It’s ME!!!

Welcome, welcome,welcome… I hope you’re ready to reminisce, sing-a-long, maybe even slap your knee from the exciting trip we’re about to take together. I’ve compiled some of the best groups and their songs in our musical lifetime!

Always visit again, as I’m am updating this blog regularly with some of your favorite artists, and forthcoming music from myself with “The Anticipation Of R&B” ! I appreciate your support. Enjoy the ride baby!

Rho (Miss R&B)

The Jackson 5

Jackson 5 in their famous performance for Motown 25!

The Jackson 5 announcing at the 1973 Grammy’s…

The Supremes

The Supremes performing “Stop! In the name of love”

The Supremes singing “Reflections”…

The Tempations

The Temptations singing “Papa was a rollin’ stone” live

The Temptations gettin’ down with “I wish it would rain”

The Four Tops

The Four Tops from the early days in raw footage singing “I Can’t Help Myself”(sugar pie honey bunch)…

The Four Tops live performance of their 70’s hit “Ain’t No Woman Like The One I Got”

Earth, Wind and Fire

Earth, Wind and Fire video ” Let’s Groove”

Earth, Wind and Fire with “Reasons” performed by Phillip Bailey

The Emotions

The Emotions singing one of their hits “Best of My Love”

The Emotions singing “Don’t Ask My Neighbor”

The O’Jays

The O’Jays performing an oldie AND goodie! “For The Love Of Money” (what a jam session!)

Tower Of Power

Tower Of Power “So Very Hard To Go”

Commodores

Commodores “Sail On”

Commodores “Zoom”

Go Go’s

Go Go’s “We Got The Beat” (live)

The Beatles

The Beatles “Come Together”

The Beatles “Let It Be”

The Eagles

The Eagles “Hotel California”

Chicago

Chicago ” Hard to Say I’m Sorry”

Bee Gee’s

Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive”

Bee Gees “Night Fever”

Shalamar

Shalamar “The Lover In You”

Shalamar “Night To Remember”

The Isley Brothers

The Isley Brothers… “For The Love Of You”

The Isley Brothers … “Between The Sheets” (how many babies were conceived to this song?)

Cool In The Gang

Cool In The Gang “Ladies Night”

Cool In The Gang “Celebration”

SOS Band

SOS Band gettin’ funky with “Take Your Time (Do It Right)”

SOS Band with their hit “Just Be Good To Me”…

Parliament Funkadelic

Parliament Funkadelic … how about funkin’ our way to “One Nation Under A Groove”

Parliament Funkadelic … who didn’t funk to the dog catcher’s funk “Atomic Dog” ?

The Gap Band

The Gap Band ” Party Train”!

The Gap Band and their classic hit ” Yearning For Your Love”

Cameo

Cameo “I Just Want To Be” (funkalicious baby)

DeBarge

DeBarge with a classic favorite in “All This Love”

DeBarge performing their huge hit “Rhythm Of The Night”

The Jets

The Jets “Crush On You”

The Jets “You Got It All”

New Kids On The Block

New Kids On The Block “Please Don’t Go Girl” (pioneer pop boy band )

The Backstreet Boys

The Backstreet Boys “I Want It That Way”

N’sync

N’sync “Gone”

Guy

Guy “Let’s Chill” (another baby makin’ classic)

Guy “Fantasy” (back when people weren’t afraid to really dance at parties)

Boys To Men

Boys To Men “Motown Philly”

Boys To Men “Water Runs Dry”

SWV

SWV … “Weak”

SWV with one of our favorite remix remakes “Right Here”

New Edition

New Edition “Mr. Telephone Man” in their younger years

New Edition “If It Isn’t Love” Live… ( doin’ their thing!)

Mint Condition

Mint Condition “Pretty Brown Eyes”

TLC

TLC “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”

TLC “Waterfalls”

Jodeci

Jodeci “Forever My Lady” (the song that started it all)

Jodeci “Stay” (whoo!)

Destiny’s Child

Destiny’s Child “Cater To You”

Destiny’s Child “Soldier”(Show performance-hot!)

Manhattan Transfer

Manhattan Transfer “Java Jive” ( blended live performances)

Manhattan Transfer”How High The Moon” (with the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald singing live for the Grammy’s )

Take 6

Take 6 “Wade In The Water”

Take 6 “I L-O-V-E U”

The Winans

The Winans “Question Is”

The Clark Sisters

The Clark Sisters “You Brought The Sunshine”

Run DMC

Run DMC “You Talk Too Much” (hip hop heroes)

Run DMC “It’s Like That”

NWA

NWA “Straight Outta Compton” (pioneers of gangsta rap)

I thought I’d complete the journey with my former group, the legendary…

En Vogue

En Vogue “Hold On” (those black dresses… )

En Vogue “Don’t Go” (Terry singing her face off and the ladies impeccably backing her up)

In July we discovered a psychedelic outfit with the unlikely name Magical Unicellular Music:

One shouldn’t mix V.O.M. with most of the psychedelic culture, that is frequently filled with memory loss – V.O.M. suggests remembering. Remembering as much as one can, bit by bit. This is true, primitive music.

Several bands simultaneously function in the context of the Magical Unicellular Music project in different cities – V.O.M. III and V.O.M. V in Minsk, V.O.M. IV in Moscow.

III’s latest release is Kampuchea, my Kampuchea, which you can find over at Clinical Archives. For an archive of our dispatches on Clinical Archives, click here.

PS: I like it. Right now I’m listening to “Take 6.”

PPS: A weird psychedelic LP is the perfect opportunity to upload my weird, psychedelic profile picture. I’m naming it “Crazy Redneck,” because, damn. I was in a perfectly fine mood when I took that picture, I promise. But, damn.

PPPS: Sorry. Not “profile picture.” It’s “gravatar.” I am duly chastened.

Depois de muito tempo, estou aqui…tentando  escrever nesse blog. Nos ultimos dias eu passei por momentos turbulentos que ocuparam o meu tempo, tirando o meu lazer…Oh como é dura essa vida de NERD..rs

Essa semana tive o prazer de me reencontrar com um amigo que não via a muito tempo, meu grande amigo Juninho. Ele cantou comigo no Praise Six em uma das melhores fases do grupo…Eu, Juninho, Fabão, Paulo, Irley e André formava o grupo cantando músicas no estilo Take 6, na verdade cantávamos versões e os arranjos eram muito parecidos com os arranjos originais do Take, só mudava uma coisa ou outra…mas foi muito legal cantar com os caras. Saudades!

Falando em saudades  vou expressar aqui publicamente a saudade que eu estou sentindo do meu sobrinho Hygor. Faz um tempão que eu não o vejo, você pode estar pensando…Que tio desnaturado é você Digão!…Nada disso…A real é que minha ausência é a consequência de uma decisão que não foi feita por mim…entendeu?!?!

Resumindo…Sou vítima da escolha errada dos outros, infelizmente é isso qe me afasta do meu sobrinho.

Desde quando ele nasceu eu imaginei como seria a minha vida de Tio. Sabe aquela coisa de chegar pro meu irmão e dizer “Aí…vou pegar o Hygor pra passear beleza?!” e sair por aí, levar pra um playground, ensinar ele a contar piadinhas, gastar dinheiro com um monte de besteiras, e no fim do dia voltar pra casa  sentar no sofá e ouvir ele contar toda a nossa “aventura” pro meu irmão…rsrs. Enfim…coisas de Tio coruja!

Mas isso é sonho, ele ainda é muito novinho, espero que essa distância não seja efetiva…tenho fé que um dia vou curtir muito meu sobrinho e também passar muita coisa boa pra ele.

As gravações com o Roney Giah estão ficando muito boas. A cada dia de gravação estamos ficando mais empolgados, o Roney também..rsrs.

Estou com muita vontade de fazer música, peguei duas das músicas do Roney pra fazer o arranjo vocal. Não tenho o hábito de fazer arranjos vocais geralmente eu auxilio os meus amigos do grupo nos arranjos que eles fazem, ajudo na parte rítmica (yes…esse é o meu forte!) ou na dinâmica, essa vai ser a minha primeira experiência como arranjador de uma música inteira para o Perseptom…Espero que eles gostem.

Por enquanto é só…agradeço as pessoas que visitaram e continuam visitando o meu blog…só lembrando que eu sou novato nessas coisas, agradeço em especial a minha Tia Ely, minha prima Amanda, à Jú (que sempre diz que vai postar um comentário mas nunca comenta..rs),  Keila, Gustavo de Floripa e mais outras pessoas que eu não lembro agora…em outra postagem eu coloco os nomes..rs

Abraços

Diego de Jesus

After years of collaborating on successful projects, Cameron Gardner and I decided we needed a home. Not so much a physical space, but more of a virtual retreat of sorts, where we could go to review our successes, jot down musings, draw on the walls (or in our case… trees) and cultivate the kind of vibe that allows big ideas to thrive. The result is Hodgegarden. And while we’ve just completed our first expression of www.hodgegarden.com, phase two is already in the works. After all, continually evolving is a big part of who we are, and indicative of the natural metamorphosis that occurs when seedlings of inspiration take root in our lush creative.

As you enter Hodgegarden you might assume we’re a hip new design studio, or a creative collaborative for ad agencies and in-house marketing groups, or a film development company, or experiential marketing wunderkinds, or fledgling game developers. Truth is… Hodgegarden is all of those things, but first and foremost, Hodgegarden is brand-saturated storytelling.

Brand-saturated storytelling stirs imaginations, inspires discussions, heightens awareness and connects consumers to brands through super-charged emotional experiences.

Led by Matt Hodgson (Director/Writer/Creative Director) and Cameron Gardner (Concept Design Director/Creative Director), Hodgegarden crafts compelling brand-saturated stories for the cinema, commercials, films, viral videos, music videos, live events, and interactive web and game sites.

We’re always looking for feedback. If you have any questions or comments on the work you see at www.hodgegarden.com, or if you’re interested in speaking with us about an upcoming project we would love to hear from you.

We hope you’ll in enjoy your time at Hodgegarden, and hope you’ll return often to explore our capabilities in Illustration, Motion Design, Storyboards, Graphic & Web Design, Social Media Strategies and Internet Marketing, as these new paths are added to the garden.

Hodgegarden is a proud member of the Collectiv. (http://collectiv.worpress.com)

I’ve heard that Take 6 write their own arrangements, although for some reason I think this particular arrangement was done by a third party. If anyone knows otherwise let me know.

Rockapella

cima: Formação de 1990

baixo: Formação Atual

Quando comecei a mexer com música a capela eu tinha uma questão…pensava se era possível um grupo vocal a capela fazer o público ouvinte balançar ou até mesmo dançar ao som da música, sem o uso de insturmentos musicais. Depois que eu ouvi o Rockapella eu cheguei a conclusão que é possível!

O nome do grupo resume tudo, ROCKAPELLA, é o balanço do ROCK n’ ROLL na música A CAPELA. As primeiras músicas do grupo se baseavam no Rock n’ roll dos anos 50 e 60, músicas na levada de Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis e outros do Gênero…mas isso foi mudando com o tempo e com a popularide que o grupo adquiria.

A primeira vez que eu vi e ouvi o grupo foi em um video na casa do meu amigo Irley Santos. Minha intenção era ver alguma coisa do Take 6, ele pegou uma das suas fitas VHS e me disse “Nessa fita tem o Take cantando em um encontro de grupos a capela…pode ver que é dahora!”…Comecei a assistir, o primeiro grupo a cantar eram 4 carinhas esquisitos com jaqueta de couro e óculos escuros, de repente começam a cantar uma musiquinha bacana…era o Rockapella cantando a música “Zombie Jamboree” no documentário que alavancou o grupo para o sucesso “Spike Lee & Co. – Do It A cappella”. Achei divertido o estilo de fazer música a capela deles, a partir dai eu decidi procurar mais sobre eles.

Após varias aparições na TV, viagens ao Japão (onde eles gravaram vários discos e são bem populares) o Rockapella se tornou uma das maiores referências na música a capela contemporânea, em seus trabalhos atuais os arranjos estão com um som mais “Pop” comparado aos primeiros arranjos, isso graças ao integrante, compositor, arranjador, produtor (e pq não…Ditador..rs) do grupo Scott Leonard. Eles conseguiram fazer com que a música a capela não fosse só para ouvir e apreciar mas também para se curtir e sacudir a caixa d’água*!..rs

Ultimamente eu estou ouvindo muito o Rockapella, desde as músicas mais antigas até as mais atuais, sou um fã confesso do som deles. Sabe aquelas pessoas que tocam no som do carro um Funk Carioca, um Forró ou um Sertanejão? Então…um dia vou fazer isso com o Rockapella…aumentar o som do carro o máximo possível, parar na frente de uma padaria ou posto de gasolina ouvindo “Moments of You” ou o CD “Live In Concert…Já pensou?!

Falando em Live in Concert…vou disponibilizar o link do CD pra quem quiser ouvir. É o album onde eles cantam várias músicas, as mais antigas e as mais recentes…todas ao vivo.

É um dos melhores CDs do grupo.

http://rapidshare.com/files/35876216/Rockapella_In_Concert.rar

Quem quiser saber mais sobre o grupo…comente que eu respondo, ok?!

www.rockapella.com

Abraços

Diego de Jesus

A’Capella is music without instrumental accompaniment, or “vocal music.” Typically, when I think of A’capella music, I think of the traditional barbershop quartets, religious choirs (gospell, christmas carols, chanting, etc.), or peppy university groups that sing at all the school events. But with recent trends, I wonder if A’Capella music is becoming a bigger part of popular culture…

My friend sings in the A’Capella group, SONOS and they are officially my new favorite vocal group! They are performing tonight (6/30) at the Banana Republic at The Grove at 8pm. Check it out if you are in the area.

If you are interested in exploring the genre further, here are some more great examples of A’Capella:

A’Capella commercial: Honda

Bjork’s A’Capella album: Medulla

Ben Folds’ latest album: University A’Capella!

And don’t forget the A’Capella veterans who truly commercialized the genre: Rockapella and Take 6…

Pretty impressive if you ask me.

On Monday June 8, the night after Neil Patrick Harris hosts the Tony Awards, Broadway will have a second starry night, for a spectacularly good reason. Joanne Woodward, Robert Redford & Julia Roberts will co-host

REDFORD: Paul pal

a fundraiser Celebration of Paul Newman’s Hole-In-The-Wall Camps with performances by Joshua Bell, Harry Connick, Jr., Art Garfunkel, Yo-Yo Ma, Jerry Seinfeld, Take 6 and James Taylor. Tickets begin at $50 and are available through Center Charge, 212-721-6500 or www.lincolncenter.org. Benefit tickets including an after-party begin at $1,500 and are available for purchase through the Benefit Office, 212-627-0678. The evening will benefit the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps – the world’s largest family of camps for children with serious and life-threatening medical illnesses. The camps were Paul Newman’s dream and this event will celebrate his legacy.

To which we say, Bravo!

* * *

NO PEOPLE LIKE SHOW PEOPLE: Mentalist star Simon Baker is set to co-star with Casey Affleck in the thriller The Killer Inside Me … dynamic

PARKER: prescient

Weeds heroine Mary-Louise Parker is still smarting over her nude bathtub scene from last year’s finale. “I didn’t think I needed to be naked, and I fought with the director about it, and now I’m bitter,” she tells More magazine in its June issue. “I knew it was going to be on the Internet: ‘Mary Louise shows off her big nipples.’ I wish I hadn’t done that. I was goaded into it.” So are we surprised that “Mary Louise shows off her big nipples” is currently among the Most Viewed clips on Google Trends? … and ‘gorgeous’ Kerry Connelly opens a two-night stand tonight at the Jane Mallett Theatre, bringing some of her favourite repertoire by Stephen Sondheim, Georges Bizet, Steven Schwartz and more. For a soupcon of Kerry in action just click here.

* * *

SANDLER: reunion

FLICKERS: Chalk up a first leading role in a feature film for Christina Aguilera. She’ll play “an ambitious small-town girl with a big voice who tries to escape a hollow past” in Steven Antin’s Burlesque …  Ray Stevenson has the title role in the forthcoming crime drama The Irishman … Adam Sandler’s new comedy, The Lake House, is not, repeat, NOT a remake of the Sandra Bullock-Keanu Reeves melodrama. In this one Sandler plays one of a bunch of guys (Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade) who get together for a reunion at a summer cottage … and Robert De Niro will play parole officer to Edward Norton’s arsonist in John Curran’s Stone.

* * *

BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO DO IS DIRECT: Currently launching Inglourious Basterds in Cannes, Quentin Tarantino is reportedly plotting

AGUILERA: leading lady

a new film called Weekend, to be filmed in Serbia (!?!) with Sharon Stone, Jessica Biel, Lucy Liu, Dennis Hopper and Michael Madsen … remember H.A.L., the wondrous computer magically voiced by Douglas Campbell in Stanley Kubrick’s masterwork 2001: A Space Odyssey?  Now Kevin Spacey is following in his voiceprints, playing Sam Rockwell’s robot companion in Moon, a new sci-fi thriller spine-tingler penned by two famous sons – Nathan Parker, son of filmmaker Alan Parker, and Duncan Jones, son of David Bowie. Duncan, formerly known as Zowie, also directs … and as we near the 40th anniversary of the murder of actress Sharon Tate and four others at the hands of Manson family cult members, Oliver Stone is in talks with Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecuting attorney on the Manson case, to bring his creepy classic  Helter Skelter to the big screen.

Hope not. Four decades later, it’s still too fresh for some of us.

Spéciale kassededi à Ryu.

This week I purchase an album that dropped on Tuesday from a personal favorite. It\’s been a while for former professional basketball player, musician, instrumentalist, producer, music executive and pastor, Ben Tankard.

Tankard has won 9 Stellar Awards, 34 Stellar, 8 Dove, 3 Grammy nominations and is the best selling GospelJazz instrumentalist in the world. Also a \”hit-maker\” producer, Ben discovered Yolanda Adams and has produced several top records on her as well as collaborations with Take-6, Fred Hammond, John P. Kee, among others. See Tankard with Take 6 in the video below.

Ben takes full responsibility for his errors in life and states, \”we all have made bad decisions from time to time and have to face-the-music for our mistakes. However, the thing to remember is \”if you can look-up you can get-up, if you can get-up you can get-dressed, and if you can get-dressed, you can get-going\”. God is faithful to forgive and restore. You have to become better not bitter. Something APB needs to remember for myself.

As my life progresses year by year through the seasons, I try to value each one for its innate gifts and unique pleasures. Spring always come with more light and typically more performances and singing work after a mid-winter lull. This year is no exception, and my next concerts are all clumped together in April and May. As I type this, I’m in the air, on my way to Washington D.C via Houston to sing the two shows listed first below, and I’m greatly looking forward to singing in Constitution Hall!

April 16 Sixth Wave at the America Sings 20th Anniversary Gala Concert at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC
April 18 Beethoven’s Wig in Spring, TX, outside of Houston
– link to tickets and location is HERE
April 23 Sixth Wave at the acclaimed UNC Jazz Festival in Greeley, Colorado
– more info HERE
The UNC Jazz Festival has fast-forwarded the careers of many jazz artists, including one the a cappella groups we most admire, Take 6. Perhaps we’ll ride a little in their wake? Whee!

Speaking of Take 6, I got to do a couple of sessions with their bass, Alvin Chea, for an upcoming TV show, “Glee!”. He and I, along with Cindy Bourquin, Gerald White, and Tim Davis, are the quintet of a cappella “swingle-style” singers you’ll hear in the bumpers and backgrounds for the show. It premieres on May 19, right after “American Idol” on Fox, with the rest of the season airing in the fall. It’s a musical sitcom (!) about a glee club, of all things, and looks to be a rather prominent artistic endeavor, and a nice relief from the rehashed reality series.

Other recent sessions include choir cues for the scores for “Witch Mountain”, “Wolvervine”, and “Ice Age 3″, and commercials for Lexus and Cocoa Puffs.

My next concerts are on May 13 with Sixth Wave for MusicFest in Toronto, and again with them at the Coffee Gallery in Pasadena, CA, on June 11. Beethoven’s Wig appears in Tulsa, OK, on JUune 14, and at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles on July 11.

By Don Heckman

 Los Angeles

 - April 7. (Tues.)  Saxophonist Rickey Woodard’s hard swinging, adventurous playing is the perfect opening act for this new jazz room.  Bar Melody – Bar & Grill.  (310) 670-1994.  www.barmelodyla.com.

 - April 8. (Wed.)  Katya and Marielle Labeque and Mayte Martin..  ”De Fuego y de Agua”  The elegant, pianist siblings join Catalonian singer Martin in an unlikely encounter between Spanish classical music and traditional flamenco. UCLA Royce Hall. (310) 825-2101.  www.uclalive.org

 - April 8. (Wed.)  Santa Barbara’s Mellonie Irvine brings her warm-toned, briskly swinging vocals to an appearance at Hollywood’s premiere jazz room. Catalina Bar & Grill.  (323) 466-2210.  www.catalinajazzclub.com.  

 - April 8. (Wed.) Manhattan Transfer. The intrepid quartet continue adding to their expanding definition of the glories of vocal quartet jazz. Cerritos Center.  (562) 467-8818  www.cerritoscenter.com

 April 8 – 11. (Wed. – Sat.)  Steve Coleman Sextet.  Cutting edge alto-saxophonist Coleman and his equally adventurous sextet slice open the box of contemporary jazz possibilities. The Jazz Bakery  (310) 271-9039.  www.jazzbakery.com.

 April 9. (Thurs.)  Lila Downs.  The Mexican-American’s startlingly diverse eclecticism is on full display in her Grammy-nominated CD, “Shake Away.”  Expect to hear everything from Fleetwood Mac and Lucinda Williams to Downs originals.. UCLA Royce Hall. (310) 825-2101.  www.uclalive.org

 - April 10 & 11. (Fri. & Sat.) Leonard Cohen.  The poet/singer/songwriter returns, selling out concert-sized venues wherever he goes.  And with good reason.  He’s one of the true ’60s/’70s originals.   Nokia Theatre. (213) 763-6030.   http://www.nokiatheatrelalive.com  

 - April 12. (Sun.)  Jennifer Leitham Trio.  Left-handed bass playing, delivered with dancing, swinging enthusiasm and imagination. Lighthouse Café.  (310) 376-9833.  www.lighthousecafe.net.

 San Francisco

 - April 8. (Wed.)  Take 6. A cappella meets the lush, moving harmonies of contemporary jazz in the always startling music of this remarkable ensemble. Yoshi’s San Francisco.  (415) 655-5600.  www.yoshis.com

 New York City

 - April 7 & 8. (Tues. & Wed.)  Allan Harris: Songs of Strayhorn. And what songs they are, starting with “Lush Life,” written – incredibly – when Strayhorn was still a teen-ager.  Harris brings the right sort of panache to a collection of music that deserves a far wider hearing.  Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola. (212) 258-9595.  www.jalc.org/dccc  

 - April 9 – 12. (Thurs. – Sun.)  Jimmy Scott & the Jazz Expressions. You haven’t really heard the full possibilities of a ballad until you’ve  heard it sung by Scott, at one of his glacial, but utterly captivating tempos.  Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola. (212) 258-9595.  www.jalc.org/dccc  

Five releases in rotation at home and in the car – a list without comment (in alphabetical order):

Madeline Eastman, Can You Hear Me? (Mad Kat, 2008)

Gov’t Mule, Mighty High (ATO, 2007)

Wynton Marsalis, He and She (Blue Note, 2009)

Avery Sharpe, Autumn Moonlight (JKNM, 2009)

Take 6, The Standard (Heads Up, 2008)

By Don Heckman

Los Angeles

- March 30 (Mon.) The Frank Capp Juggernaut Big Band. It’s a juggernaut, all right – a hard driving, deeply swinging collection of L.A.’s finest players, working through the scintillating repertoire of the Great American Big Band Book. Charlie O’s. (818) 994-3058. www.charlieos.com

- April 1. (Wed.) The Alan Broadbent Trio. Broadbent is a superb arranger and a much-valued accompanist. But best of all, he’s a jazz pianist with the voice, the sensitivity and the imagination to produce constantly compelling music. Jazz Bakery (310) 271-9039. www.jazzbakery.com.

- April 1. (Wed.) Jenny Scheinman. Violinist Scheinman showcases material from her recent album, “Crossing the Field,” with guitarists Nels Cline and Moe Hawk. “Crossing the Field.” Largo.

– April 2. (Thurs.) Bill Frisell’s Disfarmer Project. The ever-curious Frisell presents an original compositional suite based upon photographer Mike Disfarmer’s stunning, Depression era images of rural Arkansas life. (310) 440-4500. www.skirball.org

- April 2 – 5. (Thurs. – Sun.) Omar Sosa. Sosa’s new CD, “Across the Divide: A Tale of Rhythm and Ancestry” – inspired by the Middle Passage of African slaves to the U.S.– is a richly textured blend of jazz, folk songs, hymns and spoken word, celebrating the American confluence of cultures. Jazz Bakery (310) 271-9039. www.jazzbakery.com.

- April 3. (Fri.) Charmaine Clamor. She may be the pathfinder for “Jazzipino” music, but Clamor’s career ignites in other directions as well. On April 18 , she’ll reprise her English/Tagalog performance of “The Vagina Chronicles” in New York; in June, she’ll receive a Filipino “Oscar” from the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences as the “Philippine Pride Best Jazz Vocalist.” But first, she’ll be in L.A. for a not to be missed one nighter at Catalina Bar & Grill. (323) 466-2210. www.catalinajazzclub.com

Kendra Shank

- April 3. (Fri.) Kendra Shank with the Geoff Keezer Trio. The songs on the versatile Shank’s new album, “Mosaic,” run the gamut from Carole King to Johnny Mandel to Bill Evans to a poem by Rumi. Steamers. (714) 871-8800 www.steamersjazzcafe.com. Shank also performs at the Crowne Plaza LAX Hotel on Thursday, April 1 (310) 642-7500. www.CrownePlaza.com.

- April 4. (Sat.) Kayhan Kalhor and Brooklyn Rider. Iranian kamancheh (spike fiddle) master Kalhor teams up with the envelope-stretching string Quartet, Brooklyn Rider to perform selections from their new CD, “The Silent City.” UCLA Live at Royce Hall. (310) 825-2101. www.uclalive.org

- April 4. (Sat.) Chango Spasiuk. Don’t let the name fool you. Accordionist Spasiuk, the offspring of Ukrainian immigrants, is one of the masters of northeast Argentina’s dancing, schottische-like chamamé music. The Getty. http://www.getty.edu.

- April. 4 & 5. (Sat. & Sun.) The Duke Ellington 110^th birthday Anniversary Festival of Music. Various UCLA music department ensembles explore the full range – from small group jazz to sacred music – of the Ellington repertoire. Open to the public and free of charge. UCLA’s. Schoenberg Hall. (310) 206-3033. www.friendsofjazz.ucla.edu.

- April 5. (Sun.) Jazz Brunch with the John and Jeanne Pisano. The briskly swinging sounds of the Flying Pisanos – vocalist Jeanne and guitarist John – and an overflowing buffet. Call it a great way to highlight a weekend. Spazio. (818) 728-8400. www.spazio.la/jazz.php

- April 5. (Sun.) Organica with Christophe Bull. The 10^th anniversary celebration of Bull’s always compelling multi-media illuminations of the pipe organ. Special guests include Norton Wisdom, I-Chin Feinblatt, Lili Haydn, Paulist Choristers of California, Richard Martinez and Robert Woolsey UCLA Royce Hall. (310) 825-2101. www.uclalive.org 7 p.m.

- April 5. (Sun.) Page Cavanaugh Tribute. Leonard Maltin leads an afternoon celebration of the life of the pianist/Singer whose airy instrumental work and whisper vocals created a template for cool, swinging night club jazz. 11 a.m. Catalina Bar & Grill. (323) 466-2210. www.catalinajazzclub.com

San Francisco

Joshua Redman

- April 1 – 5. (Wed. – Sun.) Joshua Redman’s appropriately titled new album, “Compass,” continues his expansive journey through the possibilities of the saxophone/bass/drums trio format. His partners here are Matt Penman and drummer Greg Hutchinson. Yoshi’s Oakland. . (510) 238-9200. www.yoshis.com.

- April 4 & 5. (Sat. & Sun.) Oregon. Three decades together, and Paul McCandless and his associates continue to produce music that is as stylistically inclusive as it is creatively compelling. The band’s newest release, Yoshi’s San Francisco. (415) 655-5600. www.yoshis.com

New York City

- March 31 – April 2. (Tues. – Thurs.) Ted Nash and Odeon. A rare appearance by saxophonist Nash’s eclectic ensemble, performing music that finds the common ground between jazz, tango, country music and a variety of ethnic sounds from the Middle East. The Jazz Standard (212) 576-2252. http://www.jazzstandard.net/red/index.html

- March 31 – April 4. (Tues. – Sat.) Jessica Molaskey and the John Pizzarelli Quartet. One of the jazz world’s most visible married couples, Molaskey and Pizzarelli have all the entertaining amiability of Keely Smith and Louis Prima, with a lot more to say musically. Birdland. (212) 581-3080. www.birdlandjazz.com

Lee Konitz

- March 31 – April 5. (Tues. – Sun.) Lee Konitz and Friends. Regardless of who the “Friends” may be, any chance to hear Konitz in person is a chance to tap into the essence of what jazz is all about. More than an iconic figure, Konitz is one of jazz history’s great creators, still in rare form, still offering masterful new information. The Village Vanguard (212) 255-4037. http://villagevanguard.com

- March 31 – April 5. (Tues. – Sun.) The Wonderful World of Armstrong. Saxophonist Victor Gaines and trombonist Wycliffe Gordon recall the glories of Satchmo, with Gordon adding his atmospheric vocals for good measure. Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola. (212) 258-9595. www.jalc.org/dccc .

- April 2. (Thurs.) Bang on a Can All-Stars. The no-boundaries chamber ensemble premiers works by Lok Yin Tang, Kate Moore and Lee Ranaldo (who also appears as a special guest), as well as the always-fascinating Fred Frith’s “Snakes and Ladders.” Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center. (212) 501-3330. http://kaufman-center.org/merkin-concert-hall

Reading, Pennsylvania

March 27 – April 5. The 19^th Annual Berks Jazz Fest. Smooth jazz and a lot more at this annual musical delight in a pleasant old southeast Pennsylvania city (my home town) along the Schuylkill River. Featured performers in the expansive program include David Benoit, Rick Braun, Chuck Loeb, Brian Bromberg, Anat Cohen, Brian Culbertson, Bela Fleck, Bobby Lyle, Paul Jackson Jr., Mitch Forman, Chieli Minucci, Andy Narell, Randy Brecker, Joyce Cooling, Jeff Kashiwa, Steve Smith & Vital Information, Phoebe Snow, Tierney Sutton Band, Take 6, Derek Trucks, McCoy Tyner Quartet, Gerald Veasley, Nnenna Freelon, Peter White, Mindi Abair, Victor Wooten and many others. At locations around Reading, PA. Tickets from Ticketmaster: (800) 745-3000 Festival information: http://www.berksjazzfest.com/index.htm

Bill Frisell photo by Ralph Gibson

Randy Brecker photo by Rusty Russell

Play 6 nimmt! ( also know as Catagory 5, Slide 5, Take 6! and Tag 6! ) online at the BSW website for free today. We are kicking off a card game month of March.

Cards are played in turns onto four  rows. Players attempt to play all their cards without laying the 6th card down in a row, this results in taking the 6 cards and all the points. Over a predetermined number of rounds the player with the least points wins.

I caught a portion of Christmas at Union Station featuring Take 6 and Trin-i-tee 5:7 this morning on Gospel Music Channel. Trin-i-tee 5:7 was good but I missed my guys Take 6. I did catch part of another episode featuring Natalie Grant. Good stuff!

Speaking of Take 6, Brian Mcknight’s second Christmas album is available. I heard an interview a few weeks and his sons participated on the album.

Can you tell me who is the best selling Christmas music artist of all time? I’ll wait. I got this right when Nightline used in on one of their teasers this week. If you said Mannheim Steamroller you know your stuff. Over 20 million Christmas albums sold.

Here in the Northeast, we had back-to-back snow storms dropping 6″-10″. Gotta go clear some snow now. As winter officially started today, it puts me in the mood for the David Beniot album Waiting for Spring. Sit back in front of the fireplace, sit back and close your eyes … and wait for spring.

Freu dich, du Zionsstadt! Jubelt laut, ihr Bewohner Jerusalems! Euer König kommt! Er bringt das Recht und die Rettung.

Und doch ist er nicht hochmütig; er reitet auf einem Esel, ein einfacher Esel ist sein Reittier. Er schafft die Pferde und Streitwagen ab in Jerusalem und ganz Israel, auch die Kriegsbogen werden zerbrochen. Er stiftet Frieden unter den Völkern. Über Länder und Meere erstreckt sich seine Herrschaft, soweit die Erde reicht.

Sacharja 9,9-10

In Christus ist Gottes Gnade sichtbar geworden – die Gnade, die allen Menschen Rettung bringt. Sie erzieht uns dazu, uns von aller Gottlosigkeit und von den Begierden dieser Welt abzuwenden und, solange wir noch hier auf der Erde sind, verantwortungsbewusst zu handeln, uns nach Gottes Willen zu richten und so zu leben, dass Gott geehrt wird. Seine Gnade führt auch dazu, dass wir voll Sehnsucht auf die Erfüllung der Hoffnung warten, die unser höchstes Glück bedeutet: das Erscheinen unseres großen Gottes und Retters Jesus Christus in seiner ganzen Herrlichkeit.

Er ist es ja, der sich selbst für uns hingegeben hat, um uns von einem Leben der Auflehnung gegen Gottes Ordnungen loszukaufen und von aller Schuld zu reinigen und uns auf diese Weise zu seinem Volk zu machen, zu einem Volk, das ihm allein gehört und das sich voll Eifer bemüht, Gutes zu tun.

Titus 2,11-14

In zwei, drei Stunden werde ich mit meiner Familie an die Nordsee fahren, um dort die Feiertage zu verbringen. Wir haben dort keinen Internetanschluss, also war das aller Wahrscheinlichkeit nach mein letzter Eintrag dieses Jahr! Euch allen frohe Weihnachten und ein schönes neues Jahr – wir sehn uns auf der anderen Seite!

Zu guter Letzt noch etwas Lustiges von meinen Lieblingen: