DVD Night...

Looking for something juicy to add to your DVD night? Let's face it, since the bulk of what is released for major motion picture status is way to predictable and lame to pass for good art.. I try to find things on DVD that are interesting and thought provoking...and I recently found a gem.

"Five Fingers" starring Laurence Fishburne (producer) & Ryan Phillippe. Released in 2006 it is a timely critique of the 3 "T's" - torture, terrorists and toloration of differences. The film also brings into question who is the bad guy vs who we "think" is the good guy.

A very well written and well acted film it has the look and feel of a play with one main setting in which the characters and the situation grow more intense as opposed to more and more cinematic gimmicks. It is a thriller and you must stay till the very end to get it's full impact - but it is so well done...you won't even think of picking up the remote.

The synopsis is this: A politically conscience young Dutch Jazz pianist named Martjin (Ryan Phillippe) leaves for Morocco to help start a Food Bank for Starving children, once he and his guide arrive they are kidnapped by a group of Muslims.To survive his ordeal Martjin must match wits with the brutal terrorist Ahmed (Laurence Fishburne) over a series of Chess Games...lose a game lose a....well watch and see.

I highly recommend Five Fingers...check...your move.

Brian Phoenix

Jazz Is dead...Really?

This post is a response to a recent article in The Chronicle on the decline of Jazz. Below is a link to the original article.

Here is my take...

Same Old Story...ding dong "Jazz is Dead"...to my knowledge as American Musical Art forms go...Jazz is one of the oldest and certainly one of the strongest.

Since the turn of the century @ 1900...the Jazz/Blues culture has been growing and evolving. The problem is current American Media has a short attention span and feels no obligation to censor the crap it promotes as viable. They feed junk food to our youth 24-7 and wonder why juvenile diabetes is on the rise, they promote violent art forms in movies, cartoons, video games and music and wonder why children solve their conflicts violently. I know I am mixing metaphors, but the reality is the responsibility - like Eugene, said lies in the industries that benefit from our media choices.

People are sheep...( the Bible tells me so..) lead them to Jazz and they will follow!! Offer a thirsty man a glass of clean water vs a glass of muddy spew and let him decide. However, in today's marketplace he has few choices. Exposure and marketing is the problem...sure some Jazz music is "exotic" but the bulk of the music the Young Cats are blowin' currently is very accessible and crosses many "popular" genres.

Mainstream tastes will always lag behind the artists vision...luckily I have lived long enough to see technology open up a whole new distribution vehicle that the masses young and old are keyed into...the internet. Those of us that spend time on forums like this one need to fight for Jazz. As I have said many times..."Spread the good news...Jazz is not dead...the pot is on the stove and can't ya smell what the FUNK is Cookin?"

Long Live Jazz Music!!

- Brian Phoenix


Here is the link:

http://chronicle.com/blogPost/The-Unpopularity-of-Jazz/7631/

Jazz Education 101

Once again Houston we have a problem…

A less than sold out show featuring Jazz artists, again I say – “Houston Is Not a Jazz Town”. This past weekend was the cause for the 19^th annual Houston International Jazz Festival sponsored by Houston’s Jazz Education Inc. and featuring for the Sunday show headliner Rachelle Ferrell, but more on the show in a second.

For those in the H-Town that aren’t aware - Jazz Education Inc. (JEI) was founded by Jazz artist Bubba Thomas, who saw a need to fill a void where music education and youth were concerned. With a grant from The National Endowment for the Arts, he started an 8-week "Summer Program for Youthful Musicians" at St. James Episcopal Church. Seventy students attended the first FREE session. Since then, JEI has grown from a part-time-one-program project to a daily operation with full and part-time employees. The Jazz Education Inc. organization stays busy sponsoring three main programs The Jazz & Poetry Series, Summer Jazz Workshop, The Houston International Jazz Festival and several special projects. Jazz & Poetry is an educational/enrichment program helping elementary school children develop an early appreciation for music. The Summer Jazz Workshop produces many of America's top young music talents through a combination of master classes, lectures, small and large ensembles, video presentations, and demonstrations. The Houston International Jazz Festival; which features international, national, regional, and local Jazz musicians, enhances Houston's reputation as an arts center and attracts Jazz aficionados worldwide.

Okay now that you got the scoop…here is the poop! I attended the Sunday show and much to my surprise the GODS convened and blessed Houston with unseasonably cool evening with gentle breezes and..get this low humidity (low by the Bayou City standards)! The featured acts did not disappoint. Hiroshima the Asian-American Jazz Fusion group that most thought fell off the map (thanks Black radio) showed they are still full of creative energy and after 30 plus years in the music business not afraid to take creative chances and stretch the audiences ear. They hit their favs of course…”Roomful Of Mirrors” , “Long Walks” and the ever popular “One Wish” from their first Gold album “Another Place” (1985) – but they also showed what they are about today hitting home with a fitting tribute to New Orleans on the funky “Red Beans & Rice”. Overall a great performance by veteran artists.

The crown jewel for the 2-Day event was of course vocalist Rachelle Ferrell. Now if you want to know what divine power is and true vocalization means…don’t look any further. Rachelle is by all standards the ultimate singing machine. Power, range sensitivity, articulation and spirituality let me tell ya - the girl will take you there! After one intense vocal scat run by Rachelle an audience member shouted out “I’m exhausted!”…that is testimony to the type of connection Ms. Ferrell can establish with her audience – she makes the listener exercise their emotions to the point of exhaustion. Yet like all great performers she gives her audience…more. Soloing on the piano or accompanied by her top notch band Rachelle sang it all, “I’m Special”, Til You Come Back To Me”, “Sister”, “Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This” she also broke it down on “My Funny Valentine”, praised the lord and keep the audience as her song says…”So Satisfied” !

So why am I so disappointed…only that Houston did not “turn out”. In a city of over 2 million, the fourth largest city in America, which also boasts the largest Asian population in the State of Texas (Hiroshima fans anyone?)…where was y’all at? A beautiful moonlight night…Ticket cost of $20…hosted in the city’s newly developed “green space” – Discovery Green and the lawn was only half full. I have said it before - “Houston Is Not A Jazz Town”…but if I have anything to do with it I’m gonna help Houston make that change. I encourage all “Young Jazz Lovers” to check out Jazz Education, Inc. volunteer your time and energy and support Jazz events when and where they occur…this Jazz stuff is too good to lose, so choose. More info about Jazz Education, Inc. can be found at their website www.jazzeducation.org and as always…”Keep Jazz In Your Life, Not Strife And Everything Will Be All Right”™

Brian Phoenix is the Host & Producer of “Jazzism (a katzpheno mix)” a weekly Jazz music podcast log onto www.hardjazz.podomatic.com to listen.

America, the beautiful.

It is quintessential americana to have the underdog triumph. Michelle Obama arrived at the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO under a barley hidden glare of skepticism and showed America not just her best self, but the best America can and should be. Her biography is what the American Dream is all about.

The story of her family making ends meet, surviving the pitfalls and challenges of life on the southside of Chicago is a narrative all Americans can identify with. A narrative that lately has not been cast in Blackface. The victim narrative is what would be typical here, however the current victimization diatribe was not even touched upon. The narrative that casts Black life as defeated which has been trumpeted by many pales in comparison to the reality that daily Black families across this nation find a way to succeed against the odds, seek no handouts and take no quarter. James Brown said it best..."I don't want nobody to give me nothing...open up the door, I'll get it myself".

The universal theme of a father continuing to perform in his role of provider and leader, despite the onset of illness (in this case Multiple Sclerosis) touched all hearts. This speech, this approach is not what the pundits expected. This was not elitist talk about education and law school and higher purpose, this was a down to earth, grass roots narrative about the GOD given human spirit that continually rises.

Entering the convention hall - introduced by her big brother to the sound of Stevie Wonder's - "I Was Made To Love Her" was a nice touch, warm and authentic and again fully American. Michelle Obama cast her "First Lady" stance squarely in "family values" as a wife and mother, not as the VP by default (this should go a long way to quell paranoid fears of a black Militancy occupying the Oval Office - ie The infamous New Yorker magazine cover art). This was Michelle the beautiful, the wife, the executive, the mother, the new definition of women's right that says I can be all three and not diminish or substitute. This was Michelle the peacemaker, extending an olive branch the "Clintonites" who for the past month have worn their anger and disappointment on their sleeve. This was Michelle the civil servant who embodied the spirit of the Women's Right and Civil Rights movements as one.

If I were to grade her speech I would give it an "A". She was poised, confident and warm. She did struggle with the teleprompter at times but this only added to the conversational nature of her delivery. In just over 20 minutes Michelle Obama affirmed her role as The First Lady and her patriotism when she said.. "All of us driven by the simple belief that the world as it is just won't do, that we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be and that is the thread that connects our hearts....that is why I love this country". Michelle, Barack and all of us are America, the beautiful.

Arrogance, Entitlement & Women's Rights...Hillary Style

The long and winding road in Senator Hillary Clinton's quest for the Oval Office in 2008 seemed to have come to a conclusion when she finally conceded defeat to Senator Barack Obama, the current presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee. In her speech of June 7th, 2008 Ms. Clinton spoke of a hard fought campaign, she told of her respect for Obama and the need for unity within the Democratic Party. "The way to continue our fight now, to accomplish the goals for which we stand is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama as the next President of The United States of America." Hillary Clinton was proud in defeat, but she also appeared gracious and satisfied. I guess my Native American brothers were right when they observed, white man speak with forked tongue.

Taking a page out of Brett Favre's "retirement" playbook, we now hear Hillary declaring to her bitter and displaced "18 million" loyalist (really, you spoke to all 18 million....?)...hell naw, it ain't over! I guess Ms. Clinton is gonna assure that her fat ladies get to sang...'cause America's Got Talent, not to mention cojones!!

What arrogance! How does one lose all the necessary delegates and super delegates needed to secure the party's nomination, finally concede to the nation the loss of the nomination, end all campaign efforts, drop out the public eye for months and reappear demanding their name be placed on the nomination ballot in the upcoming convention? "Catharsis" my carcass! What we are witnessing is nothing more than arrogance, entitlement and latent White supremacy (disguised as women's rights) raising it's ugly head.

Hillary Clinton is appealing to the lowest common denominator in her supporters by implying that, as a member of the privileged class, they can at anytime - demand the rules be changed. She has arrogantly stated that this demand is not for her, but would somehow serve a greater good. Yes, Hillary is doing this for y'all - you poor forgotten "Clintoncrates" who are now, what?...political refugee's - homeless and lost without a Clinton on which to cast a ballot. I guess from Hillary's point of view, her supporters would rather fight than switch...some things will never "change". This, Senator Clinton is not the path toward party unity. Unfortunately the Democratic Party leadership has decided to allow Hillary Clinton's name be placed in nomination during the Democratic National Convention which begins August 25th, 2008 in Denver, CO.

It has been noted that "denial" is not just a river that flows in Africa, it obviously also runs deep in the Clinton camp as well and they are drowning in it. Face it Hill, when you proudly announced your candidacy in 2007 the race was yours to win...you were by all accounts (mostly your own - who can forget this soundbite from December 2007 - "I'm in it for the long run. It's not a very long run. It'll be over by February fifth..." also known as Super Tuesday) the front runner, yet somehow you snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Yes, the cards were once stacked incredibly in your favor and as tragic as it may be from your vantage point, you lost, and to a...dare I say it...a, a...well you fill in the blank. There in of course, lies the rub.

It conjures up for me images from a Mel Brook's film I adore...Blazing Saddles. It is the scene were the good wholesome townies await the arrival of the presumptive....um, in this case - Sheriff of Rockridge. In my re-write the scene opens with a craggy old Clinton supporter high atop a Church steeple in the middle of town, gazing off into the distance for the first glimpse of the long awaited hero. A throng of well wishers wait anxiously for the news of the Sheriff's arrival with beaming faces, hopeful hearts and a "Laurel and Hardy" handshake (yuk, yuk!). As the distant rider and his steed slowly approach town, our rooftop scout squints hard through his telescope and realizes, in shock and amazement that the rider on the horse, the savior, the presidential nominee for the Democratic Party, is not a Clinton but...to quote Mel Brook's movie script...."The Sheriff is a n.....!" the last word drowned out by the gong of the church bell.

Wake up Hillary, it's over.

Hope Deferred

When is the brighter day coming?
I thought I ordered it years ago?
Seems I lost the “tracking number” for it, can’t research the Lost & Found of Hopes and Dreams Deferred Department to locate its whereabouts.
How often can one hear …”no – not today, it hasn’t arrived yet, we are checking on it for you, please comeback, again – tomorrow” before hope, desire, will…fades?

Thought your smile meant something, thought your reemergence was the sign of the hoped for day’s final approach – but now another delay.
Yes, yes I know…”a delay is not a denial”
…but I guess it’ll do until the denial gets here….pessimistic, I know – but you see life has taught us all lessons and even if the lesson plan was flawed we were still taught it…this requires constant reprogramming…but even that gets wearisome – zaps my core. I now have to go in and reprogram the old incorrect lessons, those lessons of loss (not real), those lessons of despair (an illusion), those lessons of less than (we live in GOD’s abundance).

The world and I need a change…this is all too familiar, this warfare, this economic collapse, this race – baiting, cop hating, evil empire creating - life…the cat and mouse game, the offer and the take away…must end my friend.
When will hope, faith and love…remain?

cbphoenix 05/08

"A More Perfect Message"

"A More Perfect Message" my reaction to the speech of 3/18/08 in Philadelphia, PA.

Rarely does a Presidential candidate come along with the intelligence, foresight and courage of Senator Barack Obama. I have no doubt, GOD is at work here. This man is a change agent and is truly a man of his time. Barack Obama may not even be aware that he is on a mission beyond the political office his is seeking.

The speech he wrote and delivered in Philadelphia on march 18th, 2008 indicates in my opinion, he has however become aware that America is not ready. America is not ready for the "change" that candidate Obama has so eloquently campaigned for these past months. It is beyond America, because it is beyond the "sound bite". Senator Obama has delivered a message that puts the catalyst of change squarely on the "man/woman in the mirror". America is not ready. America is asleep...and has been asleep since the "Reagan Years". Obama and his clarion call of change toward "A More Perfect Union" is one I fear most Amercans would rather not heed. I imagine many of the pharmacuetical companies emailing their respective research and development departments mandating the development of an 'anti-obama" pill. A dose you can take at the onset of a willingness to look America in the eye and be honest about it's destiny and roll up your sleeves and work for change. I can hear the tagline now... "Do you feel anxious about the future of our nation...are you jittery and afraid of those who speak of change...we have a pill for that...."Obamanot". Taken once daily "Obamanot" can restore you to a dreamlike reality where you can go through your day assured that your government and corporate leadership have your best interest at heart regardless of what those liberals say..."

The media spin doctors now have all the ammunition they need to end his momentum and americans can change the channel and enjoy "March Madness" in peace. The race issue is just too much for americans to confront...the rebel flag still flys in South Carolina and Civil War re-enactors still get paid to pretend its 1861...and the only black and white issues americans love is "Leave It To Beaver"...and Wally just broke the alarm clock...America can now sleep for another four years. Goodnight John Boy.

Charles Brian Phoenix