Michelangelo's David... A Showstopper

"Did you see Michelangelo's David?""

That is a question I was asked several times after my return from Florence last month. It's an interesting question because it seems to imply that if you hadn't then you hadn't really been to Florence. Or, to put it another way, that David is the reason to go to Florence in the first place, as if the Uffizi, the Bargello, Palazzo Pitti and everything else is as nothing.

If you plan to go to Florence, it's useful to know that Michelangelo's David--the authentic one, not the replica--resides at the Galleria dell'Accademia. The Accademia is home to many treasures, but for certain David has the place of centrality here, and it is breathtaking.

There are a variety of stories that swirl about in my head when I think on this statue. First, there is the story about how it came to exist. Then there are the stories of what it means as a symbol. Why David? And finally, the stunning magnificence of young Michelangelo's David as a work of art in and of itself.

Here's a little backstory. Michelangelo was only 26 when he carved this statue out of a single block of marble. The 17-foot-high block was considered to be of inferior quality with little value according to the master craftsmen of his day. "Give it to the kid," you can imagine one of them saying as peers laughed.

When they saw what the young artist had produced with this throwaway stone, no one was laughing. To this day, people stop in their tracks when the David comes into view. They draw near with eyes wide, mouths agape. With well-defined muscles, expressive face, perfectly proportioned body, the David captures something of the Renaissance spirit of determination and courage, strength and resilience. When you stand up close, you can even see the veins in his arm.

David was one of the most significant characters in the Old Testament. Michelangelo chosen to focus on a singular turning point in David's life, his battle with the giant Goliath. Up till that moment he was a shepherd. True, he had killed powerful predators, including a lion, to protect his sheep and was no novice when it came to fighting adversaries. This was different. He was going face to face with a professional soldier, and a giant one at that. (You can read the story of this confrontation in I Samuel 17:26-50.)

Note the muscles, tendons and veins in the arm.

David's confidence in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds, made him a symbol of hope and inspiration.*

The room where David has been placed is called the Sala Del David. It's a large rectangular room with a high arched ceiling where a dome of windows allows diffused light to filter in from above. The statue of David is located in the center of the room, on a raised pedestal, making it even more imposing. The manner in which the light flows in helps to highlight the details. The location enables visitors to view it from all sides. There are also benches along the wall behind it where one can take a seat and reflect on it.

When you first enter the Accademia the corridor is lined with statues on the left and right, six by Michelangelo. These are variations on the theme of characters breaking out of their rock enclosures. They are essentially unfinished works that have been preserved to show how the artist chipped his characters out of their confines.

EdNote: Before traveling to Italy I did spent a couple months in planning my trip. I was greatly helped by Rick Steves Pocket Florence, which I purchased after deciding what cities I would be visiting on this adventure. What I learned is that to avoid lengthy lines one is at advantage by purchasing tickets in advance. There were two lines outside the entrance. One was for people who did not buy a ticket in advance. That line stretched around the corner. The line I was in had six or eight people in it.

Michelangelo's David isn't the only Renaissance masterpiece in Florence. This city filled with an overabundance of awe-inspiring art and architecture. Even though I was brain-numbed by all I'd seen beforehand, the site of this David struck me with unexpected force.

* * * * 

*David's significance extended far beyond the slaying of Goliath. In addition to being Israel's second king, he wrote many of the Psalms. There's a sense in which he was like a real life. action hero. He was a complex man who made mistakes but was deeply devoted to God. There's evidence outside of the Bible that David was an actual historical figure who lived about a thousand years before Christ. 

The Scarpelli Florentine Mosaic Workshop: A Master Artisan in the Heart of Firenze

If you were an artist, it would only be natural to be drawn to Florence. The city is awash with art as well as endless streams of tourists fascinated by art. In other words, the city has a magnetic pull that attracts just the right kind of consumer you'd want to reach--that is, people who appreciate and value art. 

So at various places around the city it is not uncommon to find street artists producing beautiful pieces in various mediums. They're buskers of a sort, and they've learned from experience what people like and how to crank it out. 

Filippo Bencini (photo by the author)

Then there are the artists who have set up studios and storefronts where passing art lovers can check out their wares. The Scarpelli Mosaici is one of these. It is located on one of the narrow streets that lead from the Duomo to the Accademia where Michelangelo's David resides. It features the work of the late Renzo Scarpelli, his son Stefano, and co-collaborators Filippo and Pier Paolo. (Renzo's daughter Catia is also active in the family business.)

Their mosaics are quite striking. They're not making paintings. They are creating images via inlaid marble, precious stones and other materials.

When I was at the Palazzo Pitti in April I was blown away by some of the inlaid craftsmanship that I saw--mosaics, tables and Renaissance-era decorative objects. This type of creative work did not end in 1600. The Scarpelli family continues that tradition still.

Here is a relatively simple, but elegant, design that has special meaning for me. "A Yellow Rose" is the title of a Jorge Luis Borges short story about the last moments in Dante's life. Once you look at the rest of the photos here, be sure to click on the link to their website at the end.

This was a surprise to see, a work Sr. Scarpelli made on commission:
"Washington Crossing the Delaware."

Tools of the trade.

"In every profession, excellence starts with the raw materials."--Scarpelli

If you're an artist in need of a shot of inspiration,

find a way to visit Florence. When you're in the neighborhood

take a little time to drop in on the Scarpellis.

Via Ricasoli 59/r

https://www.scarpellimosaici.it/

Bad Blood: The Theranos Story

If it seems too good to be true, dig a little deeper and you may find out that your instincts were well founded. I remember about two decades ago how a woman claimed to have solutions to the energy problem. I can't recall the details other than that it was clear this CEO had a very capable PR team. She was on the cover of several magazines, if I recall correctly. A year later, she was gone. 

Businesses work very hard to project a positive narrative and in a world as messy as ours, there are plenty of folk with money who are eager to invest in (and be part of) the next big thing. Who doesn't like stories that generate hope? We love the feeling of being amazed. 

Unfortunately, many of these stories are more mist than substance. Here's but one example: Theranos. The company's story is told in Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by journalist John Carreyrou. Released in May 2018, Carreryou covers the rise and fall of the multibillion-dollar biotech startup headed by Elizabeth Holmes.

The company was founded in 2003 by then-19-year-old Stanford dropout Holmes. Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard to start Microsoft and Steve Jobs dropped out of college as well, so there's some glamor to these stories of dreamers who skip the formalities of a touted degree.

Holmes claimed that Theranos had developed a revolutionary new blood-testing technology that could run a wide range of tests from a single drop of blood. The story had legs, and Theranos quickly attracted the attention of investors, including a number of heavies like former Secretary of State George Shultz, former Senator Sam Nunn, and media mogul Rupert Murdoch. By 2014, Theranos was valued at $9 billion and Holmes was being hailed as the next Steve Jobs.

All this success drew attention to the company and with it came a skeptical WSJ journalist who began digging a little beneath the surface. When Carreyrou exposed the truth about the company's unfounded claims, Theranos collapsed and Holmes was eventually charged with fraud.

The problem here is that many of the people who invest in these "story companies" have no real understanding of the technology they're reading about, so they buy the yarn. Carreyrou's book is a story about ambition, hubris, and the lengths that people will go to in order to achieve success. Does the name Enron ring a bell? How about Bernie Madoff.

Ultimately, Holmes was convicted of wire fraud in January 2022 and sentenced to 11 years in a federal prison in November. Her attorneys put in an appeal, however, and the rest of the story is yet to be told.

Moral of the story: don't believe everything you read or hear.

Illustration is an AI-revised version of a painting by the author called The Student.

Florentine Breakfast Entertainment: Variations on a Theme

I had an American breakfast of eggs and toast twice while in Italy. On one occasion, I was at a table in front of a window through which I could do people watching. I found it interesting because some people walked past on the sidewalk nearest to me, some across the street, some went by on bikes or in cars or trucks and some on motorbikes. When I finished my breakfast I took photos for a bit, snapping the shutter each time a moving object entered my "window on the world." Here are the photos.

Whether people watching or simply engaging in your surroundings,

open your eyes and enjoy life's seemingly endless reality show.

Checking In with Michael Twente of Hard Rain, Headliners for the 2023 Duluth Dylan Fest Kickoff Party

As many of you know, Duluth Dylan Fest will commence this weekend with events at the Historic Duluth Armory in the a.m., a Heaven's Door bourbon and whiskey samplings at Cashwise Liquor and Super One Liquor (Central Ave.) plus a special Highway 61 Revisited airing on The North 103.3 from 5 - 6. 

That evening we'll be celebrating the Duluth Dylan Fest Kick Off Party with music by Hard Rain – All Things Dylan. 

Earlier this week I finally caught up with Michael Twente of the St. Louis-based Dylan tribute band Hard Rain. Twente and his bandmates will be center stage delivering the goods at the Earth Rider Festival Grounds. (Tickets at Eventbrite.)

The band officially got its start in 2002, Twente said. It was originally going to be a one show deal featuring Bob Dylan songs. It went over so well they thought, “Why don’t we keep this going?” 

And they did keep it going for a little bit. "We opened for Leon Russell a couple times." But after a while, some of the guys didn't want to just do Dylan. This led to the next iteration, a Bob Dylan and the Band tribute band.

This was followed by an All Things Dylan period that included music from the Traveling Wilburys as well as the Band and even some Wallflowers, the band Dylan's son Jakob assembled.

At this point the band would kick off with a long Dylan set, then follow with other stuff, eventually bringing it all back home to Dylan.

Twente's musical awakening began at age 7 on February 9, 1964. "My sister made me watch it. The Beatles are what got me into it. I became a huge Beatles fan."

Even so, it wasn't till the breakup of the Beatles that Twente discovered Dylan. He had been a George Harrison fan and when the Concert for Bangladesh triple album came out, he was all in. When he came to Side 5, which was Dylan, he was blown away. "When I heard Hard Rain, I’d never heard anything like that before." He was 14 at the time, but his mind was fully charged. "Mom took me to the store and I bought a bunch of Dylan's albums. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He was painting pictures with words."

It was his love of the Beatles that led him to Dylan. Twente ultimately took up guitar, seeking to share the music he was passionate about.

You can tell who the die-hard Dylan fans are. They know exactly how many concerts they have seen. Twente says he's seen Dylan 202 times now. But it started with that Concert for Bangladesh. "I was too young to drive but my mom took me to the theater to watch the Concert for Bangladesh film." When the film ended he phoned his mother to ask if he could stay and sit through it again. She said yes.

Twente says it was difficult finding musicians who only want to play Bob Dylan. "These guys who I’m with now have become real fans though. I have some really good musicians."

When asked about his mentors, Twente says he modeled himself after Bob Dylan. Having seen Dylan over 200 times in concert, he said "I always watched his stage persona.  There’s nobody cooler than that. Arlo Guthrie and Leon Russell influenced me and maybe Neil Young. These were my mentors. I’d include Robbie Robertson in that mix."

Hard Rain isn't Twente's only musical outlet. He's also in another classic rock band and does a lot of solo gigs.

When asked to name his favorite album he initially balked. It's not really possible to name one, though if forced he might concede Blood on the Tracks. His Dylan education began with the Greatest Hits and Freewheelin', but his "short list" of faves would include Time Out of Mind as well as Highway 61 Revisited, for sentimental reasons.

The group created some interesting playlists over the years. "What we used to do when we did a show, we’d figure out what album anniversary it was, for example of in September such and such was released. The first set would then be that album starting on track one all the way to the end."

Band Introductions
(Seasoned musicians all.)

Ray Greenfield 

Drummer. Only. No chewing bubble gum at the same time for this one :)

Playing snare since 3rd grade, a drum set since 1967. Experience with the following genres: Soul, R & B, Rock, Alt Rock, Blues, Country, Greek, Tribute, Original, Etc.

Bands previously worked with: 

Johnnie Johnson, Blues Express, Tight Squeeze, Mojo Syndrome, Threshold, Buffalo Bob & his Bedroom Blues Band, Soul Seekers, Mad, Mad Greeks, Wyndow, Etc.

Focused on dynamics & a wide range of acoustic drum sounds to bring Hard Rain's huge catalogue of Bob Dylan, Band, Traveling Wilburys & Wallflowers,Etc. to life. 

My best work always brings out the best in those I play music with. 

Doug Raymur 

Keyboards, Piano, Organ, Synthesizer, Accordion, Cello, Bass, and Guitar.

    Since 1964 has played in orchestras, musical theater, Big Bands, Dixieland, Klezmer, Western, Country (yes, there is a difference), Bluegrass, Rock bands, dance combos, studio sessions and backup for pop vocalists, basically anything Doug has been asked to play. 

    Has arranged and scored for orchestra, big band, musical theater, vocal accompaniment and recording sessions.

    Played first recording session in 1967 at Commercial Productions in Seattle and in 1978 formed Cascade Recording, a mobile 8-track recording company that laid the groundwork for a major new-age label of top artists. 

Mark Petri

    Based on musical experience and technical knowledge, accepted offers to run front of house sound and design and direct stage lighting at club and concert venues across North America, working with groups that had accumulated over 80 hits on Billboard’s Top 100, 16 of those in the Top 10 and 6 number 1 hits.

    Conducted seminars, classes and lectures on music and music technology and gave private instruction on piano and keyboard. Was selected as a keyboard coach for the earliest Yamaha Rock School.

Mark Petri 

Bass Player, Vocals

A band member with Michael Twente in 1980’s and 2000.

Bass player in worship band at his church. 

Joined Hard Rain in 2019

Lee Bowers 

Lead Guitar, Vocals

Joined Hard Rain in 2022

A multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Lee has played a combination of trombone, guitar, bass, mandolin, keyboards in bands since 1977, covering many styles of music from jazz, fusion, blues, rock, country and pop. Keyboards and guitar are his main focus now. He often seeks new opportunities to put himself in positions to improve on his musicality. He is currently lead guitar player for Hard Rain, a Bob Dylan related tribute band based in St Louis MO.

Michael Twente
Performing professionally since age 16.
Played in Top 40 / Classic Rock bands from 1970’s - ‘90’s. In 2002, he formed the Hard Rain - Bob Dylan Tribute Band. In 2016 the band evolved into Hard Rain - Bob Dylan & The Band Tribute Band, acknowledging the connection between both artists and incorporating songs by The Band into the set lists. In 2023, they once again evolved, this time into Hard Rain - All Things Dylan which includes songs by Traveling Wilburys, of which Bob Dylan was a member, and songs by The Wallflowers, fronted by Dylan’s son, Jakob Dylan. 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR SATURDAY MAY 20

Forging Community Dylangate Event, & Historic Armory and Self-guided Bob Dylan Sites in Duluth Tours
Tours at 10 AM and 10:45 AM
Armory Arts & Music Center Annex
1305 London Rd, Duluth
9:30 AM to 11:30 AM | Free

Heaven’s Door Bourbon and Whiskey Sampling Events
Come try Bob Dylan’s award-winning Tennessee Bourbon and Whiskeys
Available to purchase at both locations:

Cashwise Liquor                            Super One Liquor
625 Central Entrance                       208 N Central Ave.
Duluth MN 55811                            Duluth MN 55807
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM | Free Samples with Valid ID (must be 21)

Highway 61 Revisited Radio Show
The North 103.3 FM Streaming online at 5:00-6:00 PM | Free

Duluth Dylan Fest Kick Off Party
With music by Hard Rain – All Things Dylan
Earth Rider Festival Grounds
1617 N. 3rd St., Superior WI
7:00-10:00 PM | Tickets $5 to $40 Eventbrite

 

FULL SCHEDULE FOR 2023 DULUTH DYLAN FEST HERE

Can You Identify This Deathbed Painting That I Saw In Florence?

While in Florence I took several photos of this painting which I believed to be based on the death of Galileo. Unfortunately, I did not take a photo of the nameplate, so I am now unsure about the subject matter as well as the name of the artist. Can you help me?

While organizing my Italy photos I wanted to share that this was a painting of Galileo on his deathbed. I also wanted to be accurate, so I did some searches using Google Bard and Google Images. What I learned from Bard is that "there are no famous deathbed paintings in Florence, Italy. There are a few paintings that depict the death of Jesus, but they are not considered to be deathbed paintings. The most famous painting of the death of Jesus is the Pietà by Michelangelo, which is located in the Vatican City. The Pietà depicts the Virgin Mary mourning the death of her son, Jesus."

Thanks, Bard, but I think you're wrong.

Naturally I found this answer unsatisfactory, since I took these photos of the painting in question while in Florence, and the bearded man on his deathbed looks quite a bit like Galileo. Nevertheless, Bard also had this to say about the matter:

"The reason why there are no famous deathbed paintings in Florence is because the Renaissance artists were more interested in depicting the beauty of life than the ugliness of death. They wanted to create paintings that would inspire and uplift people, not paintings that would remind them of their own mortality."

I guess it makes sense. In short, the painting here is either not famous or not a deathbed scene, though my comeback would be that "if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is probably a duck."

I do like the drama that the artist has captured. And the manner in which the light makes this man's costume to appear to glow.

Maybe we'll find out who painted it and whom this story is all about. And maybe we won't. It's still a masterful piece of work. If you know who painted it, please let us know in the comments. 

Jeff Slate, Revisited -- Celebrating Dylan and More

I first interviewed Jeff Slate in the spring of 2019. Minnesota Dylan fans were still on a high regarding the release of Dylan's More Blood More Tracks, Volume 14 in the Bootleg Series, of which Slate wrote the extensive liner notes that accompanied this set. His considerable writing credits include work in such high-profile publications as The New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, Esquire and Rolling Stone. 

One gets the impression that his real joy comes from performing as a New York City-based musician. This coming Friday Jeff Slate and friends will be be celebrating Bob Dylan's 82 birthday at Hill Country Live! on 30 West 26th Street in the Big Apple. I suspect it will be another night to remember, with classic Dylan along with the deep cuts Slate likes to bring to the foreground. 

He'll then take it to the road, joining in on some of the action here during Duluth Dylan Fest, including a May 25 evening at Sacred Heart where he'll be joined by Mark Bosch. That particular event will open with Paul Metsa and Sonny Earl. (Details below)

EN: The last time we spoke was in 2019. A LOT has happened since that time including the pandemic as well as the opening of the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa. How did the pandemic impact you? Did you do more writing because performing venues were on hold?

Jeff Slate: Like everyone, I was hugely affected by the pandemic. And as a musician, I was out of work, at least until outdoor shows returned, midway through. In the meantime, I did about 50 online concerts, and recorded and released them. In fact, it was a 2-disc set, and the second disc was all Dylan covers. I also wrote and recorded a new album, The Last Day of Summer, which will be out later this year, with a bunch of my musician friends who were also sitting around with nothing to do. We then finished it up in person once the pandemic had eased up and everyone was vaccinated. I was also able to write about music, including some pieces about the effects on the industry with people like Jeff Tweedy, Jon Batiste and Brandi Carlile.

 

EN: What impressed you most about what you saw at the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa? 

JS: Wow, that's a hard one. I suppose the handwritten lyrics are the most special to me, as are little things like Dylan's 60s address book. But I think what impressed me most was the sheer volume and scale of what's there. We knew Dylan worked a lot and worked hard throughout his career, but seeing the breadth of that in real terms -- in all the many items they have from across his 60-plus year career -- really brought that home.

EN: You've had the privilege of getting to know quite a few important names in the music industry. Did you say that it was a chance meeting with Ringo of the Beatles that opened those doors? How did that come about? 

JS: I've had very good luck throughout my life and career of meeting good people -- and the right people, I guess -- at the right time. I met Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols when I was a teenager, and he named my first professional band. I met Pete Townshend in the early 90s and he and his brother Simon helped produce some recordings for me that helped launch me to a wider audience. But when the business changed in the mid 00s, and I had young children at home, I turned to writing about music to supplement my income. I had a pretty formidable Rolodex, and through Pete I had met Zak Starkey, Ringo's son, who drums for The Who. I had met Ringo through him a few times, so I was able to connect early on in my writing career. Once I'd interviewed him for Esquire, things really started to happen.

EN: You're performing at a May 19 Bob Dylan Birthday Bash in New York before joining us in Duluth. Is this a traditional event you've been part of or something new? Who's on the slate for that one? 

JS: We've been doing a birthday show here for nearly a decade. It started out as a show called Dylan Obscura, in which we'd do only songs that were deep cuts, or that Dylan hadn't played live in forever, or that he'd never even recorded. That morphed into a much broader themed show that celebrates his artistry and entire legacy. The band is great -- Mark Bosch from Mott the Hoople on guitar, who will be with me in Duluth, Johnny Pisano from Dylan's friend Willie Nile's band -- and we invite some of our favorite performers to do a few songs. It's about a three hour show, but honestly, with all the great songs to choose from, we could go on much longer.

EN: Who are the nicest people in show business that you've worked with or interviewed? 

JS: I know they say don't meet your heroes, but that simply hasn't been my experience. Obviously, everyone has their bad days, but even then you can tell that's all it is. If that's the case, and you're genuinely interested and sincere, more often than not they loosen up and enjoy the moment with you. So, there have been one or two memorable run-ins with stars I just didn't like, personally, but by and large everyone I've crossed paths with has been exceedingly gracious and kind.

EN: When Dylan wrote "Political World" he also wrote "Everything's Broken." Both songs were featured on Oh Mercy. What's the relationship between music and politics in your career? 

JS: (George, Paul, John and Ringo each went different directions on that rocky divide.) My first band were influenced by The Beatles and The Who and The Kinks and the Small Faces. But we soon discovered The Clash and The Jam, and that really changed the equation for me. John Lennon and Joe Strummer and Paul Weller and Bob Marley were each revolutionaries at heart, even though they were also pop stars. They didn't check their intellect or politics at the door, nor did they resort to dumbing things down to appeal to a broader audience. So, that's always been my model. Not to be that famous, necessarily, but to be true to myself and be honest about my feelings about the world, both in interviews and in my music. In the 00s that was probably less obvious, but during those lockdown shows I mentioned I spoke openly about my view of the world and even raised money for social justice causes that I thought were crucial to bettering the world around us. As always, whenever I opened my mouth, I'd get some hate mail. But the overwhelming response was remarkably supportive. Even the people who didn't 100% agree with me told me how much they appreciated my openness and honesty. Given the political climate we're all living in that was incredibly heartwarming.

  

EN: Bob Dylan's relationship with George Harrison seems to have been pretty special. What have you learned from writing about George that the average person might not know? 

JS: George really was a dark horse, as he called himself. He was open and inquisitive and funny but also didn't suffer fools. He was both Yin and Yang. He also, even among the other Beatles, grew incredibly over the course of his career and life. I guess that's obvious to most people, but I don't think it's appreciated enough because, as a Beatle, it was almost expected.

* * * 

Join us May 25 at Sacred Heart for An Evening with Jeff Slate

with Paul Metsa & Sonny Earl Opening
Sacred Heart Music Center
201 West Fourth Street, Duluth
7:00-9:00 PM | Tickets $15 in advance at Eventbrite

You can follow Jeff at https://jeffslatehq.com/

See the full Duluth Dylan Fest schedule here at 
https://duluthdylanfest.com/duluth-dylan-fest-2023/