GA Russell

BC has published a nice article about Bob Ackles, whom I met with Don Mathews at the 1985 Grey Cup. http://bclions.com/article/bob-ackles-a-football-life ***** The league has started today what appears to be a weekly round-up of team activities, called Checking Down. http://cfl.ca/article/checking-down-notes-from-around-the-cfl ***** Terry Jones has written a nice article about Al McCann. http://www.calgarysun.com/2015/03/13/classy-al-mccann-was-ctvs-go-to-sportscaster?token=f599838e49af3e26ec998583e31ad296

Bev, may I mention your name the next time someone posts that I have a duty to attend the concerts and buy the records of those who are living? So you prefer to attend concerts by...the dead? David, I understand that there are Irish wakes in Boston which I would enjoy more than the concerts of many of today's jazz musicians!

Bev, may I mention your name the next time someone posts that I have a duty to attend the concerts and buy the records of those who are living?

I have mentioned elsewhere that I use Microsoft's Bing search engine, and that MS gives me a $5.00 Amazon gift card each month for doing so. If you wish to sign up for that deal, my thread on that is in the "misc. - no politics" forum like this thread is. Bing offers an aggregation service like Drudge. About 30 news items per day. Maybe 35% serious news, and 65% Hollywood. So imagine my surprise today, when who do I see featured on Bing's aggregation but Brandon Browner! https://www.bing.com/search?q=Brandon+Browner&filters=tnTID%3a%226687CB30-7D6F-4960-88C1-19B849F3A6AC%22+tnVersion%3a%22803964%22+segment%3a%22popularnow.carousel%22+tnCol%3a%221%22+tnOrder%3a%22761083c7-d576-4412-821e-95d8ba167929%22&FORM=HPNN01

He was listed in our local paper's celebrity birthdays this morning!

RIP. I'll have to find my copy of Camembert Electrique.

Yes, Kelly's Monk biography. Wikipedia says that she permanently rented a suite at the Hotel Stanhope on Fifth Avenue, but that following Parker's death there, she was asked to leave by the hotel management and relocated to the Bolivar Hotel at 230 Central Park West. I'm not familiar with the Bolivar Hotel. Was it the basis for the title of Monk's "Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are"? Thanks bluesoul! And I'm guessing that today is the fiftieth anniversary of the Charlie Parker Memorial concert where Dave Lambert sang Donna Lee.

I've come across an interesting article about Canada in World War II that you might like. http://blogs.ancestry.com/cm/2015/03/04/bizarre-but-true-facts-canada-in-wwii/ ***** This reminds me of a story I was told in 1979 by Lynn Patrick, who was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame the following year. I can tell you that at that time, all American sports fans were familiar with the fact that most of the good baseball players were drafted in World War II, and that the quality of play during the war wasn't very good. It was also known that Maurice Richard had his famous 50 goals in 50 games season during the war; and American sports fans assumed that because it was during the war, the quality of play in the NHL, like in baseball, wasn't very good. Patrick told me that that was not the case. He said that what happened was that the Canadian government drafted the best players, and then "temporarily" assigned them to play for the Montreal Canadiens. The purpose was to boost national morale by ensuring that a Canadian team would win the Stanley Cup by fielding an all-star team! So that's why Richard was able to score 50 goals in 50 games. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Patrick ***** One final point, speaking of the Canadiens. All the American hockey fans I know pronounce that word as if it were "Canadians," and think that that's what it means. Actually, "les Canadiens" were the French Quebeckers. The English Quebeckers were called "les Anglais." The Canadiens were Montreal's French team. Montreal's English team was called the Montreal Maroons. They stopped playing in 1938, due to the Depression. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Maroons

Now the word is that Brandon Browner has signed a three-year contract with New Orleans. http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/cb-brandon-browner-signs-three-year-deal-with-saints/ar-AA9HuNv?ocid=ansFOXsports11

I don't know if this is important, but jazz doesn't have any young stars today, does it? Guys like Roy Haynes and Sonny Rollins were getting noticed when they were about 20. I remember my first copy of Down Beat - June of '67, I think. Larry Coryell with his long hair was on the cover. I think that the record companies had the right idea twenty years ago when they were promoting the Young Lions. It gave the appearance that there was a scene, that things were happening. I'm not aware of anything like that today. No scene, no fun.

Variety reports today that the Canadian federal government announced new rules for television broadcasters regarding Canadian content. I don't know how this will affect the league. Perhaps it will make the league more desirable to the television people. http://variety.com/2015/tv/global/canadian-tv-regulators-shake-up-system-with-new-content-rules-1201451597/

I found this at Yahoo: "I've never seen a decision that is this poor -- the melody wasn't taken, there were no lyrics taken, there was no chord progressions taken," he said. "If this is the standard, it's below floor level it's so low." That quote is from a songwriter, so he has a vested interest. But from what I heard from the video, I agree 100%. http://news.yahoo.com/blurred-lines-verdict-strikes-fear-songwriters-233941179.html

"Team & Variations," 2nd CD by Guitarist/Composer Isaac Darche, Due April 14 From Challenge Records Quintet Date Featuring Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Tenor Sax; Glenn Zaleski, Piano; Desmond White, Bass; E.J. Strickland, Drums CD Release Show at Shapeshifter Lab, Brooklyn, NY, April 28 March 12, 2015 In the nearly ten years that guitarist Isaac Darche has called New York home, the San Francisco Bay Area native has found opportunities to work with many rising jazz stars and to pursue his own muse. He's emerged as a rising star himself and is now following up on the 2012 release of his well-received debut Boom-Baptism with Team & Variations, to be released by the Dutch-based Challenge Records label on April 14. Darche's fluid, warm-toned style reflects the classic influence of Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino. But as indicated by the title of the album's opening track, "A 'Winkel in Time" -- a nod to influential guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel -- he is open to the innovations of all kinds of stylists. "Pushing the boundaries musically yet keeping a certain authentic 'jazz feeling' was very important to me on this project," says the leader. Darche's performances on the new CD with ace team members Chad Lefkowitz-Brown on tenor saxophone, pianist Glenn Zaleski, bassist Desmond White, and standout drummer E.J. Strickland confirm his status as one of the most impressive young guitarists on the scene. The playful titles of the originals are drawn from his life. "Sloped Perspective," a wry reference to Brooklyn's Park Slope community, where many jazz musicians live, strives for a combination of simplicity and complexity. "Arts of a Bachelor," an experiment in unusual intervals, reflects on his schooling. "Don't Run out of Money," a double time-exercise with a melody that evolved out of guitar voicings, is the ultimate advice for living in New York. Fresh readings of the standards "You Stepped Out of a Dream" and "Nobody Else But Me" are also in the mix, along with his take on Wayne Shorter's "Ana Maria." Born and raised in San Anselmo, California, just north of San Francisco, Isaac Darche, 32, started playing the clarinet at age 7, switched to the guitar at 10, and was also playing the saxophone a year or so later. It was the sound of the guitar -- specifically the pure, beautiful jazz sound of the Gibson L-5 models as played by Montgomery and Martino -- that hooked him. He played in various groups at Marin Academy, a San Rafael high school known for its strong arts program. While attending the Stanford Jazz Workshop Jazz Camp as a young teenager, Darche was blown away by a performance featuring fellow students Ambrose Akinmusire, Jonathan Finlayson, Dayna Stephens, and Taylor Eigsti. "I kept thinking, oh my God, I'm so far behind, this is crazy," he recalls. He went on to attend UCLA, studying with Billy Higgins, Anthony Wilson, and, primarily, the distinguished guitarist and composer Kenny Burrell, whose groundbreaking course on Duke Ellington was an essential part of the curriculum. Burrell was a stickler for good tone, good phrasing, and swing feel. "He would stop us and say, 'This is not swinging,'" said Darche. "But he was open to all kinds of music." Darche was encouraged to go to New York by guitarist and "super sideman" Randy Napoleon. His "boom-baptism" there was eased by all the great music happening around him. He got hired by keyboardist Sean Wayland, and played with numerous other artists including Mark Shim, Jon Gordon, Randy Ingram, Henry Cole, Linda Oh, and his old campmate Ambrose Akinmusire. "It's no easy accomplishment in a field packed with guitarists," wrote David Adler in NYC Jazz Record of Boom-Baptism, "but Darche has found a unique sound and technical approach on the instrument. His tone is bright, his articulation blindingly fast and flawless, his rhythm consistently in the pocket but full of breath, never stiff. ... Effortlessly forward thinking, free of idiomatic clichés." Isaac Darche brings the exciting music of Team & Variations to Shapeshifter Lab, Brooklyn, NY on Wednesday 4/28 at 8:15 pm, appearing with the same quintet as on the new CD. Photography: Brian Geltner Web Site: isaacdarche.com Follow: Like:

Scott Mitchell reports that Calgary will build a new ballpark for the Stampeders soon, along with a new arena for the Flames. http://www.calgarysun.com/2015/03/12/calgary-stampeders-may-ride-flames-coattails-to-new-stadium ***** The union's website has recent interviews with Eric Fraser, Marc-Olivier Brouillette, James Yurichuk and Shea Emry. https://cflpa.com/category/news/ ***** Keon Raymond has tweeted that he would like Prime Minister Harper to invite the Grey Cup champions to a reception. I think it's refreshing to see a player want to do this, because in the US for the past forty years it has seemed to be more like a photo op for the president's benefit rather than the players'. http://calgaryherald.com/sports/football/cfl/calgary-stampeders/keon-raymond-wants-harper-to-host-a-grey-cup-reception ***** Jim Barker has written a letter to the Argos fans. http://www.argonauts.ca/article/letter-to-argos-fans-from-gm-jim-barker

The Stampeders have signed Shomari Williams. He's 29 now, and I have to wonder if this will be his last stop. http://www.tsn.ca/stampeders-sign-free-agent-lb-williams-1.227206 http://cfl.ca/article/shomari-to-the-stamps-calgary-inks-former-first-overall-pick ***** For the past three days, the internet has been abuzz about Kory Sheets. Will his injury last year with Oakland prevent him from ever being the same again? Corey Chamblin said in an interview that there were "character issues" when he left the Riders. Would that insult prevent him from returning to Regina? http://www.tsn.ca/sheets-takes-issue-with-chamblin-s-remarks-1.226750 http://cfl.ca/video/index/id/108763 ***** Here's a look at eleven free agents who decided to re-sign with their teams. http://cfl.ca/article/steady-signings-11-free-agents-that-stayed-put ***** New Orleans has offered Brandon Browner $5 million per year, but no word yet on how many years. http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-sports/2015/03/saints_offer_5_million_per_yea.html ***** Al McCann has died. I think, but I'm not sure, that I met him at the 1978 Grey Cup. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_McCann_%28broadcaster%29

Yep Can be blamed 100% on the vocalist who cannot properly say the word "deuce". I always thought that it was deliberate, presumably to sell records.

Later today I will read the two items linked. But in the meantime, at the risk of embarrassing myself by saying something that is a point made in the articles, let me say this. Something happened shortly after World War II. I don't know why, but the English-speaking world lost interest in instrumental music. I believe that for the past 45 years, The Ventures have made their living touring Japan. In the '60s, Europeans listened to Willis Conover on Radio Free Europe, and American jazz musicians found work in Europe. But in the US (and presumably Canada and I suppose the British Isles) the only two instrumental acts to make a big splash in my lifetime have been The Tijuana Brass and Kenny G. So I think that there is something going on here that involves more than jazz. And of course, this dislike of instrumental music may explain why classical music is down there with jazz for low record sales.

Brad, I too had a friend when we were in our mid-20s who would open a beer bottle with his teeth. He was an officer in the Marines!

Not that I would recommend some of these methods, but... http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2015/03/12/craziest-ways-to-open-beer/?intcmp=features

Larry, do you know what year he wrote that? I wonder who the personalities were that he was thinking of.

Happy Birthday yesterday 2015 to shawn and deus!

I have often read about the Blurred Lines video and a woman in it, but I have never heard the song or seen the video until just now. Although there is the obvious homage in the beat, I didn't hear anything in the melody to remind me of the Gaye song.

Manfred Mann/Paul Jones - OAS - 9.99 GBP http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00KM478P4/ref=pe_26581_65721111_em_1p_11_lm $11.73 + $3.99 http://www.amazon.com/Original-Album-MANN-MANFRED-JONES/dp/B00KM478P4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426095428&sr=8-1&keywords=manfred+mann+original+album

Feeling lucky? Grab Bag: 30 cutout Jazz LPs - $29.98 http://www.oldies.com/product-view/34691G.html PS - If you go for this, let us know what you get!

Jim, I'm reminded of something from 30 years ago. At that time, I worked for McCrory Variety Stores. You may recall the Roy Rogers restaurant chain, which at that time was owned by Marriott. About 1983, Roy caused a controversy by saying that he was against gun control. The pro-gun control people said that they would boycott the restaurants. My boss said that that is why you should only name a business after someone who is dead. Whatever that dead person did, he has stopped doing anything more, and there won't be any future surprises. I suppose that it is possible that some secret will be unearthed, but I think that my boss was right. (I also recall Col. Sanders criticizing the KFC gravy after he had sold the company to Pepsi. He said that it was like wallpaper paste!)