On a recent assignment for Salt Lake Magazine, I visited the site of the Topaz concentration camp in Utah’s West Desert. In World War II, 11,00 American citizens were imprisoned in Topaz simply because they were of Japanese ancestry.
The people of Delta with the help of former internees and their families, are building a museum to keep alive forever the memory of the injustice that happened 15 miles outside of their town.
I was compelled to ask the internees I met if they thought something like Topaz (photo left, a fragment of a Boy Scout buckle in the ruins of the camp) could happen again in America. Considering what their nation had done to them, I was amazed, judging by their joy in life and wicked senses of humor, how sane they are.
Still, their answers my question are anything but upbeat and offer a glimpse of an America many of us want to ignore.
Ken Ota, 91, who was in Topaz until he was drafted into the U.S. Army, has no doubt about what his country is capable. “It all depends on who the opposition is and who’s in charge.
Amy Ota, his wife, who spent her teens in the camp, remembers the kindship between the detainees and the black railroad porters when the Japanese-Americans were shipped on blacked out trains from the Bay Area to Delta.
“The black railroad workers were so kind to us.” she said. “I guess they knew what it was like.”
Toru Saito, who had been imprisoned in Topaz from the age of four through eight, is skeptical that America has learned a lesson. “That stuff about ‘never forget Topaz’ is bullshit,” says the retired mental health worker. “The truth is, some people even [in Delta] don’t know anything about it.”
Saito remembers that during a past visit to Delta, an elderly woman told him, “We treated you people better than you treated our prisoners.”
“What do you say to that?” said Saito, shown right. “I tried to tell her, ‘We are your people. Our government put its own people in concentrations camps.’ But I was wasting my breath.”
“It’s going to happen over and over again,” Saito says. “It’s the nature of man to find someone weaker—and push them down. Look at Guantanamo.”
Willie Ito taught himself animation while a child at Topaz and went on to work for Disney (Ito created the iconic “Lady and the Tramp” spaghetti scene.). “I’d like to bring the critics of building the museum out here and say, ‘Can you live like this? We did.’ “
If you think they sound paranoid, take a minute to remember Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz’s immigration reform idea. When Chaffetz ran for his seat in 2008, immigration was a hot issue (it still is) and Chaffetz made points with the political far right by suggesting that if elected, he would round up illegal immigrants and put them in “tent camps” surrounded with barbed wire.
Topaz is in Chaffetz’s district. I wonder if he’s ever visited.
Glen Warchol also writes about arts, culture and politics in Salt Lake Magazine.
For people who haven’t spent much time with the music of Diana Krall–and I am among them–the piano-playing jazz chanteuse seems like a rather adult, mellow musical confection designed primarily for easy-listening audiences rather than serious music geeks.
The Canadian songstress’s show at Red Butte Garden Wednesday night proved that notion wrong on several counts. For one, rather than sticking to poppy standards, Krall led her band through serious jazz instrumental excursions throughout the show, starting with the very first song. For another, Krall interspersed songs by the likes of Tom Waits and Bob Dylan among her tributes to long-time Krall fave Irving Berlin, inspiration for her 1996 tribute album, All For You.
And rather than coming off as a slick pop songstress merely dressing up her pop songs in the accoutrements of jazz, Krall appeared a little unhinged at times. She wore sunglasses throughout the show, and her between-song banter was pleasingly off-the-cuff and odd.
When one audience member screamed “I love you!” early in the show, Krall responded quickly, “Thank you! I’m very difficult. Should we just do some group therapy for a while?” She followed that up by saying, “It’s nice to play a place where you don’t hear the bottles rolling down the aisles.”
Leading a small group that included a bassist, guitarist and drummer–all ace players–Krall would settle down when she was playing music, whether crooning a tune in that husky voice that makes even the darkest of ballads go down smooth, or picking at her piano keys with underappreciated skill.
There were several highlights during the show, starting with “So Nice” early in the show. The Tom Waits songs were great surprises; “Clap Hands” was a brilliant version, nestled between Irving Berlin tunes. And Krall’s version of “Jockey Full of Bourbon” was excellent as well.
Toward show’s end, Krall’s band sat to the side while she delivered a solo, piano-driven take of Bob Dylan’s “Simple Twist of Fate,” and it was around that time I found myself fully engaged with Krall’s show for the first time. The somewhat off-kilter stage presence and long jams gave way to an artist simply singing and playing what must be one of her favorite songs.
It was a stirring performance, and a credit to both the performer and the songwriter.
Music galore and one manic standup comic who also happens to be a must-see fill your slate of SLCene suggestions this week. Check it out:
- DIANA KRALL, RED BUTTE GARDEN, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., $60
Grammy-winning jazz-pop queen Diana Krall ‘s music is like a warm blanket–simple, comfortable, cozy as all git-out. Being largely ignorant of jazz music, generally speaking, I never knew much about her vocal or piano skills, or paid Krall’s music any mind, until she married Elvis Costello nine years ago. Costello is, in my book, pretty much as good as it gets in modern music, so naturally I was curious about his new bride. Her last visit to Red Butte Garden, I went to the show and found Krall an utter charmer on stage, and her music a perfect match for that serene, scenic environment. I’m guessing that will be the case once again–now if we could just repeat my Costello sighting on Main Street from that last Krall visit. Denzal Sinclaire opens the show.
Diana Krall headlines at Red Butte Garden Wednesday, Aug. 8.
- THE MYNABIRDS, KILBY COURT, Wednesday,7 p.m., $10
The Mynabirds’ Laura Berhenn might not be a name you’re familiar with, but I have a feeling that will change over time. The Washington, D.C., native is currently based in indie-rock mecca Omaha, and The Mynabirds is essentially a rotating collective of musicians who revolve around the singer/songwriter. After some hard touring in support of the Mynabirds’ 2010 debut, and then more time on the road as part of Bright Eyes, Burhenn finally got to release a second Mynabirds album this summer–and Generals proved worth the wait. The sound has moved beyond the pop-folk of the band’s debut to delve into some electronic flourishes and louder, less poppy rock passages. And lyrically, Burhenn boldly lets her political tendencies infuse her songs with genuine edge. Seeing Mynabirds at a small place like Kilby Court could be a real treat. Deep Time opens the show.
The Mynabirds headline Kilby Court on Wednesday, Aug. 8.
- MILO GREENE, KILBY COURT, Saturday, 7 p.m., $8 advance/$10 day of show
Some of you most likely heard Milo Greene when the Los Angeles folk-poppers opened for the Civil Wars at a sold-out Depot show in May. That was my introduction to the band’s boy/girl vocal harmonizing and subtly twangy sound. Besides thinking “What’s with the name?” (It’s allegedly the moniker of a made-up manager), I thought “These guys won’t be opening for long.” And here they are, back headlining their own tour in support of their self-titled debut, released just a couple weeks back. If you love meticulously crafted pop songs with a rootsy base, Milo Greene could be your Next Thing. Family of the Year opens.
Folk-poppers Milo Greene headline Saturday, Aug. 11, at Kilby Court.
- TRUTH & SALVAGE CO., THE CANYONS, Saturday, 6 p.m., free
Truth be told, I only came to listen to Truth & Salvage Co. because of their association with one of my favorite rock bands, The Black Crowes. Crowes’ singer Chris Robinson signed the band and produced their self-titled debut that was released in 2010. He also took the band on the road to open for the Black Crowes. I missed that show, but later saw Truth & Salvage Co. headline a show at The State Room, and it was a blast. The Los Angeles roots of the band certainly came through via the group’s vocal harmonies, but they also had a swinging sound that reminded me of The Band. The fact that when I saw the band’s drummer for the first time I thought he was Ron Jeremy hiding in a witness-protection program has NOTHING to do with how much I like them now.
L.A. rockers Truth & Salvage Co. headline a free show at the Canyons in Park City on Saturday, Aug. 11.
- MARC MARON, WISEGUYS WEST VALLEY, Saturday, 7:30 & 9:30 P.M., $20
Comic Marc Maron’s been doing standup (among other things) for nearly two decades, but it took his hugely popular podcast chat show, WTF with Marc Maron, to get him some mainstream attention. The podcast IS excellent, with Maron holing up with a series of comedians, musicians, writers and the like and delving into long, winding conversations that regularly last an hour or more. You’ll hear people far more famous than Maron reveal things you’ve never heard, and you’ll hear Maron’s distinct comic voice cutting through his self-lacerating commentary as well. His standup shares an off-the-cuff feel of his talk show; when I saw him at Wiseguys on a previous visit, the best bits of the night came out of Maron’s interaction with a drunk fanboy up front.
Marc Maron headlines two shows at Wiseguys West Valley on Saturday, Aug. 11.
If you know anything at all about former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, you know he has deep ties with the Asian communities.
And if you ever attended one of the Diwali celebrations he held at the governor’s mansion, you would have seen the respect and love returned. Huntsman’s house was overrun with members of the Indian-, Pakistani- and Sikh-American communities’ religious leaders, merchants and entrepreneurs and, naturally, their children.
The Huntsmans were beloved in part for having adopted orphans from India (Asha Bharati) and China (Gracie Mei) but the connection went beyond that. He loved their cultures, their foods (especially their street food and fiery pickles) an their religions. Even before he served as ambassador to China, Huntsman joked that perhaps his adoptive daughters would set an example of respect and cooperation that their native lands would follow.
His love of other cultures may explain Huntsman’s relationship with the Mormon church, which is seems more casual than from Mitt Romney’s. Huntsman told The New York Times that he gets “satisfaction from many different types of religions and philosophies” and isn’t “overly religious.”
So it comes as no surpise that following the shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, Huntsman would reach out to his friends at the Sikh temple on Redwood Road.
“When events like (the Sikh temple shooting) happen, I want you to know that everyone is with you. They might not come to visit as I have today … but I would say most all Utahns’ hearts are very heavy with a sense of sadness about what happened.”
Maybe not everyone. The Huntsman’s adopted daughters were featured in an attack ad that hinted that Huntsman is “unAmerican.”
In a sidenote, I remember while feasting at Diwali a few years ago with members of the Asian community, several of them assured me that the Utah governor who threw his doors open to them was “really a Democrat.” Considering his positions and performance in the GOP presidential race, maybe they know something Jon doesn’t.
Glen Warchol’s arts, culture and politics blogs also appear in Salt Lake magazine. http://www.saltlakemagazine.com/blog/#
Sunday afternoon I had the chance to check out the first Taste of the Wasatch charity-driven food festival at Solitude Mountain Resort, gorging my way through a couple dozen dishes prepared by local restaurants. It’s the kind of tough assignment that makes me wonder why I ever got into this writing racket.
While technically it WAS the first Taste of the Wasatch, some of you might remember it as Taste of the Nation, the national charity which our local hunger fighters once worked with, but have since split from (again, technically speaking). Whatever the name, the mission remains the same: raising money to fight hunger right here in Utah. One hundred percent of the proceeds raised through Sunday’s beautiful afternoon of utter gluttony go to Utahns Against Hunger, the Utah Food Bank and the Ogden-Weber Community Action Partnership.
While hundreds drove up to Solitude Mountain Resort for the festivities (maybe thousands–I’ve never been been great at crowd-guessing), I know many of you couldn’t make it, so I’m here to fill you in on some of details. There were some pleasant surprises, some interesting misfires and a whole lotta top-notch bites to be had. When the worst thing you can say about a fundraiser is “I never need to eat any more gazpacho–ever,” you know you’re being spoiled rotten.
Here are some thoughts on some of the dishes from Taste of the Wasatch:
Game Goodness: The Aerie‘s wild mushroom and pepper-encrusted elk was melt-in-your-mouth tasty; the quinoa Waldorf salad it was served on was merely a distraction from that meaty morsel.
Beet It: Considering my childhood aversion to those nuclear colored pickled beets that were served up in my elementary school cafeteria, I’ve come to love beets in the last few years. That served me well Sunday, where beets made for some of the best dishes of the day. Caffe Niche made a salad of local beets, green onion horseradish cream beet greens and mustard greens that was both delicious and different from the many other beet contenders. Eatery 1025‘s chilled beet soup was great, too.
How About Just One Rib?: There’s always a much-needed dose of serious protein to be had at the Taste event, a welcome respite from the gazpacho deluge. I always make a point of hitting The Glitretind at Stein Eriksen Lodge booth for their spare rib, and this year those ribs came with a barbecue sauce made from Utah cherries–unbelievably tasty. Pallet Bistro‘s Kurobota pork short rib delivered with frisee salad and Utah peaches was just as good. Communal, my Provo go-to for tasty grub, delivered teriyaki-glazed pork belly, and while it wasn’t a rib, it was an awesome bite of meaty goodness.
The best of the rest: Chaia Cucina Catering‘s chilled local corn bisque with rosemary oil and candied almonds was a hearty treat; Cucina Vanina‘s limoncello flan was delish; Eatery 1025‘s curried cauliflower was surprisingly strong; The Farm at Canyons‘ pork cheek corn dogs with heirloom tomato marmalade, mousse and micro salad with mustard vinaigrette did not necessarily make me want to eat more corn dogs, but it was a great bite; Frida Bistro‘s pistachio-encrusted seabass and Mexican risotto paired together nicely; J&G Grill‘s blue prawns with black pepper, sun-dried pineapple and pea shoot salt really had a nice bite thanks to that pineapple; Plum Alley‘s larb wrap and pickles were different from anything else available, and tasty, too; Tuscany‘s Brigham City peaches stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in bacon–obviously anything wrapped in bacon goes high in my book; St. Bernard’s/The Yurt‘s grilled sweet corn skewers with chipotle and lime butter finished with queso fresco was great, and Silver Star Cafe‘s grilled shrimp with lemongrass-infused carrot juice reduction with pickled red onion and cliantro salad was a refreshing and different way to offer an easy bite.
And believe it or not, one of my favorite dishes of the day was, yes, gazpacho! Credit for that goes to The Copper Onion, who also made a mean spicy corn salad on Sunday.
Mitt Romney made a perplexing statement recently: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has to “put up or shut up” on his allegations that Mitt has avoided paying taxes for the last decade.
Other Republicans are calling Reid a liar. Keep in mind, that Harry stated his claim about Mitt eluding taxes as more of a hypothesis based on something he had heard. But still, Harry could wind up looking like a chump.
But, obviously, Reid can’t be proven a liar unless Mitt makes his 1040s public. So it would seem the wily Nevada senator, in front of the nation, tricked Mitt into painting himself into a corner.
Democrats have seized on this and even many Republicans have called for Mitt to open his books. It’s time to release your tax info, Mitt.
What’s the worst we’ll find:
You’re more filthy rich than we every dreamed? Off shore accounts? Humongous contributions to a church of which some small-minded voters are wary?
That we’ll check your math or challenge your home-office deduction?
Daniel Nailen 