Mike Skinner: Smooth as Silk

magician Michael Skinner-clip 6
Uploaded by fondouble

I never got to see Mike Skinner in person but knew of his reputation when I first started in magic in the early 1970's. Lately some footage has popped up of his and here's one I came across earlier today.

It's appropriate that Sinatra is playing faintly in the background as Skinner seems to be embedded in my mind the same way Ol'Blue Eyes is for me.

Kent Gunn's Triumph Aces

I've seen the name on various boards and know he is one of the organizers of Golden Gate Gathering but I had no idea his card work was so good.

Conjuring Slydini: Part Two

A second installment of Dick Cavett's New York Times blog on the great Slydini.

Conjuring Slydini

Dick Cavett has a blog in the New York Times Multimedia section which featured a post on the great Slydini.

Embedded in the post is a 29-minute clip of Slydini, Cavett and two of his friends (actually three friends in total) sitting at a table watching Slydini perform with cigarettes, coins, handkerchiefs, rope & a newspaper.

If you enjoy the performance post a response asking Cavett to post the other 30 minute clip he has of Slydini.

The trick of being magician Ricky Jay - The Boston Globe

The trick of being magician Ricky Jay - The Boston Globe

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Ascanio: Aces with Love

This is an older, more mature Arturo de Ascanio performing a 9-minute Aces with Love routine with a voice-over in english. While I enjoyed the routine there are some dissenting opinions on The Magic Cafe on the slow, deliberate pace used by The Master.

Certainly the pace is slow and at times it appears as if Ascanio is repeating himself or stalling to get back 'into sync' however tension does build as each ace is transported back to the 'father' ace. I'm not sure if this is intentionally done for misdirection and to build to a climax or if it's the result of a master, but senior-aged magician just performing at pace that is natural for his age.

Regardless I added my thoughts on the Cafe thread and hope it promotes some discussion.

Eugene Burger: Cigarette thru Card

Live: Lightening Crashes

"Lightning Crashes"

lightning crashes, a new mother cries

her placenta falls to the floor

the angel opens her eyes

the confusion sets in

before the doctor can even close the door

lightning crashes, an old mother dies

her intentions fall to the floor

the angel closes her eyes

the confusion that was hers

belongs now, to the baby down the hall

oh now feel it comin' back again

like a rollin' thunder chasing the wind

forces pullin' from the center of the earth again

I can feel it.

lightning crashes, a new mother cries

this moment she's been waiting for

the angel opens her eyes

pale blue colored iris,

presents the circle

and puts the glory out to hide, hide

Ricky Jay: A Rogue's Gallery

From www.rickyjay.com

On April 10th, Ricky Jay begins a four date tour of a new show, "Ricky Jay: A Rogue's Gallery" which as far as I know is the first new stage production since his 2002 debut of "On The Stem".

For now Ticketmaster shows one date in Somerville, Massachusetts and three (May 14, 15, 16) in Toronto.

Click here for an interview The Boston Phoenix did with Jay about the new production.