Three Marys at the Tomb -- SIX Inspired Version

Today we are up to the third and final part of my SIX Inspired treatment of the women of Holy Week. This is an exploration of who these women were or might have been (since so many women in the bible do not get fully developed backstories) outside of there brief encounters with Jesus. 

Today is the three women named Mary (Yes I have to wonder why those who wrote the new testament could not come up with any names other than Mary LOL):

We three women at the Tomb
We three women named Mary

We three women a sisterhood

We went to the tomb that morning

We went because of our great love

We three women who cared deeply
We three women who were witnesses

We three women a community

We went to the tomb that morning

We went because of our great love

We three women who mourned Friday
We three women who mourned Saturday

We three women who were honored Sunday

We went to the tomb that morning

We went because of our great love

We three women who gave up our families
We three women who gave up safety and security

We three women who gave up everything to follow

We went to the tomb that morning

We went because of our great love

We three women who loved Jesus

We three women who were unsung disciples
We three women who were minimized by history
We went to the tomb that morning
We went because of our great love

We three women remembered
We three women the first to see
We three women the first to tell the story
We went to the tomb that morning
We went because of our great love

We three women Mary Magdalene
We three women Mary of Clopas
We three women Mary Salome
We went to the tomb that morning
We went because of our great love

We three women at the Tomb
We three women named Mary

We three women a sisterhood

We went to the tomb that morning

We went because of our great love

Veronica -- SIX Inspired Version

Today we are up to Part 2 of my SIX Inspired treatment of the women of Holy Week. This is an exploration of who these women were or might have been (since so many women in the bible do not get fully developed backstories) outside of there brief encounters with Jesus. 

Today is Veronica.

You know me as the woman with the cloth
The cloth that captures the image of Jesus's face

But I dare say I'm more than a piece of cloth

I am more than one brief moment with Jesus

I am a woman, I am a saint, I am worthy

Did you ever wonder why I was the one moved

Moved to let Jesus wipe his brow with my cloth?

It is because I knew suffering and exclusion

It is because I knew not being seen for who I am

I am a woman, I am a saint, I am worthy

In truth I was not always known as Victoria

My family knew me as Victor but that was not

Who I was, Who I was, Who I was deep down

That was not who I was deep down inside

I am a woman, I am a saint, I am worthy

So I moved to Jerusalem and become Victoria

There were so many people in the big city I was

Able to find my own way as my true self Victoria

I was able to get lost in the big city and be myself 

I am a woman, I am a saint, I am worthy

When Jesus first arrived he was the talk of the town

There were even rumors that the stones themselves

Were singing out with his praise, singing out with praise

We were all aware that he was here in the big city

I am a woman, I am a saint, I am worthy

That final week I was busy with my own life

Earning just enough to have my daily bread

But I still heard rumors of temple tables flying

But I still heard rumors of betrayal, hate, and fear

I am a woman, I am a saint, I am worthy

I was there when Jesus was walking to the cross

And our eyes met for just a moment and I saw

Saw that this Jesus understood who I was inside

Understood the challenges of being free to be Victoria 

I am a woman, I am a saint, I am worthy

I offered up my cloth because I saw the sorrow

The sorrow in the eyes of Jesus as he walked to the cross

I knew that he understood me and in turn I understood him

And in return I got his face imprinted on my cloth

I am a woman, I am a saint, I am worthy

Mary of Bethany -- SIX Inspired Version

 

Yesterday I had the chance to see the musical SIX which is a rock concert based on the 6 wives of Henry The 8th. Part of the point in the end was to think about these women as women outside of their marriages to Henry The 8th. 

Since this is Holy week I thought it would be fun to give some of the women of this week there own SIX musical treatment and look at who they were or might have been (since so many women in the bible do not get fully developed backstories) outside of there brief encounters with Jesus. 

The first women who is up is Mary of Bethany.

I am the woman with the alabaster jar of very expensive perfume
While I am mentioned in all 4 gospels only John gives me a name
Luke even called me a sinner because I was an independent woman
It was hard being a women on her own in Judah at that time, so hard
Do you know my story? Do you know my story? Do you? Do you?

Do you want to know the history of that jar of perfume my dear?
That was a jar that had been passed down from times long ago
Passed from great grandmother to grandmother to mother to me
It was said my great grandmother saved the life of a girl. of course
Do you know my story? Do you know my story? Do you? Do you?

We were a house of women, so others assumed that meant
That we were sleeping around while in truth it meant that
We provided a safe space for all the lost and wandering
We watched over all the women who had no one else to care
Do you know my story? Do you know my story? Do you? Do you?

Now me and my wife were good at listening, because we had to
Had to if we wanted to survive, survive in that day and age, stay alive
So we listened to what Jesus was saying, we really listen to his words
And Jesus was a man but he was talking about equality and respect
Do you know my story? Do you know my story? Do you? Do you?

After watching him and listening we realized he was the real deal
So we decided it was time to break into that alabaster jar of perfume
So I walked into that gathering and poured out the perfume all over
So I walked into that gathering and poured myself out at his feet
Do you know my story? Do you know my story? Do you? Do you?

Then the men got involved in my story, retelling my story, my meaning
Judas was all "This perfume could have been sold at a high price
And the money given to the poor." because he really cared about the poor?
Not being one upped in devotion by a woman who loved women? Really?
Do you know my story? Do you know my story? Do you? Do you?

Jesus was better but he still thought I only did it for him and his burial
"Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.
When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial
Do you know my story? Do you know my story? Do you? Do you?

Jesus was right "Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached
throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
I went down in history as the woman with the alabaster jar of very expensive perfume
But I was an woman before the jar, I was a woman after the jar, We were always women
Do you know my story? Do you know my story? Do you? Do you?

Art Around Chicago April (Second Week)

Last night at part of Expo Chicago's Art After Hours I wandered into a number of art galleries.

(I went to the After Hours since the convention itself costs too much for me)

One of the galleries was Gallery Victor Armendariz

Which I have been inside a time or two

This time they had some of Mary Borgman’s portraits

Which really grabbed my eye and imagination.

 

4/8/22

Mary Borgman’s Portrait of a Justin Shanitlvich*

The stories that are captured in an eye looking out

The stories that are captured within a brush stroke 

What is your story dear sir? I want to know your tale

Your face reminds me of someone I know so I look

And I look, and I look once again, deep into your eyes

To see your story, to in addition see the person I know 

I understand why these paintings take a year to finish

It can be seen in the brush strokes that make you come

Alive before my very eyes, eyes meeting eyes, art’s power

*At the Victor Armendariz Gallery 

Celebrate Forgotten Grammys: Part 2 Latin, American Roots, Global Music

 

Sunday was the Grammys and I was reminded that there are a whole bunch of awards which get forgotten in the shuffle but I wanted to know more about. This is part 2 of a series exploring some of these often over looked awards. In this part we will explore what is hot when it comes to Latin, American Roots Music (including blues), Reggae, and Global Music.  

Latin

Best Latin Pop Album Mendó — Alex Cuba

Best Música Urbana Album El Último Tour Del Mundo — Bad Bunny

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album Origen — Juanes

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano) A Mis 80's — Vicente Fernández

Best Tropical Latin Album Salswing! — Rubén Blades y Roberto Delgado & Orquesta

American Roots Music

Best American Roots Performance "Cry" — Jon Batiste

Best American Roots Song "Cry" — Jon Batiste & Steve McEwan, songwriters (Jon Batiste)

Best Americana Album Native Sons — Los Lobos

Best Bluegrass Album My Bluegrass Heart — Béla Fleck

Best Traditional Blues Album I Be Trying — Cedric Burnside

Best Contemporary Blues Album 662 — Christone "Kingfish" Ingram

Best Folk Album They're Calling Me Home — Rhiannon Giddens With Francesco Turrisi

Best Regional Roots Music Album Kau Ka Pe'a — Kalani Pe'a

Reggae

Best Reggae Album Beauty In The Silence — Soja

Global Music

Best Global Music Performance "Mohabbat" — Arooj Aftab

Best Global Music Album Mother Nature — Angelique Kidjo

Best Children's Music Album A Colorful World — Falu

Celebrate Forgotten Grammys: Part 1 Classical, Jazz, New Age, Spoken Word

Sunday was the Grammys and I was reminded that there are a whole bunch of awards which get forgotten in the shuffle but I wanted to know more about. This is part 1 of a series exploring some of these often over looked awards. In this part we will explore what is hot when it comes to classical, jazz, new age, and spoken word. 

Classical

Best Opera Recording: Glass: Akhnaten Karen Kamensek, conductor; J'Nai Bridges, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Zachary James & Dísella Lárusdóttir; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)

Best Orchestral Performance: Price: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3 Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor (Philadelphia Orchestra)

Best Choral Performance: Mahler: Symphony No. 8, 'Symphony Of A Thousand Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Grant Gershon, Robert Istad, Fernando Malvar-Ruiz & Luke McEndarfer, chorus masters (Leah Crocetto, Mihoko Fujimura, Ryan McKinny, Erin Morley, Tamara Mumford, Simon O'Neill, Morris Robinson & Tamara Wilson; Los Angeles Philharmonic; Los Angeles Children's Chorus, Los Angeles Master Chorale, National Children's Chorus & Pacific Chorale)

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: Beethoven: Cello Sonatas - Hope Amid Tears Yo-Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax

Best Classical Instrumental Solo: Alone Together Jennifer Koh 

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album: Mythologies Sangeeta Kaur & Hila Plitmann (Virginie D'Avezac De Castera, Lili Haydn, Wouter Kellerman, Nadeem Majdalany, Eru Matsumoto & Emilio D. Miler) 

Best Classical Compendium: Women Warriors - The Voices Of Change Amy Andersson, conductor; Amy Andersson, Mark Mattson & Lolita Ritmanis, producers

Best Contemporary Classical Composition: Shaw: Narrow Sea Caroline Shaw, composer (Dawn Upshaw, Gilbert Kalish & Sō Percussion) 

Jazz

Best Improvised Jazz Solo "Humpty Dumpty (Set 2)" — Chick Corea, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album Songwrights Apothecary Lab — Esperanza Spalding

Best Jazz Instrumental Album Skyline — Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette & Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album For Jimmy, Wes And Oliver — Christian McBride Big Band

Best Latin Jazz Album Mirror Mirror —Eliane Elias With Chick Corea and Chucho Valdés

New Age

Best New Age Album: Divine Tides — Stewart Copeland & Ricky Kej

Spoken Word

Best Spoken Word Album Carry On: Reflections For A New Generation From John Lewis (Don Cheadle)

Art Around Chicago April (First Week)

This month looks like it is going to be filled with art. There are many art gallery openings this month in addition to a bunch of art events around ExpoCHGO the international exposition of contemporary and modern art. 

While I don't think I will actually go to ExpoCHGO for cost reasons I do plan to go to a bunch of the free events inspired by the Expo. The below exhibits are some of the art I have explored this week. All of these exhibits will be open for the next several weeks.

Is This Real Life?

New Works by David K Rose

March 19-April 10, 2022

Rotofugi Gallery

EPILOGUE

Group-exhibition by seven Northern Illinois University graduate-candidate students.

Friday, Apr 1 – 28, 2022

ARC Gallery

Street Art Near Chicago and Ashland

Street Art Near Chicago and Ashland

Street Art Near Chicago and Ashland

Street Art Near Chicago and Ashland

Street Art Near Chicago and Ashland

HUMAN WRONGS, HUMAN RIGHTS

Works by Richard Laurent

April 1, 2022 – May 15, 2022

Jackson Junge Gallery