Here is my current list of expected guests for the discussion class I’ll be leading at the Y, starting next Tuesday, Oct 6 at 8 PM. http://www.92y.org/shop/class_detail.asp?productid=AM3GA19. Anyone can still sign up, and sometimes it helps to know what’s in store:
- David and Norma Gaines, Southwestern University: David, who’s written and presented on Dylan and teaches him in his lit courses, will be talking about humor in Dylan’s songs. Norma, whose background is in art history, will be talking about The Drawn Blank Series.
- Peter Stone Brown http://www.peterstonebrown.com/. Singer and songwriter, and you can find his writing on Dylan at bobdylan.com: http://www.bobdylan.com/#/music/tell-tale-signs
- Tim Anderson: Sound and recording engineer, with a special interest in the history of audio recording. Tim will help us listen more closely to Bob Dylan’s recordings, by talking about the nuts and bolts and bits and bytes of audio engineering, how the technology has changed from 1961 to 2009, and how this affects our listening experience.
- Walter Raubicheck. Chairman of the English department at Pace University. Walter has published on Dylan, and teaches Dylan in his undergraduate lit course. He’ll be giving us a close and ardent look at Mr Tambourine Man. Walter may even sing, if we’re lucky.
- Sean Wilentz: You can see Sean here in his office, with evidence of his Bob Dylan affinity: http://www.politico.com/arena/bio/sean_wilentz.html. Prof. Wilentz’s renowned work in the arenas of political and historical commentary and scholarship fortunately leaves him time to write and speak on Bob Dylan, and most fortunately, he’ll be sharing with us material from his upcoming book on Dylan.
- Todd Gitlin: Todd Gitlin’s journalism, and cultural and political critiques and examinations are provocative and exemplary, and you can find an introduction to his work here: http://toddgitlin.net/about.html. He’ll be speaking to us about Bob Dylan as “oral master instead of poet.”
- David Massengill: http://www.davidmassengill.com/ A musician and writer with strong affinity for Dylan’s work. He’ll share perspectives, thoughts, and hopefully music as well.
- Seth Rogovoy: http://rogovoy.com/news1783.html. Author of an upcoming book, Bob Dylan: Prophet-Mystic-Poet, also an accomplished musician. Seth will share material and ideas from his book.
- Rob Johnson: Writer, musician, Bob aficionado, and I understand he’s been a popular and memorable guest in past classes.
- We’re also invited to attend a session of Louis Rosen’s songwriters course at the Y, http://www.92y.org/shop/class_detail.asp?productid=AM3GA18. He’ll be devoting that session to the topics of love and lust and whatever falls in between, in Dylan’s songs.
Music, discussion, questions should flow at every session. I hope anyone who attends will see right away that all guests will welcome conversation. And if we absolutely have got to stop everything and hear the sound check of New Pony, then we absolutely will.
Feel free to email me with any questions. gardenerisgone@gmail.com
