Category: Jazz

December 18 . Issue #69

Post author By Paul Yanuziello
Post date December 18, 2020

“Music makes the world go round.”

Welcome and happy holidays to all. In this weeks journal, I share music, more music and my year-end reading list.

1. A friend recently asked me to recommend some jazz music. He indicated he was new to jazz and he wanted an idea of what to listen to and what would give him a good idea of what jazz is. My list of the top 50 jazz albums, or at least some of my favourites.

That, of course, begs the question of what is jazz? Famed bebop pianist, Dr. Barry Harris put it like this when I asked him that very question. “I don’t know!”

2. My end of year list for the best new recordings, honourable mentions and most listened to recordings.

3. The books that got me through a COVID-19 year. What I am reading now and books I keep coming back to for reference.

The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B.White. Every writer should read this book.

4. This week I celebrate the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven. Happy 250th maestro.

5. The best Holiday Movies: A Christmas Story, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and of course A Christmas Carol with Alastair Sim.

Those are a few of my favourite things.

Thanks for reading, if you think someone you know would like my newsletter please share it with them.

If you’re looking for a great children’s book, check out my book, Samba on a Snowy Day. Available in most good book stores including Chapters – Indigo stores.

Please consider a contribution to our next book project; scheduled for February of 2021. You can contribute by buying me a coffee, just swing by Ko-fi.com. You know I appreciate my coffee and every coffee really helps us out. If you’re interested in an advanced reading copy let me know. We are happy to trade an e-book for an honest review at Goodreads or Amazon.

Check out my weekly journal, follow the link to subscribe. Get the weekly happenings in your inbox, no spam I promise.

Tags Beethoven, Dr. Barry Harris, E.B.White, Recordings, The Elements of Style, William Strunk Jr.

Autumn Bees Children Activities Honey Jazz Music Muskoka

Newsletter 10

Hello all!

Some things that interested me this week, and I hope will be of interest to you too.

Here are my five items, links or suggestions that should get you some inspiration and information.

Newsletter 10

1. Fall and the leaves are doing just that, falling all over my yard. During one of my forest bathing outings, I caught sight of a cool bee hive.

It made me think of bees and honey. When I was in grade school one of my favourite projects was on bees, wasps, hornets and the like. I remember having this huge wall poster in my room that was a photo of the inside of a honey bee’s nest. So cool, I would dream of buzzing bees. Whenever I go to a farmers market I pick up some fresh honey, Nectar of the Gods.

2. A book I read recently and enjoyed, The Secret Life of Bees, by author Sue Monk Kidd, I understand it’s a movie too, released in 2008. Where was I when this movie was a big deal? I must rent this and see if it comes close to being as good as the book. The trailer looks good. It has a good sound track.

3. The fall colours in Ontario, spectacular. Fall colours – Muskoka and routes north. There is nothing quite like hiking a trail up in the northern Ontario countryside at this time of the year. My recommendation for a fun family outing.

4. This week I listened to a new artist, at least for me, the David Rubel Quartet, Into The Dark a CD with 7 excellent musical tracks. Rubel is a saxophonist, his music is contemporary jazz. His quartet features the piano of Winston Matsushita, Malcolm Connor on bass and Robin Claxton handling the drums. Check out what there up to over at Rubel’s site, davidrubelmusic.com.

5. An author I read, Alexander McCall Smith, and I have mentioned before, has a very successful series of books and I have read a few of them. Recently I signed up to receive his rather infrequent newsletter, he has sent me news, the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, volume 20, has officially been released, the title; “To The Land of Long Lost Friends”. Meanwhile I am playing catchup, reading the 4th book in the series, “The Kalahari Typing School for Men”.

Thanks for reading. If you like what you’ve read forward this to someone you think will enjoy it. Check out my blog, follow the link, sign in.

www.paulyanuziello.com

Tags Alexander McCall Smith, David Rubel, Malcolm Connor, Robin Claxton, Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd, Winston Matsushita

Cartoons Children Activities Coaching Entertainment Jazz Martial Arts Rock & Roll Yoga

Newsletter 7

Hello all!

Some things that interested me this week, and I hope will be of interest to you too. Oh – by the way, my attempt at getting unhooked from my smartphone didn’t go as expected. I’m down 40% in screen time from last week with an average of two hours and some minutes per day. Six of those hours in the week were using the smart part of the phone as my GPS while driving. My attempt to reduce screen time continues.

Here are my five items, links or suggestions that should get you some inspiration and information.

1. Ginger Baker passed away this week, he was one of the greatest influences for me in drumming. Pictured here are some of my albums that he is featured on, Cream, Blind Faith and Baker Gurvitz Army. Rolling Stone Magazine had this to say about Ginger Baker – Cream Drummer .

The Ginger Baker Trio, was his outing with jazz greats Charlie Haden and Bill Frisell, an album he made in 1998 – Going Back Home shows Baker at his foundational best, check this performance, it gives you an idea of his jazz roots, Ginger Baker Jazz Trio Performance.

The documentary, Beware of Mr. Baker, check out the Trailer For The Documentary, this is an interesting view into Baker’s life, by filmmaker Jay Bulger. Luckily I still have some of my Ginger Baker records, I’m going to give Mr. Baker a spin right now, his playing is still inspirational. RIP Ginger Baker.

2. Yoga kids is a great idea to help get kids active – Go Go Yoga for Kids: A Complete Guide to Yoga… by Sara J. Weis – is a book, and I love this concept and think it’s great for children, a yoga practice plan for kids. A session plan that takes yoga for children where it needs to be, there are some great resources here for teachers, parents and coaches, gogoyogakids.

3. When I read this book on teaching yoga to children it reminded me of the High Five Training highfive.org, that I took a few years ago. It is a method of training coaches to provide activities and environments where children feel safe, welcome, competent, connected, empowered and special. This course changed the way I go about teaching karate to children.

4. For my Canadian friends and any interested bystanders, I have been muddling through the issues that will affect our country for the next 4 years. The Canadian election is set for October 21st. I found this great summary of a survey on some important issues, enviro survey summary, that provides a guide to some of the more important questions and issues that I am interested in. They summarize how all of the parties stand on said issues.

Do you know who the parties are? Bloc Québécois – Conservative Party – Green Party – Liberal Party – New Democratic Party – People’s Party. Do you know who you will vote for? Take a stand, make sure you get out there and let your voice be heard, cast your vote.

5. I met up with a friend of mine over the weekend. Rick Hotton, a karate master, an author and an illustrator, he is also the founder of an international group known as Sunday Morning Keiko a community of like-minded people celebrating the martial arts journey.

Rick was in town for a karate seminar and I met up with him for some after seminar socializing in Burlington, Ontario. He is a wonderful storyteller and a fascinating individual, he has a book entitled Holy Molè Cartoon. Randy Moore has written a great article, Rick Hotton and the Mindful Art of Holy Molè. Check out his cartoon, it’s good fun and it’s mindful.

Still friends after this awesome kick to my head.

Thanks for reading. If you like what you’ve read forward this to someone you think will enjoy it. Check out my blog, follow the link, sign in.

www.paulyanuziello.com

Tags Ginger Baker, GoGoYoga, High Five, Holy Molè, Jay Bulger, Randy Moore, Rick Hotton, Sara J. Weis