Month: April 2010

Going to a breakfast presentation entitled

Georgia: Gateway to the Southeast USA

in Paris.

and out for a walk after dinner …

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Savannah : “treeless plain,” 1555, from Sp. sabana, earlier zavana “treeless plain,” from Taino (Arawakan) zabana. In U.S. use, “a tract of low-lying marshy ground” (1671). (from Etymology Online)

I see trees … palmettos … and live oaks! 

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Because Music plays deeply in my soul and I see you have a love of music also, I thought this “share” might appeal to you.
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Thanks S! I wish I could be there!! Let me know a little earlier for next April – ok?

April 25th
The Coastal Jazz Association of Savannah will present its Annual Tribute to Duke Ellington on Sunday, April 25th. This event will be celebrating the legacy left by one of America’s greatest musicians/composers for what would have been his 111th birthday (born April 29, 1899).

This will be CJA’s 24th year playing tribute to Mr. Ellington.

The “guest artist” which is a feature of this annual event, will be Multi Instrumentalist, Longineu Parsons. Mr. Parsons has been hailed by critics as one of the world’s finest trumpet players. He is also a master of recorders, flute, percussion, and sings. His music crosses genres and defies classification. It’s jazz, it’s funk, it’s blues, it’s classic, it’s urban, it’s world fusion, but most of all, it’s all good.

He has performed in some thirty countries in North, South and Central America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. His audiences have included such dignitaries as the King of Morocco, the President of Gabon, the Royal Family of the Netherlands, the President of Austria, the U.S. Ambassador to France, and the Royal Family of Monaco.

Over his 25-year career, Longineu has shared the stage and recording studio with Cab Calloway, Nat Adderley, Cecil Taylor, Nancy Wilson, Joe Williams, Herbie Mann, Frank Foster, Mal Waldron, Philly Joe Jones, Archie Shepp, Sun Ra, Sam Rivers, David Murray, Hamiet Bluiett, Billy Harper, Hal Singer, Jimmy Witherspoon, Joseph Jarman, Don Moye, François Lindemann, Manu Dibongo, Pierre Akendengue, Sugar Blue, Wycliff Gordon and many others.

Those attending the concert will also enjoy the vocals of Priscilla Albergottie-Williams, who is the Savannah Jazz Orchestra’s featured vocalist. Ms. Albergottie-Williams has performed both church and secular music in superb equilibrium. She has performed with trombonist, Teddy Adams, for years and was the featured vocalist with the Savannah Jazz Orchestra. She can be heard on SJO: live recording “Satin Doll” -featuring the music of Duke Ellington and Johnny Mercer.

The concert is free and open to the public and is presented by The Coastal Jazz Association of Savannah through a generous grant from the City of Savannah.

Because of the tremendous contributions that Stubby Mitchell and Isadore Karpf have made to jazz in the Coastal Empire, this concert is dedicated to them. CJA graciously acknowledges their generous contributions and unending support of the arts in Savannah.

This special concert will be held on Sunday, April 25 at 5:00 p.m. in the Armstrong Atlantic State University “Fine Arts Auditorium.”

Here’s Duke’s Place.

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One of the most frequent questions I’m asked is HOW to improve language skills. Language is a skill, sometimes elevated to an art. But like every skill, practice makes perfect. You won’t be a good swimmer … unless you swim. You can’t be a good negotiator if you don’t negotiate. The same goes for photography and cooking. You need to maintain and to acquire. You need a little, just a little vitamin R every day … And that’s one of the reasons for … The Paris Savannah Connection.

Vitamine R

• Reading of course. And reading often. Daily.

Improving your language skills means both input and output. By reading you open yourself to others’ ideas, others’ words, others’ ways of thinking. And it’s a pleasure.

What should you read? Read what interests you. Read for your pleasure. Read for entertainment. Read to learn. Here are some suggestions:

• Read the press. There’s something there for you. Whether you’re in business or the arts;  whether you love sports or fashion, you will improve your vocabulary. You’ll read better. Faster. Think better, too. Often assimilating without even realizing it,  without even being aware of it.

• Read short stories. Read about people, places, and things. Read a few minutes a day. Like about 15 … ? There are numerous bilingual editions and I especially recommend the Folio series.

• Read what you enjoy reading.

• Reading reinforces what you already “know.”

When I’m in Savannah, I LOVE spending time in the big – and smaller – bookstores. The choices are infinite. So I usually end up spending not only lots of hours but also lots of …

Paris has half a dozen or so incredibly fine English language bookstores for both new and used books. Galignani’s and WH Smith on the rue de Rivoli near Concorde, Brentano’s avenue de l’Opéra, The Village Voice on rue Princesse at Mabillon and on rue Monsieur le Prince, the San Francisco Bookshop.  Shakespeare and Company in the Latin Quarter across the Seine from Notre Dame, and there are others too as well as …  hundreds of other booksellers and bookshops dealing in, as is said, la langue de Molière … I think that part of the city experience is just that: being in touch with the people who love what they’re doing. Paper. Print. Ink.

And … of course… if you ever have a hard time going to sleep … the very best remedy is … a book! Either to fall asleep or to stay awake!

• If you’re interested in reading … just subscribe to the Paris Savannah Connection!

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Life is too short! In addition to everything else to do, I’d love to host a radio show broadcasting folk, blues, musicals, songs, instrumentals. There is so much incredible music that lives and lives and goes on living.

Today, I take no credit except for bringing Odetta to your screen.

Authenticity. Intelligence. Soul. Spirit. Beauty. Nobility. To say the least.

Thanks to the NYT’s Last Word, here she is. For all of us.

The Last Word: Odetta.

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President Obama is more than a good public speaker. His presence, his timing, his choice of words, his pronunication all express what he wants to communicate. He has some favorite terms, too. And repeats them a lot … What did teachers say? “Listen and repeat” ?

While listening to a video recording of Obama the other day, Hélène R.  noted that he repeatedly used the word “outstanding.”

… her outstanding work … your outstanding service … making an outstanding contribution … America’s outstanding (…) team

Outstanding means exceptionally good, great.  It’s classic word but up-to-date. Obama has adopted it and it’s become one of his favorites along with:

exceptional

[audio:http://test.paris-savannah.com/wp-content/uploads/mf35119.mp3|titles=exceptional]

extraordinary

[audio:http://test.paris-savannah.com/wp-content/uploads/mf36024.mp3|titles=extraordinary]

and … unbelieveable 

[audio:http://test.paris-savannah.com/wp-content/uploads/mf43124.mp3|titles=unbelievable]

All are words, you, too, may want to adopt!

[audio:http://test.paris-savannah.com/wp-content/uploads/mf41012.mp3|titles=outstanding]

If you’re interested in words, but not wordiness … The Paris Savannah Connection is for you!

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Paris – Le Languedoc – 64 bd. du Port Royal Paris 5.  This is France. Traditional French Cuisine & Style. Excellent local wines. Honestly priced.  Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Lunch from 12 to 2. Dinner from 7 to 10. Reserve. 01 47 07 24 47.

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Vitamine L+:

as in Listen … Love to Listen … Love to Listen & Learn

We’re so incredibly fortunate to have inherited constitutions which guarantee Free Speech. And broadband access to the Internet has given us access to sources and media hitherto relatively unavailable.

If you happen to be stuck in Paris or Savannah with nothin’ to do … why not listen to the media you’re not used to …. why not the BBC ? … or the FT? or the NYT?  There are interviews and documentaries, often brilliant, rather short and very sweet:

Les Paul was a virtuoso guitarist and inventor whose solid-body electric guitar changed the course of 20th-century music. 

Listen to NYT’s “The Last Word”  with Les Paul … Produced by Matthew Orr.

 

Whether you’re interested in business, technology, the environment, science, the arts or real estate or fashion or sports … You’ll love to listen. If you need a little Vitamin L … subscribe to the Paris Savannah Connection.

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Not us on the horses  … we just took the picture. But it was a beautiful day up in Normandy. Is that volcanic dust from Iceland in the background? Must have blown over pretty high because we didn’t see any daytime stars.

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