Cultural Ambassadors

Check out this great slideshow from the New York Times. It's photos from the Cold War when jazz musicians were sent to play music and build rapport with people in other countries, especially countries with strong Soviet influence.

What a fantastic example of diplomacy-sending ordinary musicians to talk about their experiences as citizens. Certainly, as Black Americans, these people weren't going to pretend everything was all bread and roses. Apparently, when the State Department tried to instruct Gillespie about how to respond to questions, he replied "I’ve got 300 years of briefing. I know what they’ve done to us, and I’m not going to make any excuses."

Musicians occupy a special place in society- they transcend a lot of class boundaries and the non-verbal nature of music gives it the potential to unite people across langauge and cultural barriers.

We should be promoting New Brunswick this way - send out our musicians as ambassadors, without any beauraucrats. I bet that would be far more effective than any waving at the border, or flyers at gas stations. Hot Toddy, Isaac and Blewett, Jens Jeppesen, the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra, these are the people I'd like to represent us.

Growing and growing

Had a great chat last night about agriculture, corn, and population growth. Basically, the only reason we can have 6 billion people on the planet is because we produced enough food to feed them.

Now we are faced with feeding many more mouths without the 'revolutionary' increase in food yields made possible by synthetic pesticides and oil-based fertilizers. With the cancer epidemic being what it is, and with oil prices continuing to climb, it's time to look past petro-chemical farming.

But that transition is going to be painful, and not everyone sees the situation this way. This article explains the huge gains being made by 'agribusiness' companies, and how they plan to invest 1.5 billion dollars in coming years to continue increasing crop yields.

I know it's political suicide to say it, but what we really need is not 1/3 more food. It's 1/3 less people, especially if all those people are eating meat twice a day and commuting to work.

Good music never goes out of style

Shout out to my sister Tracy on this one...

Another blow to freedom of expression

First there was the Senate bill to censor movie funding. Now, this. What is the world coming to?

That old time environmentalism

One of the strangest things about my grandparent's house was that it had no garbage can. It had compost, a woodstove, and plastic bags so well re-used they were as soft as cashmere. I know I could never run my house without a garbage can (although we do recycle and compost), although maybe that's a goal to keep in mind for the near future.

Here's Judith Timson debating which generation is really the greenest.

We prefer the term "tailings impoundment areas"

Most people refer to these as a "lake." You know, the large body of standing water suitable for habitat and recreation . . .

It turns out the Harper government is reclassifying 16 lakes in 4 provinces and territories as toxic waste destinations for mining by-products.

This is beyond insane.

Don Wright's tips for jingle-writers.

It's not Shakespeare, but it pays the bills . . .

Don Wright earned his nickname, the Jingle King, by composing catchy ditties for such products as Coffee Crisp, Tide and Carlings Ale.

Before his death in 2006 at age 97, he gave away millions of dollars to support music education at Canadian universities. Here are Mr. Wright's tips for successful jingle writing:

1) The melody line is most important.
2) The bass line is next in importance.
3) These two lines should imply the chord structure.
4) The words must come through. Study grand opera!
5) Keep the mood of the words. 6) Support, not hinder.
7) Do not fill until necessary.
8) No fill should cover the initial syllable, or any other important part of the word.

Enjoy~

Thinking About Residential Schools

I've been reading a lot about the Residential School Apology. Most people seem to feel the weight of the words uttered in the Commons, although some feel that the issue of genocide needs to be addressed. I will put a collection of links at the bottom if you feel like investigating.

Personally, I was stunned by the power of Native leaders on the floor of Canada's law-making house. Phil Fontaine, in his headress, addressing the Prime Minister nearly face to face, made me realize that as a European Canadian I have no idea what it means to negotiate with First Nations on a "nation-to-nation" basis. Jack Layton (like him or not) even acknowledged that the Residential School policy was 'racist,' calling us all to take a deep look at our own views towards Native people and our government's dealings with them.

On a local note, I came across a photo of a residential school near Woodstock. I would like to know how long this went on, and whether those survivors are still in the area. Given that Woodstock First Nation recently settled a land claim with the federal government, and that they have been involved in litigation about Native people and their right to cut wood on "Crown" land, it's not possible for us to pretend that quiet old Carleton County is not affected. People tend to ignore these topics because it means confronting their role as participants, however slight.

I'm not saying that absolutely everything is the fault of Europeans, but it's time to look at the situation with new eyes. We have begun the "truth" part of the "Truth and Reconciliation" commission. The "reconciliation" will take honesty and courage - let's hope we can find it.

Links: Quebec Native Women's Response

Rex Murphy "The Day The House Stood Still"

Ward Churchill "Healing Begins When the Wounding Stops"

Globeandmail.com "School-abuse apology widely backed"

What's a jingle-writin' lady to do?

It's a man's world, in music and especially in hockey. But that didn't matter to Delores Claman, who cranked out arguably the most culturally important tune in Canada. And it's an exciting bit of music, too.

Honeymoon Waning

According to Celtic myth, the Gods used to get married in May. That meant mortals had to wait until June, when the full moon was referred to as "the honeymoon." Lovers were married, and used to go for midnight picnics.

At 182 Houlton, we're writing a musical about this, interwoven with stories of murder, resurrection, betrayal and the search for "the Good Life." We will give one backyard performance next Friday, June 20th, which is the summer solstice (and the honeymoon will be waning). If you would like to attend, please email guestlist@honeymoonwaning.com. And bring a lawnchair and fly spray. The show starts at 9:30 pm. Bring your friends and family.

Long dusty thoughts for a warm day . . .

I have no thoughts of my own to offer this week, so here's a transcription of Doris Lessing's speech at the Nobels.

When she was awarded the prize, she commented that it was likely because the literary establishment suspected she might soon"pop off." Let's just say the lady has a way with words. . .

Music hath such charms

Utah Phillips, American folk singer, passed away recently. Asked about his living as a travelling musician, he said: The trade is a fine, elegant, beautiful, very fruitful trade. In that trade, I can make a living and not a killing.

So many times I've felt this too, and although I haven't been playing shows all over the continent, I am so thankful for the music in my life. Last night some friends were in a low mood. We started working on our backyard musical and it sorted itself out, laughs were had and people felt better. I've seen this with students countless times, with myself nearly everyday. Mostly I am in love with the peacefulness inherent in music-making, when so many jobs involve destruction.

I read an article about Joni Mitchell where she recounted that a fan once told her he used her music instead of taking anti-depressants. I think that's a better plan for all of us. Our brains are already wired for the dopamine, it's free, it fosters strong social connections, and it doesn't have a hangover.

Yep, of all the ways to make ends meet, making music is the best. Sorry to all you people who do something else, but I couldn't trade it, even if I wanted to.

Audience participation: leave the name of a song that cheers you up. Could make a great cd . . .

Chew on this for the weekend...

Came across this online and froze in my tracks...metaphorically, of course.

Marshall McLuhan once called on us to notice that all machines are merely extensions of the human nervous system, artifices which improve on natural apparatus, each a utopianization of some physical function. Once you understand the trick, utopian prophecy isn’t so impressive. Equally important, says McLuhan, the use of machinery causes its natural flesh and blood counterpart to atrophy, hence the lifeless quality of the utopias. Machines dehumanize, according to McLuhan, wherever they are used and however sensible their use appears.

I think there is definitely some truth in there - I am a piano player and whenever I stop and think about how complicated my hands really are, it blows my mind. And even computers, for all their processing power, can't outperform the human brain. Humans can integrate all information and evaluate it simultaneously, but computers can only trudge away, mechanically finishing one task at a time. Compared to my hand, the piano is a simpleton's toy.

Thinking about this also makes me think that the crises of modern life - obesity, diabetes, depression - are precisely those examples of "atrophy" that McLuhan is talking about. Of course, the good new in all this is that recovering our humanity is as simple as manual labour and real thinking.

Hoo-boys and girls!!

An eighth grade class at a school in the Bronx refused to take another round of standardized tests. Consider their teacher fired, although he denies being involved in planning the protest.

Remember what happened to Socrates when he was accused of "corrupting the youth?" Here's an interesting account of how the debate and trial probably went down. Interesting to note the emphasis on piety in the Athenian situation when the religion plays such a prominent role in US politics.

Arts vs. Gangs

Here's what Kardinall Offishall has to say on the subject.

Also, is it June yet? I am exhausted (hence the lack of posts).

Daily bread (or lack thereof)

Here's some food for thought . . .

Newspapers

I used to really enjoy the Saturday Globe and Mail. Yesterday I read it for the first time in six months, and remembered why I stopped buying it. The book section used to be 20+ pages and this week had less than 8 reviews. Here's what a blogger has to say about the demise of newspapers-interesting viewpoint on the need for LOCAL coverage.

Happy Anniversary, with books

Realized this morning: I have been posting here for 2 years. Wow, time flies . . .

Thursday night some friends and I went to see the newest photographs by Thaddeus Holownia, a prof at Mt. A. Outside, the Saint John was rolling, and rivers were on everybody's mind. Fittingly, the exhibit featured pictures of the salmon rivers of eastern Canada.

They took me back to the quiet stillness I felt watching the brook out back of mom and dad's house. There is a lot to see in this world if we can hold still long enough to see it. The Saint John used to be a salmon river, until the dams went in. We pay a high price for "progress," I think.

Holownia also runs a printing press. I'm realizing more and more that Chapters is the supermarket of book stores - a lot of over-processed books but not much sustenance. Especially if you've seen the Gaspereau books and breathed in their beauty.

At the reading, Thaddeus talked about the beauty of books - how producing one is democratic, as it involves contributions from many people, how people can take it home and come back to it at many times during their lives, and how having a great book in a library means it is accessible to a range of people, not just those who can afford it.

This makes me think of Gutenburg's Bible - his press gave people the most powerful book in Europe in a time of kings and serfs. What an electrifying moment: imagine those readers pomndering at the kitchen table, free from the dictated words of the priest for the first time.

The long winter

Everyone is thankful that winter is finally over. It was brutal, in more ways than one. This morning I read about a diabetic man who died because NB Power cut his power last February.

I cannot imagine what it must have been like to be him, frozen and alone, in those last days and hours. What a disgrace. It breaks my heart to know this happened here . . .

Speaking of Sustainability . . .

Here's what Jean Arnold has to say.