A chance to celebrate Karen's talent

[actcrna]

I received the following request from a very good friend.

What do you think of preparing a short presentation with slides and or sound snippets of why Karen Carpenter was just so damn talented for my upcoming cabaret show (5 min max)?

I certainly have the desire, but would need some input/ideas/direction. Harry could you just put something together that would do justice to Karen's Talent ...
It would be shown to a large crowd in Boston, so I don't want to do a bad job.
Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[actcrna]

Wow, I'm so not feeling the love.
Input... Party of none

 

[Charlie D]

Yeah sorry, no one wants to do that.

 

[actcrna]

Bye

 

[GaryAlan]

There is a youtube clip from a Cabaret Club in Belfast (One and a half minutes, approx.)
A little research shows that the entire show was performed November 2014 entitled:
Music of the Carpenters.
There was another a fellow who did a Cabaret Show here in the USA, though his name escapes me.
2007 saw a Cabaret Show(Cindy Summers) in Bridgeport,CT., which included a tribute to Karen Carpenter.
Things are as they are and few are wont to separate the distinct talents of Karen from Richard,
or , Richard from Karen. As Sherwin Bash (The CBS Movie 1988) uttered "they're joined at the hip."
Although, in retrospect, given that the "revamped" 1976 Concerts for the
Carpenters took time out to highlight Karen's drumming skills (Strike Up The Band)
and also Richard's piano skills (Warsaw Concerto), also perforce in the television (1976,1980) specials,
it is not wholly unreasonable to want to highlight Karen's talent in a Cabaret setting.

 

[newvillefan]

I think a request like "Harry could you just put something together" was a bit ungracious and presumptious...

 

[GaryAlan]

True enough , Stephen, point very well taken.
I might simply point out that the original post(er) placed their request in a "questioning format",
Asking first for input,ideas,direction.
Well, and, this is only my limited perspective:
If a student requests that an instructor show him how to accomplish an objective,
realizing that the educator's abilities surpass his own....then, it is
incumbent upon the instructor to feel a sense of pride in even being approached and asked.
(e.g., I'm forever thrilled when any student requests ,of my time, that I might help solve a physics problem.)

Unfortunately, a two-dimensional platform-- as with any web-based-forum-- is perhaps too far removed from
genuine human interaction.
If this fellow knew Harry personally, it just might alter the mode of interaction in a more positive light.
Probably, no harm was originally intended or implied.

 

[Harry]

Since I have been, and continue to be, evoked personally in this thread, I feel duty bound to respond at this time.

First off, I do not know "actcrna" at all. I have seen that handle before, but with just 32 posts in seven years of activity here, it's hard to get to "know" someone. This person asked a personal favor, not just of me, but of everyone here, yet apparently doesn't feel comfortable enough to even hint at a first name. We're not asking for credit card numbers or Social Security numbers, but hey, a first name would at least be a start toward making friends.

Second, while I have put a few things up on YouTube, you might have noticed that I'm not the most creative in the video department. I'm not as imaginative nor as talented in that area as other folks like "motownboy" and Chris Tassin. So I have to bow out on those grounds. If a picture is needed, I'd be happy to provide it, if I have it. But I'm not the one to ask for creative ideas for a video.

Harry

 

[GaryAlan]

I thought you would be the ideal individual ,with the most technical savvy, to render help in such situation, Harry !
And, I hope you take kindly to my respectful admiration of your expertise !
As with everyone 'here', members, each has unique talents which they bring to this forum.
(Needless to say, after 2500 postings, my hunch is I am not 'known' on a personal level, either;
Physicists, in general, tend to come off as arrogant,
and I pray that experience has shown me to act otherwise.)
Be that as it may, I wonder--if I were revisit them--what my first 32 posts said about me !

 

[Harry]

Ah, but Gary, there's so much we DO know about you. First, we'll assume that your name is either Gary or Alan or both. That in itself doesn't matter. It's how you sign your work here, so that's good enough. We have *something* that we can call you and refer to you by.

Next we know that you're a physicist and approach things methodically. And we know that you listen to a Carpenters album or two just about every day. I've learned that you live somewhere up in the northern/central regions of Florida, close enough to listen to the low-powered FM on 99.7 FM.

Our OP? I can tell by the "location" given that he is from Boston, claims to be male and lists "nurse anesthetist" as occupation. Seems to be a Carpenters fan from the number of posts made in this forum. But that's pretty much it.

Harry

 

[song4u]

For some of us, especially women, we've been cautioned so much not to give names and locations out on line. So for me, it's about discussion. I do try to be friendly.

 

[Harry]

Well, of course. Each of us must make the decision as to just how much information we're willing to give. And there's nothing preventing using a made-up name.

As for locations, sometimes a State is all that's needed to make it easier for those reading to know what part of the world you're from.

 

[Jamesj75]

First, I just want to thank my eloquent predecessors in this discussion on their fine insights!

WARNING! WARNING! Borderline Stream of Consciousness Approaching!

My initial reaction to the first couple of posts in this thread were that I felt sorry for the creator of this thread. "Gee, no one is replying to his thread." I have noticed that sometimes members come out of the woodwork to post when certain members come up with a topic, whereas other fine topics are largely ignored. Yet on days when there is much activity here, it's easy to miss topics. My other thought was that, if this member is such a big fan (as presumably we all are here), wouldn't he be able to come up with his own list of songs? Or wouldn't he be able to search the topics and find one that addressed his issue? There have been great topics on Karen's versatility as a singer (http://amcorner.com/forum/threads/karens-versatility.13986/#post-137265), among others. So maybe it seemed as though he wanted someone else to do the work for him. In and of itself, asking for feedback, assistance, or guidance is okay. And maybe that is what he was doing. Yet suggesting that Harry or anyone else put together a list of songs for a cabaret act could be interpreted as demanding.

I think our Boston friend's tone was hard to discern and perhaps could have been worded better. But I think it's simply a case of problems with Internet communication. It is often difficult to discern tone in e-mails as well as message boards. (Sometimes I will add a smiley face to hammer home my humorous tone.) The optimal communication is face to face. Yet even then, there can be miscommunication. I try to be positive and humorous in my interactions with people. But I can say something as a joke that others misinterpret. ("Was he being sarcastic?") And I can easily take offense at a comment when none was intended. Maybe we all do that... Misunderstandings happen all the time, sometimes even here at the Corner. I will assume that our Boston friend meant no harm and simply wanted assistance. By and large, the people at this site (moderators et al.) are well intentioned.

So, if you're still with us, actcrna, you might find some great ideas in the above-mentioned topic, "Karen's Versatility," and other topics pertaining to quotes about the Carpenters, etc. Good luck!

 

[Harry]

I think our Boston friend's tone was hard to discern and perhaps could have been worded better.

Perfect assessment, I believe.

Harry