The Cubans: The music of Ernesto Lecuona

The Cubans: The music of Ernesto Lecuona .........https://t.co/A04TgmataW

— Silvio Canto, Jr. (@SCantojr) December 12, 2016

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We remember General George Marshall (1880-1959)

We remember George Marshall, who was born on this day in Uniontown, PA, in 1880.  He died in 1959.

Marshall was a distinguished military man but we remember him for The Marshall Plan, an idea outlined in 1947.

Looking back, it was one of the greatest decisions of the 20th century. It probably saved Western Europe. (Postwar Challenges)  It gave France, Germany, Italy, and others a chance to rebuild their cities and industries.   This is a portion of the speech:

"Its purpose should be the revival of a working economy in the world so as to permit the emergence of political and social conditions in which free institutions can exist." (The Marshall Plan - George C. Marshall, Harvard University (June 5, 1947)

So we remember a great military man with a wonderful diplomatic achievement.

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Happy New Year

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We remember Davy Jones (1945-2012)

We remember Davy Jones who was born in Manchester, England, on this day in 1945.  He died in 2012.

Here is Davy Jones and The Monkees.

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2011: We lost a very famous chimp!

As far as I can recall, we have never written a post about a chimp before.  

At the same time, there have not been too many chimps like the one and only "Cheetah":

"A Florida animal sanctuary says Cheetah the chimpanzee sidekick in the Tarzan movies of the early 1930s has died at age 80.  The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor announced that Cheetah died Dec. 24 of kidney failure."

Cheetah was Tarzan's only jungle friend until he met Jane and the rest is history.   Tarzan & Jane had a son in the story.   The chimp was always in the middle of every episode.

Some of us are old enough to remember these movies, specially when we were kids and fascinated with stuff like that.

Of course, my dad's generation actually watched these movies at the theatres and enjoyed Cheetah's comic relief. 

Johnny Weissmuller, or Tarzan, died in the 1980's.   He won swimming gold medals in the 1924 Olympics and became Tarzan in the 1930's.  He made movies until the 1950's.

Jane was primarily played by Maureen O'Sullivan who died in the late 1990s.    In retrospect, Jane always looked so nice and feminine.  Wonder if they had a beauty parlor near Tarzan's home in the jungle? 

So long Cheetah and thanks for those laughs.

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December 1957: Pat Boone's "April Love" was # 1

In 1957, Elvis Presley and Pat Boone were the two most popular vocalists.   Elvis was the king of rock and Pat was the king of romantic tunes.    

On this day in 1957, it was Pat's turn to sit in the # 1 spot with "April Love".   He displaced Elvis' "Jailhouse Rock" from the top of the charts.

You can get it here!      It was based on a movie of the same name, although the song was more memorable than the film!

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We remember Ken Stabler (1945-2015)

We remember Ken Stabler a great quarterback who was born in Alabama on this day in 1945.  He died in 2015.
   
After Alabama, Stabler was drafted by the Raiders in the second round, No. 52 overall, in the 1968 NFL draft.   He threw for 27,938 yards during his 15-year career in the NFL, compiling a 96-49-1 record as a starting QB.

Stabler played for the Raiders from 1970-79, was the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1974 and earned Pro Bowl honors four times.

He led Oakland to victory in Super Bowl XL in January 1977.

I remember that he beat the Colts on his way to that Super Bowl victory.  Great quarterback.

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We remember Clara Barton (1821-1912)

We remember Clara Barton who was born in Massachusetts on this day in 1821.  She died in 1912.

During her travels to Europe, she saw the work of the Swiss Red Cross over there.  She was inspired to start the organization in the US.

On May 21, 1881, Clara Barton and others started the branch in Washington DC.

We remember a great humanitarian and organization.

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December 2012: Let's talk a little tango with Georgina & Oscar

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO LISTEN:

Let's talk a little tango with Georgina & Oscar 11/29 by Silvio Canto Jr | Current Events Podcasts:

Guests: Leslie Eastman joined me for a chat with Georgina Vargas and Oscar Mandagaran. They are a lovely tango couple from Argentina:

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The midnight mass, one of the great traditions

Over the years, our family went to the 5:30 pm mass and went to bed early to wait for Santa Claus. However, we have been attending the midnight mass now that our boys are older.

It is one of the most beautiful Catholic traditions. My favorite part of the mass is the Gospel Reading from Luke 2:1-14:

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustusthat all the world should be registered.
This was the first registrationand was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
All went to their own towns to be registered.
Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galileeto Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem,because he was descended from the house and family of David.
He went to be registered with Mary,to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
While they were there,the time came for her to deliver her child.
And she gave birth to her firstborn sonand wrapped him in bands of cloth,and laid him in a manger,because there was no place for them in the inn.
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields,keeping watch over their flock by night.
Then an angel of the Lord stood before them,and the glory of the Lord shone around them,and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them,Do not be afraid; for seeI am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,who is the Messiah, the Lord.
This will be a sign for you:you will find a child wrapped in bands of clothand lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angela multitude of the heavenly host,praising God and saying,
Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peace among those whom he favours!

Merry Christmas to all. Let's remember to keep Christ in Christmas.

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Remembering a couple of war heroes who died over Christmas

(My new American Thinker post)

We got the news yesterday that two war heroes of the past died over the holidays.

First, we heard about Edwin A. Shuman:

"As Christmas 1970 approached, 43 American prisoners of war in a large holding cell at the North Vietnamese camp known as the Hanoi Hilton sought to hold a brief church service. Their guards stopped them, and so the seeds of rebellion were planted. 
A few days later, Lt. Cmdr. Edwin A. Shuman III, a downed Navy pilot, orchestrated the resistance, knowing he would be the first to face the consequences: a beating in a torture cell. 
"Ned stepped forward and said, 'Are we really committed to having church Sunday? I want to know person by person,' " a fellow prisoner, Leo K. Thorsness, recounted in a memoir. "He went around the cell pointing to each of us individually," Mr. Thorsness continued. "When the 42nd man said yes, it was unanimous. At that instant, Ned knew he would end up in the torture cells."  
The following Sunday, Commander Shuman, who died on Dec. 3 at 82, stepped forward to lead a prayer session and was quickly hustled away by guards. The next four ranking officers did the same, and they, too, were taken away to be beaten. Meanwhile, as Mr. Thorsness told it, "the guards were now hitting P.O.W.s with gun butts and the cell was in chaos."  
And then, he remembered, the sixth-ranking senior officer began, "Gentlemen, the Lord's Prayer."  
"And this time," he added, "we finished it."  
The guards had yielded.  
Everett Alvarez Jr., who was the first American pilot captured in the Vietnam War when his Navy plane was shot down in 1964, said in an interview that the defiance Commander Shuman engineered was emulated by senior officers in other large holding cells.  
"It was contagious," said Mr. Alvarez, who was in another cell during the first prayer service. "By the time it got to the fourth or fifth cell," he said, the guards "gave up." He said the prisoners were also singing patriotic songs.   Commander Shuman remained incarcerated at the Hanoi Hilton for more than two more years. But by then the prisoners' right to collective prayer had been established.  
"From that Sunday on until we came home, we held a church service," Mr. Thorsness, an Air Force pilot and recipient of the Medal of Honor for heroics on a mission in 1967, wrote in his memoir, "Surviving Hell: A POW's Journey" (2008). "We won. They lost. Forty-two men in prison pajamas followed Ned's lead. I know I will never see a better example of pure raw leadership or ever pray with a better sense of the meaning of the words."

The other "war hero" was Rodolfo Hernandez of California:

"Mr. Hernandez was an Army corporal trying to hold a hill in May 1951 when his platoon was overwhelmed by attackers accompanied by heavy mortar, artillery and machine gun fire.   
Corporal Hernandez had already been struck by grenade fragments and was bleeding heavily from a head wound when his commanding officer ordered his platoon to fall back. He continued firing until his rifle malfunctioned, then threw six grenades and charged at the opposing foxholes.  
"I took my rifle and fixed the bayonet," he was quoted as saying in "Beyond Glory: Medal of Honor Heroes in Their Own Words," by Larry Smith, "and then I yelled, 'Here I come!' "  
He managed to kill six attackers before falling unconscious from grenade, bullet and bayonet wounds. His action allowed his unit to retake the hill.   Corporal Hernandez was so badly wounded that his comrades initially took him for dead. They were placing him in a body bag when someone noticed movement in his hands, said his wife, Denzil. His injuries were so extensive that he had to relearn how to walk, how to speak and how to write with his left hand (his right arm was permanently damaged).  
By the time Corporal Hernandez received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman in the White House Rose Garden on April 12, 1952, he was able to speak a few words."

We say thank you for your service.   Also, we remind the younger readers that Mr Shuman and Mr Hernandez served in unpopular wars. 

Most of the country was back here arguing about Vietnam when Mr Shuman was defying the Hanoi Hilton guards. 

Korea was also very unpopular and most of its heroes largely forgotten, as Clay Blair wrote a few years ago.

Again, thanks for their service and courage.     

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We remember Dave May (1943-2012)

Dave May was born in Delaware on this day in 1943.   He broke with the Orioles in 1967 but had a very difficult time getting playing time on a team that had Frank Robinson in right, Paul Blair in center and Don Buford in left.    He was also behind Marv Rettmund and Curt Motton, a couple of other very promising young players.

In 1970, May was traded to Milwaukee and that's where he enjoyed some good seasons.   His best year was 1973:  .303 average, 25 HR & 93 RBI.  

Nevertheless, he will always be the answer to a great trivia question.    After 1974, Dave May was traded to Atlanta for Hank Aaron.

May retired after the 1978 and died in 2012.    He was a fun player to watch as I recall.

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We remember Robin Gibb (1949-2012)

Robin Gibb was born on this day in 1949.   He died in 2012.

Barry, Robin & the late Maurice Gibb were the legendary Bee Gees, the wonderful trio of brothers who recorded and composed some of the greatest tunes of our generation.

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We remember Matty Alou (1938-2011)

We remember  Matty Alou, who was born on this day in 1938 in Dominican Republic.     He died in 2011.

Matty broke with the Giants in 1960 but enjoyed his best years with the Pirates:  .327 batting average over 5 seasons and a batting title in 1966.

Overall, Matty retired with a .307 career average over 1,667 games.     His brothers, Felipe and Jesus, were also accomplished major leaguers.

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A word about Paco De Lucia (1947-2014)

Many years ago, I heard a great song on the radio.  It was performed in a Spanish flamenco style.  The announcer said "Paco de Lucia" and I stopped by a local classical music store and got me a copy.  I became a big fan instantly.

Paco Lucia was born on this day in 1947.   We were very heartbroken to hear that Paco de Lucia died during a vacation in Mexico in 2014.

Everyone should listen to his version of "Concierto de Aranjuez".

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We remember Josh Gibson (1911-47)

We remember Josh Gibson who was born in Georgia on this day in 1911.  Gibson died suddenly in 1947.     

He was one of the greatest Negro League players ever.  Some estimate that he hit as many 800 home runs.    

Gibson was inducted to The Hall of Fame in 1972.

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We remember Paul Casanova (1941-2017)

We learned in August 2017 about the death of Paul Casanova, who played for the Washington Senators (now the Texas Rangers) and the Atlanta Braves.

Paulino Casanova Ortiz was born on this day in 1941, in Perico, Matanzas, Cuba.  He also played for Almendares in the Cuban winter league.

Casanova broke with Washington in 1965 and ended with Atlanta in 1974.

In 1966, he hit 13 HR and 5 triples in first full season!

In 1967, Casanova made the American League All Star team as a member of the aforementioned Senators.   It was his best year in the majors, as reported on SABR:

Casanova set career highs in games played (141), plate appearances (551), and RBIs (53) in 1967. One particularly memorable game started on the evening of June 12. In Washington, the Senators and the Chicago White Sox played a 22-inning marathon. Casanova caught the whole thing, receiving 268 pitches.

As he recalled in 2012, “The reason the game went so long was because of my defense” – he wiped out a number of runners. He went 1-for-9, missing a chance to end it in the 20th inning when he hit into a third-to-home-to-first double play with the bases loaded – but his one hit was the game-winner at 2:44 A.M.”

22 innings behind the plate plus the winning hit in the 22nd frame?   That’s really something!

I met him in the 1970's and he was a very nice friendly person.   We chatted politics, baseball, and music, his other great passion.

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‘Pero muchacho en Cuba no hay blanca Navidad’

Like many of the Cubans who did not grow up in Miami, we used to get our doses of “Cubanismo” by buying Cuban LP’s in the mail.

As I recall, my father subscribed to a Miami-based “Record of the month” club and we got Cuban music that way.

To say the least, it was a moment of upmost emotion when my mom would call my father and say:  “Mi vida hoy llego uno de la Riverside.”   Then they would start talking about the time that they danced to Tito Gomez and that wonderful “orquesta.”

One of my biggest “exilio” memories was our family buying an LP of Christmas songs and hearing Olga Guillot sing “Blanca Navidad” or an adaption of the Bing Crosby classic.     

It was too much for my mom who said:  “Pero muchacho en Cuba no hay blanca Navidad.  Que es eso?” (But son, in Cuba there is no such thing as a white Christmas. What’s that?)

It was quite a day in our home!   Listen here!

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2015 podcast: Christmas books and poetry of the season with Frank Burke

Christmas books and poetry of the season with Frank Burke....

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We remember Mike Flanagan (1950-2011)

We remember Mike Flanagan who was born in New Hampshire on this 1951.   

Mike broke with the Orioles in 1975 and turned into one of the best lefties in the American League.     I remember watching Mike pitch game 1 of the 1979 World Series, a complete game 4-3 victory over Pittsburgh.

His best year was 1979:   23-9, 3.08 ERA, Cy Young Award and a trip to the World Series.

Overall, he won 167 games with a 3.90 ERA.   He also pitched with Toronto in 1987-89.

Mike Flanagan died of an apparent suicide in 2011.   Very sad ending to a pretty good baseball life.

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We remember Jane Austen (1775-1817)

Jane Austen was born on this day in 1775.   She wrote some of the most popular novels of the 19th century.   

In recent years, many discovered her novels because of movies like "Sense and Sensibility"  "Pride and Prejudice" and "Emma".   Jane Austen was one of the greatest writers in English history.   A few years ago, a BBC poll named her one of the "100 Most Famous Britons of All Time." 

She died in 1816.

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Happy birthday Mr. Beethoven (1770-1827)

We remember Ludwig van Beethoven born on this day in 1770.    He died in 1827.

During his life, Beethoven composed some of the great masterpieces of music, from the symphonies to sonatas. 

To be fair, there is a bit of confusion regarding his actual date of birth.   I have seen both December 16th & 17th.   Nevertheless, we will go with the birthday greetings anyway and remember the amazing composer.

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Who remembers watching “Marcelino pan y vino”?

Many years ago, my father took my brother and I to see “Marcelino pan y vino” in Cuba.   I don’t remember when we saw it but it should have been around 1962.   The movie was shown at a church.   My guess is that it was not a public event because the Catholic schools had already been shut down.

The story is absolutely beautiful:

“Marcelino is an orphan who grows up in a monastery. One day when he eats his small meal in a room full of old things he gives a piece of his bread to an old wooden Jesus figure – and indeed it takes the bread and eats it. Getting a wish granted for his donation Marcelino wishes to see his mother…”

Years later, I found the movie in the US and watched it with my parents again.   It brought back a lot of memories to all of us.

The Spanish version came out in 1955.   The English version, known as “The Miracle of Marcelino” came out in 1956.

It is not a Christmas movie but a good one to enjoy with family at this time:

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Remembering Carlos Gardel (1890-1934)

We remember that Carlos Gardel was born on this day in 1890.   His place of birth is very controversial:  France, Argentina or Uruguay.    It is now accepted that he was born in Tacuarembo, Uruguay but the controversy continues.  He died in 1934.    

Here is his music!

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We remember Pearl Harbor 1941

Like so many others, my father learned of the attack on the radio.   He was 15 and probably did not know where the island was.   However, he quickly figured out that things would get very complicated and very soon.   

We remember the 3,000 who were killed that day and the brave ones who went to war after.

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  

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Pearl Harbor 1941 and World War II with Barry Jacobsen, military historian.

Pearl Harbor 1941 and World War II with Barry Jacobsen, military historian......Listen in now at https://t.co/lSklluDcGE. #BlogTalkRadio

— Silvio Canto, Jr. (@SCantojr) December 7, 2016

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  

Pearl Harbor 1941 and World War II with Barry Jacobsen

Pearl Harbor 1941 and World War II with Barry Jacobsen......click to listen https://t.co/FfnG5wpYke

— Silvio Canto, Jr. (@SCantojr) July 14, 2017

 P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  

Another Pearl Harbor anniversary reminds me of "Tora Tora Tora"....

We celebrate another anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, one of the most consequential events of the 20th century:

In 1970, the movie "Tora, Tora, Tora" was released.  

It is still my favorite movie about the events of that day.   You can get it here:  CLICK!

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1965: "Rubber Soul" gets better with age!

“Rubber Soul" was released on this day in 1965. 

I've owned the vinyl stereo, 8-track cartridge, audio cassette and now the CD.   It is one of my all time favorite!   I can still listen to it and enjoy each and everyone of the songs.

The US version is different than the one released in the UK.   I learned this when I purchased the CD a few years ago.  Most of the tracks are in both versions with a few exceptions like “Nowhere Man” in the UK album and “I’ve just seen a face” on the US release.

It is one of the best pop LP's ever, as Rolling Stone reminded us:

Happy 50th birthday to Rubber Soul, the album where the Beatles became the Beatles. It was the most out-there music they'd ever made, but also their warmest, friendliest and most emotionally direct. As soon as it dropped in December 1965, Rubber Soul cut the story of pop music in half — we're all living in the future this album invented.

Great LP and cover photo.  An amazing collection of songs!

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We remember Mike Smith (1943-2008)

We remember Mike Smith who was born in England on this day in 1943.  He died in 2008.   Mike was the lead vocalist, organist and songwriter with The Dave Clark Five.   The DC5, as they were known, put 17 songs on US radio back in 1964-68.  They had a great sound!

 P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.

We remember Agnes Moorehead (1900-74)

Agnes Robertson Moorehead was born on this day in Massachusetts in 1900.    She died in 1974.

She had a pretty good career in movies and TV before playing the role of "Endora" in "Bewitched".     In fact, she was in various important movies, such as  "Citizen Kane", "The Magnificent Ambersons", "All That Heaven Allows", "Show Boat" and "Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte".       I saw her recently with Bogart & McCall in "Dark passage", a very good movie.

Nevertheless, she is probably most remember as Samantha's mother and Darrin's mother in law.    She was really good in that role.

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"Rubber Soul", the best Beatles' album!

It's hard to pick a favorite album. However, my money is on the US version of "Rubber Soul" by The Beatles.   

The US version starts with "I've just seen a face" and does not include "Drive my car" and "Nowhere man" like the UK version.   We got those songs later in the US release of "Yesterday and today".

"Rubber Soul", US or UK version, is just a great album.  It was the best collection of songs recorded by The Beatles.

P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.