Alan Dundes (1934-2005)

alan dundes was my professor for anthro 160: an introduction to folklore, fall 2003. i initially despised the class and its content, slept in class and was a lazyass till i got a D- on the first midterm. i started reading the books (mainly his), started attending every class, started deciphering the knowledge residing within this man, and realized like many before and after me, that this man's a genius.

when i came home a few weeks back and andrea told me Dundes had collapsed while lecturing during class, i knew one of the greats had passed. this man defined his genre. re-defined Foklore to include not just the activities and cultural nuances of the rich, white, and privileged, but for all people of all races of all backgrounds. he published over 250 articles worldwide, with over 50 books published, along with countless field work missions that have lead to discoveries unheard of in the world study of anthropological folklore. the man was a machine, almost like MacNamara, when it came to remembering everything. when students asked questions, he had 2 lectures worth of answers stuffed in his swagger he did around the lecture hall, all hunched over, an almost perpetual ritual done to articulate everything he had to say. his folklore project he assigns for the class turns the student into an anthropologist, integrating ourselves within the material, leaving many changed forever. doing 80 pages about folklore regarding the backgrounds of your friend's and family is intense for any class, but he made it interesting and worthwhile. and he graded all of the projects himselves, each one averaging 60-100 pages worth of strict data. an old school academic at his best.

the reception for him at i-house was packed last friday, mainly with older friends and colleagues from all over the world (a sea of gray-haired heads), but there was also a strong presence of students who took his class, even those who hadn't but had read his work elsewhere. laura nader was moving. and as one old friend said, "a giant has fallen today."

thanks for letting me be a student.

more info on Dundes:::and :::

Common "Be"

i can't say enough about this album. Common's first big release since 2003's "Electric Circus" which, though it has it's moments ("Star *69" ps with love w/ prince is still bumped on the regular), this new album "Be" has been called his return to the '94 Common backpackers and kufi wearers alike have name-dropped repeatedly.

first off, the production. 9 out of the 11 tracks on the album are produced by Kanye West, who also features/sings-the-hooks on most of those tracks. The other two are produced by Jay Dee. yes, only 11 tracks, a far cry from the epic "like water for chocolate." This is what I guess you can refer to as the "innervisions" syndrome, which is making a dope album a very limited number of songs that all supposedly bang really hard ("innervisions" is only 8 tracks and a classic). The Roots tried this with "The Tipping Point", but I think Common gets the closest to it with "Be"

secondly, the lyrics. it is classic Common, lots of word play, lots of witty little pauses within his verses. but the key difference between "Be" and "Resurrection": he's a grown ass man and recognizes it, a la Mos Def. this is Common riding dope beats at his best - relaxed, confident, sarcastic, playful. Just peep the third verse on "The Corner" or the whole second verse of "Love Is" - even the most Jans Sport of backpackers will agree that he's fucking killing it.

Kanye always talks about the 'resurgance of the soul sounds'. "college dropout" had it at times, John Legend's "Get Lifted" definitely carried it, but i think "Be" truely embodies this sound. The tone of Common's voice, the way he rides the beats (some of Kanye's best and most original and soulful), and just the vibe of this album is just FUN - a word hip hop NEVER talks about these days. You'll be smiling, head knodding, and pop lockin all in one.

favorite tracks:
the opening track "Be" - best beat i've heard in a while.
"Go" - kanye's version of Pharrell's "let's get blown" - fun as shit.
"Faithful" - Bilal actually makes sense with John Legend's harmony
"Love Is" - Common kills.
"They Say" - John Legend at his best.

May 24th, 2005. Buy it, or Common will have to keep on selling hats.

- see you at the moon tower. alright alright alright.

applied for an internship at florida state university, rejected. blaahhh. Plan B is applying for an internship in DC for all summer...reassembling confidance.

spent the weekend in West Chester, PA - voluntarily, suprisingly. College Nationals was a blur at night and a headache in the day, but overall a damn good time. Hampshire, Michigan, Rice, and UC Santa Cruz, plus NYC heads are all great to see. Berkeley got beat in the semi's. We ate a lot of pizza. 6 dollar large cheese. mmm.

Jigsaw's first gig with Intersection of the Arts in SF went very well. sold chapbooks to artsy fartsy SF residents who dress really nice. May 10 is the next show. Post-SF-co-op-debauchery ensued as always.

JIGSAW COLLECTIVE
CHAP BOOK OUT NOW!
"This shit is mad ill son, cop wuht ya need, ya hear?!? holler!" - funk flex
$5
info:::


Fat Joe "So Much More"
Kelly Clarkson "Since You Been Gone"
(fuck it, both these songs fucking rule suckas)