Jumpin'Journal - pages of a diary (IV)

It's been a long time since my last Jumpin'Journal post. Today I'll dive straight into some music, movie and book recommendations while "jumping" in pictures from different locations. Let's start.

Sinaia - Cota 2000(1,3) , West Park Ploiesti(2)

How much I love music biography documentaries: the combination of hard work, struggle and talent is hypnotizing. My favourites are:
3. Amy - the life of Amy Winehouse struggling between drug problems, love triangles and childhood problems, a talent that we lost too soon.
2. Get On Up - the life of James Brown overcoming his poor childhood, a dismembered family and later drug and alchool addiction - a strict and driven man with a very clear vision, talent and passion.
1. La Môme(La Vie en Rose) - the life of the incredible Edith Piaf, a movie that makes me cry every time I watch it; Marion Cotillard is beyond amazing in this character - love, lost, tragedy, talent - a must see.

When it comes to music I am all the time searching for something new while the playlist on my phone slightly changes - I'm still listening to most of the same songs as I use to hear years ago.
Meanwhile I'm becoming a fan of the british singer Nao whose mix of electro and soul relaxes me - find more in my album review HERE!
Bruno Mars stole again the limelight with his latest hits collection intitled "24K MAGIC". While the first single with the same name reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, the second one, "That's what I like", surpassed it and reaches number 3 on this week's chart. Bruno has it all in my opinion: the voice, the swag, the moves. Check out his Grammy performance below.



If you are a fan of TV series well then maybe we have some in common or I can recommend you couple of them. Lately I was absorbed by "Taboo" and "Vikings".
I absolutely adored the "Night Manager" mini serie with one of my favourite actors, Hugh Laurie (did you know he is also a singer?! - check out his blues album HERE!).

"The Night Manager" was nominated for 31 awards and has won twelve, including two Emmy Awards for director Susanne Bier and music composer Victor Reyes and three Golden Globes for Best Performance by an Actor for Tom Hiddleston, Best Performance for an Actress in a Supporting Role for Olivia Colman, and Best Performance for a Supporting Actor for Hugh Laurie.

Ploiesti(1), Suceava(2), Alexandru Ioan Cuza Park Bucharest(3)

When it comes to books I have to admit I read more in the past 3 months than I did in the last year. If you're in the mood for an easy yet interesting reading I recommend you "La disparition de Richard Taylor" by Arnaud Cathrine: On May 16, 1998 Richard Taylor disappears without a trace and without apparent reason. The book is a serie of testimonies of women in the life of Richard or of those that he meets in the years that follow his getaway. In the game of shadows and lights, we discover fragments of an existence of a man who grew up by the book, doing all that it was expected from him and that suddenly wakes up not knowing who he truly is or what he really wants.

Another book that got me hooked from the first page is "The Magus" by John Fowles.
"This daring literary thriller, rich with eroticism and suspense, is one of John Fowles's best-loved and bestselling novels and has contributed significantly to his international reputation as a writer of the first rank. At the center of The Magus is Nicholas Urfe, a young Englishman who accepts a teaching position on a remote Greek island, where he befriends a local millionaire. The friendship soon evolves into a deadly game in which reality and fantasy are deliberately manipulated, and Nicholas finds that he must fight not only for his sanity but for his very survival."(Goodreads) 

Cantacuzino Castle Busteni(1,2), Mt. Ainos Kefalonia Greece(3)

Right now I just started reading "The Road less traveled" by M. Scott Peck. This book is by now a classic in the field of psychology. Yet, it's written for a mainstream audience and goes through some of the basic tenets of psychological theory (e.g. attachment, individuation, boundaries, delayed gratification) but does so through the lense of spiritual growth. Peck is an excellent writer and fine therapist who is sensitive to the issues of spirituality.

Here is how the book starts:
"Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult--once we truly understand and accept it--then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters."

Which are your favourite TV shows right now? What are you listening to lately and what you plan reading? Leave your comments below.

Untill next time check out some more Jumpin'Journal:

Jumpin'Journal - pages of a diary (I)
Jumpin'Journal - pages of a diary (II)
Jumpin'Journal - pages of a diary (III)


Beldi

Poate asculti si tu: Hugh Laurie - Didn't It Rain

 

 

UPDATE: Goodie: Sarcasticul si in aceiasi masura carismaticul Doctor House va ajunge si pe meleagurile patriei noastre pentru a-si promova ultimul album lansat, "Didn't It Rain". Actorul britanic a intrat in Cartea Recordorilor de doua ori: drept cel mai bine platit actor intr-un serial TV, dar si pentru serialul "Dr. House", cel mai de succes serial TV din toate timpurile. Concertul ce va avea loc in data de 12 iulie la Sala Palatului si face parte din extensia turneului mondial de promovare , dupa concertele sold-out din America de Sud, Australia si Noua Zeelanda. Hugh Laurie va fi acompaniat de The Copper Bottom Band. Go grab your ticket! Pacat ca nu voi fi in tara, altfel as fi fost in primul rand!

*** 

In total sincron cu vremea de afara astazi o sa-mi clatesc timpanele cu noul album semnat Ex Dr. House adica Hugh Laurie, "Didn't It rain".

Obisnuia sa fie cel mai bine platit si cel mai urmarit actor la tv, dar acum Hugh Laurie are febra blues-urilor. Ca sa fiu realist, Hugh a avut o feblete fata de muzica inca din copilarie, luand lectii de pian, chitara, tobe, muzicuta si saxofon; iar daca primul album lansat, "Let Them Talk" , era o colectie bogata si bine lustruita de melodii jazz si blues, cel de-al doilea este mai relaxat, Laurie isi permite sa alunece usor inspre fundal atat ca interpret cat si ca pianist.

Asa cum ne-a obisnuit cu invitati pe primul album (Tom Jones, Irma Thomas si Dr. John) si pe noul material ne asteapta o serie de featuringuri.
In afara de prezenta lui Taj Mahal (pe "Vicksburg Blues"), a lui Jean McClain si a cantaretului din Guatemala, Gaby Moreno, albumul e compact si curge lin. Laurie isi ocupa locul in spate lasandu-si de multe ori formatia si solistii de background sa fie in centrul atentiei, iar ei reusesc asta cu brio.
Nici unul dintre ei nu este ingrijorat in ceea ce priveste reinterpretarea cantecelor sau sa surprinda ascultatorul, cu totii vor sa se bucure de intreaga experienta si dau impresia ca se afla la o sesiune muzicala unplugged intre prieteni buni.

Albumul e deschis de balada "St. Louis Blues" intr-o nota de solitudine de fier dar care infloreste si se transforma intr-un tango in toata regula beneficiind de vocea aspra a lui Sista Jean McClain.
"Junkers Blues" si "The Weed Smoker's Dream" ar putea trece foarte usor ca doua apropouri la viata lui Gregory House, doctorul irascibil si dependent de Vicodine.

Timbrul vocal al lui Hugh tinde sa aiba raguseala unui claxon iar el cantand la pian e acel ceva ce vinde albumul, cel mai bun exemplu fiind "Wild Honey".



"Kiss Of Fire", interpretata anterior de Nat King Cole, Connie Francis si Louis Armstrong, isi gaseste o cu totul noua abordare prin prisma lui Hugh care pare ca-si alege spontan cantecele ce vrea sa le interpreteze.



Nu toate cover-urile incluse pe album au fost primite cu entuziasm. Citeam o recenzie mai devreme in care scria exact asa: "Oare chiar era nevoie ca un gentleman englez sa jefuiasca tot patosul din "One for My Baby"?"
Cu toate astea, Hugh interpreteaza fiecare piesa de pe "Didn't it Rain" cu credibilitate. Atat Hugh cat si formatia care il acompanieaza nu ofera nimic altceva decat dragoste si respect pe acest album placut de ascultat.
Desigur piesele merg de minune pe fundal la cina sau intr-o duminica relaxanta de vara.



Albumul a fost produs in intregime de Loe Henry, castigator al premiului Grammy, si a fost lansat pe 6 mai.

In aceeasi maniera blues-clasic ni se prezinta si Emmy Rossum cu al ei "Sentimental Journey".