“Music does a lot of things for a lot of people. It’s transporting, for sure. It can take you right back, years back, to the very moment certain things happened in your life. It’s uplifting, it’s encouraging, it’s strengthening.” Aretha Franklin
Hello all and welcome to my weekly journal. Here are 5 things that I thought were worth sharing this week.
1. Genius: Aretha, All Hail The Queen, starring Cynthia Erivo; a National Geographic film released in March 2021 and something I have been binge-watching this week.
Terence Blanchard (BlacKkKlansman, Inside Man, Malcolm X) composed original music for the series. Raphael Saadiq (Insecure, Step) is the executive music producer, responsible for producing, arranging and recording all of the original song elements within the series featuring live performances.
There are moments in this series that I felt like I was watching a documentary. This is a very good series and pays due respect to the Queen of Soul.
2. Soul music or R&B, (rhythm and blues music) is one of my first musical loves and this week I found myself listening to some of my favourites. Names like Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, Patti Labelle, Natalie Cole and Roberta Flack to name just a few.
3. This week I started reading Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell.
4. I have found some awesome ‘Beta Readers’ and they have given me great advice for my new manuscript. The comments they provide relate mostly to the narration with suggestions that aid the flow of the story.
Through the help of one of my marketing research books, I borrowed an idea to get young volunteer readers through the help of one of my local library reading groups.
5. The featured photo is of the Feversham Gorge a short walk from my writing sanctuary, a place of beauty and great energy. I haven’t had a chance to do any serious exploring. At the end of this week, I will be going up there again; hoping to go fishing or meditating.
Thank you for reading. If you think someone you know would enjoy my newsletter please share it with them. If you are looking for a great children’s book check out my new book, Samba in Brazil; Paperback version, on sale for a limited time.
Or one of my other books, Samba on a Snowy Day or the Brazilian/ Portuguese version Samba em um Dia de Neve.
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong and keep going.
Copyright © 2021 Paul Yanuziello, All rights reserved.