CD Review: Frank Harrison Trio - Sideways

Frank Harrison Trio - Sideways
(Linus Records LDCD01. CD Review by Chris Parker)

Pianist Frank Harrison is probably most often heard in Gilad Atzmon's Orient House Ensemble, in which he plays both acoustic and electric instruments, but leading his own trio (as documented by Basho on the impressive 2006 album, First Light) he plays only the former, alongside bassist Davide Petrocca – who has replaced Aidan O'Donnell from First Light – and drummer Stephen Keogh.

It's worth stressing at the outset that this is very much a trio outing, Harrison's mellifluous, lyrical playing (tellingly leavened by vigorous, occasionally even tumultuous power where appropriate) interacting impeccably with the sonorous, full-toned Petrocca and the dexterous Keogh (the latter's contribution to a band perfectly summed up by US saxophonist Charles McPherson: 'He's not just a time keeper, but is a rhythmic co-creator as well').

This said, however, it is Harrison, at once lucid and elegant, but with an ability to imbue everything he plays with affecting tension, frequently released in sparkling, intense runs, who sets the tone of both the standards ('Autumn Leaves', 'How Long Has This Been Going On', 'You and the Night and the Music') and originals (not to mention an intriguing closer, the traditional 'Riddle Song') on this absorbing and musicianly album, the music from which can be heard on a UK trio tour, to take place in February 2012.

Tour Dates:
3 Derby Jazz
4 Cheltenham Jazz Club
5 Herts Jazz Welwyn Garden City
6 Jazz Hastings
8 PIZZA EXPRESS DEAN STREEET
9 Watermill Jazz Dorking
10 Fleece Jazz, Leavenheath, Colchester
17 Wakefield Jazz Club
29 St Michael at the North Gate Oxford

FrankHarrison.net

You're more likely to catch a yawn from a relative than a stranger

Reading this blog post is likely to make you yawn. Not, hopefully, because it's boring, but rather because yawning is so contagious that even reading about it has been shown to provoke the behaviour. A popular theory for how yawns spread is that they automatically engage the empathy systems in our brains. Consistent with this, past research found that children with autism, some of whom have difficulty empathising, are immune to the contagious effects of yawns.

Now Ivan Norscia and Elisabetta Palagi have developed this line of enquiry, showing that we're more likely to catch a yawn from relatives than acquaintances, and more likely to catch them from acquaintances than strangers - presumably because we have more empathy for people with whom we're emotionally intimate.

The study was entirely observational. The researchers hung out in offices, restaurants, and waiting rooms and observed discreetly the yawning behaviour of the people about them. If one person yawned, the researchers waited to see if anyone else present yawned within the next three minutes. Data from one researcher was lost because they also caught the yawns and fell asleep (not really, I made that up). Sometimes the researchers knew the relationships of the people they were watching, other times they eavesdropped Bond-style on conversations to discern the social ties.

Of all the factors the researchers looked at, including things like the situational context and whether the yawner and their company were of the same nationality, it was only emotional closeness that was relevant. The closer, relationship-wise, a person was to the initial yawner, the more likely they were to yawn themselves. Emotional closeness was also associated with the number of times a yawn-catcher yawned, and the promptness with which they did so after being exposed to the precipitating yawn. Consonant with past research, it didn't matter if that precipitating yawn was seen or heard (one earlier study found that yawns are contagious even when they're "seen" non-consciously by people with damage to the visual part of their brains).

"The importance of social bond in shaping yawn contagion demonstrates that empathy plays a leading role in the modulation of this phenomenon," the researchers said. "Not only is contagion greater between familiar individuals, but it also follows an empathic gradient, increasing from strangers to kin-related individuals."

It's a hard life

Contagious yawning is also seen in monkeys and great apes. Indeed, this new study replicates similar findings with chimps, where the yawn contagion is greater between group members, and findings with baboons, for whom yawns are more often caught from intimate yawners (where intimacy is discerned from rates of mutual grooming). "When considered together," the researchers concluded, "these results suggest that the relationship between yawn contagion and empathy may have developed earlier than the last common ancestor between monkeys, humans and non-human apes."
 _________________________________

Norscia, I., and Palagi, E. (2011). Yawn Contagion and Empathy in Homo sapiens PLoS ONE, 6 (12) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028472

Post written by Christian Jarrett for the BPS Research Digest.

Two chances to win the BPS-approved Psychopathology textbook by Graham Davey

update 19 Dec, 13.50hrs: one copy still left to be won.

We've got two copies of the BPS-approved textbook Psychopathology by Graham Davey to give away, kindly donated to us by Wiley-Blackwell.


How to win
This competition challenges your influence on Twitter. Your task is to get someone with a verified Twitter account to retweet (old style new or old style) you mentioning @researchdigest and #psychopathologycomp. The first two people to achieve this goal will win a copy of the book. Make sure you tweet us (@researchdigest) when you think you've succeeded. Good luck!

Small print

Sorry, on this occasion, holders of verified Twitter accounts cannot win the book for themselves. 

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol @ IMAX TGV Cinemas

"Popcorn Royale is so nice!"

"Popcorn Royale is nicer than Garrett Popcorn!"

"Popcorn Royale is cheaper than Garrett!"


These are the three thoughts that popped in my mind, in that order, the first time I tipped one of the awfully sinful caramelised popcorn into my mouth.




It was the launch of the IMAX at TGV Cinemas in Sunway Pyramid and I was there to watch the latest blockbuster movie: Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol.




Oh god. Tom Cruise. *drool* (we'll get to that later)


There were so many things to look forward to.

First, IMAX is here. And is staying for good. The last time and first time I ever visited an IMAX was in Times Square like eons back and I wasn't really impressed, mainly because they were showing some short film documentary that didn't really bring out what was supposed to be an impressive experience.

But everything changed that day in TGV. Oh yes. It was so bloody amazing.
We'll get to that later, too, soon, very soon.

Now I've always been a little bit crazy of fully caramelised popcorn which was impossible to find in the olden days cinema in Malaysia. But then I discovered Garrett Popcorn in a Dubai mall. It's like rediscovering your favourite candy all over again, I was estastic. And then the stores kept popping up over all Singapore. So I had only had to travel 300kms to get them instead of flying across the globe. Then they were in Malaysia. Yay!

Now I'm not paid to write this. Just want to share my own point of view. I was always a little let down by the sugar burnt aftertaste that Garrett Popcorn has, not sure if it's because Malaysia version tasted different or I forgot how my first Garrett tasted like (back in Dubai). I kinda stopped liking it for a moment.

And then TGV Cinemas introduced Popcorn Royale and it's all HEAVEN again! *sing song*







Even better, I can bring it in to a cinema to enjoy! YAY! Oh no, I'm gonna get so fat. :(

Now back to the main topic, IMAX.




God heavens the movie was GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD in IMAX. So good I was BLOWN away in my seat the moment *spoiler alert* Dubai and the Burj Khalifa (Tallest building in the world) came into view on the screen.

I was flying over Dubai!

Wee~~~

And have I mentioned I have the hots for Tom Cruise, like all over again! I used to have a major crush on the said actor when I was younger, then I stopped with the whole idolizing stars phenomena for quite a number of years (it's all growing up).

Till this movie. Oh god I'm so in love with Mr. Cruise.
Hotness x1000000000 e99. ❤❤❤
His age made him all the more delectable.

What's up with my something with older guys? -.-
Maybe this is why.




Why was IMAX so good? Well this is my own deciphering, you can google if you want the more accurate explanation. Mine might not be entirely true but then I'm not bothered to google right now (there, I said it).

(quoated from my own fb) It's a technology where it uses digital projector instead of the usual film projector we're used to watch. Means it's crystal clear on cinema screen (like HD) and the screen is in a dome-like shape which means more 3D-effect, the screen is also way bigger to capture you into the movie, even in 2D movies. I can only assume it would be so much more amazing in 3D.

Which is why I'm going back for the 3D version once it's up. :D




The seats were comfortable. But I want to try their Beanie Plex where you get to sit on a beanie seat and watch movie, with your favourite popcorn. ^^




❤

Three-gig round up

Friday 16th December - Township Comets at Cambridge Modern Jazz
Saturday 17th December - Abram Wilson's New Orleans Christmas at Kings Place Hall One
Sunday 18th December - Sound Generation Christmas Party. Sam's Brasserie, W4.

Press play. This short clip from the Vortex last weekend (festival directors please take note/ marquez ce nom/ ein Band in Erinnerung zu bringen!) gives a sample of the Township Comets' sheer verve and energy,and of what a resoundingly strong trumpet-player Chris Batchelor is. The Comets, who focus on the music of Dudu Pukwana were at Cambride Modern Jazz in the Hidden Rooms in Jesus Street. The club was welcoming its new piano, the money raised from donations, notably a charity gig at the 606, and Cambridge-born Adam Glasser absolutely did justice to the occasion. Saxophonist Jason Yarde and trombonist Harry Brown completed a powerful front line Dudley Phillips in a Robin Hood hat was impeccable, and Frank Tontoh on drums was sensitive but also gave the fireworks when required.

Reuben James, Alex Davis, Abram Wilson, Myrna Hague
Jason Marsalis, Dave Hamblett. Kings Place Hall One
Photo Credit: Roger Thomas

On Saturday I was at Abram Wilson's "New Orleans Christmas," bringing good music and a thoroughly good and warm vibe to Kings Place Hall One, with Jamaican vocal legend Myrna Hague, highly impressive Birmingham pianist Reuben James (check him out here) Alex Davis on bass and guest drummer Jason Marsalis, joined at the end by Wilson's regular drummer Dave Hamblett. They were playing new music, and the confidence and the extroversion grew righly, greeably, through the course of the evening. Everything Wilson does with this group is based on dialogue and communication rather than display, and is all te better for that. As MC, poet, singer, composer (perhaps above all as composer), and as an ebullient presence on the London scene, we are truly blessed to have our very own resident New Orleans trumpeter.

Sunday night was a party. Sofia Wilde was out celebrating a successful year for her promotions company Sound Generation. Michael L Roberts and Elisa Caleb were singing Christmas songs with an orchestra called Jo Caleb. Guests Fran Hardcastle and Esther Bennett completed the line-up.

The range of gigs on offer is astonishing. Any of these three evenings would be thoroughly recommendable, for the positive energy and life-affirmation at it heart, the reality of invention, of interaction. of involvement in particular strands of the music, of generous spirits and open minds. Joy.  

homemade gift: lemon sugar scrub

Out of all three homemade teacher gifts we made together yesterday (this lemon-sugar scrub + lentil soup mixes + spice rubs), this one definitely goes down as my favorite. Since we're only doing homemade gifts from the boys to all adults this year, this is what I am lobbying for as my gift. It totally works (one of my kids gave it a test run last night) and it is so super easy. Plus, who wouldn't like a little pampering to kick off the new year?

Lemon Sugar Scrub 

this recipe will make a dozen 5 oz. jars (or about 7 1/2 cups)-- you can scale the recipe up or down for your gift-making project

I learned of this recipe on Count it all Joy, which is a fabulous, witty blog full of good ideas. 

8 cups sugar

2 cups olive oil

1 cup lemon juice

zest of 10 lemons (or about 8 Tablespoons)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Note that stirring the mixture is tough at first, you might have to help your kids get it going...Store scrub in an airtight container.

We packaged it in these 5 oz jars. While everything is edible, you don't want your recipients eating a big scoop, so gift tag should read:

Lemon Sugar Scrub

Apply a handful of sugar scrub to wet skin while showering and massage in circular motion. Will remove dead skin and leave winter skin feeling refreshed and moisturized!

homemade gift: curried lentil soup kit in a jar

Two years ago, we made bean soup kits as a holiday gift for our children's teachers. The kids had fun making them, and feedback from recipients was glowing. Our older son, was particularly keen on this idea, plus we're doing only homemade gifts from the kids to all adults in the family this year, so this is a good one for grandma as well. As with all of the gifts we made this year, this is one little hands can truly participate in. But, in the scheme of homemade gifts, this is a pricier option because of the packaging, so it may not be feasible if you're making gifts for almost 40 teachers and coaches, as we are this holiday season. Smaller group of recipients, go for it!

Our recipe is an adaptation of this one from Food Network. We filled these 38 oz. jars , which happened to have a snowflake blown into them, but you could also go with the standard 34 oz. jar like this one.

Curried Lentil Soup in a Jar Homemade Gift Project

makes six 38 oz. kits, which are 8-10 servings each + a few extra cups of beans so you can test the soup too!

12 lbs of assorted lentils (or about 24 cups)*


spice packet:
2 cubes of Rapunzel vegetable bouillon** 
2 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1 Tablespoon of our homemade spice blend***


Layer the different colored lentils in a 34 or 38 oz. glass jar, leaving about 1 inch of space at the top. Put two bouillon cubes on top of the dried beans. Place bay leaves and spices into a small gift bag or zip-loc, and gently squeeze that into the top of the jar. 


Gift note should read:

Curried Lentil Soup with Sausage, Butternut Squash and Kale

To make the soup, you will need:
large pot
contents of jar
olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 carrots, diced
2 (or more) of your favorite sausages (chicken, pork, or soy...), chopped
2 cups butternut squash, diced
10 cups of water
1 bunch of kale, stems removed, chopped
salt & pepper (optional)
Greek yogurt (optional, as a topping)

Over medium heat, saute the onions, carrots, sausage and butternut squash in a bit of olive oil until onions are translucent. Add dried lentils,10 cups of water, both bouillon cubes and the spice mixture. Bring to boil, then lower heat so that the soup is at a simmer. Cook soup, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until lentils soften. Remove the bay leaves, and stir in kale. Continue cooking over medium-low heat for another 10 minutes. Serve warm, with a dollop of Greek yogurt, if you'd like.

Soup kit will keep indefinitely in a cool, dry place.

* I purchased 4 lb bags of white, orange and brown lentils at our local Indian Market. You can also buy lentils in bulk at Whole Foods, in the bin section. Or, many markets carry large bags of bulk beans by Goya.
** This is my favorite store-bought broth for soups. By us, Rapunzel bouillon is available at Stewart's Market and Whole Foods. You can also order it in bulk from amazon. I prefer to use the one without salt, so that the recipient can add the amount o salt they'd like.
*** If you also whipped up spice blends for gifts, super. Here's an example of how they're used. If not, simply put a few shakes of your favorite dried herbs into the spice bag, equivalent to about 1 Tablespoon of dried spices, in addition to the 1 T of curry powder. Ideas: rosemary, fennel, garlic powder or granulated garlic, coriander, smoked paprika, Herbs de Provence blend or pepper...