I was out walking and came upon one of the bailes de cuna Villaverde describes taking place in Havana, but that we also have here. A grandfather in a green silk suit waved me in. Another one grabbed me to dance. I like your step was his first salida.
Caribbean men. He was one of these jinetero types and he thought I was a tourist. In French he said he was a curandero and could read the souls of people. I was thinking about how standard this line is, and how I could write a novel about it parodying Alejo Carpentier.
♦
Les Blank has died. My favorite films are Always for Pleasure and Burden of Dreams, but here is an early Blank documentary on country Mardi Gras.
Here is a documentary on Les.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 
I must find Les Blank’s films to watch them, some for the first time, others with fond memory. I remember seeing something of his (maybe the polka movie?) at the PFA, and I’ll never, ever forget Werner Herzog’s outburst about how the jungle was not erotical at all in that documentary about Aguirre.
The outburst on the jungle is about Fitzcarraldo! I teach whole class on primitivism that starts from that scene.
Axé Les, Axé Down Home Records, Axé El Cerrito, California. Valeu Les. Axé.