Back in the 14th century, poet/composer Guillume de Machaut is said to have described the pipe organ as “the king of instruments.” He had no idea that in two short centuries his descendent composers would begin to replace Pythagorean tuning with the early forms of the equal-tempered scale. He likewise would have had no way of imagining the rise of modern harmony that resulted, much less the explosion of instrumental music that would launch the Baroque era and dominate Western European music for centuries to come. If he had, Guillaume would be forced to concede that the concert grand piano is the true king of instruments.
R.I.P., Santa Cruz ScripTease
Fourteen years of awkward glances and squirming audiences are coming to a close, and the six improv-ers behind Santa Cruz’s ScripTease are putting their several layers of underoos back on for good.
Endorsements: Santa Cruz Board of Education Area 1
Santa Cruz Weekly recommends former Santa Cruz teacher George Martinez for Santa Cruz County Board of Education.
Ghost Riding in Santa Cruz
Author Jeff Dwyer has done his homework when it comes to Santa Cruz hauntings. The dead are accessible to humans of all ages, and the North Bay writer’s Ghost Hunter’s Guide to Monterey and California’s Central Coast (Spirit Publishing, 2010) holds tantalizing tidbits for anyone tired of celebrating Santa Cruz’s high holy day by dressing up as a pirate.
Fair Trade Clothing, Coming to a School Near You
When the budget is tight, the tight start budgeting, looking for bargains everywhere they can. These days people are buying cheaper clothing, not looking at the label to see where it was made, and not considering the kind of labor that went into making it.
The Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Crush Is On!
Ryan Beauregard is keeping his eyes on two ripening situations right now. One of them involves many tons of premium wine grapes. The other one is the any-minute-now birth of his next child. “Having a baby in the middle of harvest,” he gasps. “I hope this is a one-time event!”
Madrigal Skips City Council Meeting
City Council member Tony Madrigal skipped Tuesday’s afternoon meeting following news last week he was stopped by the California Highway Patrol in August for erratic driving. He later failed to show up for his court date, and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. Although the matter was settled, several other city council members, including Mayor Mike Rotkin, came out against Madrigal. At the time Rotkin said that he was “shocked” by Madrigal’s behavior. “The biggest problem is that it sets the worst example, especially by not showing up for his court date. That’s really egregious.”
Watsonville Nurses Reject Wage Hike
According to Watsonville Community Hospital, nurses make an average $140,000 per year, and they could make even more if they signed their contract. But they are picketing the hospital instead. The problem isn’t the money, nurses say, though they contest the figure as well. It’s the level of patient care that they are expected to provide, especially since the hospital is so understaffed. “We just want our patients safe,” said Tim Thomas, one of the nurses.
Night of The Living Cliches
A catalog of Halloween fads we’d like to see buried alive.
Santa Cruz Poets, Santa Cruz Inspiration: Gary Young
Prose poems from the Santa Cruz County Poet Laureate’s 2006 book Pleasure.
