GA Russell

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Four exhibition games tonight. Final cutdown day is tomorrow. ***** Today there is wildfire smoke in Regina. https://3downnation.com/2025/05/30/cfl-actively-monitoring-air-quality-at-mosaic-stadium-roughriders-do-not-expect-delay-to-preseason-game/ ***** Previews of tonight's games https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/cfl-preseason-schedule-games-on-tv-today-hamilton-vs-toronto-montreal-vs-ottawa-winnipeg-vs-saskatchewan-bc-vs-edmonton-friday-may-30-2025/ ***** https://static.cfl.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025.05.30.OTTvsMTL.PSB-2.pdf ***** ***** https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/game-day-riders-close-preseason-at-mosaic-stadium-against-blue-bombers/ https://static.cfl.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/WINNIPEG-AT-SASKATCHEWAN_-MAY-30.pdf ***** ***** ***** *****

Mike, is the Second Edition any different from the First?

Western preview https://doorfliesopen.com/2025/05/29/cfl-beat-233/ ***** ***** ***** *****

RIP Al Foster! He and Roy Haynes were my two favorite drummers. I saw him play with Sonny Rollins in Atlanta thirty years ago, and he was perfect for the job. I have posted this elsewhere, but here he is on my favorite album, Mike Nock's In Out and Around.

The Riders have confirmed that Sean McEwen's injury is a torn ACL, which should put him out for the year. https://3downnation.com/2025/05/27/saskatchewan-roughriders-confirm-three-time-all-cfl-ol-sean-mcewen-has-torn-acl/ *****

Derek Dennis is a guest coach with the Elks. https://3downnation.com/2025/05/27/longtime-cfl-ol-derek-dennis-guest-coaching-with-edmonton-elks/ ***** Jarret Doege has signed with the Argos. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/05/27/argos-sign-quarterback-jarret-doege/ https://3downnation.com/2025/05/27/toronto-argonauts-sign-former-edmonton-elks-qb-jarret-doege/ ***** One stat per team https://www.cfl.ca/2025/05/27/1-pff-stat-per-team-for-2025/

Etienne Charles Discovers New Cultural Connections With "Gullah Roots," Arriving June 20 On Culture Shock Records Album Features 10 Tracks That Explore the Relationship Between African American, Afro-Caribbean Diasporas, & the Motherland, Featuring a Spellbinding Quintet & Special Guests Spring & Summer Itinerary Includes Spoleto Festival, June 4; Damrosch Park, NYC, June 14; Newport Jazz Festival, August 3   May 27, 2025 Etienne Charles traverses an underexplored corner of the African American diaspora on Gullah Roots, set for a June 20 release on his own Culture Shock imprint. Helming an extraordinary sextet that includes alto saxophonist Godwin Louis, pianist Christian Sands, guitarist Alex Wintz, bassist Russell Hall, and drummer Harvel Nakundi (plus special guests), trumpeter/composer Charles immerses himself in the history, culture, and music of the Black ethnic group centered in the Lowcountry region of the southeastern United States. Best known for his work in the rhythmic traditions of the Caribbean—especially those of his native Trinidad & Tobago—Charles might seem to be in unfamiliar territory with a project rooted in the U.S. But then, jazz is also rooted in the U.S., and Charles has never struggled to connect with that musical lineage. “People ask me how I think about the difference between jazz and Caribbean music, but jazz is Caribbean music,” Charles says. And indeed, jazz’s New Orleans birthplace is a port that has long been a gateway to the Caribbean islands, creating the cultural mix that was inherent in jazz from its beginnings. “With each project, when I start it, I don’t know what connections I’m going to be seeing. And then, they just kind of find themselves,” he explains. “When I started working on Gullah Roots, I only sensed there was a connection between the Lowcountry and the Caribbean.” Yet there they are, as clear as if Charles had been playing this music all along. The connection is perhaps most apparent in “Gullypso,” in whose sumptuous grooves the flavors of both island and Lowcountry are instantly recognizable. They also intertwine deeply in the two-part “Watch Night,” his rendering of a Gullah prayer ritual. From the coruscating choral beauty of part I (“Prayer”) to the joyous interlocking rhythms and washboard percussion (courtesy of percussionist and co-producer Quentin E. Baxter) of part II (“Ring Shout”), the piece serves as evidence of Charles’s firmly held belief that “the diaspora is one.” Then, of course, there’s the exalted treatment (with a choir led by Mykal Kilgore) of “Kumbaya,” the Gullah artifact that will be best known to most listeners, which serves as the serene release that closes the album. But the diasporic connections Charles finds in on the album are more complex still. “Bilali,” featuring the sounds of Samir Langus’s guembri and krakeb (Moroccan castanets) and Alex Wintz’s slide guitar, anchors these New World Black traditions in those of North and West Africa. “Igbo Landing,” another two-part epic, also evokes the darkness and tragedy of the Middle Passage in its depiction of the 1803 mass suicide of captured Africans off the coast of Georgia. Gullah Roots offers up a whole world for listeners to reexamine. Etienne Charles was born July 24, 1983 in Port-of-Spain, the capital city of the island nation of Trinidad & Tobago. Carrying the torch of Caribbean musical traditions in all their eclectic facets is, itself, a family tradition for the Charleses. Etienne’s father, Francis, was both a member of the Trinidadian steel band Phase II Pan Groove and the owner of a colossal record collection, and Etienne thus grew up soaking in music. He learned to play trumpet as a boy, and by high school he, too, was a member of Phase II Pan Groove. But jazz had gotten Etienne’s attention, and he moved to the United States in 2002 to matriculate at Florida State University—where he found his way to the celebrated pianist and educator Marcus Roberts, who became his mentor. He quickly gained not only a mastery of the jazz tradition, but the recognition to prove it. Charles placed second at the 2005 International Trumpet Guild Jazz Competition in Bangkok, Thailand, then took first place a year later at the U.S. National Trumpet Competition in Fairfax, Virginia. He was also awarded a full scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music, where he earned both a master’s degree and an entrée into the cutthroat New York jazz scene. Charles not only survived but thrived in that scene, recording and touring with artists ranging from Maria Schneider to Wynton Marsalis to Rene Marie. He also made a striking impression as a leader, injecting his encyclopedic knowledge of Caribbean music and rhythms into an improvised jazz context. He recorded his debut album Culture Shock in 2006. Coming nearly 20 years later, Gullah Roots is the eleventh of Charles’s multihued, cross-cultural musical explorations. Etienne Charles’s 2025 tour schedule includes the following: 6/4 Gullah Roots performance, Spoleto USA Festival, Charleston, SC; 6/7 ANSA Caribbean Awards, Trinidad; 6/14 Lincoln Center Summer for the City Fest, Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center, NYC; 6/20-21 Jazz Arts, Charlotte, NC; 6/26-28 Jon Batiste’s Jazz Club at Baha Mar, Nassau, Bahamas; 8/3 Newport (RI) Jazz Festival; 8/7 Aspen (CO) Art Museum; 8/21 Cooperstown (NY) Music Festival; 9/18 Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus, OH; 9/19 Blue Llama, Ann Arbor, MI; 9/20 Pittsburgh (PA) Jazz Festival; 9/25-28 Dizzy’s, NYC; 10/10 University of Texas, Austin; 10/13 Jazz for All Ages Festival, Hilton Head, SC (Rene Marie); 10/25 Barclay Theater, Irvine, CA (Rene Marie); 11/12-16 Jazz St. Louis, MO. Photography: Luigi Creese (Etienne Charles, top); Alice Keeney (Quentin E. Baxter & Etienne Charles, bottom).    "Gullah Roots" Trailer  Etienne Charles Website  

Oneil Cruz reaches new Pirates peak with hardest-hit ball in Statcast Era

The final cutdown day will be this Saturday. https://3downnation.com/2025/05/26/cfl-final-cutdown-day-set-for-saturday-may-31/ ***** Top OL https://www.cfl.ca/2025/05/26/mmqb-ranking-the-cfls-top-offensive-linemen/ ***** Bryan Cox, Jr., is likely out for the year. https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/argonauts-de-cox-jr-likely-out-for-season-with-leg-injury-1.2312414 https://3downnation.com/2025/05/26/toronto-argonauts-dl-bryan-cox-jr-suffers-likely-season-ending-foot-injury-report/ ***** Pre-Season Picks https://www.cfl.ca/2025/05/26/the-weekly-say-which-player-will-win-mop-in-2025/ ***** Kelly is not ready, so Arbuckle will be the Opening Day starter for the Argos. https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/arbuckle-to-start-game-1-for-toronto-argonauts-x-rays-to-determine-chad-kelly-s-status-1.2312408 ***** The Elks will embrace the Eskimo name this year. *****

Pre-Season analyses Montreal - Ottawa https://3downnation.com/2025/05/25/rusty-montreal-alouettes-cant-find-rhythm-lose-their-first-preseason-game-eight-other-thoughts/ https://3downnation.com/2025/05/25/10-thoughts-on-the-ottawa-redblacks-opening-their-2025-preseason-with-a-win/ ***** Sask - Winnipeg https://3downnation.com/2025/05/24/fourteen-thoughts-on-the-winnipeg-blue-bombers-preseason-win-over-saskatchewan/ https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/riderville-roundup-may-25-2025/ ***** Toronto - Hamilton ***** Edmonton - Calgary https://3downnation.com/2025/05/25/edmonton-elks-get-evaluation-tape-not-much-else-in-preseason-loss-to-calgary-five-other-thoughts/ https://3downnation.com/2025/05/25/vernon-adams-jr-impresses-in-calgary-stampeders-preseason-debut-seven-other-thoughts/ ***** More on the Montreal horns https://3downnation.com/2025/05/24/montreal-alouettes-fan-who-created-air-horn-tradition-wont-back-down-following-ban/

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Could Mose still sing in 2007? How's the album?

The Alouettes have decided to ban the fans' horns this year. I'll be interested to see whether the attendance goes up or down. https://3downnation.com/2025/05/23/silence-at-last-montreal-alouettes-ban-air-horns-for-2025-season/ ***** Ticats-Argos preview https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/hamilton-tiger-cats/tiger-cats-host-the-argonauts-for-cfl-pre-season-game-1/ *****

The league has announced its television schedule. Keep in mind that CFL+ is the name the league uses to refer to its own website cfl.ca. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/05/22/2025-cfl-season-available-on-tsn-rds-cbs-sports-network-cfl/ https://3downnation.com/2025/05/22/cfl-unveils-full-2025-american-tv-broadcast-schedule-on-cbs-sports-network/ ***** Eastern preview https://doorfliesopen.com/2025/05/22/cfl-beat-232/ ***** New Era has revealed is 2025 CFL merchandise. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/05/22/this-is-what-the-players-wear-cfl-x-new-era-2025/ ***** Bruno LaBelle was let go by the Argos, and promptly signed with the Ticats. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/05/22/this-is-what-the-players-wear-cfl-x-new-era-2025/ https://3downnation.com/2025/05/22/toronto-argonauts-release-former-riders-fb-bruno-labelle-sign-one/ https://3downnation.com/2025/05/22/hamilton-tiger-cats-sign-canadian-fb-bruno-labelle-following-release-by-argos/ ***** First the Riders lost Sean McEwen. Now Phillipe Gagnon will miss many months with a torn bicep. https://3downnation.com/2025/05/21/saskatchewan-roughriders-ol-philippe-gagnon-suffers-torn-bicep/ ***** Riders-Bombers preview https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/piffles-top-5-things-to-watch-in-riders-preseason-opener-in-winnipeg/ ***** ***** ***** ***** I'm surprised that six refs are from Quebec.

Joe, that sounds right. I had thought that Miles' career during the Kennedy administration was a fallow period saleswise. But Porter says that ESP and what followed sold much less than Seven Steps to Heaven.

Singer-Songwriter Ola Onabulé & Guitarist Nicolas Meier Present Proof of Life A unique project with two performers sharing a passion for culturally diverse musical expressions. AVAILABLE ON JUNE 30, 2025 AND THROUGH WWW.OLASMUSIC.COM RELEASED ON RUGGED RAM RECORDS (CAT NO: RRAMCD016) WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION VIA ORCHARD/SONY Ola Onabulé - Vocals, Keyboard Nicolas Meier - Guitar, Glissentar Jakub Cywinski - Acoustic Bass Chris Nickolls - Drums Will Fry - Percussion    British-Nigerian singer-songwriter Ola Onabulé, in collaboration with Swiss guitarist Nicolas Meier, is set to release a new album titled Proof of Life on June 30, 2025. Proof of Life produced and recorded at Onabulé’s Casa Del Funk Studios, showcases the synergy between the two artists as they explore culturally diverse concepts and themes. Their partnership, which began through a series of livestream performances during the pandemic, has evolved into a collection of ten original songs. Proof of Life features a blend of Onabulé’s signature songwriting style of polyrhythms and melodies drawn from his African roots with Meier’s love of eastern, world and Jazz themes as well as his expertise with a wide range of stringed instruments. This has resulted in the creation of a work with a rich tapestry of sound that resonates with themes of love, life and philosophies of survival in tumultuous times. The songwriting process was marked by a process of organic collaboration, where both artists contributed ideas and melodies, resulting in a cohesive body of work that captures their individual strengths while exploring creative boundaries were new to both artists. Ola Onabulé © Alfred George Bailey Ola Onabulé is also renowned for his remarkable three-and-a-half octave vocal range and collaborative performances with an impressive range of international big bands and symphony orchestras, including The WDR Big Band, The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, The SWR Big Band, The Babelsberg Film Orchestra, HR Big Band, The Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, The Danish Radio Big Band, Latvian Radio Big Band, The Big Band Jazz de Mexico and other Grammy Award-winning ensembles internationally. With twelve albums to his credit, Onabulé has established himself as a versatile artist who seamlessly crosses musical genres, earning worldwide critical acclaim for his impeccable writing and production skills. His last album, Point Less was listed on many international publications as one of the best albums of 2019 including Downbeat Magazine, All About Jazz and Jazz in Europe amongst them. The music from Point Less has since been arranged for Big Band and Symphonic Orchestras and performed in Europe, Mexico and South America. Nicolas Meier © Alfred George Bailey Nicolas Meier is celebrated for his versatility. He was a featured collaborator in Jeff Beck’s Jeff Beck Group, touring the world with the seminal guitarist twice. Meier is known for his exploration of Eastern, harmonies and melodies which translates into his prodigious mastery of eastern stringed instruments. His work with Turkish Makam and Ayak scales is of particular significance, as is his extensive musical portfolio showcasing his diverse compositional style across many ‘World Music’ genres. His collaboration with Onabulé on Proof of Life represents a unique meeting of minds between two skilled communicators and seasoned performers who share a passion for culturally diverse musical expressions. © Alfred George Bailey Regarding the origins of the project, Onabulé explained, “During the pandemic, I found myself hosting livestream shows from my Casa del Funk Studios. It was at this time that I was introduced to Nicolas Meier. From the moment we started working together, I felt an instant musical synergy. Over the course of about nine live-streamed shows, it became clear that we had something special brewing. Sure, I was impressed by his stint touring with Jeff Beck, but what really caught my attention was Nicolas' prolific work as a composer. As the world began to open up again, I couldn't resist suggesting we collaborate on some new material. So, in late 2021 and early 2022, we finally got together to start this exciting creative journey." Regarding the compositional process, Ola continued, "The writing sessions were effortlessly enjoyable and immediately very productive. We threw sketches of ideas together with ease and collated the 10 songs that form the basis of the album over 4 or so half-day meetings. Once we decided it a sketch of an idea was a viable option, things generally went one of two ways. With ideas that originated with Nicolas, I would hum into a dictaphone as he played them to me to capture the most organic and instinctive melodic and lyrical responses to the music. In turn, Nicolas would build guitar accompaniments and arrangements around melodies that I had originated. We seemed to find our way to this modus operandi without any pre-emptive discussion or contrivance." The collaborative process between Onabulé and Meier was characterized by a dynamic and organic approach to music creation. Onabulé developed initial demos with drum, double bass, and keyboard parts, which Meier would then enhance with guitar arrangements. They would meet to refine arrangement details, discussing tempos, song structure and potential modulations. Onabulé innovated his lyric-writing technique by using a stream-of-consciousness approach, recording vocals directly in the control room and making immediate edits. The initial programmed demo tracks were ultimately replaced by live studio recordings, preserving the most inspired and spontaneous musical moments. Ola Onabulé's multifaceted role in the creation of Proof of Life sets him apart in the genre. As producer, co-composer, vocalist and recording engineer, Onabulé demonstrates a rare level of creative control and technical expertise. This hands-on approach allowed Onabulé to capture spontaneous moments of inspiration while maintaining the highest sound quality. Nicolas Meier played a crucial role as co-composer and performer on Proof of Life, contributing his exceptional guitar skills and diverse musical influences to the project. His ability to enhance the emotional depth of each track through intricate guitar accompaniments showcases his versatility and artistry, making him an integral part of this innovative musical partnership. Mixed and mastered by renowned US engineer/ musician/ keyboardist, George Whitty, this album is a testament to Onabulé’s production quality and songwriting ability. As they prepare for an international tour as a quartet/quintet in 2025/26, Proof of Life promises to offer audiences a captivating live experience that highlights the unique musical dialogue between these two accomplished artists. TRACKS 1. Rio De Janeiro 5:21 2. Aegean Blue 4:07 3. Proof of Life 5:08 4. Centauri 6:48 5. Sorry in the Morning 7:11 6. True Story 4:00 7. Eternally Yours 4:34 8. Funmilayo 5:10 9. Future Past 5:45 10. Two Scoops 6:14 All music composed by Ola Onabulé & Nicolas Meier All lyrics written by Ola Onabulé Produced and recorded by Ola Onabulé at Casa del Funk Studios Mixed & mastered by George Whitty Photographs by Alfred George Bailey www.olasmusic.com www.facebook.com/oonabule www.youtube.com/user/OlaOnabule 

Ryan Keberle & Collectiv do Brasil Pay Tribute to Ivan Lins On "Choro das Águas," To Be Released July 18 by Alternate Side Records Trombonist & His São Paulo-Based Combo Put Their Distinctive Spin on 8 Songs by the Living Legend of Brazilian Music, Two Compositions by the Leader   May 22, 2025 Trombonist Ryan Keberle and Collectiv do Brasil explore the music of one of the world’s greatest living musical masters with Choro das Águas, set for a July 18 release on Alternate Side Records. The album—Keberle’s third with the São Paulo pianist/arranger Felipe Silveira, bassist Felipe Brisola, and drummer Paulinho Vicente—features compositions by Brazilian jazz and popular music tunesmith Ivan Lins, marking the composer’s 80th-birthday year, along with two of Keberle’s unique original compositions. (Lins and Keberle share a June 16th birthday.) “Ivan Lins’s songwriting stands among the giants … his music a masterful fusion of sophistication and soul,” Keberle explains in Choro das Águas’ liner notes. “I chose eight of my favorite songs—hidden gems, even to many Brazilian music fans. Collectiv do Brasil brings these songs to life with fresh, inventive arrangements. “The result is something beyond category,” he adds. “A sound that is entirely its own.” L. to r.: Paulinho Vicente, Felipe Silveira, Ryan Keberle, Felipe Brisola. One certainly can’t fit these renditions into any recognizable box. For all the rhythmic assurance and assertiveness put into Lins pieces like “Essa Maré” and “Lua Cirandeira,” they are offset by the delicacies of “Saindo de Mim” and “Tens—Long Life” (a medley deftly combining Lins’s “Tens” with pianist Lyle Mays’s “Long Life”). In fact, one of the special gifts of this formidable quartet is their ability to balance strong grooves with fragile melodicism, as they do on “Rei do Carnaval,” “Sai de Baixo,” and the exquisite title track. Not to be outshined, however, are Keberle’s own compositions. “Quintessence,” a staple of the trombonist’s repertoire (and always one with a strong clave component) here takes on an upbeat samba feel, adding a layer of radiant joy and palpable excitement to the tune. An effective counterpoint comes in “Simple Sermon,” a gorgeous ballad with Silveira’s yearning chords playing off Keberle’s thoughtful melodic statement—another supple demonstration of the sense of balance the musicians bring to this music. Indeed, the real jewel of Choro das Águas lies in the empathy and chemistry between the foursome who perform it. Keberle and Silveira’s interplay is one stellar example; Brisola and Vicente’s deft lock-in all throughout the album is another. More potent still is the angular but shrewd collective improvisation that the whole ensemble plays during Lins’s “Noites Sertanejas”: their joint creation couldn’t be more different than the composition, yet their sensitivity to each other and to the material make it work brilliantly. Lins himself waxes rhapsodic about Keberle and the Collectiv’s work on the album. “Muito bom mesmo!!!!” (“Very good indeed!!!!”) he said upon hearing it. “Tocam muito. E têm estilo próprio. Jazz de primeira linha!!! Adorei!!!” (“They play a lot. And they have their own style. First class jazz!!! I loved it!!!”) So will you. Ryan Keberle was born June 16, 1980 in Bloomington, Indiana, but he grew up in Spokane, Washington. The Keberles are a musical family: Ryan’s father, Dan, plays trumpet and chaired the Whitworth University jazz studies program for 38 years, while his mother Ann taught piano and directed a church choir. Their son began taking lessons with his mom at four years old, then transitioned to the trombone at ten. He distinguished himself as a student trombonist first in high school, then in college, earning diplomas from the prestigious programs at both the Manhattan School of Music and the Juilliard School. He also became an instructor at the former school, and for 20 years has directed jazz studies at Hunter College. But jazz education is only one aspect of a very busy and successful career. Keberle made his debut as a leader in 2004 as the artistic director for Jazz Band Classic, the youth jazz ensemble associated with the New York Symphony. It was the first of several big bands in which he made a name for himself; Keberle has also been a star soloist and ensemble player in big bands led by Miguel Zenon, Rufus Reid, David Berger, Ryan Truesdell, Maria Schneider, and Darcy James Argue, among others. In 2006, Keberle completed his first album as a leader, the self-titled album by the Ryan Keberle Double Quartet. (They recorded a second album, Heavy Dreaming, in 2009.) In addition, Keberle leads and has recorded five albums with the indie jazz quartet Catharsis, three with the chamber-jazz trio Reverso, and three with Collectiv do Brasil, giving him an array of projects in which to explore his prolific and diverse musical concepts. “Saindo de Mim” has been released as the first single from Choro das Águas, with “Sai de Baixo” to follow 6/6 and “Rei do Carnaval” on 6/27. Brazilian dates in support of the new album include the following, with more to be announced: 6/27-28 Clube de Jazz, Belo Horizonte; 7/3 Soberano, Rio de Janeiro; 7/5 Jazz B, São Paulo; 7/6 Rabeca Cultural, Sousas. Keberle and Collectiv do Brasil will also be appearing at Small’s, NYC, 9/24; and the Cooperage Project, Honesdale, PA, 9/26. Photography: Thadeu Lenza    "Saindo de Mim," First Single from "Choro das Águas"  Ryan Keberle Collectiv do Brasil Website