Another Friday night; another exciting(?) GW Block Party.
This is where we gather as a community; and relax, and tell stories, or poke some fun, or even get downright cerebral at times. (of course, there are several here who can do that---I am not one of them)
Tonight for your pleasure, I offer up a challenge for those that love to
debate issues on which there may be two sides....depending on one's perspective.
Pull up a chair, get closer to your laptop; grab the extra glass of wine----and follow me for an interesting adventure....
George Frazier was a writer for the Boston Herald & later the Boston Globe during the Fifties, 60's & 70's. I started reading him when I was in high school---long, long ago.
He wrote a trice-weekly column on many subjects--one of which was on this neat word: Duendé
For many years in the mid-20th century, George Frazier was Boston's favourite curmudgeon, or, as Time once described him, ''Boston's common scold.'' He was cheeky, ribald, and funny -- qualities that fewer and fewer American newspaper critics embody. He was never self-absorbed, self-righteous, or, Heaven forbid, self-serious.
Duende was George Frazier’s favorite word. It is, of course, the precise word to describe his life and his writings: roughly translated — grace, wit and class.
link
From an original Spanish play...
Manuel Torre, great artist of the Andalusian people, said to someone who sang for him: ‘You have a voice, you understand style, but you’ll never ever succeed because you have no duende.’
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‘Dark sounds’ said the man of the Spanish people, agreeing with Goethe, who in speaking of Paganini hit on a definition of the duende: ‘A mysterious force that everyone feels and no philosopher has explained.’
Source
One more original sourcing;
A further more detailed explanation comes from an article in The Jewish World Review
The word "duende" comes from Spanish, where it translates literally as "ghost" or "goblin," and is believed to derive from the phrase "dueno de casa," which means "owner of a house." The term was originally used in flamenco music and other art forms to refer to an often elusive mystical or powerful force given off by a performer. A person who is performing with duende is able to captivate his or her audience with a seemingly magical spirit that infects the music and leaves those in the performer's presence mesmerized.
So it comes to this, as what Frazier saw it being:
Duende is a potent elixir of charisma, passion, panache, flair, chemistry, soul, style, grace under pressure and star quality. Duende, wrote the late jazz critic George Frazier, "is heightened panache, or overpowering presence ... that certain something."
Link
OK---so now we pretty much know WHAT duendé is---now comes the challenge......
WHO has Duendé????
Certainly we likely can all agree that JFK certainly embodied all that duendé means.
Alternately, someone like Thad Allen clearly will never have it.
Now is the time to grab that next glass of wine--it may even sharpen your wits as we move forward. (pours glass of wine}
I'm going to list a few who I think have (and have not) had that special magic-duendé:
Mickey Mantle had it. He could electrify the crowd just by stepping up to the plate. Yet had a cool demeanor when he spoke. (Of course, we now know he may have been drunk part of that time--nonetheless; he had duendé) Ted Williams did too; yet the great Stan
Musial didn't---unless you were a St Louis fan; you didn't get goose-bumps when he came up.
We mentioned JFK; And Robert F Kennedy certainly had that special something; and yet I would argue that Ted did not. He had a certain following that was very significant, but I can't say that he electrfied an audience 9 of 10 times...
In the cultural venue, you have a Steve McQueen---who can ever forget that chase? His mere presence on the screen was exciting. Then, of course, there was someone who tried like hell to imitate him-but never did--Burt Reynolds
(cover eyes)
Got the idea, yet????
Two more---then it's your turn......
How about the Boss??
Can anyone doubt he has 'a certain panache"? OK--ladies, settle down....
Now, I love this guy---uptown guy or not; he just doesn't have that "magic elixir". Just a great performer, but no duendé.
Remember, there is nothing to say the individual has to be a fine person. For instance,Hitler actually had duendé; he was able to capture an audience,unfortunately. Whereas, Mussolini couldn't in the same way.
Think of some older TV personalities---I like to think Rod Serling had that magic stage presence---maybe you might not agree.
How about Farah Fawcettfrom the "Charlie's Angel's"???
Bogie certainlt had it; as did his wife, Lauren Bacall (Just whistle...)
Bad guys like Pretty Boy Floyd and John
Dillinger could be said to have had that "commanding charisma".
And,remember, it could even be an artist performing that one-time exceptional song---think: Pavarotti
Try to remember one of the definitions:
[someone]able to captivate his or her audience with a seemingly magical spirit that infects the music and leaves those in the performer's presence mesmerized.
OK---now it's your turn....Defend your selection; and give a link.
Don't just say: "John Smith"---Yes. Back it up with a thought or two.
It sometimes is in the eye of the beholder; though usually--if a person has duendé----everyone recognizes it pretty quickly...
Let's have some fun with this---we certainly can name many who DON'T have it...Tony Hayward, G W Bush, Hillary, Manny Ramirez(?)----see, some might disagree on that last one....
BY THE WAY. PLEASE USE ONLY LINKS, NO DIRECT POSTING OF PHOTOS OR VIDEOS---IT HELPS THOSE WITH LOW BANDWIDTH; AND KEEPS THE FLOW OF THE THREAD SMOOTH.
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Two items in my almanac:
Andy Williams was born on Dec 3 in 1927, Yup . he's still singing Winter Wonderland
And, on this day in 1999, Madeline Kahn died. Great lady---extremely funny.
On with the party.......keep pouring that wine....
BTW--I'll be back in 3 weeks---which would be Christmas eve-----I'm proposing that we do the Party on Thursday the 23rd....
Late breaking---Totally unrelated; but as a baseball fan; this is sad...
former Cub Ron Santo dead at age 70 from cancer. (I didn't like him as a broadcaster, but he was a helluva spunky player) Never knew about him losing his legs some time ago.
As is mentioned in the piece---RIP, Ron.
Ron Santo 1940-2010
