Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Brian Grazer

Courtesy of Wikipedia Brian Grazer (July 12, 1951) is an American film and television producer. He founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 with Ron Howard. The films they produced have grossed over $15 billion. Grazer was personally nominated for four Academy Awards for Splash (1984), Apollo 13 (1995), A Beautiful Mind (2001), and Frost/Nixon (2008). His films and TV series have been nominated for 47 Academy Awards and […]

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Brian Grazer Read More »

Jewish Celebrities, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Summer is the Season to Try New Jewish Experiences

As I tell many people, you are never too old to learn something new, whether it be a new art medium or listening to a discussion about someone’s life experiences. [Cailin Acosta]

Summer is the Season to Try New Jewish Experiences Read More »

Cailin Acosta, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Arlo Guthrie

Courtesy of Wikipedia Arlo Guthrie (July 10, 1947) is an American folk singer-songwriter. He is known for singing songs of protest against social injustice, and storytelling while performing songs, following the tradition of his father, Woody Guthrie. Guthrie’s best-known work is his debut piece, “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree”, a satirical talking blues song about 18 minutes in length that has since become a Thanksgiving anthem.

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Arlo Guthrie Read More »

Jewish Celebrities, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Kinky Friedman, z”l

Friedman ‍also ‍wrote ‍numerous ‍detective ‍novels, ‍ran ‍unsuccessfully ‍for ‍office ‍in ‍Texas, ‍and ‍wrote ‍a ‍column ‍in ‍the ‍‍Texas ‍Monthly ‍magazine ‍for ‍many ‍years. ‍What ‍was ‍once ‍written ‍about ‍Kinky ‍Friedman ‍in ‍the ‍‍Texas ‍Monthly? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Kinky Friedman, z”l Read More »

Mark D. Zimmerman, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Musicians in the Family Led Lives of Disharmony

Nachum was an awkward provincial boy with a gentle soul. He was drawn to beauty and was fascinated by the art of music and by my aunt’s appearance. He idolized her and fell under her power. At that time, she was a beautiful young woman, ambitious, bossy, capricious, and everything worked out for her: she was successful in her career and in winning men’s hearts. However, she was at the mercy of national tradition and married a Jew, Nachum, without loving him. [Alex Gordon]

Musicians in the Family Led Lives of Disharmony Read More »

Alex Gordon, International, Israel, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

A Proposal to Memorialize the Men Behind ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game’

The music of Take Me Out To The Ball Game was written by Albert Von Tilzen, a Jewish man from Indianapolis. The lyrics were written by his Christian friend, Jack Norworth.  [Jerry Klinger]

A Proposal to Memorialize the Men Behind ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game’ Read More »

Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Finding Lots of Jewish Stories at San Diego County Fair

The Acosta family set out on Friday to conquer the San Diego County Fair. We arrived and were on a scavenger hunt to find hidden Jewish items. We laced up our running/walking shoes, filled up our water bottles, cellphones all charged and were ready to take on the challenge. [Cailin Acosta]

Finding Lots of Jewish Stories at San Diego County Fair Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Hard to Keep Your Feet Still During a Sharon Katz Concert

South African music is not subtle about the beat. It hits the beats and in rapid succession. You’ve got to dance. Sharon Katz on electric guitar, her very popular Cuban bassist Ignacio Arango, and her drummer hit all the notes and bounced to the next ones. It was funky,  joyous, and rhythmically bubbling through your body. [Barrett Holman Leak]

Hard to Keep Your Feet Still During a Sharon Katz Concert Read More »

Barrett Holman Leak, International, Mimi Pollack, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

July 4th Fireworks: Fun for Us, Traumatic for Some Pets

Speaking of fireworks, Gary Weitzman, CEO of the San Diego Humane Society, shared these four tips to prepare for July 4th. It is known as the loudest holiday of the year and the most frightening for our fur babies. [Cailin Acosta]

July 4th Fireworks: Fun for Us, Traumatic for Some Pets Read More »

Cailin Acosta, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

OpEd: The Powerful Lion Symbols at Entrance to Ma’ale Adumim

A unique, long-term partnership between the Diaspora and Israel resulted in Ma’ale Adumim being the beneficiary of two huge Lion sculptures. The two Lions of Judah, each eight feet in height and ten feet in length, majestically supine and serene, are sited at the city’s entrance for maximum visibility. They are just below the large, bold “I Love Ma’ale Adumim/ Welcome Visitors” sculpture. [Jerry Klinger]

OpEd: The Powerful Lion Symbols at Entrance to Ma’ale Adumim Read More »

Israel, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

TICO Performs a Fourth Fifth and a First

Before intermission, we heard Silence, a world premiere by John Michael Luther, based on a poem written by Conductor Amos’ granddaughter, Piper Gillett, when she was 13 years old. The work made a profound impression, especially remarkable that the words were written by one so young, and inspired such an interesting setting by composer Luther. [Eileen Wingard]

TICO Performs a Fourth Fifth and a First Read More »

Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Mickey Katz

Courtesy of Wikipedia Mickey Katz (June 15, 1909 – April 30, 1985) was an American musician and comedian. He was the father of actor Joel Grey and paternal grandfather of actress Jennifer Grey. Meyer Myron Katz was born on Sawtell Court in Cleveland, Ohio, to a Jewish family. He was one of five children born to Johanna (née Herzberg) and Menachem Katz.

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Mickey Katz Read More »

Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia