Category: Movies

February 19. Issue #78

Post author By Paul Yanuziello
Post date February 19, 2021

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” Malcolm X (May 19, 1925; Assassinated: February 21, 1965)

Hello all and welcome. This week celebrating Black History Month, talking real-estate, movies and more …

1. Black History Month is happening in Canada – all month. I celebrate the achievements of my black brothers and sisters. Some events that I am planning to attend Kumba, TD Stories and An Evening with Desmond Cole, author of the bestselling book The Skin We’re In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power.

The Black Church: A WBGO Panel Discussion with some special guests, including one of my favorite gospel singers Lizz Wright.

2. Selling your home during a Pandemic is a strange experience. Meeting people, real estate agents and inspectors while maintaining physical distancing and wearing a mask. A different world we’re living in as you are all aware.

Things are progressing, the market is happening, our home has been spruced up and we are ready to jump in and see how we fair. Wish us luck.

3. My eye candy this week is a feature film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt; 7500, a 2019 action-thriller film written and directed by Patrick Vollrath. Levitt whose birthday happened this week, on the 17th; his 40th, he puts in an amazing performance.

That led me to check in to the re-runs of 3rd Rock From the Sun, the 1st episode premiered in 1996, Levitt was the young kid with the old soul in this fantastic show.

4. My mother was into dance, she had a dance studio in Toronto “Academy of Dance Arts” and she was the director of a dance company that performed widely. I remembered the name of her Mexican group, “Ballet Folklorico De Mexico”.

When I was sorting through my mother’s record collection I came across a record, the featured photo of this weeks newsletter. Now I know where she came up with the name of her group.

Along with my mom’s record collection, I inherited some of the costumes the company performed in, the dancers in the photo are wearing the “Sanduga” costumes, the same costumes I have in storage.

5. Next week I start teaching karate virtually. I am eager to get back to teaching the children.

My test session with the facility that is hosting me will be happening tomorrow afternoon.

The same facility wants me to do four book readings and we have scheduled those for March.

Thank you for reading. If you think someone would enjoy the newsletter please share it with them.

If you are looking for a fun children’s book check out one of my books. Samba on a Snowy Day, Samba em um Dia de Neve or my new book, Samba in Brazil.

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong and keep going.

Tags Black History Month, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mexico, Virtual karate

Martial Arts Movies Music Reading

January 8 . Issue #72

Post author By Paul Yanuziello
Post date January 8, 2021

“You make your mistakes to learn how to get to the good stuff.” Quincy Jones

Hello all and welcome. Please join me for the five things that kept me going this week.

1. This weeks eye candy, the deep and soulful, Soul, an amazing animated feature. Pixar makes history with a couple of firsts, for co-director Kemp Powers and star, Joe Gardner.

Watching the documentary “Quincy”, the Quincy Jones story on Netflix, just great.

The Mule with Clint Eastwood, a great performance by a master of the screen.

2. My audio delight for this week centred around the music of Soul and Jon Batiste, music consultant. The trumpet of Latin superstar, Arturo Sandoval, musical director and composer for the soundtrack to The Mule.

Inspired by Quincy, I found myself spinning some music from some of his award-winning productions, 28 Grammy Wins and 80 Nominations. Bad and Thriller, the Michael Jackson albums, are both produced by Quincy Jones.

3. I found inspiration to write a short story about one of my swords. Some friends are planning a Zine. Something a little crazy. I thought I can do crazy, and so I wrote a fictitious story about an antique sword. My Perfect Sword, based on my war sword.

4. The Japanese sword is something that is special to me. When I first got into the martial art of Japanese swordsmanship; one of the first books I purchased, Japanese Swordsmanship, Technique and Practice by Gordon Warner and Donn F. Draeger.

This is a book that I come back to often as a reference and a study guide. Other books that I reference and read for joy and inspiration, I like the photos too, The Samurai Sword by John Yumoto, The Craft of the Japanese Sword by Yoshindo Yoshihara and The Art of Japanese Swordsmanship by Nicholas Suino.

5. My first-aid certificate expired on December 15th, of 2020. Or did it? All certificates have been extended to June 2021 according to the WSIB.

With that bit of good news, I made myself available to teach a virtual class for a local community centre, “Keeping Your Karate Kids Kicking” with Paul sensei (4 classes). I hope to see some of my students join in the fun.

Today I read an article by my friend Scott Langley sensei on kicking, it was featured in an issue of Shotokan Karate Magazine.

The article reinforced how important your hip flexors are, especially when doing mae geri, front kick. This will be a fun exercise for my virtual karate class.

Thank you for reading. If you think someone would enjoy the newsletter please share it with them. If you are looking for a fun children’s book check out one of my books. Samba on a Snowy Day or my new book, Samba in Brazil.

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong and keep going.

Tags Arturo Sandoval, Grammy, Nicholas Suino, Quincy Jones, The Samurai Sword

Jazz Movies Music Music Icons Reading

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.