Homage to Donald Byrd

Here is an overdue homage to legendary trumpeter Donald Byrd, who recently passed on Feb 4, at 81 yrs young. 
He is one of my major influences, and had a unique style that was concise, lyrical, full of wit, and which perfectly blended deep jazz and R&B expressions. 
He successfully moved into popular acceptance with his Blackbyrds group, made up largely of his students. Who doesn't recall Walkin' In Rhythm? However, his true jazz artistry was highly respected by his peers like Herbie Hancock, and was far more worthy of note than his later 'pop' years. I recommend you dig up albums such as Mustang, Catwalk, Fuego, In Flight, and a New Perspective to get a taste of his consummate skill. Donald, you are not forgotten!

NOW FOR SOMETHING POLITICAL- Stop "Fox News North"

NOW FOR SOMETHING POLITICAL

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jeremy Waiser - Avaaz.org <avaaz@avaaz.org>
Date: Fri, Feb 22, 2013 at 2:54 PM
Subject: Stop "Fox News North"


 
Dear friends across Canada,

The CRTC could make us all pay for American-style right-wing media as part of our cable packages -- unless we flood their public comment process now with our messages of opposition. Click below to help protect Canadians from a "Fox News North" channel funded by our own cable TV fees -- then forward this email to everyone:
The CRTC could make us all pay for American-style right-wing media as part of our cable packages -- unless we stop them.

Quebecor created a "Fox News North" to model the kind of hate-filled propaganda with which Fox News has poisoned U.S. politics. The channel is run by PM Harper’s former top aide and so far it doesn't have enough of an audience to survive. But now it's applying to the CRTC to be forcibly added to all of our basic cable packages!

The CRTC has the power to stop this crazy plan and they are accepting public comments right now.  Let's let them know that Canadians don't want "Fox News North". When we reach 50,000 comments, we'll have enough broad support to hire a crack legal team to help present our case in front of the CRTC. Click below to join and send this to everyone you know:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_fox_news_north_2013_a/?bBYLjcb&v=22289

In 2010, tens of thousands of us banded together and stopped "Fox News North" from getting a similar deal -- even contributing to Harper's aide, Kory Teneycke, resigning as head of the network! But then, the network sneakily hired him back and now they are launching a similar application, hoping we won't speak up while they try and recoop their $17 million in losses from our pockets!

Fox News fuels hate. While constantly claiming to be “fair” and “balanced”, it allows hysterical anchors like Glenn Beck to compare President Obama to "Hitler". Bill O’Reilly, another anchor, has threatened to boycott Canada, and Anne Coulter says Canada is lucky the US allows it to "exist on the same continent.” The network has calculatingly spawned the tea party movement in the US, a mobilisation of the fringe right with members who threaten violence upon its opponents and wear guns to political rallies.

This is a fight for the soul of Canadian democracy. Our media is not perfect, but a ‘news’ network that slavishly serves a political agenda through mass manipulation and fear threatens the fabric of our democratic society.

Canadians don't like watching "Fox News North", which is why they are losing millions and need a sweet government deal to survive. But we can stop them, and stop the CRTC from taking money from our pockets to pay for right-wing news. Click below to send a message and help us build a big enough call to bring a legal team in to hammer home our best arguments:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_fox_news_north_2013_a/?bBYLjcb&v=22289

"Fox News North" threatens to make the country we love look more like the U.S. Thankfully, the CRTC and their public comment process stands in the way -- let's use this chance to be heard and stop "Fox News North" for good.

With hope,

Jeremy, Ari, Emma, Ricken, Mélanie, Laryn and the entire Avaaz team

Hating the Jew, hating the ‘gypsy’ (National Post)
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/09/25/bernie-m-farber-et-al-hating-the-jew-hating-the-gypsy/

As losses mount, Sun turns to CRTC (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/as-losses-mount-sun-turns-to-crtc/article7597155/

Sun News Network viewership lags on first anniversary, controversies continue (Canadian Press)
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/04/18/sun-news-network-turns-first-anniversary_n_1433521.html

Sun Media breaches Code of Ethics (Canadian Broadcast Standards Council - CBSC)
http://www.cbsc.ca/english/decisions/2012/120613.php

Investigation into alleged racist comments against blacks (CBSC)
http://www.cbsc.ca/english/decisions/2012/120620.php

Warning: This column contains scary Sun News scenes unsuitable for some readers (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/television/warning-this-column-contains-scary-sun-news-scenes-unsuitable-for-some-readers/article5215962/


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Oscar music thoughts


The Oscars were pretty cool all in all..... don't you think?

Amazing musicianship and especially the technology to get the orchestra piped in and synced from the Capitol Records Studios down the road.
Quick turn over and setup of on-site musicians, choral ensembles, and band configurations...
Great sound tech except for a few lead vocals (ie Adele) getting buried in the mix.
Shirley Bassey? Hoo ha!
And Seth McFarlane did an admirable job, too. BTW, his album is pretty damn good, you should check it out!
Alas, a musician's day is never done, as the pic denotes (was that a pun?!)

Oscar music thoughts

The Oscars were pretty cool all in all.....

Amazing musicianship and especially the technology to get the orchestra piped in and synced from the Capitol Records Studios down the road.
Quick turn over and setup of on-site musicians and band configurations...
Great sound tech except for a few lead vocals (ie Adele) getting buried in the mix.
And Seth McFarlane did an admirable job, too. BTW, his album is pretty damn good, you should check it out!
Alas, a musician's day is never done, as the pic denotes (was that a pun?!)

Lock It Up on a roll!

Many thanks to the reporting stations who keep the spins a-coming! Special shout out to Smooth Music Radio for consistent spins and tweets....

Hope you saw the new video for Lock It Up!


Moving up the Billboard charts!

Lock It Up is really building a head of steam, moving up the Billboard charts!
As a bonus, I am featured on the new Paul Hardcastle VII album, which is HOT, HOT, HOT!


And the CMJ Groove charts
     


Be sure to check out the new video