Author Archives: admin

Featured Photo Too – Demi Torso

Demi Torso

Posted in Featured Photo

Featured Photo – Torso

Torso

Posted in Featured Photo

Welcome To The New Cracks In Sidewalks!

We’ve had a major facelift. There is a brand new Gallery for your enjoyment along with an extensive collection of Photo Art Cards. This is my homage to cracks in sidewalks everywhere.

The old “Cracks In Sidewalks,” blog has been archived and is accessible via categories, months and years. Back then, I posted photos of cracks in sidewalks, and used this theme as a metaphor. I wrote about the co-star rather than star, little gems, beauty found in unexpected places; and I applied it to music, art, film, travel, etc. I have left it for you, to be sifted through like an old buried treasure chest.

Every photo on this site is special to me. The “Featured Photo,” I chose this month is titled “Torso.” You will find an Art Card of this photo in the store. In the meantime I hope you enjoy the beauty I’ve found in very unexpected places, cracks in sidewalks.

Best regards,

Audrey Berger Welz

Posted in The Sidewalk News

Daily Photo – Cracks In Sidewalks – Horse on One Foot

Warm Cracks That Cross

Posted in Daily Photo

Sidewalk Faves – Theremin the Man, Movie, and Music

Ever since seeing the French musical group “Les Primitifs de Futur” at the MOMA and watching Fay Lavsky take a blues solo playing the Theremin, I’ve been thinking about an old acquaintance of mine Steve Martin, and a documentary he did about the Theremin. I must say that I’ve seen one being played several times, and have heard them in the background in some movies, but I had never experienced anyone take a hot blues solo on one until Fay Lavsky, and it definitely grabbed my attention!

Some of you might be going, “what’s a Theremin?”  It’s an electronic musical instrument that is played without touch and was created in Russia by Leon Theremin in 1919.  It sports two metal antennae that sense where the player’s hands are with one controlling pitch (the vertical antennae) and the other volume (the horizontal).  The signals are then amplified and sent to a loudspeaker.  The instrument has an eerie sound, but one you would recognize from its use in scary movies (The Day the Earth Stood Still) and horror flicks and other avant-garde and popular musical pieces.

In the 1920’s Leon Theremin came to the United States to promote his new instrument.  He taught several musicians how to play and tried to bring his invention into the public eye.  In 1938 he was forced to leave the U.S. and return to Russia leaving family and friends, a wife, and a studio.  He was put in a Soviet prison camp.  He later worked for the KGB and designed other electrical objects for them including “the bug.”  He was out of the public eye for 50 years after having a very public presence in NYC and the world, leaving everyone to wonder where he had been and what had happened to this musical pioneer.

In 1993 Steve Martin made the documentary film “Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey,” which garnered the prestigious Filmmakers Trophy at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival.   After meeting Steve in the late 90’s I immediately went out and rented the movie.  The film delves into the history of the man who created the Theremin, the instrument itself, and its most famous players including the musical-prodigy Clara Rockmore who had been a violinist until a problem with her hands forced her to give up the violin.  She was a student of Theremin’s and went on to become the world’s greatest player.  The movie also features interviews with music industry legends such as Robert Moog, who built Theremin’s before synthesizers, Todd Rundgren, and Brian Wilson as well as interviews with its founder Leon Theremin.  It is an interesting film definitely worth seeing so check your local video store, Amazon, or Netflix.

Below is a video of Clara Rockmore playing “The Swan” (Saint-Saëns) on Theremin, accompanied on piano by her sister, Nadia Reisenberg.  To catch a rare glimpse of the world’s greatest Theremin player simply cut and paste the link below into your browser.

Posted in Sidewalk Faves

Daily Photo – Cracks In Sidewalks – Modern Art

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Posted in Daily Photo

Sidewalk Fave – Anthony “If It Be Your Will”

There were so many moving performances in the Leonard Cohen movie “I’m Your Man,” it was hard to choose one. But Antony is such a different sort of character and his performance of  “If It Be Your Will” was so emotional and beautiful, that he is where I ultimately landed for this entry.

To me Antony has such an unusual sounding voice it rises above most others.  Watching him perform you feel as if you are being given entry to a very private moment, a glimpse into the man’s soul, and if you move you might break up the chemistry or you could be asked to leave. He seems to channel his voice from a deep place within. At times he can look uncomfortable and even disturbed, moving his hands back and forth, digging to the place inside himself where his expression lives. But you know what he is touching is very pure and as its essence is revealed his vocal performance comes alive and washes over you.

Antony, whose full name is Antony Hegarty, plays with a group called Antony and the Johnsons.  You can also see and hear him in the Lou Reed movie, “Berlin,” Steve Buscemi’s movie “Animal Factory” and several others.  He can be heard on the soundtrack to the Dylan inspired movie, “I’m Not There,” as well as many other artistic vehicles.   In 2005 Antony and the Johnsons released the “I Am a Bird Now” LP on the Secretly Canadian label.

To see Antony perform “I’m Your Man,” simply click on the link below or cut and paste it into your browser.

Posted in Daily Tune On, Sidewalk Faves

Cracks In Sidewalks – Daily Photo – Circles

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Posted in Daily Photo

Sidewalk Faves – 3M Post It’s – My Daily Crack

So I have to admit it I should be in a sticky note 12 Step program.  I am confessing to you that I am a sticky note addict!  Yes computers are great, contact management programs are helpful and necessary, calendars are good too, but I could not live without my yellow sticky notes.  My sticky note of preference is the 3M yellow 2 7/8”X2 7/8” square “Post-It’s.”  My world revolves around them.  They are almost as important to me as food and water and have been for a number of years.

I organize my life with these beautiful yellow creatures and I have friends, relatives, coworkers past and present who will testify to that effect.  I always have to have a pad close by.  I’d be lost without them!  Anything important that I need to remember, appointments, to do’s, sometimes as simple as “wash hair,” “clean litter box,” or “do laundry”, it all gets written down.  At work it used to be “call so and so,” “contract musicians for session,” “call back the drummer and see if he’s solid,” “get string player referrals.”  Yes most of this was in my computer on ACT, but if it was really important it was also on a sticky attached to the side of my computer.

At home they are organized by the day in my kitchen.  I write something down so I won’t forget it, then put it in the pile under the day it needs to get done.  Every morning I look under that days sticky notes and I feel that much better.  I have back up.  My sticky notes act like my own personal assistant reminding me of what “really” needs to be accomplished that particular day.  I have managed multi million dollar projects this way without dropping the ball.  It’s quite humorous to my friends and co-workers, but it works for me.  Did you ever see Lily Tomlin’s “in Search of Intelligent Life?”  There’s a scene with sticky notes and the woman is so obsessed with them that she has them posted all up and down her arms, well that’s me only I have them posted in my kitchen, on my computer, and on rare occasion on my desk chair so I remember to do something or call someone the second I return.

Today I have confessed.  I have come clean with you about one of my little somethings that grows between the cracks.  I endorse the use and utility of 3M yellow 2 7/8” X 2 7/8” Post-It’s.  My life would be a mess without them and I don’t plan on giving them up anytime soon.  This product can be found in most drug stores, stationary stores, grocery stores, and office supply stores.  And I swear to you 3M did not pay me to write this, although I would be an amazing spokeswomen for them if somehow by some chance, they read this post.

Posted in Daily Crack, Sidewalk Faves

Sidewalk Faves – Leonard Cohen “I’m Your Man”

A couple of weeks ago I found myself flipping through the channels on my television and saw that “I’m Your Man,” the Leonard Cohen concert documentary was on PBS again and I decided I needed to see it one more time as it is such a great film.  Not only is it inspiring musically, but you hear Leonard Cohen in his own words talk about his life, his struggles, his weaknesses, his thoughts, and what drove him to write at different times during his long prestigious career.

Directed by Lian Lunson with music produced once again by famed music producer Hal Wilner, the concert portion of the film takes place in Sydney, Australia in 2005 at the Sydney Opera House and stars an impressive roster of guest artists performing Leonard Cohen songs.  This included the likes of Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Linda Thompson, Teddy Thompson, Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker, The Handsome Family, Beth Orton, Antony, with backup singers Peria Batalla and Julie Christensen and a special performance by Leonard Cohen with U2’s Bono and The Edge filmed specifically for the movie.

The story is told by Cohen and is taken from interviews that were filmed in LA.  It is interspersed with old photo’s and home movies from Cohen’s life, spanning from his childhood in Montreal, to his life as a monk, the past and the present.  Cohen speaks candidly about his personal journey; his influences, the twists and turns his life has taken; his spiritual quest including becoming a monk; and it also delves a bit into the rumors of his romantic life and female escapades of which he has also became famous.

“I’m Your Man” is worth seeing on so many levels.  Released in 2006 this award- winning story is incredibly interesting and the music is fantastic!  If at any time over the past 40 years you have found yourself taken by this wonderful musician poet, or if this is the first time you are being introduced to Leonard Cohen, he is someone you will want to know, and this is a movie you will want to see.   Available on DVD, it also plays occasionally on PBS.   If you haven’t already experienced its pleasure, consider taking the time to do so.

Below is a link to the movies trailer.  Get a preview by either clicking on the link below or cutting and pasting it into your browser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPUnexRUD4U

Posted in Daily Crack, Sidewalk Faves