#Autumn in New York - Famous Album

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Data 335 - Apr 09, 2023

[camisoledadparis]

THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more … October 26

1885 – The first reported court case under the 1879 Pennsylvania fellatio statute results in a conviction being overturned and a new trial ordered to determine if the "victim" was actually an accomplice.

1946 – Holly Woodlawn (d.2015) was a Puerto Rican-born transgendered actress and former Warhol superstar, who appeared in his movies Trash (1970) and Women in Revolt (1972).

Born Haroldo Santiago Franceschi Rodriguez Danhakl in Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico, Woodlawn adopted the name Holly from the heroine of Breakfast at Tiffany's, and in 1969 added the surname from a sign she saw on an episode of I Love Lucy. After changing her name she began to tell people she was the heiress to Woodlawn Cemetery.

Her transformation was summarized by Lou Reed in his iconic song "Walk on the Wild Side": "Holly came from Miami FLA, / hitch-hiked her way across the USA, / plucked her eyebrows on the way, / shaved her legs, and then he was a she..."

Woodlawn met Andy Warhol at the Factory, at a screening of Flesh. Through him she met Jackie Curtis, who cast Woodlawn in her play Heaven Grand in Amber Orbit in the autumn of 1969. In October she was given a bit role in Trash, but so impressed director Paul Morrissey that she was given a much larger role.

Woodlawn continued to make cameo appearances in plays and films such as Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss throughout the 1980s and 1990s. After Warhol's death, she was interviewed frequently on his life and influence.

Woodlawn began performing in cabaret shows in sold-out New York and Los Angeles performances in the early 2000s. She continues to travel with her cabaret show, most recently appearing in Kraków and London in 2008. She spent her final years in West Hollywood.

Her friend Penny Arcade helped her through her final cancer-ridden days by organising a crowd-funding campaign. Joe Dellesandro, another long-time friend, was with her when she died in an L.A. Hospice.

1953 – Keith Strickland, born in Athens, Georgia, is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, and one of the founding members of the all-gay The B-52s. Originally the band's drummer, Strickland switched to guitar after the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson in 1985.

Strickland also plays keyboards and bass guitar on many of The B-52s recordings, and has occasionally provided backing vocals. Strickland composes the music for The B-52s. "Ricky and I used to write the music together, but now I write the individual instrument parts and arrange the instrumental compositions myself. I'm trying to convey a feeling when I compose," Strickland explains. "I think of my instrumentals as soundscapes - the chord progressions, rhythms, harmonics and musical direction are used to evoke various sonic atmospheres or moods."

Strickland announced that he was homosexual in 1992.

He has said: "Does it really matter if people come out in rock ‘n’ roll? Do people really care? When Melissa Etheridge came out, her next album went through the roof! I think it’s just a good thing to do for your self. I came out publicly, in the press, for myself. Prior to that, I’d never been asked in the press if I was gay or not but I wanted to put it out there, just for myself."

1971 – Born: American actor, writer and singer Anthony Rapp. Born in Joliet, Illinois, as Anthony Dean Rapp, his brother is the playwright Adam Rapp. He's best known for originating the role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway production of Rent in 1996 and later for reprising the role in the film version and The Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009. He also performed the role of Charlie Brown in the 1999 Broadway revival of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown.

Rapp, a self-identified "queer," is an advocate in show business for LGBT rights, having first come out as Bisexual at the age of 18 to his mother over the phone. In 2006, Rapp released a memoir about his days in Rent, as well as his mother's struggle with cancer and his experiences growing up, entitled Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent. The memoir was made into a stage production

In 2012, the periodical, Metro Weekly, referred to Rapp as "one of the first openly gay men on Broadway". During a 1997 interview with Oasis Magazine, the actor explained his sexual identity as "queer" rather than "gay": "I don't want to get into labels, but I've never labeled myself except to say I'm queer. The thing that's been most important to me to be out about is that I have been in loving relationships with men…I haven't said 'I am gay.' Because the truth is that I've also been in love with women, although the truth is I do think I'm primarily homosexual…"

He is currently starring as half of a gay couple on Star Trek: Discovery. He is the first openly gay character in a Star Trek series, and the showrunners "wanted to roll out that character's sexuality the way people would roll out their sexuality in life." Rapp noted that Hikaru Sulu was portrayed as gay in the film Star Trek Beyond, calling that "a nice nod. But in this case, we actually get to see me with my partner in conversation, in our living quarters, you get to see our relationship over time, treated as any other relationship would be treated"

In October 2017, Rapp alleged in an interview with BuzzFeed that actor Kevin Spacey made a sexual advance toward him in 1986, when Rapp was 14 years old, and Spacey was 26. Rapp added that he once met with a lawyer to discuss possible legal action, but was told there was no case worth pursuing. In response, Spacey said he did not remember the encounter, given the incident allegedly occurred 31 years ago, but nevertheless said that he was "beyond horrified to hear his story" and offered Rapp the "sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior."

1990 – A U.S. Army colonel was discharged and sentenced to 90 days in Leavenworth for appearing in drag at an AIDS benefit and kissing another man.

[thebowerypresents]

Phosphorescent Say(s) Goodbye to Summer

Phosphorescent – Webster Hall – September 20, 2024

Numerous cities have great live-music scenes, some of which, with self-branded monikers like “Music City,” “Live Music Capital of the World” or “Chicago,” claim to be No. 1. But nowhere in this country — and I’d wager the world — is a better place for live music than New York City. There’s always something terrific going on that you can’t get to because of something else terrific that you can. So, it’s understandable if you weren’t in the East Village on the last Friday of summer, but on that night, the very best live music in the very best city for it was Phosphorescent at Webster Hall.

Touring behind the eighth Phosphorescent studio offering, this year’s Revelator — the first in six years and just the second since 2013’s universally acclaimed Muchacho, one of that decade’s defining albums — former Brooklynite Matthew Houck opened the show with a solo acoustic Phosphorescent set, beneath 12 muted blue lights and with smoke billowing behind him, like a campfire conjuring paying tribute to the last vestiges of summer.

With a guitar and a simple “Let’s just get into it,” he played nine songs from across his catalog, beginning with C’est La Vie’s “C’est La Vie No. 2” and closing with Aw Come Aw Wry’s rarely played “Endless, Pt. 1” and “Endless, Pt. 2” — happily chatting along the way. After mentioning that the upcoming Paul Schrader movie he’d scored comes out next year, the acclaimed screenwriter and director, a noted fan of the band, shouted down from the balcony that it arrives “on December 6th.” And before playing Pride’s “My Dove, My Lamb,” Houck offered, “Just a few more and then Phosphorescent are coming out, and they’re really good.”

The full-band set launched with the new LP’s title track, its opening lines — “I got tired of sadness / I got tired of all the madness / I got tired of being a badass all the time” — earning an enthusiastic crowd response. It was Phosphorescent backed by Phosphorescent: Dominic Billett (drums), Jack Lawrence (bass), Jo Schornikow (keys), Ricky Ray Jackson (guitar/pedal steel) and Scott Stapleton (keys), with a fiddler and saxophonist liberally subbing in and out. (“We got some extra folks tonight because it’s New York City.”)

C’est La Vie earworm “New Birth in New England” was a highlight, the band several times feverishly working the song toward a crescendo just to back off and return to the chorus, taking a turn toward what seemed like would be a metal finish only to — again — retreat to the chorus and then fully jamming away the tune’s conclusion. Stapleton, who’d unleashed his headbanging-worthy mane from beneath a white cowboy hat, let his hair fly in tandem with the music's increasing intensity, like some sort of a follicular metronome (#fakejambands).

They closed the set with a cover of “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” made famous by Willie Nelson, and a pair of Muchacho standouts, the driving “The Quotidian Beasts” and the ethereal “Song for Zula,” Houck, his voice a raw nerve, stalking the stage and pointing out enthusiastic concertgoers.

The increasingly boisterous audience cheered for more and Phosphorescent returned for the cosmic-country “Ride On/Right On” (Muchacho), “Los Angeles” (Here’s to Taking It Easy) — shouted out from the crowd and emphatically punctuated with “I came to Los Angeles to goddamn die” — and then finishing with “Down to Go” (Muchacho), the line “The kids of summer, don’t we glow” particularly resonating with autumn swiftly approaching. —R. Zizmor | @hand_dog

Photos courtesy of Toby Tenenbaum | @tobytenenbaum

[tilynation]

“In An Alleyway, Drinking Champagne”

Listening to the slowed down ultra-romantic last few lines of “Paris” and Taylor’s emphasis on the word “champagne” made me think the “Paris” muse might also be the “Champagne Problems” muse.

I always theorized that both songs have Lily as a muse and I’m even more convinced about “Paris” being a Lily song, instead of Joe, after news of the Toe breakup. The Joe songs on “Midnights” seem to have angst, hard times, and even some bitterness (Bejeweled, Labyrinth, The Great War, Sweet Nothing). Whereas “Paris” is one of the few loved up songs on the album.

Some people may say that all the songs on “Midnights” are about Joe at different points during their relationship. Or that “Paris” and “Champagne Problems” are Karlie songs. Below is why I think they are Lily songs (although “One for the money, two for the show” could easily reference the Kaylor “Two for the Show” magazine article).

I did a previous post about why I think “Paris” is about Lily - link. The song, to me, is clearly set in October 2016, the start of the Tily Autumn:

Now we get to “Champagne Problems,” which I don’t think I’ve covered on the blog before but have always felt it was a Lily song. To me, “Champagne Problems” takes place in the Autumn of 2018, two years after the “Paris” loved up Autumn of 2016.

“Champagne Problems” is a sad song. It starts with “You booked the night train for a reason, so you could sit there in this hurt.” Is this the same train reference from the “Can’t Stop Loving You” performance on BBC1 in 2019 after the Tily breakup?

Now lets introduce Lily’s sister, Aurelia Donaldson. She was papped with Lily, for the first and only time, in London, while Taylor was there on a break from the Rep tour.

Into the Autumn of 2018, Taylor is still wearing the Victoria’s Secret angel ring. And the diamond eye ring Lily also had.

“You told your family for a reason, you couldn’t keep it in.”

“Your sister splashed out on the bottle, now no one’s celebrating.”

These lines are juxtaposed with Lily’s sister’s happy engagement party during the Autumn of 2018 which Lily attended in London. Her younger sister was getting married, so marriage might have been on Lily’s mind. (Funny that the person taking the Polaroids at the engagement party was named Tilly!)

The end is near . . .

Lily goes to Tokyo for the end of the Rep tour in November. Maybe one final trip as the gf?

After being in New York at the same time in January 2019, Lily and Taylor stop showing up at the same places and all social media activity between the two ends with Taylor’s birthday posts in 2019. “The Man” is released on Lily’s birthday, January 27, in 2020.

“Your Midas touch on the Chevy door”

A reference to Lily’s famous Vogue shoot named “Midas Touch” for the 2012 London Olympics, where Lily was featured in the Closing Ceremony. (Link)

“November flush and your flannel cure”

A reference to Thanksgiving (November) 2016 at Taylor’s Rhode Island home which Lily attended and Taylor wore flannel.

“This dorm was once a madhouse”

Another reference to Taylor’s Rhode Island home and Rebekah Harkness/The Last Great American Dynasty - “There goes the maddest woman this town had ever seen.” “Women with madness, their men with bad habits, and then it was bought by me.”

I made a joke, “We’ll it’s made for me.”

“Soon they’ll have the nerve to deck the halls”

A reference to Christmas, which comes after Thanksgiving.

Lastly, the “Forever is the sweetest con” chapter of Folklore and Evermore songs was released on Lily’s birthday in 2021. Further proof Lily is one of the breakup muses of Folkmore.

[dustedmagazine]

2023: Bryon Rides Anxiety’s Peaks and Valleys

Yo La Tengo

This year really tossed us all around like a gigantic blender, swirling everything together into a writhing mass of fine particles. It’s been quite the ride. Thankfully amidst the chaos, there was music. The vast cornucopia of exhilarating sounds wound itself around the many genres, and the dozens of releases spread across these twelve months. It provided the healing salve to combat the bedlam lying in the realm beyond our ears.

For me, live music in 2023 was about quality over quantity. The two shows that affected me most this past year were aligned along the theme of reunion. I’ve been a fan of Yo La Tengo since high school but had strayed from the band’s past few releases. This Stupid World brought me back into their universe. I jumped at the chance to see them in Toronto; it had been decades since I last saw them play live. They played two sets, one soft and one loud, and they didn’t disappoint. As an added bonus, I got to meet fellow Dusted writer Ian Mathers at the show. Toronto post-rockers Do Make Say Think played their first show in six years in March, around my birthday. I wasn’t going to miss it. They unleashed an enticing set of music, playing material from across their entire catalog with intense energy. It was hypnotic and exhilarating. They were also jovial, joking about the current career prospects of the band members. It was a fun night.

Many perennial favorite groups and artists released excellent albums this year. Yo La Tengo returned to their early Matador form with This Stupid World, while The Clientele expanded into new, lush and uncanny territory on I’m Not There Anymore. Califone’s Villagers pushed the band’s adventurous, bluesy roots-rock into an experimental wonderland. Bill Orcutt released Jump On It, revealing his softer side. The Live in Brooklyn 2011 set from Sonic Youth found the group trying out songs they rarely played live, as they wound down their decades-long existence. Joshua Abrams’ Natural Information Society showed that they’re not done unleashing mesmerizing sonic salvos with Since Time is Gravity. Finally, Daniel Bachman continued to push his singular brand of Americana toward the outer limits with When the Roses Come Again, and Intercepted Message found Osees covering Cisco Systems’ telephone hold music. It was a good year for long-beloved institutions.

New to me this year was the band Famous Mammals and their polyglot post-punk album Instant Pop Expressionism Now! I returned to it time and time again; it was the soundtrack to my late summer and my autumn. Digging deeper into the San Francisco band’s origins, I discovered a previously hidden world of Bay Area post-punk, populated by a tight-knit scene that originated with The World, which would fracture into Famous Mammals, Non Plus Temps, Blues Lawyer, Children Maybe Later and others. The LP in question blends elements of Swell Maps, Young Marble Giants and Television Personalities, aligning with those outfits’ brashness, naivete, and wry sense of humor. It was at the top of my list in 2023 and led me to explore the SF underground further. That digging led me to Will York’s encyclopedic tome Who Cares Anyway? York gives an in-depth perspective to the goings on in the Bay Area from the post-hippie origins of its punk scene to the self-destructive chaos of Flipper and the visionary artistry behind acts such as Mr. Bungle, Caroliner, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, et cetera. He also investigates the unique personalities that comprised the scene such as Brandon Kearney, Gregg Turkington, Seymour Glass, Barbara Manning, and Joe Pop-o-Pie. The book is worth exploring if you’re at all interested in any of the names I mentioned.

I always highlight at least one Canadian release, and this year I really got into the self-titled debut from Toronto duo You Can Can. The pairing of sound artist Andrew Zukerman and vocalist Felicity Williams is the perfect comingling of the familiar and the otherworldly. Alien soundscapes intercept beautifully crafted song forms, with synth squiggles and abstract patterns writhing alongside folk music signifiers. Let’s hope that You Can Can have more music in store for us in 2024 and beyond.

Bryon Hayes

[fashioneditswebsite]

The Ralph Lauren fashion show in New York was inspired by western wear.

The American fashion house showed its autumn/winter collection to a star-studded front row. After her Cowboy Carter album release, Ralph Lauren's show nodded to the Beyonce-inspired cowboy trend. Jessica Chastain, Glenn Close, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Kerry Washington joined a star-studded roster from film, TV, and music at the intimate show in New York. At the same time, muse and supermodel Christy Turlington, 55, walked the runway. The designer, 84, used metallics and knitwear for his neutral-colored autumn/winter collection. It featured cowboy hats, belts, and boots. Chastain, 47, said Ralph Lauren taught her to “break the rules” in fashion. Jessica Chastain attends the Ralph Lauren Fall/Holiday 2024 presentation (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) After the show, the US actress and producer said, " I got a bit of a fashion lesson from Ralph Lauren. A beautiful dress came down with a white lace collar paired with a western belt, and I loved it. “I would have never thought of pairing that look together. He’s the only designer who could put on a tuxedo with a pair of cowboy boots . He really has so much fun with his fashion and that’s what I’ve come to expect. I’ve learnt that I’m allowed to break the rules.” Models walked the runway in nude tailored coats over shirts and ties in the same color, cropped knit jumpers and cardigans paired with sparkly mesh maxi skirts, sequinned evening gowns, and matching trousers and suit jackets. Accessories included understated handbags, western belts, cowboy knee-high boots, and hats. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ralph Lauren (@ralphlauren) Founded in 1967, Ralph Lauren became best known for its famous polo shirt. The brand has a history of Americana dressing rooted in America’s cultural heritage, so cowboy-style makes a lot of sense for the latest collection. This show – which took place in the designer’s private design studio, the runway reminiscent of a Manhattan gallery – was understated compared to some of his most famous shows, which include taking over Central Park and holding a runway show around his classic car collection. Jodie Turner-Smith arrives at the Ralph Lauren Fall/Holiday 2024 presentation (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) Praising the latest collection, Turner-Smith admitted she’s “a sucker for fringe.” She said of Ralph Lauren’s fashion, “While it’s always current and modern, it still feels nostalgic.” Scandal star Washington, 47, said, “I think it’s elegance you can count on year after year.He takes inspiration from his surroundings, but he never follows the latest fashion trends with his clothing.You can dip into a look from any decade and still be one of the best-dressed in the room.” Meanwhile, Vogue’s editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, opted to attend the show in a maxi blue, white, and black striped dress with a drop-down waist and ivory-heeled boots. “Ralph could have been a movie director,” said the 74-year-old. Kerry Washington attends the Ralph Lauren Fall/Holiday 2024 presentation (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) Fashion benefits and Hollywood loses out. The collections seem like movies. The other thing that always strikes me about Ralph’s collections is that they are so timeless yet essentially modern.” Close, 77, wore a cream suit. She loved the mix of textures and said they looked wearable, comfortable, simple, and beautiful. It was gorgeous.” Glenn Close attends the Ralph Lauren Fall/Holiday 2024 presentation (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) Read the full article

[sheetmusiclibrarypdf]

Kenny Barron - New York Attitude (1984) Jazz

Kenny Barron - New York Attitude (1984) Jazz Please, subscribe to our Library. Thank you!Tracks: Kenny Barron. "The poetry of the piano" (Jazz) Best Sheet Music download from our Library. A long and intense journey: musical biographyGenerous educator

Kenny Barron - New York Attitude (1984) Jazz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qsxrr90ChPw Tracks: 1 New York Attitude 00:00 2 Embraceable You, Take 2 06:00 3 Joanne Julia 11:51 4 My One Sin 17:31 5 Bemsha Swing 22:56 6 Autumn In New York 29:49 7 Lemuria 37:51 8 You Don't Know What Love Is 43:03 9 Embraceable You, Take 1 49:32 Credits: Bass – Rufus Reid Drums – Frederick Waits Piano – Kenny Barron Recorded December 14, 1984 at Van Gelder Recording Studios, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.

Kenny Barron. "The poetry of the piano" (Jazz)

For a jazz pianist, facing the piano face to face is an intense exercise in reflection, a reckoning with his baggage in music, a profound internalization process and, above all, a conversation with himself or Conversations with Myself (Verve, 1963), the famous album by Bill Evans, the jazz impressionist, an experience that he would repeat on albums such as Further Conversations with Myself (Verve, 1967), Alone (Verve, 1968), Alone Again (Fantasy, 1975) or New Conversations (Warner, 1978).

Keith Jarrett, a great fan of this kind of face to face with the piano to the point that it could be said that it was his usual mode of expression, has left us excellent albums, among others, The Köln Concert (ECM, 1975), the monumental Sun Bear Concert (ECM, 1978) or the recent Budapest Concert (ECM, 2020) recorded in 2016.

But this tour de force in front of the piano has a rich tradition in the history of jazz and all the great pianists walked this solitary path that allows an inner exploration with infinite possibilities, a continuous process of improvisation in which the usual question / answer happens in the limitless imagination of the musician. Just a few examples of pianists who throughout the history of jazz plunged into the creative solitude of the solo piano. The recognized virtuoso and master of all those who came after Art Tatum in the compilation Piano Solo (Capitol, 1972) that includes various sessions from 1949 —memorable version of Dvořák's “Humoresque”—or in the series The Tatun Solo Masterpieces Vol 1 (Pablo , 1953). He also did numerous takes on the great Fats Waller collected on the Fats Waller Memorial 5 Lps Casket (RCA Victor, 1969). Bud Powell, seminal foundation of bebop and modern jazz on numerous tracks on The Genius of Bud Powell (Mercury, 1956). Another of the basic pillars of modernity like Thelonious Monk in albums like Solo Monk (Columbia, 1965) or Piano Solo (Vogue, 1954). Mainstream pianists ( also wanted to confront themselves in solo dialogue: Mal Waldron — Searching in Grenoble: The 1978 Solo Piano Tompkins Square, 2022) or All Alone (GTA Records, 1966) —, the elegant and lyrical Tommy Flanagan — Solo Piano (Storyville, 1974) or In His Own Sweet Time (Enja, 2020) recording rescued from a concert at the German town of Neubur in 1994; Kenny Drew, Everything I Love. Solo Piano (SteepleChase, 1973); Ray Bryant, Alone with the Blues (New Jazz, 1958); Errol Garner in the series for Decca, Errol Garner playing Piano Solos or Hank Jones, Have You Met Hank Jones (Savoy, 1956) are just a few examples. But also contemporary pianists like Paul Bley, Solo Piano (SteepleChase, 1988); Fred Hersch —the triple album Songs without Words (Nonesuch, 2001) and Solo Piano (Palmeto, 2015)—; Brad Mehldau, Solo piano. Live in Tokyo (Nonesuch, 2004); Marc Copland, John (Illusions Mirage, 2020), tribute to guitarist John Abercrombie who died during the pandemic or the historic German pianist Joachim Kühn, Touch the Light (ACT, 2021) reviewed his jazz musical influences but also classical and pop music and nationally pianists such as Tete Montoliou, Solo piano (Timeless, 1989) compilation of the albums Y yellow Dolphin Street (1977) and Catalonian Folksongs (1978) or the young and versatile Marco Mezquida, La hora fertile (Whatabout Music, 2013), among many others.

And the great Barry Harris, custodian and champion of the bop tradition, could not be missing from this brief account —some consider it a kind of compendium of three of the most influential representatives of modern jazz: Parker, Monk and Powell and a renowned educator of jazz. so many talents that in albums like Listen to Barry Harris: Solo Piano (Riverside, 1961) or the most recent Solo (September, 1990) recorded in the Dutch Studio 44 and in which he makes an extensive tour of the modern jazz tradition through 15 songs, three originals (That Secret Place, So Far, So Good and Tribute to the Duke), readings by Monk (Monks Mood, Ruby my Dear and Blue Monk), by Powell (Hallucinations) and well-known classics by Rodgers, Youmans, Kern or Noble. Harris precisely quoted Kenny Barron when asked about a young pianist he liked, they insisted on being young and reiterated, "Barron, of course!" Finding out soon after, Kenny was pleased that he will think of him as a young pianist, "even though I'm my years now, even though Barry is a lot older than me." Together they led the great album Confirmation (Candid, 1992) as a quartet with Ray Drummond and Ben Riley in the rhythm section, a gathering of teachers recorded at the Riverside Park Arts Festival on September 1, 1991. Facing the piano alone could well be that feeling of “feeling that you are in the zone , a special place where everything works, heart, mind and technique”, as Fred Hersch wrote in the Solo album liner notes . And, of course, Kenny Barron wanted and knew how to sink in front of the lacquered mirror of the piano, with all the respect that a dialogue of such magnitude implies: «The solo piano has always scared me. That is number one. But the only way to deal with it is to deal with it, you know! It's an opportunity for me to challenge myself at every concert and, at the same time, be aware that I'm not Art Tatum. Because sometimes that's in the back of your mind. At the human level. Maybe I'm not doing enough. Maybe I'm not bright enough. That's still on your mind. So I'm trying to get to the point where that's like a noise I can forget about. Don't even worry about it. Worrying about that kind of thing, or how to stop worrying about it. But then again, the only way to stop worrying about it is to face it all the time. Just tell my story, whatever it is. And I think people respond, if you're honest." Interview by Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen (06.20.2017)

An impressive number of recorded albums —“about 500 as accompanist, or maybe 400”, he once said, and fifty as leader or co-leader—… and yet it is surprising that he has only recorded two solo piano and forty years apart. The first, At the Piano (Xanadu, 1982), includes an excellent mixture of jazz classics and originals that, then, when he was in his forties, were part of his musical spirit baggage. Seven songs for his solo piano debut, three of his own —“Bud-Like” as a tribute to the seminal Bud Powell, the rapturous “Calypso”, perhaps a Rollian wink and a memorable “Enchanted Flower”— and the rest are a must. Fulfillment for any pianist, the timeless ballad “Body and Soul”, the necessary Ellington-Strayhorn path in “The Star-Crossed Lovers” and, of course, Monk, another of his great influences: “Misterioso” and “Rhythm-a-Ning”. ”. High point, then, in his recording career, Robert Taylor pointed out in Allmusic . Now, at eighty and forty years later and, perhaps, in a sort of reckoning or testimonial legacy, The Source (Artwork, 2023) leaves us, recorded in July 2022 at the Theater de L'Athénée Lousi Jovert from Paris. As in At the Piano, it includes well-known own compositions —“What If”, “Dolores Street”, “Sunshower” and “Phantoms”), readings by Monk (“Teo”, “Well You Needn't”), revisits the Ellington-Strayhorn duo (“Isfahan,” “Daydream”) and a Great American Songbook classic (“I'm Confessin'”). On both albums, Barron establishes a lively connection with the listener to offer a musical discourse that is not forced, oblivious to any sense of pretense, in order to navigate various stylistic currents with the utmost elegance and virtuosity —from straight ahead jazz, classics, blues , bossa nova and even free improvisation—which attest to why he is considered one of the masters of jazz in history. "Album that could have been titled Kenny Barron: All The Things You Are ", Ed Enright has written in Downbeat (January 2023)... Indeed, everything that is.

A long and intense journey: musical biography

Eighty years old is Kenny Barron (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1943). He began playing the piano at the age of six — "it was compulsory at home and my mother made me study classical piano until I was 16" — among his teachers, Vera, the sister of Ray Bryant, also a pianist and a native of Philadelphia, a prodigal city in jazzmen : Benny Golson, Tommy Bryant, Philly Joe Jones, Bobby Timmons, Archie Shepp, Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, among others. See the good ear or that he was good at it... «I became interested in jazz thanks to my brother Bill, a saxophonist, who had records by Charlie Parker, Dizzy, Dexter Gordon... And in Philadelphia there was also a 24-hour jazz station. My brother took me to my first concert with his band when he was 14 and we played standards and pieces from the big bands. Then I moved to New York in 1961, which was a fantastic place at the time. That's how it all started." While still in high school he worked with drummer Philly Joe Jones. And at the age of 19 he moved to New York starting a dizzying career as a freelance , accompanying musicians such as drummer Roy Haynes, trumpeter Lee Morgan or flutist and tenor sax player James Moody, after he heard him play at the Five Spot. Requested musician condition that he attributes: «They call me because I can play well, empathy and the interpretation that one makes of the musical intentions of others also influences, I try to make everything easy, or so I think» Key to his career was his entry in 1962 into trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie's band on the recommendation of James Moody and without Dizzy hearing him play a single note. With Dizzy, in whose group he spent four years, he absorbed and developed a great knowledge and experience of the jazz language as well as an appreciation for Latin and Caribbean rhythms that he would later reflect on albums like Sambao or Canta Brasil . «I joined his band at the age of 19, what am I going to say, he was a great human being and one of the greatest learning experiences I have had . Foremost, Dizzy was very easy to get along with. He wasn't a dictatorial boss type, just a really nice guy. And he was very generous with his knowledge. He knew a lot about chords and harmony, and he was very generous. He always shared. 'Why don't you try expressing this chord this way?' He taught me things on the piano. And some nights, if the last set wasn't full, he'd get me off the piano and play a song or two with Moody. He wasn't a great soloist, but he did know the voices and things like that. And he also knew a lot about rhythms, especially Brazilian rhythms and Latin rhythms, and where they came from. What region of Cuba or what region of Brazil. And also nonmusical things about how to treat people. He always treated people with the utmost respect. In the four years that I was with him, I never saw him get angry. After leaving Gillespie's band, he worked with Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Milt Jackson and Buddy Rich. In the early 1970s, Kenny worked with the great saxophonist Yusef Lateef, whom Kenny credits as a key influence on his improvisational art. I knew Lateef from before, when he was still living in Philadelphia and with whom he had just finished high school, he played several concerts and contributed, not as a performer but as a composer and arranger, to their album The Centaur and the Phoenix (Riverside, 1960) with the original “Revelation” and an arrangement of the standard “Ev'ry Day (I Fall in Love)”. It was Lateef who encouraged him to combine touring with a college education, earning a degree in music from Empire State College (New York). This is how Kenny spoke of Lateef: "He was honest. When he said something, you could believe it. Musically, it was open and very liberating. He was not specific with the instructions. Just be on time and no drugs." His recording debut took place with the album The Tenor Styling of Bill Barron (Savoy, 1961) directed by his brother Bill and which included also with the trumpeter Ted Carson, the bassist Jimmy Garrison and the drummer Frankie Dunlop who was followed by others along with his brother such as Modern Windows or Hot Line . About his brother (1927-1989): «My brother and I used to talk about music. He wasn't a pianist, so he couldn't teach me piano. But we talk a lot about music. We talked about some of the concepts of him and who he liked. He leaned a bit more to the left , in the sense that he liked Cecil Taylor, classical composers like Webern and Stockhausen. So he was into some experimental stuff. That was his musical inclination ». A year of great independent recording activity was 1967. He co-directed the album You Had Better Listen with trumpeter Jimmy Owens and participated in recordings with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and saxophonists Joe Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, Tyrone Washington, Booker Ervin and Eric Kloss. His ever-expanding discography continued to expand into the '70s, featuring sessions with saxophonists and flutists such as Moody and Lateef, bassists Ron Carter and Buster Williams as well as musicians such as Carl Grubbs, Marion Brown and Marvin 'Hannibal' Peterson. Throughout the 1970s he continued to work regularly with prominent musicians, broadening the stylistic range of his collaborations—Stan Getz, Chico Freeman, violinist John Blake, trombonist and singer Ray Anderson, and drummer Elvin Jones.

It was also the decade that marked the beginning of his career as a leader. Sunset to Dawn (Muse, 1973) their album His debut as a leader featured, among others, bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Freddie Waits and his own compositions such as “Sunset” or “Dolores Street”. It was followed by albums such as Peruvian Blue (Muse, 1974), Lucifer (Muse, 1975), Innocence (Wolf Records, 1978) or Togheter (Denon, 1979) in a duet with pianist Tommy Flanagan and in which both maestros interpret six jazz classics. with a language loaded with swing and moments of improvisational brilliance. For Kenny Barron, Tommy Flanagan (1930-2001) was one of his great influences: "My biggest influence was actually Tommy Flanagan, who I first heard during high school on a recording. What got me about Tommy was his touch and his lyricism, those two things. He had this very light, delicate touch, and when he touched it it was very, very logical. It was like speaking in sentences, with punctuation and all. That was my biggest influence. And then I discovered the influence of him, Hank Jones. So that particular style, that's what got me." During the eighties he maintained his intense activity, touring and collaborating with other musicians and publishing twenty albums in various formats, among others, his first recording on solo piano — At the Piano (Xanadu, 1982) —; a duet with bassist Buster Williams — Two As One. Live at Umbria Jazz (Red Record, 1987) and with Red Mitchell — The Red Barron Duo (Storyville, 1988)— Also a duo but alternating on double bass Ron Carter and Michael Moore — 1+1+1 (Blackhawk Records, 1986); a trio in Autumn in New York (Uptown, 1985) with Rufus Reid and Frederick Waits; in Scratch (Enja, 1985) with Dave Holland and Daniel Humair or in Landscape (Baystate, 1985) with Cecil McBee and Al Foster. In the excellent Whatat If? (Enja, 1986) he performed as a quintet with trumpeter Wallace Roney, tenor sax player John Stubblefield, and Cecil McBee and Victor Lewis in the rhythm section including originals like "Phantoms," "What If?" or "Voyage." He also founded the Sphere quartet with tenor saxophone Charlie Rouse, Buster Williams and Ben Riley, whose objective was to celebrate the music of Thelonius Monk and which remained active until Rouse's death in 1988, publishing albums such as Four in One (Elektra , 1982 ), whose recording coincided by chance with the day of Monk's death and therefore was not planned as a commemorative tribute and in which they perform outstanding readings of Monk's classics. It was followed by albums in which, although they do not cover Monk, their spirit is present, such as Flight Path , Sphere on Tour, Pumpkin's Delight , Four for All and Bird Songs released the same year as Charlie Rouse's death. The group met again with the alto sax Gary Bartz publishing the album Sphere (Verve, 1997). Read the full article

[cali-holland]

Sacred New Beginnings- Tom Holland One Shot

Pairing: Tom Holland X Reader

Requested by @stahpppppp​ : Reader is a famous singer and she is friends with Zendaya. Based on Taylor Swift song “Cornelia Street” 🙂 Thank you!

Prompt: You fall in love with Tom on Cornelia Street

Word Count: 3100

Based On: Cornelia Street (and kinda I Think He Knows) by Taylor Swift

Warnings: sexual themes, probably swearing

A/N: Sorry it took so long to post this, I’ve had it finished for agesss

Masterlist   Tom Holland Masterlist

*Gif is not mine*

~~~

“Come on, just a few drinks.” Zendaya nudged you, encouragingly, and you rolled your eyes at her. “Tom will be there.”

“Like that changes my answer.” You joked, hoping she didn’t catch the blush creeping on your cheeks. She did. “I need to finish writing for my album.”

“The bar will give you inspiration!” She insisted. “You’re coming!”

“Fine.” You huffed, not wanting to deal with her persistent nagging any longer.

She was your best friend, ever since you met at an awards show where the two of you both snuck in food in your bags and shared it with each other. You didn’t live in New York, you were renting a small townhouse in the city, seeking a new environment to finish writing your album. It happened to be that Zendaya was also in the city, filming for Spider-Man for a few weeks. 

While filming the last movie, you’d gone to visit her on set, and that’s where you met- and developed a school girl crush on, Tom Holland. He was dreamy, charming, handsome, and you had completely fallen for him over the course of those couple weeks you were in Georgia. Over the past couple years, you two had kept in contact via social media, but nothing too elaborate or special, and neither of you managed to see each other in person again. Until now, when you’d be seeing him for the first in a couple years and you just hoped it could take your mind off of your album.

You quickly got ready to go to the bar with Zendaya, who was already (because she showed up at your door, demanding you go after you ignored her texts). Once you were finally satisfied with your look for the night, you two left your place on Cornelia Street and got into a taxi, heading to the bar where you’d meet up with Tom and the rest of the cast.

“Do I look okay?” You asked, a hand subconsciously playing with your hair nervously until Zendaya lightly slapped it away.

“You look amazing, and by the way, I know for sure that Tom’s still single.” She said proudly.

“I didn’t even ask.” You replied, shaking your head at her in disbelief as the cab driver came to a stop in front of the bar.

“I’m just saying.” Your best friend shrugged innocently at you. You both shuffled your way out of the cab and hurried inside of the bar. Even though you’d only been outside for a minute, you already regretted not pairing your outfit with a jacket- the chill autumn air wasn’t your friend tonight.

“You all remember Y/N, right?” Zendaya smiled, pulling you up to the crowded table with her. Around the table, you recognized Tom, Jacob, and two others beside Tom- one you believed was Harrison (but you only briefly met him two years ago) and you were pretty sure the other was Tom’s brother, who you had never met.

“How could we forget?” Tom spoke up, smiling brightly at you. 

“Hey, everyone.” You greeted. Zendaya took one of the two open seats at the table, leaving the only open one between her and Tom. She smiled innocently at you. Before you even sat in your chair, you nodded your head back to the bar. “I’m gonna go grab a drink. Anyone want more?” With a chorus of yes’s coming from the group, Tom got up to accompany you over to the bar, insisting he could help you get all the drinks. After you two ordered the next round of drinks, he turned to you to start a conversation.

“How’s the album going?” Tom asked you, and you looked at him surprised, wondering how he knew that you were working on an album- you’d tried to keep it private. Seeing your shock, he explained, “Z said you were here for an album.”

“Oh yeah, came here for inspiration, but I’m slowly starting to lose it.” You sighed, feeling a little defeated. 

“What’s the album about? Is it like- what do they call it, a concept album?” He laughed, hoping he’d gotten the word right, and you nodded.

“I guess the concept I’ve been going for is a letter to love itself.” You said, “I know, it sounds cheesy, but-”

“No, it sounds great. I’m sure it’s going to be a killer album. Your music’s amazing, you’re really talented.” He reassured you as the bartender set the numerous drinks on a small tray in front of the two of you, but neither of you made any effort to move/

“Thank you. I just have two more songs left to write for this album.”

“Do you know what they’re about yet?”

“I have this idea from one of them.” You started and he nodded, encouraging you to continue. You laughed as you tried to think of the words, “It’s kind of a quiet confidence, but still cool and sexy- the feeling of that first feeling of attraction. I just can’t find the right lyrics for it yet.”

“Are lyrics normally hard for you to write?” Tom asked. You could tell that he was genuinely intrigued, even though you were worried you’d started to bore him with album talk. Tom took a sip of his drink as he waited for your response.

“Not really, which is why I’m so frustrated with these two songs.”

“Well,” He paused, “Why don’t you come up with a lyric about me? I mean, you said “that first feeling of attraction��, so-”

“Are you implying that I’m attracted to you?” You laughed, teasingly.

“Are you implying that you’re not?” He asked, leaning in closer to you.

“Fine.” You took a moment to look him up and down, your eyes landing on his hand holding onto his beer, before you looked him in the eyes, “I think he knows his hand around a cold glass makes me wanna know that body like it’s mine.”

“Were you two ever going to bring back our drinks?” Zendaya questioned, appearing behind the two of you, making both you and Tom jump back in surprise.

“We were just heading back.” Tom insisted, grabbing the tray of drinks, and you and Zendaya both quickly grabbed a couple glasses because all three of you knew Tom would absolutely not make it back to the table without spilling one of the many drinks. Once settled in back at the table, you quickly got out your phone and wrote down the line you’d said to Tom, feeling like it suited your song well.

After a few hours of laughing, drinking, and just catching up with the whole group, you all decided it was probably best to head out. Harry, Harrison, Jacob, and Zendaya all filled up one cab, and Tom stayed behind with you to catch a second one.

“Are you cold?” Tom asked as you shivered lightly, waiting for an empty taxi. Before you could even reply, he had taken off his jacket and put it around your shoulders.

“Then, you’re going to be cold.” You laughed, wrapping your arms around the back of his neck, keeping him close to you, “I’m not going to have you get frostbite because you gave me your jacket.”

“It’s not even that cold out.” He shook his head at you in disbelief, but rested his hands on your waist, pulling you even closer to him. After a moment, he moved one of his hands to cup your chin and kissed you. It was a little sloppy and drunken, you could easily taste the beer on his lips, but it was still perfect to you. He pulled back and rested his forehead on yours, “We should go.”

“Yeah,” You let out a small sigh, stepping away from him to hail the next taxi.

“Where are you headed?” The driver asked as you two got into the cab. Tom said the name of his hotel, and the cab took off, beginning its journey.

“You know, I’m renting a place on Cornelia Street.” You said casually in the backseat beside Tom. Feeling the strength of the bar’s alcohol (mixed with the overwhelming attraction you felt for Tom), you hoped you weren’t too forward as you said, “You could stay there tonight, if you want to.”

“I’d love to.” Tom smiled. Relieved, you informed the cab driver of your address, telling him to scratch the previous instructions. Tom tentatively reached over to take your hand in his, making you smile at him.

The driver pulled up to your townhouse and you paid him quickly before basically stumbling out of the car with Tom, his hand still tightly holding yours. Once inside, you had barely gotten the front door closed when Tom kissed you, his hand dropping yours to wrap around your waist. It was hungry and passionate, and you never wanted it to end.

“Bedroom?” He mumbled, just barely bringing his lips off yours.

“Third floor.” You laughed lightly as he sighed. “Gotta get some good cardio in.”

“We seem to have a different idea of what good cardio is at this moment.” Tom joked. You kissed him again, before pulling away and grabbing his hand, leading him up to the master bedroom.

The next morning, you woke up with the all too familiar nauseating feeling of a hangover. Groaning, you snuggled deeper into your pillow, taking a moment to realize it was not a pillow and more of a warm, strong, bare chest. Though some details from last night were fuzzy, you definitely remembered bringing Tom home last night. The only thing currently separating you and Tom was the shirt of his you were wearing and his underwear that he was wearing. Listening to the sound of Tom’s steady heartbeat and the light rain outside, you never wanted to leave your bed.

“Good morning.” Tom said quietly. His arm was wrapped around your shoulders and his hand played softly with your hair as you shifted up from his chest to look at him.

“Good morning.” You replied, a drowsy smile on your lips.

“Are you hungover?” He asked with a little laugh as you brought a hand up to rub your temples.

“If that’s your way of complimenting my morning after look, it’s a really shitty way and I don’t recommend using that on any of your other hookups.” You joked.

“First of all, your morning after look is beautiful.” Tom stated, placing his free hand on your cheek, gently caressing it with his thumb, “Second of all, it was a question because I’m hungover. And lastly, who said this was a hookup? Do you want this to just be a hookup because I was going to ask you out?”

“You were going to ask me out?” You asked, a timid smile on your face and he nodded.

“I’ve been kicking myself for not doing it sooner.” He took your hand in his and pressed a small kiss to it, “So what do you say, wanna go out with me?”

“Yes,” You leaned over to kiss him. Pulling you away you both let out small laughs, “Morning breath and alcohol breath don’t mix.”

“They definitely don’t.” Tom laughed.

“Let’s get up. I’ll make breakfast.” You slid out of his embrace and the warm bed.

“Stealing my clothes already?” He asked, noticing you wore his shirt. Apparently he didn’t catch you putting it on last night, not like you really remembered that bit either.

“You’re not getting that jacket back anytime soon.” You teased.

“You can have the jacket, but I’ll need the shirt eventually. The media will already be all over me doing the walk of shame, they don’t need the added bonus of me doing shirtless.” He joked, and you ran a hand over his abs, smiling.

“Do you think anyone’s going to complain about seeing you shirtless?” You leaned up to kiss him again, before separating from him to go make breakfast. 

~~~

“He got my heartbeat skipping down 16th Avenue,” You started to play your guitar as you sang, reading over the lyrics you’d written, “Got that, oh! I mean wanna see what’s under that attitude. Like, I want you, bless my soul, I ain’t-” You paused, hearing the floorboards creaking. Tom was awake from his nap.

“Don’t stop on my account.” He said, coming into the makeshift studio.

“I gotta get this chorus worked out.” You set your guitar to the side, letting Tom come sit beside you on the couch.

“I’ve heard you go over the same five lines for an hour. You need a break.” He laughed, wrapping an arm around your waist and pulling you so that the two of you were lying on the couch cuddling. It was times like these that made you really feel like you were in love with him, but it was all too soon to think like that, right? With the rain pouring down outside, it was serenely peaceful there in his arms.

“I didn’t mean to keep you up.”

“It’s alright.” He kissed you reassuringly. He hummed in content, “I never want this to end.”

“What?” You pulled away from him a little. “Who said anything about ending?”

“I just thought- I mean I’m only in New York for a couple more weeks, and you’re going back to LA soon.” Tom explained. You stood up from the couch with furrowed eyebrows.

“So what, when we leave here, you were just going to walk away?” You questioned and Tom jumped up from the couch, defensively.

“No, that’s not what-”

“You said you wanted to date me? But was I just a glorified hookup? A fling? God, you were leading me on!” You accused, feeling disgusted with yourself for distracting yourself with a fling. Tom tried to step towards you but you backed up and turned away, “Just, please, go. I need some time alone.”

You couldn’t bear to look at him as you spoke. You heard him sigh, but leave the room without another word, the floorboard creaking as he left. You held back your scared tears until you heard the front door open and close again. He left, just like you told him to, and yet you didn’t want him to be gone.

After a few minutes of solid crying, you decided you had to leave, too. You couldn’t spend another day on Cornelia Street. As you started to pack a few bags, your phone began to ring, and you groaned, seeing it was Zendaya. You and Tom hadn’t really told that many people, other than Z and the group from the bar- maybe that should’ve been your first sign he wanted it to be a fling. You didn’t know if he’d go to Zendaya, if he’d tell her what happened; after all, it had only been a hour since he left.

Picking up the phone, you decided to act like everything was okay, “Hey Z, what’s up?”

“Tell me you’re still at Cornelia Street.” She said as if it was urgent.

“I’m packing to leave, right now.” You told her, getting the sense that she knew about it all.

“Unpack those bags. You’re not leaving, not now.” She was using her maternal voice, which only came out when you were about to make a bad decision that she didn’t agree with.

“Z, did Tom talk to you?” You asked.

“Yes.” She replied and you sighed.

“Then you know why I have to leave.”

“No, I know why you have to stay.” She insisted, sincerity rich in her voice, “Y/N, it wasn’t just a fling to Tom. Just, hear him out.”

“What-” Before you could get your question all the way out, there was a ring at your doorbell.

“Sounds like someone’s outside. I gotta go.” Zendaya said quickly before hanging up the phone.

You already knew it was Tom on the other side of the door, given by her reaction and the fact that no one’s ever rang the doorbell since you’ve rented that townhouse. Making your way downstairs, you tentatively rested your hand on the doorknob. When you opened the door, Tom stood there nervously on the other side, hair a little wet from the rain earlier with a box of chocolates in his hand.

“Apology chocolates?” He offered with a small smile. You bit your lip to keep yourself from laughing, opening the door wider to let him come inside.

“Let’s go to the terrace.” You said, taking his hand and leading him up the stairs, just as you had done the first time he entered your townhouse. Once on the roof, you both sat on the patio couch, having a nice view of the New York sunset with a few rain clouds fading away.

“When I said I didn’t want this to end, I meant I didn’t want us to end because Cornelia Street ends.” Tom started, setting aside the chocolates to take your hands in his, “Because I’ll go back to London or wherever I’m filming and you’ll go back to LA or wherever you’re touring. I didn’t want us to be over when we both leave Cornelia Street. This townhouse right here is our safe haven. I’m showing my hand right now, I love you.”

“We’ll make it work long distance because I don’t know what I’ll do if it doesn’t. I love you, too.” You smiled, leaning over on the couch to kiss him. Tom shivered a little into the kiss and you were surprised by how unusually cold his lips were. “Oh my god, you’re freezing.”

“Yeah, the terrace probably wasn’t a good idea.” He laughed.

“C’mon, let’s run a bath then and get you warmed up.” You stood from the couch and grabbed his hand. He picked up the box of chocolates and followed you to the master bathroom. Once you drew the bath, Tom slid in first with the chocolates open on the ledge beside him. Just before you got in, you paused and ran back to the bedroom.

“Where are you going?” Tom called after you. You came into the room a moment later with your notebook and a pen.

“I have lyrics. I need to write them.” You said, tapping your forehead with the pen, before sliding into the bath with your back pressed against his chest. His arms wrapped around your waist and he pressed a kiss to your shoulder.

“What’s this one about?”

“Cornelia Street”.” You smiled, writing out the chorus.

‘I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends, 

I’d never walk Cornelia Street again,

That’s the kind of heartbreak time could never mend,

I’d never walk Cornelia Street again,

And baby, I get mystified by how this city screams your name,

And baby, I’m so terrified of if you ever walk away,

I’d never walk Cornelia Street again,

I’d never walk Cornelia Street again…’

[rainydawgradioblog]

RNB HIDDEN GEMS: AUTUMN JONES

This last summer, I had the opportunity to visit the city of New York with a friend and spend a week exploring the wonders of the city that everyone seemed to rage on about. This was where I first heard the enchanting voice of an artist known as Autumn Jones, singing live music at a little jazz bar right by Washington Square Park. I wasn’t surprised that I had stumbled upon a great local artist, they were everywhere on the streets of New York: in bars, in the subway stations, singing out on the bustling streets. She, however, was different. She struck a chord with me, and with every new song she played I was even more enraptured. Who is Autumn Jones? Who are her influences, her muse? Most importantly, why isn’t she more famous?

If you're a fan of the sultry, soulful sound of Erykah Badu and Sade, Autumn Jones’ debut album, Bloom, might be right up your alley. It’s an acute mixture of mellow, inquisitive, and rhythmic. It’s the perfect album to put on in the middle of fall, with hit tracks like “HMU”, which is a chill, head-bopping song where Jones’ mellow vocals meld seamlessly into the steady beat in the background, or “Bloom”, the perfect opening track that starts with a beautiful harmonization that mimics the water that laps at your feet before you take a deep dive into the ocean. Jones is also able to display a wide array of emotions in her lyrics. Her song, “Soul Searcher”, is a great example of this, with words like: “ I place another picture in a frame/ To live it once again, a simplified reminder/ I sometimes wonder if we are the same, we all smile through the pain”. She is able to convey very deeply in her songs, and I think this is what I like the most about her: the sincerity in her voice.  

In an interview Jones did with Maplewood Arts & Culture, she states that she wants to create an atmosphere free of stress and anxiety in her music, a place where one can just enjoy the present and feel the music. I think Bloom hit the nail on the head, because for a brief 26 minutes, I was able to simply sit, and listen. Not a lot of albums can do that. Needless to say, I’m excited to see what Autumn comes up with in her next album, and that if you haven’t checked her out already, you definitely should.

- liz :)

[taevisionceo]

TAEVision 3D Design Applications Fashion Music NY NYC 'Autumn in New York 🍂 - Famous Album' -Nr 4- Piano Steinway & Sons ▸ TAEVision Engineering on Pinterest ▸ TAEVision Engineering on Google Photos

Data 336 - Jul 02, 2023

[tsohl]

A bit of fun...

An Interview from village magazine. 2005

A model life

Monaghan-born Caitriona Balfe was recruited shaking a charity box outside a Dublin shopping centre. Now she is Ireland's most successful international model. Based in New York and the darling of some of the world's top designers, she talks to Ailbhe Jordan

It’s just after five on a Tuesday evening in Soho. Streams of harassed-looking people scurry in both directions along Spring Street, seeking escape from the mayhem of midweek Manhattan in the form of the nearest taxi or subway station.

Nobody but me seems to notice a tall, thin young woman leaning against the wall of a grey building. We have never met in person and a curtain of long, tousled brown hair obscures her face as she flicks through a notebook, but it’s definitely her.

Since Derek Daniels of Assets Modelling agency spotted her six years ago collecting money for charity outside the Swan Shopping Centre in Rathmines, Caitriona Balfe has quietly strutted her way to the upper echelons of the fashion industry.

Nineteen years old and intent on becoming an actress at the time, Balfe modelled part-time in Dublin for a year until a visiting scout from Ford Modelling agency asked her to work for them in Paris. She decided to take a year out from her drama course at the Dublin Institute of Technology to pursue the opportunity.

In her six years as a model, Balfe has strutted down the catwalk for every big name from Gucci to Marc Jacobs. Vogue are big fans too; the fashion bible has put her on the cover of its US, French, German, Spanish and Italian editions.

After Paris, Balfe moved to Milan, where she became the darling of Dolce & Gabanna, who still hire her to work exclusively at their spring and autumn shows. Three years ago, she moved to New York to work for US based Elite Modelling agency. One of her first castings was for Cuban-American designer Narciso Rodriguez, who was so impressed, he made her his muse.

Balfe is, without a doubt, the most successful international model Ireland has produced.

On this evening she looks up and smiles, revealing a heart-shaped face, with sharp, pixie-like features and bright blue eyes. Wearing not a scrap of makeup, she looks younger than her 26 years. Her complexion is pale, clear and spattered with light brown freckles.

She is around 5ft 10”, but seems smaller because of her narrow, thin frame. Dressed in a loose, taupe-colored top, skinny blue jeans that are not as tight as they should be and red flats, she personifies that casual glamour look to which all the downtown hipsters aspire.

She suggests we go to Balthazar, a French Bistro beloved of New York models and celebrities.

As we walk, she assumes a posture so elegant and so straight it looks as though she is leaning backwards slightly.

Balfe’s family comes from Tyvadet, a small town in Co Monaghan. Her accent is neutral from years of living abroad, but every now and then, the Monaghan dialect peeps through – when she says “cool”, for instance, which she says a lot.

Weekend reservations at Balthazar are nearly impossible to make if one is not famous and has not booked at least a couple of weeks in advance.

“Go on ahead,” she says, holding the door open. The hostess directs us to a small table at the window. Balfe glides into her booth without pushing the table out first. “I’m going to have some cake,” she says, lowering her voice.“I got my wisdom teeth out on Friday, so I’ve basically been eating soup all weekend,” she adds quickly, touching her jaws with both hands.

“I was supposed to go to LA today, but I cancelled that because my face was still a bit swollen.”

Conversations between any two people renting in New York City inevitably turn to apartments and – more importantly – locations. Balfe lives in Greenpoint, a trendy Polish neighbourhood in Brooklyn. “I was about three years in the city but I love Brooklyn,” she says.

“It’s just really cute. It’s kind of European, like most of the streets are all mom and pop stores, there’s not one McDonalds. They’ve got all cute little vegetable stores, there’s a meat market and a fish market.”

She pauses to take a sip of coffee.

“We’ve got the ground floor of a building. Its got like a back garden and a basement, which is really cool. My boyfriend has his studio in the basement.”

The boyfriend she refers to is Dave Milone, a guitarist with the band Radio4, who are releasing a new album in New York this week.

“I’ve been with him for three years, he’s from New Jersey,” she says rolling her eyes as New Yorkers often do at the mention of their neighbouring and, in their opinion, less cosmopolitan state.

“It’s a bit of a cliché, I know, a model and a rocker. It’s good though.”

At 26, Balfe has said she considers herself to be one of the “grannies” of the modeling industry.

“Of my five really close friends whom I started with, there’s only one whose still modeling,” she says.

“The rest have gone off to college or have real jobs. I still feel like I’m at college,” she says, stirring her coffee and putting the spoon down on the saucer with a loud clink.

“When I see some of these younger girls who are starting at 17 or so, it’s like being at school, you know. You’ve a bunch of girls who are like, teenagers and of course everyone’s like: ‘is she doing better than me?’ and all that. I was a little bit older when I started, I was 19 and I never really experienced that. I mean, you’re always going to come across a bitch but there’s nothing you can really do about that. I’m getting older now and it does feel weird when you come across someone who tries to intimidate you in that really high school way. It’s like: ‘why am I feeling insecure because of this?’ And it’s funny, because it’s all based on weight, it’s like: ‘you put on a few pounds,’ or something stupid.”

At this point the desserts arrive.

“I feel like the girls are getting very skinny again,” she says, following the movement of the plate with her eyes as the waitress places it in front of her.

“When I started it was like, a lot of the Brazilian girls were around, it was all about being voluptuous and I think in the last couple of seasons there’s been a lot of really, really skinny girls again. I mean, you can tell when somebody doesn’t eat, you can tell by the big rings under their eyes or when they’re kind of quiet, they’re whole personality is kind of...” she slouches down and drops her tongue out in a display of lifelessness.

She picks up her spoon and digs it into the cake, then turns the plate around and spears the scoop of vanilla ice-cream that is perched on top.

“I’ve always been thin, you know?” she says, while her mouth is full.

“My aunts and uncles will be like, ‘oh do you eat?’ but I’ve always been lucky that I can. I eat more than Dave. I go through very, very sporadic, once-in-a-blue-moon fits of going running and stuff, but I’m so lazy. When shows are coming up I just do some exercises at home and maybe not have so much chocolate cake the week before. A few more salads, that kind of thing.”

Next week, Balfe expects to be working in LA for a couple of days, from where she will fly to Miami for a photo shoot, before returning to New York on Sunday to do a shoot for Spanish Vogue.

“It sounds glamorous, it’s not though, it really isn’t,” she says, holding another spoonful of cake up to her lips.

“I am moving towards retirement now – from this,” she continues. “Every year I’m asked and I’m like, ‘oh another year or two.’ But, if I’m still doing this at the end of the next two years, somebody shoot me, please. I mean, it’s really good and it allows me to live a good life. I’m building a house in Monaghan, I can do stuff like that. I can set myself up for the future and stuff. But being an actress was the thing that I always wanted to do. Before I ever started modelling.”

Balfe has not yet found her perfect role, but played a convincing seductress in 2002 when she modelled for lingerie company Victoria’s Secret during their catwalk show, an annual TV spectacle that that has propelled models like Gisele Bundchen and Heidi Klum to international fame.

“Oh God, my poor Da,” she groans, cradling her head in her hands.

“I think it was the Sun or the Mirror back home had this headline: ‘Garda’s daughter goes und-y-cover.’ I wondered what I was doing in there, this pasty little Irish girl amongst all these Brazilian goddesses. I’d gotten a spray tan and they put full body make-up on me but I was 10 times whiter than anyone there. It took very little clothes and quite a lot of champagne to get through that one.”

She shakes her head, smiling at the memory. “Its funny you know? Normally when I’m out, I don’t really dress up. It’s amazing how people will absolutely not even notice you until they hear the word ‘model,’ and then they’re like: ‘Oh.’ And I’m like: ‘what?’ Two seconds ago, I was nothing, you know?”

[blackkudos]

Hank Jones

Henry Jones Jr. (July 31, 1918 – May 16, 2010), best known as Hank Jones, was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. In 1989, The National Endowment for the Arts honored him with the NEA Jazz Masters Award. He was also honored in 2003 with the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) Jazz Living Legend Award. In 2008, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts. On April 13, 2009, the University of Hartford presented Jones with an honorary Doctorate of Music for his musical accomplishments.

Jones recorded more than 60 albums under his own name, and countless others as a sideman, including Cannonball Adderley's celebrated album Somethin' Else. On May 19, 1962, he played piano as actress Marilyn Monroe sang her famous "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" song to then U.S. president John F. Kennedy.

Biography

Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Henry "Hank" Jones moved to Pontiac, Michigan, where his father, Henry Jones Sr. a Baptist deacon and lumber inspector, bought a three-story brick home. One of seven children, Jones was raised in a musical family. His mother Olivia Jones sang; his two older sisters studied piano; and his two younger brothers���Thad, a trumpeter, and Elvin, a drummer—also became prominent jazz musicians. He studied piano at an early age and came under the influence of Earl Hines, Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson, and Art Tatum. By the age of 13 Jones was performing locally in Michigan and Ohio. While playing with territory bands in Grand Rapids and Lansing in 1944 he met Lucky Thompson, who invited Jones to work in New York City at the Onyx Club with Hot Lips Page.

In New York City, Jones regularly listened to leading bop musicians, and was inspired to master the new style. While practicing and studying the music he worked with John Kirby, Howard McGhee, Coleman Hawkins, Andy Kirk, and Billy Eckstine. In autumn 1947, he began touring in Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic package, and from 1948 to 1953 he was accompanist for Ella Fitzgerald, and accompanying her in England in the fall of 1948, developed a harmonic facility of extraordinary taste and sophistication. During this period he also made several historically important recordings with Charlie Parker, which included "The Song Is You", from the Now's the Time album, recorded in December 1952, with Teddy Kotick on bass and Max Roach on drums.

Engagements with Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman followed, and recordings with artists such as Lester Young, Cannonball Adderley, and Wes Montgomery, in addition to being for a time, 'house pianist' on the Savoy label. From 1959 through 1975 Jones was staff pianist for CBS studios. This included backing guests such as Frank Sinatra on The Ed Sullivan Show. He played the piano accompaniment to Marilyn Monroe as she sang "Happy Birthday Mr. President" to John F. Kennedy on May 19, 1962. By the late 1970s, his involvement as pianist and conductor with the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin' (based on the music of Fats Waller) had informed a wider audience of his unique qualities as a musician.

During the late 1970s and the 1980s, Jones continued to record prolifically, as an unaccompanied soloist, in duos with other pianists (including John Lewis and Tommy Flanagan), and with various small ensembles, most notably the Great Jazz Trio. The group took this name in 1976, by which time Jones had already begun working at the Village Vanguard with its original members, Ron Carter and Tony Williams (it was Buster Williams rather than Carter, however, who took part in the trio's first recording session in 1976); by 1980 Jones' sidemen were Eddie Gómez and Al Foster, and in 1982 Jimmy Cobb replaced Foster. The trio also recorded with other all-star personnel, such as Art Farmer, Benny Golson, and Nancy Wilson. In the early 1980s Jones held a residency as a solo pianist at the Cafe Ziegfeld and made a tour of Japan, where he performed and recorded with George Duvivier and Sonny Stitt. Jones' versatility was more in evidence with the passage of time. He collaborated on recordings of Afro-pop with an ensemble from Mali and on an album of spirituals, hymns and folksongs with Charlie Haden called Steal Away (1995).

Some of his later recordings are For My Father (2005) with bassist George Mraz and drummer Dennis Mackrel, a solo piano recording issued in Japan under the title Round Midnight (2006), and as a side man on Joe Lovano's Joyous Encounter (2005). Jones made his debut on Lineage Records, recording with Frank Wess and with the guitarist Eddie Diehl, but also appeared on West of 5th (2006) with Jimmy Cobb and Christian McBride on Chesky Records. He also accompanied Diana Krall for "Dream a Little Dream of Me" on the album compilation, We all Love Ella (Verve 2007). He is one of the musicians who test and talk about the piano in the documentary Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037, released in November 2007.

In early 2000, the Hank Jones Quartet accompanied jazz singer Salena Jones at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Idaho, and in 2006 at the Monterey Jazz Festival with both jazz singer Roberta Gambarini and the Oscar Peterson Trio.

In June 2005, Jones was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music at 20th anniversary of jazz education at the Umbria Jazz Festival, in Perugia, Italy.

Hank Jones lived in Cresskill NJ, upstate New York and in Manhattan. He died at a Calvary Hospital Hospice in The Bronx, New York, on May 16, 2010, survived by his wife Theodosia.

On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Hank Jones among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.

[myrecordcollections]

Although Bacharach has cited "Alfie" as his personal favorite of his compositions, he and Hal David were not eager to write a song to promote the film Alfie (a release from Paramount Pictures, which owned Famous Music) when approached by Ed Wolpin of the Composers' Guild. David thought the title character's name pedestrian: "Writing a song about a man called 'Alfie' didn't seem too exciting at the time."

The composers agreed to submit an "Alfie" song if they could complete it within three weeks. Bacharach, in California, was inspired by a rough cut of the film about the Cockney womanizer played by Michael Caine. Bacharach felt that: "with 'Alfie' the lyric had to come first because it had to say what that movie was all about". He arranged for David – in Long Island – to receive a script of the film to enable him to compose the lyrics. David utilized one of Caine's lines, "What's it all about?", as the opening phrase. David's lyrics were then set to music by Bacharach. The original was recorded in the key of F-sharp major, but Bacharach usually plays it live in B-flat major, the same key in which Cilla Black recorded it.

Although Bacharach and David suggested "Alfie" be recorded by Dionne Warwick, their most prolific interpreter, Paramount felt the film's setting demanded the song be recorded by a UK singer. Accordingly, Sandie Shaw, who had had a UK #1 hit with the Bacharach/David composition "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me", was initially invited to record "Alfie". When Shaw declined, the song was offered to Cilla Black, who had also had a UK #1 with a Bacharach/David number, "Anyone Who Had a Heart".

Black was invited to record "Alfie" in a letter from Bacharach, and Black recalls him saying that the song had been written specially for her. Brian Epstein, her manager, was sent a demo of the song, originally performed by 22-year-old Kenny Karen, with Bacharach on piano, accompanied by a string ensemble. Black reacted negatively on hearing the demo "of some fella singing 'Alfie' ... I actually said to Brian 'I can't do this.' For a start - Alfie?? You call your dog Alfie! ... [Couldn't] it be Tarquin or something like that?"

Black states that, rather than declining outright to record the song, she decided to set conditions: "I said I'd only do it if Burt Bacharach himself did the arrangement, never thinking for one moment that he would. [When] the reply came back from America that he'd be happy to...I said I would only do it if Burt came over to London for the recording session. 'Yes,' came the reply. Next I said that as well as the arrangements and coming over, he had to play [piano] on the session. To my astonishment it was agreed that Burt would do all three. So by this time, coward that I was, I really couldn't back out."

The session for Black's recording of "Alfie" took place in the autumn of 1965, in Studio One at Abbey Road, and was overseen by Black's regular producer George Martin. In addition to the agreed arranging and piano playing, Bacharach conducted a 48-piece orchestra, and the session also featured the Breakaways as background vocalists. According to Black, Bacharach had her record eighteen complete takes before he was satisfied with her vocal, while Bacharach's estimation of the total number of takes, including partial ones, is as high as "twenty-eight or twenty-nine...I kept going [thinking] can we get it a little better...[add] just some magic[?]. Cilla was great and wound up delivering a killer vocal as she did on so many of my songs."

"Alfie" was released in January 1966, four months prior to the opening of the film. The single was essentially intended as a specialty item to foster interest in the upcoming film rather than a mainstream hit. However the track accrued enough interest to enter the UK Top 50 in April 1966, reaching #9 that May.

Black's "Alfie" was released in Australia, New Zealand and the US in July 1966, a month prior to the release of the film in both countries. Despite the soundtrack appearance of a version of "Alfie" by Cher in the film's worldwide release, Black's "Alfie" was a sizable Australian hit at #22. It went to #20 in New Zealand. In the US - where Black had previously enjoyed only one moderate success with "You're My World" in 1964 - her "Alfie" single just made the Billboard Hot 100 at #95, the pop mainstream sector's focus being primarily on Cher's version of the song, which was only a moderate hit in the US at #32. Interest in any one recorded version of "Alfie" was dissipated by the plethora of easy listening-oriented covers which were in release by the summer of 1966.

Cilla Black titled her 2004 autobiography What's It All About?, a reference to the opening phrase of the song. The grave marker beneath the headstone on her burial plot in Allerton Cemetery is inscribed with four lines taken from the bridge and the third verse of "Alfie". Lyrics from Black's hits "Step Inside Love" and "You're My World" also appear on the marker. The black marble headstone and marker were installed 18 April 2016, eight months after Black's death on 1 August 2015. Following the December 2015 theft of the original bronze nameplate, Black's grave remained unmarked until drier weather permitted the installation of the replacement marble headstone and marker.

"Alfie" would not become a Top 15 hit in the US until the spring and summer of 1967 when Dionne Warwick, the most prolific interpreter of Bacharach/David compositions and the composers' original choice to record the song. Warwick's version peaked to #15 on the Billboard Hot 100, #5 on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and #10 on the Canadian Singles Chart. Introduced on the December 1966 album release Here Where There Is Love, Warwick's version of "Alfie" had been an impromptu addition to a recording session at A&R Studio in New York City whose scheduled tracks had been completed early; Scepter Records A&R man Steve Tyrell suggested to Burt Bacharach that the booked time remaining be put to use by having Warwick record a version of "Alfie". Warwick, though feeling it pointless to increase the song's massive cover version count (there were by then some forty-two recorded versions of the song), was persuaded to record the song, cutting her vocal in a single take.

Although the "Alfie" track on Warwick's Here Where There Is Love album began receiving radio airplay as early as January 1967, the track was not issued as a single until March 1967 and then as the intended B-side of the Bacharach/David composed "The Beginning of Loneliness"; however disc jockeys preferred "Alfie", flipped the single to its B-side, and the track began to ascend the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1967, with a major assist from Warwick's performance of "Alfie" on the 39th Academy Awards ceremony television broadcast live worldwide on April 10, 1967. Billboard's year end tally of the biggest Pop hits of 1967 ranked Warwick's version of "Alfie" at #44 in a Top 100 of the year composed otherwise of Top Ten hits.

[chvrrybaby]

*itzy  vc*  hey  hey  hey   !   (  i  see  that  i’m  icy  )   what’s  up,  i’m  diana,  i’m  nineteen,  and  i’m  ur  resident  girl  group  stan.  i  reside  in  the  est  timezone  &  go  by  the  pronouns  she/her.  now,  finally  introducing  ...  loona    !!   jk,  her  name  is  blair  &  u  can  learn  abt  her  under  the  cut   !   my  discord  is  lana del rey is coming <3#5522   (  stream  her  new  album  august  30th  ),  so  feel  free  to  message  me  there  or  through  tumblr  im’s  if  u  prefer  that   !   otherwise,  i’ll  come  to  u <3

—  kim doyeon. she/her. cis female. | was that blair ryu i just saw in the hideaway lobby ? i hear the nineteen year old spends most of their time working as a sugar baby/studying classic literature and women’s studies, but i’ve always just seen them writing in her dream journal. they live in 5A and i often see them in the halls. they always give me a vibe of loosely curled hair, cherry lip gloss, the lingering scent of vanilla in the air.

(    𝑩𝑨𝑪𝑲𝑮𝑹𝑶𝑼𝑵𝑫.   )

born on october 5th, 1999  ( this is literally a day before my bday ooc but anyway ajkdhsjdh )  in rochester, new york, blair’s first impression of the world was a crisp autumn day

she was her parents first and only child. her mother was an elementary school teacher, while her father worked at a nearby power plant in ontario

the family never made too much money, but they were able to get by, at least at first

she had a fairly happy childhood, though it was a lonely one. her father was always working odd hours, and with her mother gone during the day, she spent most of her time with a babysitter and the family golden retriever

eventually, she herself started going to school. she immediately excelled in the english department and fell in love with reading. blair realized early on how much she enjoyed escaping reality with a novel, immersing herself in a story so exciting compared to her dull life

almost everything was fine until her high school years. aside from the fact that she never had a present father figure, she was closer to her mom and still loved by both of her parents. however, when her high school years came around, her father lost his job

her father was the families main provider, and her mothers salary alone would not be enough to take care of the entire family. while he searched for another job, they had to give away the family golden retriever to one of blair’s aunts because they couldn’t afford the extra cost :(

on top of losing her beloved pet, the loss of her father’s job prompting the family to pick up and move their entire life

already in the midst of high school, blair had to leave her life as she knew it behind. the family moved to statesboro, georgia, and her father found a job at the nearby power plant

the transition to life in georgia was not easy for blair. though she didn’t exactly have trouble making friends, she didn’t feel like she could truly connect with anyone

once again, blair turned to losing herself in a book to pass the time

shortly after the move to georgia, her parents experienced some difficulties within their marriage. they ended up separating, and blair spent the remainder of her high school years living with each of them for half of the time

she did not mind her parents separating, as she knew it was for the best. however, her father found a girlfriend fairly quickly, and blair would eventually find out her father had been having an affair

her father spent most of his free time with his new girlfriend and her family. blair was upset at how he prioritized his the new people in his life over her when he was barely ever around for her growing up

meanwhile, her mother was having trouble adjusting to being alone, so she moved back to new york to live with her sister

blair stayed behind in georgia to finish high school, but knew she wanted to go elsewhere for college. she wanted to get as far away from her father and his new life as possible

once blair turned eighteen, she began to sell pictures for money. she wanted to earn as much as possible so she could afford to go away for university. she created an alias and began to sell pictures and videos of her feet. eventually, she expanded her horizons once she realized how much money she could earn

she never went as far as sleeping with her clients, but she would go on dates with them and spend the days with them to earn more money ( kind of like ludovica/chiara in the italian show baby on netflix minus sleeping w them )

she dated a few people throughout her high school years, and began to more “seriously” date a guy during her senior year in high school, though she knew the relationship wouldn’t last. despite appearing as a more serious relationship, to her, it wasn’t really anything of the sort, and she mostly wanted a relationship for senior prom and other trivialities

after senior year ended and she had accepted admission into uni in seattle, she basically cut ties with everyone in georgia aksdjskdjh she said good bye forever ! rip poor unnamed boyfriend he didn’t see it coming ...

her father also did not see it coming because she didn’t even tell him where she applied. but at the same time, did he ask ? no :/

once she left for uni, her relationship with her father became very very estranged. she still speaks to her mom on a pretty regular basis, but even then, she has a whole secret life and doesn’t feel particular close to either of them sjkdfhskdjh

and that’s that for background !

(   𝑷𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑶𝑵𝑨𝑳𝑰𝑻𝒀.   )

blair is a libra sun leo moon ( rising sign & other placements tbd )

she is definitely a friendly/sociable person. she can be pretty outgoing and loves to be around people. idk her mbti yet but she is def an extrovert ! ( she does tend to keep her feelings to herself tho )

despite her friendly demeanor, she does have a fiery spirit. if u wrong her she will hold a grudge against u until it gets settled/sorted. she can be more on the mean side when she’s upset, but even then she does not have a bad heart at all

when it comes to relationships, blair is all over the place. she can be very flirty/charismatic and is constantly hopping from one relationship to the next. she hasn’t quite been able to settle down, but it is possible. she kind of thinks being in a real relationship means losing her freedom, because that’s kind of what she saw happen with her parents, so she doesn’t really want to be tied down to someone in fear of losing herself in a way. does this make sense ? maybe ? ok !

blair has a fairly strong sense of self, but she’s still very young so she’s still growing and changing. she is the type of person to know what she wants and go after it ( yes, even with ppl ! ). she will stop at nothinggg to get what she wants ( oop ). u could say she loves the chase, but kind of gets bored afterwards unless u have more to offer !

omg she literally loves 2 be the center of attention. i mean, who doesn’t love attention ? but blair takes it 2 another level. she gets all :( if she’s being ignored or isn’t receiving enough attention

kind of bouncing off the whole attention thing, blair loves a good party ! she’s young and here for a good time. she def loves to drink at parties and stuff even tho she isn’t legal here in the us, why should that stop her am i right ? when it comes to drugs, she’s a veryyy casual user and doesn’t do anything crazy. a social weed smoker n will do pills here and there

being a libra sun with a leo moon, i think it’s safe to say she can be a bit dramatic at times ( i mean, as a libra sun with a leo venus i am not one 2 judge xx ). she reads 2 much and watches 2 many movies like ajkdhsjkhd life rly isn’t that serious but she can b a lil overdramatic sometimes whew ! we told u this was melodrama ... lorde stans make some noise !

blair’s fav books are anything by jane austen and les liaisons dangereuses by pierre choderlos de laclos, aka the book cruel intentions was based on ( which happens 2 be one of her fav movies )

shows she loves: gossip girl ( she shares a name w blair so she probably used 2 call herself queen b in high school or something ), desperate housewives ( no wonder this binch is so dramatic ), big little lies, pretty little liars ( the early seasons only ), the netflix show baby, and buffy the vampire slayer

movies she loves: clueless, almost famous, thoroughbreds, moulin rouge, palo alto, marie antoinette, coyote ugly, american beauty, cruel intentions, and valley of the dolls ( to name a few )

her fav colors are pink, red, and white !

u can find her pinterest board here.

she is bisexual babey !!

(   𝑾𝑨𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑫 𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑵𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺.   )

party buddies - this is pretty basic and self explanatory, but someone blair can go out and have fun with. their friendship might be more surface level, or started that way at least, but it’s possible they’re closer friends ( maybe she opened up under the influence and it brought them closer aksdhsdjh drunk blair def would )

ex-fling/gf/bf - blair relationship hops, so she could have quite a few of these. we can plot it however, there can b feelings there, they can hate each other, of they can be just friends now, u name it !

unrequited crush -  ur character could have feelings for blair, but maybe she doesn’t feel them back or is unaware that they like her. this could develop into her eventually having feelings for ur muse or not, whatever we want ! OR blair could def have a crush on someone who does not like her back. maybe that person is super non-committal, or they simply do not like her back. we could plot this out however <3

current fling/friends w benefits - someone she is currently seeing/sleeping with. could be no strings attached, or there could b some feelings there. maybe they don’t want to make it anything serious, or maybe they’re ready to take it to the next level. maybe one person is ready to go further, and the other isn’t.

enemies w benefits - imagine the tension!!! they started out hating each other, but ended up hooking up. maybe it was a one time thing, or maybe they can’t stop going back to each other. i think it would b cool if they kept it a secret, they don’t want anyone else to know. this could develop in soooo many ways !

ex-friends - someone she used to consider a close friend, but they had a falling out for whatever reason n maybe they hate each other now. maybe they want to re-kindle their friendship but don’t know how

sibling-like friendship - someone she sees like a sibling. they’re there for each other and look out for one another, always have each other’s backs. being an only child and not really close to her parents, blair would love a friend that she could basically call family !

dynamic duo - basically like her current best friend. this person is prob one of the closest people to her and knows her very well ! they could b a power duo, always looking out for each other 

take care - someone who kind of looks after her ?? maybe when she parties a lil too hard and drinks a lil too much, someone who kind of takes care of her n makes sure shes ok ! they would be someone she trusts a lottttt

confidant - someone who confides in her or someone she confides in, or they confide in each other. they don’t necessarily have to be the closest friends ever, but they get along, trust each other, and maybe they talk more in private

rivals - they hate each other for whatever reason. maybe it’s jealousy or their personalities just clash, but for whatever reason they do not get along. i love a good enemies plot. they can just b nasty to each other !!! maybe they bring out a really bad side to blair that most ppl dont see. someone who makes her act like blair waldorf ( i’m def kidding abt the blair waldorf part )

bad influence - blair isn’t a goody-two-shoes by any means, but doesn’t really do anything crazy, so i’d luvv for someone to kind of influence her to do shit she normally wouldn’t on her own

these are all the plot ideas i can think of for now, but i’ll prob make a plots page later on and add more stuff !

so this is everything !! this has taken me longer than it should have but i’m finally done whew,,, cheers 2 me <3 anyway i would absolutely luv to plot, so feel free to hit me up on discord or tumblr im’s, or i can also come to u ! i’m so excited to get started <333 i’m gonna b logging off now most likely, since it’s 3 am my time, but i’ll be back in the morning

[fashioneditswebsite]

The Ralph Lauren fashion show in New York was inspired by western wear.

The American fashion house showed its autumn/winter collection to a star-studded front row. After her Cowboy Carter album release, Ralph Lauren's show nodded to the Beyonce-inspired cowboy trend. Jessica Chastain, Glenn Close, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Kerry Washington joined a star-studded roster from film, TV, and music at the intimate show in New York. At the same time, muse and supermodel Christy Turlington, 55, walked the runway. The designer, 84, used metallics and knitwear for his neutral-colored autumn/winter collection. It featured cowboy hats, belts, and boots. Chastain, 47, said Ralph Lauren taught her to “break the rules” in fashion. Jessica Chastain attends the Ralph Lauren Fall/Holiday 2024 presentation (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) After the show, the US actress and producer said, " I got a bit of a fashion lesson from Ralph Lauren. A beautiful dress came down with a white lace collar paired with a western belt, and I loved it. “I would have never thought of pairing that look together. He’s the only designer who could put on a tuxedo with a pair of cowboy boots . He really has so much fun with his fashion and that’s what I’ve come to expect. I’ve learnt that I’m allowed to break the rules.” Models walked the runway in nude tailored coats over shirts and ties in the same color, cropped knit jumpers and cardigans paired with sparkly mesh maxi skirts, sequinned evening gowns, and matching trousers and suit jackets. Accessories included understated handbags, western belts, cowboy knee-high boots, and hats. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ralph Lauren (@ralphlauren) Founded in 1967, Ralph Lauren became best known for its famous polo shirt. The brand has a history of Americana dressing rooted in America’s cultural heritage, so cowboy-style makes a lot of sense for the latest collection. This show – which took place in the designer’s private design studio, the runway reminiscent of a Manhattan gallery – was understated compared to some of his most famous shows, which include taking over Central Park and holding a runway show around his classic car collection. Jodie Turner-Smith arrives at the Ralph Lauren Fall/Holiday 2024 presentation (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) Praising the latest collection, Turner-Smith admitted she’s “a sucker for fringe.” She said of Ralph Lauren’s fashion, “While it’s always current and modern, it still feels nostalgic.” Scandal star Washington, 47, said, “I think it’s elegance you can count on year after year.He takes inspiration from his surroundings, but he never follows the latest fashion trends with his clothing.You can dip into a look from any decade and still be one of the best-dressed in the room.” Meanwhile, Vogue’s editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, opted to attend the show in a maxi blue, white, and black striped dress with a drop-down waist and ivory-heeled boots. “Ralph could have been a movie director,” said the 74-year-old. Kerry Washington attends the Ralph Lauren Fall/Holiday 2024 presentation (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) Fashion benefits and Hollywood loses out. The collections seem like movies. The other thing that always strikes me about Ralph’s collections is that they are so timeless yet essentially modern.” Close, 77, wore a cream suit. She loved the mix of textures and said they looked wearable, comfortable, simple, and beautiful. It was gorgeous.” Glenn Close attends the Ralph Lauren Fall/Holiday 2024 presentation (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) Read the full article

[globalpoker]

London

March, 2009, London. The center of the Poker World and I was living in it.

Reflecting over events of the last few weeks, I walked along the Thames and all of a sudden, Pink Floyd’s famous album cover loomed across the river.  Battersea Station’s four ominous smokestacks pacified me in a way, reminding me that even if ephemeral numbers on a spreadsheet bring a society crashing down, brick and mortar will still remain.

Having previously survived an office on the 80th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, I now found myself forced out of New York, searching for work amidst the financial meltdown, a casualty of the category 5 hurricane that hit Wall Street the previous autumn.  A “Once in a lifetime event”, talking heads on CNN stated; a “Black Swan”, according to Taleb.  No matter. It was a bad beat.  You dust yourself off, learn your lessons and move on. Work was to be had in London, so there I went.

The Empire, The International Club, The Grosvenor Casino, and so may numerous smaller venues that I forget their names.  Pubs and hotels had tournaments.  Heck, event he fleabag hotel I was staying in right now had a game every night with the local regulars.  Sure, Vegas and Macau might have bigger games, but for the average poker Joe, London was king based on the pure number of places to get a poker hit.  The smell of fish and chips wafted over from a local pub, snapping me back to my new reality.  I pushed the collar of my black wool overcoat up around my neck and practiced my stiff upper lip as I continued my trek towards Ben anew.

It’s now four months on, and I fermented in whatever they call summer in England.  Friday, late afternoon, had me wrapping up at work, excited about the weekend ahead.  I viewed a spreadsheet I created that mapped out all the tournaments in London – the buy-in amount, start time, locations… whatever information I needed to maximize my poker playing activities.  Tonight, the Empire awaits.

“Have a great weekend, Emma”, I chimed to my cockney officemate, powering down my computer.

“make so’ Bees and Honey and sta’ ot ou Barney Rubble, China mate!  ose your loaf!”

Right.  I nodded, tossed on my shades and scanned the office once more before I strode towards the elevator.

The Empire is probably the most famous of London’s poker venues.  It sits right across from Leister Square, a mecca for tourists and young Brits out for a good time.  In the young evening, the smell of warm beer intermingled with the cacophony of foods being sold along the way as I walked purposefully, avoiding the scattered groups of tartily dressed women and assorted loud voices of male binge drinkers. The Neon beckoned.  Adrenalin rushed.  My heart beat faster. Almost there. 

Nodding at the bouncer at the door, I walked down a few steps to the main casino.  This area is fairly well done, with well dressed dealers and croupiers attending various stations.  I slipped around the corner, passing the bar, entering the poker room. It is a very non-descript room. Battered walls, worn rugs.  It’s early, so not that crowded yet.

“Hey, Phil”, I say to Phil. He has a badge on that says:  ‘Phil’. “Is there a list for the 1-2”?

“No, take a seat on table 8. Get your chips at the window, first.”

 [TBC]