Genetic Susceptibility to Acute Rheumatic Fever: A Systematic .

Genetic Susceptibility to Acute Rheumatic Fever: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Twin Studies

by Mark E. Engel, Raphaella Stander, Jonathan Vogel, Adebowale A. Adeyemo, Bongani M. Mayosi

Background

Acute rheumatic fever is considered to be a heritable condition, but the magnitude of the genetic effect is unknown.

The object of this work was to lead a systematic review and meta-analysis of twin studies of harmony of acute rheumatic fever in place to derive quantitative estimates of the sizing of the genetic effect.

Methods

We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, EMBASE, and Google Scholar from their origin to 31 January 2011, and bibliographies of retrieved articles, for twin studies of the concordance for acute rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease in monozygotic versus dizygotic twins that used accepted diagnostic criteria for acute rheumatic fever and zygosity without age, gender or language restrictions. Twin similarity was calculated by probandwise concordance rate and odds ratio (OR), and aggregate probandwise concordance risk was measured by combining raw data from each study. ORs from separate studies were combined by random-effects meta-analysis to evaluate association between zygosity status and concordance. Heritability was estimated by fitting a variance components model to the data.

Results

435 twin pairs from six independent studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled probandwise concordance risk for acute rheumatic fever was 44% in monozygotic twins and 12% in dizygotic twins, and the connection between zygosity and harmony was strong (OR 6.39; 95% confidence interval, 3.39 to 12.06; P

Conclusions

Acute rheumatic fever is an autoimmune disorder with a high heritability. The breakthrough of all genetic susceptibility loci through whole genome scanning may offer a clinically useful genetic risk prediction tool for acute rheumatic fever and its sequel, rheumatic heart disease.

Broadview



I received this recent collaboration between Toronto artists Ted Warren (drums), Mike Murley (tenor saxophone) and Rich Brown (electric bass) in mail the other day courtesy of label manager & recording engineer extraordinaire Steve Bellamy. The band, collectively known as Broadview, recently released their first CD entitled "Two of Clubs" on the Toronto-based record label ADDO Records.

I've known these three musicians and admired their work in different projects over the years but was really excited to hear this collective project come about (and which was recorded live between two different Toronto Jazz venues: The Rex Hotel & Jazz Bar and Chalkers Pub),

Ted grew up in Regina (as did I) but had already moved out East to Toronto via Nova Scotia and Montreal and had long established himself as one of Canada's premier, young creative Jazz voices by the time I met him in the early 90s while he was performing in Regina. In fact, Mike Murley was that gig as well with bassist Jim Vivian in pianist John Stetch's quartet which performed at the Regina Jazz Society. Hard to believe that was almost twenty years ago! I've since heard Ted and Mike play together in a variety of contexts and both never fail to impress.

Ted recently did an interview with The Purple Cabbage, a great Toronto-centric jazz blog. When asked about his new project, Broadview:

"In a nutshell, the initial concept behind Broadview was my desire to get an opportunity to play with Rich and Mike more often. I knew they would sound great in a chordless format and we would have a lot of fun playing together. I generally wrote specifically for the trio. With the chordless trio format, the challenge has been writing and performing music that relies on largely implied harmonies. At any one time, the listener hears the melody note and the bass note, and is required to imagine the notes in between. As a drummer, this is something that I feel I’ve had to work at in a different way, in contrast to the other two [Murley and Brown] who seem to have more of a natural feel for it. That being said, it has been and still is a fun challenge for me, and I’m really enjoying it. The playing, as I expected, has been a great joy from the very first note we played."

Here's some footage of this dynamic trio from a performance recorded earlier this year at the Kingston Public Library:













If only every public library in Canada was hip enough to feature musicians of this caliber in performances such as this. Politicians take note: Now THAT is one good example of how public funding can help support the arts in our communities! Artists of all disciplines need venues and outlets to present their creations AND get paid properly to do it. Using public spaces like libraries and community centres offer ideal opportunities to do this kind of thing. Way to go Kingston.

Dieter Bohlen macht's ohne Mark Medlock!

Frher waren sie ein Herz und eine Seele und landeten einen Sommerhit nach dem nchsten, doch jetzt gehen sie getrennte Wege: Dieter Bohlen (57) und sein ehemaliger Schtzling Mark Medlock (33) arbeiten nicht mehr zusammen! 2007 ging Mark bei DSDS als strahlender, wenn auch schon immer leicht hibbeliger Sieger hervor und danach rumten er und Dieter ganz schn ab!


Mark Medlock
Die Nominierten des Comets stehen fest
Comet 2011: Das sind die Nominierten
80
Mark Medlock: Krasser Ausraster im Flugzeug!
12110
SOS! Die schlimmsten Flugzeug-Austraster der Stars
15
Auf mehrfache Gold- und Platin-Auszeichnungen, ganze vier Studioalben und zahlreiche Hit-Singles knnen die beiden zurckblicken - und nicht nur das Berufliche verband die beiden, nein, auch privat schienen Mark und Dieter ganz dicke. Jetzt ist es aber mit der Zusammenarbeit erst einmal vorbei, denn Marks kommendes Album „My World", das am 21. Oktober verffentlicht wird, wird nicht mehr von Pop-Gigant Bohlen produziert. Ob es wohl Differenzen oder persnliche Probleme zwischen den beiden gab? Das wrde zumindest auch Marks krzlichen Flugzeug-Ausraster ein bisschen erklren, doch offenbar haben die beiden sich ganz friedlich und in aller Freundschaft getrennt, wie Dieter Bohlen nun gegenber der Bild besttigte. „Er wollte sich musikalisch verndern, ich habe ihn dazu ermutigt. Mark wird mir immer sehr am Herzen liegen." Klingt doch ganz vernnftig, oder? Schlielich soll man ja aufhren, wenn es gerade am besten ist, und vielleicht kann uns Mark mit seinem neuen Sound, den er ja bereits letztes Jahr angekndigt hatte, ja noch einmal berraschen. Seine erste Single „The Other Side Of Broken" wird am 14. Oktober erscheinen, allzu lange mssen Marks Fans also nicht mehr warten!

Und Dieter Bohlen? Der hat bereits einen neuen Schtzling, und das auch schon eine ganze Weile. Denn mit Schlagerqueen Andrea Berg (45) rumt er gerade so richtig ab. Fr ihr erstes gemeinsames Album erhielten sie prompt einen Echo und Doppel-Platin und die Vorbestellungen fr das zweite Album „Abenteuer" laufen auch schon prchtig! „Andrea ist eine unglaubliche Knstlerin. Wahnsinn!", schwrmt Dieter, und auch Andrea zeigt sich von der Zusammenarbeit begeistert: „Dieter ist ein Gott im Studio, zwischen uns stimmt es einfach." Na, da haben sich ja zwei gefunden...
Themen: Deutsche Stars, Dieter Bohlen, Mark Medlock

This Weekend

A few gigs of note coming up this weekend...

I'll be joining pianist Bruce Pethrick and bassist Brendan Rothwell at the Beatniq Jazz & Social Club on Friday and Saturday evenings, backing up "Barbado's First Lady of Jazz", vocalist Cici Duke for two evenings of standards.



Working with good vocalists is one of my favorite things to do. I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work so many great singers over the years including the likes of Pat Steele, Diane Nalini, Johanne Desforges, John Labelle, Johnny Scott, Carol Welsman, Karin Plato, Dione Taylor, Terra Hazelton and Louise Rose. Learning to accompany a vocalist is a real art form in itself and I enjoy the challenge of playing the drums in a way that compliments the voice and the lyric.

I'm also co-hosting the Broken City Jam session on Saturday afternoon from 3-6 pm with guitarist Ralf Buschmeyer and electric bassist extraordinaire Dale James. Be sure to come on out as the BC jam is now only happening the first Saturday of every month.

Wayne Shorter - Night Dreamer

Tenor-saxophonist Wayne Shorter's Blue Note debut found him well prepared to enter the big time. With an impressive quintet that includes trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Elvin Jones, Shorter performed a well-rounded program consisting of five of his originals (this CD reissue adds an alternate take of "Virgo") plus an adaptation of an "Oriental Folk Song." Whether it be the brooding title cut, the Coltranish ballad "Virgo" or the jams on "Black Nile" and "Charcoal Blues," this is a memorable set of high-quality and still fresh music. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Artist: Wayne Shorter
Album: Night Dreamer
Year: 1964
Label: Blue Note (1987)
Runtime: 48:10

Tracks:
1.  Night Dreamer (Wayne Shorter) 7:18
2.  Oriental Folk Song (Traditional/arr. Wayne Shorter) 6:54
3.  Virgo (Wayne Shorter) 7:08
4.  Virgo (alternate take) (Wayne Shorter) 7:01
5.  Black Nile (Wayne Shorter) 6:29
6.  Charcoal Blues (Wayne Shorter) 6:54
7.  Armageddon (Wayne Shorter) 6:22

Personnel:
Wayne Shorter (Tenor Saxophone)
Lee Morgan (Trumpet)
McCoy Tyner (Piano)
Reggie Workman (Double Bass)
Elvin Jones (Drums)

Mark E. Bleyaert May 4, 1945-Sept. - Monroe Evening News

Mark E. Bleyaert was innate in Monroe on May 4, 1945.
He was one of six children born from the north of the former Grant Bleyaert and Violet (Strimbel) Bleyaert.
Mark attended St. Marys for grad school and was a 1964 graduate of Monroe High.
Mark married the passion of his life, the former Brenda Branham, on June 25, 1966 at St. Marys Church in Rockwood.

He retired early from Universal Tell Tech because of back problems. Following retirement, he worked at upholstery and at just being a general jack-of-all-trades, always helping others with a hand to keep his family.
Mark grew up with a particular tie to his grandfather, and late in life, he had that same bond with his own grandchildren.
He enjoyed working with his hands. He liked to fix things and loved to make different items for the grandchildren, including slingshots, tree houses, or just inventing stuff and being creative, because, of course, they consumed 100% of his interests.
He was a great son to his mother, visiting her every day until his health failed.
Mark was a member of St. Patrick Church.
Mark E. Bleyaert, age 66, of Carleton passed by at 12:40 a.m. Tues. Sept. 27, 2011, at his home.
In gain to his father, his pass was preceded by a brother-in-law, Loyd Krueger.
To treasure his memory, he leaves a wife, Brenda Bleyaert of Carleton; three daughters: Denise (Rick) Knicely of Temperance, Melissa (Chris) Feldt of Carleton, and Lorraine (John) Putnam of Carleton; mother Violet Bleyaert; brothers Lamont (Julie) Bleyaert of Georgia and Martin Marty Bleyaert of Monroe; sisters Margo (Ray) Knabusch of Monroe, Marcia Krueger of LaSalle, and Marlene (Gary) Coleman of Indiana; five grandchildren: Kayla and Hunter Feldt, Brooke Knicely, and Broc and Bret Putnam.
Friends may collect from 12-8 p.m. Thurs. Sept. 29, 2011, at Merkle Funeral Service, 2442 N. Monroe, (734) 384-5185, where a Rosary will be recited at 6 p.m. He will lie in state Fri. Sept. 30, 2011, from 9 a.m. until the 10 a.m. Mass of the Resurrection at St. Patrick Church, 2996 West Labo, Carleton. Father Robert Bauer and Monsignor John Zenz will officiate. Procession will follow to Michigan Memorial Park for burial.
Memorial donations for those who desire are suggested to the family.
Online guests may leave words of aspiration and comfort, share a photo, make a donation, or send flowers by visiting www.merklefs.com; Online Tributes page.

Shadow Wilson



I recently had the pleasure of spending some time interviewing Kenny Washington for my ongoing doctoral research project. Kenny has an encyclopedic knowledge of Jazz music and it was a real pleasure to have the opportunity to sit down with this Master drummer.

The name Shadow Wilson came up several times during our discussion and Kenny was more than willing to talk, at length, about this great, unsung Jazz drummer. He pointed me towards this rare clip which features Wilson with the Louis Jordan band:



Now my own knowledge of Shadow Wilson's drumming had come from the Thelonious Monk/John Coltrane Carnegie Hall concert that was only discovered and released a few years ago.



Wilson was obviously a drummer who felt equally home playing in small, progressive groups such as with Monk and Coltrane and then also switching gears to play with the likes of Louis Jordan and the Count Basie Orchestra. In fact, Buddy Rich and many other big band drummers have openly declared on several occasions that Shadow's drum break on Basie's recording of "Queer Street" stands out as one of the greatest drum solo breaks ever recorded. You can check that out here (the brief double-time and syncopated drum break starts around 2:51):



Kenny Washington also recommended to me the following recordings to further check out examples of Shadow Wilson's fine and diverse drumming:

Count Basie - "America's #1 Band"
Thad Jones - "Detroit/New York Junction"
Thelonious Monk/John Coltrane - "At Carnegie Hall"
Fats Navarro/Tadd Dameron - "The Complete Blue Note & Capital Recordings"

Sanford Moeller...Drumming From the Grave!



Perhaps a little early considering it's not Halloween yet...but here's a very interesting series of clips that Bill Stieger hipped me to (thanks Bill!)

This very clever rudimental drumming enthusiast took the still photo shots from Sanford Moeller's snare drumming method book "The Art of Snare Drumming" (1929) and spliced them together so we can see, for a brief time, what he intended his motions to look like:



Kolinda - Ráolvasás (Incantation)

Kolinda plays complex folk music with diverse instrumentation and with medieval and Eastern influences. They lived in France for a time, and were produced by Hughes de Courson of the French folk group Malicorne. Kolinda disbanded in 1979, only to reform five years later. After playing as a group for 11 out of the past 16 years, with 7 albums under their belts, Kolinda is still relatively unknown in their native Hungary and virtually unheard of in North America.- from bandonthewall.org

Artist: Kolinda
Album: Ráolvasás (Incantation)
Year: 1997
Label: Fonó Records
Runtime: 51:59

Tracks:
1.  Hármasugrás (Skip in Threes) (Peter Dabasi) 3:48
2.  Szótlan Dallamok (Without Words) (Peter Dabasi) 4:34
3.  Ráolvasás (Incantation) (Peter Dabasi) 6:28
4.  Álom-tó (Dream Lake) (Peter Dabasi) 3:57
5.  Botladozva (Stumbling) (Peter Dabasi) 3:04
6.  Elégia (Elegy) (Peter Dabasi) 4:26
7.  Kötõdések (Affinities) (Lilla Varhelyi) 1:26
8.  Hétrõl hétre (Sevens) (Peter Dabasi) 3:15
9.  Négyszemközt (Face to Face) / Air az ötben (Air in Five) (Peter Dabasi) 6:45
10.  Tivadar - hommage á Jacob van Eyck (Gyorgy Robert) 2:37
11.  Vadorzó (The Poacher) (Peter Dabasi) 3:55
12.  Románc (Romance) (Peter Dabasi) 4:00
13.  Coda (Peter Dabasi) 2:10
14.  Újra együtt (Together Again) (Traditional) 1:29

Personnel:
Peter Dabasi (Viloncello, Gadulka, Kaval and Vocals)
Dora Kovats (Violin, Flute and Vocals)
Peter Koszegi (Double Bass)
Gyorgy Robert (Flute, Recorder, Oboa)
Lilla Varhelyi (Violin, Bass Violin, Gadul, Vocals)
Jozsef Szeki (Percussion)

Han Bennink Drum Lessons



More from my favorite swashbuckling dutch improvisor Han Bennink. I think someone gave these little "lessons" to me from notes they jotted down from a Han Bennink drum/music clinic (maybe from the Banff Jazz Workshop?):

Han Bennink's "Things to Practice":

"Play as fast as you can for 5 minutes without repeating yourself."

"Same thing goes for slow, loud, soft and any combination of them."

"Play one piece of your drumkit for 5 minutes and try to keep it interesting and do this until you have played all the pieces."

"Repeat the same beat for 5 minutes and try to keep it interesting."

"Play a crescendo lasting 5 minutes ending as loud as possible."

"Play solid time for 5 minutes, check with metronome before and after, repeat untill your time is really solid."

"Play completely free for 5 minutes, no time is allowed."

"When you think you have become good at these exercises extend them by 5 minutes each. etc".

These exercises should last you a lifetime...

More Han (solo?)



Just a few more clips to follow up on my last post of Han Bennink, one of drumming's unique improvisors:





Han Bennink Documentary



Thanks to Toronto guitarist Reg Schwager who recently posted this 1968 Dutch television documentary on drummer Han Bennink on Facebook. It's all in Dutch (!) but plenty to enjoy regardless:







Pat Metheny - A Map of the World

The soundtrack to the Sigourney Weaver/Julianne Moore film A Map Of The World features an acoustic guitar-based score written and performed by Pat Metheny. Along with his complete score for the film, the album also includes 25 minutes of expanded versions of the movie's music. The title track, "Fall From Grace," "Outcasts" and "Homecoming" reflect the film's bittersweet tone. - by Heather Phares, AMG

Pat Metheny is a true musical poet. His score to Jane Hamilton's "A Map of the World" does something remarkable - it conjurs up not just the feeling and atmosphere of the book; it actually seems to address the central meaning and essense of forgiveness that makes this story one of the modern miracles of literature. As someone who has loved this book since it was released in the mid-90's, I was concerned when I heard that they were making a movie of it. I saw the movie the other night, and it is excellent. But the highlight of the film - and a major component of it's success is this hauntinly beautiful, truly deep music. Although there are comparisons to be made with Metheny's "Beyond the Missouri Sky", this music is far more substantial. There are several musical themes, especially the title theme melody, which appear regularly throughout this suite, that are some of Metheny's absolute best ballads. The harmonic ambiguity of the first piece on the record (you really cannot tell what key it is finally going to land in, it keeps modulating so much) sets EXACTLY the right tone for the protaganists (Alice Goodwin) mental state. And the basic sound Metheny is getting here out of his acoustic guitars is simply breathtaking - this man has the best touch of any acoustic guitarist in the world right now. But the most impressive aspect of this music is the excellent orchestral writing and overall scope of the music. The piece "Gone" has to be one of the most truly heartwrenching pieces of music writing since Mahler, or Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. I always enjoyed the sections on Metheny's "Secret Story" where his guitar improvisations were mirrored by his orchestral conception - but here it seems to be more concentrated on a single aspect - that of a kind of very simple, but as mentioned before, ambiguous harmonically, kind of "Americana" that resonates as true to not only this story - but to the feeling of this time in American Life. If you are looking for the "virtuosic" Pat, he is actually here - there is no other guitarist I can think of who can render such detail harmonies out of a guitar and make it sound SO SIMPLE - which is the mark of true virtuosity. No, there are not a million notes a second, or those kind of catchy tunes that his regular group is known for. But for sheer beauty, originality, depth and soul, "A Map of the World" may contain Metheny's best work to date. - by Shane Brown, Amazon.com

Artist: Pat Metheny
Album: A Map of the World
Year: 1999
Label: Warner Bros.
Runtime: 66:37

Tracks:
1.  A Map Of The World 5:38
2.  Family 2:09
3.  North 4:19
4.  Home 0:42
5.  Sisters 4:08
6.  Childhood 1:26
7.  Fall From Grace 2:37
8.  Memory 0:55
9.  Gone 6:31
10.  Flight 0:54
11.  Alone 1:21
12.  Outcasts 1:30
13.  Sunday 1:38
14.  Discovery 2:34
15.  Acceptance 1:15
16.  Realization 1:23
17.  Soliloquy 2:52
18.  Night 2:00
19.  Sunrise 0:51
20.  Resolution 3:46
21.  Pictures 0:21
22.  Patience 1:22
23.  Transition 0:52
24.  Reunion 1:17
25.  Renewal 1:53
26.  Homecoming 3:25
27.  Forgiving 4:36
28.  Holding Us 4:08
All compositions by Pat Metheny

Personnel:
Pat Metheny (Acoustic Guitar, Piano and Keyboards)
Steve Rodby (Double Bass)
David Samuels (Percussion)
Gil Goldstein (Conductor and Orchestrator, Organ)
Sara Cutler (Harp)
Victoria Drake (Harp)
Virgil Blackwell (Bass Clarinet)
Melanie Feld (English Horn)
Elisabeth Mann (Flute)
Sheryl Henze (Flute)

Lewis Nash w/Jim Hall & Don Friedman



It's Friday here at Four on The Floor and also the first day of Fall so what better way to start the weekend than with some smokin' playing from Lewis Nash with band mates Don Friedman, Jim Hall, Joe Lovano and George Mraz from a Jazz Baltica concert from 2005:



Incidentally, I heard this group in 2000 at the Iridium in New York City without Friedman on the piano. That particular band can be heard on this fine record:



Honestly, when I first saw the lineup on the cover of this album I was expecting some fairly straight-ahead, standard-like playing but I was very pleasantly surprised and inspired to hear some very open and interactive playing instead. Jim Hall is a true visionary and his ability to push his sonic boundaries never ceases to amaze. All around it's a nice reminder that you truly can't judge a "book" by it's cover....Lewis Nash is truly a master who can cover it all ! In particular, check out Nash's solo intro in the above clip at the 20:16 mark - btw if anyone can tell me how to play my bass drum that fast, please let me know!

Rifftide: The Life & Opinions of Papa Jo Jones



Looks like someone was finally smart enough to write a book about Papa Jo Jones. My copy is in the mail so I can't really tell you anything about it (!) but in the meantime we can enjoy this fine trailer about this important figure in Jazz drumming history:



And here's a few reminders as to why we should all listen to and study Jo Jones in the first place:





Ali Jackson Quartet



A few today of J@LC drummer Ali Jackson Jr. from a recent hit of his, leading his own group at Dizzy's in New York City, featuring Donald Harrison:





Recommended Books & Videos for the Southern . - Mark E. Elliott

The following books and videos have been the most valuable to me in the diversion of Southern (Virginia/Kentucky/North Carolina/Tennessee) longrifles and accouterments. Books

Longrifle Books

The Kentucky Rifle, by Capt. John Dillon
Rifles of Colonial America, Vols l & ll, by George Shumway
Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in its Golden Age, by Joe Kindig Jr.

Longrifles of North Carolina, by John Bivins
Kentucky Rifles & Pistols 1750-1850, by the Kentucky Rifle Association
Long Rifles of Virginia, by Butler & Whisker
Gunsmiths of Virginia, by James Whisker
Gunsmiths of West Virginia, by Lambert & Whisker
Gunsmiths of the Carolinas 1660-1870, by Whisker, Bryan, Russo & McKight
Notes on Southern Long Rifles, Vols 1-4, by Jerry Noble
The American Rifle: At the Fight at Kings Mountain by C.P. Russell, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Washington, D.C. 1941
Rifle Making in the Great Smoky Mountains by Arthur I. Kendall, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Washington, D.C. 1941 Accouterment Books

The Kentucky Rifle Hunting Pouch, by Madison Grant
Powder Horns and Their Architecture, by Madison Grant
Powder Horns: Documentation of History, by Tom Grinslade
Sketches of Hunting Pouches, Powder Horns, and Accoutrements of Southern Appalachia, by Jim Webb Advanced Work on Longrifles and Accouterments

Drawings of Rifle Gun Triggers, Locks, Fittings & Etc. Observations & Notes, by Jim Webb
Gun Worms, by Jim Webb
Journal of Historical Armsmaking Technology, Vols I-V, by the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association
Seeing Through the Eyes of Yesterday, The Kentucky Rifle and the Golden Mean, by Patrick E. Hallam
Artistic Ingredients of the Longrifle, by Joe Kindig III Contemporary Longrifles

Three Centuries of Tradition, The Renaissance of Custom Sporting Arms in America, by Mark Silver & Wallace Gusler for The Minneapolis Institute of Arts Gunmaker References

Recreating the American Longrifle, by William Buchelle, George Shumway, & Peter Alexander
The Gunsmith of Grenville County - Building the American Longrifle, by Peter A. Alexander
The Art of Building the Pennsylvania Longrifle, by Chuck Dixon
Gunsmithing Tips & Projects (The John Bivens articles from Rifle magazine), by Wolf Publishing Company Accouterment Maker References

The Word of Buckskinning II-IV, by Scurlock Publishing
Recreating the eighteenth Century Hunting Pouch, by T.C. Albert
Recreating the eighteenth Century Powder Horn, by Scott & Cathy Sibley Videos

Videos for the Gunmaker

Building a Kentucky Rifle, by Hershel House
Basic Blacksmithing, by Hershel House
Traditional Gunstocking, by Mark Silver
Relief Carving a Kentucky Rifle Circa 1775, by Wallace Gusler
Engraving a Kentucky Rifle Circa 1775, by Wallace Gusler
Forging a Flintlock Rifle Barrel, with Jon Laubach

You should be capable to get most of these from Scurlock Publishing

If you take a favorite resource that is not on this list,add it in the input box below.

Max Roach - We Insist: Freedom Now Suite



John Riley recently pointed me towards this incredible footage the other day....ironically found in my very own collection of DVDs (but that's another story!) I first purchased this album while in my teens while searching for what ever Max Roach albums I could get my hands on during a trip to Chicago's legendary Jazz Record Mart. There is a very deep, powerful message in this music. Max is, of course, in fine form in this European television footage (dig those unison quarter notes!) and Abbey Lincoln and Clifford Jordan really shine as well.

Helen Merrill - Clear Out of This World

Although Helen Merrill is often thought of as a singer from the 1950s (when she made her initial reputation), she has stayed aware of more recent developments in jazz. On this superior CD, Merrill is accompanied by pianist Roger Kellaway, bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Terry Clarke; three songs add trumpeter Tom Harrell, while two others have Wayne Shorter on tenor or soprano. Whether performing veteran standards (such as "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" and "Some of These Days") or more modern pieces, Merrill's haunting voice and her all-star sidemen uplift and revitalize the material. A consistently memorable set full of subtle surprises. - by Scott Yanow, AMG
Another magnificent record by Helen Merrill. She is unable not to give herself entirely when making music. Moreover, she seems able to inspire her colleague-musicians to their best performance by means of her artistic talent and her personality. I hesitated between four and five stars in my rating, but there must be left room for the best of all. Tom Harrell, for instance, makes an even better performance on Helens CD You and the Night and the Music, but that's relativity. Wayne Shorter plays some of his most tenuous notes ever in accompanying Helen. Enjoy this wonderful record! - by Bertrand Vermeer, Amazon.com

Artist: Helen Merrill
Album: Clear Out of This World
Year: 1991
Label: Gitanes Jazz (1992)
Runtime: 50:02

Tracks:
1.  Out Of This World (Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer) 6:22
2.  Not Like This (Jeremy Lubbock) 3:07
3.  I'm All Smiles (Herbert Martin/Michael Leonard) 7:15
4.  When I Grow Too Old To Dream (Oscar Hammerstein II/Sigmund Romberg) 6:41
5.  Some Of These Days (Shelton Brooks) 4:04
6.  Maybe (Shelton Brooks) 5:42
7.  A Tender Thing Is Love (Jerry Ginsberg/Torrie Zito) 4:22
8.  Soon It's Gonna Rain (Tom Jones/Harvey Schmidt) 4:45
9.  Willow Weep For Me (Ann Ronell) 7:44

Personnel:
Helen Merrill (Vocals)
Roger Kellaway (Piano)
Red Mitchell (Double Bass)
Terry Clarke (Drums)
Tom Harrell (Trumpet and Flugelhorn) - 3,4,8
Wayne Shorter (Soprano and Tenor Saxophone) - 1,9

Billy Drummond with Dave Liebman



A few all too short ones today...but here's drummer Billy Drummond on some raw clips taken from the bar (!) at New York's Birdland, performing with saxophonist Dave Liebman, pianist Steve Kuhn and Steve Swallow on bass:



Dee Dee Bridgewater - This Is Now

Dee Dee Bridgewater may be the first jazz singer to devote an entire release to the theater music of Kurt Weill. She's in great form, with arrangements for the most part by her ex-husband Cecil Bridgewater. "Bilbao Song" is quite novel, with the addition of exotic flamenco guitars and percussion and a guest appearance by Antonio Hart on flute, and her tender interpretation of "My Ship" is first rate. "Alabama Song" leans more toward outright blues, with a saucy vocal and churning Hammond B3 organ. The obscure "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" starts out funky, but its middle section is pure hard bop with a fine solo by alto saxophonist Daniele Scannapieco. But the overly pop sound of keyboardist Thierry Eliez's scoring of "This Is New"; the uninspired chart of "Speak Low," which detracts from her fine singing and the bland French cabaret setting of "Youkali" hardly make them memorable. Still, she has to be admired for taking a chance by covering so many of Kurt Weill's songs (while avoiding the obvious choice of "Mack the Knife"), most of which have been overlooked in the decades since his death in 1950. - by Ken Dryden, AMG

Artist: Dee Dee Bridgewater
Album: This Is New
Year: 2002
Label: DDB Productions
Runtime: 59:42

Tracks:
1.  This Is New (Ira Gershwin/Kurt Weill) 3:46
2.  Lost In The Stars (Maxwell Anderson/Kurt Weill) 5:36
3.  Bilbao Song (Michael Feingold/Frank McGuinness/Kurt Weill) 10:24
4.  My Ship (Ira Gerschwin/Kurt Weill) 4:56
5.  Alabama Song (Bertold Brecht/Kurt Weill) 5:38
6.  Tha Saga Of Jenny (Ira Gerschwin/Kurt Weill) 4:54
7.  Youkali (Roger Fernay/Kurt Weill) 3:54
8.  Stranger Here Myself (Ogden Nash/Kurt Weill) 5:50
9.  Speak Low (Ogden Nash/Kurt Weill) 4:17
10.  September Song (Maxwell Anderson/Kurt Weill) 4:40
11.  Her I'll Stay (Alan Jay Lerner/Kurt Weill) 5:42

Personnel:
Dee Dee Bridgewater (Vocals)
Thierry Eliez (Piano, Hammond B3 Organ and Backing Vocals)
Ira Coleman (Double Bass)
André Ceccarelli (Drums)
Louis Winsberg (Guitar)
Nicolas Folmer (Trumpet)
Denis Leloup (Trombone)
Daniele Scannapieco (Alto Saxophone and Flute)
Minino Garay (Percussion)
Tulani Bridgewater Kowalski (Backing Vocals)
China Moses (Backing Vocals)
Antonio Hart (Alto Saxophone and Flute) - 2,3,10
Juan José Mosalini (Bandoneon) - 7

The Regina Jazz Quartet + Vibes



If you happen to be in the Queen City today, I'll be appearing with the Regina Jazz Quartet (or also known as the RJQ !) on vibraphone this evening at the Regina Jazz Society. We'll be playing a fine selection of standards all night. Please come on by and say hello and enjoy the vibes.

"The RJQ + 1"

Appearing at The Regina Jazz Society
Le Bistro
3850 Hillsdale Avenue
Regina, Saskatchewan

Friday, September 16th

8:00 pm

Featuring:

Jerry Shen - Tenor Saxohone
Ken Jefferson - Piano
Dylan Wiest - Drums
Tim Vuksic - Bass

with special guest Jon McCaslin - vibraphone

www.jazzregina.ca

Mick Karn - Bestial Cluster


His best effort sees Karn team up with David Torn (and Jansen/Barbieri). Better production and excellent musicianship combined for the awesome title track and pieces -- such as "Saday Maday" -- that showcase his frenetic wonder and a Chilean backing vocal. But Karn can only deliver a half-decent record, with the murky "Bones of Mud" concluding. - by Kelvin Hayes, AMG

Mick Karn was born on the island of Cyprus, with the music/culture of Egypt, Israel, Syria, and Turkey all around him. At a young age he moved to London, later forming the band "Japan" with his school chum David Sylvian. Mick plays bassoon, clarinet, keyboards, and other instruments on his recordings, but in the context of Japan he held down the low notes. Early on, he pulled the frets out of his bass, and his trademark fretless playing quickly developed. In 1983, the band dissolved, leaving Karn with a unique style and plenty of musical inspiration. His studio work with other musicians such as Midge Ure and Joan Armatrading is pretty interesting, and is worth investigating. Check out "Dalis Car" (with former Bauhaus vocalist Peter Murphy) for evidence of surreal atmospheric pop; take note of the fact the Mick plays ALL the instruments on this CD. The atmospheric multicultural grooves on Bestial Cluster are vidence of his maturing musicianship and compositional abilities. It is perhaps his most musically complex CD to date, and he has said it was among his most challenging endeavors. You will frequently find him collaborating with guitarist/loopist David Torn. Their complimentary musical explorations are always interesting (listen to "Polytown" for a good starting point). David Torn once described Mick Karn by saying "It's as if Bootsy was Moroccan." Hard to top that :) Torn lends some tasty guitar work to this effort, and it's well worth finding a copy. Take a listen to this CD and be entranced by an intoxicating tapestry of sounds. - John Hendow, Amazon.com

Artist: Mick Karn
Album: Bestial Cluster
Year: 1992

Label: CMP Records (1993)
Runtime: 45:04

Tracks:
1.  Bestial Cluster (Mick Karn) 4:10
2.  Back In The Beginning (Mick Karn) 5:10
3.  Beard In The Letterbox (Mick Karn/David Torn) 7:05
4.  The Drowning Dream (Mick Karn/David Torn) 5:06
5.  The Sad Velvet Breath Of Summer And Winter (Mick Karn) 5:46
6.  Saday, Maday (Mick Karn/David Torn) 6:28
7.  Liver And Lungs (Mick Karn) 5:40
8.  Bones Of Mud (Mick Karn) 5:35

Personnel:
Mick Karn (Vocals, Bass Guitar, Bass Clarinet, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Keyboards, Percussion, Programming)
David Torn (Guitar, Slide Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Harmonica, Keyboards, Voice, Percussion)
Steve Jansen (Drums, Dumbek, Congas)
Richard Barbieri (Keyboard Bits, Sounds)
Joachim Kühn (Keyboards) - 1,2,5
David Liebman (Soprano Saxophone) - 3,6,7
Richie Stevens (Samples) - 3
Steve Gorn (Flutes) - 5,8
Glen Velez (Frame Drums, Percussion) - 5,8
Jürgen Kernbach (Bassoon) - 6
Walter Quintus (Violin) - 7
Mario Argandona (Vocals) - 2,6
Sabine Van Baaren (Backing Vocals) - 2

Andrew Cyrille - Solo Drums



Here's a drummer that we should definitely pay more attention to:



With special thanks to Jeff Cosgrove who found this one!

Minimal Farnsworth



It's always a good challenge to practice playing on a minimal and very basic drum set-up. Here Joe Farnsworth demonstrates how it's done with both sticks and brushes:



Art Taylor Rides Again...



Just a quick one here for the weekend...my attention is soon to be very focused on today's upcoming Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers "Banjo Bowl" rematch.

In any event, here's some GREAT footage of Art Taylor with his frequent partner-in-crime Johnny Griffin:

The Calgary Scene - Andrew Dyrda





I first met drummer Andrew Dyrda six years when he took a few lessons with me in Calgary. He's now based in Montreal and has become quite a mature and hard working musician. I'm also impressed with his maturity on the instrument and a tireless work ethic. Andrew is one young Canadian drummer to keep an eye on in the years to come. Andrew recently played in Calgary and was gracious to answer several questions for my blog.



1) Can you tell us about your musical background? How did you learn to play Jazz drums?



I was very fortunate to be born into a musical family in Southwestern Ontario, constantly surrounded by good music (mostly Johnny Cash and Stan Rogers, but sometimes Beethoven and Art Blakey!!!). I started with the prerequisite piano lessons when I was about 4, maybe 5 years of age. Of course, at first I hated them (like most children do) but grew to like them more and more as time went on. I started playing trumpet when I was 11, and immediately felt a kinship with the instrument. I moved to Calgary and went to a high school with a GREAT band program (Dr. E.P. Scarlett) so I played in a bunch of wind ensembles, quartets, stage bands and jazz combos. After playing trumpet in stage band, I took an interest in the drums and haven't looked back since!!! Of course I was helped along the way by a few stellar drum teachers, including yourself!!





2) Who are your musical influences and why?



Oh man, this is such a large question. I try to keep my mind as open as possible to different music and different musicians, so I would say (cautiously) that all music that I've heard has had an influence on me! As far as playing the drums, I find everyone playing on records has something so completely different and awesome to love about them. I love the architecture and order of Max Roach, the cymbal playing and articulation of Philly Joe Jones and Kenny Clarke, the groove and sound of Art Blakey, the uniqueness of Roy Haynes, the spirit and emotion of Elvin Jones, the fire and talent of Tony Williams, the warmth of Billy Higgins, and the understated simmer of both Connie Kay and Vernel Fournier. As far as more modern cats go, I love to listen to everyone that's got something strong and individual going on, like Bill Stewart, Brian Blade, Chris "Daddy" Dave, Jeff Watts, Jim Black, Ari Hoenig, Dan Weiss, Lewis Nash, Kenny Washington, Marcus Gilmore, Justin Brown, Terri Lyne Carrington, ?uestlove, Matt Wilson, Eric Harland, Jeff Ballard and Jorge Rossy.... Just to name a few! Of course, a lot of the great drummers in Calgary and Montreal as well.





3) Name your top 5 favorite albums and how they have influenced you.



Milestones- Miles Davis with Philly Joe Jones on drums. This album can be considered, at least for me, perfection in the idiom of hard bop. Every note on the album is truly meant by all the players. Nothing comes off as being obtuse or cerebral- even though the music is at times incredibly complicated. The music always has two of the essential elements of jazz in it, bebop and the blues. The masterful playing of Philly Joe Jones is especially notable here, with the clarity of his ride stroke being extraordinarily well documented.



Larry Young- Unity with Elvin Jones on drums. This album is rife with a mix of compositions and standards, showcasing the playing of a very young Woody Shaw in the formative years of his improvising concept and compositional approach. It's great to hear Elvin Jones in this group, with his undulating ride cymbal/volleying the time all around the drumkit hooking up so hard with Larry Young's Hammond B3.



Miles Davis- My Funny Valentine/Four and More- Tony Williams on drums. This was my first exposure to the great Tony Williams, and from the first notes that he plays on the ride, I was a Tony fan and will be my whole life.

EnRoute- John Scofield with Bill Stewart on drums- Bill Stewart is the star here for me, providing an incredible palette of polyrhythmic colour to accompany Scofield and Steve Swallow. The first time I listened to this, I was shocked by how different Stewart's concept was, and I was also suprised that something could be so related to the jazz tradition but so fresh to my 17 year old ears.



Led Zeppelin 4- John Bohnam on drums- Amazing album that has stood the test of time. The groove on When The Levee Breaks is a must-learn for any drummer!!





4) What sort of things are you practicing or developing musically these days?



I'm really trying to develop clarity in my playing and expressing myself more musically and sparsely. Sometimes, I have difficulty expressing a clean melodic idea on the drums because I'm playing way too many notes, and trying so hard to fit my licks in from my transcriptions. Recently I've found much more success in trying to play melodies as close as I can to the song without embellishment. Ironically, after doing that for 10-15 minutes on standard while singing the melody, I can grow to some dense phrases that I actually mean, and the drum stuff that I want to play comes out without thinking. I'm also continuing to work on my ride cymbal, emulating drummers like Kenny Clarke, Philly Joe Jones and Billy Higgins because that is one of the main elements of the rhythm of jazz that makes it feel so good and so unlike any other music. I'm also working on techniques to make my playing more relaxed vis a vis the Moeller system, and making my time feel good with just singles and doubles in the hands.





5) What interesting projects do you have on the go at the moment? (gigs, recordings, etc.)



I play and collaborate with a great rock/folk/indie artist named David Martel which is just so much fun and such a different learning experience for me. I have a trio with a couple friends of mine that's beginning to play more and more, which is great fun as well. Also, I play in a band of a friend of mine called Office Party which features a couple legendary Montreal music figures, Joe Sullivan and Andre White (who was just interviewed a few days back!) which is a constant source of fun and education for me. We did a recording recently with irrepressible bassist Adam Over which was a pure joy and will be ready soon to be released.





6) You've have been a very active student of the music over the course of the past few years and quite proactive in terms of seeking out great drummers to learn from whether, Montreal, Boston or New York. What can you tell us about some of the drummers you have taken lessons with and what did you learn from them?



This is kind of a heavy question for me. Of course, everyone I've had the privilege of studying with are amazing drummers and musicians that offered kindness and an absolute wealth of information for me to consume, but being proactive about this definitely had a down side as well. Being geographically located somewhat close to the New York area affords a certain advantage in that musicians often travel to Montreal to play (I've seen David Binney probably 8 or 9 times here) and we can go visit them to seek knowledge quite easily.



When I was seeking out these drummers to learn from, I was unfortunately seeking them out for the wrong questions. At the time, I was suffering from deficiencies in my playing that needed to be corrected (and could have been) without going to New York. So, just for example: Studying with someone like Ari Hoenig was so enlightening as far as his musical concept goes, but I should have had more discipline. Instead of learning to play a poor 5 over 7 polyrhythm, I should have been just working on being able to play quarter notes with the ride cymbal at 40 beats a minute in the right place! I was inundated with information that I wasn't ready for at that point.



There is a big difference between being informed about something, and KNOWING something so well it might as well be encoded directly onto one's DNA. The latter is what I think us young musicians should be concentrating on, not the former. It's much easier to learn 70% of a bunch of tasks than to learn 100% of one task... but when I think of all musicians I love (and they are all so different) they can all do the things they want to, to a point when they can improvise with these devices at any tempo, any which way.



With the widespread dissemination of information over the Internet, it grows harder and harder for young people raised in this society to truly concentrate on the essentials of learning to play this difficult music. That being said, the teachers that I studied with taught me an incredible amount. Especially studying with Chris McCann, who not only improved my music, but improved me and matured me as a human being. Being around an atmosphere in Montreal where there's incredible drummers playing such as Dave Laing, Andre White, Rich Irwin, Jim Doxas, Robbie Kuester, Martin Auguste and John Fraboni playing so well on any night of the week has been so helpful and fulfulling to me. I know that's not a great answer to the question but that's all I have!!





7) Favorite place to eat when back in Calgary?



CHARCUT Roast House, 899 Centre Street SW. Great Italian/French fusion style with a killing booze selection!

It's Dewey Time



Today's post goes out to my good friend Matt Wilson. During my lessons with him in 2004, Matt talked extensively about his time playing and learning from tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman. Wilson's respect and affinity for Redman was quite evident and I personally learned a lot from Matt recalling his experiences.

Here's an excerpt from an informative documentary about Dewey Redman and his music:



And you can view this documentary in it's entirety here:

http://www.eztakes.com/store/watch/Dewey-Time-The-Sound-of-a-Giant-Watch-Movie.jsp

This is also a nice reminder that it's time for me to revisit the recordings that Dewey did with Keith Jarrett's American Quartet (and on related note - it's time to revisit Jarrett's other European Quartet recordings as well for that matter!)

Roy Haynes Quintet - Rome 1976





A nice find if I may say so myself! Here's a couple of drummer Roy Haynes leading a band in Rome circa. 1976:











John Riley also recently hipped me to this CD & DVD box set which I look forward to checking out:







http://www.amazon.com/Life-Time-Haynes-Story-Bonus/dp/B000VBIEGA



As always, when it's Haynes...it roars !

The Monday Morning Paradiddle





Thanks for your continued support and nice words about my blog everyone. I've received a lot of nice messages from people around the world recently and really appreciate your consideration and attention.



Here's a collection of a few random things that caught my interest lately:



- Calgary's longest jam session that had been running every Saturday afternoon at Broken City since 2005 has now been scaled back to only the first Saturday of every month. This is very unfortunate as it was a great jam but what can you expect if musicians stop coming out to sit in and the audience starts to dwindle? Seems like attendance has really dropped off in the last six months. Jam sessions are a very important part of jazz community so I think it's too bad that this is the direction things have gone.



However, I stopped by the session yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to see a decent crowd of both musicians and enthusiasts alike. Host drummer Jon May was in fine form and played with a really great creative sound and feel. He and bassist Simon Fisk have a great hook up and play great together. So hopefully this bodes well and the trend continues and we can expect at least a continued monthly jam at Broken City in the months to come.



- Montreal drummer/pianist Andre White has recently started his own blog:



http://zoltanzylox.blogspot.com/





Check out Andre's insightful commentary on music that he is listening to these days.



- Thank you to Pete Zimmer who sent me this Art Blakey radio interview via the Facebook:



http://www.powerhouseradio.com/archive/art-blakey.html





Here's some footage of drummers that I've really been digging lately:



- A couple quick ones here of drummer Willie Jones III playing with Cedar Walton's band:











- I'm really digging these ones of Jeff Ballard with his trio (I hope these guys record!) featuring Miguel Zenon and Jeff playing a very interesting percussion-hybrid drum set:











- This one has been making the rounds on the Facebook and creating a lot of interesting commentrary. Here's Jack DeJohnette demonstrating his single stroke roll:







Thanks to Bill Stieger who hipped me to that.



Sheesh....time to go practice after seeing that one !



- More great footage of Elvin Jones with his trio featuring Jimmy Garrison and Joe Farrell on "Gingerbread Boy":







- And finally here's an insightful clip of Marvin "Bugalu" Smith:







For those who don't know about Marvin and his drumming....the man is a force. He has quite a number of videos on youtube that demonstrate his deep playing and philosophy of playing Jazz drums. I'll be featuring more commentary about Bugalu and his drumming in a later post (hopefully interviews with both him and some of his students)

Ralph Peterson on Bosphorus Oracle Cymbals





It's nice to see many of the cymbal companies out there producing videos of great drummers demonstrating their products. Here's Ralph Peterson Jr. demonstrating his new Oracle cymbals courtesy of the Bosphorus cymbal company:







Gary Burton with Igor Butman & Richard Galliano





I've been practicing a lot of vibraphone these days so here's one of the masters of the vibes in action to enjoy. Here is Gary Burton with Russian tenor saxophonist Igor Butman and Richard Galliano on accordion on a nice rendition of "Autumn Leaves":