Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 5, 2011

10

ARTS & ENTERTAIMENT

 Mountain Views News Saturday, February 5, 2011 


Oneness: The Destination You Never Left by 
John Greven

The intent of this book is to look afresh at 
ones daily experience, to point to something 
that the mind may have overlooked. It is not 
pointing to anything new, anything that you can 
achieve, or anything you can add to yourself. It 
is not pointing to 
the good deeds you 
have done in your 
life to emphasize 
what a wonderful 
person you must 
be. It is pointing 
to something so 
simple, something so 
obvious, that when it 
is pointed out and 
seen, you wonder 
how it was ever 
missed. How is it 
the mind could have 
taken something so 
obvious for granted? How did the mind so easily 
toss out the valuable jewel in favor of its reflections? 
You may have been searching for self-realization, 
enlightenment, the Buddha Mind, God, or some 
other goal implying the same thing. You may 
have been searching for many years; or you may 
just be getting started on a search. Whether you 
have been traveling a path for a while, or just 
taking the first step, makes no difference. This 
book invites you to take a look at the space that 
has been overlooked, to see what is obvious, 
and to bring that search to an end. right now.
Asthma-Free Naturally: Everything You 
Need to Know About Taking Control of Your 
Asthma--Featuring the Buteyko Breathing 
Method Suitable for Adults and Children 
by Patrick G. 
McKeown

This is a very 
effective program 
for adults and 
children which 
presents the 
revolutionary 
Buteyko breathing 
method. Patrick 
McKeown is a 
former chronic 
asthma sufferer who 
went on to become 
one of the very few 
accredited Buteyko 
practitioners in 
Britain. The Buteyko breathing method is the 
single most effective self-help treatment for 
asthma and can be used by adults and children. 
With this program, asthma sufferers can: stop 
persistent attacks and coughing / reduce their 
dependency on medication / unblock nose 
naturally with a simple exercise / prevent attacks 
during sports / explain breathing exercises to 
a child / learn about diet, sleeping and other 
lifestyle factors!


SEAN’S SHAMELESS 

MUSIC REVIEWS

The Book Report

One of the 
first prolific 
albums of 2011 
has arrived. 
Destroyer’s 9th 
studio album, 
“Kaputt”, is 
nothing anyone 
would have 
anticipated 
from craftsman 
Dan Bejar. 
Perhaps the hardest working and most diverse 
musician in the independent rock world, Bejar 
has created an album unlike anything you’ve 
probably heard in the past ten years. Saxophones, 
conga drums, flutes, and trumpets pervade within 
all nine dazzling tracks. Musical influences are 
all over the place. Ranging from Bowie to Steely 
Dan, it’s easy to imagine such an album coming 
out in the late 70s or early 80s. Hardcore fans 
may be somewhat on the fence embracing Bejar’s 
new sound choices and that would be an absolute 
shame. A complete departure from his previous 
material, “Kaputt” is the singer/ songwriter/ 
musical engineer’s finest work to date. 

Glossy, new wave, retro, and even jazzy, 
“Kaputt” is pure 80s velvetiness. However, it’s 
not another replica of wannabe 80s inspired 
tunes from a contemporary band with a taste 
of nostalgia. The lyrics are sophisticated yet 
complicated and outspoken. The listener gets 
a real sense of comfort hearing Bejar’s smooth 
vocals. However, you can still feel the pain, 
envision the tragedy, but contain a belief in 
the optimism throughout. This is a rare album 
where not only do the words tell a story, but the 
instruments speak as well. The arrangements of 
these songs are powerful, boisterous, and often 
magical. You get lost and found emotionally with 
every song. Bejar’s dialect is very eclectic. He’s an 
uncommon storyteller with an enigmatic writing 
style. This may raise concern for new listeners, 
while it still remains entirely intriguing for long-
term fans. After carefully listening to the album 
in its entirety, it is inevitable to discover that each 
track brings something unique to the table. The 
content of the record is a completely outlandish 
creation. 

Despite the earlier references to other artists, 
“Kaputt” feels organic, intensely curious, but still 
remarkable and untamed. For the music of 2011, 
it might be rare to find something this worthwhile 
to cling onto. I’m at the point where I’m starting 
to lose all hope in mainstream music because 
at the end of the day, the songs that top the 
sales charts feel soulless, empty, and artificially 
manufactured. There is no defining sound to this 
era we live in. On the contrary, Destroyer helps 
me believe that music can once again be thought 
provoking, rapturous, and deeply personal. With 
that being said, I won’t expect to hear another 
album quite like this for a really long time. 

Key Tracks: “Suicide Demo for Kara Walker”, 
“Kaputt”, “Downtown”

Rating: 9.5 out of 10 


Sean Kayden

GROUCHO by Frank Ferrante 

Coming to Sierra Madre February 13! 

Bring the Family!

Frank, Ferrante, 
Sierra Madre native, 
will recreate his New 
York, London and 
PBS performance 
triumph, An Evening 
with Groucho, a one 
man show packed with 
comedy, songs, stories 
and inspired audience 
interaction.

 Newsday named 
Ferrante a “Wonderful 
Groucho” and 
enthusiastic reviews 
from the Chicago 
Tribune called 
Ferrante’s renditions, 
“Nothing short of 
Masterful…” and the 
New York Times called 
him “Artful… Mr. 
Ferrante’s timing is 
digital sharp…”

 Ferrante, an award 
winning actor, director 
and playwright 
portrays the legendary 
comedian, Groucho 
Marx, in a fast paced, 
two act, family friendly 
benefit show on Sunday 
afternoon, February 
13 at St. Rita Church’s 
O’Malley Hall.

 An alumnus of both 
St. Rita Elementary and 
LaSalle High School, is donating his performance to the hometown crowd as a benefit for St. Rita’s. 
He will be accompanied by pianist, Jim Furmston.

 Appropriate for ages 6-106, why not enjoy a hilarious, family Valentines celebration with an afternoon 
of comedy and wit from the legendary Groucho Marx, and his television show of a generation past? 

 One performance only… Sunday, February 13 at 2 p.m. in St. Rita Church’s O’Malley Hall, corner of 
N. Baldwin and Grandview, in Sierra Madre. Advance tickets available at St. Rita Church office, 50 
E. Alegria or at the door. Adults: $20; Children: $10; Senior over 65: $15. For more information, call 
the parish office at 626-355-1292 or visit www.St-Rita.org


A HEAD START ON CELEBRATING VALENTINE’S 
DAY…WITH SONGS!

Pasadena Master Chorale will present “Songs of Love” on February 12 and February 13

PASADENA, Calif. Writer Sidonie-Gabrielle 
Colette – more familiarly known simply as 
“Colette,” the author of the novel, Gigi – once 
wrote, “Music is love in search of a word.” 
Music lovers seeking a way to celebrate the most 
romantic holiday of the year with something 
other than flowers and chocolate will have an 
opportunity to get a head start on Valentines 
Day when the Pasadena Master Chorale (PMC) 
presents “Songs of Love” on February 12 at 
7:30 p.m. and February 13 at 4 p.m. at Altadena 
Community Church in Altadena.

Twenty members of the Pasadena Master 
Chorale will perform an array of works depicting 
love in all its guises. On the program are 
Reincarnations by Samuel Barber, Just as the Tide 
was Flowing by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Dirait-
on by Morten Lauridsen, and Make Our Garden 
Grow by Leonard Bernstein. The chamber 
ensemble will also present two works by Pasadena 
Master Chorale’s Artistic Director, Jeffrey 
Bernstein – Pablo Neruda in Love and Tonight I 
Can Write… Pianist Chip Colvin, whose musical 
‘repertoire’ extends beyond the playing the piano 
to working as a choral conductor, music director, 
soloist and singer, will make his debut appearance 
with PMC as accompanist.

“Music is essentially an emotional language,” 
Bernstein explains. “So what better than a 
concert of music devoted to that most universal 
and intense of emotions: love? ‘Songs of Love’ is 
an intimate concert featuring pieces that explore 
different aspects of love – romantic love, love and 
loss, love and friendship, even narcissistic love – 
and the poems that inspired these compositions.”

Tickets for “Songs of Love” are reasonably 
priced at $20 and may be purchased by visiting 
the Pasadena Master Chorale’s website, www.
pasadenamasterchorale.org, through any 
Chorale member, or at the door. Complete details 
on concerts, ticket prices and venue locations 
can be found on the website as well. Recorded 
information is available by phone at 626.208.0009.

Altadena Community Church is located at 943 
East Altadena Drive in Altadena (91101).

February 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Altadena 
Community Church

February 13 at 4 p.m. at Altadena Community 
Church

ABOUT CHIP COLVIN

Having recently graduated from USC with his 
Masters degree in Keyboard Collaborative Arts, 
pianist Chip Colvin maintains an active musical 
life as an accompanist, teacher, choral conductor, 
music director, soloist, and singer. Recent 
engagements include performing Beethoven’s 
Choral Fantasy with Pasadena Pro Musica, Music 
Directing Bat Boy, Oklahoma!, & Urinetown 
among others, and performing in a production 
of Amahl and the Night Visitors in the historic 
Pasadena Playhouse. This is Chip’s debut with 
the Pasadena Master Chorale and he is thrilled 
to collaborate with such an excellent ensemble.