Vocalese

Vocalese Steeze

After a day of speaking Spanish, I want to come home and get some English straight infused in me so that I know I'm atleast competent in one language.  A while ago, Isaac sent me this video of Dave Brubeck and Al Jarreau doing "Take 5".  The band was ofcourse professionally awesome but I was more captivated by the singing.  I can't say I fell in love with it right away but it was so different that it made me listen.  

So later, or maybe before, I stumbled upon a video of Annie Ross' "Twisted".  I looked up Annie Ross and found out the style of singing was called "vocalese".  I "obtained" some music from "Lambert, Hendricks and Ross", the vocalese group and I was reading the inside cover of the pamphlet and the music is pretty crazy.  And by "crazy" I mean that sometimes it is so busy that it is hard to listen to.  I definitely cannot study to it.  But some of the songs are put together so well and are really fun to listen to.  

So the trio undertook this project of imitating the horns a whole band, choosing Count Basie's Big Band, and Jon Hendricks wrote the lyrics to not only the solos but the ensemble passages as well.  It's basically like scatting, which vocalizes solos, but putting words to it.  60 hours of studio time and multi taping led to the completion of this project and Basie's  own rhythm section contributed as well.  The reason I sort of wrote about this is because I went to a performance at Steamers' cafe and the singer did a vocalese song and it was super swinging.  

Here is one song "Everyday" .  Basie's "Everyday".  

Annie Ross' "Twisted" w/Count Basie.

Happiness

Slow Koalas

The title is my attempt at picturing happiness.  Koalas are happy and cute, right?  This blog has pretty much turned into a music review site so here's a little change of direction.  Today, I was re-listening to a sermon by a woman I met who sort of heads a ministry in Berkeley called "The Ark".  I was listening to it in the library and I was really affected by it.  I took notes because I wanted to act like I was doing something while listening.  Here's a little of what I got from it. 

Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  -2 Cor. 9:7

There are a lot of times I feel like I must do something to be an ambassador of God's will.  Like when we see verses like "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart".  The religious spirit says that , "You should have no needs or desires because that is selfish and that is a sin."  So we end up hating ourselves (because ofcourse self-hatred looks godly) saying, "I don't care about my own needs, I have no needs... i count myself as nothing...give give give.".  But when we ignore and criticize our own needs and ourselves, we end up hating others because there is no root of love founded in the works.  I can testify to having resentment for the community over overworking and it's not the fault of other people but it is because I haven't learned to say "no".  

ie: Every time the Pharisees saw Jesus giving to a sinner, they would say, "Doesn't he know that guy is a sinner?".  The Pharisees' works were apparent and wonderful but their hearts was for their own glory.  

This is important.  Glorifying someone is revealing the nature of someone else.  Glorifying someone is revealing the nature of someone else.  So when we glorify God we are revealing his nature.  But when we do things out of obligation, we are revealing our own nature and we are directing the glory towards ourselves.  So when we are working under obligation, we are actually glorifying ourselves.  

One of my favorite stories in the bible is that of Mary and Martha.  I really do feel for Martha because I can relate totally.  The voice of Martha is "You should ...you should do this if you're a good christian.  You're good because of what you do."  But this is the voice that God hates.  We can't drive ourselves into perfection or goodness because then Jesus' blood doesn't count.  Really, we just have to sit down and be in his gaze... like, "I'm going to waste my time being with you."  I can do ministry and serve others until I die but unless I let him love me, I 'll never love.  Unless I let him love me I'll never love.  It's frighteningly beautiful, realizing that there is a God in love that is waiting for us to talk to him.  

This is longer than intended and just to put the sermon in application, you are under no obligation to read this all.  And in no way do I have any of these principles down, but what a trip.  Just an encouragement: We're perfect the way we are.  Here's the sermon if you want to listen to it.   The sermon is called Martha v. Mary Part. 1.

!Buena suerte a los que estan estudiando!

Post Game Report

Little Giants

Ok, the headline's a little trite but what a game, what a game.  I wasn't too intent about watching the game today so I slept in and came downstairs to watch with my Dad the end of the 3rd Quarter.  I think the score was 7-3 Patriots or something so I don't really regret missing the beginning.  But I was on my tippy-toes the fourth quarter.  Eli Manning.  

Great performance and that last minute pass was insane.  That's him on the left.  People don't know this but he also starred in "The Sixth Sense" with Bruce Willis.  This guy was being so criticized in the middle of the season and there was a lot of pressure on him as the former #1 draft pick.  Who didn't get teary-eyed when Fox switched from a shot of the field to a shot of Peyton Manning in a clubhouse standing and cheering his brother after the game winning touchdown?  That image still gives me the chills. 

This game reminded me of a lot of good things about sports.  Which reminds me that I must go exercise sometime this week.  I feel like a blob.  Ok here is one song that I heard on John Pizzarelli's radio show by Janis Siegel called "What am I to You".  I love this song but what really amazes me is that it is live...in a living room... ok so enjoy!