitting, as Rockwell paid several trips to Rome after his youngest son Peter moved to the city.

Peter Rockwell still lives in Rome (where he works as a sculptor), and was able to attend this week's opening at the Fondiazone, along with our Museum Director. A few years back I actually created a video about his own artwork (for NRM's 2009 exhibition, The Fantastical Faces of Peter Rockwell). Sadly, the interview was not conducted in Italy (instead, outside of Boston), however I was quite happy with the results (Peter seemed pleased as well, remarking that "you are really very good at doing videos"). I have to thank my production assistants and a supportive supervisor, who helped me chip away at that one: 

Related Links (updated 9/13):

AHA! A House for Arts episode featuring Norman Rockwell Museum

"Norman Rockwell Celebrates a Century of Norman Rockwell Exhibitions with European Debut," Norman Rockwell Museum press release

House for Arts

Hi there, long time no blog... I'm back with the news that this Wednesday, November 12, I have a new segment that will be airing on WMHT-TV's weekly arts show, AHA! A House for Arts. Produced for WMHT Educational Telecommunications, the segment looks at the history and mission of Norman Rockwell Museum, and this time out I  researched, interviewed, filmed, and edited the entire piece. Of course I had a certain level of knowledge and expertise to bring to the table about the subject (since the Museum is my full-time employer); nevertheless, it was still a challenge... and I'm happy with the results and education it provided. 

Albany Barn promo / courtesy www.albanybarn.org

This past week I made some promising new connections in the Albany, New York arts community, in the areas of both film and theater. One of the highlights was a visit to the Albany Barn, a unique creative arts incubator and community arts center in the city's Arbor Hill region. I had heard good things about this grassroots organization, offering studios, community, and affordable housing for area artists, and was impressed with both the space and artwork on display. During our visit, my theater friend and I happened upon the opening night of A Steady Rain, a drama that is being produced by Creative License, a new theater group in the area—we decided to stick around. Written by playwright Keith Huff, the show is essentially a duologue, with the two actors playing long-time friends and fellow cops presenting alternating monologues, as if under police interrogation. Even though the acoustics of the stage made it hard to hear at times, I thought the actors, Aaron Holbritter and Ian LaChance, did a fine job and kept my attention (I recognized LaChance from Schenectady Civic Players' recent production of Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, where he delivered an equally commanding performance as Dr. John Watson). The striking, minimalist set caught my interest immediately upon entering the venue: just a couple of chairs framed by purple-hued window sills, which cast a moody, rain-soaked tone. We also had a chance to speak with the show's director, Casey Polomaine, before and after the show—I appreciated meeting another talented, creative individual in the area, as I further explore the Capital Region's arts scene (the play is on view at Albany Barn through November 15).

While we're on a theatrical note, one of my last segments for AHA! was a look at Albany's long-running equity playhouse, Capital Repertory Theater. For some reason, not all the transitions in my edit translated successfully to the final segment, which aired on the program last June; so here is a look at the version that I intended (pre-color and audio correction):

AHA! A House for Arts airs Wednesdays on WMHT-TV at 7:30 p.m. And for me, creatively speaking, the show goes on...

Related Links:

AHA! A House for Arts, WMHT-TV

www.albanybarn.org

"'Steady Rain' a gripping cop tale," Albany Times Union, November 7, 2014