text:
Time to Bury Bad News
Ok, this isn't really about beer, imstead it's about a topic that's been done to death by our friends in the media over the last few months. I'm referring of course to the so-caled credit crunch and economic downturn.
Right, we all know that the housing market's taken a bit of a tumble and several of the big banks have screwed up in spectacular fashion, but why keep ramming it down our throats? It seems to me that certain journalists and other "media" types have taken a great delight over the past weeks and months in bringing us bad news. I would even go so far as to suggest that they have talked us into a recession.
This is not so far fetched as it seems. Keep telling people that things are getting tough and we're heading for trouble and guess what? they start tightening their belts. People rein in their spending and put certain purchases on hold "just in case". Major items, such as a new car or a foreign holiday are postponed and before one knows it, the whole thing becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. It's a bit like telling people not to panic buy petrol when there's a minor problem with tanker deliveries.
It's fair to say that good news doesn't sell newspapers, but why try and utterly depress us with tales of doom and gloom, financial meltdown and how we'll all be out of work by next Christmas? Most of the news reporters who trot out these depressing statistics day after day do so safe in the knowledge that their well-paid jobs are safe and secure, come what may.
I stopped buying a daily newspaper years ago, as I firmly believe papers only exist to make money for their proprietors. There's a lot of mileage in the saying "never let the truth get in the way of a good story", and that the only thing you can believe on the front of a newspaper is the date! I would urge others to take a leaf out of my book; stop buying these sordid publications and hit these doom-mongers where it really hurts - in their pockets!
As we approach the festive season let's try and lighten the mood a little and look around us. Despite what the media would have us believe, it isn't all bad. People have survived far worse times and although there will undoubtedly be casualties along the way we'll eventually pull through. Don't forget, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. There are plenty of good things happening in the world; the media just don't want us to know about them.
So with Christmas fast approaching now's the time to look on the bright side. For beer lovers there will be plenty of seasonal brews available shortly, alongside those darker beers that are already on sale. What could be more satisfying than sitting in an unspoilt country pub, next to a roaring log fire, enjoying a glass of warming winter ale following a brisk walk across the frost-covered fields? As I raise my glass of Larkins Porter it's definitely time to bury bad news, along with all the prophets of doom who take great delight in bringing it to us!
Posted by Paul Bailey at 22:10 1 comment:
A Short Video of Larkins Brewery Chiddingstone
One duty I undertake for CAMRA is to act as Brewery Liaison Officer for my local brewery, which is Larkins of Chiddingstone. Duty is probably the wrong word, as it implies something potentially onerous. It is much more a pleasure to fulfill his role.
For those of you not in the know, Larkins Brewery was founded and is still run by Bob Dockerty and takes its name from the family farm. Larkins beers are full bodied ales brewed entirely from malt and hops, with no added sugar or other adjuncts. They have a real smack of Kentish hops, and are a firm favourite with local drinkers.
Bob has been brewing Larkins beers now for over a quarter of a century. Three regular bitters are produced, starting with the 3.4% Traditional Ale, ranging through to the full-bodied 4.4% Best Bitter. In between is Chiddingstone Bitter at 4.0%. My personal favourite though is Larkins Porter, which is a magnificent, almost black-coloured beer with strong roast coffee and chocolate flavours produced by the liberal amounts of chocolate malt used in the brew. It is only available between November and March, but is well worth tracking down.
Larkins have their own tied pub, the Rock at Chiddingstone Hoath. The Rock with its low beamed ceilings and floor of bare brick is as about as unspolit as pubs get nowadays, and mix this in with a roaring log fire in winter and a pint or two of Porter and one gets pretty close to paradise.
The Rock features on the video clip, but also shown is the Castle in Chiddingstone village - just a stone's throw from the brewery. The Castle is owned by the National Trust, as is much of the village itself, and has one of the few genuine public bars remaining. The Castle's public bar is another excellent place in which to sample Larkins Beers, and the video ends with owner, and brewer, Bob Dockerty enjoying a pint of his beer in the pub.
First Posting
The above title is not quite true, as I've posted a couple of Blogs on Paul Garrard's excellent Real Ale Network, where I'm a guest blogger.
As someone who's been passionate about beer for the last 35 years or so I thought it about time that I published some of my thoughts and observations online. But with such a long history spent enjoying decent beer, where does one start?
I won't repeat the boring stuff about me - that's listed elsewhere on the site. What I will say though is although I've been a CAMRA member since the mid 1970's, unlike some campaign diehards I do not confine my beer sampling solely to real ale. (It's strange, but I know several CAMRA members who won't even try dark cask ales, such as old ales, porters or stouts).
Having just returned from a very enjoyable trip to the United States I would have been denying myself the chances of drinking some truly excellent beers if I had! Earlier this year I spent a week in Regensburg, Eastern Bavaria, where again the beers available, whilst obviously not cask-conditioned, were superb. On home soil though, I invariably choose the cask-ale option, and would not compromise my principles by drinking such travesties of brewing as "smooth" and "creamflow" beers!
What I found particularly encouraging about my recent trans-atlantic trip was the amount of interest in, and availablity of, what the Americans would call craft-brewed beers. I had expected to have to track down these beers , but even in the small Ohio town I was staying in beers from the likes of Great Lakes, Samual Adams and Blue Moon were widely available, alongside the offerings from Bud and Miller, and what's more a lot of people were drinking them! A brew-pub I visited had a guest beer list to die for, alongside its own excellent offerings.
This desire to try something a little out of the ordinary, and something that actually tastes of malt and hops, seems also to becoming more prevalent over here. Obviously CAMRA must take a lot of the credit for this, but so should companies like J.D. Wetherspoon with their strong committment to real ale, coupled with their support for micro-breweries, plus the availability of some of the decent contintental beers sold in their pubs. Publications such as "Beers of the World" have also played their part as have, of course, the growing number of beer writers, many of whom of course host their own websites or produce blogs of their own.
All beer has to do now to maintain its new-found respectability, is to fight off the twin threats from the anti-alcohol brigade and health lobby. It is up to all of us that care about the "best long drink in the world" to ensure that it does.


Ashprington is a superb south facing detached bungalow situated in Sidmouth with lovely views over the town towards the sea in the distance. It is only a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the town, shops and beach. The property is set in beautiful, large mature gardens with lawns, shrubs borders and sitting areas. The spacious, bright and airy accommodation is beautifully presented with comfortable furnishings and many homely touches throughout.
Entrance porch leading to large hallway with four wide steps (with handrail on one side) down to the living room that has large panoramic windows overlooking surrounding gardens and trees with sea glimpses. Two south facing balconies, one with a table and chairs, one with views of the sea and garden. Large fitted kitchen with a separate dining area and utility room with door leading outside to a large private south facing garden. A spacious twin bedroom is on the upper level and there are two further bedrooms. One with twin beds, a wash basin and superb views over mature trees and gardens from a large corner window and one spacious room with a king size bed and a wash basin.A luxury bathroom with a separate shower cubicle, bath, wash basin and WC. Shower room with hand basin and WC.
Appliances: Large flat screen digital TV. DVD, CD, Telephone.
23rd November 2018- "We had a very enjoyable week here in this comfortable spacious bungalow. We sat in the sunshine indoors and out on the bench. We walked a lot and did not use the car. This may be the first time here but it will not be the last."
2nd November 2018- "I was able to have friends coming and going for my 65th birthday. Lots of laughter, music and fun facilitated by your lovely home. So peaceful and great views from the windows."


text:
Nintendo Brings Back Pokemon Red and Blue to Beat Xbox and PlayStation
1996 was an incredibly important year for Nintendo because it marked the beginning of an era with Pokemon. The Xbox and Playstation couldn't measure up to its success. 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the Pokemon Red and Blue titles.
Nintendo Releases 3DS Bundle with Pokemon Red and Blue
Pokemon will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in more than one way. To start, Nintendo Company announced the release of a Super Bowl ad on February 7. There are no details on what it will show. But it's certainly going to be about the world's favorite pocket monsters and encourage them to 'train on'.
On February 27, Nintendo will release a special 3DS bundle. It will feature a themed gaming console with either Red or Blue, and come with the chosen theme game pre-installed. The games will also be sold separately on the 3DS e-shop. The console's menu theme will be specially customized with the theme of the game chosen as well.
Great Promotions Come to North America And Japan
Fans thought this promotion would only be available in Japan, but it has effectively been announced to hit North America. This is only the second time this happens after Nintendo brought over an Animal Crossing themed 3DS bundle in the summer of 2015. Japan will also have the option of choosing themed 2DS featuring the Red, Blue Green and Pikachu/Yellow of the game series. This will go live on February 27 as well.
Other promotions are lined up for 2016 courtesy of this franchise. There will be some limited edition amiibos coming back. These may include Charizard, Jigglypuff, Greninja and Lucario. There will also be an expansion released for the Pokemon trading card game. This game will launch at the end of February. Pokemon will also host the release of 12 Pokemon animated films on iTunes, Google Play and Amazon.
Can Xbox and Playstation Mess with Pokemon?
Pokemon is one of the most beloved franchises in history. It spans across many different platforms and has brought millions of people together. Nintendo may have had a bad slump since the release of the Wii U, but it is definitely making a comeback.
Not only is Nintendo releasing more goodies and the anticipated VR game Pokemon Go, but it is also releasing Pokken Tournament on Wii U. By the end of the decade, the Japanese game maker will also have released a brand new console. It looks like it'll be a great few years for Nintendo, regardless of what goes on with the Xbox or PlayStation.
NFL Drafting
How to Get the Very Same Coupons for a Free Action at an Online Casino
Online Slots: Are They Worth It?
Betting Tips for Sporting Newbies

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Euro-Phoenix's CEO Les Nemethy/ EU Still a Work in Progress
26/12/2020 -- 4:00 pm
"It looked very bad in the spring when China responded faster with protective equipment (for Albania), the US and Europe came across as flat-footed. Now that American technology has shown its prowess with vaccines, it would be a shame for America not to reap some political benefit from this. I understand that PM Edi Rama has traveled to the US-he should twist the arm of the Americans!" said Les Nemethy
By Genc Mlloja
Senior Diplomatic Editor
As 2020 is heading to its end leaving almost the entire world with tragic losses of life and catastrophic blows on all countries on different levels and aspects due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Les Nemethy, CEO of Euro-Phoenix Financial Advisers Ltd., spoke to Albanian Daily News on what happened and where mankind is heading to next year and beyond. "No country is safe while a virus is raging in other parts of the world. This is a typical example of the need for countries to cooperate and develop an international response," said Nemethy, a former World Banker and author of Business Exit Planning (www.businessexitplanningbook.com) and a former president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hungary.
In his comments, Mr. Nemethy touched upon the change in the White House and the future Washington-Brussels relations under Biden's presidency, the EU developments known of its 'messiness', and the split among US, Russia and China with the latter, as he said, having progress without precedent in economic history over the past decades.
Answering a question on Albania's likelihood to receive the anti-COVID vaccine soon Mr. Nemethy, who is familiar with this Balkan country as he dealt with its privatizations process while working for the World Bank in Washington in 1993-1997, had the following comment: "I understand that PM Edi Rama has traveled to the US - he should twist the arm of the Americans!"
- As 2020 is coming to an end I take this opportunity, Mr. Nemethy, to extend ADN's gratitude for sharing with its readers and us your valuable opinions on key issues concerning world affairs and Albania in particular given the fact that you are very familiar with this Balkan country. But the coronavirus pandemic and its repercussions have been a major topic of discussions even in our previous talks. January-December 2020, an overview, please, where the world was and where it is heading in 2021 would be much appreciated.
- In the years prior to 2020, on the surface the world seemed to be doing well, at least in economic terms. Global GDP growth was reasonable (2.48% in 2019), unemployment was relatively low in most developed countries. We seem to have left the 2008 Lehman crisis behind. Below the surface, the most worrying development is that debt levels and money supply in 2017-19 were already growing out of control. Then in February-March, 2020 Covid-19 came to much of Europe and North America, followed by lockdowns, which threw millions out of work. Further debt was added to the already massive levels, and Central Banks printed money like there was no tomorrow. Markets saw a mini-collapse in late March 2020, which authorities salvaged with even more stimulus and debt. Global debt levels have surpassed 360% of GDP, higher than any time since World War II, and will continue to rise rapidly until Covid-19 is behind us. Debt will become the defining feature of the 2020's economy. The combination of stimulus and loosening money supply could cause inflation to reignite.
-'Light at the end of the COVID-19 Tunnel' was the headline of an analysis penned by you for the Budapest Business Journal. In a way you warn that the vaccines do not constitute an immediate magic bullet. Why?
- First, there are medical reasons: a substantial proportion of the global population will refuse to be vaccinated. Mutations are occurring; it is only a matter of time before a mutation emerges that is vaccine resistant. In the months that it takes to develop, approve and distribute a new vaccine, a resistant virus has the potential to do great damage and put us into lockdown again. The virus is unlikely to be totally suppressed in 2021. Overall cases and deaths I believe will be substantially reduced, but we will be playing a "cat and mouse" game with the virus for at least a few years to come.
Second, there are economic reasons. Before Q2-Q3 2021, when vaccines should begin to have their effect on infection rates, the virus will have unleashed a chain reaction—unemployment, bankruptcies, etc.—which in turn have the potential of leading to bank defaults, sovereign defaults, etc. The economic and financial dominoes will fall, long after the virus has been suppressed.
Perhaps the most harmful economic effects of the virus will be the vast increases in debt (already high before the pandemic) and money supply. High debt leads to instability in future, possibly even collapse. Repayment or inflating away of that debt could cause great economic hardship.
To finish this question on a positive note, by Q3 2021 vaccines should dramatically reduce Covid cases and deaths. People who have taken a vaccine should return to a more normal life, perhaps even travel for tourism. Unless there is a mutation resistant to vaccines, lockdowns should become a thing of the past. So, in my opinion, there is something resembling a light at the end of the tunnel around Q3. (But be careful: it might be a locomotive coming our way!)
-Let me touch upon the cardinal issue of the economic and financial and social perspective within EU countries, aspirants to the Union like Albania and on a world level. Given your valuable expertise, please Mr. Nemethy, which is your forecast and how much the world should be worried about the uncertainties in stock for the people, particularly in poor countries?
-Of course, the worst scenario would be one or more very rapidly spreading and deadly mutations of the virus- which could create further lockdowns, unemployment, bankruptcies, etc. (The mutation of the Spanish Flu in late 1918 was far deadlier than the original virus). I sincerely hope this does not happen, but it does create uncertainty! Unfortunately, the more widespread the virus, the more chances it has to mutate…
In 2020, the rate at which the rich get richer and the poor get poorer has accelerated: First: because the rich can typically work at home, use private vehicles instead of public transport, and are able to afford healthier lifestyles and diets, which makes their immune systems more resistant. Hence the rich have a better chance of surviving a pandemic. Second, on the economic level, money supply expansion has been shown to lead to asset inflation-which benefits only those who own assets-that is to say the rich. It is becoming increasingly hard for the poor or young adults to own a home. Third, a possible reigniting of inflation over a 3-5 year horizon could greatly prejudice certain disadvantaged groups such as retirees, whose pensions are fixed, and newly formed families, who will find it even more difficult to buy a new home.
-And as the concern is high on this group of countries which is large in number let me come to their deprivation of having rapid access to the vaccines. Is this a case to reconfirm that the world is not on the same boat in health disasters like this, and the 'right to life' has taken a hard blow? Could this be a warning that the UN, other international organizations and the world order in general should be reshaped?
-There is much that needs to be done to reshape international organizations-but I see relatively little motivation to do so. While I expect an improvement over the coming years, with the Biden administration more willing to play along with international rules than the Trump administration, that falls short of fundamentally reforming institutions. No country is safe while a virus is raging in other parts of the world. This is a typical example of the need for countries to cooperate and develop an international response. US leadership of a global response to the pandemic was sorely lacking this year; the new administration may give higher priority to working with the international community.
One can to some extent understand why Governments want to cater to their home voters by assuring priority of domestic vaccine supply. If an airline cabin is depressurized, we are instructed to place the oxygen mask on our face before we try to help a neighbor. Nevertheless, I expect most Balkan countries to have access to vaccines relatively soon, for at least front line health workers, and the aged.
- There have been hard times in the EU as the most important event of the year-the adoption of the budget met with the strong opposition of some countries with Hungary and Poland being in the forefront threatening to veto it. Might the last-minute breakthrough in Brussels, however, be a warning that 'house affairs' in the Union are not in order and the 'veteran' countries and should rethink their position towards the rest of the members in the sense that 'Primus inter pares' is outdated?
-The European Union has always been an institution known for the 'messiness" of its decision-making processes. Any single Government can veto any decision of the Union, yet the EU constitution makes it virtually impossible to seriously sanction any EU Government if it has the support of at least one other Government. De Gaulle made a joke about how you can govern a country with 246 types of cheese! The EU has the equivalent of a thousand cheeses, and the need for consensus on everything, as opposed to some kind of majority/supermajority structure for decision-making, in my view, is a fundamental flaw of the EU. If the EU fails as an institution, it will probably be because of governance. Yet as the EU moves from crisis to crisis, its leaders tend to find a solution-usually involving greater integration -most recently, the EU agreed to a joint bond financing issue to provide an EUR 800 million pandemic relief fund. This not only breaks a barrier previously experienced by wealthier members of the Union like Germany and Holland in taking on liabilities on behalf of poorer members. It also helps to create a bond market for the euro, a necessary step in the evolution of the euro as a global currency. In my opinion, the EU is still a work in progress. It evolves in response to crisis. Let's just hope it can evolve faster than the crises unfold.
-You say that the virus will be outlived by its economic and financial effects. Which are some of the main worrisome uncertainties ahead on a world level, and how much could power change in the US impact the course of world affairs, especially the relationship between Washington and Brussels?
-I do believe the tone of the relationship between Washington and Brussels will change dramatically for the better after Biden's inauguration on January 20th. One of the most symbolic acts of Trump was to refuse to shake hands with Merkel, (while seeming to enjoy shaking hands with dictators). The United States and Europe are natural allies in so many respects. Biden's nomination of Antony Blinken as Secretary of State, who has close links to Europe and speaks French, presages a return to better US-European relations. In my view, cooperation between the US and Europe is fundamental to the world moving in a positive direction—on questions ranging from global warming to regulating artificial intelligence.
On an economic level, the greatest source of financial instability, as mentioned, is global debt continuing to spiral out of control. Until Covid-19 is behind us, there is no chance of reversing this debt spiral. However, even if the virus stops tomorrow, dominoes will continue to fall (bankruptcies, defaults, possibly leading to bank or sovereign defaults in developing countries). And we will be dealing with the debt for years to come. It makes the world increasingly unstable, less able to deal with subsequent crises.
-As a follow up, Sir, in the past the world scene was dominated by the rivalry between the two superpowers, the US and the former Soviet Union. Now, there is in progress the US-Sino conflict which has taken serious proportions this year. Why has China been chosen as the main opponent and 'threat' to the West, a shift from the US-Russian rivalry?
-To put things in perspective, Russia has a GDP smaller than Canada (10th and 9th places respectively worldwide). China's GDP is in second place, but has surpassed the US on a Purchasing Power Parity Basis (probably a better measure of military potential). China's GDP growth is also much faster than Russia's or the US.
China is also challenging US dominance in technology in so many areas, ranging from artificial intelligence to biotechnology, and from quantum computing to space exploration. While Russia has a larger nuclear arsenal today than China, the Americans project China's growth in GDP and technology into the future.
Yet Russia also maintains an amazing ability to project power, in part due to its nuclear arsenal, in part thanks to the boldness of its actions from Ukraine to Syria, and create mischief with hacking and influencing elections from the EUto the US. Romney had a point when he accused Trump of having a blind spot towards Russia, given that Trump had refused to ascribe responsibility to the Russians for the recent security hacks on US institutions, including the US Nuclear Agency, preferring to name the Chinese (even while his own Secretary of State continued to point toward the Russians!)
You may remember that George Orwell, in his seminal novel, 1984, talked of the world split into three power blocs, focused around US, China and Russia. His foresight and powers of prediction were amazing! Back at the time Orwell wrote this, China was at best a regional player, militarily and economically. Progress over the past decades has been without precedent in economic history…
-I will conclude with a worry predominant currently in Albania- the vaccine. In all odds, Albania does not have any solid ground to get the vaccine soon although PM Edi Rama promises it will be acquired in the first three months of next year. Albania goes to the most controversial polls in April 2021. Given the sensibility of the issue that vaccines cannot be taken in a bag and all countries are looking after themselves, what will happen in this country and in the Western Balkans in general? Turning to pragmatism in face of this plague, shouldn't other alternatives be checked for vaccines as time counts more than ever?
-I understand that Serbia will receive a small number of vaccines already this year, whereas Albania more likely in Q2. Fortunately for the Balkans, there is a jockeying for geopolitical influence between the US, EU, Russia, and the Islamic powers. This will probably catalyze the US and Europe to act faster.
It looked very bad in the spring when China responded faster with protective equipment, the US and Europe came across as flat-footed. Now that American technology has showed its prowess with vaccines, it would be a shame for America not to reap some political benefit from this. I understand that PM Edi Rama has traveled to the US-he should twist the arm of the Americans!
-And as an old friend of the Albanian people, which is your message for 2021?
-2021 is a year of hope, with potential for return of normalcy and economic recovery. When Covid-19 subsides, it will not be a return to the pre-Covid world, but to a "new normal"—with both positives and negatives. On the negative side, there will be historically high debt levels, which will continue to expand rapidly and lead to instability; in 2021, we will see the dominoes playing out, perhaps even a market crash.
Covid has accelerated the rate of innovation. This creates opportunities for innovators and those able to adopt innovations. (Those unable to move with the times will be left behind). It still needs to play out what that new normal will be, but some of the trends are already visible—from telehealth to online shopping. Home office and zoom calling will probably remain to some degree even post-Covid. This may tend to make certain types of real estate more valuable (e.g. warehouses, rural homes, etc.) and other types less valuable (e.g. downtown office and commercial space).
To summarize: when 50-60% of the world is vaccinated (e.g. herd immunity is reached), we will have the worst of the medical crisis behind us, and we may begin to focus on putting our economic house in order again, within the context of the new normal. On a personal level, I would like to suggest to your readers that in the absence of a vaccine, strengthening your immune system is the next best thing you can do. Consult with your doctor or check the research about taking vitamins (D, C, B2) along with supplements (zinc, selenium, magnesium). Get natural sunlight, plenty of sleep, lots of exercise. Strengthening your immune system is worth at least a partial vaccine. Best wishes for a safe and successful 2021!
NUIS: L91415033Q
© 2019 Argumentum. All Rights Reserved.


This program, actually the last set on the last night of a 6-night stay at the Village Vanguard, is, in a word, wonderful. Combining 4 original pieces with one each by Eubie Blake, Thelonious Monk, and Sonny Rollins plus a work from Brazilian composer Jacob de Bandolim as well as the standard "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning", this is music to savor either alone or with a close friend. It's not so much that this is "romantic" music (though it has its moments), it's contemplative, probing, and, in the end, filled with the joy of a musician inflight full - the music would be lost on a group of people unless they were sitting in a club or concert space. Every piece is required listening, from the bluesy riffs of "Down Home" (dedicated to guitarist Bill Frisell - during the solo, listen for the quote from "If I Only Had a Brain" ) to the melodic and harmonic elegance of "Pastorale" (dedicated to Robert Schumann.) Blakes' "Memories of You" has a contemplative, melancholy, feel while Rollins' "Doxy" starts quietly, formal in the stately presentation of the melody line before the pianist takes the piece through shifts of mood and dynamic variations.
Fred Hersch has long been one of the musicians I turn to when in need of rejuvenation. Not because the music is revolutionary or "swings like mad" or, on the other hand, mindless and loud. There is a clarity of vision in his music, he's not afraid to take other composer's work and find his own interpretation while his original compositions are thoughtful and well-organized, always leaving room for exploration. If you have never explored his recording "Leaves of Grass" (Palmetto, 2005), which utilizes Walt Whitman landmark work from the 19th Century, find it and dig deeply into its complex yet approachable world. Meanwhile, "Alone at the Vanguard", as I wrote above, is wonderful listening. For more information, go to www.palmetto-records.com. To find out more about "My Coma Dreams", go to www.fredhersch.com.
My Garden (Poems By Charles Bukowski) - Nicholas Urie (Red Piano Records) - Much has been made of composer/arranger Urie's age (he'll be 25 in July) and that's the last you'll read about it in this review. His debut recording, "Excerpts From An Online Dating Service", was brash in its lyrical content, with arrangements that emphasized the talents of the fine musicians in the large ensemble.
One could say the same about this recording, except the results are even more impressive. Urie takes the poetry of Charles Bukowski (1920 - 1994) and dresses the words with music that often rumbles, sparkles and moves in unexpected directions. The 12 musicians assembled for the recording includes the wonderful rhythm section of Frank Carlberg (piano, Rhodes), John Hebert (bass) and Michael Sarin (drums). Add to that impressive trio the reeds of Jeremy Udden (soprano sax), Douglas Yates (alto sax, clarinet), Kenny Pexton (tenor sax) and Brian Landrus (bass clarinet) plus the trumpet section of Albert Leusink, Ben Holmes and John Carlson with trombonists Alan Ferber and Max Siegel - this is one formidable band. Christine Correa, who has truly become one of the finest lyric interpreters in contemporary music handles the majority of the vocals.
Throughout the program, Urie's arrangements for the horns capture the ear. 2 short pieces, "Lioness" and "Lean", have funky beats underneath while Yates flies atop the ensemble on bass clarinet and alto sax respectively. The latter is quite fiery with typical Bukowski humor in the lyrics - "Drinking beer doesn't make you fat/ It makes you lean/ Against bars, tables, chairs and poles."
"Round and Round" moves outward from the words "You have my soul/And I have your money" with a circular melody line that opens into an exciting Carlberg solo on Rhodes over the driving accompaniment of Hebert and Sarin. When the horns reenter, they too play a circular riff that opens into Kenny Pexton's boisterous solo. Near the end, Correa's overdubbed vocals add to the clamorous effect. "My Garden" finds the vocalist in a quieter mode supported by the excellent work of trumpeter Carlson (muted for the beginning of the piece and open bore on his solo) and trombonist Ferber. Their solos expand upon the somber irony in the lyrics, the entirety of which is "In the sun and in the rain/ and in the day and in the night/ Pain is a flower/ Pain is flowers/ Blooming all the time." The horn arrangement under the vocal for the final verse utilizes various members of the ensemble shadowing Correa - you may miss it first time through but the Erik Satie-like feel of the section works quite well. In the midst of "For Crying Out Loud", there is a solo section for Carlson and Udden that is highly effective for the contrast in their lines and tone. Also effective is Yates' alto sax behind the vocal later in the piece as well as Sarin's martial drumming and Hebert's bowed bass lines that lead the piece out.
On my initial journey through this program, I thought I heard the influence of Charles Mingus in Nicholas Urie's music, especially in the way he moves the horn lines around behind the vocals. It's there on 1 or 2 tracks but not dominant throughout. What does remain after"Finality" rides out on the elongated chord played by the brass and reeds is that the fact that "My Garden" is overflowing with ideas, strong playing and singing, plus the feeling that Nicholas Urie is going to be a major voice in creative music for decades to come. For more information, go to www.nicholasurie.com or http://redpianorecords.com.
Art of the Improviser - Matthew Shipp (Thirsty Ear) - Here are 2 distinct sessions by pianist Shipp, both recorded live, the first from April 2010 recorded in Troy, New York, featuring bassist Michael Bisio and drummer Whit Dickey; the second a solo session from Le Poisson Rouge in New York City. One hears so many streams in Shipp's music. The Trio session, one continuous 52 minute set, has traces of Andrew Hill's music on the first 2 tracks. "The New Fact" moves from the full chords of the chorus to the thorny swing of the solo sections. Bisio matches the pianist's energy with insistent bass lines while Dickey colors with his excellent cymbal. The piece shifts about 1/2 way through its 12+ minute run for a long bass solo that leads directly into the next piece "3 In 1" with a melody line that sounds like variations of "Rock-a-Bye Baby." Shipp mines the melody and chord changes for all their worth while Dickey drives incessantly from below.
The remaining 3 tracks include a pair of older pieces, "Circular Temple #1" and "Virgin Complex" plus a rousing reading of Billy Strayhorn's "Take The A Train." The first track listed starts slowly with impressionistic piano lines over swirling cymbals and fine bowed bass. As the piece moves forward, the intuitive interplay of the trio captures the listener's attention. At the end, the music slows down as Shipp reaches into the piano to pluck the strings before diving headlong into the Strayhorn classic. There are moments where the thunderous chords resemble the sound of the train moving through the tunnel or a train idling in the station. Bisio's "walking" bass lines and Dickey's drive provide the propulsion for Shipp's musical travels. Disk 1 closes with "Virgin Complex", replete with the composer's rich two-handed piano phrases; when mixed with Bisio's bowed bass lines, the sound becomes a drone that rises and falls, coming to a close quietly and peacefully.
Disk 2 is Shipp solo and it is a 39 minute journey through his fertile imagination. Opening with the contemplative and thickly-chorded "4 D", the program moves on to explore the possibilities of "Fly Me to The Moon" (quite impressionistic) and beyond to the "bruising" chords and melodic explorations of "Whole Tone." The final 3 tracks of the CD all were featured on Shipp's 2005 solo CD, "One." "Module", at times, utilizes the sustain pedal to create a storm of sound that Shipp relieves with short burst of single-note lines. That leads into the bluesy/boppish riff of "Gamma Ray" which the pianist uses a touchstone as he moves away into explorations of the chord changes, rhythmic and dynamic variations, yet always returning to the insistent theme. "Patmos" closes the disk, seemingly serving as an epilogue, again displaying Shipp's style of evolving melody lines and dynamic shifts. As with his 2010 solo CD, "4 D", this is a set to enjoy over and over because there is so much to absorb.
Taken together, "The Art of the Improviser" shows Matthew Shipp at his best as a leader, as a composer, and as a member of an ensemble. He creates music that draws one in on the strength of his ideas and his ability to translate them onto the keyboard. For more information, go to www.matthewshipp.com.
While the music is based on traditional Flamenco song forms, the results are a striking blurring of styles. After a handsome bowed bass solo that opens "Very Well" (the first track on the disk) and the richly toned alto sax solo from Sambeat, one gets pulled in by the fandango rhythm and the rising melody line. The tension is palpable yet the way the reeds and horns are arranged give the piece warmth. Listen to the drive and forward motion on "Sólo El Sol Sale Siempre Solo" (Solea), another piece that opens slowly and, in this instance, with angular saxophone lines from Stillman and Shepik's distorted guitar lines. There's a blues feeling in the bass line (which is doubled, at times, by Tepfer's acoustic piano.) The "heaviness" of that work stands in sharp contrast to the dancing melody lines of "Tocar Y Parar" (Alegrias), the saxophones moving easily over the handclaps and Mark Ferber's sharp drum work. The solo section features fine solos from Tepfer and Cohen - they both "swing" but not in an American context but in the declarative Spanish sense (Cohen's growth as a soloist over the past few years in impressive.) The longest track, "Por la Minima" (Bulerias) clocking in at 17:36), opens with insistent guitar chords, chattering electric piano lines, and a rhythm section in a different tempo. The tension that interaction creates does not subside when the reeds and brass enter and Cuadrado creates a swift line for one to play off the falling phrases of the other. Halfway through the piece, Sambeat rises out of the insistent chords with a sharply defined solo. There's a lot to absorb at this point, from the saxophonist's rising intensity to the splendid drum work to the staccato horn lines to the burbling piano.
I'd be happy to talk about the rest of the tracks but you should discover the musical treats for yourself. The musicianship is as impressive as the expansive compositions; there are harder edges mixed with softer, intensely romantic, flourishes (the ballad "A Tientas" (Tientos) strikes me as a cross between Chico O'Farrill and Gil Evans.) This project, created thanks to a grant from Chamber Music America/"New Works" with support from the Catalan Center at NYU, photographer Dixi Carrillo, and released with the help from investors through Kickstarter, is really quite special. To find out more, go to www.alexiscuadrado.com.
Nevertheless, both musicians are worth reading.
That's Nick Lloyd standing in front of Firehouse 12, 45 Crown Street in New Haven, CT. (photo courtesy of Improvised Communications.) The recording studio/performance space has just announced its Spring 2011 Concert series and it looks just wonderful. 13 shows on 13 consecutive Friday evenings and it all begins on March 18th with guitarist Adam Rogers' Trio featuring bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Clarence Penn for 2 shows (8:30 and 10 p.m.) Subsequent shows feature the Donny McCaslin Group (3/25), the Jeremy Pelt Quintet (4/01), the Ullmann/Swell Quartet (4/08), the Daniel Levin Quartet 4/15), Shane Endsley and The Music Band (4/22), Amir ElSaffar's Two Rivers (4/29), the Tom Rainey Trio with Ingrid Laubock and Mary Halvorson (5/06), the Rob Brown Quartet (5/13), Anthony Braxton Septet: Echo Echo Mirror House (5/20), the Ben Wolfe Quartet (5/27), Gretchen Parlato with pianist Taylor Eigsti (6/03) and the Scott Colley Trio (6/10). Now, that's a lot of good music. Prices are reasonable, there's a good watering hole in the basement (though, no drinks in the performance space) and the sound is exceptional. To find out more and/or buy tickets, go to www.firehouse12.com.
Finally, saxophonist/flutist/composer/conceptualist Henry Threadgill seems to be all over the media lately. He's on the cover of the March 2011 issue of JazzTimes (and, inside, is the subject of a fine article by David R. Adler - read it here) while Jason Crane devoted a recent episode of "The Jazz Session" to critic Hank Shteamer and the liner notes he wrote to the Mosaic boxset "The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air." You can hear the episode by clicking here.
In April of 2010, Crane sat down with Mr. Threadgill to chat about many things Zooid and much more - it's also worth a listen, which you can do by clicking here.
Among the great recordings that helped initiate my ears to the joys of jazz was Miles Davis's "Sketches of Spain." First issued in 1960, the recording paired the mercurial trumpeter with arranger/composer Gil Evans (pictured left) on a program of Spanish music from the pens of Manuel de Falla and Joaquin Rodrigo (as well as one of Evans' compositions.) Evans utilized a large orchestra with as many as 14 brass players, 5 reed players, a harpist, acoustic bass and kit drummer. "Beautiful" and "haunting" are good words to describe the results of their collaboration - Davis and Evans would go on to release "Miles Ahead", "Quiet Nights", and "Porgy and Bess" - they had first worked together in 1949 on Davis's groundbreaking "Birth of the Cool" but their 4 releases on Columbia found great popular success.
All that leads into an email I received earlier today (reproduced below.) This looks and sounds like an exciting adventure, one that should appeal to fans of Evans' unique approach to jazz and contemporary music.
Next year will be the 100th anniversary of Gil Evans' birth, and the Centennial Countdown begins on February 16, 2011 when composer/producer Ryan Truesdell launches The Gil Evans Centennial Project (GilEvansProject.com) with the assistance of fans, friends, and musical colleagues, powered by an ArtistShare® experience.
While many centennial milestone celebrations involve collections and selections of greatest hits from the past, this centennial celebration brings to light newly discovered compositions. Most people know of Gil Evans' work with Miles Davis, but combining all of Evans' work with Davis accounts for only a few years out of a five-decade career. "Gil was an amazingly prolific composer and arranger. I saw thousands of pages of music manuscript, more tunes than I could count. As I went through this music, I started to realize that so many of these were never recorded or were heard live only a few times," explains Truesdell, the first person outside the Evans' family to have been granted full access to the musical archives. As Miles Evans says: "I'm very excited about this project, and I'm behind Ryan Truesdell 100%. He's a very talented young man, an excellent musician who has taken the time, and has the talent, to pull this off."
Having sifted through stacks of music, some full scores, some just sketches, Truesdell has selected works that will give participants and listeners a look at Evans' musical world before and after his collaborations with Miles Davis. Among the works to be recorded for the first time are a number of pieces dating back to Evans' work in the late 1940s with the Claude Thornhill Orchestra, a few works written for singers including one originally arranged for an Astrid Gilberto album but never used, and never-before-heard works for a 24-piece ensemble that includes oboes, bassoons, French horns and percussion. This project will bring Evans out of the shadows, show him to be the pioneer that he was, and shine a new light on his legacy as a 20th century composer and orchestrator.
The Gil Evans Centennial Project provides an opportunity for fans and aficionados, students and professional musicians, to all join together in bringing the music of Gil Evans to life. What could be a better birthday present?
Fan-funded projects, a concept pioneered by ArtistShare®, not only support works of artistry, they provide participants with a behind-the-scenes view of the creative process. Through online audio, video, and journal entries, project participants will share the journey as Truesdell finds Evans' music, documents and compares the scores and sketches, applies deductive reasoning to prepare tempi, style and approach, and rehearses the band. Along the way, interviews with experts such as Evans' biographer Stephanie Crease, composer Maria Schneider, members of the Evans family, musicians who worked with Evans, and others who have been deeply influenced by his work will provide depth and historical context by sharing their experiences and insights. The project will continue with the recording, mixing and final release of the CD on May 13, 2012, Evans' 100th birthday.
On March 13, 2011, just one week shy of the anniversary of Evans' death, special guests Phil Woods, Andy Bey and Frank Kimbrough will join the Eastman School of Music Chamber Jazz Ensemble conducted by Truesdell for a New York City kick-off concert. The 7 PM performance at St Peter's Church will be preceded by both a 3:30 PM afternoon panel discussion moderated by Stephanie Crease with Howard Johnson, Helen Merrill, Maria Schneider and Ryan Truesdell, and the Church's weekly 5 PM Jazz Vespers that will feature the music of Gil Evans with guest soloists Frank Kimbrough, Helen Merrill, Howard Johnson, and Steve Wilson as part of "Prez Fest 2011 - Celebrating Gil Evans."
Truesdell, who was co-producer of Maria Schneider's award-winning album Sky Blue, is not only spearheading the project, but he will personally conduct the orchestra in live and recorded performances and produce the CD. A full range of participant levels is available from the $12.95 Download Participant to the $25,000 Executive Producer. Of special note is the $125 Composer Participant level that includes access to six audio lessons analyzing specific aspects of Gil's scores. Additionally, a brand new participant offer is still being designed that would enable schools, organizations, or even local communities to bring Truesdell to town where he would hold master classes and/or workshops as well as conduct a local ensemble in a concert of Evans' music, just as he did during the out-of-town preview concert that took place on February 17th at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY.
Participation in The Gil Evans Centennial Project is available exclusively through ArtistShare®, a company noted for its groundbreaking approach to connecting fans with the creative process.
Ryan Truesdell is a composer of diverse musical tastes and influences with a healthy reverence for jazz tradition and an ever-broadening sonic palette. He received his Masters degree in Jazz Composition from the New England Conservatory and immersed himself in a broad range of musical styles while studying composition with Bob Brookmeyer and Lee Hyla. He composes and arranges music for an eclectic variety of ensembles ranging from small ensembles to big bands, wind ensembles to string quartets. Recent commissions include arrangements for trumpeter Ingrid Jensen with the U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific, new music for pianist Frank Kimbrough with the University of Minnesota's Jazz Ensemble, and a new piece for Bob Brookmeyer's 80th birthday concert at the Eastman School of Music. Ryan was also awarded the First Music commission from the New York Youth Symphony's Jazz Band Classic, and conducted its premiere at the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2009.
As a producer, Ryan has already distinguished himself as a valuable resource in the studio. In 2004, he served as production assistant for Maria Schneider's record, Concert in the Garden, which won a Grammy award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble. He co-produced Schneider's next recording in 2007, Sky Blue, which has received unanimous praise including "Jazz Album of the Year" from the Village Voice Critics Poll, a Choc Award from Jazz Magazine in France, and a five-star review from DownBeat in 2007 (one of only two albums to receive that honor). Sky Blue was also nominated for two Grammy Awards, and won the category of "Best Instrumental Composition" (Cerulean Skies). Most recently, Ryan traveled to Hamburg, Germany to produce a recording with Bob Brookmeyer and the Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) Big Band, including both new and old works from Bob's catalog.
Ryan is an active guest clinician and conductor, working with musicians at a number of schools and organizations including Lawrence University (Appleton, WI), University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN), Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY), and the New York Youth Symphony's Jazz Band Classic (New York, NY).
For more information, visit www.ryantruesdell.com.
Mad Heaven - Peter Eldridge (Palmetto Records) - I've seen composer/vocalist/pianist Eldridge's music referred to as "easy listening." There are moments on his solo records (this is his 4th and first in 6 years) that tag might be applied. To these ears, this is "adult contemporary music" in the best sense. No pandering to youthful tastes or styles, no lyrics about "puppy love" or multiple sexual conquests, and there don't seem to be synthesized beats anywhere. Instead, we hear the leader's handsome tenor wrapped around lyrics that are often touching, sometimes humorous ( "Buffet Philosophy" is a hoot for anyone looking for ideas about dieting) and, on this effort, occasionally in Portuguese. His musical cohorts include guitarist Keith Ganz, saxophonist Joel Frahm, drummer and co-producer Ben Wittman, bassist Tim Lefebvre and percussionist James Shipp. There are background vocals from Lauren Kinhan and Darmon Meader (who work with Eldridge in New York Voices) as well as Kate McGarry, Amy Cervini, Jo Lawry and Rondi Charleston.
Latin rhythms dominate much of the music. There is the beauty and softness of "Betty's Bossa (Chamego)" dedicated to Eldridge's mother, a wordless journey of love and appreciation (the leader creates a vocal chorus through multiple overdubs.) "Voce e Eu" (from the team of Carlos Lyra and Vinicius de Moraes) is a sweet samba that floats atop the lovely alto flute work of Aaron Heick with the accordion of Gil Goldstein adding a sweet texture. The title track, with lyrics based on a poem by Antonio Machado (1875-1939), a Spanish writer, features a handsome vocal arrangement for Eldridge, McGarry and Lowry. A gentle samba feel permeates the arrangement of Ray Noble's 1934 classic "The Very Thought of You." Frahm's tenor saxophone lines wrap around the vocal, creating his own spin on the melody. Eldridge's take on Ary Barroso's "Prá Machucar Meu Coração" features only piano, acoustic bass and guitar and quiet drums beneath the silky vocals. There is beauty in the economy of this music, in the intimacy of the relationships created by the voice and musicians and how that touches the listener. Wittman's percussion on both "Charmer" and "Warm December" is impressive in its scope; on the former tune, the piece bounces off his dancing rhythms while on the latter, he supplies the "heat" that pushes Frahm's tenor higher.
Bask in the vocal work, enjoy the fine instrumentalists (who do not overplay but truly support without becoming anonymous) and soak in the emotional warmth of this music. "Mad Heaven" will not only warm your winter nights but will also remind you of summer breezes that relax the mind. However you react, this is good music. For more information, go to www.palmetto-records.com where you can stream the CD and learn more about Peter Eldridge.
Botanic - Tyler Blanton (Ottimo Music) - Vibraphonist and California native Blanton moved to New York City in 2007 and has been steadily making a name for himself as a player and composer. This recording, his debut as a leader, features his "working trio" of bassist Dan Loomis and drummer Jared Schonig plus the excellent saxophone work of Joel Frahm - 2 tracks feature the rhythm section of Aidan Carroll (bass) and Richie Barshay (drums.) Frahm plays soprano on 5 of the 7 tracks on which he appears, a real treat because he has developed an excellent sound on the instrument. "Good Ol' Joel" is a bluesy romp with fine solos from the leader and the saxophonist. Schonig knows when to push the soloists and his interactions with them are impressive. There's more than a hint of "bebop" in the head of "Hemming and Hawing"; the solo section features heated solos from Frahm (soprano again) and Blanton. Frahm is on tenor for the title track, which enters on a rhythm that hints at both reggae and waltz rhythms. There is great swing and humor in Blanton's fine spot and his interactions with the rhythm section are playful.
Barshay and Carroll appear on "Mellow Afternoon", a sweet ballad with a strong melody line, impressive (and melodic) drum work and a forceful soprano sax solo. The same lineup has a fine time on the final cut, "Vestibule", with its quick tempo changes and lightning shifts in intensity. Blanton's bell-like tones suggest the marimba - the sound permeates the background and really shines on his joyful solo. Everyone "hits hard" during Frahm's soaring soprano solo.
Tyler Blanton's debut is fun to listen to, does not demand much of the listener except to pay attention - if one does, he or she will be rewarded with fine performances, solid melodies, and the opportunity to hear musicians who enjoy playing together. For more information, go to www.tylerblanton.net.
In the case the name looks familiar, Kono has worked in the reed section of Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, the Ed Palermo Big Band, Gotham Winds, and the Schumacher/Sound Assembly. He's performed in Broadway "pit bands" and with artists as diverse as Hugh Jackman, Patti Austin, Liza Minnelli, Michel Legrand, and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.
More to come on this most excellent recording. In the meantime, go to www.benkono.com where you can learn much more and hear pieces from "Crossings."
I reviewed the new CD by Jerome Sabbagh (pronounced "Sah - bog") several months ago. "I Will Follow You" (Bee Music) features the saxophonist with guitarist Ben Monder and drummer extraordinaire Daniel Humair in a series of original pieces and free improvisations. The musical adventures grow on the listener and what might sound disjointed at first blush takes on shape with repeated listens.
Jason Crane chats with Sabbagh on the latest "The Jazz Session" podcast. Listen here to learn how 3 musicians who had never played together before created their own world from trust, experimentation and talking to each other.
Wayne Shorter played in New York City this week with his cohorts of the past decade, they being Danilo Perez (piano), John Patitucci (bass) and Brian Blade (drums.) In honor of the event and the 10th anniversary of the Quartet, Shorter recorded a far-ranging interview with WBGO's Josh Jackson for "The Checkout" and, believe me, the chat is so worth checking out. To do so, click here.
On the same program, Jackson chats with Either/Orchestra founder, composer, arranger, saxophonist and social secretary Russ Gershon. The E/O is celebrating its 25th anniversary and has performed concerts in its native Boston, MA and, now, New York City, that feature the current 10-person lineup and a plethora of alumni (including Miguel Zenon, Matt Wilson, John Medeski and others.) The band does not tour much outside of the Boston area - click here to listen to the interview.
Gershon also had a good, long, sit-down with Jason Crane - give it a listen here.
Finally, when you visit "The Checkout" and "The Jazz Session" and enjoy the contents, understand that these journalists and musicians work very hard - they need more than moral support and applause (good things to get, indeed.) Be monetarily supportive when and where you are able.
We're Here To Listen - Leslie Pintchik (Pintch Hard) - Ms. Pintchik, composer, arranger and pianist and her group - Scott Hardy (bass, acoustic guitar) and Mark Dodge (drums) plus guest percussionist Satoshi Takeishi - play with beauty, sensitivity, dexterity and a desire to connect with the listener on a personal and emotional level. On this, her 3rd release, she proves herself to be a musical poet and painter. Opening the program with Bob Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind", one can hear this is a band that listens, reacts and enjoys interplay. The tune is rearranged, given an arrangement that allows the rhythms to open up at the end of the verses - Dodge and Takeishi kick the piece into a samba beat that is infectious and Ms. Pintchik rides joyously atop it. Hardy's bass solo, played (mostly) in the higher register, is wonderfully melodic but is also the start of a trend that nearly undermines the program. It's not faint praise to say that Hardy is a skilled and very musical bassist. The lines he plays beneath the piano are rich with ideas but he solos on all but 2 of the 10 tracks. And, it's usually right after the pianist finishes her solo. His solos are really good but the pieces become predictable because of the lack of variety in the arrangement.
The CD is ripe with beautiful tracks, from the lovely chestnut "For All We Know" to the Monk-influenced and blues-drenched "In the Wrong Place at the Right Time" (dedicated to U.S. Airways pilot "Sully" Sullenberger and his safe emergency landing in the Hudson River.) On the latter piece, the interaction of the pianist with percussionist Takeishi is divine and quite fun. The swing feel of "There You Go" is delightful while bassist Hardy's "Ancient" has a lovely melody line - the mood shifts within the song are highly effective. On this, the last track on the CD, the bassist finally gets to solo first and it's a welcome change.
The arrangement of "I Can't Make You Love Me" (composed by Mike Red and Allen Shamblin but made famous by Bonnie Raitt) opens up slowly and you can help but feel the tension that the words hold conveyed in the music. About 2/3rds of the way through the 7 minute + track, the 4 musicians break the mood by speeding up the piece and, while it's well done, it seems superfluous after the handsome and affecting slow portion.
I can't ignore the work of the 2 percussionists. This music never really gets loud yet the supportive work of Dodge and the colors that Takeishi provides are impressive throughout. Their interactions with the pianist and bassist keeps the listener involved, even on the ballads.
Despite my criticisms, "We're Here To Listen" is worth investigating. Much of the music has great depth, there is humor, sadness and flashes of exuberance; in other words, this is music of the human condition. Approach it with open ears and you'll find plenty to enjoy. For more information, go to www.lesliepintchik.com. There, you will find a link to the DVD of this band in concert - watch the clip that is provided and see the magic of creative interplay.
Mechanism - Florian Ross (Pirouet) - This CD of solo piano pieces (with occasional loops added) is the reason for the title of the column. I've listened to the 38-year old German born pianist/composer's program over a dozen times and I can't seem to find the proper words to describe its hold on me. This is not hard-edged and angular music nor is it "New Age" noodling. 17 tracks in under 56 minutes means few pieces are drawn out - in fact, 2 are barely over 60 second long and another 6 don't reach 3 minutes. Yet, the listener is never cheated, whether it's the dazzling pianistics of "Gyorgy" (63 seconds long) to the Erik Satie-like blues of "Catflap" (2 minutes), the songs do not feel incomplete. When Ross does stretch out, as he does on the 6 minute "Rondo Nr. 1", he varies the tempo and intensity to keep one's attention on the lovely, lilting, melody line he composed. There are times when one hears the influence of Keith Jarrett in the rumbling left hand rhythms but that does not happen often. The pianist's focus is on melody, on the harmonies the chords provide and imply. One feels impelled to listen, to let these pieces play over and over. The sounds comfort the listener, cares fall away, one relaxes.
If it's experimentation you are looking for, look elsewhere. If it's sounds and music that can "soothe the savage beast", the charming collection that Florian Ross presents here is just the right tonic. For more information, go to www.florianross.de.
Unrehurst: Volume 2 - Robert Hurst (Bebob Records) - Detroit Michigan-born bassist Hurst (Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick, Jr., Geri Allen) is featured here with his Houston, Texas, cohorts Robert Glasper (piano) and Chris "Daddy" Dave (drums) in a program recorded live at Smoke in New York City in March of 2007. "Volume 2" was taped 7 years after its predecessor, a set that also featured Glasper plus drummer Damion Reid.
What one gets here seems like the second set of a real good night of music. It's loose, easy, fun and, at times, charming. One can hear that these musicians are friends, they don't step on each other and they really enjoy a groove. All but 1 of the 5 tracks are over 12 minutes yet there is enough variety to keep one's interest. The set opens with Cole Porter's "I Love You", commencing with a short bass intro - when piano and drums enter, they ride Hurst's groove before a quick reading of the theme. Then, it's back to the groove and Glasper's long, unfolding, solo. In his own music, Glasper often melds hip-hop elements with bebop and other jazz styles - here, he channels his inner Herbie Hancock, taking the listener for a roller-coaster ride over Dave's explosive drum work and Hurst's "running" bass lines.
Glasper's "Truth Revealed" starts as a sweet medium-tempo ballad, with a handsome melody (and good counterpoint from the bassist) but builds in intensity through the piano solo. Hurst's solo is filled with long, rapid-fire lines that play against Dave's quiet cymbal work.
Thelonious Monk's "Monk's Dream" is fun, plenty of give-and-take, stops and starts, rhythmic shifts and that's just in the first 2 minutes. When Dave and Hurst lock into the groove, Glasper goes off into a multi-directional solo that is pure stream-of-consciousness. The bass solo also goes in various directions, at first playfully sparring with the drums then moving off into a melodic yet percussive set of riffs. When the Trio reunites, they trade choruses with Dave and one expects the theme to return. And, it does but in a series of variations that play off the melody and then the rhythm - there is even a short, impressionistic, coda as the music trails off.
If you're looking for a straight-ahead piano trio experience, "Unrehurst" is not really the place to go. But, if you want music that builds off tradition as well as friendship, capturing the experimentation and interplay that jazz can offer, this CD is a treat. For more information, go to www.roberthurst.com.
Giant Peach - The O'Farrill Brothers (ZOHO) - Here's a band with some kind of lineage - Grandfather Chico O'Farrill was a great composer/arranger and, arguably, the originator of "Latin Jazz" while father Arturo is also a fine composer/arranger and leader of the The Afro Cuban Latin Jazz Orchestra (whose new ZOHO release "40 Acres and a Burro" will be reviewed in the next few weeks.) Composer/trumpeter Zach (16) and drummer Adam (18) have performed with numerous artists and the quintet that appears on this, their debut CD, is a real working group - and it sounds like one. Hartford-area native Zaccai Curtis is the pianist, Michael Sachs the rock-solid bassist and Brazilian-born Livio Almeida plays tenor saxophone. Don't look at the CD cover or the names and expect either music for children or Latin jazz. The program swings, struts, dances, and is filled with fine playing. The only non-original tune, Benny Golson's "Stablemates", opens the program but it's not a "neo-con" turn. Brother Zack's parade-style drumming leads the way in and the band marches on through. Brother Adam gets the first solo and dives in, playing mostly in the lower and middle registers before giving way to Almeida's more mellow approach. The saxophonist contributes "Face It!" to the set and the tune has great forward motion, pushed mightily by Sacks' fine bass work. One can hear the influence of Wayne Shorter on the saxophonist's style, especially during his solo. The title track, penned by Adam, has an impish Thelonious Monk feel in the opening theme and the trumpet solo is a real joy, bluesy and brash over the driving snare drums. Curtis's solo really moves with and against the softer yet aggressive drum patterns. "The Composing Process" (great name for a song) is a multi-sectioned piece with a rich melody line and good harmonies; there's plenty of stops-and-starts in the rhythm section beneath Adam's crisply played solo. There's more playful percussion on "Crazy Chicken", another excellent piano spot for Curtis and the opportunity for Zack to let loose with a smartly-turned drum solo - the best part of the solo is that it's musical and not showy. Adam creates an exciting Latin groove for "Happy Hours" that is anything but typical. Sacks gets the first solo and displays a flair for melody even as the drummer dances behind him. The bassist's tune, "Side Street", is a funky groove with twists and turns - Almeida really digs into his solo giving it his gutsy best.
"Giant Peach" is tasty and joyous music played by young musicians with a healthy respect for the past and their eyes and ears in the present. The rhythms are delicious (sounds great loud), the playing impressive and the melodies quite mature. Best of all, the young players remind us that jazz can be fun and funky without selling out to "modern fashions." The future for these 5 fine musicians looks very bright. For more information, go to www.zohomusic.com.
As You Like - BANN (Jazz Eyes) - The quartet takes its name from its members - Seamus Blake (tenor saxophone), Jay Anderson (acoustic bass), Oz Noy (guitar) and Adam Nussbaum (drums) spent 2 days in the bassist's New Paltz, New York, studio and the results are worth sitting down and soaking in. Opening with 2 standards and a tune from the debut Crosby, Stills and Nash Lp, the music is loose-limbed and playful. After a playful groove introduces the pace, Blake and Noy read the theme from Jerome Kern's "All the Things You Are" in unison (first line) and with harmony (second line.) The solos are rich with ideas and there's a strong sense that these 4 musicians are friends. They're playing together; not just "playing" their instruments, but having fun with music. Thelonious Monk's "Played Twice" is another of that master composer's pieces that sounds simple but is anything but. After Blake and Noy play the head (twice), the piece relaxes into a reggae-soaked groove courtesy of Nussbaum's slapping snare and Anderson's popping bass lines. Both Blake and Noy get to solo over the shifting (and shifty) grooves..now be-bop, now reggae, now back. Anderson, as melodic a bassist as you'll hear, tosses in a quick solo then Nussbaum trades bars with the band.
The bassist provides 2 original pieces to the program, the swinging "Will Call" (Noy has a great solo, trading licks with Blake) and the bluesy, boozy, "At Sundown." On the latter piece, Noy's guitar slides, moans, squeals and wails through his solo, moving up and down the fretboard with abandon but not insanely. The guitarist's "Minor Shuffle" has a Steely Dan feel in the melody line and opens up to a blazing guitar solo as well as a fine tenor solo. The title track is credited to all 4 members - it's got a catchy groove, feeling like the tune the band would play in the last set when they were kicking back.
BANN's music is fun to kick back to, doesn't ask a lot but delivers with good grooves and fine solos. There are times when that's exactly what a listener needs. For more information, go to www.musiceyes.com.
The only issue with "Tin Fish Tango" is the program goes on a bit too long (68 minutes) but there are pleasures throughout. Everyone plays well and the inspired moments outweigh the limpid passages. Pour a cup of herbal tea, dim the lights and savor the sounds. For more information, go to www.immersionrecords.com.
Anthony Braxton, over his long and multi-faceted career, has produced scores of recordings, so much so that it has always been hard to keep track of what he's doing and when he did it. All that is about to change - no, the good Professor (he's on the faculty of Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT) is not laying down his many reeds or his pen. Read the informative press release below and follow the links provided.
New York, NY - On Tuesday, March 1st, Anthony Braxton and the not-for-profit organization Tri-Centric Foundation will publicly launch a comprehensive new website documenting the composer's music and legacy. The site, to be accessible at http://tricentricfoundation.org, will offer an array of unprecedented features, including exclusive access to Braxton's extensive personal archive of live recordings and the first-ever digital downloads of the complete out-of-print catalog of releases from his own Braxton House label.
True to its name, the Tri-Centric site will be split into three parts: a one-stop informational home for the composer and the foundation; a 'friendly experiencer' section for an immersive jump into Braxton's sound world; and New Braxton House Records, an online label dedicated to offering Braxton's music for convenient and affordable download.
New Braxton House Records will be releasing two album-length downloads per month, with material ranging from recent Ghost Trance Music concerts to rare recordings from the 1970s, from solo saxophone recitals to orchestra performances. The label's initial release will be a Sextet (Philadelphia) 2005, a double album-length performance from Braxton's long-time working ensemble featuring the composer on saxophones, with Taylor Ho Bynum (brass), Jessica Pavone (viola), Jay Rozen (tuba), Carl Testa (bass), and Aaron Siegel (percussion). Additionally, for a limited time the website will be offering a free album download: Septet (Pittsburgh) 2008 with the same ensemble plus Mary Halvorson (guitar). The full catalog of the old Braxton House imprint from the late 1990s will also be available in downloadable format for the first time.
Customers can buy any recording on an a la carte basis, or may choose to become subscribers, receiving each month's two new downloads plus 10% off all back-catalog items for $12+1 a month, with all proceeds from the sales directly supporting the Tri-Centric Foundation. Additionally, in a move reminiscent of Frank Zappa's Beat the Boots, the website will be culling from the hundreds of unauthorized Braxton concert bootlegs available online, 'liberating' those with the most historical value and offering them free-of-charge.
The Tri-Centric Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that supports the most ambitious work of eminent musician/composer Anthony Braxton, while also cultivating and inspiring the next generation of creative artists to pursue their own visions with the kind of idealism and integrity Braxton has demonstrated throughout his long and distinguished career.
Specifically, the foundation encourages broad dissemination of Braxton's music through creation of, and support for, performances, productions, recordings and other new media technologies. It also documents, archives, preserves and disseminates Braxton's scores, writings, performances and recordings and advocates for a broader audience, appreciation, funding and support base for Braxton's work. The new www.tricentricfoundation.org website is a critical component of this larger mission.
Perpetual Motion - Donny McCaslin (Greenleaf Music) -Did not know quite what to expect when reading that the new McCaslin CD was going to be "electric" but will tell you here that, if you are a long-time listener to his music, this is one enjoyable set of songs. Featuring the rhythm section of Adam Benjamin (Fender Rhodes, piano), Tim Lefebvre (electric bass) and either Antonio Sanchez (drums cuts 1-6) or Mark Guiliana (drums cuts 6-9), the music not only has "perpetual motion" but also lots of "forward motion." Blasting out of the gates with "Five Hands Down", the band plays with great fire (Sanchez knows how to electrify a rhythm) and McCaslin responds with a fiery solo, even squealing a bit near the climax. The title track has the feel of a Wayne Shorter-Joe Zawinul collaboration with a melody that continues to move upward and plenty of shifts in the rhythm section. The leader's solo, over Lefebvre's roiling bass lines and Sanchez's stormy cymbals, moves away from any Shorter influence into a percussive, squalling, booming statement. Uri Caine joins the fun on "Firefly", a ballad that builds atop Sanchez's active percussion and distorted Rhodes lines. It does build to a boil but moves into an "r'n'b" feel on the way out. The pianist also contributes the final track, "For Someone", a beautiful ballad that he plays solo. There's a touch of "fatback funk" in Guiliana's drums on "Memphis Redux", a sweet journey down to the Southland that may remind some of The Crusaders (after they jettisoned the word "Jazz" from their monicker) - both McCaslin and Benjamin (on acoustic piano) dig deep into their souls on the solo while the bass pops, bumps and jumps underneath. "L.C.Z.M." moves in on a funky riff that has the feel of a classic Led Zeppelin line and while the piece has tremendous drive, there is no bombast to weigh the groove down.
Producer David Binney brings out his alto saxophone for "Impossible Machine", a tune he co-write with McCaslin. The 2 reed players explore the long melody line before McCaslin moves out into a well-drawn solo -the way he moves around the chordal interjections and with the shifting rhythms is exciting as well as pleasing.
In the late fall of 2010, I saw Donny McCaslin play as part of guitarist Joel Harrison's ensemble and was highly impressed by his control. Yes, he plays with fire and virtuosity but rarely gets lost and never just "shows off." Yes, "Perpetual Emotion" is an "electric" album but not just because of the presence of the amplifiers. Dig into this music and you'll find plenty of soul and honesty. For more information, go to www.donnymccaslin.com.
Courtesy of Greenleaf Music, here's a taste of "L.C.Z.M."
Across The Sky - Geggie Trio + Donny McCaslin (Plunge) - I first heard bassist John Geggie when he was a part of the quartet known as Chelsea Bridge that released several CDs in the 1990s and also his work with pianist D.D. Jackson. A steady hand in the rhythm section, he's also a fine soloist and strong composer. It's hard to believe that this 2007 recording and 2008's "Geggie Project" Trio CD on the Ambiences Magnetiques label are his first as a leader in a career that spans 2 decades and genres as varied as classical, folk and jazz.
This Trio features pianist Nancy Walker, drummer Nick Fraser and special guest McCaslin, Canadians all but the guest. Yet, McCaslin is no "Donny-come-lately" - he is an integral part of the music that moves back and forth organically from "straight-ahead" pieces to short, fully improvised, tracks featuring smaller combinations.
The program opens with "The Eyes Are Worth 1000 Words", a piece with a loping bass line, a nifty bop phrase thrown into the theme and a sly tenor line. McCaslin plays around with Fraser's snappy drumming, Walker's occasional chords and his intensity rises atop the cushion provided by Geggie. He moves with the beat, behind and ahead of it, creating a memorable solo. Fraser gets a short but effective spot that leads back to the opening theme. The strength of this material is that every track is different, ranging from the ethereal ballad "From Which" (McCaslin plays high and softly in the tenor range and it's quite lovely) to the gentle funk of "Or Not" (with the leader's declamatory bass solo and Walker's rippling yet understated phrases.) The title track, composed by Geggie, has an open feel due to the rubato nature of the group interaction - there is beauty in the way Walker works beneath and alongside the tenor lines, all the while the rhythm section controls the shifting dynamics. The piano solo, with phrases that move like slowly falling water, is very lovely.
"Brume" and "Ruelles" are group improvisations that come one after the other, the former (translated as "mists") building softly on the whispering tenor sax and the rising piano figures while the latter ("streets") is a "freer" conversation among the participants that picks up in speed but never gets lost.
It's just piano and bass interacting on "Les Jardins de Luxembourg", creating a melancholy and mysterious dialogue of ringing notes and overtones. The pianist joins the saxophonist for the short and ethereal "Reflection", an Erik Satie-like impression. The CD closes with "Pompidou", just bass and tenor in a short yet bracing interaction.
"Across The Sky" is music of the highest order, a program in which technique gives way to interaction and group dynamics. The melodies are smartly drawn while the improvisations display the trust and sense of adventure one craves hearing in creative music. For more information, go to www.johngeggie.com.
Drummer Dan Weiss joins the group for 5 pieces, doubling with Blade on 4 of those tracks. The duo push mercilessly on "Terrorists and Movie Stars" prodding, even goading Binney and tenor saxophonist Chris Potter to "open up" and let fly, all the while Taborn is goosing the rhythm with pounding chords. The drum "twins" open "Any Years Costume" with a blazing dialogue that roars and jumps out of the speakers. After the ensemble pushes through the theme, the drummers along with Opsvik, drive the solo section underneath Binney's passionate solo. Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire spars with the drummers and Taborn for his hard-edged solo. The piece takes an interesting detour towards the quiet during Opsvik's handsome solo but ends dramatically.
Parlato returns to sings along with the saxophones and trumpet on the short (1:35) but challenging "Same Stare, Different Thoughts." She also contributes lyrics to "Home", a piece that Binney has recorded several times in the past but never with words. Much of the opening moments feature voice, quiet and spare piano lines, nearly inaudible alto saxophone and soft drums (from Blade.) The piece builds slowly as Ms. Parlato stretches her lines into wordless sounds that open to Binney's expressive and emotional alto solo. Blade reacts to the soloist's energy and the piece builds to an intense finish.
The CD closes with "Waking to Waves", a piece that opens with impressionistic vibrations before the efforts of drummers Blade and Weiss, Kenny Wollesen (vibraphone) and Rogiero Boccato (shakers and more) create a Brazilian rainforest of sound for the handsome melody (reminiscent of Caetano Veloso) - there is a mix of voices, saxophones, and Krantz's acoustic guitar before Akinmusire takes off for a powerfull solo that drives right to the last note.
"Graylen Epicenter" is a stunning CD, with so much variety in sound and melody that the temptation to play it over and over is hard to resist. If you have not paid attention to David Binney, be advised. This is but one of a dozen CDs he has released (as either a leader or co-leader) since the turn of the Century. Each one is worth investigating (his work for Criss Cross is among the Dutch label's most impressive releases) - This new effort sets the bar very high for 2011 (and beyond.) For more information, go to www.davidbinney.com.
Power Play - Ralph Bowen (Posi-Tone Records) -Tenor saxophonist/composer came out of Canada in the mid-1980s to study in the United States and first came to critical notice as a member of the Blue Note labels hand-picked ensemble of "young lions" known as Out of the Blue. That group featured, among others, alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, bassist Bob Hurst and drummer Ralph Peterson. Bowen went on to work with pianists Michel Camilo, Hank Jones and Horace Silver as well as vocalist Shirley Scott and bassist Charles Fambrough.
This release, his 3rd for Posi-Tone, features the fine piano work of long-time friend Orrin Evans, bassist Kenny Davis and drummer Donald Edwards. Evans' tolling McCoy Tyner-like chords give great power to "Drumheller Valley" as does Edwards' powerful drumming. Bowen starts his solo (after a fine one from Evans) quietly but soon rides the roiling rhythm section to impressive heights. "Two-Line Pass" has the speed of a hockey game in the flying bass lines of Davis - Bowen blazes a mighty trail through the piano chords, having fun interacting with the ensemble. Evans takes his own joy ride with Edwards supplying the high-octane percussive push.
Bowen wisely plays "My One and Only Love" as the pretty ballad it is, staying close to the melody and chord changes for his handsome solo. There is a sense of joy in his solo, a happiness that carries through the entire piece.
"Power Play" does have its share of powerful playing but there is also a goodly amount of dynamic variation from track to track. What does not change throughout the program is the fine musicianship and the excellent interplay. Some might call Bowen's approach "modern hard bop" - call "honest good music" that's well played and you won't go wrong. For more information, go to www.ralphbowen.com or www.posi-tone.com.


Voulez vous m'adopter ce soir? Well hello there! I'm Catti LaBelle! People call me a diva, but I'm just the best at my craft. Whether it's writing a grammy winning disco hit or snuggling on the couch, you know that I do it in style. I'm looking for a family that will pamper me and share all the love I have to offer. Let's make beautiful music together! Come out to Pet Smart and meet me soon!


Want to Work at Wingman?
Producing great work requires a team of seasoned professionals. That's why Wingman hires only the most talented individuals. In return, our agency offers generous compensation and benefits packages.
We search worldwide for remarkable people from all backgrounds in all industries. Tell us about your background, send us your CV ... we review every submission closely and maintain a file for current and future positions.
We are looking for an exceptional Media Buyer to join our team. The ideal candidate will be an analytical thinker, comfortable with data analysis, proficient in media math and possess research skills.
We are looking for energetic, outgoing, sports-minded individuals to join Wingman's new business team. Media and advertising knowledge is a plus, but we are willing to train. Entry level positions available with base salary, plus commission.


Are you needing the road near your home in Welcome repaved or fixed? Need someone to come out and finally pave over that dirt road? Want a sidewalk that complies with your county's regulations? Want that dream driveway that matches your home? Then you have come to the right place!
When it comes to having a road fixed it is extremely important that you call someone who is not only certified but also experienced. In Welcome there are often strict codes and regulations regarding road repairs, so you don't want to accidentally violate any of them. That is what a professional paving expert is for!
There are many services a paving and seal coating expert can provide. From commercial line striping, paving parking lots to even residential seal coating and paving projects. There is a service to satisfy any paving need you may have for your Welcome, NC.
How much does it cost to have an asphalt driveway sealed in Welcome?
How Much Does It Cost To Sealcoat An Asphalt Parking Lot in Welcome 27374?
Search for: How much does it cost to have an asphalt driveway sealed in 27374?
How often do you need to seal asphalt driveway in Welcome NC?
Search for: How often do you need to seal asphalt driveway in North Carolina?
How much did it cost you to get your driveway sealed in Welcome 27374?
How much does it cost to have pavers sealed in Welcome?
Search for: How much does it cost to have pavers sealed in Welcome North Carolina?
How much does it cost to resurface a driveway in Welcome North Carolina?
Search for: How much does it cost to resurface a driveway in Welcome 27374?


We share our favorite spots where kids can dive into the wonders of nature. Plus, safety tips you need to know before you hit the trails.
There's something kind of magical about hiking: A simple stroll along a local trail has the power to stoke a child's innate curiosity about everything from plants to animals to even weather. From there, you can gradually build up to more spectacular settings that will widen his perspective and create a passion for the outdoors. Here, we'll show you how to get the most out of the experience and build on the learning once you've returned home. C'mon, let's get walking!
To find a trail close to you, plug your zip code into these websites: Americasstateparks.org or Traillink.com.
Is your family excited to hit the trail? Here are four things to know before you go.
The farthest you should plan for kids to walk is one-half mile per year of age. Got a 6-year-old? Three miles max.
Little feet typically go slow. Take breaks as often as your kids need. If she stops to examine an insect for ten minutes, go with it. It's about the journey, not the destination.
Use trail ratings, not distance, to judge the difficulty of the hike. Trails described as "easy" or "beginner" are usually flat and painless. If they get bored or start to whine, stop and feed 'em.
A hike is full of chances to learn. Bring a paper map so they can equate the route with the "bird's eye" view. A compass will help them practice identifying direction. Nature is a classroom!
A little preparation goes a long way toward a memorable day.
Dress appropriately for the location and season. Generally, long pants and a warm, non-cotton outer layer will help protect against insects as well as unexpected drops in temperature.
Apply sunscreen (at least 30 SPF).
Apply insect repellant. If you're in tick country, use a spray, such as one with DEET or Picaridin, that will ward of both ticks and mosquitoes. For extra protection, apply a repellant containing permethrin to clothing and shoes.
Bring food and water for all hikers. Carry more water than you think you'll need, even if the weather is cool.
Pack a basic first-aid kit with bandages, antiseptic cleanser, and an antihistamine.
Clip a whistle to each hiker.
1. Stay on the trail and keep family in sight. Never run ahead or hide.
2. Observe animals; do not touch or bother them.
3. Lost or separated? Stay put, blow your whistle, and wait for help.
Acadia is a tucked-away gem your family has to discover! Located off the rugged Atlantic coast of Maine, the park occupies most of Mount Desert Island and the smaller islands around it. It was created in 1919 and is the oldest national park east of the Mississippi River. In fact, it still features 45 miles of car-free old carriage roads ideal for walking, biking, and horse-drawn buggy rides. With a trail terrain that varies from deep woods to shoreline to mountainside, it's considered a hiking heaven.
Canoeing; whale watching; sandcastle building at Sand Beach; swimming in salt or fresh water. At Seawall, a natural granite and rock wall on the southwestern side of Mount Desert, you can cook out under the stars. Several ranger-led programs focus on birding — kids can observe and learn about sea ducks, peregrine falcons, and hawks. Outside the park, you can learn about lobsters at the Oceanarium (theoceanarium.com), study the regional Native American culture at the Abbe Museum (abbemuseum.org), or pick blueberries.
Summer months offer the most ranger programs. A shuttle bus travels to various spots inside the park from late June through Columbus Day, when fall foliage colors peak.
Inside the park, campgrounds are your only option. Outside, consider a cottage with a kitchen in Bar Harbor or cabins in Southwest Harbor, a quaint town with family friendly eateries, bike rental, and public transportation to the park.
Check the weather forecast before you pack. Summer temperatures can range from 45 to 95 degrees.
Visit the Acadia website (nps.gov/acad) for campground reservations. Find cabins, hotels, and cottages by checking the Mount Desert Chamber of Commerce (mountdesertchamber.org).
A travel journal will help your little hiker preserve memories and reinforce lessons learned on the trail.
Go shopping for a colorful notebook or pad she really likes.
Pack pencils, tape, and scissors to capture mementos on the go.
Make lists: new words, foods tasted, coolest sightings.
Vary entries so it feels more like a personal creation and less like a diary. Sketch insects, flowers, or birds; interview locals; draw maps; and write fiction or poems.
When you get home, print out photos and add them in.


There is not a day goes by that I don't think about how to motivate myself to keep fit and stay positive about each and every day! Especially working the crazy hours I do and jam packing everything I can into the course of a day!!
I'm sure there are many of you out there who are in exactly the same boat and struggle on a daily basis to fit everything into the available hours you have each day, not to mention maintaining some level of sanity throughout the whole process!
Well guess what! It's OK to have bad days and not everyone of us can be 100% focused, happy and motivated 7 days a week 24 hours a day and 365 days of the year. So what do you do when you just can't seem to get out of your own way and your motivation has deserted you altogether and no matter what you try you just can't seem to get it together?
I'm here to tell you that taking time out for YOU is the ONLY way to feed the mind and nourish the soul and give yourself a fighting chance of success. Chances are you're so busy that you can't even think about taking any time out for yourself, but I PROMISE you that if you do, you will not only start to see things so much more clearly, you may even find that some of that long lost motivation actually returns a lot sooner than expected, along with your energy and positive outlook on life.
We often forget about ourselves when we have so many priorities, but if you think about it.. who's priorities are they? Are they your priorities, or are they priorities given to you by someone else that you feel you need to complete? At the end of the day, if you make yourself a priority, then everything around you will seem like small bumps in the road rather than mountains that seem never ending!
So, what are YOU going to do to help kickstart your motivation so you can get back to living lean, loving life and achieving your health and fitness goals? If you're not sure then….
Even just 15mins of planned relaxation each day will make such a difference if you truly make the effort. So what can you do in 15 mins to help you succeed? I'm keen to hear your thoughts and I'd love to hear how you go over the coming months!
I'm here to tell you hot slimming pants that taking time out for YOU is the ONLY way to feed the mind and nourish the soul and give yourself a fighting chance of success.
The 40mm stainless steel case is replica watches used. The front is polished and polished, while the sides are replica rolex brushed to show the overall texture of replica watches uk the watch. There are two easy-to-use buttons on the side for uk replica watches easy use of the timekeeping function.
I am really enjoying reading your well written articles. It looks like you spend a lot of effort and time on your blog. I have bookmarked it and I am looking forward to reading new articles. Keep up the good work.	Showbox Movies!
Such an amazing post you have sharing with us.
A lot of darlings whimper related with "not encountering anything" when they are engaging in sexual relations.


text:
« Clarion County Awarded $192,800 State Grant for Park Improvements
Legislation Establishing Moratorium on Proposed Closure of Polk and White Haven State Centers Passes House Health Committee »
Senate Approves Legislation to Delay Polk Center Closure
The Senate today (November 18) passed legislation that establishes a moratorium on closing the Polk and White Haven State Centers, according to Senator Scott Hutchinson, a co-sponsor and strong supporter of the bill.
"The Department of Human Services (DHS) is seemingly unmoved by the heartfelt appeals from the families of the residents who will be uprooted by the closure of Polk and White Haven State Centers," Senator Hutchinson said. "That means the Legislature must act to protect these vulnerable individuals. Senate Bill 906 does that. I continue to believe that the best solution would be a total reversal of decision to close the Polk State Center. But at least this moratorium will provide additional time and impose important conditions that will protect the well-being of its residents."
Senate Bill 906 would do the following:
Prohibits the Department of Human Services from closing a state facility until all Medicaid waiver-eligible individuals in the Commonwealth are authorized to begin receiving home and community-based services.
Requires DHS to provide notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin when all individuals have received authorization to begin home and community-based services.
Establishes the Task Force on the Closure of State Centers upon publication of notice.
Requires the Secretary of DHS to convene an initial meeting of the task force within 60 days.
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Contact: Justin Leventry (717) 787-9684 jleventry@pasen.gov