Snapshot

"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier." -- Luke 6:37, The Message

The interesting thing about snapshots is that they only capture a moment in time. There is no knowledge of what led up to the photo or what happened immediately after the camera clicked. When we judge another person based on an immediate event or decision in their life we are acting just like a camera, choosing to capture and judge them based on that one snapshot in time. God sees the whole picture. He knows all the events that led up to that moment in time, that moment you chose to judge, and He knows the plans He has for their future. Think of all the snapshots you have collected over the years of yourself. Some are more flattering than others. No one has a perfect "filmstrip" of their life. Love everyone. Let God sort them.

People don't follow their own directions when walking from A to B

Walk with me while I tell you about a new study into the psychology of finding our way. The research has uncovered at least three mental strategies. When asked to plan ahead and describe the most efficient route between two locations, we apparently visualise connections between highly salient streets, which leads us to formulate a relatively longer route, with fewer turns. This is known as graph-based way-finding. But asked to actually walk between the same two points, we base our route more on direction, make more turns, take smaller streets, and navigate more efficiently, as ongoing feedback from the unfolding scene reminds us of short-cuts. This incremental approach is known as direction-based wayfinding. The third mental strategy is brought to bear when we give directions to a stranger, with reference made to the simplest possible route, with the fewest turns and passing the most salient landmarks.

Christoph Hölscher at the University of Freiburg and his colleagues said this is the first time that anyone has shown "how different planning and navigation conditions lead to different wayfinding strategies". They asked dozens of participants to plan, describe and walk routes through Freiburg. All those involved were highly familiar with the city. Asked to describe the shortest possible route between two city locations, and then asked to walk the shortest possible route between those same two points, not a single participant followed the path they'd actually described.

"It is noteworthy that none of the participants adhered to the route they had described only minutes ago," the researchers said. "They discarded their previously made plan directly after getting perceptual feedback about spatial properties, and showed little sign of trying to pursue an action sequence that they had previously identified as their own best solution."

The new results undermine earlier claims that routes are generally planned entirely in advance. "In addition," the researchers said, "the results highlight the importance of sensory (visual) feedback from the environment for route planning."
_________________________________

Hölscher, C., Tenbrink, T., and Wiener, J. (2011). Would you follow your own route description? Cognitive strategies in urban route planning. Cognition, 121 (2), 228-247 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2011.06.005

Further reading:

• How to give directions
• How skilled are London taxi drivers at learning routes through unfamiliar towns?
• We really do walk in circles when we're lost.

Post written by Christian Jarrett for the BPS Research Digest.

CD Review: Phil Robson – The Immeasurable Code

Phil Robson – The Immeasurable Code
(Whirlwind Recordings. CD Review by Tom Gray)

The UK tour by guitarist Phil Robson’s IMS Quintet back in January earned glowing reviews and will undoubtedly feature among the live highlights of the year for many who made it. This album recorded during those live dates is packed with delights throughout its 70-plus minutes.

Much of the listening pleasure here stems from the sense of Robson, Mark Turner on saxes and Gareth Lockrane on flute really stretching out, using the extended space afforded to them to craft some elegant, engaging improvisations. Lockrane’s soaring opening statement on ‘Nassarius Beads’ sets a very high benchmark early on from which the group do not deviate.

The soloists’ stories all unfold over a dynamic backdrop, with Ernesto Simpson’s pin-sharp precision on drums paired with the robust, responsive bass playing of Michael Janisch.

Robson’s compositions are, however, much more than just blowing vehicles and there is plenty to admire in these succinct, punchy themes. The way Robson harnesses the textural possibilities of an unconventional combination of frontline instruments and subtly marries straight-ahead postbop with earthy, odd time signature grooves is reminiscent of the writing of Dave Holland (and the playing here is certainly worthy of one of Holland’s ensembles).

Highlights include the asymmetric funk of the title track, ingeniously constructed around a Morse code-like one note pattern from Lockrane’s piccolo, and the breezy swinger ‘The Instant Message’.Any listener who regrets not being there during the recording of this live album will get a second chance to see this fine group next month: they play the Purcell Room as part of the London Jazz Festival.


The CD will be issued on November 7th.

Purcell Room, 15th November, in the London Jazz Festival. Double Bill with Christine Tobin

Interview: Claude Bolling

Claude Bolling with Duke Ellington

The Wimbledon Music Festival includes something out of the ordinary this year: the 81-year French old composer and pianist Claude Bolling will be making a very rare visit indeed to the UK, playing a concert in the festival on November 14th.

Wimbledon, I discovered in a brief telephone interview earlier this week, is an appropriate destination for Bolling. He has a proud family connection with SW19: his father-in-law Jean Le Sueur was a contestant no fewer than five times in the tennis championships in the years 1930-1946.

Le Sueur, unfortunately, never made it beyond the last 32 at Wimbledon. Bolling himself, on the other hand, has had a massive career at the highest level in music for several decades. His IMDB entry lists around a hundred film credits, including nine film scores completed in just one year (1978). There are French classics like Borsalino with Alain Delon Jean-Pierre Belmondo in their prime as gangsters, for which Bolling wrote an unforgettable Joplin-ish theme. There have also been a multitude of jazz albums, and at for several years he also ran his own big band.

Bolling is still playing regularly. He has a monthly trio gig at the Petit Journal in St.-Michel on the last Tuesday of each month. Does he still compose? “Not as much as in past times.” But he still brings new compositions to these monthly gigs. He will be appearing in London with the other members of this trio from Paris: his drummer for the past quarter of a century, Vincent Cordelette and regular bassist Pierre Maingourd.

Bolling can be something of a musical chameleon. He is known for his ability to be able to adopt almost any jazz style in his piano playing, and as composer/arranger to give a jazz inflection to unlikely music. His big band recorded a swing version of the Marseillaise, there is a whole album of “swung” Mozart entitled 'Jazzgang Amadeus Mozart' and featuring works such as Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.

But the figure he kept coming back to as a key inspiration was Duke Ellington. “I was a fervent admirer of Duke. I had the good fortune to be friends with him over many years - it was a 'grande amitié' . He also got to play on the same stage with Ellington. (See picture above).

He also talked about having led for many years one of the most significant French big bands. Bolling credits the promoter/journalist Frank Ténot with having had the original idea to establish a big band in Paris in the line of Tommy Dorsey and Count Basie . “Frank said he could get the musicians together. Professionals, with real knowledge of jazz. It was a very agreeable indeed to have them as interpreters “

The recordings by this band, says Bolling, were a major success, and that led to the creation of a regularly functioning big band with a weekly gig and appearances at big festivals. Bolling fondly remembers the modest beginnings in the rue de la Huchette, which led to larger concerts and successful jazz brunches at the hotel Meridien. “A lot of people came to those,” he reminisced.

Another unusual direction which Bolling's career has taken is the many collaborations with classical musicians. He has worked with guitarist Alexandre Lagoya, flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal, cellist Yo Yo Ma. How did they come about, I saked? None of them, he confirmed, were really his instigation. "Classical musicians,” he told me, “ felt he need to escape from serious music "s'évader des musiques serieuses." And he created the context to bring them closer to jazz. One of the most popular works of this kind will feature in the programme in Wimbledon, the Suite for flute and jazz trio, originally written for Rampal, and now a fixture in the flute repertoire. Soloist in Wimbledon will be Wissam Boustany.

Bolling may be a very rare visitor to the UK, but the associations he has with our country are positive: “it's a fascinating country, and when I had chance to play I was happy ” . He does have fond memories of recording film scores here such as Catch Me a Spy and Silver Bears. And there was a recording of the Suite for Chamber Orchestra. And he is full of high praise for our musicians : “les musicians anglais sont parfaits,” he says.

He did, however, choose to avoid one question in our interview. What, I asked Bolling, did he consider the peaks, the biggest achievements of this extraordinary career.

“Une apogée? No. It's impossible to choose. Every concert is important. Next question?”

His answer may not have helped our interview to get going, but it's hard to hold it against him. And it also speaks volumes for the undimmed sense of purpose as a musician with which he still approaches every concert. Which can only promise great things for the Wimbledon on November 14th.

Wimbledon Music Festival

Claude-Bolling.com

Prize Draw - Emma Smith and Dinner at Sam's

Sam's Brasserie, Chiswick

Nice prize! This week's draw for newsletter readers (courtesy of Sound Generation and Sam's Brasserie) consists of a complete evening including dinner for two with wine and a chance to hear one of the rising vocal stars of British jazz Emma Smith.

The date is November 6th.

The venue is the newly refurbished Sam's Brasserie in Barley Mow Passage in Chiswick. We (with help from Jean-Jacques Rousseau)  reviewed a previous evening there

The wine will by Rick Stein. The vibe will be relaxed. Newsletter readers please email me to put your name in the hat.


soundgeneration.co.uk

Pink Coach Tote

I just rewarded myself with a brand new pink coach tote this year, just for being to go through whatever I went through this year, and the last.

It's not a big reward, just a little something to remind myself that I'm worth it.




The Coach Signature Stripe Tote in pink.

I wanted something of a convenient size, easy to just grab and head out for a short erran run or house visit. Big bags can be pretty heavy at times, this was just perfect. I bought it from a friend who living in the states, she runs a site selling different designer bags she got her hands on.




This could fit couple of magazines, phone and wallet and some other stuff. It's pretty spacious for a small tote.




What's your latest buy? :)

Round-Up: Georgia Mancio's ReVoice! Festival

Georgia Mancio (photo by Brian O'Connor)

ReVoice! Festival
(Pizza Express, Dean Street. Thursday 6th to Friday 14th October. Round-up by Zena James.)

All credit once again to popular vocalist and innovator Georgia Mancio for achieving sell-outs and a genuine sense of international teamwork throughout her second annual (we hope) ReVoice! festival at Pizza Express Dean St earlier this month.

Norma Winstone and Klaus Gesing (photo by Dave Ohm)

Following the rousing opening night featuring a true first, a striking duet between Georgia and electric bassist and composer, Laurence Cottle and sealed with the ever-flawless, inventive and much-loved doyenne Norma Winstone, came one of the hippest highlights of this nine-day, 37-artist celebration. Gregory Porter, the hugely engaging baritone jazz singer fast making a name for his intense originals, chose against the odds to treat his audience to the full-on energetic soul of a pure Motown opener, Way to Harlem. You can’t find it on I-Tunes yet but the song is already on the list for his planned second release in 2012, featuring mix of swing, soul, R&B, gospel and “a lot about love, family and life”.

But pure jazz lovers didn’t have long to wait. Already well-served by Georgia’s nimble opening jazz set with pianist Nikki Iles, Porter’s audience relished a rich-toned compelling Skylark, one of the best versions I’ve heard. Wayne Shorter’s Black Nile from Porter’s current much-acclaimed album Water brought his raw energy to the fore as he almost physically propelled an already incredibly powerful rhythm section of Geoff Gascoyne, Grant Windsor and Dave Ohm. Outstanding full-pelt solos from saxophonist Ben Castle and trumpeter Graeme Flowers made this an exhilarating start to a set that never faltered.

Gregory Porter (photo by Brian O'Connor)

Irresistible tones of 70’s and 80’s pop-soul singers were present throughout and easily as prominent as the smooth Nat King Cole sound he is so frequently credited with.

The highlight was Be Good, a beautifully written and perfectly delivered ballad about “a woman who broke my heart”, the title track of his next album. It was upstaged only by his magical signature tune Illusion and the high-energy political soul anthem single, 1960 What? A great start to the weekend.

Sachal Vasandani (photo by Cat Munro)

And the treats kept coming. Following a scat-collaboration and whistle –off on Sunday between Georgia and guitarist Jim Mullen, the American vocalist Sachal Vasandani, a mentee of Jon Hendricks, played an almost continuous sophisticated and slick set for an entire hour without pause.

Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor and Diana Torto (photo by Dave Ohm)

Monday saw Italy's newest diva, Diana Torto, who fronted trumpet legend Kenny Wheeler's new and remarkable Something Else quartet for two popular nights. This was one of Georgia’s personal favourites, as well as a tearjerker, in her own duo set, of a piano solo on In My Life by James Pearson, which she admits would have rendered her soundless has she not been on stage with him…

Barbara Raimondi & Roberto Taufic (photo by Dave Ohm)

Wednesday’s magic was Contigo en la Distancia led by Italian vocalist, Barbara Raimondi, with Brazilian guitarist, Roberto Taufic, and UK-based Italian percussionist and drummer, Enzo Zirilli. Their musical painting of Latin America showcased Raimondi's wonderful sense of rhythm and passionate delivery.

Brian Hanlon (photo by Dave Ohm)

Georgia and monthly Dean St bassist Michael Janisch brought subtlety and gentleness to Thursday’s audience, which gave way to a dynamic groove-laden set again featuring Janisch alongside sax maestro Nigel Hitchcock, exciting young pianist Ross Stanley and led by Irish-American singer/guitarist Brian Hanlon.

The week closed with a double bill of sheer class as Georgia and Ian Shaw opened the show with easily their most impressive and entertaining collaboration to date. Highlights were a moving Alone Again Naturally (Gilbert O' Sullivan), an outstanding vocally dexterous multi-tempo/multi-feel Willow Weep For Me and a rousing bi-lingual treatment of a favourite of these longstanding friends and collaborators, Bowie’s Life on Mars.

David Linx (photo by Dave Ohm)

And so to the very eagerly anticipated Belgian singer and composer David Linx, with his award-winning Dutch pianist and collaborator of 20 years, Diederik Wissils. Steeped in classical influence and with incredible agility, this was a bold presentation of 8 originals, from dark, almost sinister ballads to high-speed percussive scat-fests reminiscent of Bobby McFerrin. Always commanding and very physically expressive, yet locked reflectively inside the melody and lyrics, he is at once both showman and introvert, quirkily original and somehow quite incomparable. The touching Proper Shelter, featuring Wissels extraordinary classical talents and the closing I’m Going Home were notable high points; yet judging by the reaction at Dean St, it won’t be long before he’s invited back to the UK…perhaps by Georgia….