The Israeli mashup artist known as KutiÂman gave us Thru JerÂsusalem last month, a conÂtemÂplaÂtive jourÂney through Jerusalem’s eclecÂtic, local music scene. Now he returns to his MothÂer of All Funk Chords roots and goes uptemÂpo again, stitchÂing togethÂer 80 covÂers of Led ZepÂpelin’s 1974 clasÂsic, “Black Dog” (origÂiÂnal here). PerÂhaps more than any othÂer I’ve seen, this video gives meanÂing to the expresÂsion “the total is greater than the sum of the parts.” The indiÂvidÂual covÂers hardÂly stand out, but the mashup delivÂers the goods.
Back in 2009, Blue Note Records, the influÂenÂtial jazz label, was celÂeÂbratÂing its 70th anniverÂsary. And The BelÂla Vista Social Pub, lookÂing to proÂmote its own sumÂmer jazz conÂcerts in Siena, TusÂcany, came up with a smart idea. Why not pay tribÂute to Blue Note (and proÂmote the ItalÂian conÂcert series) by aniÂmatÂing the cool covÂer designs that graced Blue Note albums durÂing its heyÂday. These covÂer designs were the work of Reid Miles, a graphÂic designÂer who moved from Esquire magÂaÂzine to Blue Note around 1955, then designed hunÂdreds of aura-creÂatÂing covÂers until he left the label in 1967. The aniÂmatÂed video above, called Hi-Fi, brings Miles’ work back to life. GraphÂiÂcolÂoÂgy has more on the nosÂtalÂgia-inducÂing clip here.
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Before the weekÂend slips away, we want to rememÂber BilÂlie HolÂiÂday who was born 98 years ago today. To this day, HolÂiÂday is wideÂly conÂsidÂered the greatÂest jazz vocalÂist of all time, known for her disÂtincÂtive phrasÂing and melanÂcholy voice. Above, we bring you her perÂforÂmance of “Strange Fruit,” a song recordÂed in 1939 that protestÂed the lynchÂing of African AmerÂiÂcans in the South. The comÂpoÂsiÂtion introÂduced HolÂiÂday to a mainÂstream audiÂence, givÂing her career a big break. Down the line, HolÂiÂday closed every conÂcert with the song, which conÂtinÂuÂalÂly grew in culÂturÂal imporÂtance. By 1999, TIME called “Strange Fruit” the song of the cenÂtuÂry, solidÂiÂfyÂing its place in the AmerÂiÂcan songÂbook.
If you would like to sign up for Open Culture’s free email newsletÂter, please find it here. It’s a great way to see our new posts, all bunÂdled in one email, each day.
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
This gorÂgeous video of a cymÂbal (shot with a PhanÂtom at 1,000 frames per secÂond) made our mornÂing. And then KotÂtke’s find below — brilÂliant footage of vibratÂing guiÂtar strings — made our afterÂnoon.
Hope you enjoy them as much as we did, and have a great weekÂend!
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly.
Three years ago, the memÂbers of the band InterÂpol sat down with filmÂmakÂer David Lynch. It was a casuÂal meetÂing, an “ice breakÂer,” that paved the way for a future colÂlabÂoÂraÂtion.
Skip ahead to 2010, and the colÂlabÂoÂraÂtion begins. InterÂpol wants to develÂop visuÂals to accomÂpaÂny their perÂforÂmance at the 2011 CoachelÂla FesÂtiÂval, and Lynch agrees to take on the job. The result: “I Touch a Red ButÂton Man,” a short aniÂmatÂed film that accomÂpaÂnies InterÂpol’s song “Lights.” The film (origÂiÂnalÂly shown at CoachelÂla) was offiÂcialÂly released online yesÂterÂday at HuffÂPo, where the band also talked about the genÂeÂsis of the project in their own words.
You can find this film listÂed in the AniÂmaÂtion secÂtion of our big colÂlecÂtion of Free Movies Online.
If you would like to sign up for Open Culture’s free email newsletÂter, please find it here. It’s a great way to see our new posts, all bunÂdled in one email, each day.
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
In FebÂruÂary 2010, the Paris-based band Hold Your HorsÂes! released a music video to go with their song “70 MilÂlion,” which became an immeÂdiÂate sucÂcess. In the video, the band memÂbers recreÂatÂed famous paintÂings, takÂing the viewÂer on an enterÂtainÂing tour through art hisÂtoÂry. Try to idenÂtiÂfy as many paintÂings as posÂsiÂble, then comÂpare your results with the list of the actuÂal paintÂings below the jump. Enjoy — and let us know your scores! And, of course, HapÂpy Bastille Day.
We love the design and overÂall layÂout of The IlluÂmiÂnatÂed Playlists by BrookÂlyn-based designÂer Adam Parks, but the real delight of the webÂsite is its sound, not its look. Parks has grouped 21 music colÂlecÂtions into four catÂeÂgories, from slow to very fast (or rather, AdaÂgio to Presto), so you can choose a playlist dependÂing on the pace of your curÂrent activÂiÂty or mood.
As a DJ, Parks has made conÂsisÂtentÂly solÂid choicÂes, culling from both the clasÂsics (Bob Dylan, Neal Young, Rolling Stones, CurÂtis MayÂfield) and more recent artists (TV on the Radio, The DecemÂberists, Arcade Fire, etc.). These aren’t the lists you would use to impress the cool kids with your eclecÂtiÂcism, ironÂic tastes, or love of the obscure, but if you’re just lookÂing for great soundÂtracks for the shiftÂing rhythms of the day, they’re a perÂfect fit. Dive in here.
We’d love to see simÂiÂlar colÂlecÂtions for jazz and clasÂsiÂcal — we might just need to make a few of our own.
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly.
CanaÂdiÂan “geek rapÂper” Baba Brinkman first garÂnered popÂuÂlar attenÂtion with a well-received, well-reviewed rap adapÂtaÂtion of Chaucer’s CanÂterÂbury Tales at the EdinÂburgh Fringe FesÂtiÂval. (To get a sense of the project, check out this brief scene from “The ParÂdonÂer’s Tale.”) And we also preÂviÂousÂly feaÂtured his brilÂliant work on MacmilÂlan’s What’s Your EngÂlish? camÂpaign.
Brinkman has brought his folÂlow-up show, a fasÂciÂnatÂing homage to Charles DarÂwin called “The Rap Guide to EvoÂluÂtion,” to New York City, where it’s getÂting rave reviews. In the video above, he explains how he went about putting the project togethÂer, and how evoÂluÂtionÂary sciÂence enriched his underÂstandÂing of the vioÂlence and anger so prevaÂlent in the music he loves. The whole talk is great, but if you want to start off with a taste of the rap itself, skip forÂward to minute 9:03.
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly.
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