A Few Counter Proposals

People said it would never happen, but here it comes. You too will have to right to bring a gun on campus to “protect” yourself from those smarmy professors who give you assignments and to help heighten the culture of fear that drives America.
Scott Lewis,Texas director of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, states that there won’t be many students who are of the right age and have clean enough records and have to resources to get the CHL so they can carry guns on college campuses. First of all, he’s dead wrong about the age. While the image of the college student is someone who is 18-19, in community colleges, the average age is between 27 and 29 (depending on the state). Second, if only a few could obtain the permit, then why are so many people working so hard and spending so much money to get it passed. You know the answer is because they do not expect this lunacy to stop here. Third, if the measure is so we can protect people, why should only those we “squeaky clean” records (his words, not mine) be allowed to defend themselves?
When asked to respond to the charge that such legislation is emotion fueled and reactive. Scott Lewis responded, “Well, yeah, there’s got to be some emotion involved.” That is supposed to be an argument?
There has been no proof, none whatsoever, to demonstrate that people involved in the mass shootings Lewis and Representative Van Taylor often cite would have been able to defend themselves. None. Zero. In fact, most of the data points the other direction, which is why few police officers working college campuses support the bill.
What evidence, proof, will administrators and the trustees of Dallas County Community College provide me that will make me feel safe? You see, I deal with angry people every day. From near-illiterates who feel entitled to an A on papers they either didn’t write or wrote badly, to stressed nursing students trying to hold a high GPA in order to get into the right school, to spoiled athletes who think my job is to stroke their egos, to bullies who don’t follow procedures and are surprised when they fail courses they didn’t turn work in for, to the wanna be rap star who has decided that outside the door of my classroom is where he must give his impromptu concert. And don’t get me started on their parents. I have seen many students go from zero to raging hate in a matter of minutes. Most of these can pass a background check and get on the campus and blow me away. Who will guarantee my safety from them?

There is also a problem concerning what is called a “hostile workplace.” All employees in this country have a right, already safeguarded by law, to a safe and non-threatening work environment. Allowing just anyone who passes a check and takes a course to carry something whose only purpose is to take life to walk into my classroom and or to expect me to be comfortable with that person in my office, is hardly reasonable.
Many teachers are already working in fear.  They don’t talk about it. They need their jobs.
So here are a few proposals, I’d like to offer to counter this wrongheaded idea:
Let the State (or district) pay for my CHL training, license, and weapon. Give me a list of all students in my classes with CHL and allow me to make sure they sit where I can get a good shot off without hurting anyone else should one of them get angry about a grade.
Reinforce a special classroom that cannot be entered without armed guard and let me lock weapons up during class. I’ll be safe from the shooter that could be in the class room, and we will all be safe from those outside too.
Put all classes online. That way potential victims can be home instead of in a dangerous school. (Of course, they are more likely to be killed at home by someone they know, but I don’t think that Misters Taylor and Lewis are willing to address that.)
Just let me teach online. Put all the gun toting people you want in a big classroom, and if they kill each other then, well, I’ll be safe. Surely, with all the budget cuts coming, Mr. Perry can afford special equipment for me to be in constant communication with my students who are not busy worrying about some jerk flying off and popping a cap in them.
Rick Perry has promised to sign this bill into law. Not  just in the past few weeks of budget wrangling, but his whole life in office, Perry has proven that his interest in education is negligible, non-existent, zero. So what can we do in the face of such a boldface liar?
Maybe there is another idea to consider. All of us teachers should just stop. I don’t mean a strike, because, of course, that is illegal. But just all of us, all at the same time, stop teaching. Let the little gunslingers take their shootin’ irons some other place. Let those who want to learn go to the library (until Perry shuts those down too). After all, Texas consistently ranks at the bottom in education. Maybe things will get better if we just leave these students alone and keep them from the burdens of actually having to learn.

Music Notes – Bolero (Stanley Jordan)

Recently found Stanley Jordan’s Bolero in the clearance bin at a Half Price bookstore. It does make me a little sad to see work by such a talent in the sit- on-the-floor-and-sift section of a store, but I suppose that is all to my gain. Well, mostly.
Jordan’s take on the classic R&B song “Always and Forever” doesn’t work for me. The vocal chorus makes the tune sound too much like smooth jazz despite some tasty licks. I much prefer the solo reprise version that closes the disc. There Jordan makes the most of the melody, making it his own.
The Herbie Hancock gem “Chameleon” comes off better, despite the programmed drums and synths. (I know such was all the rage when this was made, but jazz artists who used them well didn’t always have songs that sounded programmed.) Here Jordan takes the tune into his own atmosphere, especially on the solos.
Next, Mr. Jordan takes on another R&B hit, “Betcha By Golly Wow.” This sounds more like a Stanley Jordan song than the treatment of “Always and Forever,” but it is a little lush for my taste in places. Again, the vocals don’t improve or add anything to the song, but are distracting.
I enjoyed “Drifting” quite a bit though it also feels a bit lush with the supporting keyboards. Here Jordan almost rises above the programming with some delicious solos.
In “Plato’s Blues” Jordan takes his layered approach to solo guitar on the low end of the sonic spectrum and comes up with a nice tromp through a genre he doesn’t get into often enough. It begins slow and builds to a rocking crescendo which should please any lover of the guitar.
Of course the centerpiece of the project is the title song, a 22 1/2 minute rendition of Ravel’s masterpiece. There are some moments where the piece suffers from the same flaws noted above (especially from about the 11 minute mark to 15 minutes in), but overall, Jordan’s version is beautifully crafted, and never dull. Jordan solos in all the right spots, returns to the main melody with flair, and brings joyous life to what easily could become boring after three minutes or a vehicle for pretension.
Bolero is not Stanley Jordan’s best album. It sounds too dated in places and does not make the most of his skills as an improviser. However, it hardly deserves relegation to the bargain bin.

TV Notes -- Heading into 2011

HGTV's coverage of the Rose Bowl parade was pretty bad. The hosts talked over everything of interest. The goofball at street level was shown yapping with an inset taking up a quarter of the screen, often covering the float he was talking about. The camera rarely showed some of the most beautiful features of the floats. The only bright spot was the guy talking about some of the scientific and artistic elements of the floats, and the other hosts spent a lot of air time making fun of him.

I do not watch a lot of college football for reasons already chronicled in the this blog. But today, I have great interest in two games. First, I want to see Joe Paterno send Urban Meyer into retirement with a loss. I admire no person in college sports as much as Joe Pa. And may he live forever as one of the only pictures of integrity left in college sports.

The other game I am watching is the Rose Bowl, where TCU should not be. Again the BSC bishops in the Church of Football have avoided the truth by not only making moves to keep a playoff from happening, but put in a team led by a criminal whose journeyman career clearly demonstrates that education is a facade in college football. I have no particular ill feeling for Wisconsin, but the world needs to see a badger beating, sadly, to take TCU seriously.

As for the "championship" game, I am sure my little boycott won't make a difference, except to my soul.

Music Notes – The Quiltmaster

 Imagine Pat Metheny, Robert Fripp, John Scofield, and Bill Frisell all had children and sent them to the University of North Texas to study. Then think about those kids meeting and deciding to form a band. Once they found a bassist and drummer and started to record, the L5 Electric Guitar Ensemble would be what it sounded like and The Quiltmaster would be the project they would create.

Tunes here were composed by Fred Hamilton, instructor at UNT and others with Hamilton also directing the project. I haven’t the foggiest notion what the title track is about (or any of the others on the disc).

Possibly because this is a student project, The Quiltmaster does not seem to have gotten much attention. But it is a really fine recording that deserves greater notice.
By the way, the disc is not available on iTunes or Amazon which is a darn shame. You have to go to the UNT website to find it unless you happen to run across it in a used store somewhere. I can't even remember where I got my copy.

Technorati Tags: Tom Kessler,Fred Hamilton,Tim Goynes,Lindsey Miller,Dan Bruce,Chris McQueen,Jerome Covington,Cooper Appelt,Ryan Jacobi,L5 Electric Guitar Ensemble,Jazz Guitar

Music Notes – The Choir online concert

While the majority of my music time has been spent listening to jazz, I haven’t forgotten some of the rock bands that have shaped me in some way. So today, because on Facebook, I was able to find out about a special acoustic concert The Choir played online for their fans.
The group’s core is drummer and lyricist Steve Hindalong and Derri Daughtery on guitars and lead vocals. In this set, long time sax/lyricon player Dan Michaels did join them for a few of their classic tunes. The acoustic format really does suit The Choir, demonstrating in particular Hindalong’s percussion chops. Daughtery does not get to layer his guitar as he does on their studio releases, but his voice is a gorgeous as ever, providing the empathetic thrust that drives many Choir songs.
Of course the acoustic setting (Mr. Michaels’ living room) is also appropriate for other reasons. First, the group recently released de-plumed' target=_blank>de-plumed, a disc of re-recorded, stripped down versions of songs from each of the band’s twelve studio releases. Second, The Choir has always made music with a kind of intimate, emotional and spiritual intensity, and their God-given gifts cannot be hidden by studio trickery.
Of course I’m biased. But since rock music has not been part of my day to day listening the past few years, I have noticed that only really great groups have any staying power with me, still knock me off my feet. And The Choir is one of those bands. Listen, they didn’t even play two of my favorite tunes, “Restore My Soul' target=_blank>Restore My Soul” and “Chase The Kangaroo' target=_blank>Chase the Kangaroo,” but they still managed to fill the set with some mighty, mighty good music.

The show appears to have been archived at The Choir’s website and can be seen here.

Music Notes – Healing Waters

If you have heard of Dean Evenson, it is probably because you have spent time listening to one of the more atmospheric new age satellite broadcasts like Moodscapes. On the other hand, you likely did not catch the name because you were too busy doing yoga or meditating or sleeping to see it. Healing Waters is the first album I have listened to with a warning that said one should not listen to it while driving. And such a warning is probably a good idea.
Mr. Evenson plays some flutes and keyboards (the latter for background tone, not accompaniment). With the addition of acoustic guitar and ocean noises (waves, gulls, and whales I think), the disc is certainly relaxing. There are other instruments on the project, but the pieces with guitar are the ones that stand out for me. Healing Waters reminds me a lot of the music I hear in my favorite Chinese restaurant. It's not art, but does the job of setting a quiet mood.

Music Notes – Saturn Sings

Mary Halvorson’s Saturn Sings is a little on the avant garde side for my tastes, but not so much so that it would turn off everyone. Some of it actually grew on me. Halvorson is a good player, and the group behind her is intriguing to me, if not so for the casual jazz listener. I think I prefer the trio pieces a little more than those with the full quintet, but maybe because I'm not used to as many people going is so many directions.
The disc reminds me a bit of Bill Frisell without the Americana or well thought out effects. Some spots have me thinking of the late Derek Bailey, but just when I think a piece is too far in space to be retrieved, it seems to settle, hover around a snippet of melody, and then take off, not always beautifully, but most often strikingly. As Lars Gotrich writes, "each of these inspirations is an abstract cliff-dive, and...there's much to take in."

Commercial Complaint #3: Zoosk

Ads for online dating services tend to bug me anyway, but in my best moments, I’d like to think that the use of technology to find love isn’t always a bad thing. For the website Zoosk, however, dating is not at all about love. Clearly it is about sex, disguised a women’s fantasy/romance. Watch any of the ads closely and you’ll see that the women hovering around the laptop are not only dreaming of that perfect romantic sexual partner, but also expecting the guy to do all the work of making that romantic magic happen. As offensive as that should be to both men and women, I’ve tried to just turn off the cranky old man in my brain and say “to each his own.”
One of their ads caught my attention recently, however, and I just couldn’t let it go. In this ad, a woman has been set up on a blind date. The guy comes over and seems okay. She has him eat something while she appears to get something from another part of house or apartment. Her giant dog then crawls on top of him. Then a cat jumps on the couch and it is clear he is allergic. All this time, by the way, the guy is polite.
When the woman reenters, he asks, “Is this shellfish?” and she sees his bloated, red face. The man clearly is allergic, but her reaction is horror. In the next scene, she tells her friends, “I think I’ll stick to Zoosk for all my dating.” And the other women nod and murmur agreement.



So let me get this straight. The experience was bad for HER because the guy with allergies had the gall to come into her house and be allergic to animals that she doesn’t take any time to corral and the food she didn’t bother to ask about? It must be HIS fault that his face looked like Jimmy Glick on steroids. Maybe it is Mom’s fault for not vetting the guy before setting her up. (After all, no part of dating is about getting to know someone for yourself; it is about your good time.)
Hey! Bitches like this should not be allowed to date. Don’t even get me started on their unrealistic expectations of men or romance. Women with these values sometimes actually procreate and then make tiny little bitches or take the balls off their male offspring with years of emotional abuse powered by their inevitable bitterness. Hey lady, grow up.

Commerical Complaint #2: Volzwagon Routan

Am I the only person who finds this commercial disturbing. The Volzwagon people, I presume, are trying to tap into a game that a number of people play where the first person to see a Volzwagon punches someone next to them, and shouts out the color of the vehicle. People in America have done this for years though only with the beetles, not other models from the company. And I guess the advertisers are trying to show that this minivan is fun and not just some big box for carting one’s screaming kids. The ad states that this is the “only minivan with the soul of a Volzwagon.”
But I have to take issue with the idea that punching people is funny in the first place. I especially think it is offensive that the goal of the family to drive around the block and watch other people hurting each other. The kids clearly enjoy being the center of attention (what kid doesn’t?), but they are the cause of dozens of little acts of violence. This is funny?
What does this say about our culture when it is humorous to not only inflict pain on others, but to be its cheerful cause? What kind of people have so much time and are so sick as to think this is great family time?

I get upset all the time about the way men, particularly fathers, are portrayed in television shows and commercials. Usually that is because fathers are often portrayed as stupid, bumbling idiots whose lack of cool gets in the way of what is important to teenagers. But this “cool dad” should be ashamed of himself. Rather, those who created this character should be ashamed.

Music Notes – Black Elk Speaks

On one level, I think this is an interesting project to listen to. Medeski, Martin and Wood drummer Billy Martin (and sometimes a few others) uses percussion instruments that most listeners are not familiar with, and the result is often quite enjoyable. On the other hand, I  I would have liked this project more overall had I been able to see and hear it, say in a recital or as part of some gathering or some DVD release. I just seem to have lost the thread of what Martin, an intelligent and talented musician, was after here. I like the idea of honoring the words and ideas of someone as interesting and thought provoking as Black Elk. But even after several listens, many of the tunes (should we call the tracks this?) sound the same.
Perhaps, my ear is listening for melodies that aren’t supposed to be there. I suspect that Martin has a some sort of philosophical statement up his sleeve, but it is one I'm clearly not qualified to comprehend.

Bookmarks – Earlier Poems (Franz Wright)

The collection contains the first four books by a talented and insightful poet who has taken journeys of pain many cannot fathom, but many of us have trod before. Perhaps darker than the books Wright is best known for, we see struggles with alcoholism, intense loneliness, and sanity. Rorschach Test is probably the best of the four, but each book is thought provoking and painfully beautiful.
Was upset at how these verses were sometimes badly reproduced on my Nook, but that was pretty much the only distraction I had with this solid collection.

A number of Wright’s poems can be found here. The title poem in his latest volume, Wheeling Motel, and some links can be found here.

Music Notes – Air Space

Have really enjoyed this collection of funky jazz numbers by Dallas sax man Ron Jones. The last tune is an interesting cover of Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years," but the rest are originals. Some of the tunes may be a little too close smooth jazz for the tastes of a few, but that is may be the good production and accessibility of the material talking. Of course, this is also a project that is over ten years old, but I do not think it sounds dated.
Jones plays alto, soprano, and tenor on these songs and even a few keyboards. If you can find this, and love good saxophone, it is well worth a listen.

Music Notes – Another Shade of Blue

Have been enjoying this 1999 release of Lee Konitz with Brad Mehldau on piano and Charlie Haden on bass. It is the kind of album that easily brings to mind a smoky bar or looking out the window on a lonely night, and yet nothing here strikes me as depressing. The disc was recorded at the Jazz Bakery in Culver City to a quiet, but appreciative audience.
I only have one complaint about Another Shade of Blue. The album is so mellow and quiet in places that parts are often hard to hear. There are some wonderful solos from everyone, but I had difficulty picking up some of them (particularly Haden’s) unless I had the volume up.
If you like a mellow saxophone, this is one to buy. Konitz’s work here impeccable, proving one doesn’t have to play loud and fast to be impressive. I always like to hear Mehldau, and his playing as the side man is a treat. And Haden, as always, makes everyone around him sound better. But it is Konitz who really shines. He produces a sweet tone, warm and unmatched.

A few short tips for school success

With school starting soon, I thought I’d pass along a handful of ideas about how to get more from your education. Perhaps I’ll expand on some of these later, but for now, I present for your edification:
1. Read (and know) the Syllabus and course outline.
2. Read the assigned material.
3. Do the homework, lab work, or exercises even if they are not graded.
4. Don’t just check your grades. Read the notes.
5. Worry less about the grades than about what you learn from each assignment.
6. Avoid excuses.
7. Turn off the television, video games, cell phones, and other distractions.
8. Take care of your body.
9. Become an active learner.
10. Follow directions.
Certainly there are other things to suggest, and a few of these points need explanation. However, I hope this list gets you started with a bang.

Music Notes – At the Edge

This 1990 project by Mickey Hart falls into the category of "World Music" for some reason. I suppose because it isn't jazz or new age and some songs have a tabla played on them. The pieces feature an interesting array of percussion instruments which blend so well with the electronic ones that I hardly notice the later except as adding to the texture. Thus the sound is not at all dated. I found the whole disc rather relaxing.

Music Notes – Dayful of Song

Any lover of George Gershwin should love this lively and beautiful album recorded by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 1997. In addition to favorites such as "Rhapsody in Blue and "An American in Paris," this disc features the rarely performed "Cuban Overture" and "Lullaby" (one of Gershwin's first classical compositions), and "Promenade," a piece of music first heard in the movie Shall We Dance. The title track, which opens the album, is a suite of unrecorded songs arranged by conductor, pianist, and Gershwin scholar Andrew Litton.

Bookmarks – Spoon River Anthology

I am very glad I had a chance to read this collection of poems by Edgar Lee Masters. Each person buried in the Spoon River cemetery has a monologue of sorts, so readers often get a chance to look at events from a number of different angles. One of the stories that holds this narrative together is that of crooked and selfish men not only causing the failure of the town bank, but also allowing an innocent man to go to prison for it. Readers see not only how those directly involved in this and other events are affected, but how the town itself suffers. And Spoon River is more than an interesting set of interweaving tales, but a metaphor on what is great and what is not so great about America.
Those notes may imply that Masters’ magnum opus is an attack on American values and ideals. It is not. In fact, if it attacks anything, it is the belief that humans are animals that cannot help but step on each other in the path to success. He puts to shame the hypocrites and foolish, but often does so with a sense of humor, and certainly allows some of the bad people to defend their actions. I found a number of the poems interesting and thoughtful. A number of them made me smile.
Masters’ verse is homey and comfortable most of the time, something that has caused some readers to criticize it. There are places where the book is a bit more prose like that poetic, but on the whole, I think it powerful in its accessibility. And its populist perspective is one that resonates with me, particularly as we become aware that those with power and fame only pretend to care what the everyday woman and man thinks and believes.

Movie Notes – Heartbreak Ridge

This is a fine piece of Clint Eastwood entertainment. It is not a great work of art. There are almost too many Eastwood one-liners and some of the situations are a bit over the top for my tastes. Further, there are a few too many stories in a movie that might be a little too long.
That said, I did find the movie enjoyable most of the time and even the over wild Mario Van Peebles made me laugh. Eastwood's Tom Highway is as tough as they come and there is something about this hard driving man that makes you want to watch, even if at times the character seems a bit of a caricature.

Music Notes -- Initiative

Initiative, by Dallas area sax and flutist Ron Jones is a funky, soulful project that is made with a number of the area’s finest jazz musicians. One might expect a lack of continuity, but I found the whole disc very enjoyable.
Initiative opens with “Crazy May,” a fun little number with nice solo work by Scott Bucklin on piano and one of my favorite drummers, Mike Drake. I do wish it didn’t fade out like a smooth jazz song, but until that moment, it has me dancing.
On “Bill’s Fluke,” Jones lets go with solo that seems to go all over without losing the sense of melody. Eric “Scorch” Scortia counters with a furious solo of his own on the Hammond B-3, and Alan Green sounds as if he has managed to use the whole drum kit when his turn comes around.
Jones plays the flute on the wonderful, breezy “Yiasou.” I was reminded of the great Herbie Mann’s forays into Latin jazz on this cut. I want to hear more flute work from Jones every time I hear this tune.
All but one of the songs on Initiative are originals. The one cover is of the Pink Floyd classic “Us and Them.” This pushes the project into the territory of fusion, but I think it would please even those who don’t lean that way musically. Jones and company do justice to a haunting song.
“Hindsight” is a beautiful tune, featuring Dave Zoller on piano and Drew Phelps playing bass. The tone is sweet and the accompaniment delicious. This is followed by “Ornery,” a jumping and fun tune. I can easily imagine a crowded dance floor in a hot juke joint.
Next comes “Traffic Blues,” a smoldering piece that has Eric Scortia again tearing it up on the Hammond B3.  Then we have “Potluck.” Here we have another fine Bucklin solo while Gerald Stockton and Mike Drake provide a funky beat.
“Survival” is the album closer. It is one of the most fusion laden songs on Initiative. There is a sweet guitar solo by Micah Burgess, but the best stuff here is from Jones. I think his soloing here is about the best of the whole disc.
Initiative is a wholly satisfying album, not only for Jones’ fine playing, but also because it showcases some of the finest talents in the Dallas/Fort Worth jazz scene. Probably the main problem with the disc is that at 39 minutes, it is too darn short.

Music Notes -- Rosslyn

This 2003 release by The John Taylor Trio sounds to me like a cross between Brad Mehldau (with fewer dark keys) and Keith Jarrett (minus the moaning and stomping). There are seven beautiful tunes on this disc. A few come across a little slow and moody, but never maudlin. I particularly liked their rendition of the Irving Berlin classic “How Deep Is The Ocean” and Taylor’s own “Between Moons” and the title track. But all of these are gorgeous. And with heavyweights like Marc Johnson and Joey Baron making up the rhythm section, it is hard to go wrong. Rosslyn is one very right album.