Dear Friends of the Pub Quiz,
Although my parents played some jazz on the phonograph when I was a child, it was actually my younger brother Oliver who introduced me to jazz. Having dabbled in the genre here and there, mostly by listening to evening jazz on KDVS and KXJZ, I resolved to teach a class at UC Davis called “Jazz and Literature,” mostly so I could again teach the short story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin and some of Langston Hughes’ jazz poems. Oliver came to my rescue that quarter by loaning me his jazz library of about 20 books, and his 500+ CDs. It took me weeks to do the research, but of course I could do it while reading books and playing with the children. Now the Pandora Miles Davis Channel gets ample play in our house, so that means I also get to hear John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Lester Young. I also know that I can choose freely from the huge jazz CD and record collection at KDVS when I am playing bumper music for my public affairs radio show, for I know that I won’t accidentally encounter any swearing. What’s your favorite kind of instrumental music? You may have a chance to answer a question or two on that subject this evening if you can join us at the Pub Quiz.
Another form of low-cost entertainment is the local poetry reading. This coming Thursday at 8pm at the John Natsoulas Gallery the local poet and publisher Jill Stengel will be performing her work. Jill runs a “micropress” called “a+bend press” that has published more than 41 chapbook titles, with more in the works. How lucky we are to have her as a cultural leader in our city of Davis! Jill’s own work, including the chapbooks lagniappe, late may, and may(be) can be viewed online at www.dusie.org, and her first full-length collection is due out in early 2011 from Black Radish Books. Having lived for many years in Los Angeles and Davis, Jill will be giving her first Davis reading on Thursday, and I get to host the event. You are invited to join us. For more information, see http://www.poetryindavis.com.
On tonight’s Pub Quiz, you should expect questions on buying and selling, Apple, Inc., Irate Robbers, movies whose narrative structures resemble those of video games, special months, Jersey Shore (forgive me), songs in Spanish that you might sing in the shower, Football, prime numbers, research conducted by Men’s Health magazine, American cities, a preference for Pablo Picasso, Missouri, The 4th of July, rich celebrities who are nevertheless difficult to dislike, blundering helmets, palindromes, Republicans, stoneworks (kinda), the New York Yankees, radical jingles, college basketball, Coney Island, Walt Disney, government programs, legal terms, Valentine’s day, gravity bombs, tennis, New Orleans, and Shakespeare.
I hope you can join us tonight for the most simultaneously raucous and intellectual Pub Quiz in town!
Your Quizmaster
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P.S. Inaugural player Rob Roy will be returning from Korea to play the Pub Quiz this evening. Greet him at table 12 or so if you see him.
Friends of the Pub Quiz, and those curious about all the fun and fuss associated with the Pub Quiz, should come to de Vere’s Irish Pub in Davis (217 E Street), the highly esteemed pub and restaurant that fills up every night because of the superb quality of food, drink and company that can be found there. The de Vere’s Irish Pub Pub Quiz takes place every Monday at 7pm, though players are encouraged to arrive early to claim a table. As always, find out more about the Pub Quiz by visiting https://www.yourquizmaster.com. For more on de Vere’s Irish Pub, visit http://deverespub.com/.