Custer’s Brother’s Horse

I’m a bit behind in my posts here.  I had the opportunity to narrate this book some time ago but just hadn’t gotten this together until now.   By “this book” I mean, of course, Custer’s Brother’s Horse by Edwin Shrake.

As you may know, Edwin “Bud” Shrake was a journalist and screenwriter as well as a novelist.  During his career Mr. Shrake spent some 15 years writing for Sports Illustrated.  He authored a number of non-fiction works, including a biography of his friend Willie Nelson and a series of books about golf with Harvey Penick.   Custer’s Brother’s Horse was Edwin Shrake’s last novel, having been preceded by Blood Reckoning,  But Not For Love, Blessed McGill, Strange Peaches, Peter Arbiter, Limo (with Dan Jenkins), Night Never Falls, The Borderland: A Novel of Texas, and Billy Boy.

I have to admit that when I saw the title of the book, I wasn’t really sure what to expect.  I hadn’t read any of Shrake’s previous novels.  I found it quite interesting.  The characters he populated the story with were very diverse – from a stoic Texas scion to a colorful British adventurer to a beautiful young New Orleans soothsayer.  And those were just the three that were traveling together!  Of course, the time in which this story is set was a very interesting one for Texans, and Shrake does a good job of providing and then using the historical context into which he places his characters.

Here is a brief synopsis -

A young Confederate captain with a grisly past as a cavalry raider in Tennessee is on his way home to his family plantation north of Houston in the last days of the Civil War. In Austin, Capt. Jerod Robin is accused of murder and is thrown into the stockade by U.S. Army Capt. Santana Leatherwood, a Texan whose family has feuded bitterly for decades with the Robin family. In the stockade Robin meets British novelist and adventurer Edmund Varney, in Austin to write the life story of Lt. Tom Custer, heroic younger brother of famous General George Armstrong Custer. Varney is charged with attempting to steal Tom Custer’s legendary warhorse, Athena, upon whose back Custer recently won two Congressional Medals of Honor. The two prisoners stand trial beside a 16-year-old mulatto girl, Flora Bowprie, who has come from New Orleans searching for her father but has been arrested as a runaway slave. Homicidal events cause the rebel captain, the British author and the young fortuneteller to flee from a Cavalry squad led by Santana Leatherwood and Tom Custer, mounted on his great Arabian horse. The story races to the inevitable showdown between the Robins and Leatherwoods, two families on opposite sides in the Civil War. But, before the final confrontation Jerod Robin hears a dark accusation about his birth and his mother that lends a special ferocity to the showdown. Then the story of “Custer’s Brother’s Horse” takes a surprising twist. This is a horse for the ages.

Southern Comfort Food?

I have so many things I want to post, but I’ll start with this because it’s fairly quick.

Has anybody seen the commercial from eDiets that’s been running recently?  There may be more than one, of course.  This one is running on Comcast cable.  I couldn’t find it on YouTube or I would have embedded it to clarify.  Anyway, I think that it’s largely a decent commercial as these testimonial ads go.  It is upbeat and positive in tone, and the people come across as regular folks even if they’re actors.  Don’t know if they’re actors, but actors ARE real people and have weight struggles, too.

Like I said, it really is pretty OK as a commercial.  But – you knew there was one of those coming, right?  One of the women who has slimmed down and is excited about her svelter self  identifies herself as being “from the South.”   So far, so good.  Then she confesses that as a Southerner she “loves her comfort food.”  Yep, I understand that.   My family is from the South.  Later in the ad, however, as the people testifying list their big temptations, Ms. Southerner says “lasagne” is her downfall.

Say what?!?  I grew up eating Southern comfort food, and lasagne was not in the mix.  My family considered  lasagne to be Italian food.  We had it sometimes, sure.  But, again, we considered it Italian, and I’m pretty sure it is still considered an Italian dish by most people around the world!   So how did it become Southern comfort food?

My opinion?  The editor or director or whoever should have caught that and made a change.  Am I being overly critical?  I don’t think so.  My point is that the messages within the ad should be consistent.  I know this isn’t high art, but it is a professional piece of advertisement.  There were people paid good money to create the commercial.  Thus, I think it should be internally consistent.

Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson: What A Great Idea!

A few days ago I had to take a very long drive by myself.  After a few hours on the road, I invariable turn to the radio.  The fact that I don’t know what to expect in the song lineup keeps me more aware and focused while the miles pass by.  And it gives me the added benefit of hearing music I might not otherwise hear.  Ya know?

Anyway, one of the stations I landed on announced a new give-away promotion they’d be doing for tickets to see Maroon 5 & Kelly Clarkson in concert.  Holy crap!  I just about jumped out of my seat.  But I was driving at about 70 mph, so I didn’t.  Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson?!  Who thought that one up?  Cause whoever did came up with a GREAT idea.

In my opinion Kelly Clarkson is probably one of the best voices in the music industry today.  And she’s building a public repertoire that is broader than just light radio pop.  We all know she can do more because of all the crazy things they made her sing on American Idol.  Right?  And for their part, Maroon 5 is currently flexing it’s muscles in the pop arena with two solid hits from their last album, “Overexposed,” following closely on the big success of the “Moves Like Jagger” re-release with Christina Aguilera.  When you listen to their CDs, you note that they also have a wider reach musically than just enjoyable radio rock and pop.  Much of their stuff is clearly jazz influenced – which I like.

The dates for the Honda Civic Tour begin on August 1 in St. Louis and end in early October.  Openers at various locales include Rozzi Crane, Tony Lucca, & PJ Morton.   I think this is going to be one awesome pairing for audiences.  And, no, I’m not going to apologize for being excited about this.  My own music may be more Americana, but I have no qualms about applauding good music and good live performance in any genre.

BTW, general tickets for the tour go on sale tomorrow – April 6!

What’s In A Name: Ripper Street

Ripper Street, BBC’s winter 8-episode series is a surprisingly good show.  Even so, I think the title is awful.

I saw the title pop up on my on-screen cable guide back in January when the show first aired in the U.S. on BBC America.  I passed it by very quickly.  “How many times can they trot out that old horse about Jack the Ripper – seriously!! ” That was my gut reaction to the show’s title.  It didn’t make me want to see or hear anything else about it.

But then I had a couple of days off work and some time to kill.  Of course, when I went to spend some of that time chilling in front of the TV, I found there was very little I was truly interested in seeing.  So I started surfing the on-demand listings and ran across Ripper Street once again.  Since the on-demand episodes were included (i.e. free) in my cable package, I decided to give one a try.  After all, I could very easily stop it and choose something else.  No skin off my nose.  And I’m glad I did give it a try!

I’ll admit, the show’s premise does put it in the same basic time period as the Ripper murders in London’s Whitechapel area (but a few months after).  So the title serves to give you an immediate sense of time and place.  And the plot does pull in references to Jack the Ripper as various murders occur on the streets of London.  [Good grief, I'm making their case for them!]  But, in my opinion, what is best about the show is the REST of the story.  There are other crimes occurring – like abductions and human trafficking, for instance.  And the characters – police detectives, an American medical examiner, a brothel madame and the mistress of an orphanage, etc. – have a real sense of humanity to them.  They are gritty but not so horribly mired in the muck of debauchery and vice and dark side of the human soul that one can’t feel empathy for them.  Of course, that is partly a result of good acting, but I have to compliment the writers, too.

According to the available material, the series stars Matthew Macfadyen as Detective Inspector Edmund Reid, Jerome Flynn as Detective Sergeant Bennett Drake and Adam Rothenberg as American Captain Homer Jackson.  You have probably seen Matthew Macfayden in one of his many accomplished appearances – on MI5, in Pride & Prejudice, in Little Dorritt, etc.  I like him in this series, too.  Adam Rothenberg – whose character is a former Pinkerton agent and erstwhile U.S. Army surgeon who serves as the medical examiner for DI Reid – does a fine job as well.  But I am very impressed with Jerome Flynn’s work here.  I mentioned that the characters are gritty.  I think Flynn’s look, his physicality and his character choices make Drake the most interesting piece on the chess board.  I enjoy Drake even when his job is just to react to what the rest of the characters are doing.

And let’s not forget the supporting cast – in particular the ladies.  There is MyAnna Buring who is good as Long Susan, the madame of the local brothel and love interest for Adam Rothenberg’s character.  And there is Lucy Cohu who turns in a very compelling performance as Deborah Goren, mistress of the local orphanage.  Goren is a strong, admirable woman ready to take in new charges even when it creates difficulties for her.  Yet she is not just some long-suffering martyr.  She is a real person with an active set of personal needs and desires.  For example, we are made privy to some of Goren’s inner life when she heartily kisses Reid (a married  man) back in one episode.  While I’m in no way, shape or form endorsing adultery, I appreciate a) Lucy Cohu’s ability to beautifully portray a character that is at times selfless yet has needs and desires of her own and b) the writers’ abilities to put together stories that allow us to learn about their characters beyond the superficial – beyond just their functional role in the machine.

Lucy Cohu as Deborah Goren

Of course, at it’s heart this is a crime drama, so each episode presents the team with a new one to solve.  Some pull us back to the Ripper theme and others are completely separate mysteries that the H Division (homicide) must get to the bottom of.

I’m happy to say that I understand the show has been renewed for a second season of 8 episodes set to begin filming this year and airing in 2014.  I feel like the whole cast, crew and creative team have come together in a great way here.  I look forward to seeing what more they have in store for us from the streets of London (Whitechapel) in the late 1800′s.  I suppose they were Ripper streets, but I STILL don’t like the name!

The 9 Songwriter Series @ Iota

This is going to be one awesome night of music!

Join Justin Trawick, Joe Peck, Jim Shirey, David Farah, Wes Tucker, Jason Masi, Nita Chawla, Jason Ager, and Joe Rathbone for a rousing evening of outstanding tunes.   Just $10 at the door.  Be there!

Founded in 2008 by singer/songwriter Justin Trawick, “The 9 Songwriter Series”is a touring live music event based in Washington, DC.  Each installment features nine solo singer/songwriters performing in rotation and often sitting in with each other -providing audiences with a rich, intimate, varied listening experience.

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children

In recent narration projects I’ve gone from Jepp to Lemony Snicket and now Miss Peregrine and her charges.  Not a bad run of books aimed at younger readers.  The LOC annotation says this book written by first-time author Ransom Riggs is intended for senior high and older.  So, that includes me, right?

I think so!  Because I enjoyed this book very much.  I’ve always liked stories that step outside the bounds of what we collectively believe to be reality into the realm of “what might be.”  You want to call that fantasy?  OK!  But the trick to writing a story like this is stepping over the line without stretching the story’s credulity so far that the thread binding the reader to his or her own willing suspension of disbelief is pulled to the breaking point.  I know that may be different for different readers.

For me, I have to say that Mr. Riggs did a nice job in putting together characters that I wanted to care about so that I stayed invested in this very entertaining tale. For example, his young protagonist Jacob Portman is a fully modern teenager with the attendant social angst, complex family relationships, and even a therapist to help him through tough times.

Does Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children break new ground?  No.  As many before him, Ransom Riggs borrows from old world folklore to support his plot devices and “unusual” characters.  But he does it successfully.

I understand that there will be a sequel.  That’s good news!  In addition, it appears a movie based on this book is in the works.  Those involved reportedly include 20th Century Fox, producers Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, and Jenno Topping, screenwriter Jane Goldman (adapting the book into a screenplay), and director Tim Burton.  Whoever does it, I look forward to the movie.

Here’s a quick snippet from the book jacket -

A mysterious island.  An abandoned orphanage.  And a strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience.  As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.  As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here—one of whom was his own grandfather—were more than just peculiar.  They may have been dangerous.  They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason.  And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

Check out this trailer for the book (directed by Ransom Riggs) which may give us some ideas about the movie project under development.

Justin Trawick at Iota

Back on Jan. 26, I went to see Justin Trawick share a set at the ever-popular bar and music venue Iota in Arlington.  Thought I’d share a quick report.

Justin is a much sought-after independent singer/songwriter in the DC area for good reason.  First, Justin writes very good music.  You want proof?  His song “All the Places that I’ve Been” got a Silver Award in this year’s Mid-Atlantic Song Contest (which has entries from everywhere, not just the Mid-Atlantic U.S.)   Second, Justin puts together a good set list.  For that you can take my word or – better yet – attend one of his shows to judge for yourself.  But seriously, a good set list is important because any good performer wants to bring the audience along on a musical journey.  Justin does that very well.  Finally, Justin is a good entertainer.  I believe that when a group of people devotes their evening to come see and hear someone share his or her music, an artist needs to bring more to the table than just pretty songs.  Justin has a likeable delivery of between-song chatter that keeps the audience interested, engaged and entertained.

You can find more on Justin by clicking through here — Justin Trawick.  He is also founder, organizer and host of the traveling  “9 Songwriter Series” in which Justin invites 9 songwriters to share a few of their original tunes in a showcase format.  You should check that out too!

 

Who Could That Be … ?

Lemony Snicket: Who Could That Be at This Hour?

I have to say that I always enjoy narrating kids books.  They don’t always come my way because so many are more appropriately voiced by female narrators.  But when I get one, I like the fun characters that children’s books allow me to inhabit.  So I was really psyched when I was given my latest project – a book by the incredibly popular Lemony Snicket.

You know what?  This is my first Lemony Snicket book!  I did see the 2004 movie, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  But not having read the other books, I wasn’t sure what to expect.   Well … this book is fun.  It has some crazy shennanigans.  And you can never tell exactly what’s up because “the map is not the territory.”  And everyone – esp. Lemony – keeps asking the wrong questions.  But that’s what keeps us in suspense.

Here is a brief teaser from Lemony Snicket himself -

In a fading town, far from anyone he knew or trusted, a young Lemony Snicket began his apprenticeship in an organization nobody knows about. He started by asking questions that shouldn’t have been on his mind. Now he has written an account that should not be published, in four volumes that shouldn’t be read ….

The 2004 movie is an adaptation of the first 3 books in the A Series of Unforunate Events series and follows the Beaudelaire orphans.  Just in case you missed it, you can watch the trailer below.

How You Say It Matters, I’d Say

There are many people who want to break into the voice-over and narration business.  As a narrator myself, I can honestly say that I definitely understand that desire.  LOL

Fundamentals

Like any form of art, of course, narration has certain fundamentals which must be practiced in order for it to be GOOD narration.   A lot of people seem to think that vocal tone, inflection, and modulation are the only important elements to successful narration.  But there is one basic element that I find many voice-over projects seem to let slide – to their detriment.

What’s is it?  Correct pronunciation!  Yes, just a quick check of a dictionary is all it takes to make sure you’re saying a word or a name the way it should be said.  And yet so many seem to skip this step.

Credibility Counts

A voice-over artist must be credible in order to hold his or her audience.  Take, for instance, the flak our former President took over his mispronunciation of the word nuclear.  I’m talking about President Bush, here.  Every time he said that word, he pronounced it NOO-kyoo-ler.  But the correct pronunciation is NOO-klee-er.  Yes, the former is used by many people.  And it probably wouldn’t have been a big deal to anybody if it weren’t for the fact that he was in charge of so many nuclear devices.  So people had the expectation that he was an authority on the matter and should pronounce the word correctly.  It didn’t affect his ability as a President or politician or statesman.  But he lost some credibility as a result of pronunciation or mispronunciation.

Same holds true in narration and voice-over.  But your audience hasn’t voted you into your position.  You haven’t yet earned their confidence, so you have to prove that you deserve it.  If you – the voice-over artist – don’t take the time to find out the proper pronunciation of the words (be they everyday words or technical terms or proper names) that you are recording, you have not done a good job.  It doesn’t matter how great you sound.

A New World Pronunciation

I was recently channel surfing while waking up on a weekend morning.  OK, I was eating my cereal and watching TV.  Anyway, I came across one of those shows dedicated to exploring and explaining certain geologic facts.  There was an off-camera narrator, a main expert or host we were following, and various other guest experts who weighed in on this or that.   Within the first 5 minutes of my watching (and listening), the narrator pronounced the Missouri town of New Madrid as New muh-DRID instead of New MA-drid.  He said it several times in a row.  And then … one of the guest experts was featured in a clip pronouncing it correctly.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only word he mispronounced.  So I changed the channel.  I was initially interested in hearing what the producer of this show wanted to share.  But within 5 minutes, the narrator lost me.  Worse still – for the narrator – that show is a permanent record of his work.

A Caveat or Two

In defense of narrators … First and foremost, we are all human.  That means we will make mistakes from time to time.  Secondly, I know that time is money in the studio.  It’s possible that a producer or director won’t hand a voice actor his or her full and final script until they’re at the studio.  So maybe the narrator mentioned above did his best under the circumstances.  Thirdly, perhaps (unlikely though it seems) the producer or director instructed that narrator how to say those mispronounced words.   Even so, it is very rare that a voice actor doesn’t have the script at least a day or more in advance.  That’s plenty of time to identify the words that need looking up and to check the reference section of the local library or available online sources.  Sometimes a word – esp. in the case of proper names – is truly not to be found.  But it’s in a narrator’s own self interest to at least try.

One last point: where there’s a rule there are always exceptions.   There are definitely times when following commonly used pronunciation is preferable over using the dictionary version.  If, for instance, the narration is for a popular culture piece, common usage may be better.  If the voice-over artist is reading dialogue in which the character is not well educated, wouldn’t take care in his or her pronunciation (a child, perhaps), has a clearly defined accent, then common usage or even vernacular is likely more appropriate.  But the script,  producer or director should give clear guidance in those instances.  If you are narrating a non-fiction, instructional piece, however   …  well, enough said.

Note:  The dictionary graphics used as illustrations for this post were chosen at random.  I am not endorsing any particular reference source.  You should use what’s best for the job at hand.

Playin’ At Ireland’s Four Courts

Played a mixed set of covers and originals as the “featured performer” at Ireland’s Four Courts last night.  They have an open mic there hosted by singer/songwriter Brian Franke every Tuesday.  The music starts at 8 p.m, and they break it up with a featured act for an hour in the middle.  I was joined by the inimitable Jim Gormley on percussion and the awesome Matthew Leonard on bass.

There was quite a lively bunch there for our set last night.  I have to give a shout out to Al K, Cheryl, Heather, Patrick, Sadie, Lawrence & Steve for coming out and bringing friends, too.  Also, kudos to Jeff Campagna of Jeterband who did a great short set just before us and brought out his own posse of friends and supporters.

If you’ve never been to Ireland’s Four Courts, you should get yourself on out for a pleasant evening some night soon.  The food’s good; there’s plenty of tasty beverages available; the folks are friendly; and it’s right across the street from the Courthouse Metro stop at 2051 N Wilson Blvd in Arlington.

UPDATE:

Here’s a picture that Mercedes Mill took of us making music.  AND, we evidently made a good impression, because we’re being invited back for a return gig.  Keep your eyes peeled for dates!