The Star Maker Machine blog does a great analysis of Joni Mitchell’s “Just Like This Train” from Court and Spark. 

[M]any of the train songs we’ve showcased this week rely on the insistent rhythm of the rails… but this one has an undertone of monotony and introspection and resignation, as the train chugs across the Canadian prairie

Jean Grand-Maitre, director of the Alberta Ballet, spoke with Vue Weekly about working out the choreography for “Ethiopia,” one of the new songs in the expanded ballet The Fiddle and the Drum. 

“I’m a lyrical choreographer,” he says. “African dance is not something that white people like me can do. It’s not in our blood.”

“We didn’t want to pretend to be African dancers,” he says. “We wouldn’t be able to rise to that occasion. So we took some of the basic African steps and transformed them, using some of our own vocabulary. We met half way—white man meets black man.

“It was interesting to see how the inspiration from African dance influenced my choreography to go in a direction I’ve never taken in my life,” he continues. “It was a big challenge, but everybody’s telling us now through the Prairie tour that it’s their favourite song in the whole ballet!”

The article also talks with Grand-Maitre about the other two additions to the show, “Woodstock” and “Shine”. Of the latter, he calls it a lullabye and says:

“But it’s a lullaby no child should hear. It’s about children in countries where bombs are falling,” says Grand-Maître. “But Joni also sings about the beauty of the world. It’s a very poetic and beautiful ballad.”

More at the link.

Defamer claims that the plywood house from James Taylor’s “Copperline” makes an appearance in a recent episode of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New York City“. A clip of the episode that highlights the house is included in the article. I haven’t seen the full episode so I’m not sure where they got that information, or if it’s even true. Or if I can even tolerate the show long enough to find out. Probably not.

The blogger Fudzail posts a 3-part article on meeting Yusuf Islam in Dubai. 

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

It ends ‘to be continued’ and a 4th part hasn’t appeared yet. Hopefully soon.

Yes, I’m still here. 

My schedule got really busy for a while there, and now I’ve got a lot of stories to catch up on. Bear with me, this could take a bit.

Thank you for hanging in there!

Playbill.com announces that Carly Simon will serve as one of the honorary chairs for Our Time Theatre Company’s 7th Annual Gala Benefit: Capturing History, Celebrating Dreams taking place on Monday, April 13, 2009. The even will take place at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in New York. 

Carly is joined by Muhammad Ali & Lonnie Ali, and Bill Cosby & Camille Cosby as honorary chairs. The event honors “world’s greatest” biographer and photographer Howard Bingham with an Our Times Award presented by actor Jeffrey Wright. The award honors Howard for being an inspiration for people who stutter.

Ticket prices range from $300 to $25,000.

YusufIslam.com announced today that Yusuf was back in Los Angeles last week to finish editing the music video for “Boots & Sand,” the first single off of his upcoming still-untitled album.

He also recorded a cover of “The Long and Winding Road,” originally heard on The Beatles’ Let It Be album from 1970, for an upcoming tribute album. He recorded the song with Paul McCartney’s touring band at The Jim Henson Company Lot, a studio that was once the home of A&M Records, where Yusuf (then Cat Stevens) would meet up with Carole King, the Carpenters and Herb Alpert. (Unfortunately, the site misspells Carole’s first name.)

CaroleKing.com announced last week that the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA) was introduced before the 111th Congress of the United States House of Representatives on Wednesday, February 11, 2009, by Carole King, Democratic Representative Carolyn Maloney from New York and Democratic Representative Raul Grijalva from Arizona. To support the NREPA, contact your Congress representative online here.

“NREPA protects land and water belonging to all Americans, mitigates the effects of global warming on species, saves taxpayers millions of dollars and creates jobs. If not now, when?” asked Carole King.

The complete text of the bill, which has been assigned the bill number of HR 980, can be read on Rep. Maloney’s website as a PDF file.

The entire press release from the Alliance for the Wild Rockies follows after the jump.

Carole King Joins Rep. Carolyn Maloney in Supporting the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act

WASHINGTON, DC, February 13, 2009 – Today, pop music legend Carole King joined Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) in announcing the introduction of the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA). NREPA would protect some of America’s most beautiful and ecologically important lands while saving taxpayers’ money and creating jobs.

“Many of America’s most precious natural resources and wildlife are found in the Northern Rockies,” said Rep. Maloney. “NREPA would help protect those resources by drawing wilderness boundaries according to science, not politics. NREPA would also help reduce global warming by protecting the corridors through which vulnerable wildlife can migrate to cooler areas.”

“I am proud to cosponsor this legislation to protect the Northern Rocky Mountains, one of America’s great natural areas,” said Rep. Grijalva. “A bold plan is needed to preserve and protect what remains of the Lewis and Clark legacy, and this bill would do just that.”

“NREPA protects land and water belonging to all Americans, mitigates the effects of global warming on species, saves taxpayers millions of dollars and creates jobs. If not now, when?” asked Carole King.

Grizzly bears, caribou, elk, bison, wolves, bull trout and salmon still thrive in the Northern Rockies. The bill seeks to safeguard both these species and the lands on which they live. The Northern Rockies is the only place in the lower 48 states where native species and wildlife are protected on lands that are virtually unchanged since Lewis and Clark saw them.

Michael Garrity, Executive Director of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies said, “NREPA creates 2300 badly needed jobs now by employing people to restore over a million acres of old clearcuts and remove old logging roads. NREPA also would formally designate as wilderness all 24 million acres of inventoried roadless areas in the Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, eastern Oregon and eastern Washington.”

The Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act:

*Designates as wilderness more than 23 million acres of ecosystems and watersheds in the Northern Rockies;

*Connects natural, biological corridors, ensuring the continued existence of native plants and animals and mitigating the effects of global warming;

*Restores habitat that has been severely damaged from roads that were built, creating more than 2,300 jobs and leading to a more sustainable economic base in the region;

*Keeps water available for ranchers and farmers downstream until it is most needed; and

*Eliminates subsidized development in the designated wilderness areas, saving taxpayers $245 million over a 10-year period.

Musician Chris Isaak spoke recently with the Las Vegas Review-Journal about his upcoming TV show “The Chris Isaak Hour”, which will debut on the Bio Channel on February 26.

For Isaak’s TV show, one of his interviews is with Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam, the often-assumed recluse star of the 1970s (“Wild World,” “Peace Train,” “Moon Shadow,” “Morning Has Broken”).

Stevens was vilified years ago after he was misquoted regarding a fatwa against “The Satanic Verses” author Salman Rushdie. Isaak puts to rest the assumption Stevens “isn’t doing interviews.”

“His people knew I was a big fan. Not only did he come on” for a TV interview, “he let me sing with him. And I even got him to sing one of his old songs, ‘I Love My Dog.’ “

There are a lot of misconceptions about Cat Stevens, Isaak says, because people don’t get to hear from him much.

“It wasn’t like he was weird. There wasn’t a vibe that he wouldn’t laugh or joke. He laughs and jokes. He’s got a sense of humor.”

(Thanks to SuzieQ.)

Speaking of “Peace Train,” a brief interview with Yusuf appears in the March/April 2008 issue of AARP Magazine, where he talks about recently updating the lyrics to his classic song.

“I rewrote those lyrically recently,” says Yusuf 60, at home in London. “It goes: ‘How long has this peace train been gone?…. how long must this world wait for you?”

AARP puts most of their print content online, but unfortunately this article has yet to make it online. Fortunately, Christine at the Majicat Message Board has transcribed it right here. Thank you Christine!