History of Jazz Concert Report Essay

Since I have been in university, most talk of live music has revolved around â€Å"what club has a special on tonight?† or â€Å"which DJ is going to be in town this weekend?† I have nothing against electronic music but sitting in a packed bar near the Halifax Harbor listening to jazz and conversing in a booth with my friends, instead of shouting to clear the volume of dance music, has been one of the most enjoyable nights of my time at Dalhousie. I had always wanted to see some live jazz or blues here, but without the extra push of this assignment I couldn’t seem to get out to listen to any. I went to see the Charles Mingus Tribute play on Thursday, Oct. 9th at Stayner’s Wharf Pub and Restaurant with some friends in the history of jazz course with me, and with some from out of the class. The performers were Dave Staples (piano), Chris Mitchell (saxophone), Martin Davidson (saxophone), Danny Martin (trombone), Tom Roach (drums), and Tom Easley (bass). As I was listening to the jazz I was trying my hardest to take in my surroundings and analyze how the environment catered to the music, see who was in attendance, and most of all enjoy the show. When listening and watching live performances, the venue is almost as important as the music itself. The venue that the Charles Mingus Tribute played at the night I saw them was a restaurant and bar called Stayner’s Wharf. I had been there before, but in the middle of the day with no live music. The change I saw in atmosphere from that first time I experienced the restaurant to the second was tremendous. A tucked away stage with six musicians squished onto it all playing their hearts out transformed the boring restaurant into something so much more alive. The venue was a little odd because it wasn’t positioned around the players, so many people couldn’t see the stage from their tables or stools. However, even if you couldn’t see the musicians you could hear the sound so clearly throughout the entire place. It was very busy. People were standing with drinks, leaning on tables  or walls, or sitting in booths with too many people on each bench. The staff was working like crazy trying to cater to the needs of each customer and was doing an excellent job. Luckily, even though we arrived slightly late, we were able to get a booth seat with a great view of the stage. This affected the experience immensely. Being able to see clearly the onstage chemistry and improvisation was very cool. There were certain times, in between solos when two musicians would exchange head nods and other gestures to indicate when someone should start playing and other technical things that I’m sure I don’t know about. Although the music wasn’t always collective improvisation, the ability of the individual players to adapt to what the others were doing was apparent and so was the skill that goes along with that ability. Overall I think the venue was perfect for the type of jazz they were playing, and the mood that each musician seemed to be in. The musicians seemed happier, too, because they could step off and enjoy a beer in betwe en sets. Since it was after 9:00 PM and there was live music, the event was labeled a â€Å"no minors event†. This put me as definitely the youngest person in attendance, as I was yet to turn 19 at the time. My age posed as a slight problem when trying to get in, but after explaining that we were here strictly for the jazz, the manager made an exception and allowed us entrance to the event. I think the fact that I was one of the only people there not indulging in alcohol changed the way I listened to the music, especially as the show continued. Everyone I was sitting with never had an empty glass in front of them and even the musicians were drinking casually, which reminded me of speakeasies and had me imagining myself in Chicago in the 1920’s. As the audience got drunker the volume of their voices increased, and so did the applause and cheers at the end of each solo or song. However as the audience got louder and more rambunctious the musicians seemed to match the mood and volume perfectly. It was a real happy party atmosphere. In between songs, the band members would shout out to friends of theirs in the crowd or sometimes even to people they didn’t know who were there celebrating a special occasion. The special thing about the audience was how much everyone wanted to be there and to be immersed in the music. People would close their eyes and move their heads to the music and I was constantly tapping my toe on the floor or my finger on the table along with the rhythm of the drums  and bass. Overall, it was a warm audience of people from many different age groups who were there because they wanted to be there and it was clear that everyone loved the jazz. The band itself was an absolute pleasure to listen to and watch perform. It consisted of two lead saxophonists, a lead trombonist, a piano player, bass player, and a drummer. The two saxophone players were very different in their stage presence. Chris Mitchell, the older of the two, had a wild and eccentric way of playing the saxophone. Some of his solo’s reminded me almost of those by Charlie Parker. They were very fast and almost abrupt or sharp in the way they jumped out at you. As one friend of mine put it, â€Å"his stage presence was similar to that of Bobby Keys† who is most famous for playing saxophone for the Rolling Stones. On the opposing side, the second saxophone player was unbelievably young and seemed to have not quite come into his own stage persona yet. Where Chris Mitchell would move with the music, Martin Davidson seemed slightly more rigid. This didn’t detract from the sound or quality of his playing though. It was almost like watching a more experienced teacher and his student prodigy playing together in front of us that night. The band was playing jazz compositions mostly by Charles Mingus such as â€Å"Jump Monk† and â€Å"Pussy Cat Dues. So after the show I went home and listened to the titles as performed by Mingus to compare the two. I decided that I liked the live version that I saw more than the recorded version of Mingus. I think this is because of my ability to actually see the jazz and feel it around me when I was at Stayner’s Wharf. It’s hard for me to come up with any faults in the performance because of how much fun I had and how little experience I have with live jazz in general. One thing I would have liked more would have been to hear more piano over all. I have played piano since I was in grade one and advanced through my exams until grade 10 classical piano, after which I took two years of jazz piano lessons. So it is easy to say that piano is one of my favorite instruments, but I realize it isn’t usually a lead instrument for a jazz band like this. With that one personal preference aside, I had no bad things to say about the band. I thought they were charismatic on stage, sounded great and improvised together perfectly. The type of jazz played was more an art music than a popular music. It’s hard to label what jazz was being played, because Charles Mingus himself didn’t like to label any of his songs into one genre, and the band was playing his songs. But I think there was a lot of collective improvisation on stage and the styles ranged from New Orleans styled jazz to Be Bop at points. It was almost like a â€Å"mixed bag†. I think that is why I enjoyed the performance so much, because there were surprises and no song or solo sounded the same. I didn’t have the opportunity to fall bored like some people could if the musician was someone like Bill Evans, who plays slower and quieter jazz. The Jazz was definitely center of attention in the bar and was the main attraction for the night unlike other restaurants that have musicians as a sort of background music. One song, the first song we heard when we came in, had a â€Å"four on the floor† rhythm to it. I remember wa lking in and thinking â€Å"Hey! I know what that is!† Overall, the night was a success and everyone I was with thoroughly enjoyed it. After the jazz, some of my friends went to a nightclub and said that the clashing of the two experiences made them realize how much different the music of today is from the music of the past. Whether it’s a good difference or not is in the eye of the beholder. The venue, though it was small and packed, was a great place for the musicians to play. The audience was all happy, which might have had something to do with the alcohol, but it made the entire atmosphere happy as well. The Charles Mingus Tribute did an excellent job of transferring the music of Mingus to the audience that night; the soloists were unbelievable; and the collective improvisation on stage was very cool to watch. I have already decided with a group of friends that we will be going to another live jazz event in November, and I am looking forward to seeing if I can apply some more jazz knowledge learned from class at this event as well.

A reflection of Odysseus and Modern Day Heroes Essay

Written about two thousand and seven hundred years earlier, the Odyssey is still influencing modern storytelling today. Odysseus, the legendary Greek king of Ithaca and protagonist of Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey was recognized as a great hero of his time. He was known for his defining qualities of superior strength and athleticism, sharp intellect, sensual ness, and a thirst for glory. These character traits are still being used to attribute modern day fictional heroes such as Neo, Captain Jack Sparrow, James Bond, and Spiderman. Accordingly, the heroic qualities of Odysseus can be still be seen in today’s modern day fictional heroes. Odysseus’s superior strength and athleticism resembles to modern day character of Neo in The Matrix. In the Odyssey, Penelope told the suitors that she would marry who ever was able to string Odysseus’s old bow and shoot it through twelve axe heads. Many suitors attempted this task but not a single one was even strong enough to string the bow. However, â€Å"Without any strain, Odysseus strung the great bow†¦ Taking the string and the head grooves he drew to the middle grip, and from the very chair where he sat, bending the bow before him, let the arrow fly, nor missed any axes from the first handle on, but the bronze-weighted arrow passed through all, and out the other end† (Homer, 319 – 320). Odysseus’s ability to string the incredibly stiff bow and to shoot it through twelve axe heads when not a single other suitor could do it depicts his sheer strength and athleticism. This ability is also apparent with Neo from the movie The Matrix. In the movie, Neo has the ability to freely manipulate the simulated reality of the Matrix. This skill, allows him to have superhuman strength and agility, and the ability to brush off attacks that would kill or disable a normal human being with relative ease. There is a particular scene that exemplifies this where Neo fights off about thirty agents with his bare hands. As depicted in the script written by the Wachowski Brothers, â€Å"Their attack is a devastating onslaught of speed and power closing in around Neo like a vise. But Neo is a mirage, slipping and flipping around them in a deadly counter attack, heaving agents in the air† (Wachowski Brother, 18). Neo’s superhuman strength and athleticism is comparable to Odysseus. Both characters are way stronger and quicker than the average warrior, which enables them to fight off exceptional opponents. Besides Brute strength, Odysseus shares many  other deeper qualities with modern day heroes. Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean shares Odysseus’s knack for quick thinking and cleverness. Odysseus demonstrates this trait when trying to escape from the Polyphemus’s cave by tricking Polyphemus into thinking that his name is Nobody. When Odysseus finally attacks the Cyclops and blinds him, Polyphemus cries for help saying, â€Å"‘Good Friends, Nobody is killing me by force or treachery.’ So then the others speaking in winged words gave him an answer: ‘If alone as you are none uses violence on you,'† (Homer, 147). Odysseus’s cleverness to say that his name is Nobody prevents the other Cyclopes from entering the cave and allows him escape with his men. Captain Jack Sparrow also possesses this same trait of cleverness. Sparrow is often out skilled in sword fighting by other characters so he resorts to using negotiation in order to distract his enemies or turn them against each other. Sparrow stated, â€Å"Why fight when you can negotiate? All one needs is the proper leverage† (Walt Disney Pictures). There is a scene that exemplifies this when a group of soldiers catch Sparrow trying to steal one of their ships. The Soldiers ask Sparrow, â€Å"What’s your business in Port Royal,? And no lies!† Sparrow answers, â€Å"I confess: I intend to commandeer one of these ships, pick up a crew in Tortuga, and go on the account, do a little honest pirating† (Walt Disney Pictures). Sparrow is so openly honest about his mischief that the soldiers don’t even believe him. This clever use of words and psychology help Sparrow escape from the Soldiers and eventually steal their ship. Both Sparrow and Odysseus use this type of sharp cunning intellect to get what they need. Odysseus also shares his trait of sensual ness to women with the modern day hero of James Bond. There were numerous occasions where Odysseus came across a beautiful woman and lived a luxurious life with her before continuing his journey home. Three such examples were Calypso, Nausicaa, and Circe. With Circe in particular, Circe turned all of Odysseus crew into swine, but he was able to resist her powers, which caused her to fall in love with him. Odysseus then decided to spend a year of luxury on her island as her lover. Odysseus said, â€Å"We sat there feasting on unlimited meat and sweet wine. But when the sun went down and the sacred darkness came over†¦ but I, mounting  the surpassingly beautiful bed of Circe, clasped her by the knees and entreated her† (Homer, 164). Odysseus enjoyed his luxurious life with Circe in an exotic land, but only to a point. Eventually, he decided to focus on the greater task at hand and return home to Ithaca. James Bond possesses this same trait of sensual ness towards women throughout all of the bond films. In just about every film, Bond comes across a beautiful female that he ends up spending an intimate time with before going off to save the world. In Casino Royal, Bond enters a relationship with Solange. Solange says to Bond, â€Å"What is it about bad men? You†¦ my husband. I had so many chances to be happy, so many nice guys. Why can’t nice guys be more like you?† Bond replies, â€Å"Because then they’d be bad.† Solange kissing him some more, â€Å"Mmmmm, yeah†¦!† (MGM). Bonds smoothness and intellect help him win over the hearts of numerous women just like Odysseus. However, both Bond and Odysseus never get too wrapped up in a relationship to forget what their greater goals are. Bond always moves on and saves the world and Odysseus always leaves his lover in order to return home to Ithaca. Both characters have a strong sense of sensual n ess towards females, but it never seems to distract them from their main goals. Lastly, a trait that may not be seen as positive is Odysseus’ lust for pride and glory, which is shared with the modern day hero, Spiderman. Like other Greek heroes, Odysseus longed to win kleos, which is glory won through great deeds. This kleos sometimes led Odysseus into taking pride in his own glorious acts when it wasn’t really necessary. After cleverly tricking the Polyphemus and escaping from his lair, Odysseus said, â€Å"Cyclops, if any mortal man ever asks you who it was that inflicted upon your eye this shameful blinding, tell him that you were blinded by Odysseus, sacker of cities† (150, Homer). Odysseus could not resist his thirst for glory after defeating the Cyclops and needed to reveal his name for the sake of his own pride. Peter Parker as Spiderman possesses this same quality. When Peter first learned of his new spider powers, he tried to use them to impress other people. He took pictures of himself fighting criminals and sent them to the newspa per for people to see. He wanted other people to see how amazing his powers were and to glorify him for them. According to the story synopsis, â€Å"At first, Peter decides to use these powers to make money to  impress Mary Jane. He appears in a wrestling match and, armed with his new spider strength, wins the match in record time† (Marvel, and Columbia Pictures). Peter used his powers to glorify his own image just like Odysseus. However, this trait between the two characters does not benefit them in any way, so why is it relevant between two heroes?The fact that both Odysseus and Spiderman had a strong sense of pride provided room in the stories for it to be overcome. This trait of pride had drastic consequences for both characters. Spiderman’s pride caused him to spend too much time on impressing other people when he could have been a hero. This prevented him from saving his uncle Ben from being murdered because he was preoccupied. Odysseus pride caused him to reveal his true identity to Poseidon, who in turn seeked vengeance on him. This lead to a great amount suffering that Odysseus had to endure on his journey home. However, both characters were able to overcome their pride to a certain degree by the end of the stories. Spiderman eventually learned that â€Å"with great power, comes great responsibility† and to use his powers to protect the city from evil and not for his own glory (Marvel, and Columbia Pictures). By the end of the epic, Odysseus seemed much more willing to temper pride with patience. When disguised as a beggar, he did not immediately react to the abuse he received from the suitors. Instead, he endured it until the trap was set for him to strike down on them. In a sense, the quality that was passed down from the Odyssey to modern day heroes is the ability to overcome pride and the glorified self. Many of today’s fictional heroes resemble the character traits of Odysseus. Odysseus’ brute strength and athleticism can be seen in Neo. His cleverness and quick thinking resemble Captain Jack Sparrow. His sensual ness towards women, but without losing sight of the greater goal is comparable to James Bond. And his pride and thirst for glory is shared with Spiderman and how both of them were able to suppress it. Overall, it’s remarkable that today’s characters still resemble such an ancient hero. Will our idea of what makes a hero ever change? Works Cited Elliot, Ted, Terry Roscio, and Walt Disney Pictures. â€Å"Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl Screenplay.† hundland.com. 3 Nov. 2008 . Homer. The Odyssey. 1967. Trans. Richard Lattimore. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 2007. Marvel, and Columbia Pictures. â€Å"Spider-Man The Story.† Spider-Man Official site. 3 Nov. 2008 . Purvis, Neal, Robert Wade, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). â€Å"Casino Royale Script.† Script-O-Rama. 3 Nov. 2008 . Wachowski Brothers. â€Å"The Matrix Reloaded Screenplay.† horrorlair.com. 3 Nov. 2008 .

The Chinese Zombie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Chinese Zombie - Essay Example . Zombies are portrayed as â€Å"beings† operating in the universe that hardy understand or care to understand. In this speech, I focus on Chinese Zombie, also known as jiangshi, and how they influence Chinese cultural identity. The account is based on chapter eight, Gothic monster and Chinese cultural identity: analysis of the note of ghoul, from the book "Thinking Dead: What the Zombie Apocalypse Means." In the Chinese culture, the Chinese zombies are categorized as either male or female for particular reasons. In the Note of Ghouls, resurrected zombies have their gender as male. The female zombie that existed was later on adjusted to a ghost. A reason for this could be that it was only those bodies that had least deterioration that could be resurrected back as zombies. In most cases, it was only the bodies of tomb owners that were well preserved. Historical accounts of Chinese society indicate that it was of patriarchal nature, thus implying that tomb owners were male. Women ended up being buried alongside the owner just as mortuary bodies. It is thus presumed that the feeling of resentment for being sacrificed in favour of the tomb owner drove them to convert into lingering ghosts upon their deaths. Also, there exist accounts that assert that women bodies were used to cultivate the male zombies. Generally, female gender was not given much credit as to the male gender.

Written Business Communication (Assignment #3A) Assignment

Written Business Communication ( #3A) - Assignment Example The reader might follow the instructions if things were forced on them, but they would not do it whole-heartedly. The employees should, therefore, be treated with the utmost respect, so as to uphold a mutually beneficial working environment. This message will be received with mixed emotions; some people may seize the opportunity to know their well-being while others may ignore the whole exercise all together. However, highlighting the benefits, the necessity and incentives for taking the blood test will move the doubters and cynics to take the blood tests. Some of the readers might not book appointments at first, but when they see their fellow colleagues making the appointments, they will definitely join in the exercise. The best pattern of organization of this message is that of an internal memo. This is because not all people look at their emails on time. The memo will be easily visible to all employees through the internal information systems. However, the best pattern of organization of the reader response is through email. This is because emails are faster, and convenient for the human resource since they constantly communicate through emails. It is a company’s attention that most, if not a few of the employees are reluctant with regards to the blood test exercises that the company seeks to carry out on its employees; It is evident that most of you find this exercise as an invasion of privacy, and probably an infringement of personal rights. Due to the above mentioned reason, company has decided to make this a voluntary exercise for you. However, it is important to bring out some facts and figures about the blood tests carried out by American Health ways; these tests are carried out not only for cost reduction purposes, but for the overall health benefit of the employees. Taking these blood tests ensures that the individual becomes aware of their overall well-being, and also acts as a precaution in the early phases of

State of women's equality in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

State of women's equality in Canada - Essay Example Do factors like ethnicity and economic status determine the establishment of equality of women in Canada along with policymaking? Women’s interests were a part of policy making since the seventies. In the 80s the issue of representation of women in state legislations came into play. A comparison can be made in terms of the policy process between Canada’s Royal Commission and Commission for Gender Equality between Men and Women of Switzerland. In fact in case of women of Sweden and Canada, commitment to equality encompasses gender bias to some extent. In fact the effectiveness of government policies also depends upon how far women are able to organize and discipline themselves to face the resistance of men towards policies which endanger their conventional role of dominance. In Sweden women defended their position as â€Å"insiders† within political parties in order to have equal position with men in both private and public fields. In Canada however, the campaign of women’s equality moved slowly beyond communities of women who had hardly any effect on the men’s dominant position in political groups. In order to defend their status as outsiders they used the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in 1960. They presented their interests at the hearings of the Commission (Briskin& Eliasson, 1999, p.120). However the recommendations of the commission regarding women’s position were limited. The commissioner pressed the government for raising the funding for women’s groups and thus they rather established the outsider’s role of women legally than challenging the system of representation. Also the hearings and procedures favoured the elite groups of women from conservative households rather than the poor and working class or immigrant and ethically inferior women. Most of the representations came from the well known established groups (Briskin& Eliasson, 1999, p. 126). Canadian government introduced the Equal Op portunity Act as a tool against sexual discrimination. The act encouraged formation of unions by women activists. This emphasised an innovative structure of leadership and emphasis is led on accountability, participation (not representation) and bringing in more democracy in decision making amongst women (Briskin & Eliasson, 1999, pp.128-129). The book The Jade Peony discusses distinct women characters who reflect strength and determination in the form of decision making. Poh-Poh, the grandma, symbolizes respect and order. She teaches everyone in the family with the help of superstitions and encourages the younger generation to speak Chinese instead of following the Canadian culture. She is superstitious and always talks of superstitions and ghosts to teach the family members. The story represents immigration and the low economic status of the immigrants whose jobs were unstable. Women had no power within family and in decision-making roles as per the Western values but Grandma is m ore inclined towards Chinese customs according to which women played dominating roles in the family. Grandma’s adherence to superstitions is another escape from the poor conditions of livelihood. Her hands symbolize knowledge, creativity skills that are earned in the difficult way. Chinese people were brought in to do the hard manual jobs like railway building and then passed the law to freeze immigration from China. The old

The Declaration of Independence Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Declaration of Independence Analysis - Essay Example The scene in 1776 during the meeting of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia was a very crucial one. The colonists have already fought many battles together yet were missing on the aspect of unity(â€Å"Purpose of the Declaration of Independence.†). The Declaration of Independence was vital as it united the colonists since many were reluctant to break away from their birth nation. Many wanted to compromise and mend the relations with Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence boosted the unity of the colonists and boldly stated the justification for the separation from a ruthless regime (â€Å"Purpose of the Declaration of Independence.†). Another key purpose the declaration of independence served was to break away from the British government. One can easily say that the purpose of the Declaration of Independence was to explain the view of the colonies (Armitage 15). Since the founding fathers deemed it necessary that all men are created equal, everyone shall ha ve a chance of â€Å"life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.† The Declaration in essence proclaimed that if the government derives of these rights, they have the right to rebel (Armitage 16). Since men create governments to protect their rights, it is essential that that the government accommodates their needs. Hence, the Declaration of Independence was vital towards the independence movement. The Declaration of Independence was also critical as it asked for foreign help. Without a doubt, most countries such as France and Spain did not recognize America as a country. However, the Declaration of Independence assisted the colonists in their pursuit to ask for assistance in the international sphere (â€Å"Purpose of the Declaration of Independence.†). This unity was vital as it would appeal other nations to completely obliterate England’s power for its quest to dominate in the North American hemisphere. Lastly, the Declaration of Independence listed all the list of grievances against the king, which was vital towards the liberation movement. The lists of grievances outlined all the woes that the colonists had to face due to the King’s assent to law. In addition, the Declaration of Independence wanted to eliminate slave trade, which was rejected by the King himself((Jefferson 18). The grievances also stated that the king would appoint governors in each colony and impose a system of control. Any legislature that the King was not pleasing to him was immediately refuted by his highness. Moreover, the king insisted on stationing his army in the colonies without the legal consent of the colonists (Jefferson 20). The Quartering Act imposed by King George III was controversial as it was burden amongst the colonists to financially assist them. All these list of grievances and salutary neglect (â€Å"Purpose of the Declaration of Independence.†) against the King were outlined in the Declaration of Independence. Thus, the Declaration of In dependence hence was critical as it listed many flaws and justifications for the right to withdraw from George’s cruel law (Jefferson 24). Works Cited Armitage, David.  The Declaration of Independence: a global history. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2007. Print. Jefferson, Thomas, and Sam Fink.  The Declaration

Public health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

Public health - Essay Example Most importantly, they are tech savvy and greatly aware of their health and fitness. The Medicare is not able to handle the increased cost and therefore, they represent huge potential for marketers within the healthcare industry and healthcare service providers. Baby boomers have longer life expectancy which offers opportunities for health sector. They are looking for ways and means to incorporate their needs and requirements. Around 60% of the people above the age of 60 years are inflicted with atleast one chronic disease which rises with age. The health industry is anxious to exploit the opportunity to evolve new products for long term care, annuities, healthcare savings etc. to facilitate good health in their old age. Healthcare cooperatives and luxury retirement homes have increasing become popular amongst the boomers. Most importantly, boomers are active and empowered and therefore expect products that are not only useful but also have quality that would help them to maintain quality of life. Thus, they offer not only challenges but also huge opportunities for healthcare