Five Bullets 6.3.22
This week: Drums, Jazz, Sasquatch and more.
Happy Friday everyone! Here’s five things I found interesting this week:
This week over on the blog I wrote about my lifelong love of Drums! I've been a drummer all my life, experienced some ups and downs, but remain committed to playing, practicing, and progressing. I love music and I love drumming. You'll find lots of drum related content in my post but here's a video I really enjoyed this week featuring one of my favorite drummers at the moment, Louis Cole, speaking about his favorite drummers and how they influenced his playing style. Fun fact: Louis Cole slept with a metronome under his pillow for 6 months. Mind=blown.
Some more music content: if you're a jazz fan (or a music fan!) you will enjoy this documentary on how photographer Art Kane assembled a photo shoot of as many jazz musicians as he could find in Manhattan in 1958. Kane's photo A Great Day in Harlem features 57 jazz legends, including Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Thelonius Monk, Art Blakey, Charles Mingus, and Coleman Hawkins, standing in front of a building in Harlem at the early hour of 10am. It was Art Kane's first real photo gig. “It would be sort of a graduation photo or class picture of all the jazz musicians. After I thought about it some more I decided they should get together in Harlem. After all, that’s where jazz started when it came to New York” – Art Kane.
For some time now, I've been on hooked on Hulu's Sasquatch series by writer and documentary filmmaker David Holthouse. Hear me out! Sasquatch, despite it's title, is about a lot more than just the big hairy ape-man who lives in the woods (who may or may not play the saxophone). What starts as a weird story by tweakers who saw bodies ripped to shreds by Bigfoot on a weed farm in the Emerald Triangle of California, slowly turns into a true crime saga about the dangers of the illegal marijuana trade. Holthouse is a seasoned investigative journalist who likes to get to the bottom of things; he is why I find this series so compelling. Holthouse has been involved with a number of incredible documentaries, including The Seven Five and Operation Odessa, as well as a gonzo journalist covering everything from methheads to gutter punks to going undercover as a neo-nazi. David Holthouse is the real deal.
Whenever I'm walking around, I'm hoping to find some books. I love finding stacks of books placed on the curb or in front of building with a note which says FREE. Earlier this week I found a bunch of books laid out on a corner. I picked up a copy of Telling True Stories which features tips and advice from some of the best journalists and nonfiction writers around. I can't wait to dig into this one. I'm currently reading some of Joan Didion's nonfiction which is perhaps why Telling True Stories caught my eye.
Last but not least, check out the hidden history of hand talk. This video is a fascinating look into North American Hand Talk traditions including Plains Indian Sign Language which later influenced American Sign Language. Hand Talk was used by deaf and hearing people alike as a way to communicate between tribal nations.
That's all for this week. As always, thanks for reading. Leave me a comment, visit my website, and have a great weekend!
Until next time,
KW
Currently reading: The White Album by Joan Didion
Currently listening to: Django Experiment V - Stephane Wrembel
I'm really loving the Holthouse stuff right now as well