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10-28-08 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
HUDSON'S NEPHEW CONFIRMED DEAD: Police ID body of 7-year-old found Monday morning; Fox Studios, Arista release statements.
*Chicago police have confirmed that the body of a young boy found Monday morning in an SUV was the missing nephew of Jennifer Hudson, police Supt. Jody Weis said Monday afternoon.
Authorities found 7-year-old Julian King inside of a white Chevrolet Suburban on Chicago's West Side Monday morning. His body was on the floor in front of the SUV's middle row of seats, covered up with heavy plastic and other items to conceal the body, a police source told NBC Chicago. The boy appeared to have been shot in the back of the head, the source said. An autopsy has been scheduled for today.
King had been missing since Friday, when a cousin who lived nearby found the slain bodies of Hudson's 57-year-old mother Darnell Donerson, and 29-year-old brother Jason Hudson in the home they shared. Their deaths were ruled homicides. The Tribune reports that bullet casings were found in the boy's room on Friday.
The Chicago Police Department issued the following statement before noon Monday: "At approximately 7:06 A.M. a 1994 White Chevrolet Suburban bearing Illinois license plate X584859 and identified in the Amber Alert was located at 1313 S. Kolin. A body was discovered inside the Suburban, in the rear seat of the vehicle."
Police are reviewing surveillance tapes in the neighborhood where the SUV was found.
With the exception of having to identify all three bodies at the Medical Examiner's office, Jennifer Hudson has remained in seclusion in Chicago. According to the AP, all public events that she had scheduled over the next week or so have been canceled, and a planned video shoot for her new single "If It Isn't Love," which was to take place starting Monday in Los Angeles, was also abandoned.
Her label released this statement of support: "On behalf of the RCA Music Group and Arista Records, we send our deepest sympathies and condolences to Jennifer and her family during this difficult time."
Fox Studios, the company behind her latest film "The Secret Life of Bees," issued the following statement on Monday: "Everyone at Fox Searchlight and Twentieth Century Fox wishes to extend our deepest condolences to Jennifer and her family. Our thoughts are with them in this time of profound sadness."
Chicago police are calling the killings "domestic related" and have been questioning William Balfour, who is the estranged husband of Julia Hudson and is being held in state custody on a parole violation. Balfour is not the boy's father and has not been charged in the slayings.
Balfour's mother, Michele Balfour, has said Hudson's mother kicked Balfour out of the family home last winter. She denied her son had anything to do with the killings.
ATF FOILS OBAMA ASSASINATION PLOT: Neo-Nazi duo planned to kill presidential candidate and 88 random black people.
*ATF agents said Monday that they have broken up a plot by two neo-Nazi skinheads to assassinate Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and shoot or decapitate 88 black people.
In court records unsealed Monday in U.S. District Court in Jackson, Tenn., agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives said the duo planned to rob a gun store and target a predominantly African-American high school in a murder spree that was to begin in Tennessee, reports the Associated Press.
The skinheads did not reveal the name of the high school, but said they wanted to kill 88 African-Americans, including 14 by beheading. The numbers 88 and 14 are symbolic in the white supremacist community, referring to a 14-word phrase attributed to an imprisoned white supremacist: "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children" and to the eighth letter of the alphabet, H. Two "8"s or "H"s stand for "Heil Hitler."
The men also sought to go on a national killing spree after the Tennessee murders, leading up to an assassination of Obama as their final deed, Cavanaugh told The Associated Press.
"They didn't believe they would be able to do it, but that they would get killed trying," Cavanaugh said.
The men, Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tenn., and Paul Schlesselman 18, of Helena-West Helena, Ark., are charged with possessing an unregistered firearm, conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer, and threatening a candidate for president. They are being held without bond.
Agents seized a rifle, a sawed-off shotgun and three pistols from the men when they were arrested Oct. 22 by the Crockett County, Tenn., Sheriff's Office. Authorities alleged the two men were preparing to break into a gun shop to steal more.
The court records say Cowart and Schlesselman also bought nylon rope and ski masks to use in a robbery or home invasion to fund their spree, during which they allegedly planned to go from state to state and kill people.
For the Obama plot, legal documents show Cowart and Schlesselman "planned to drive their vehicle as fast as they could toward Obama shooting at him from the windows."
"Both individuals stated they would dress in all white tuxedos and wear top hats during the assassination attempt," the court complaint states. "Both individuals further stated they knew they would and were willing to die during this attempt."
The court documents say the two men met about a month ago on the Internet and found common ground in their shared "white power" and "skinhead" philosophy.
MOTOWN VETS BID FAREWELL TO LEVI STUBBS: Berry Gordy Jr., Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves among mourners.
*Hundreds of mourners gathered at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit Monday for the funeral of Four Tops front man Levi Stubbs, the Motown great who died in his sleep Oct. 17 at his Detroit home. He was 72.
"He will always be here," said Smokey Robinson, one of several Motown artists in attendance, according to the Associated Press. "You're going to turn on the radio and hear him tomorrow. He made his mark on the world. All of the world, you'll be able to hear Levi Stubbs forever."
Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr., also on hand, told mourners: "He made us walk in his shoes, felt what he felt and loved what he loved. He not only sang the song, he was the song."
The service included two resolutions read by members of the city council, including one that marked June 6 as Levi Stubbs Day. Martha Reeves, a Detroit city councilwoman and former lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas, called Stubbs "my Pavarotti."
"He stayed in Detroit," added Councilwoman JoAnn Watson. "He could have gone anywhere, but he stayed with his wife, stayed with his group, stayed with the Four Tops."
The Rev. Jesse Jackson called the Four Tops "a family story," remarking on the group's decades together under Stubbs' leadership.
"You just do not find an Aretha Franklin," Jackson said. "You don't find a Marvin Gaye. You don't find a Smokey Robinson. You don't find a Levi Stubbs. They don't come in bunches like grapes. They are rare pearls."
Former Temptations singer Dennis Edwards called Stubbs "the greatest lead singer ever."
T.I. FILM ON GUN VIOLENCE PREMIERES IN ATL: Documentary is part of 'Andrew Young Presents' series.
*Peace activist Andrew Young is speaking out against gun violence through a new television documentary that follows rapper T.I. as he works to make amends for a federal firearms conviction.
The hour-long film "Walking With Guns," part of a series called "Andrew Young Presents," was presented by the former United Nations ambassador on Sunday in Atlanta.
It includes extensive footage of T.I. visiting a rehabilitation hospital in New York to meet patients paralyzed by gang violence, reports the Associated Press. The film also shows T.I. and Young telling teens how to avoid violence, and follows a former gang member who is now a social activist.
"Violence would still be around without guns," T.I. said to over 400 attendees during a question-and-answer session after Sunday's screening. "But there would be an increased value of life."
Young, 76, started production on the film earlier this year, shortly after he began to mentor the 28-year-old Grammy winner. The rapper, whose real name is Clifford Harris, pleaded guilty to several charges last March and was sentenced to prison time, community service and supervised home detention. His community service includes warning young people about the pitfalls of guns, gangs and drugs.
"Some of my colleagues are disappointed with me taking this young man in," Young said of T.I. "But sometimes us old folks have to shut up and listen to the young folks to understand where they are coming from."
JOHN SINGLETON DITCHES 'A-TEAM': Director exits film after studio pressed for more time to develop script.
*Director John Singleton is no longer attached to direct the feature film adaptation of the 80s TV series "The A-Team," according to Variety.
The filmmaker reportedly balked at Fox's attempt to delay the long-gestating project for another year to allow more time for script development. The project had already been delayed multiple times due to script issues.
The Web site ComingSoon.net claims Fox is really pushing back the film to make room for an "Alvin and the Chipmunks" sequel. In either case, "The A-Team" release date has been moved from June 12, 2009 to June 11, 2010.
Ice Cube and Tyrese were both under consideration to play the character of B.A. Baracas, portrayed in the television series by Mr. T.
NE-YO FLAUNTS OBAMA SIGN BEFORE MCCAIN: Both were backstage at 'David Letterman.' Singer says, 'I'm sure he saw it.'
*Barack Obama supporter Ne-Yo says he was all too happy to be in the presence of Republican presidential nominee John McCain when both appeared last week on the "Late Show with David Letterman."
"I had a big Barack Obama sign on the back of my jacket," the singer-songwriter told the New York Daily News. "I'm sure he saw it, but I didn't go over and introduce myself or anything. I have nothing to say to that guy."
As previously reported, Ne-Yo is set to star in, executive produce and write the soundtrack for Fox Atomic's romantic feature "Venice Beach."
The film centers on an 18-year-old Manhattan Beach woman who, after her talented older sister dies in a car accident, represses her own singing talent until she meets a gifted musician-singer (Ne-Yo) from Venice Beach. A budding romance between the two turns into a quest for musical careers, which meets resistance from his friends and her family.
EL DEBARGE ARRESTED AGAIN: Singer taken in for possession of a controlled substance.
*El DeBarge, the former lead singer of his family group DeBarge, is back in jail without bail due to two outstanding warrants at the time of his arrest earlier this month for possession of a controlled substance.
According to TMZ.com, the singer, born Patrick Eldra DeBarge, was arrested last year on charges including vandalism, drugs and domestic violence. He's due back in court today, the Web site reported.
El DeBarge is the fifth of eight brothers and sixth of ten DeBarge family members. He formed the singing group, DeBarge, in 1978 with his siblings Mark, Randy, James and Bunny.
JILL MARIE JONES BOOKS COMEDY ROLE: 'Girlfriends' vet cast in Nancy Kissam's 'Drool.'
*Jill Marie Jones, best known for her run as Toni Childs on the TV comedy "Girlfriends," has been cast in writer-director Nancy Kissam's dark comedy "Drool," according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The film stars Laura Harring as an abused wife whose plan to escape with a friend, played by Jones, goes awry when she accidentally kills her husband (Oded Fehr), leading the pair to drive the body cross-country.
"Drool" was the winner of the 2006 Slamdance screenplay competition.
T.I., B.B. KING TO SEASON NBC CHIMES: Pair among famous artists tapped by network to re-interpret theme bells.
*Rapper T.I. and blues star B.B. King are among a host of famous musicians recruited by NBC to put their spin on its signature three-note bell theme in honor of its 75th anniversary.
The network's new "Chime In" promos – which also features new takes from Clint Black, the Flaming Lips, Richie Sambora, the Airborne Toxic Event and the B-52s. – will air between shows at the top and the bottom of the hour, according to Variety.
King will be seen adding a twist to the G-E-C notes on his guitar, while the B-52s have come up with a more dance-oriented take on the chimes.
"There are two objectives here: to continue to brand the tone of voice for NBC and, because we're living now in a C3 world (the commercial ratings measurement preferred by advertisers), we're trying to make our commercial breaks as entertaining as possible," said Adam Stotsky, president of NBC Entertainment Marketing.
The musicians weren't paid to do the spots but were given a "modest gift honorarium," according to NBC Agency topper John Miller.
JESSE JR. WOULD BE 'HUMBLED' TO REPLACE OBAMA: Congressman could be appointed by Illinois governor should Senate vacancy happen.
*Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) says he's ready to take the place of Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate should voters send the Democratic senator to the White House on Nov. 4.
The choice, however, is up to Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is in charge of appointing a successor to the state's U.S. Senate seat if Obama wins the presidential election.
"If Senator Obama wins — and I'm optimistic that he will — I indeed would be honored and humbled to succeed him in the U.S. Senate. But, in the end, the decision rests with Gov. Blagojevich, and I'm confident that he'll make an appointment in the best interest of the state as well as the nation," Jackson said in a statement.
Jackson Jr. is currently the co-chairman of Obama's presidential campaign. He also came to Obama's defense when his father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, famously suggested doing symbolic bodily harm to him.
'NOAH'S ARC' FILM DRAWS LOYAL AUDIENCE: Fans of LOGO TV series send big screen version to top of indie box office chart.
*MTV Networks says its romantic comedy, "Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom," topped the U.S. theatrical independent film box office with an estimated opening weekend gross of $161,302, or approximately $32,261 per screen.
The film is based on the Logo television series about the lives of four African American gay friends in Los Angeles.
When Noah (Darryl Stephens), a young screenwriter from Los Angeles, agrees to marry his partner Wade (Jensen Atwood) in a small ceremony on Martha's Vineyard, he invites his three closest friends, Alex (Rodney Chester), Ricky (Christian Vincent) and Chance (Doug Spearman) to travel cross-country with them for a weekend of revelry. What he gets instead is a weekend of revelations where secrets and lies are exposed, hearts are challenged and friendships are turned upside down.
The enormous audience response to the film's opening weekend is prompting Logo Features to add screens for the film's second weekend, MTV announced.
JOHN LEGEND BLANKETS CBS WITH NEW CD: Singer to plug 'Evolver' via two TV shows, network promos and guest appearances.
*Music from John Legend's new CD "Evolver" will appear in several CBS television shows, as well as in a promotional campaign for the network's "November Sweeps."
Tonight's episode of "NCIS" will feature the track "No Other Love," while Thursday's (Oct. 30) episode of daytime drama "The Young and the Restless" will include the new song "Cross the Line."
Legend has given "Green Light," the album's first single, to CBS for use in the network's upcoming fall lineup promotional campaign, "The Biggest November Ever is Ready to Go on CBS." The on-air promo spots will feature shots from John's "Green Light" music video intermixed with images from the network's hit dramas, comedy and reality programs.
Separately, Legend will also make appearances on CBS's morning news and late night programming. He's been booked for an appearance on "The Early Show" this morning, followed by a Thursday performance on the "Late Show with David Letterman."
SNOOP, PETE ROCK REMIX JOHNNY CASH TRACKS: Songs part of new album produced by country legend's son.
*Snoop Dogg and producer Pete Rock are among a number of artists tapped for "Johnny Cash Remixed," a collection of Cash songs re-interpreted by a number of today's hip hop and dance artists.
Pete Rock takes on Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues," while Snoop contributes a remake of the Cash's classic "I Walk the Line" with production from his new beat squad QDT, comprised of Teddy Riley and DJ Quik, reports Billboard.
"If you take your time and listen to it, country music is very similar to rap," Snoop said. "Johnny Cash is the one who stood out to me. I love his style, his swag, the songs he made."
Cash's son John Carter Cash, the project's executive producer, says the album's concept is something his father would have enjoyed.
"Dad would have loved this remix record. While it stays true to the original recordings, this CD touches on the undiscovered ground," Cash, Jr. explained. "This is what my father was about; staying true to tradition while creating groundbreaking new music."
ITTY BITTY BITS: Obama's trash talking; Stew's Songbook gig; Sharpton's new lady; 50 Cent's garden.
*New York Knicks point guard Chris Duhon says he's played pickup basketball with Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama before, and the candidate talks much trash on the court. MSG's Jill Martin asked what in particular he would say. "'You can't guard me!' Just random talk," Duhon replied. "He knows the game. He's like a point guard out there, and so he's always telling guys where to go, what to do, very vocal." Who won? "Oh, I won - he may be running for president, but I'm not going to let him win, not going to take it easy on him. I don't take it easy on anyone."
*The lineup for Lincoln Center’s 11th American Songbook series will include a March 6 concert by musicians Stew and Heidi Rodewald. The Tony-winning creators of Passing Strange will perform music from their early career and the band they founded in 1995, The Negro Problem, as well as music from their acclaimed Broadway musical. The concert will be held at the Lincoln Center's new Alice Tully Hall.
*Four years after separating from wife Kathy, the Rev. Al Sharpton may have found love again, reports New York Daily News columnists Rush & Malloy. The Rev won't reveal the lady's name, but he says it's not Marjorie Harris, the former political adviser with whom he was once linked. "Let's just say I'm not roaming around anymore," laughs the civil rights activist. Meanwhile, he'll be watching the election returns at Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King Jr. once preached. He tells the columnists: "I intend to walk across the street to Dr. King's grave with 1,000 people to have a candlelight vigil to thank him for starting the dream."
*Rush & Malloy is also reporting that 50 Cent will dedicate the Curtis (50 Cent) Jackson Community Garden at Foch Ave. and 165th St. in a ceremony to be held later today. The rapper, whose G Unity Foundation paid for the green space, will be joined by NY Restoration Project fairy godmother Bette Midler.
EUR DVD REVIEW: The Edge of Heaven (Auf der Anderen Seite)
Cross-Cultural Melodrama about Turkish Immigrants’ Adjustment to Germany Comes to DVD
DVD Review by Kam Williams
*In 2004, Fatih Akin’s Head-On brilliantly brought to light the challenges faced by Turks trying to assimilate into German culture.
Now Akin has crafted another masterpiece exploring a similar theme. This go-round, he has his protagonists venturing back and forth between Deutschland and Turkey, almost as if they are undecided about exactly where they belong.
This character-driven ensemble piece grows out of the ill-fated relationship of convenience of Ali (Tuncel Kurtiz), a senior citizen on a fixed income, and Yeter (Nursel Kose), a prostitute working in Bremen’s red light district. At the point of departure, he’s just one of her many clients.
But the two Turkish immigrants strike an unusual bargain whereby she moves into his apartment and promises to give up hooking on the condition that he pay her a salary equal to what she was making as a streetwalker.
It doesn’t take long for the plot to thicken after prideful Ali suspects Yeter of cheating on him and kills her in a jealous rage. First, he’s convicted of murder and disowned by his son, Nejat (Baki Davrak), a college professor. Then Nejat decides to provide for Yeter’s long-lost, suddenly-orphaned daughter, Ayten (Nurgul Yesilcay), presumably left behind in Istanbul.
So, he moves to Turkey unaware that the she’s already in Germany and seeking political asylum as a dissident. Not to worry. Ayten is soon denied that request and summarily deported and imprisoned in Istanbul.
She is followed there by Lotte (Patrycia Ziolkowska), a lipstick lesbian determined to spring her life partner from the slammer.
But before she even gets a chance to approach the authorities, she’s shot to death while walking through the slums by a couple of pint-sized, child muggers with a pistol. The loss inspires grieving Suzanne (Hanna
Schygulla) to retrace her daughter’s footsteps which lead to a fortuitous meeting with Ayten. What a dizzying series of events!
With the circle completed, all that’s left for this modern morality play to do is deliver the heartwarming universal message that perhaps you can teach an old dog new tricks after all, especially if they have to do with forgiveness and tolerance.
Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
In German, Turkish and English with subtiles.
Running time: 116 minutes
Studi Strand Releasing
DVD Extras: Director Faith Akin’s video diary and theatrical trailers.
To see a trailer of The Edge of Heaven, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8rhDyhIloM
EUR DVD REVIEW: Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
Kid Detective Depression-Era Whodunit Comes to DVD
DVD Review by Kam Williams
*This kiddie-oriented whodunit, based on the popular, illustrated children’s novel of the same name, stars Abigail Breslin in the title role.
The story unfolds in Cincinnati during the Great Depression which is where we find the Kittredge family better off than most only because Kit’s father (Chris O’Donnell) has managed to keep his struggling car dealership afloat.
Initially oblivious of the economic crisis, the precocious 10 year-old visits the offices of the local newspaper, hoping to have her article on the Chicago World’s Fair published.
After not being taken seriously by the tabloid’s curmudgeonly editor (Wallace Shawn), she turns her attention to more age-appropriate matters, like swearing in her friend, Florence (Erin Hilgartner), as the newest member of her secret Tree House Club.
Then, reality sets in when Kittredge Motors fails, and Kit’s father has to move to Chicago to look for employment. Meanwhile, just to keep a roof over their heads, Mrs. Kittredge (Julia Ormond) is forced to take in boarders.
There’s Lucinda Bond (Joan Cusack), a loony librarian who can’t drive straight; May Dooley (Jane Krakowski), a down-and-out dance teacher in need of a shoulder to lean on; and Jefferson Jasper Renee Berk (Stanley Tucci), a masterful magician with tons of tricks up his sleeve. So, this motley crew put on a lighthearted sideshow as the Kittredges adjust to life with a houseful of tenants.
The plot thickens when the city falls victim to a string of robberies, and Kit becomes consumed with cracking the case. Overall, this family-friendly adventure is reminiscent of the sort of fare for which Walt Disney was famous during its heyday. Given the pleasantness of the period costumes, the clean dialogue, the timely universal themes with heartwarming messages and the satisfying send-off, you have to wonder why nobody makes movies like this anymore.
Excellent (4 stars)
Rated G
Running time: 100 minutes
Studi Warner Home Video
DVD Extras: Movie trailer gallery and deleted scenes and other enhanced features via DVD-ROM.
To see a trailer of Kit Kittredge, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmPBlQcCuAs
THE JOURNAL OF STEFFANIE RIVERS: The Eleventh Hour
*Early voting for the U.S. presidential election has begun in some states. Still being undecided about who you plan to vote for is like being undecided between tofu and a meat lover's pizza. The differences couldn’t be anymore obvious.
Although conventional wisdom says presidential elections are not decided on the vice presidential running mate, this time around could prove different. Aside from the credentials – or lack thereof – of the VP wannabes, the presidential candidate’s choice of a running mate speaks volumes about his decision-making skills.
Do you prefer to have a second in command that charged her family’s travel bill to tax payers when she attended business events. Or do you prefer a VP who took the train home every night to be with his family at the end of each day?
If leadership experience is important you must decide whether thirty-six years as a senator including time spent as the former chairman of the senate judiciary committee and current chairman of the senate foreign relations committee means more than twelve years in local and state government.
Just in case John McCain or Barack Obama’s plan to improve the economy, healthcare coverage or his stance on defense spending is too confusing, it might help to treat this election as a simple job interview.
Candidate A is a former law school professor and president of the Harvard Law Review. Candidate B graduated fifth from the bottom of his class at the Naval Academy.
Candidate B and his wife have thirteen vehicles registered to them, including three foreign made. Candidate A and his wife have only one Ford registered in their name.
Candidate A and his wife own only one home, while candidate B owns eight houses.
Candidate B has more than twenty-five years in the U.S. Congress having held no committee chairmanships to speak of, while candidate A has only two years as a U.S. Senator with no committee chairmanships to his name either.
If character means anything to you, consider that candidate A has been married only once to the same woman for sixteen years. Candidate B divorced his first wife, admitting infidelity while his wife was still recovering from a near fatal car accident. His current wife is one of the women with which he admits to having an affair.
Take away political labels, faces and names and focus on the facts. It’s not a hard decision to make, but it’s a decision nonetheless.
Steffanie Rivers is a free-lance journalist living in Dallas, Texas. For public speaking inquiries, comments or questions email her at teamtcbadvertising@hotmail.com.
PEOPLE OF NOTE: Stanley Jordan: His Music is his Therapy
By Deardra Shuler
Photo by Tom Cheswick
*Stanley Jordan wowed the Iridium Jazz Club audience with his dexterity. One hand strummed the guitar and the other played the piano with an effortlessness that made it appear as if Jordan was playing only one instrument. His hands interchanged as his left played the piano and his right strummed the guitar and then switched.
Jordan earned the reputation of employing a technique known as “tapping.” He masters this special "tapping" technique on the guitar's fret board rather than using the conventional method of strumming and picking. Stanley's fluid and melodic use of tapping demonstrates his deftness and sensitivity in the use of his instruments whether playing swing, jazz or rock.
“I use a technique called ‘hammering.’ Some may call it ‘tapping’ but the technical term is “hammering on” however it’s been around a long time. When you take hammering on and develop it into a complete approach by itself instead of an adjunct to other techniques, that is called the tapping technique,” explained Stanley. “I use this method because it frees me up to play the guitar and piano at the same time. But really in my mind, even though I am obviously playing two instruments at the same time, I convince myself that I am only playing one.”
Jazz lovers first became aware of Jordan in 1985 with the release of his debut album Magic Touch. His music captured the imagination of his audience and launched his career as a new voice in music and a master of the electric guitar. Although this California prodigy cannot be labeled eccentric, one can say he is a progressive artist who marches to his own drumbeat. This was never more apparent than when he launched into his own instant creation at the start of the show.
“I started off the show with an improvisational solo piece that I made up on the spot,” said Stanley enthusiastically. “Then I did a piece by Horace Silver, “Song for my Father” a piece that inspired Silver after his trip to Brazil. Another selection I played during this set was “Impressions” by John Coltrane. After that I launched into a beautiful ballad entitled “A Child Is Born.”
Jordan also did a stirring rendition of Mozart’s piano concerto #21 but it was during the spectacular mastering of the solo bass by Charnett Moffett, a virtuoso indeed, that the house exploded and rocked its way through the band’s exquisite performance of “Return Expedition.” Moffett demonstrated that he has to be one of the most innovative bass players in the world of music by his sheer artistry of making an acoustic bass sound as if it were electric. Jordan proved he was a heavy weight himself when his lilting guitar married the bass and sent the audience off on a honeymoon of jazz fusion, funky rock and blues overtones that made the music rich, mellow and unbelievably exciting. “Before I did the ‘Raga’ CD, I was really into Indian music and very inspired by it,” claimed Jordan. “There were a couple of times when we did Return Expedition; I specifically said ‘let’s play it like it’s a raga.’ Certain things we do as ragas, like for example, we start calm, slow and quiet and then gradually build up to a crescendo.”
If one were to view the body musically, one might compare it to an orchestra which in its healthiest state performs a symphony. However, were all the instruments to stop playing it would lose its harmony, the rhythm would be lost and the orchestra would begin to play out of tune; similar to what happens when disease sets in and throws the body out of synch. Musical therapy suggests that there is a possibility that by restoring the correct resonance and frequency, the body could then once again vibrate good heath. This is the basic principle of using sound and music to heal. Stanley Jordan is a man that seeks a greater depth to his music, not only in the mastery of its melodies and rhythms but he seeks to get to the basis of its mathematical and healing proponents.
“I took a break for a while from music because I was searching for something that I couldn’t get when I was running around in the rat race. So, I took some time off for my spirit. It was during that period that I started to become interested in music therapy” stated Jordan. “I began attending national conferences to learn more about music therapy and then I went to an international conference where I became totally hooked and I decided that I was really into this modality. I decided to get involved somehow and so I enrolled in a Masters Program at Arizona State. I am still doing independent study working toward a degree.”
Since music and math have a decided affinity between the two fields, it is not so strange that Jordan would be captivated by its connection and prompted to do experimentation. “I became interested in sonification. The term Sonification used to be coined scientific sonification. But I think people began to realize you could do the process with pretty much anything representative of sound and time. The ear is very sophisticated, especially when it has to do with time. And so you can do things like tracking weather data, political polling data over time or financial data relating to the markets. I was working on a project wherein I would take some of the changes in stock prices over time and turn that into melodies that go up and down in order to get a musical feel to how the market is doing. I was comparing the US dollar versus the Canadian dollar when I noted it started dropping and not going back up so I decided to wait. I had planned to invest in order to test my theory when the housing market crashed. In that particular case, I guess my melody hit a flat note,” chuckled Stanley.
For additional info see: http://www.stanleyjordan.com
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in making new landscapes but in having new eyes." — Marcel Proust
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Oct. 28: Actress-singer Telma Hopkins (Tony Orlando and Dawn) is 60. Singer Ben Harper is 39. Singer Justin Guarini ("American Idol") is 30.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Ladies, do you need another pair of shoes? If so, here's a site with shoes in all colors and styles (www.headoverheelzonline.net/).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Oct. 28, 1981: Edward M. McIntrye elected first black mayor of Augusta, Georgia. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
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