KTLA News February 23, 2010

LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles police bomb squad was called to a Hollywood home Monday morning after the owners found a Civil War-era cannonball in their basement.  David Goggin says the “iron ball” was found while digging out old pipes in the basement.

Officer Don Thompson holds the potentially explosive Cannonball.

The bomb squad, which was called in around 11 a.m., feared the ball was filled with unstable black powder. “Cannonball” Goggin  says he trusted his steady hands to carry the explosive device through the front yard and hand it over to authorities.  He also says he’s glad to have it out of his home. “I just didn’t think it was a good idea to have ancient munitions in your basement,” he told KTLA.

The cannonball was eventually deemed safe, according to Sgt. Sal Ogaz of the Los Angeles Police Department. The discovery wasn’t the first of its kind inside the home along the 2900 block of Durand Drive, just east of the Hollywood Reservoir.  About 18 years ago, three other Civil War-era cannonballs and a grenade were found there. Goggin’s wife Keiko actually dropped the grenade on the ground, but luckily it was inert.

Three squad cars, three Bomb Squad trucks and a dozen members of the LAPD were on hand to insure public safety on the barricaded street.

Copyright © 2010, KTLA-TV, Los Angeles

Photos ©2010 Mr. Bonzai

To view the broadcast, click here.

Here is another interview from my vaults, previously published in 1989 in Mix magazine and in Japan’s Sound & Recording. Clocking in at 4000 words, much of this interview has never been seen. This year Herbie celebrates his 70th Birthday, and is still going strong.

Herbie Hancock in his studio. Photo by Mr. Bonzai

Herbie Hancock
Cool Fusion
by Mr. Bonzai

©1989, all rights reserved
no reproduction without written permission from mrbonzai (at) mrbonzai.com

Both Picasso and Hancock mastered traditional forms and styles at an early age, gained critical acclaim, and went on to shock their followers with innovation and abstraction. Picasso used found objects in his collage and sculpture; Hancock uses concrete sounds and found samples in his music. The rules were broken as the rebels drew from international sources and freely mixed. Both artists make us rethink our ideas of reality and open our doors of perception, yet they both make us feel comfortable in the twilight zone between art and life.

Barely out of his teens, Herbie Hancock became a leading force in the heyday of 60’s jazz. The jazz crowd is a tough audience and he won them over, in his work with Donald Byrd, Miles Davis, and the cream of the serious contenders. Compositions such as “Watermelon Man” became worldwide standards. His first film score was for Antonioni’s 1967 breakthrough Blow-Up. Herbie came on strong, then took jazz to new levels of cool fusion. In 1973, his Headhunters album defined jazz funk, and in following years he has swung easily with his old fans and new. The Eighties earned a best original score Oscar for his ‘Round Midnight music and a best concept video MTV award for “Rockit”. A master with many forms, he has consistently taken the newest technology and made it his own.

If you would like to learn more about the incredible ascent of Berklee College of Music scholarship honoree Herbie Hancock, click here: Hancock, Herbie_MrB_1989.

Don’t forget to check out my Berklee College of Music berkleemusic blog at:  http://mrbonzai.berkleemusicblogs.com/

One of the big highlights at this year’s annual NAMM show gathering of the musical tribes was the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus celebration. Yoko Ono chose this event to kick off a year celebrating John’s 70th birthday. Following a medley of Lennon tunes belted out by students from the Fernando Pullum Performing Arts School, Yoko took the stage with executive director Brian Rothschild and offered words of wisdom and encouragement about the importance of music education. It used to be a requirement for all students to study music and pick an instrument, thereby developing talents that would otherwise remain hidden. It’s a shame to think of all the raw talent that is undiscovered in these supposedly “modern” times.

Brian Rothschild and Yoko Ono Lennon.

Yoko was completely charming and clearly touched by the gathering and, dare I say it, cute in a girlish sort of way. “The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a non-profit outreach program with the mission of giving kids a chance to express themselves through music and video productions,” she said. “It has been a living legacy to John’s passion for musical expression and artistic freedom. By utilizing the on-the-road John Lennon Educational Tour Bus and its fine studio set-up, thousands of students have written, recorded and produced original songs and videos – students who otherwise might not have had the opportunity to explore these avenues of creativity. At a time with music education in the schools is facing tough funding challenges, the Bus has been a rolling testament to the enduring, positive power of music making.”

She was followed by fellow proponents of the good cause, Jackson Brown and Quincy Jones. The bus itself is a marvel of advanced audio and video recording technology, complete with the latest in remote camera control and green screen capability (using new fabrics that reflect light in a specific way that reacts with the camera sensors). Chief engineer Jeff Sobel heads up an operation that travels all over, bringing musical vision to students from all walks of life.   lennonbus.org

Jackson Browne outside the Lennon bus.

Jeff Sobel, Chief Engineer. All photos by Mr. Bonzai.

The NAMM Foundation is a non-profit organization with the mission of advancing active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs from the international music products industry. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, visit www.nammfoundation.org. For more information on how to support music education programs in your local community, go to www.supportmusic.com.

In one of the many “picture” galleries at Vienna’s Art History Museum, there is a world famous painting by Johannes Vermeer van Delft, entitled “The Artist’s Studio” (1665/66). During our visit, a gentleman had set up his easel and was making a paintstaking copy of this painting, which let’s the viewer look over Vermeer’s shoulder as he paints a maiden (posing with the attributes of Cleo, the Muse of History: the laurel wreath, the trumpet and a book).

The Artist's Studio...in the Art Museum.

Vermeer eliminated chance, which had been an essential part of the previous period of “genre” painting.  All of the visual elements participate in the overall composition, and his subjects seem to have paused for a thoughtful moment in their daily life.  We see all this from the POV of a darkened room, with that mysterious light contributing to a masterpiece of pure painting.  The gent painting the painting is learning much more about this work than you or I can imagine.

Peterskirche, or St. Peter's Cathedral, in Vienna, which has free organ concerts daily at 3PM.

Scroll down to new oddities added January, 2010.

As the old year fades away and we look to our future, the rich history of Austria and its years of glory offer a view that puts a life in perspective.  At one time the Hapsburg empire was the dominant world force, with Maximilian the First (1459 -1519) at the helm.

To gain insights into this monarch, who brought the first international mail service and the first standardized coins, we took the panorama train from Vienna to Innsbruck, where he ruled under the famous Golden Roof.  He wanted to be the people’s king and is known as the father of PR.  His paintings and images were everywhere, on the coins and in the books that he published in German with the new printing press at his disposal (previously, books were printed in Latin).  For the many who couldn’t read, he provided vivid pictorials of his life and triumphs.

Keiko gazes on the foothills of the Alps on our way to Innsbruck.

Innsbruck, which means Bridge on the River Inns, is where Max the First resided in Ambras Castle, which houses the Cabinet of Art and Curiosity.  It was the custom for monarchs to create private museums containing the art and strange objects they collected from the vast territories they ruled.  The one in Innsbruck is the last in the world, as all the other collections have been broken up and distributed as individual works.

Mr. Bonzai gazes on the town of Innsbruck with the Alps in the rear, enshrouded with fog at the tops.

There is a painting of Gregor Baci, who took a lance through his eye that penetrated through his head, and he survived.  Other paintings include Vlad the Impaler (Dracula), the Hairy Man (who was a favorite at court and fathered Hairy Children).  Giants and dwarves were believed to be God’s miracles and were treated with reverence.

Respected members of the Royal Court: the peasant giant Bartlmä Bon and his little friend.

Stay tuned for more photos and tales of our adventures in this small country that once ruled the world, yet today still holds a vast historical treasury.  Austria has learned from its past and is today one of the countries that knows its limits and has done surprisingly well when many other countries have boasted of their power and lived extravagantly, only to find that their coffers were emptied.

UPDATE: JANUARY 3, 2010

He went to the Head of His Class!

This is Saint Denis, the first bishop of Paris, who met his death around 273 A.D., almost two millennia ago. The Romans, who then occupied Paris, already had their hands full in fighting off barbarian hordes when this charismatic Christian arrived on the scene. According to legend, Roman soldiers tortured Denis near the present site of Notre-Dame and then decapitated him on the slopes of Montmartre. Then—still according to legend—the martyred saint astonished one and all by picking up his head and walking northward almost four miles until he collapsed on the site now marked by the cathedral (formerly the abbey church) that bears his name.

And here we have a painting of the daughter of Petrus Gonzales, the “Hairy Man.”  His entire body – including his face, was covered in long, wavy hair and he was an immediate medical sensation. He became quite fluent in the language of the affluent, Latin, and took to wearing splendid robes that actually further accentuated his furry covered face. It was in this way that Petrus became a sought after court guest, a prodigy royal dignitaries and ambassadors flocked to see.

Antonietta Gonzales

Nearby are two portraits, one of Gregor “Here’s Looking at You” Baci, who survived after a lance went through his head.  He became a “conversation starter” at palace parties.   Below is the famous portrait of  Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Count Dracula.  Inspired by Vlad’s festive costume, I have just finished writing my new holiday horror musical, “Vampyre Santa.” ©2010 by Mr. Bonzai.  All rights reserved.

Gregor Baci (top) and Vlad IV Tepes.

Meet the Family

Here at home on our ballroom chessboard, we are with our virtual family.  Queen Keiko is crowned with Baroque Gold, while I wear my Jester’s Crown.   In the foreground is our pet tiger, in honor of 2010: The Year of the Tiger.  He is making friends with Godzilla, who actually belches sparks when you gun his wheels.  To the left are a newly wed couple in fine ceremonial garb.  On the right, Popeye is on leave in Napoli speaking with Pulchinella, who is playing his pooty-pooty rhythm instrument.  Over his shoulder is a fellow naval man from Pepperland.  The Peppery magistrate on the far left is warning Breathless Mahoney (Madonna) to keep the lid on her slinky moves, along with her three cloned sisters.  And yes, we have three dancing hula girls, Pinocchio and Geppeto, plus an Austrian heurigan vintner/ imbiber and a young couple yearning for their first kiss.

We wish you a holiday filled with celebration, good cheer, corny cozy fires, spicy grog, plump birds, sweet dreams, peaceful appreciations, and the holiday chemistry of  old and young sharing the same moments together…

Visiting Manhattan is always interesting; one lifetime would not be enough to discover all of the beauty midst all of the hustle and bustle of business and construction.  After a visit to the Chelsea District and the abundance of art galleries, a walk down the street suddenly comes alive with all of the art at hand.  Walking down the street I noticed a large poster for Zombieland, starring Woody Harrelson.  Something strange, though: a street artist had glued googly eyes on Woody’s pupils.  Further down the street, a poster with a couple kissing had also been given the googly treatment.  Click on the images to make them large.

Woody with the Googly Googly Eyes

We had a terrific pizza lunch with Jackson “Superforest” Nash, and afterwords he demonstrated how an experienced New Yorker hails a cab.

Hail, Hail, the cabs are there..

Before the beginning of the Columbus Day Parade, we spotted a policeman on horseback in front of the Ed Sullivan Theater, where the David Letterman show is produced.   Note the “road apples” left in the street.  And the first guys in the parade are the proud NYC Road Apple Brigade, waving to the crowd and followed by the High School marching bands.

New York City's finest...

Let's keep it clean!

At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, we marveled at their new exhibition of The Invisible Man, a tongue-in-cheek Dadaesque work by Damien Hurts.

Beauty is in the eye of the curator.

Streetview from the MOMA galleries.

Here is Keiko gazing down on the street below the magnificent collections of the Museum of Modern  Art.

And here I am in front of the Art Students League of New York, founded in the 19th Century, where Norman Rockwell studied, as did my father before his career as a successful cartoonist.

Howdy! My dad went to school here...

During lunch today at the Santa Monica Seafood Oyster Bar, a gentleman whizzed in driving a motorized Stephen Hawking-style wheelchair.  At first glance from the side, I noticed his bluish skin color and thought it might be his last lunch, but then I realized he was Count Dracula.

Count Dracula and Mr. Renfield. Photo by Nurse Igor. Click to Enlarge.

I walked over and told him he looked terrific, but he couldn’t speak. But his eyes lit up with total glee and I asked if I could have my photo taken with him. His caregiver nodded yes and took this shot. He then took a sip of wine from a glass with a straw held to his mouth. You can see a bit of the elaborate hardware behind his head. Halloween is the one day each year when he can feel good and scary!

Here are a few glimpses of the first ever AES Platinum Artists panel, hosted by Mr. Bonzai with artists  Jonatha Brooke, Maiysha, and Duncan Sheik with their producer/engineers Bob Clearmountain, Scott Jacoby, and Kevin Killen.

(L-R) Jonatha Brooke, Bob Clearmountain, Maiysha, Mr. Bonzai, Scott Jacoby, Duncan Sheik, and Kevin Killen. Photo by Brad Glazier.

We took a look from the artists’ perspective at the recording craft — what the studio means to the recording artist; HOW they choose the facility, the producer and the engineer; WHAT they look for in the artist-producer relationship; HOW the recording environment informs their creative process.  It ranged from chateaus in France to garage studios and cozy boudoir loft recording environs.

We also covered REJECTION and how the artist deals with that inevitable up and downswing during a career.  All of the panelists were engaging and candid, with a conversational momentum that propelled us so quickly through the 90 minutes that we only had time for two questions at the end.  My heartfelt thanks to all who participated, including organizer Paul Verna and press maven Howard Sherman.

Photo by Abdul Abdul

I suggest you Google these folks and learn more about their career evolution and satisfying success in this new era of musical independence, summed up by AES 2008 Keynoter Chris Stone: “The Artist Owns the Industry.”

Added thanks to Brad Smith of Hal Leonard and Dave Kusek of Berklee College of Music for making it possible for me to have a new book out, MUSIC SMARTS, which I signed for appreciative attendees at the big AES show.  And kudos to TEC Awards host Chris Stone, producer Hillell Resner, and fellow presenter/editor David Schwartz.

Leave a comment below, and I’ll get back atcha!

Just so you knows… Saturday, October 10, 2009 at the annual AES Convention gathering of the audio tribes, Mr. Bonzai will be here and there at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.

11:30 AM – 1 PM, Mr. Bonzai moderates the Platinum Artists Panel: artists are Jonatha Brooke, Maiysha, and Duncan Sheik with their producer/engineers Bob Clearmountain, Scott Jacoby, and Kevin Killen.

Pictured (L-R) are Duncan Sheik, engineer Kevin Killen, and producer Pat Leonard. Photo by Mr. B.

The artists’ perspective on the recording craft — what the studio means to the recording artist; HOW they choose the facility, the producer and the engineer; WHAT they look for in the artist-producer relationship; HOW the recording environment informs their creative process. Location: Special Events Room # 1E12-13

3 PM Berklee Press MUSIC SMARTS book signing with Special Guests. Location: Hal Leonard Corporation, Booth #837

6 PM: 25th Annual Technical Excellence and Creativity Awards, hosted by Chris Stone. Special Events Room # 1E12-13. Mix co-founder David Schwartz and Mr. Bonzai presenters,  with many luminaries from the Recording Hall of Fame joining in.

You can email Mr.Bonzai:

mrbonzai (at) mrbonzai.com