Hokum Music

I played washboard, tenor banjo and sometimes a National plectrum in a little band called "The Hokum Scorchers" for many years. That's a kazoo mounted on the rack. We mostly played songs that were popular in the 1920's and 30's by artists such as: Papa Charlie Jackson, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Blake, The Memphis Jugband, Tampa Red, Memphis Minnie and countless others.

Wikipedia's definition of Hokum -
"Hokum is a particular song type of American blues music - a humorous song which uses extended analogies or euphemistic terms to make sexual inuendoes. This trope goes back to early blues recordings and is seen from time to time in modern American blues and blues-rock."
"Got out late last night, in the rain and sleet
Tryin' to find a butcher that grind my meat
Yes I'm lookin' for a butcher
He must be long and tall
If he want to grind my meat
'Cause I'm wild about my meat balls."
from Meat Balls, by Lil Johnson, recorded about 1937

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Interlude

It's Louise Brooks again in the tutu. I have been super busy lately painting for the Blab show and I don't have much time to really post anything.
The show itself is hush hush, so I won't be able to show you any sketches until after they put up their website. I am also supposed to paint for a Palm Springs show that opens the same day, Sept. 23, 2006. More on that later!

Shock-headed Peter or Der Struwwelpeter

One of my favorite children's books and a true inspiration to me is this 1920's version of the 1845 classic by Heinrich Hoffman, "Slovenly Peter".
Poems about naughty children with beautiful woodcut-style illustrations. This version is hand-colored. Read about Hoffman here:
"Der Struwwelpeter"

Two New Interviews, Amy Crehore

"Hula Hoop Blues" Copyright Amy Crehore 2005

In case you might have missed them, there are two new interviews with me online at:

Celebrity At Work

and

Art NYC

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Go See Scoop

This a hokum blog and I just have to mention Woody Allen's newest film, "Scoop". I agree with those critics who say it is his funniest film in years. And it's one of his best, I think. He plays a hilariously old-fashioned vaudeville-style magician. The gorgeous Scarlett Johansson is his comedic sidekick. Or maybe he is her sidekick. Very beautifully filmed with a great script. Hugh Jackman rounds out the great cast. A "perfect" little movie complete with it's surreal deathship. You'll have to go see it to find out what that is. I think England suits Woody.

As a side note, look what I just found! A blog about Woody's jazz band:

http://www.woodyallenband.com/blog/

I still have my autographed postcard from Michael's Pub in NYC signed by Woody himself many, many years ago.

Balthus, King of Cats

"Nude with Cat" 1949, copyright Balthus

A year or two ago, the Portland Art Museum sponsored a show of paintings from the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia. I was fortunate enough to get to see this painting by Balthus that I would never have seen otherwise. It certainly is one of my very favorites: the composition of angles, the spontaneity, the look on the girl's face, the unselfconscious pose, the delighted cat, the lighting and the solidity of the forms. It has it all.

Read the museum's description of Balthus and his art:

Balthus, National Gallery of Victoria

I did a tribute to Balthus maybe 5 or 6 years ago in a painting called

"Homage to the King of Cats" .

He's been an artistic inspiration for a long time now. A true original.

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Sketch for "Banana Eater"

Sketch for "Banana Eater" painting Copyright 2005 Amy Crehore

Here is the drawing (click on image to enlarge)

for the "Banana Eater" painting which

will be published in "Blab! 17" in Sept. 2006.

You can see the painting on the homepage of my website:

The Art of Amy Crehore

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