Now that we're in-between Christmas and New Year's Eve, there aren't many specifically themed songs that I know in the realm of jazz... so I'm just listening to more general holiday-themed songs.

Holly Cole (who I've mentioned here a lot lately) practically made her career on Christmas music. I count at least 2, maybe 3 holiday albums by her. After all her first album was Christmas music!

The other singer I can think of who fits the theme - he's often featured on CoolTV so he may well be a jazz singer - is Nat King Cole. I take any opportunity possible to listen to him, not just the holidays!

Tags: Holly Cole, jazz, CoolTV, Nat King Cole.

Last week on CoolTV I saw an older interview with the late Ray Charles. I was very dismayed to see that, like many other musicians, he was a smoker.

I now suspect the cigarrettes may have contributed to his death.

Tags: Cool TV, Ray Charles, jazz, cigarettes.

Here I am in the waning hours of Xmas Eve. On Boxing Day this year, the 8 days of Hannukah begin.

I'm right now jazzed because I got an awesom gift for this year, a color laser printer. My dad and my brother-in-law couldn't understand why I needed one, but I explained to dad my need for heavy-duty, frequent printing, as a writer and electronically published.

To all the rest of you, I hope the holidays bring you similar great cheer.

Tags: Christmas, printer, Hannukah.

Me in 2003 

When I went to my meal service Christmas Brunch, my driver thought Temptation was the first album by Holly Cole.

I knew there we more before - in fact, I own some of them - but looking at her discography, I'm realizing that I only own 2 of 5. The list (with what I own in bold):

• Christmas Blues (1989)


• Girl Talk (1990)


• Blame It On My Youth (1991)


• Don't Smoke In Bed (1993)


• It Happened One Night (1995)


• Finally Temptation (1995)

With one of my friends we own everything she put out between us, and I want to get more myself (althoughj I've heard nearly everything), but it was still interesting to read.

Tags: Holly Cole.

Coming into the X-Mas holidays, you would think Holiday carols would all I'd be listening to, right?

You would be wrong.

I'll listen to jazz any day of the year, but there's also a fantastic Christmas album by the divine Holly Cole. That's an album I can listen to at any chance.

Holly Cole and Jimmy Stewart in "It's a Wonderful Lfe". My two holiday traditions.

Tags: Holly Cole, Jimmy Stewart, It's a Wonderful Life, jazz.

The better part of today I've been listening to the soundtrack to the musical Rent via Napster 2.0. Yes, I'm also a fan of musicals - and I'm hetrosexual, so that stereotype is wrong.

I've also been using it to hear a lot of Django Reinhardt's music. He was a jazz pioneer, and I've heard his name, but none of his music until now.

I also found out today that a Woody Allen film about a jazzman a few years ago was actually about Django. I've only seen a few minutes of the film (I don't even remember its name. I'll have to look it up on IMDB), but now I want to track it down.

Tags: Rent, Django Reinhardt, Woody Allen, IMDB.

I've been using Napster 2.0's Daily Playlist feature a lot now.

As more recent pop singers fill my Library I end up with folks I don't really have an interest in... but I've also been able to load up on favorites like Django Reinhardt, Oscar Peterson, Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins. I've also been able to discover new potential favorites like Eric Dolphy and Idris Ackamoor, so it all balances out.

Tags: Django Reinhardt, Oscar Peterson, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Eric Dolphy, Idris Ackamoor.

I'm taking my 1-week trial of Napster 2.0 right now. It is now available on Canada, so I gave it a try.

I don't plan to continue after my trial, but I've enjoyed downloading Miles Davis albums that I don't yet have, as well as Holly Cole material.

At the moment I'm lidtening to an album of the Best of Miles. I didn't know he recorded a musical version of Cindi Lauper's, Time After Time

Tags: Miles Davis, Holly Cole, Napster 2.0, Cindi Lauper.

I'm working on my novel as I type this, listening to streaming audio through WinAmp.

The surprising thing is that I'm not listening to Jazz! I've actually been listening to a mix of reggae (to counteract the gray sky and cold weather), and eightees music. I am, after all, a child of the 80s. :) I graduated high school in 1984.

Tags: jazz, reggae, 1980s, NaNoWriMo.

Sorry I haven't posted in a long time. NaNoWriMo started November 1^st. If you dont know what that is, it's the national novel writing month. All around the world, we writers sign up to write a 50,000 word first draft of a novel. This is my 3^rd year taking part. I also intend it to be my 3^rd victory.

The entire time I write, I tend to have radio via Itunes playing in the background. I usually listen to jazz stations, but I'm finding a great cure for upcoming winter blues is reggae music as well.

Tags: NaNoWriMo, jazz, reggae, Itunes.

Cool TV (the digital jazz station) is playing in the background at the moment.

I now know what music legend Carlos Antonio Joabim looked like. I have a CD of his music, but a static image doesn't really give a feel of a person.

In the performance Chick Correa was also playing with him. Chick I've seen several times now.

The channel plays many shows from the Montreal Jazz Fest. Since I don't see that festival much anymore, I can catch up.

Tags: jazz, Cool TV, Carlos Antonio Joabim, Chick Correa, Montreal Jazz Fest.

I've come to realize I prefer listening to Jazz MP3's rather than the radio:

When I ran out of MP3s to listen to at my gym Monday, I decided to switch to the radio tuner on my Iriver to listen to Couleur Jazz.

The reception often dropped out if I just turned a little. A shame, since they were playing songs I'd never heard.

At least I know the MP3s will stay the same quality irrelevant of whether or not I move.

Tags: jazz, Iriver, MP3, Couleur Jazz.

I've almost finished my latest podcast collection on my Iriver.

Considering how they all update within the week, I'm still falling behind with my once a week show download though.

Tags: podcasts, Iriver.

I learned this week the benefits of using regular (in this case, rechargable) batteries with my Iriver instead of the dollar store stuff:

• The dollar store ones barely last a week before they're drained.


• I've been using the same rechargable for three weeks now.

At least now I don't run through batteries so fast!

Tags: podcasts, Iriver, batteries.

Sonny Rollins and Miles Davis together. How could I resist?

Today I listened to the Mp3s of their album Dig, which I downloaded from Emusic a few months ago. I'd already listened to the solo album I got of Sonny's (Way Out West) - an album that may even surpass Global Warming as my favorite record by his if I play it enough times - and just today got to listening to this one.

This was earlier in their careers I think, before they grew past their need of being members of groups rather than superstars later, still... wow! Amazing work.

Tags: Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, jazz, Dig, Way Out West, Global Warming.

I finally got a new clock radio, hoping the new one would have a better radio tuner.

It does - but I'm still not able to get a good signal from Couleur Jazz. I was able to tune it in for a few minutes yesterday... now, it's impossible.

I have to go the digital tuner route for a radio, so I could get the most accurate signal rate. Maybe one will be available at Costco when next I go on a trip to the States

Tags: Costco, Couleur Jazz, digital radio.

Interesting: I was flipping through a magazine today and read a Sony ad about their new Flash ROM Walkmans.

Why that was interesting: I read this ad and thought how their 'new' product is really the same technology as my Iriver.

Tags: Sony, Walkman, Iriver, Flash Rom

Aruntx Podcasting Syndication Features Garage Band Music

I've been following more than a few podcasts lately. I like this sindication of the media - especially if it makes more jazz available!

Tags: jazz, podcasts

The Canadian Idol finale was tonight.

I have to say: this year, Canada got it right!

On the negative side, I feel they stretched out the show too long. At two hours, it just felt like it dragged at times. Also Rex Goudie went off-key again in the final performance.

One big negative for me was a performance by last year's winner Kaylan Porter. His record may now have gone double platinum, but I still don't like his style. Mind you the fact that I didn't vote for him last year definitely doesn't help my view - just as I'm not happy with our past mayoral winner (Pierre Bourque) especially when I voted for someone else.

(I know: not an accurate comparison, since mayors and Idol winners don't have the same importance...)

This year, they did have a nice touch though, having a performance by Dawn Bird, The lady who guides the top 10 through their whole performance.

The biggest plus though was the winner of the 2005 Canadian Idol crown: Melissa O'neil. By the end she was the most talented performer, and her skill and poise belies her 17 years. I think ultimately she may have the best career of all our contest performers to date.

Tags: Canadian Idol, Pierre Bourque, Melissa O'neil

Tonight was the final performance show for the 2005 Canadian Idol competition.

I agree with the judges: Alive (the first single the winner will release) is a hit whoever releases it. Both Rex Goudie and Melissa O'Neal gave distinct and strong performances of it.

That they had Theresa Sokyrka perform her hit from her album - and present her with her first gold record - was tremendous. Unfortunately Frodo Kaylan Porter will perform tomorrow night.

I was surprised: Rex hit a sour note in his performance of Five for Fighting's song Superman. I guess having perfect pitch means I could hear it more easily than they could.

Who should win and who probably will are two diferent performers. Melissa would be the former.

Tags: Canadian Idol, Melissa O'Neil, Rex Goudie, Theresa Sokyrka.

Luther Vandross, Smooth Crooner of R&B, Is Dead at 54

I just learned this today, although it happened back in July.

Luther performed some of the best soul of my youth, and I was really hoping he'd pull through after his stroke.

Late news, but nonetheless sad.

Tag: Luther Vandross

From one sad event to another: in less than 9 hours, it will be the 4^th anniversary of 9-11.

Four years since that tragic day - and 4 years too many that the scumbags who orchestrated it havent's been caught.

Four years, and I won't forget.

Tags: 9-11, Osama bin Laden

(You've seen a lot of different attempts at putting Technorati tags in this blog lately. I think I've found one I'll stick with.)

I just watched the Katrina Relief telethon that I taped last night. Just like the one for 9-11 years ago, I was emotional all throughout this one.

I can't find fault in any of the performances. No surprise; I'd be a cold SOB if I did. I do hope someone else recognized the final singer though.

I noticed that Kanye West only performed this time, didn't speak. His piece got edited for language quite a bit though.

I loved Chris Rock's parody of Kanye's speech at the last telethon though: it was subtle, but he started with "Bush hates midgets."

Tags: Hurricane Katrina, Telethon, Kanye West, Chris Rock

The Contemporary Jazz Lovers and Concerts Place

I don't link to many places overall, but this blog deserves it. Much as I love Jazz, Webmistress Missy offers much more in-depth reviews of recent artists and performers than I do.

American Red Cross: Give Them Help!

I've been thinking a lot about the tragedies Louisiana and other States down there have recently had due to Hurricane Katrina. I've already spoken of how the devastation of New Orleans has affected me.

The folks down there have lost their entire lives, and need the help of ev eryone.

Please donate all you can to help the recovery. The link is here.

Canadian Idol Results - September 7, 2005

Well, the results came in, and yet again - like last year - we have one extremely talented singer in the Finals, and one just OK but coasting on the drooling teen girl demographic.

After having a blowaway performance last night Aaron Walpole was eliminated. Rex Goudie was mediocre at best, but he sailed on through.

Might we be seeing another Kaylan Porter-like victory next week (meaning the more talented one loses)?

Tonight's Canadian Idol - Sept. 6, 2005

This show yet again proved just what big stars Barenaked Ladies have become in Canada.

I think we'll have another surprise in the results tomorrow night. I suspected Aaron Walpole would end up cut - then he performed. I think now, based on the performances that Rex Goudie will be cut and the Finals will be between Aaron and Melissa O'neil.

I look forward to tomorrow's results now with great interest!

The news has come out that Fats Domino was in the French Quarter of New Orleans when Katrina struck.

It was reported that he's alright though.

At least we have a small relief. Although one of his songs was used as a joke on Happy Days, he has really made a great contribution to the world of music. To lose him as well would have been an even bigger tragedy.

New Orleans Gone

I posted the last entry first, so that this would be above it.

The devastation caused there by Hurricane Katrina was mind-boggling to begin with. Today however came the statement that 90% of this great city is destroyed.

"N'awlins" is the birthplace of ragtime jazz. It's an important piece of both American and jazz history. Now it's a memory.

This really depresses me - but depression is a trifle compared to the losses there.

Canadian Idol Stunner - August 31, 2005

The results show really floored me this week. I was expecting thatg Aaron Walpole would be cut. He's talented, but as the judges have said is just too theatrical in his performances.

I already said that Elvis wasn't a great theme for the Idol competitors. The person cut for them however made my jaw drop: Suzi Rawn. On her birthday no less.

I guessed before that the finals would come down to her and Rex Goudie. Now Rex will likely be there... but maybe against Melissa O'Neill. I'm almost concerned that typing her name may hex her now...

Canadian Idol for Aug. 30, 2005

Performance night again.

First off, the songs of Elvis was a hard theme choice. His performances have generated so many impersonations that it's hard to bring something original to them.

I didn't see anything original enough to wow me, but of the four I think Aaron Walpole came off the weakest. This wasn't Suzi Rawn's week either.

Karma Works

You'll notice I have this blog still in my Blogroll, even though Sam died from breat cancer early this year.

I kept it in tribute to her. I had a few things published by DP7, the company she abd her husband Todd founded. I never met her in person, but she was still like family.

I'm listening to some podcasts with the Windows beta for IpodderX right now.

My friend Evo Terra from the Dragonpage podcast network (he and Mike Meninguez put out several science fiction 'casts) raves about this program on the Mac. Although Itunes has some problems, I find it a little more functional. Besides, it's free; IpodderX is shareware.

I needed a breath of fresh air after finally listening to the free track from Itunes. For some reason they seem to offer mostly alternative or rock songs that don't interest me.I think only Theresa Sokyrka and The Vanity Project, by the lead singer from the Barenaked Ladies tracks I've listened to more than once.

As a nice change of pace, I'm listening to Ray Charles final album, Genius Loves Company.

While I don't share the religion, his duet with Gladys Night of "Heaven Help Us All" (a song by Stevie Wonder. In one bar they showed more soul than Casey Leblanc showed period.

Today at my gym was the first time I used my new Iriver. First time I worked out to Podcasts and it was also my first time hearing Couleur Jazz in weeks!

The programers must have read my mind: while I was doing my exercises, they played one of my favorite Sonny Rollins' tracks also.

Finally, Casey Leblanc was eliminated from Canadian Idol.

As I always said, she has the vocal talent. She just didn't have the stage presence or charisma to be a performer yet. She's only 16, and you felt that on stage.

She can't come back to compete again (I think. I'm not familiar with those rules), but if she pursues this she may learn to perform as she lacks the skill to do now.

I taped Canadian Idol for later viewing tonight, because I was out.

While most of the judges were up on Casey's performance, I agreed with Zack: watching her was like watching paint dry. She went back to her old problem: technically her vocals are strong, but she has no charisma or stage presence.

Of the five people left, I'm hoping the final two will be Rex Goudy and Suzi Rawn. While their vocals weren't the best this week, they have charisma to make up for it.

I'm guessing right now, but based on the performances Melissa was the weakest this week.

I got my new Iriver working today, so now I'll be able to exercise with my new jazz MP3s!

Results night on Canadian Idol this evening...

The bottom three was composed of the three best of the Josh, Suzi and Rex. I was sure Aaron would be there this time, but he was safe.

In the end, Josh left this week.

I liked a point the judges made (I think it was Zack): the bottom three were all people who would make it in the music industry anyways.

Tuesday was Canadian Idol performance night again.

Surprisingly Casey Leblanc actually gave her best performance of the series. Based on what I heard, the bottom three would be Aaron Wampole, Josh Palmer and even more surprising Suzie Rawn. Those last two just didn't perform at their best in my opinion.

On my local news tonight was the 80^th birthday of jazz piano great Oscar Peterson.

The concert hall at my University was named for him. Canada Post will be issuing a stamp commemorating him as well.

He's one of my fellow Montrealers I'm most proud of.

I got an IRiver MP3 player / radio tuner / voice recorder I won off Ebay yesterday.

With it was included a 40 song free trial of Emusic, a legal MP3 site

Without hesitation, I took it. I now have Ray Charles final album, a classic by Sonny Rollins, a team-up between him and Miles Davis... and as my sole non-Jazz pick, a collection of Frank Zappa music.

I'm really looking forward to hearing them all soon.

While the signal for Couleur Jazz is lost to me, I've changed over to 92 FM. For my readers outside Montreal, this is a light rock radio station, and one of our rare English ones.

One thing about it bothers me (besides the lousy music): it's called "The new 92". After 10 years of that name, it isn't so new anymore.

It's official: Couleur Jazz lost signal on my clock radio again.

This drives home to me again how analog radios aren't that great for tuning anymore. Unfortunately digital ones are still too pricey for me.

On Canadian Idol Casey Leblanc is rapidly becoming this year's "success you love to hate". I still can't believe she was safe.

At least the other out-of-place teen Darryl Brunt got cut this week. The funny thing: when I first heard him, I thought he'd be the winner of the whole thing.

With 6 left, I'm not sure yet who'll win. We have three solid competitors: Rex Goudy, Josh Palmer and Suzie Rawn. While Rex is a crowd pleaser, I think Josh and Suzie are the ones most talented.

I just finished watching this week's Canadian Idol. This week's theme was Big Band / Golden Age / Standards.

Some of the performances were outstanding: Josh Palmer's When I Fall in Love comes to mind right away.

Not surprising the two 16-year olds didn't fare well: Casey Leblanc again proved to me she isn't able to sell her performances yet; Daryl Brunt... well, even the judges said he was like "Pee Wee Herman singing standards".

I'm expecting them both to be in the bottom 3 Wednesday. I'm not sure who the 3^rd will be.

I just learned Ibrahim Ferrer, an innovator of world music, just passed away at the age of 78.

He just won an award at last year's Jazz Fest. The Antonio Carlos Jobim award.

Also Peter Jennings has died as well, a victim of cancer (he announced it a few months ago). He was 67.

The 4400 is being re-aired on Space to build up to the new series launch.

This is now the first time I've seen it from the beginning. I always come in on the 4^th and 5^th show, so now I finally know where the character stories grew from.

My mind is reeling: crooner Paul Anka's latest abum Rock Swings is a mix of rock n' roll songs as crooning tunes. Couleur Jazz plays the album a lot.

Pat Boone tried to do this with heavy metal a few years ago, and it was a disaster. This one seems to be doing better.

Still, hearing Smells like teen spirit as swing is bizarre.

Well, Canadian Idol's results show was this evening. For what it's worth, I don't think Josh or Suzie deserved to be in the bottom three.

I know this is all because of Canada's votes, but I have to ask myself what Canadians are on when they hear the performances.

They keep voting for Casey Leblanc enough to be safe. She's on key, granted... but while she plays the part, I think she's too young, and doesn't have the feelings of her song choices.

Darryl Brunt... I can't help but think "boy band" everytime I hear him.

Amber Fleury was cut tonight. In other performances she was ethereal. She just didn't have "it" with the Cher song she chose, and I think it got her voted out.

I knew Tony Bennet was a jazz crooner. I'm just amazed at how melodic he's sounded.

He gets a goodly amount of play on Couleur Jazz for various songs. I just remembered him sounding off for years when I heard him before though - so this is a surprise.

Week 2 of Canadian Idol wrapped tonight. So far, it's looking to duplicate the stupider stuff on the American one.

There Scott Savvo got farther than his 'talent' deserved. Here it's Casey Leblanc. After her bouncy-cutey version of a serious and soulful Stevie Wonder hit last night I was sure she'd get the boot... but she was safe.

Instead, the much more talented Ashley Latao got cut. Her I'll actually miss.

(For those of you letches who think Casey jumping around got her votes: she's only 16, you sick freaks!)

Because I deserved some recognition:

The University of Blogging Presents to bomanj An Honorary Bachelor of Survey Science Majoring in Gossip Signed Dr. GoQuiz.com ®

Username:

Blogging Degree
From Go-Quiz.com

Milt's Page

Another lover of Jazz. How could I not link?

In my gym yesterday, Let's get it started by the Black Eyed Peas played on the radio.

It's a very catchy song, and perfect encouragement to exercise... I'm just annoyed knowing that the original song (Let's get retarded in here) had to have the lyrics changed by the Politically Correct^{stupid TM} to get widespread record play. Like we all really think they were slagging the actually mentally disabled </sarcasm>.

One neat thing from the show last night: when some of the Idol contestants flew home from practice, I recognized the airport! Since I was in Calgary at the beginning of the month, and a few contestants flew to Calgary, they arrived at the same terminal I did.

Well, one of the weak singers on Canadian Idol was cut on tonight's show. One I expected to make the bottom three (Casey) was safe.

I wonder if folks getting cut makes a difference in the end. With albums now coming out from folks cut like Jason Greely (we really need a new Stomping Tom...), Shane Wiebe (his reedy voice was painful last year) and Jacob Hobbard's band (well, him I liked)... I don't see not being the final winner hurting a career start.

Mind you, I don't expect them to get past that first album.

Your Blogging Type is Unique and Avant Garde

You're a bit ... unusual. And so is your blog. You're impulsive, and you'll often post the first thing that pops in your head. Completely uncensored, you blog tends to shock... even though that's not your intent. You tend to change your blog often, experimenting with new designs and content.

What's Your Blogging Personality?

Eenterestink...

So far I've managed to keep Couleur Jazz reception on my alarm clock. I've been noticing some things about the programming though:

• They make a promise of not playing the same song twice in a 24-hour day. That would be fine - if said songs didn't then get played right off the next business day. Plus: the same songs I heard on constant loop before the station went live seem now to be a recurring part of the programming.


• A recurring theme seems to be part of the morning programming: a lot of Latin Jazz. I wasn't aware that Montreal had such a large Hispanic population to cater to.

Any comments on the small redesign of my blog?

Canadian Idol held its wildcard show tonight.

In my opinion: I found the performances mostly subdued. Only the last singer - Josh something - showed any actual charisma and presence to me.

Some tech crunch here... if you've been reading this blog for awhile, you'll notice my paragraphs are reading right once more.

I discovered this morning that Blogger is now using stricter XHTML, so I have to use full paragraph tags, not just ending a paragraph with one.

Ah well. I missed the 2005 Montreal Jazz Fest entirely.

That's fine though. Considering how I spent the first few days on my vacation in Calgary, and had the headache of a basement flood when I got home, it was just one thing too many for me to deal with. There'll always be next year.

I today learned I can get Couleur Jazz on my digital cable on TV!

Now when the reception signal on my clock radio gets bad, I'll get crystal clear reception anyway.

Couleur Jazz is - not surprisingly - touting the upcoming Jazz Fest here in Montreal.

Due to my trip I'll miss the first few days... but it's a given that I'll try to see some of it after!

I'm trying to get my local jazz radio station on my morning alarm again. Radio McGill is driving me up a wall right now anyway: one of their radio hosts has a very annoying voice, and they insist on having her on often.

We'll see how long it lasts this time.

One of my friends is guest-hosting a jazz radio show on CKUT McGill radio this week. If you aren't in Montreal (I know many of you aren't) you can hear it streamed from the ckut.com Website.

David is a Toronto transplantee, studying jazz music at that University. He also hosts a jazz show on the station. Now, he's a guest host on this one.

I thought I'd missed it today, but it's actually on Sunday. I may still miss it though, as I'll be at a local mall at the time.

If I bring a portable FM radio with me though, I might hear it.

If you're interested, the show is called Dobbin's Den, playing from 11 AM - 1 PM EST.

I have to relay a funny Father's Day anecdote. I'll explain why it's funny afterward:

When my family got together yesterday, my 9-year old nephew wished me a happy Father's Day. He said he knew I didn't have children, but I am a man.

I told it to my sister (his mom). She quipped that I do have cats, so it counted.

Why this is funny: on a friend's blog, she wished a happy F-D to all dads, even if we are "just cat fathers".

I love funny bits of synchronicity like that.

I hope those of you who are dads had a happy Father's Day!

I had a brunch with my folks, with all 3 of us kids, and my nephew and nieces. Afterwards we brought back all the goodies my folks got me for my birthday and my upcoming vacation.

(It still blows my mind that I'm only 8 days away!)

I'm trying to get the Atom/RSS feed for this blog started.

Granted I don't feel I update often enough - but if a feed could bring me more readers, I might be encouraged to post more often again.

Rain finally came to Montreal today, after more than 2 weeks of sweltering humidity.

This has been the sort of weather where I can't even concentrate on listening to my Jazz CDs.

I'm finally starting to get my collections of DVDs, CDs, VHS tapes and books catalogued thanks to a great freeware program called MediaMan.

All I have to do is enter a title into the wizard. It will search for it on Amazon, providing the cover art, information on track names for songs, cast info for films, etc. If the materials are too old to find them specifically on Amazon, I can scan the barcode in from a webcam, and it'll search by that instead.

It's too damn warm

Even though the weather is only 16 degrees, my apartment is always warmer; being on the 7^th floor means warm air from below always rises.

I have an air conditioner; I need to coordinate with a neighbor to have it installed. So I'm a puddle of jelly until I do.

iTunes Music Store here in Canada offers a free song download every week. This week is a song from Theresa Sokyrka, the runner-up on last year's Canadian Idol. It's from her new album.

The song is good. Not surprising, since she was the more talented between her and winner Kaylan Porter.

She'll also be the one whose album I'll buy.

I can't really afford it... but I treated myself to a classic album from the Verve vault on iTunes: Count Bassie with the Mills Brothers.

These classics should never be lost, in my view.

blogcurry

Mike Zellers also likes Jazz, and he's funny to boot.

Farewell to a good friend

I've been quiet on this blog for some time... unfortunately I'm not returning with a heavily positive post:

My good friend Doctor John F. Davis died this past Sunday at the age of 87.

John wasn't the kind of person who would want weeping and moaning about him. I'm trying not to. Mostly, I've been trying to remember how fortunate I was to have known such an incredible man:

Before WW II, John was a PhD in Engineering. He had a great interest in medical technology, so he returned to McGill after the war to get his MD, and a BA in English Literature as well.

McGill awards a scholarship in his name every 2 years.

He was a Nobel laureate, as part of a group of scientists who protested nuclear proliferation. He didn't get the monetary award, but had the award certificate proudly in his office.

He was the spokesman for several medical research companies.

Even up to the end, he was a practicing psychiatrist.

He was also the person who got me into PC computing a decade ago, as a reward for helping him to create his personal Website.

Despite all these credits, he was a humble man. In fact, he willed his body to science, and there will only be a memorial service later this summer.

I'm very sad he's gone... but I thank fate for giving me a chance to know him.

Back from the Luddite Abbys!

My PC needed a corrupted HD replaced. After nearly 3 weeks without a system at home, I'm back again and reinstalling what software I can!

In the interim, I finally gave up on getting Couleur Jazz on my alarm clock radio. After months of barely getting static, I changed to University of McGill's CKUT. They play other genres daily, but they do have Jazz programming as well.

From this week's Friday Fiver:

1. Do you tend to exaggerate or underestimate?
With the way my words are often misinterpreted to their most negative, I'd say that I underestimate people too much.

2. What is the last "white" lie that you told?
I can't think what it was. It's been a long time.

3. Can you forgive a liar?
Eventually. The sole exception has been someone who acted so attrociously to me, to the point of libel; I haven't spoken to them in over a decade.

4. Do you hold a grudge?
This also answers the last question more fully: I've been known to be upset with people for a long time, but I eventually get to talking with them again. Often I make that first step.

5. What's the biggest lie you've ever told?
Like the white lie question I can't answer right now.

So Jamie Foxx won the Best Actor Oscar for Ray... not that it wasn't expected. Still: it was great to have a biography of a jazz legend honored this way.

From the Note of the Day:

Name three (or more!) people and the custom ringtones you’ve either set for them on your phone, or would if you could.

With me it's definitely the latter... here are my choices:

• Queen, Show must go on


• Sonny Rollins, Island Lady


• Herbie Hancock, Rock it

(He has far better jazz, but this is the most memorable tune from him).

• The Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Zoot Suit Riot


• U2, Sunday, Bloody Sunday

In a bittersweet moment, the late Ray Charles won two Grammys for his last album yesterday.

It's a great tribute. Too bad he couldn't be here to get the awards.

Lately I've been finding how small the transmitter for Couleur Jazz really is: my clock radio often loses the signal, and when I try to refine it again, it takes a few days to find the signal again!

I hope Couleur Jazz proves popular enough to warrant a stronger transmitter... I'm losing the signal on it too easily on far too regular a basis.

I'm disappointed at the overal weak reception on my radio, but I've discovered that two artists I've heard for many years now are actually considered Jazz performers: Sade and Frank Sinatra.

Sade I first heard considered a smooth jazz singer on Cool TV in 2004. This makes sense... I could never quite place her musical style.

Frank Sinatra was more of a surprise. I thought he was more of a contemporary crooner. Then I learned he recorded an album with Duke Ellington as well as tunes with other artists. He too gets major airplay on Cool TV, though initially I thought he just fit the 'cool' part of the name.

I haven't done this in awhile... this week's Four for Friday:

Q1: How has the advent of the Internet changed the way you get your daily news?
I never read newspapers fully before, but I hardly even skim them now. I only watch the evening news to see the weather report now. Rarely do they cover anything that I haven't already read online.

Q2: When you were younger, what were some things you dreamed about doing, and that you still think are possible to do today, but that you just haven't gotten around to doing or experiencing yet?
I dreamed about being a writer, and that's what I am today. I also dreamed about seeing more of the world though, and that's something I haven't got to yet.

Q3: If you were forced to live on a deserted island for one year, what five things--aside from specific items of clothing--that you'd choose to bring?
Ah, the old "desert island" thing... let me see. There wouldn't likely be electricity, so albums, films and such are out. I'd bring the real I Robot anthology by Isaac Asimov (it was my first adult book, after all), a photo almum of my family and my cats, a copy of my APA Comicopia, a bag of dice (once a gamer, always a gamer) and the Hero System 5^th Edition so that I could put the dice to use in a game.

Q4: Did any notable or high-profile person's death in 2004 have a dramatic or long-lasting affect on you? (Here's a short list of some of the more notable people who died in 2004: Jack Paar, Marge Schott, Sir Peter Ustinov, Alistair Cooke, Tug McGraw, Pat Tillman, Estee Lauder, Alan King, David Dellinger, Sam Dash, Tony Randall, President Ronald Reagan, Ray Charles, Marlon Brando, Isabel Sanford, Rick James, Fay Wray, Julia Child, Geoffrey Beene, Red Adair, Richard Avedon, Janet Leigh, Rodney Dangerfield, Ken Caminiti, Christopher Reeve, Pierre Salinger, Yasser Arafat, Susan Sontag, Reggie White, Jerry Orbach, Johnny Ramone.)
That may be a short list, but still rather long!

From that list 2 people affected me most for different reasons:

Ray Charles: James Brown may call himself "the godfather of soul" but Ray was the originator. He had an incredible life, brought us some incredible music, and proved you can get past a disability to greatness.

Christopher Reeve: the man my generation will always identify with Superman, one he became paralyzed became a true suoerhero, crusading for others spinally injured.

Like many, I wouldn't have been surprised if he one day got up from his chair. Sadly, he'll never now have the chance.

Today I saw the first advertising billboard for Couleur Jazz. If I see more, I'll really think they're making the effort to promote it!

Madeleine Peyroux - Don't Wait too Long.

I'm listening to SmoothJazz.com on a stream through Winamp as I type. They just played the above-mentioned song by the above-mentioned singer. I heard that song often on Couleur Jazz during their months of tape loops. I kept hearing the song, liked it... but had no idea who it was by. Now, finally, I know!

Even though Couleur Jazz is now live, they still re-use too many songs we've heard for months.

At least Queen Latifah's performance of the song Have Mercy on Me is entertaining. The cover of the old standard Making Whoopie by Tony Bennet and Cindi Lauper (I think) just sounds too drab for my tastes.

Too much of a good thing?

I've been finding that with Couleur Jazz as my radio alarm, I haven't been successful in waking up on time. Maybe they are playing music at that hour not condusive to waking up, just calming stuff?