Category Archives: Notes in the News

On current and historic events, likely with a musical angle

RESURRECTION now in full on line

Posted on July 20, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

The Film Where I Play a Resurrected Corpse “Resurrection”, the short comedy/drama by Sam Zaslov-Braverman, in which I play Randell, a deceased man alloted extra life to give the eulogy at his own funeral, is now viewable in full on … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

PRIDE NYC 2026

Posted on June 29, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

Video Diary of Watching and Marching in New York’s Pride Parade – with a special appearance of the Pride Puppy! Ed Elder and his Trophy Husband We arrived just at the 12pm start time, and thought the bikers were the … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

THE RAVEN at the REFLECTING POOL

Posted on June 25, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

Footage of the the Memorial Waters before the Drumpfian Disaster Little did I know when I traveled to Washington D.C. last fall to shoot footage for my third musical short film Edgar Allan Poe adaptation “The Raven-a musicabre” that I … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Cinema Scope, Notes in the News, Poe Musicabres, Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Revelation of my own personal NEW YORKER CARTOON captions

Posted on June 21, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

Meanwhile that fool Hare is still waiting for his visa into the US. I suppose after 10 installments of my own personal New Yorker cartoon captions that took their title inspiration from the Old Testament, I suppose I should allow … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BROOKLYN PRIDE 2026

Posted on June 14, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

Last night was Brooklyn Pride, just down the street from where we live in Park Slope. Two weeks before the big NYC march that goes down 5th Avenue in Manhattan, the Pride march that goes down 5th Avenue in Brooklyn … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News, Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Announcing the New Musicabre: The Raven

Posted on May 19, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

“Raven” is the New Page in the Notes from a Composer Banner I’ve been teasing this announcement for a while now. Three previous posts have already revealed that I am working on the third short film Poe musicabre, to join … Continue reading →

Posted in Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News, Poe Musicabres | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wisdom of my own personal NEW YORKER CARTOON captions

Posted on May 10, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

If it ain’t pastels, it don’t pass muster! This will be the last of the caption installments whose title is inspired by books of the Old Testament. Only the Catholic and Orthodox churches recognize Wisdom, the Protestants and Jews consider … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Artemis Launch Viewed from a Plane

Posted on April 3, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

There are a lot a videos of the Artemis II launch taken from planes. The best one I’ve seen, lasting about two minutes is this one:(https://x.com/HustleBitch_/status/2039728543819497846) I’ve not found the full video on YouTube, only the site formally known as … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Notes in the News, Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NO KINGS 3/28/26

Posted on March 29, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

We joined the estimated 8-9 million protestors in over 3000 No Kings protests across the USA, not to mention the marches and rallies held elsewhere all over the planet. The NYC protest started at Columbus Circle to march down Central … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News, Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Snow Storm on Our Street

Posted on February 23, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

As Ed and I came home last evening just as the Big Blizzard was kicking in, we just had to take some photos of the snowy landscape our street had become. City Bikes, marshmallow coated

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Solaris Film Festival Awards “Prelude to a Death”

Posted on February 8, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

The Solaris Film Festival in Helsinki, Finland has given “Prelude to a Death” the award for “Best Unproduced Script”. “Prelude to a Death” is a feature length gothic ghost story. I have sent the screenplay to a handful of festivals … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings, Cinema Scope, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ian McKellen Performs Shakespeare’s Immigrant Speech on the Late Show

Posted on February 5, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

Ian McKellen appeared on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night, and the whole interview is delightful and engrossing – the full video is posted below – musing on Gandalf and Magneto, Christopher Lee and Elvish tattoos, and seeing … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Literary Lyricism, Live! On Stage, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Song of Songs of my own personal NEW YORKER CARTOON captions

Posted on January 26, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

The only roles they offer us in Hollywood are city stompers and jeep chasers. Continuing the long running series and continuing to find installment titles in the Old Testament, one would think that, as a composer, I would have availed … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NO ICE! NO KINGS! NO WAR!

Posted on January 11, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

Photo/video diary of the protest gathering and march in NYC January 11, 2026

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Joining the Wall of Emotion

Posted on January 8, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

Above is my contribution to WOE – Wall of Emotions, a project created by Eva Mueller as a response to the ’24 post-election reality. Yesterday Eva was at Maison 10 on 29th Street in Manhattan, taking photos of more subjects … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Performing at the Piscator Awards

Posted on November 1, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

Michael Lahr von Leitis presenting Cole Escola with the Piscator Award I had the pleasure and privilege of performing October 23 at the Piscator Awards, a dinner and fundraiser at the swanky Upper East Side Lotos Club benefitting the arts … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment