GA Russell

Artist Title Time Matt Andersen Free Man 03:06 Matt Andersen Impacting Now! Unbridled joy springs eternal from Halfway Home by Morning. Recorded live off the floor in Nashville, Tennessee, celebrated songwriter Matt Andersen’s tenth album collects all the essential elements for a down-home ramble and shoots them through with enough electrifying energy to drive the rock ‘n’ roll faithful to simmer, shimmy, and shake. Over its lucky 13 tracks, he explores every facet of his sound—sweat-soaked soul, incendiary rhythm and blues, heartbroken folk, and gritty Americana—and binds them together with palpable heart, as the band leaves everything they’ve got on the sweet old hardwood of the Southern Ground studio, in the same spot that legends like Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, and Jerry Lee Lewis turned up the volume ‘til it couldn’t go up anymore.Halfway Home by Morning is the sound of an artist doing what he was born to do. PRESS QUOTES: “A powerhouse voice that could pack a football stadium” - The National Post “A decade’s worth of quality releases and heavy touring have made New Brunswick’s Matt Andersen into one of the nation’s most reliable performers.” - AllMusic EUROPEAN BLUES AWARDS: - 2013, 2016 – Best Solo/Acoustic Act, Winner MAPLE BLUES AWARDS: - 2010-2011 – Entertainer of the Year, Acoustic Act of the Year, Winner - 2011-2016 – Male Vocalist of the Year, Winner INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE IN MEMPHIS, TN: - 2010 – International Blues Solo Performer, Winner JUNO AWARDS: - 2016 – Roots Traditional Album of the Year, Nominee CANADIAN INDEPENDENT MUSIC ASSOCIATION: - 2015 – CIMA Road Gold Award, Winner Watch Matt Andersen - Free Man (Official Lyric Video) Here:

Thanks John. That looks good.

3/07 checking down https://www.cfl.ca/2019/03/07/checking-redblacks-qb-contest-wide-open/ ***** As expected, Marc Trestman has been named the XFL's Tampa GM and HC. https://3downnation.com/2019/03/05/marc-trestman-named-head-coach-and-general-manager-of-tampa-bay-xfl-franchise/ ***** Tristan Jackson has retired as a Rider. https://3downnation.com/2019/03/07/tristan-jackson-should-be-remembered-by-saskatchewan-and-the-riders/ https://www.cfl.ca/2019/03/07/tristan-jackson-signs-one-day-deal-retire-roughrider/ ***** Randy Richards has signed with the Argos. https://3downnation.com/2019/03/06/argos-sign-former-stampeders-ol-randy-richards/ https://www.cfl.ca/2019/03/06/argos-sign-offensive-lineman-randy-richards/ ***** Terrell Sinkfield signed with the AAF, and was then let go. https://3downnation.com/2019/03/05/terrell-sinkfield-released-by-aaf-team/ ***** The league's national combine will be March 22-24. https://3downnation.com/2019/02/27/top-prospects-invited-to-the-national-cfl-combine-revealed/ https://www.cfl.ca/2019/03/07/ferguson-names-know-combine-season/ https://www.cfl.ca/2019/03/07/regional-combine-helped-howell-dream-come-true-rookie-season/ ***** Take a look at the Lions' new hamburger! https://www.cfl.ca/2019/03/06/bc-place-unveils-mammoth-new-burger/ https://3downnation.com/2019/03/06/new-bc-place-burger-aptly-named-outrageous/

Thanks John. They have some collections that are very attractive, but the prices are so low they appear to me to be of the Not Now calibre.

What happened? Amazon UK now lists this at 51.65 GBP. It was 31.99, as I recall. Roger's link does not subtract VAT for American customers, and charges 13 GBP for standard shipping.

John, do you agree with Steve that the quality of the sound of the Enlightenment boxes is acceptable?

ECM Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan Epistrophy Bill Frisell: electric guitar Thomas Morgan: double-bass Release date: April 12, 2019 ECM 2626 B0029977-02 UPC: 6025 577 0156 2 LP 6025 773 9824 7 Like the duo’s acclaimed ECM release Small Town of 2017 – which The Guardian called “wistful and mesmerizing… tonally ingenious and haunting” – the new Epistrophy by guitarist Bill Frisell and bassist Thomas Morgan was recorded at New York City’s Village Vanguard. The album once again captures the rare empathy these two players achieve in this intimate environment. There are poetic takes on pieces from the duo’s beloved Americana songbook (“All in Fun,” “Red River Valley,” “Save the Last Dance for Me”), as well as an intense version of a composition by Paul Motian (“Mumbo Jumbo”), an artist whom both the guitarist and bassist knew well. Frisell and Morgan communicate the essence of Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life” and the Frank Sinatra hit “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning,” so much so that their famous words seem to hang in the air even without a singer. At the center of the album is a pair of pieces by Thelonious Monk: the funky, angular “Epistrophy” and the ruminative ballad “Pannonica.” And as with “Goldfinger” on Small Town, Frisell and Morgan offer a glowing duo interpretation of a melody-rich John Barry title tune from a James Bond film – “You Only Live Twice.” Frisell made his debut as a leader for ECM in 1983 with In Line, establishing one of the most distinctive sounds of any modern guitarist. His rich history with the label also includes multiple recordings by the iconic cooperative trio with Paul Motian and Joe Lovano, culminating in Time and Time Again in 2007. Morgan, who also performed and recorded with Motian, has appeared on ECM as bassist of choice for Tomasz Stanko, Craig Taborn, Jakob Bro, David Virelles, Giovanni Guidi and Masabumi Kikuchi. One of the bonds Frisell and Morgan share is the connection with Motian and his music. Small Town included a tribute to Motian in the form of a searching, 11-minute interpretation of the late drummer’s composition “It Should’ve Happened a Long Time Ago.” On Epistrophy, the duo features “Mumbo Jumbo,” a very different sort of Motian composition. “It’s one of Paul’s denser, more abstract pieces,” Frisell explains. “But as with all of Paul’s tunes, you play the melody of ‘Mumbo Jumbo’ and it puts you in this special world, where every note suggests all these possibilities. Thomas and I are right there together in this music. I had played ‘Mumbo Jumbo’ with Paul and Joe, but Thomas showed me things in the piece I didn’t realize were there.” A discovery for many listeners will be the beauty of “You Only Live Twice” in a jazz context. “John Barry’s music was one of those things I took for granted as a kid in the ’60s,” Frisell recalls. “I didn’t necessarily take it seriously, even if I liked it when I heard it in a James Bond movie. But I have revelations about music I overlooked all the time, as I develop a deeper understanding about what music really is. If you strip away the pop-culture associations of a tune like ‘You Only Live Twice,’ as with ‘Goldfinger,’ you’re left with these beautiful chords and melodies. So, in the stripped-down context of the duo, we’re trying to get at the essence of this music. I’ve been pretty obsessive about the sources of pieces, trying to understand all the little details – like in the orchestrations of the John Barry tunes. Thomas is an ideal partner for that, as he has a way of getting at all the inner parts.” Frisell has long been a prime exponent of the Americana repertoire in improvised music, a fascination he shares with Morgan. It was the bassist who suggested the Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein composition “All in Fun” and the Drifters’ 1960 soul hit “Save the Last Dance for Me” (the latter of which includes an intro from the folk tune “Wildwood Flower,” a Frisell favorite). “Bill and I starting playing ‘All in Fun’ from our first set as a duo,” Morgan says. “It's originally from Very Warm for May, the same 1939 Broadway musical that included ‘All the Things You Are.’ The lyrics start by sounding callous, but then turn out to be heartfelt. The music matches the words, with a sharp ninth scale degree in the opening phrase that’s resolved to the major third by the end. So much warmth comes through Bill’s sound that he just seems perfect for the song. The Drifters’ record of ‘Save the Last Dance for Me’ is a classic. It’s amazing that the song only uses the three most common chords, but the melody is full of suspensions that feel natural and melodic while they’re making the harmonies richer. Maybe that’s also why it feels good to accompany it in a simple way. That and the fact that Bill is right there keeping the rhythm going and playing the melody with the nuances of a singer.” When it comes to Americana tunes – like the traditional folk song “Red River Valley,” also featured on Epistrophy – Frisell was initiated into their possibilities as jazz repertoire by Sonny Rollins. “Sonny was a beacon, playing a tune like ‘I’m an Old Cowhand’ – which he probably heard in a movie when he was a kid – with respect and affection,” the guitarist says. “One of the first jazz LPs I ever bought was his Way Out West, and it was like a light turning on for me. Later, I got into Gary Burton’s band with Larry Coryell, and they played Bob Dylan and country tunes. The musicians I’m drawn to most are those who don’t have some over-simplified hierarchy of musical worth where a folk song doesn’t have the same value as something more complicated. There can be a real depth to that music.” Two other tracks on Epistrophy come from the realm of late-night, lonely-heart ballads: Billy Strayhorn’s iconic “Lush Life” and the signature Frank Sinatra number “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning.” Frisell recalls the Sinatra song as something else that he didn’t appreciate fully when he was younger. “A record like that would’ve seemed as if it belonged to my parents’ generation, but then I’d read where Miles Davis dug Sinatra’s phrasing on that and it’s like, ‘Oh, I have to check this out,’ with the beauty of it finally revealing itself to me. But when it comes to a song like ‘Lush Life,’ that’s something I’ve tried to play for years and years – it can be intimidating, the legacy of it. It’s heavy, whether you hear the recording of Strayhorn singing it himself in a bar or you listen to the famous Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane record. Again, it has just been a process of trying to get to the essence of the song, to play what he really wrote.” The heart of Epistrophy belongs to Thelonious Monk, with the title track and the ballad “Pannonica,” tunes Frisell calls “magical.” The cover painting – by the late Charles Cajori, part of the second generation of Abstract Expressionists – is also titled Epistrophy. Cajori was a friend of Frisell’s parents, a hip, jazz-inspired figure who, whenever he visited Denver, would tell a wide-eyed Frisell about seeing the likes of Miles and Monk at the Vanguard. “He talked with me like an adult, even though I was just a little boy in Colorado,” the guitarist recalls. “What he said stuck with me. Decades later, I looked him up – he was teaching at the New York Studio School. I wrote him a letter telling him how much those conversations meant to me. We got together and became close in his later years, and we talked about him being friends with Morton Feldman and seeing Monk with Coltrane at the Five Spot, all that great stuff again. That’s when he told me about this painting he had done called Epistrophy. It means a lot to me that we could use it on the cover of this album.”

Artist Title Time Gav Brown ARTIST'S DREAM 04:23 Gav Brown SEND IN THE CLOWNS 03:31 Gav Brown LIGHTFORCE 03:46 Gav Brown LIBBY 03:25 Gav Brown PETER PAN 04:05 Gav Brown GREATEST PLAYER 04:31 Gav Brown TAKE CARE OF ME 04:44 Gav Brown LAST DANCE 03:56 Gav Brown BE TOGETHER 03:37 Gav Brown SONGBIRD 03:14 Gav Brown "Sound Circus" Check out Gav Brown’s “Sound Circus”! • Over 1.3 million Youtube views! • All tracks off the Sound Circus album have Australian radio airplay! • Popular single “PETER PAN” entered the Tasmanian Country Chart in Australia at #33 on 5/1/2019 - currently #15 on 2/2/2019."! • Charting on Play MPE! More information www.gavbrown.com.au www.gavbrown.bandcamp.com A regular on the live music scene in Perth, West Australia, Gav Brown has performed his soul-fuelled mix of country-rock, folk and pop around Australia, New Zealand, United States of America, Hong Kong and Singapore. A singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Gavin uses guitar, banjo, piano, harmonica, mandolin, cigar-box guitar and ukulele to craft honest uplifting music that captures the spirit of a traveller. Brown has a passion for music which is clear in his songwriting. His influences include George Gershwin, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, James Taylor, Carlos Santana and John Mayer and he has been compared to Tom Waits, Joe Cocker, The Pogues and Dave Alvin. Gav has been in Perth's Crank studio recording his debut album 'Sound Circus' just released in 2018. Working with the talented producer Charlie Young, the album features a star-studded lineup of musicians including Kristian Borring, Lee Buddle, Lucky Oceans, Ian Simpson, Genevieve Wilkins, Chris Reeve, Ric Eastman, Ashley Brooke, Roy Martinez, Kaitlyn Keegan, Sheridan Drury and Steve Kelly. "I feel blessed to have them playing on the album, they really assisted in bringing the songs to life."

Artist Title Time Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom Congratulations and Condolences 06:08 Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom The Ride 07:54 Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom Malaga 07:24 Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom The Phoenix 05:29 Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom Daughter and Sun 05:49 Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom White Wolf 07:09 Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom Welcome Hotel 06:40 Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom Vine and Vein 02:40 Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom Glitter Wolf 06:11 Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom Valley of the Giant 03:49 ALLISON MILLER'S BOOM TIC BOOM Glitter Wolf IMPACTING FEBRUARY 11, 2019 Featuring Allison Miller, Myra Melford, Jenny Scheinman, Kirk Knuffke, Ben Goldberg & Todd Sickafoose Over the past ten years, Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom has established itself as one of the most consistently inventive and hardest working bands in modern jazz. Fronted by the extraordinary drummer and composer Allison Miller and featuring violinist Jenny Scheinman, cornetist Kirk Knuffke, clarinetist Ben Goldberg, bassist Todd Sickafoose and pianist Myra Melford, the sextet has been embraced by both fans and music cognoscenti alike, regularly performing sold out shows and garnering critical praise around the world. The Wall Street Journal declared, "Boom Tic Boom has a razor-sharp precision that recalls classic drummer-led ensembles of 50 years ago—the music of Art Blakey, Art Taylor and Max Roach come to mind—but Ms. Miller’s band works from a diverse sonic palette that is unmistakably contemporary." Indeed, Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom's new studio album 'Glitter Wolf' is defined by the drummer's vision as a bandleader. With an unflinching devotion to progressive movement, the recording's cinematic arrangements are reflective of organized chaos and an urgency to always move the music forward, while interspersing moments of introspection and sheer beauty. Produced by Julie Wolf (Ani DiFranco, Carly Simon), Boom Tic Boom hit the studio for the 'Glitter Wolf' sessions at the famed Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, CA following a two-year stint of extensive international touring. Tracks like "Congratulations and Condolences," "Daughter and Sun" and "Valley of the Giants" are riveting and not easily categorized by genre as they commandeer spontaneous grooves and melodically rich compositions with a raw, but refined energy. On a spiritual level, 'Glitter Wolf' was inspired by the collective need for community and self-acceptance in an incredibly unpredictable time. The music shimmers with the spirit of empowering actions such as the #MeToo Movement and Black Lives Matter, while the dichotomy between suspect governmental policies inspiring rightful protests; embracing the varying degrees of the feminine and masculine from within or living a fulfilled yet challenging life are reflected back in musical juxtapositions of space versus density. Miller’s trenchant writing and Boom Tic Boom's soaring performances results in record that speaks directly to the zeitgeist of the moment. Tour Dates 2/22 - Chicago, IL - Green Mill 2/23 - Chicago, IL - Green Mill 2/26 - New York, NY - Dizzy's Club Coca Cola 2/28 - Baltimore, MD - An Die Muzik 3/21 - Oslo, NO - Nasjonal Jazzscene 3/22 - Amsterdam, NL - Bimhuis 3/26 - München, DE - Unterfahrt Jazzclub 3/28 - Friedrichshafen, DE - Venue TBD 3/29 - Duisburg, DE - Intermezzo-Konzerte-Lutherkirche Duisburg 3/31 - San Sebastian, Spain - Venue TBD 6/30 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Jazz Festival 9/6-8 - Stowe, VT - Stowe Jazz Festival 9/26-28 - Monterey, CA - Monterey Jazz Festival 11/2-3 - Stanford, CA - Stanford University 11/9-10 - Oberlin, OH - Venue TBD

Interested in '80s pop hits? Here are three boxes of 3 CDs each, going for only 5.00 GBP each. 1980-1983 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sounds-80s-Dont-Want-1980-1983/dp/B07M8KG62R/ ***** 1984-1986 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sounds-Like-Record-Baby-1984-1986/dp/B07M8KGQDG/ ***** 1987-1989 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sounds-Think-Were-Alone-1987-1989/dp/B07M5CY381/

EL RUBIO "Modern Latin Woman (Mujer Latina Moderna)" The Impeccable German Jazz / Latin Trumpeter Discovered By “ Beatles” Legendary Promoter Sid Bernstein And John Anthony President/CEO At Banner Records It all began at the age of 15 with a love of the majestic sound of the Spanish trumpet and the Latin rhythms which hypnotized Jeffrey Wallis Vonstenz. After spending years perfecting his unique horn style, Jeffrey decided that it was time to form a top Jazz / Latin group. The magic then began. This band of great musicians included Jorge Vargas of Cuba, Anero Diaz of Panama, Pablo Cintron of Puerto Rico,and Jonas Heinz of Germany a few of the great gifted players. Jeff’s performances with these top musicians rode on top of the super dance rhythms and perfectly combined into a uniquely powerful sound. Vargas called him the ‘Viking’ . This evolved into his current nickname that stuck among the other musicians and how he is referred to today…El Rubio. Anthony and Bernstein took this Great and enthusiastic horn player under their wings and into south side barrio of Brooklyn and performed at some of the hottest spots in the area. El Rubio lived and breathed Jazz / Latin music. Vargas would take him to the top clubs to introduce other great musicians to him. Together, they would create their own original and sensational Jazz / Latin sound. After many performances at some of the top New York City jazz clubs, these super musicians formed their act…The Ceasars Jazz Playboys. After performing at these NYC hot spots, club owners throughout the area learned about this fantastic new sound and the band branched out to Philadelphia.PA to perform at the Five Spot, and transformed this terrific live music venue into a powerhouse Jazz / Latin nightclub. Given their growing fan base and following, The Ceasars Jazz Playboys recorded their sophisticated sound at the famous Sigma Sound Studios (where famous artists including The Jacksons, The Stylistics and The Spinners recorded albums), and not long after their songs were cut, John Anthony, President and CEO at Banner Records and partner Sid Bernstein icon concert promoter started to move forward with Vonstenz with his devotion and the perfection of performance he always gave. Sid Bernstein (responsible for bringing bands to the United States including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, The Moody Blues, and The Kinks, The Rascals,James Brown,Tito Puente),Bernstein and Anthony also had a strong attraction for that big band Jazz / Latin sound. Banner Records began to incorporate El Rubio in the studio on other artist’s projects from the Banner Records label, which led to special projects showcasing the music of El Rubio and his magical horn. El Rubio was signed to Banner Records for his now own project, which will be released in early 2019 to worldwide radio and all music fans of the Jazz /Latin music. Banner Records offices are located in Pittsburgh,PA,New Jersey, New York and Tennesee. The label looks forward to bringing El Rubio & his Orchestra/Singers to Pittsburgh,PA in early March 2019 to the well known Kaufmann Center to kick things off for the great German Trumpeter. El Rubio’s first CD titled Flight to Barcelona is a great musical project that Banner Records is proud to release in 2019. El Rubio and his Orchestra are one of the freshest and exciting powerful Jazz /Latin acts to come along in decades.…Banner Records, evolved back in the 1920”s promoting acts like the Great Duke Ellington Orchestra and so many more.Banner Records is know all over the world for many decades and very highly respected.

I know that some of you back up your downloads. This is the sort of thing you use, right? Samsung T5 Portable SSD - 1TB - USB 3.1 External SSD (MU-PA1T0B/AM) - $177.99 https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-T5-Portable-SSD-MU-PA1T0B/dp/B073H552FJ

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Every time somebody announces the intention to start up a new football league, the Nervous Nellies corner of the Football Reporters of Canada throw up the hands and wail, "The end is near!" They apparently think that no one worth watching will having any interest in competing for the Grey Cup. Much to my surprise, the AAF nearly folded two weeks ago. The reports said that they did not have enough money to pay the players their first game checks. This surprises me, because I had thought that Bill Polian would not become involved with an underfunded outfit. So the new owner of the Carolina Hurricanes hockey team (our local NHL team) contributed $250,000,000 (!!!) to keep the league going. With that he was appointed Chairman of the league's board. https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2019/02/19/canes-owner-puts-250m-into-spring-football-league.html https://3downnation.com/2019/02/19/its-future-in-jeopardy-alliance-of-american-football-gets-cash-infusion/ The first team with an obvious problem is Salt Lake. Only about 800 attended the home opener. https://3downnation.com/2019/02/23/nearly-nobody-at-salt-lake-city-aaf-home-opener-and-the-broadcasters-dont-care-either/ Nevertheless, some CFL players have signed recently with the AAF. Dylan Wynn https://3downnation.com/2019/02/19/former-argos-dl-dylan-wynn-signs-with-aaf-team/ Ciante Evans https://3downnation.com/2019/02/19/former-stampeders-db-ciante-evans-signs-with-aaf-team/ Freddie Bishop https://3downnation.com/2019/02/26/former-stampeders-dl-freddie-bishop-signs-with-aaf-team/

Artist Title Time Kenia On We Go 03:22 Kenia Summertime 05:08 Kenia Que Amor É Esse 05:25 Kenia Melancia 05:48 Kenia Closer To Me 04:55 Kenia Pra Quê Que Inventaram A Bahia 04:44 Kenia Coming Home 04:00 Kenia Pretty World (Sa Marina) 04:53 Kenia For Donato (O Som Do Donato) 04:17 Kenia Illusion 03:56 Kenia Zureta 04:00 Kenia Nowhere Man 02:37 Kenia "On We Go" IMPACTING JANUARY 14 2019 Suggested Tracks are 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 "Once again, the vocalist has bridged jazz, international pop and Brazilian music and done so effortlessly, in one of her best works to date [On We Go]. ~ Jazz Corner It’s hard to believe Kenia approaches any song with any trepidation. On her new album [On We Go] whether it’s the fast-moving, hip-swaying, “Summertime” or the languid ballad, “Melancia,” she’s confident, as if engaged in a natural conversation with friends against a fantastic musical backdrop that refuses to stay down for long. ~ Carol Banks Weber – AXS Kenia, a consummate vocal talent who can deliver a song as well as anyone I’ve heard. Her voice is strong, her phrasing excellent, her delivery totally polished. And she makes you move… ~ David Zych – JazzTimes Kenia returns with her most personal CD release to date. ON WE GO is at it’s heart a collection of songs that Kenia loves, songs that were written for her specifically, and songs for which she wrote lyrics An outstanding line-up of musicians were gathered to bring Kenia’s vision to light – members from her first band Pau-Brasil – Paul Socolow and Mark Soskin are reunited with her and they joined by Sandro Albert on guitar, Adriano Santos on drums, and her son Lucas Ashby on percussion. Guest performances by harmonica virtuoso Hendrik Meurkens and acclaimed guitarist Romero Lubambo bring their own magic to the project. Tracks include renditions of works by renowned Brazilian composers Ivan Lins and Antonio Adolfo as well as original compositions by Luiz Simas, Romero Lubambo, Rique Pantoja and Aloisio Aguiar. Contemporary covers include Gershwin’s Summertime, the Beatles Nowhere Man and the cover track, ON WE GO, by Eric Susoeff with lyrics by Lorraine Feather. Produced by: Kenia Executive Producer: Kenia & Claudio A.B. Lima For: Mooka Records ***** Kenia is the vocalist on Richie Cole's latest new album, Cannonball.

 Michael Whalen "Michael Whalen & The Fire Brigade" Impacting: February 20 2019 Format(s): Jazz, Smooth Jazz Artist Title Time Michael Whalen Benny's Brooklyn Blues 04:26 Michael Whalen Go-Go Bird 04:35 Michael Whalen grew up in Washington DC at a hot time for music of all varieties. Jazz of the fusion variety, Punk, and Go-go all factored into the scene, and Michael was an energetic young man with open ears. School was not his thing, he had already been creating music in the basement before he hit the seemingly sterile educational environment, so it wasn’t long before he was off to New York to intern at a major agency. Immediately in synch with the fast pace of writing for commercials, film, and TV, Michael flourished and moved straight into the limelight as a prolific composer. In his career he has written over 750 TV and Film scores - perhaps the most ubiquitous is the Good Morning America theme song - and he’s taken home two Emmy Awards for his work. Michael Whalen already has a successful career as a musician, with 31 solo and and soundtrack recordings to his credit. One would think this is enough, that he owns his lane and should damn well stick to it. But that would not be very Michael Whalen. As a 14 year old boy he heard Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, and Herbie Hancock and the fire behind their creations. He vowed that he would make that Jazz fusion album one day, and that day has arrived. Recruiting the best - Michael League, Vinnie Colaiuta, Bob Magnuson - Whalen hit the studio to celebrate Jazz and Funk (and Go-Go), with an ear on keeping the melodies and not getting lost in the virtuosity. Michael Whalen & The Fire Brigade’s self titled album is ready for prime time on March 1, 2018. A boy and his dream never forgotten. Let’s celebrate, shall we? “Go-Go Bird” “Go Go” music was invented in Washington DC in the late 60s or early 70s influenced by African rhythms, R&B and funk. The distinctive groove can be heard everywhere in downtown DC and Anacostia through open car windows and shops along Martin Luther King, jr Avenue. As a white teenager living in the suburbs, I had never heard anything like the call and response percussion and funky songs placed on top of the groove. In the Summer of 1982, I had an opportunity to sit-in with Chuck Brown (the “godfather” of Go Go) after he saw me play at a local music store. I have waited nearly 40 years to do a song that was Go-Go inspired… “Go-Go Bird” is hooky, funky, groovy Go Go at its infectious best. “Benny’s Brooklyn Blues” Inspired by my love of the melodic jazz of Steely Dan, Jeff Lorber and Bob James, this groovy song was born from a jam session and then took on a life of its own. Not all jazz needs “burning” solos or hysterical playing. Sometimes, it's the disciplined approach which moves a song forward and lets the song explode its melody all over you. Thats “Benny”… :-)

The Tampa Bay Times is reporting that Marc Trestman (currently recovering from double hip replacement surgery) will be the Tampa XFL head coach. https://3downnation.com/2019/03/02/marc-trestman-to-be-named-head-coach-of-tampa-bay-xfl-franchise/ ***** Former Bomber Jim Zorn will be the Seattle XFL GM and HC. https://www.xfl.com/teams/seattle

New Orleans Jazz Orchestra Returns from 3-Year Recording Hiatus With "Songs: The Music of Allen Toussaint" On Storyville Records 18-Piece Orchestra Celebrates New Orleans Legend Toussaint On Its First Recording Under Artistic Director Adonis Rose, Featuring Guest Appearances by Dee Dee Bridgewater, Philip Manuel, Gerald French Digital Release Set for March 29, Physical Release April 19 CD World Premiere to Take Place on SiriusXM's Mardi Gras Radio, March 2-5 March 1, 2019 The renowned New Orleans Jazz Orchestra reflects on the wide-ranging influence of the Big Easy's own Allen Toussaint, the legendary composer, singer, pianist, and producer, with the March 29 digital release of Songs: The Music of Allen Toussaint on Storyville Records (physical release is set for April 19). The album features six songs by Toussaint and one associated with him, as well as two original tribute pieces. It also marks the NOJO leadership debut of drummer/artistic director Adonis Rose, who assumed the mantle in 2016 to navigate the 18-piece orchestra out of the troubled waters surrounding its now-departed founder. Toussaint, who passed away in 2015, left his deepest footprints in R&B and rock 'n' roll. However, he was also a major figure in the development of New Orleans funk; resonated in country music (by way of Glen Campbell's smash hit cover of "Southern Nights"); and, of course, was steeped in jazz. "[It] was in his blood," Rose says. "There's always some connection to jazz: When you're from New Orleans, there's no way around it." When frequent NOJO collaborator Dee Dee Bridgewater remarked that she'd never heard a big band take on Toussaint's music, Rose was instantly inspired. "I said, 'You know what? Yes. That's a great idea. Let's dig into this and make it happen!'" he says. L. to r.: Khari Lee (front left);1st row: Ricardo Pascal, Adonis Rose, TJ Norris, Victor Atkins.2nd row: Jeronne Ansari, Trevarri Boone, Ashlin Parker, Chris Butcher, Leon Brown, Mitch Butler.3rd row: Ed Peterson, Barney Floyd, Jonathan Bauer, Stephen Glenn.Back row: Ari Teitel (not on recording), Amina Scott (not on recording), Gerald Watkins, Alexi Marti. The results honor not only Toussaint, but the broader musical culture of his hometown. The iconic "Working in the Coal Mine" does not feature a singer, but the band members make New Orleans shouts out of its well-known lyrics. "Southern Nights" takes on a brass-band street groove, while "Java," a Toussaint-penned 1963 instrumental hit for trumpeter Al Hirt, retains and even amplifies the original record's raucous second-line feel. New Orleanian percussionist Gerald French contributes the original "Gert Town," which he flavors with the music of Mardi Gras Indians. Toussaint's ballads get attention, too, with help from a powerhouse set of vocalists. Bridgewater brings her vitality to the beautiful "It's Raining" and "With You in Mind," the latter in a duet performance with New Orleans vocalist Philip Manuel. The rhythm & blues staple "Ruler of My Heart" takes on new majesty at the hands of Nayo Jones, NOJO's house vocalist -- and a newly swinging energy in its second half, thanks to Rose and the orchestra. Adonis Rose was born January 11, 1975, in New Orleans, the scion of a musical family. He began playing drums at 3 years old, following in his father and grandfather's footsteps, and as a teenager became enamored with the music of fellow New Orleanians Wynton and Branford Marsalis -- with whose father, Ellis, Adonis studied at New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA). Rose won a prestigious presidential scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston; just afterward, however, Terence Blanchard called and invited him to tour. "So two days after my high school graduation I went out on the road with Terence. That was my first gig," he recalls. He continued to get work with Betty Carter, Marlon Jordan, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, ultimately dropping out of Berklee to go on the road and make a home in New Orleans. In 2002, Rose became the founding drummer for the nonprofit, Grammy-winning New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (NOJO), the only institution in jazz's birthplace that is committed solely to the music's development. He maintained that position even after moving to Fort Worth, Texas, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, where he taught at the University of Texas at Arlington and established the Fort Worth Jazz Orchestra. Rose moved back to the Crescent City in 2015, by which time NOJO was his steadiest gig -- soon to be his full-time one. For all its uplift of Allen Toussaint and of New Orleans, Songs is also a personal triumph for Rose. Following the controversial departure of founder Irvin Mayfield from NOJO and its subsequent loss of institutional support, he set himself to the fearsome task of rebuilding the orchestra while keeping its sterling musical reputation intact. He succeeded. "Almost all of our shows since we started back have sold out," he says. "All of the band members, every single last one of them, came back. The musicians who built this organization, put it on their backs night after night, those are the ones that are doing it again now, along with me." Songs thus stands as a monument to Rose's accomplishment. The orchestra will be performing a CD release show at its home base, the New Orleans Jazz Market, on Fri. 3/29, with other shows at the same venue to follow on Fri. 5/3 (a tribute to Whitney Houston) and Thurs. 6/6 (a tribute to Prince). NOJO is scheduled to perform at the Exit Zero Jazz Festival, Cape May, NJ, 4/13; the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 4/28; the St. Lucia Jazz Festival 5/8-10 (the NOJO 7,with guest vocalist Ledisi); the Ascona Jazz Festival, Switzerland 6/18-30 (in various configurations); and the Detroit Jazz Festival 9/1 (with guest vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater). NOJO will head to New York later this year for a two-night stand at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Appel Room (12/13-14, with guest vocalist René Marie). Rose, who has also recently been performing with vocalist Kurt Elling's band, is already planning future recording projects with the orchestra, including one with vocalist Ledisi and a Brazilian-themed album. "With a new recording project, touring schedule, and new leadership," says Rose, "the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra is poised for success and committed to spreading our music around the world." Photography: Katie Sikora (orchestra), Chanelle Harris (Adonis Rose). SONGS: The Music of Allen Toussaint Web Site: thenojo.com NOJO: Adonis:

I think that these are the links to every Checking Down column since the Grey Cup. So these alone should provide most of the off-season news till now. 12/06 https://www.cfl.ca/2018/12/06/checking-welcome-off-season-2/ 12/13 https://www.cfl.ca/2018/12/13/checking-stamps-ready-name-claybrooks-replacement/ 12/19 https://www.cfl.ca/2018/12/19/checking-list-pending-fas-narrows/ 1/09 https://www.cfl.ca/2019/01/09/checking-qb-talk-takes-winter-meetings/ 1/16 https://www.cfl.ca/2019/01/16/checking-rumours-swirl-riders-kick-off-coaching-search/ 1/23 https://www.cfl.ca/2019/01/23/checking-benevides-mix-riders/ 1/31 https://www.cfl.ca/2019/01/31/checking-loffler-bombers-drifting-apart/ 2/06 https://www.cfl.ca/2019/02/06/checking-jacques-chapdelaine-argo-bound/ 2/20 https://www.cfl.ca/2019/02/20/checking-news-notes-fa19-winds/ 2/28 https://www.cfl.ca/2019/02/28/checking-redblacks-gavins-calls-career/

That's Bernadette Peters top right, correct? Which one is Joanie Somers? Top center?

Travis Lulay has retired. https://3downnation.com/2019/02/28/travis-lulay-reflections-as-i-retire-from-the-cfl/ https://www.cfl.ca/2019/02/28/travis-lulay-retires-10-cfl-seasons/ https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/cfl/lions-qb-travis-lulay-calls-end-to-10-year-career-1.5037918

ECM Focus At Big Ears Festival March 21-24 Knoxville, TN Bill Frisell / Thomas Morgan; Mathias Eick Quintet; David Torn (solo); Shai Maestro; Larry Grenadier; Ralph Towner; Kim Kashkashian; Meredith Monk; Tim Berne’s Snakeoil; Jack DeJohnette / Ravi Coltrane / Matt Garrison; Kim Kashkashian and Robert Levin; Avishai Cohen; Carla Bley / Steve Swallow / Andy Sheppard; Wadada Leo Smith’s NDA – Divine Love; St. John’s Choir – Arvo Parts Passio; Nik Bartsch Ronin; The Art Ensemble of Chicago; David Torn / Tim Berne / Ches Smith Sun of Goldfinger; Vijay Iyer / Craig Taborn Joe Lovano March 1 Tucson, AZ (University of Arizona-Crowder Hall) March 8 Aliso Viejo, CA (Soka University) March 11 Santa Cruz, CA (Kuumbwa Jazz Center) March 12 Albuquerque, NM (Outpost Performance Space) March 14-17 San Francisco, CA (SFJAZZ Center – Miner Auditorium) Andras Schiff March 5 Washington, DC (The Music Center at Strathmore) March 7 New York, NY (Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium) Roscoe Mitchell March 6 New York, NY (Park Ave. Armory Veteran’s Room) Vijay Iyer March 7 San Diego, CA (Prebys Concert Hall UCSD) March 9 San Francisco, CA (SF Jazz – Herbst Theater) March 10 Saratoga, CA (Mondavi Center) Sun of Goldfinger March 12 San Francisco, CA (Freight and Salvage) March 13 Los Angeles, CA (Zebulon) March 14 Portland, OR (Holocene) March 15 Seattle, WA (Earshot / Royal Room) March 17 Denver, CO (Dazzle) March 18 Minneapolis, MN (Icehouse) March 19 Madison, WI (Arts and Literature Laboratory) March 20 Pittsburgh, PA (Spirit) March 21 New York, NY (Nublu) Gidon Kremer March 12 New York, NY (92Y) Vijay Iyer / Craig Taborn March 12 Brooklyn, NY (Roulette) Avishai Cohen March 15-16 Los Angeles, CA (Blue Whale) March 17 San Jose, CA (The Art Boutiki) March 18 Oakland, CA (Yoshi’s – Jack London Square) March 20 St. Paul, MN (Vieux Carre) March 21 Chicago, IL (Constellation) March 22 Cincinnati, OH (Xavier University) March 26 Washington, DC (Blues Alley) March 28 Cambridge, MA (Regattabar) March 29-31 New York, NY (Jazz Standard) Larry Grenadier March 15 New York, NY (Zürcher Gallery) Carla Bley/Andy Sheppard/Steve Swallow March 17 Buffalo, NY (Albright-Knox Gallery) March 19-20 New York, NY (Jazz Standard) March 22 Washington, DC (Atlas PAC – Sprenger Theatre) March 24-25 Denver, CO (Dazzle) March 29-30 Cambridge, MA (Regattabar) Nik Bartsch Ronin March 20 Philadelphia, PA (World Café Live) March 21 Phoenix, AZ (Apache Junction Performance Art Center) March 26 Sarasota, FL (Art Ovation Hotel) Ralph Towner March 20 St. Louis, MO (Graham Chapel) March 24 Chicago, IL (Martyr’s) March 25 New York, NY (DROM - Guitar Summit, Tribute to Ralph Towner) March 26 Cambridge, MD (Regattabar) March 27-28 New York, NY (Jazz Standard) Mathias Eick March 23 Ann Arbor, MI (Blue Llama Jazz Club) Carolin Widmann March 29 Cleveland, OH (Cleveland Museum) © 2019 ECM Records US, A Division of Verve Music Group. All rights reserved.

ECM Vijay Iyer and Craig Taborn The Transitory Poems Vijay Iyer: piano; Craig Taborn: piano Release date: March 15, 2019 ECM 2644 B0029701-02 UPC: 6025 773 0119 3 Vijay Iyer and Craig Taborn in concert March 12 Brooklyn, NY Roulette March 24 Knoxville, TN Big Ears Festival Further dates in preparation… The Transitory Poems, recorded live in the concert hall of the Franz List Academy of Music in Budapest in March 2018, is the first release from the duo of Vijay Iyer and Craig Taborn, two of the most distinctive contemporary improvisers. Each a bandleader in his own right, these highly creative pianists have considerable shared history. They began playing together inside Roscoe Mitchell’s Note Factory in 2002. In Mitchell’s group, Taborn and Iyer were called upon to address complex notated material and to deal, concurrently, with the challenges of instant composing and spontaneous arrangement via collective and individual improvisation. “Our duo formed in the crucible of that band,” Vijay and Craig remark in a performers’ note here, “in pursuit of music unique to its moment of creation.” This has remained the quest throughout their subsequent duo work, shaping music in real time, the project evolving from concert to concert. “Something was born for me in the context of working with Roscoe,” Iyer has said, alluding to “a certain quality of listening: how to navigate, how to give way to each other, how to build together…” Constructive collaboration informs the duo’s music. As Craig Taborn has explained, “part of my practice with improvising is to fully dive in. I become the audience, listening to events and sounds and agency. Whether I’m playing something or not is the first thing I let go of: then I can encounter what is happening.” The musical environment is scanned, details embellished, structures shored up, densities measured, rhythms dovetailed, melodic lines given space to emerge and coalesce. The music is in movement in the fleeting world of The Transitory Poems, transforming and mutating from moment to moment. At times it may acknowledge the vast history of music for two pianos although, as Craig has also pointed out, he and Vijay are “both composers and improvisers and orchestrational pianists - so the question of instrument is just a fact of the context, and not the primary challenge.” Listening back to their recording, the players heard it as “a series of homages” to great artists who had profoundly influenced them, artists who had recently passed away. “Luminous Brew” is dedicated to Cecil Taylor, the pianist whose music, in its intensity, polyrhythmic complexity and sound organization, remains a vital reference for a generation of musicians. The Iyer/Taborn album title derives from a Taylor interview, in which humanity and its endeavors are considered ‘transitory poems’, unfolding against a backdrop of the mountains that are here to stay. “Clear Monolith” is for Muhal Richard Abrams, the visionary pianist, composer and improviser, who lit the paths of the early AACM and opened unexplored routes for the music. The painter and sculptor Jack Whitten, dedicatee of “Sensorium”, described himself - in his log Notes from the Woodshed - as “a quantum expressionist”. Whitten derived much inspiration for his work from jazz, and spoke of translating Coltrane’s sheets of sound into sheets of light. The final track is dedicated to Geri Allen and hints of her theme “When Kabuya Dances” emerge gradually through the improvisation that is “Meshwork”, before the Allen composition, a modern classic, comes to the fore. *** The New York Times has suggested that “there’s probably no frame wide enough to encompass the creative output of Vijay Iyer.” Each of his ECM releases has highlighted another aspect of wide-ranging work. Mutations, with Iyer’s compositions for piano, string quartet and electronics was recorded in 2013 and described by The Guardian as “thoughtful, typically original and very exciting.” It was followed by Radhe Radhe, Rites of Holi a collaboration with director Prashant Bhargava, which DownBeat called “his most challenging and impressive work, the scintillating score to a compelling film.” Break Stuff featured Iyer’s popular trio with Stephan Crump and Marcus Gilmore (“a smashing success” – JazzTimes). A cosmic rhythm with each strokebrought Iyer together with his “hero, friend and teacher” Wadada Leo Smith to play “unique music outside all the categories” (Die Weltwoche), inspired by the art of Nasreen Mohamedi.Far From Over, with the Vijay Iyer Sextet, with Graham Haynes, Steve Lehman, Mark Shim, Stephan Crump and Tyshawn Sorey, was showered with accolades. “If you’re looking for the shape of jazz to come, here it is”, wrote Rolling Stone. Far From Over was voted #1 album in the NPR Critics Poll, with the Iyer Sextet also the band of the year and Vijay musician of the year in the DownBeat Critics Poll 2018. Craig Taborn’s Avenging Angel, recorded 2010, set some new directions for solo piano music. (“As exhilarating as it is serene, and as evocatively melodic as it is unsettlingly recondite, it’s a masterpiece of invention” – All About Jazz). Chants, recorded 2012, brought to a conclusion the group music Taborn had been developing over an eight-year period with drummer Gerald Cleaver and bassist Thomas Morgan. “The songs on ‘Chants’, are positively shimmering, immaculately detailed, prismatic and very improvisational,” noted DownBeat. Daylight Ghostsintroduced a new quartet with some old friends – Dave King, Chris Speed and Chris Lightcap – again to rave reviews. This was the sound, Jazziz opined, “of an already great musician cementing his place in the upper ranks of contemporary pianists and composers.” Vijay Iyer and Craig Taborn first recorded together on Roscoe Mitchell’s Song for My Sister (Pi)in 2002, with their first shared ECM credit being the Mitchell album Far Side (2007), recently reprised in the box set The Art Ensemble of Chicago and Associated Ensembles. Taborn’s ECM debut was also with Roscoe, on 1997’s Nine to Get Ready. Craig appears furthermore on two albums with the Mitchell and Evan Parker-led Transatlantic Art Ensemble –Composition/Improvisation Nos. 1, 2 & 3 and Boustrophedon - as well as with Mitchell’s assembled trios on Bells for the South Side. Other Taborn appearances on ECM include Michael Formanek’s The Rub and Spare Change and Small Places, Chris Potter’s Imaginary Cities and The Sirens, Ches Smith’s The Bell and David Torn’s Prezens. Vijay Iyer and Craig Taborn have a number of concerts this season including a performance as part of the focus on ECM at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, March 21-24.

Channel Master CM-3016 VHF, UHF, FM and HDTV Antenna - $39.99 https://www.amazon.com/Channel-Master-CM-3016-HDTV-Antenna/dp/B000SAKDLS

John, last I heard, she was married to Edu Lobo for a while, and now calls herself Wanda Sa. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanda_Sá