Wartime Photo Restrictions — New Federal Law to define exactly what pictures you must not take. Does this sound vaguely familiar? This is from the May 1942 edition of Popular Science. You can read the the entire article here. Google books has added two of my favorite monthlies from the past — Popular Science and Popular Mechanics. What better way to wile away the hours in the waiting room at the dentist or doctor. The issues available for Popular Mechanics date from August 1922 to December 2005, and for Popular Science, from December 1925 to March 2009. Just a few links to some articles of...

A bit of a mixture this week. First a recommendation for an album from 1971. The group is Skara Brae, and this self titled album is the first recording of anyone adding harmonies to Gaelic Folk songs. This was this group’s first and only album. If you like something a bit different, try this one. This is the first track of the album. My next recommendation is for Harry Manx. If you haven’t either heard him or heard of him, give this a listen. Try Bread and Buddah for a first listen. You’ll hear his mix of folk, blues and hindustani music. Stile Antico is a pretty amazing choral...

Thank you South Carolina for your warm reception and hospitality. I enjoyed seeing many of my old friends again and making many new friends. I’m looking forward to a return visit this fall. Once more a few recommendations this week. First up, if you tried Sarah Jarosz and liked what you heard, give Gregory Alan Isakov a try. He has a number of albums available at the usual locations. Next for a bit of jazz and something pretty incredible try Duke Ellington’s Far East Suite. And for some unbelievable work on a piano, try Zhu Xiao-Mei playing Haydn Sonatas. As usual, if you want to audition...

A couple of recommendations for today. First, for some incredible guitar, try Rodrigo Y Gabriela. I doubt that you could find a bad album for this duo. There are only a few available now, but hopefully they will continue to record many more in the future. Next is Milt Jackson. I don’t usually tend toward vibes, but this is an exception. There are a lot of albums available, so I will suggest just a few. Soul Brothers / Soul Meeting pairs Milt Jackson with Ray Charles. This album combines the two albums that they had recorded earlier when Ray Charles had not yet become well known. You will hear him...

Today, just a brief look at one cartoon. If you have seen the original Fantasia, you will probably recognize the opening sequence. The two classical pieces in this cartoon are actually named. They are both waltzes by Strauss. Tales From the Vienna Woods is the first, and the second is The Blue Danube (also heard in Rocky and Bullwinkle, and 2001: A Space Odyssey). The cartoon was released in 1943 is called Corny Concerto. ...