{"id":1178,"date":"2008-03-16T00:01:25","date_gmt":"2008-03-16T06:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1178"},"modified":"2008-03-16T00:09:05","modified_gmt":"2008-03-16T06:09:05","slug":"7-imps-7-kicks-54-featuring-david-merveille","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1178","title":{"rendered":"7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #54: Featuring David Merveille"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jules<\/strong>: This is one of those Sundays in which we’re really featuring a book (as opposed to, say, an illustrator stopping by to share something new or not-seen-before), this one a (mostly) wordless picture book, entitled Jukebox<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, published by Kane\/Miller this year (originally published in France in ’07), and created by French illustrator David Merveille<\/a><\/strong> — ahem, make that “illustrateur.” Having gotten these spreads from the publisher, since I think this book is awfully fun, I did email David to see if he wanted to send us some commentary about the book and perhaps talk about his creation of the art work therein, but alas! I had to send my email in l’Anglais, and I have no idea if he understood me (my high school French has receded into the far corners of my memory, and it is tr\u00e8s mauvais — at least, I think<\/em> that means very-bad-as-in-LOUSY). <\/p>\n

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The below video will give you a good sense of this book (as well as show you some more spreads from it), which is an enjoyable title for those crazy about music. This is the tale that celebrates musical styles in a small diner in what looks like the middle of nowhere. A customer walks in, puts some change in the jukebox (featured on the left side of each spread), and then on the right, Merveille brings that musical genre to life. From disco to chamber music to Mozart to hip hop to jazz to Hawaiian music, it’s a hoot to see how Merveille animates the music on the page, especially how he incorporates the genre’s title into the design of his spreads. I’m including some of my favorite spreads in this post. Here’s the punk rocker, and I don’t mean a rocking chair that punks sit in: <\/p>\n

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And here’s the aforementioned video, which features a few more spreads from the book. The video was created by a friend of the Kane\/Miller gang, and it includes the “jazz” spread, which is fitting, since Jazz Appreciation Month<\/a><\/strong> is comin’ up in April:<\/p>\n

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Here are two more spreads, and many thanks to Kane\/Miller for letting us share them with our readers. In case you’re having trouble seeing the lettering, these spreads are for the blues and goth (that ain’t no mallgoth down there either; he seems to be the real deal, a hard-core ubergoth):<\/p>\n

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As a reminder, our weekly 7 Kicks list is the meeting ground for listing Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week — whether book-related or not — that happened to you (as well as featuring artists like David). New people are more than welcome to leave their lists. We hope you’ll share your kick-worthy moments from the week. <\/p>\n

* * * eisha’s kicks * * *<\/strong><\/font><\/font><\/center><\/p>\n

this is not my actual shoulder, btw<\/a>1* I’m very much digging all the illustrations this week. The punk, gothic, and opera spreads especially tickle me.<\/p>\n

2* Everyone being so sweet and trying to help me get over my funk on Friday<\/a><\/strong>. Thanks, ya’ll.<\/p>\n

3* Another thing that helped: my sister sent me a care package out of the blue, including yummy Belgian chocolates and librarian-themed temporary tattoos<\/strong><\/a>. Hey, even if I can’t find a library job in Ithaca, at least I can still look like a librarian. A super hardcore bad-ass librarian, even. Thank you, Leslie!<\/p>\n

4* NYC last weekend was fun – we hung out with the writers of the show, musicians, and respective crew people, plus hooked up for dinner with some of B.’s friends who just happen to live there. One of the excellent people I met is Maddy Wyatt<\/strong><\/a>, a singer-songwriter who’s responsible for the “Man for Me (Ode to Barack)” song:<\/p>\n

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Fugitive Songs5* I also made a pilgrimage to see the actual Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga and Tigger dolls at the Donnell Library<\/strong><\/a>, as is the solemn duty of any Milne fan. Alas, I didn’t see the fabulous Fuse<\/strong><\/a>, which would have been extra cool. But the toys (and the N.C. Wyeth<\/strong><\/a> paintings, and the Bryan Collier<\/strong><\/a> illustration) were worth the trip. And it’s lucky I did manage to squeeze that little visit in, because it turns out they were packed up in preparation for the library move the very next day!<\/em><\/p>\n

6* Oh, and of course, seeing the show<\/strong><\/a>. It was awesome.<\/p>\n

7* A friend of mine (one of the frequently-mentioned poets who live upstairs from me and loans me excellent books and sneak me into author receptions) has started a new blog called Geek Girl Friday<\/strong><\/a>, where she points readers toward cool, funky, and\/or bizarre products and websites and stuff. Plus she posts good poetry: check out this spare, haunting little number<\/strong><\/a> she put up Friday.<\/p>\n

8* We’ll be posting an interview with Kadir Nelson<\/a><\/strong> tomorrow. He’s been a hero of mine for ages, and is one of a handful of illustrators who has actually made me cry – not because a book was sad, but because it was beautiful (Ellington Was Not a Street<\/strong><\/em><\/a>). <\/p>\n

* * * Jules’ kicks * * *<\/strong><\/font><\/font><\/center><\/p>\n

Hey, Eisha, there’s one spread in Jukebox<\/em> — not pictured here or in the video — that I think you’d really, really<\/em> dig: It’s a Beat Generation spread — or at least it seems so to me. The text is “Let’s Get Lost,” and it’s very Kerouac. <\/p>\n

1) My oldest turned four this week, and we partied down yesterday. It was a dinosaur party, since she’s currently crazy about them and wants to be a paleontologist when she grows up (but promises to occasionally visit me as she’s travelling the world, digging up stegosaurus bones). Eisha, we even had some dinosaur<\/em> tattoos (though I really covet your new library ones). But, seeing as how she’s also obsessed with The Wizard of Oz<\/em> and got some ruby slippers for her b’day AND since she got some new cowgirl boots AND since she wore some pixie wings she painted herself, it was more like Piper’s Pixie Cowgirl Ruby Slippers Dinosaur Party. Here she is pictured with her FEROCIOUS<\/font> and TERRIFYING<\/font> dinosaur mask (ROAR), and check out those savagely cool new cowgirl boots, pictured below (that’s actually her sister wearing hers; she got a pair, too). <\/p>\n

We also had a dinosaur pi\u00f1ata, but apparently it was made of steel<\/em>. Yes, very hard to break. <\/p>\n

2). An illustrator told us this week that a story he both wrote and illustrated is going to be published after a publishing company saw his art work featured at our site. THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY I CAN HARDLY STAND IT!<\/p>\n

3). I got my original Grumpy Bird<\/em><\/a><\/strong> piece of art by Jeremy Tankard<\/a><\/strong> matted and framed this week. It looks beautemous, hanging in my kitchen so that Grumpy Bird greets me each morning as I eat breakfast (and we can be grumpy together — you just don’t even wanna talk<\/em> to me in the morning ’til I’ve had coffee). <\/p>\n

<\/a>4). Season Two of Weeds<\/a><\/strong><\/em>. Heavens, that is a wicked funny show. I love my satires of contemporary American suburban life. And shows that push boundaries like this one does. And my husband and I waited on a library waiting list for many months to watch season two — and have about one week to do so before it’s due. I don’t know how we manage to watch an entire season in one week, but we occasionally pull that kind of thing off. <\/p>\n

If you’re not familiar with the show, they have the intro song<\/a><\/strong> performed by a different musician or band every week<\/a><\/strong> (at least in season two), and here’s been my favorite intro so far — Death Cab for Cutie’s version: <\/p>\n

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5). We’re also wrapping up Season Two of Battlestar Galactica<\/strong><\/a><\/em>, also very good — and get me, watching a sci-fi show. <\/p>\n

6). Our interview with Kadir Nelson here at 7-Imp tomorrow, as Eisha mentioned. Eisha’s story about Ellington Was Not a Street<\/em><\/a><\/strong> making her cry? I totally get that. <\/p>\n

7). Here’s a new image from illustrator Frank Dormer<\/a><\/strong>. He’s sharing it with us this week, and it’s a big kick for me. Anyone else love the first Aggie and Ben<\/a><\/strong> book of stories from Lori Ries<\/a><\/strong>, which Frank illustrated? (I loved it and reviewed it here<\/a><\/strong> back in ’06.) Well, a new Aggie and Ben book is coming out soon — entitled Good Dog, Aggie<\/em> — and Frank’s sharing an illustration from it. Here, Ben has just pulled Aggie away from chasing a squirrel (and here’s another<\/a><\/strong> I found at Frank’s site): <\/p>\n

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Thanks, Frank! Hey, everyone, what are your<\/em> kicks this week? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jules: This is one of those Sundays in which we’re really featuring a book (as opposed to, say, an illustrator stopping by to share something new or not-seen-before), this one a (mostly) wordless picture book, entitled Jukebox, published by Kane\/Miller this year (originally published in France in ’07), and created by French illustrator David Merveille […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-seven-good-things-before-monday","category-picture-books"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1178","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1178"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1178\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}