CURRENTLY

...in the stereo: John Zorn's Electric Masada. I've been waiting anxiously for an Electric Masada recording since seeing the group play at Seattle's On The Boards a couple of years ago, one of the most amazing performances I have ever seen. Imagine Miles Davis' Bitches Brew band charging its way through a set of klezmer tunes and you've pretty much got it. I think the stage was literally smoking.

For those unfamiliar with Zorn, here's a short profile.

...on the nightstand: Resurrecting Empire by Rashid Khalidi. A concise, well written overview of Western colonial history in the Middle East, its consequences for the present day, and ideas for how to deal with the Islamist threat.

...in the DVD player: Chris Rock Never Scared. Almost ten years after Bring the Pain and Rock is still the best comic working.