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GA Russell

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  2. Caroline Davis - Live Work & Play

    in New Releases

    Posted

    Is anyone familiar with Caroline Davis? I'm interested in hearing this because she worked with Von Freeman.

    Chicago-Based Alto Saxophonist/Composer

    Caroline Davis

    Debuts with "Live Work & Play"

    November 6

    Davis's Quartet,

    Featuring Guitarist Mike Allemana,

    Bassist Matt Ferguson, & Drummer Jeremy Cunningham,

    To Appear at the Jazz Showcase Nov. 7

    October 19, 2012

    1105.jpgCaroline Davis's star has been rising in Chicago. She's been called "one of the city's strongest and most exciting jazz saxophonists" (Chicago Reader) whose "musical development over the last three years has been nothing short of startling" (Chicago Music).

    On November 6, Davis brings her music to a national audience and beyond with the release of her powerful and compelling debut album, Live Work & Play (Ears & Eyes Records). Featuring her quartet of Mike Allemana (guitar), Matt Ferguson (bass), and Jeremy Cunningham (drums), the CD is an exploration of odd time signatures and bluesy melodies that encourage constant dialogue and defy expectations.

    1107.jpg "My view of improvisation blossomed when I moved to Chicago [in 2004]," states Davis, who participated in late-night jam sessions at the New Apartment Lounge with Von Freeman while studying for a doctorate in music cognition at Northwestern University. Allemana, a longtime Freeman sideman, was so impressed with her playing that he joined her band, as did Freeman's bassist Matt Ferguson. "Mike suggests things that expand my harmonic vocabulary," says Davis. "He also is interested in more challenging rhythmic concepts, so my ideas of conventional rhythm and meter have been expanded."

    Davis's distinctive originals predominate, among them "Dionysus" with its airy minimalism and artful bridging of musical sections; the lead track "Kowtow," written in the key of E to fulfill the literal Chinese act of "paying respect by kneeling and bowing" in the face of a musical challenge; and a mini-suite ("Old Rims," "Shiny Rims," "Real Rims") inspired by a young autistic man she met in New Orleans whose specialty is identifying the make and model of different car rims. Also included are Allemana's arrangement of Billy Strayhorn's indelible "Blood Count" and a free-style reading of Charlie Parker's "Cheryl."

    Born in Singapore in 1981 to European parents (her father was a British engineer, her mother a Swedish actor), Caroline Davis was raised in Atlanta and Dallas. She played saxophone in her junior high band and was introduced to jazz by her high school band director. After acquiring both a Bachelor of Music in Jazz and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington, she bridged those areas in acquiring, in 2010, a Ph.D. in Music Cognition at Northwestern University in Evanston.

    Davis's dissertation looked at the intricate collaborations musicians form in a scene, and related those connections to the ways they hear music. "I try to let all that stuff go when I play," she says with a laugh. "The more you let thoughts go and just listen, the better you play."

    Davis, who counts Wayne Shorter, Charlie Parker, and Chicago native Lee Konitz among her prime musical influences, received a Down Beat outstanding soloist award in 2006 and was selected as one of five young jazz musicians to play with Sisters in Jazz, a program administered by the now-defunct International Association for Jazz Education devoted to the mentorship of women in jazz. In 2011, she played at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC as part of the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program.

    1106.jpg

    L. to r.: Mike Allemana, Matt Ferguson, Caroline Davis, Jeremy Cunningham.

    Like so many local standout players before her, Davis has not restricted herself to any one style or genre. She has teamed with bassist Matthew Golombisky and drummer Quin Kirchner in the free improvising trio Pedway (which recently recorded its second album), and regularly performs in hip-hop, reggae, and R&B outfits. She and her quartet performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival last month, and the release of Live Work & Play is sure to bring new opportunities for this deeply gifted artist to present her music. "I'm looking forward to seeing what listeners think of our record," says Davis. "It's as honest as we could've made it."

    Web Site:

    www.carolinedavis.org

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  7. 2025 @CFL Season

    in Miscellaneous - Non-Political

    Posted · Edited by GA Russell

    Adriano Belli has come out of retirement (!), and has rejoined the Argos.

    http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=407550

    *****

    Buck Pierce has been cleared to play against the Argos Friday.

    http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfl/news/news.aspx?id=4536648

    *****

    Greg Xenakes Week 17 picks

    http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfl/news/news.aspx?id=4536645

  16. 2025 @CFL Season

    in Miscellaneous - Non-Political

    Posted · Edited by GA Russell

    Montreal Alouettes 24....Toronto Argonauts 12

    http://www.sportsnet...aspx?id=4535947

    http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=407391

    The Argos had only one decent drive the entire game, that in the second quarter. Regardless of the current records and standings, I think that the three worst teams in the league are the Bombers, the Ticats and the Argos.

    The Als clinched second place with the win.

    The Eskimos' win yesterday put them ahead of the Ticats as a potential crossover team.

    PS - Noel Prefontaine returned to the roster after missing 13 games. He only punted, and Swayze Waters handled the placekicking.

  24. 2025 @CFL Season

    in Miscellaneous - Non-Political

    Posted

    British Columbia Lions 37....Hamilton Tiger-Cats 17

    http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfl/news/news.aspx?id=4535616

    http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=407298

    I've been sick the past few days, and I went to bed last night at 8:30 with the Lions enjoying an early 14-3 lead. They scored another touchdown shortly after that, and that was all they needed.

    *****

    Calgary Stampeders 32....Winnipeg Blue Bombers 21

    http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfl/news/news.aspx?id=4535631

    http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=407337

    The Stamps easily took a 16-0 first quarter lead, and never looked back.

    The Bombers had 8 turnovers, and you won't win doing that.

    This is the Bombers' eleventh loss. It is always unlikely, but nevertheless possible, that a team with eleven losses will make the playoffs.

    *****

    The City of Hamilton unveiled its plans for its new stadium which will be built next year. Apparently it will be called Pan-Am Stadium because it is being built for the Pan-Am Games, but that may not be right. Here is a photo with articles.

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/plans-for-new-hamilton-stadium-unveiled/article4609818/

    http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=407284

  25. Django Reinhardt Early Recordings Box Set Bargain

    in Mosaic and other box sets...

    Posted

    Joe, I use the camels. http://camelcamelcamel.com/ is a website that keeps track of the many items sold by the various Amazon websites. Typically, you can see what the price has been over the past year or more for Amazon, its Marketplace Sellers, and its Marketplace "used" Sellers.

    I typically inform the camels that I would be interested in a book (or CD or DVD) when its price reaches the point of 25 cents higher than its lowest price of the past year. When that happens, the camels emails me, and I then often buy the book.

    I believe that the camels receives money from Amazon when orders are placed when going through the camels' click-through button.

    Book prices at Amazon fluctuate frequently, and I typically save $2-4 dollars per book.

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