#Curtis Stryker

[dalekofchaos]

Mortal Kombat fancast(new)

Simu Liu as Liu Kang

Glenn Powell as Johnny Cage

Charlize Theron as Sonya Blade

Ken Watanabe as Raiden

Henry Golding as Sub-Zero/Noob Saibot/Bi-Han

Andrew Koji as Scorpion

Manu Benett as Kano

Rory McCann as Goro

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as SHang Tsung(Old, WHO ELSE???)

Tony Leung as Shang Tsung(Young)

Bill Skarsgard as Reptile

Iko Uwais as Kung Lao

Aldis Hodge as Jackson "Jax" Briggs

Elodie Yung as Kitana/Milenena

Zoe Saldana as Jade

Harry Shum Jr. as Sub-Zero/Kuai-Liang

Justin H. Min as Smoke

Brian Tee as Sektor

Chiwetel Ejiofor as Cyrax

Scott Adkins as Baraka

Conan Stevens as Kintaro

Dave Bautista as Shao Kahn

Eugene Brave Rock as Nightwolf

John Cena as Stryker

Jon Bernthal as Kabal

Michelle Yeoh as Sindel

Jade Cargill as Sheeva

Nathan Jones as Motaro

Doug Jones as Ermac

Because of Tumblr's stupid 30 picture limit, I cannot add more pictures, so here’s the rest.

Larry Lam as Rain

Jonathan Patrick Foo as Chameleon

Karen Fukuhara as Khameleon

Jet Li as Fujin

Sonoya Mizuno as Sareena

Brenda Song as Kia

Javicia Leslie as Jataaka

Anna Diop as Tanya

Jai Courtney as Jarek

Karl Urban as Reiko

Mads Mikkelsen as Shinnok

Hoon Lee as Quan Chi

Benedict Wong as Bo Rai Cho

Lewis Tan as Kenshi

Yvonne Chapman as Li Mei

Emma Myers as Frost

Peter Mensah as Drahmin

Derek Mears as Moloch

Charles Melton as Mavado

Ron Yuan as Hsu Hao

Alexandra Daddario as Nitara

Gordon Liu as Shujinko

Constance Wu as Ashrah

Donnie Yen as Hotaru

Daniel Wu as Dairou

Mahershala Ali as Darrius

Matt Smith as Havik

Dominic Sherwood as Kobra

Kristen Stewart as Kira

Keith David as Onaga

Ian McKellen as Argus

Eva Green as Delia

Tom Hardy as Taven

Mark Strong as Daegon

Ron Pearlman as Blaze

Jessica Henwick as Skarlet

Milly Alcock as Cassie Cage

Delainey Hayles as Jacqui Briggs

Mackenyu as Takeda Takahashi

Ludi Lin as Kung Jin

Winston Duke as Kotal Kahn

Tao Okamoto as D’Vorah

Jensen Ackles as Erron Black

Dafne Keen and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Ferra/Torr

Tony Jaa as Tremor

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Geras

Emily Blunt as Cetrion

Tilda Swinton as Kronika

[blackcur-rants]

Random silly headcanons about what the casting would be for a 1980s or 1990s version of “Hazbin Hotel” (This version probably comes out some time between 1987 and 1994, most likely in either 1989 or 1991 and most likely on 28 July 1989 at that, to be quite honest).

01. Jodie Foster as Charlie

02. Steve Martin as Lucifer

03. Robin Wright as Vaggie

04. Robin Williams as Angel Dust

05. Tim Curry as Alastor

06. Keith David as Husk

07. Michael Keaton as Vox

08. Mandy Patinkin as Stolas

09. William Atherton as Blitz

10. Joe Pesci as Fizzarolli

11. Danny de Vito as Moxxie

12. Karen Allen as Velvette

13. Christian Slater as Adam

14. Sigourney Weaver as Lute

15. Shelley Duvall as Niffty

16. Jamie Lee Curtis as Millie

17. Winona Ryder as Loona

18. Kate Winslet as Octavia

19. Ernie Hudson as Asmodeus

20. Robert de Niro as Mammon

21. Linda Hamilton as Carmilla

22. Bruce Campbell as Stryker

23. Kurt Russell as Vortex/Tex

24. Michael Crawford as Sir Pentious

25. Madeline Kahn as Rosie

26. Olivia Newton John as Cherri Bomb

27. Jack Nicholson as Valentino

28. James Earl Jones as Zestial

29. Judi Dench as Sera

30. Linzi Hateley as Emily

31. Martin Mull as Andrealphus

32. Elaine Paige as Stella

Christopher Guest as Paimon

Eddie Bracken as Cash Buckzo

Chris Sarandon as Vassago

Sean Young as Beelzebub

Miriam Margolyes as Mimzie

Jean Marsh as Mrs Mayberry

Pam Ferris as Martha

John Hurt as Lyle Lipton

@cynicalclassicist @carcosa-commune @disregardcanon @lady-asteria @dachi-chan25

@helluvatired @lorethebookworm

[queenofsliferred]

Due to character limits, this will just be names of my OCs. You can get more information by clicking this link. I welcome nearly any question about my silly mary sues.

Adventure Quest: Chalia

Akira: Kuroda Emi

ATLA: Rimon Suu

Big Bang Theory: Alex Munroe

The Big Chill: Veronica Heather

Big Hero Six: Mati Spence, Masuyo Smith

Bleach: Chikako Aizen, Hotaru Kurosaki, Halcyon Boosalis

Buckaroo Banzai: Sage Spence

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Isolabella Dawson

Cats & Dogs: Aurora Lee Phantasm

Chainsaw Man: Moe Nagamine

Channel Awesome: Avalon SexehTwilight Mary Sue, The Black Widow

Charlie the Unicorn: Jenniffer the Pegasus

Cowboy Bebop: Hazel Prince

Cyberpunk 2077: Himiko Otomo, Vidya "V" Zenith

Danganronpa: Sumire "Owlyn Srebrenka" Hino

Deadly Premonition: Absinthe Maidstone Stonewall MacShakeit, Abigail Maidstone

Death Note: Katherine "K" Kilgore, Melusine "Meruko" Badeaux, Sora Kurohoshi, Jezebel Blackheart, Mitsune Sakura

Devil May Cry: Beatrice Lacrimae, Lavinia Sparda-Amata

Devilman: Astraroth "Astra"

Digimon: Hana Otogi

Disastrous Life of Saiki K: Moemi Saiki

Dragon Age: Coriander Tabris, Craig Cousland, Dove Surana, Lieselotte Brosca, Princess Aeducan, Lovewave Lavellan

Dragon Ball: Remin, Unshiu

Earth Girls Are Easy: Andromevak "Andy"

Eltingville Club: Seraphim "Sera" Herrera

Fallout: None, Nothing

Fate: Cosette Everild-LaAnimus, Delphine Everlid-LaAnimus

Final Fantasy: Jehfa Fakthu

Fire Emblem: Briar, Delshad, Dreamer, Euphemia, Florian Gloucester, Historia, Marguerite Ciar, Primrose Gloucester, Solanine, Wander

Free!: Akira Hanamura

Friday the 13th: Lynn Curtis

Ghostbusters: Aisling Redhead (2016), Aisling Redhead (1986)

Goosebumps: Rosalind "RL" Greene

Gorillaz: Clotilda Culpepper

Grand Budapest Hotel: Cvetka Kovacs

Gundam: Atlus Darkwater, Nnyley Romantica

Halloween: Alice Linklater, Bijou Hart, Brianna Willow-Winters, Dolores Orth, Jason Lee Cranston, Lynn Curtis, Moon n Stars Morris

Harry Potter (All created when I was in middle and high school. This was before JK Rowling shat her diaper. I do not condone Joanne and her hateful bullshit and just wanted to share OCs I made as a kid.) : Akemi Akiyama, Cassandra Finnegan, Harmony Dumbledore, Jaycelynn "Jacky" Lavgine, Kendra Pepper

Independence Day: RL Stineler

Inuyasha: Aihime, Kiki (2004), Kiki Shiina, Usagi Hinode

Jennifer's Body: Christie Fatt Cox

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Fiori Stelline, Jonah Joestar-Angelakos, Kanon "Eileen Diamandis" Shiina, Otome Tanaka, Passion Angelakos, Sakuro Gackt-Myers, Stephanie McCormick

Jujutsu Kaisen: Chidori "Chitose" Iori

Jurassic Park: Anna Rose Morgan, Gillian Mayham, Jen Morris, Joy Tootoosis, JT Malcolm, Marina Malcolm, and Miharu Hamano

Kingdom Hearts: Kitana, Nerissa

Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou: Dazzle Kovacs

The Lorax: Cipher, Avalon and Story

Mario: Princess Velvet

Marvel: Allie N Blumsford, Genesis, Jamie Johnson, Jocasta "Cipher" Macbeth, Makelsolakveder, Zelda Kirkness

Mass Effect: Adette Shepard

Metalocalypse: Maiko "Manko Kechaman" Roberts

Mortal Kombat: Amaya, Emberlynn Augus, Feather Dance, Stryker's Dad, Kandace Stryker, Laytanya Moore, Marina "Monsoon", Kirke

My Hero Academia: Rin Amamiya, Kirameki Sarashina, Youmu Yumemite

Naruto: Akiko Haruno, Asuka Hatake, Hoshiyo Kanmuri, Kazuma Hanamori, Subaru Kanmuri

The Office: Cam Keeper

One Punch Man: Sumika Nagisa

Ouran High School Host Club: Bunko Matsushima, Ryunosuke Kanagawa

The Outsiders: Josephine "Joey" Wiehler, Serenity "SW" Wiehler, Sincerity Travis

Passengers: Dr. Galaxy Pepper

Persona: Jun Adachi, Junya Daidara, Marina, Momoka Mishima, Minako Iori, Sayaka Sakamoto, Stephanie McCormick, Tomoko Nakajima, Hamuko Arisato, Minako Arisato, Rin Amamiya, Yuka Narukami

Pokemon: Amanda, Altreis, Catalina, Dolores "Lolita-chan", Emilia, Isobel "Izzy", Galan, Gabrielle, Gelato, Medee, Muffy, Paloma, Pycal, Tila, Twinkle, Wasabon

Power Rangers: Emi Johnson, Dawn "Milky" Garson, Jacintha Cranson-Park, Lady Johnson, Lady Johnson (2017), Octavia Clearwater, Serena Ryder, Tamsin "Tami" Oliver, Thomas "Tommy" Oliver, Wednesday Neckoway, Yumeko Takahara, Ashton Redhead, Derek Ng, Jaiden Lawliet, Lux Cranston, Morgan Valentine, Nicholas DuBois, Scout Park, Saintan

Rance: Aellae, Ashelotte, Desu, Cosmia

Resident Evil: Ianthe Hawke

Rise of the Guardians: Eros

Riverdale: Winona "Sodapop" Bighetty

Sonic: Blossom, Purple, Jeff, Mango, Mist

SPY x Family: Lyubov

Stardew Valley: Stella

Star Wars: Hiak Ray "Talarth"

Steven Universe: Imperial Topaz, Nokomis Queens

Stranger Things: Heather Ranger

Street Fighter: Neroli

Sugar Sugar Rune: Akiko Sakura, Cerise Incroyable, Sugar Graves

Tezuka: Daiya Mondo, Melody Serendipity

Tokyo Ghoul: Teruko Yumemiya

Touken Ranbu: Kanon Tachibana, Momoe Tachibana, Tokiko Minami

Transformers: Carly Rae Jepsentron

Twin Peaks: Eden Hill

Until Dawn: Moon n Stars Morris, Rosario Hicks

View Askewniverse: Artoo "Ari" Hicks, Alyce Linklater, Bijou "Rhapsody" Hart, Jaycelynne "Squall" Thiffault, Nova Phoenix

Voltron Legendary Defender: Forever, Harper Thiffault

XIN: Myth

YuGiOh: Aikako Hisahama, Airi Sarahi, Hitomi Nakajima, Hotaru Tenjouin, Jason Trudeau, Jaycelynn Trudeau, Kairi Sarahi, Masuyo Tachibana, Momoe Yukimura, Naomi Sarahi, Ringo Hinagiku, Raven Sarahi

YuGiOh GX: Ai Yuki, Aika Hana, Anais Kuroda, Anastasia Rosseau, Emi Jounouchi, Hitomi Nakajima (GX), Jaycelynn Rosseau, Kaori Tenjouin, Katsuro Jounouchi, Marina Mikan, Naomi, Soul Yagami, Yuudai Yuki, Kaori Torimaki, Koden Saotome, Moira Tenjouin

YuGiOh 5Ds: Barbie O'Neil

YuGiOh ARC V: Shinju Sawatari

Zack and Miri Make a Porno: Pepper Culpepper

Crossovers: Jaycelynn Yuki, Aqua Marine, Desu

In History, Maybe - A coming-of-age story starring Hazel Nylan and her on-again-off-again girlfriend, Stephanie McCormick just trying to make it in the third biggest “city” in Manitoba.

Hazel Nylan , Stephanie McCormick

Nobody of the Luck - A fantasy-isekai story about depressed popular boy getting sucked into a fantasy themed eroge called Nobody of the Luck and saving the world by accident.

Tristan Stark, Aellae, Freya

Fractured Faerie Tales - Tristan is sucked into yet another eroge, this time its fairy tale themed.

Tristan, Cendrillion

RandoRanger - A team of spandex technicolour clad heroes are here to defeat the hentai tentacle monsters!

Masuyo Kusanagi, Ryota Matsuda

Starry Starry Night - Akiko Valentina constantly wished that she’d take that advice to heart for once in her life. Growing up, it seemed like every wish she’d make would come true. Life should’ve been a breeze… and it was for a while. Her family had won the lottery a few years ago, along with her mother’s seaweed gin distillery taking off which brought the Valentina Family even more fortune. Classes would be cancelled, boys asked her to the dance, her favourite TV shows would suddenly be back even when they were cancelled whenever she seemed to will it. Though, like a bad 90s kids horror series, there was always a cruel twist at the end.

Now living alone in the penthouse apartment her now dead family’s fortune got her, Akiko spends her free time overindulging herself in luxury, to distract herself from the dark. Things had gotten stale after two years of spoiling herself rotten.

“I wish something would happen in my boring life.”

One night, she’s approached by a stranger on the way home from partying…

Amber “Akiko” Valentina, Akira Angelus, Blair Princeton, Charles Broadmoor, Cheyenne Princeton, Fafnir, Gaylene, Kirk Grimme, Nyarou, Thorn

Fairy Ring - A small town on the border of southern Manitoba that hides some magical secrets.

Antigone, “Kisecawchuck”, Dorothy, Carly, David Young, Abigail Maidstone

Roseburough - A city with a dark past–its first settlers were a group of cultist for a demon of lust–that has a proclivity for less than pure activities.

Amelie, Anita Wood, Aurora, Circe, Dani Michaels, Daniel Michaels, Eitaro Satou, Emiri Satou, Genesis “Genni” Jones, Joey Spence

Eidolons and Eudaemonia -Eudaimonia is a world where each country worships a particular element. Each country has a temple and a candle that must be lit at all times to prevent a calamity. Its said that the candles represent hope, the one thing that kept ‘humanity’ going after the first calamity. Every few centuries, new candles must be created and infused with magic and blessings from each country before being placed in the temples and lit. It’s a ritual that has been carried on long before the formation of the Church of the Star Bringer, which eventually took control of candle duties. 

Team Disatisfaction: Anita, Arlis, Milk, Opal, Rubia, Vesta, The Artist

Lovewave

The Demon Lords: Lovena

Kuroi

Mizuka

Magical Flower Maidens: Anemone, Cassiane, Ione, Renthe, Sayuri, Zinnia

Tristan's Party: Tristan, Akihime, Plum and Peaches.

Story-less OCs:

Stephanie "Desu" McCormick, Stephen "Boku" McCormick, Aisling McCormick

Rhubarb

Mermaid Squad: Arctic, Sea Bunny, Goffik

[nevaryadl]

Strykabal, Stryker loves on Kabal cw: body image issues

“There’s the most handsome man around.”

Kabal snorted, continuing to make his sandwich while Stryker stepped up behind him to place his hands on Kabal’s waist and start kissing the back of his neck sweetly.

“You don’t gotta… do that…” Kabal muttered quietly.

“Do what, sweetness?” Stryker hummed against the skin against the back of Kabal’s neck.

“Compliment me or shit…”

“You’re right, I don’t ‘gotta’ do it. But I want to, so I’m gonna do it,” Stryker hummed, firmly kissing a bit of extra gnarled burn scarring that went up behind Kabal’s ear.

Kabal went quiet for a minute. He finished up his snack, cleaning off the knife and setting it in the sink before trailing off to the living room. Stryker followed, finding Kabal sitting on the couch, hunched up into a halfway done up ball as he mindlessly clicked away on the TV remote before settling on some cartoon. Probably content to sit and stew for a bit. 

Stryker shrugged out of his hoodie, not missing how Kabal immediately perked up, and handed it over. Thankfully the sandwich got set aside this time, Stryker smirking just a little at the fond memory of Kabal not surrendering a pb&j while trying to get Stryker’s hoodie on and having to scrub peanut butter out of the fabric. After he had wriggled into it, Kabal went back to being tucked up into a ball and nibbling on his snack. When Kabal settled down, Stryker took a seat next to him and leaned against him.

“... You can’t seriously think I’m hot like this?”

“I do.”

Kabal huffed, but his puffed up cheeks indicated that it all bark and no bite. Stryker kissed one of those cheeks, smiling happily when Kabal’s mouth wavered, threatening to turn into a smile. Almost turned that frown upside down.

“Oh yeah, Sonya was wondering if we wanted to do an ‘OG’ crew dinner night sometime this week. Nothing major or out somewhere, just meeting up at someone’s house and eating dinner and drinking beers.”

“Who all is the OG crew because… there was a lot of us.”

“Loosely, Special Forces. Jax, herself, Johnny, you and me.”

“Ah… if it’s just those five, then… sure.”

Stryker kissed his hubby’s cheek.

“You are still the most handsome man in the world.”

“I’m not a mirror, Curt.”

Stryker laughed and kissed his husband again.

[information-is-lost]

SOONER OR LATER THE WORLD WILL COME TO THE POINT OF NO RETURN.

[botslayer]

The questions raised in MK11′s story mode:

So here's everything as it came up in order, in my mind just as I was thinking of things, SUPER heavy spoilers ahead, I just want the fan consensus, please help a confused fan get his bearings, why does everyone praise this story mode when I'm just seeing more holes than a cheese grater? 1. If Gods are immune to Kronika's time tampering, How does she stop Shinnok's blood, which was still pouring from his neck, from flowing on that table? I know this one may be a bit nitpicky but that's just a little one that sticks out and is very visually present. 2. Where do the Kollector's people come from? Probably Outworld but pulling yet another species from thin air for that realm is kinda cheap, okay? 3. Why does everyone from the past look so different from how they did in MK9? It's like jarringly different, especially when Kung Lao JUST supposedly beat down the deadly alliance, something that is only established to happen in the reboot timeline. So what happened there? (Other cosmetic changes would take too long to point out individually, so I won't.) 4. Follow up, there must be a pretty big time gap for Johnny, Sonya, and Jax, because Jax has his mech arms but in the MK2 ark of MK9, he had to be rushed out of Outworld because Ermac blew his real arms off. 5. Follow up 2, why does Jax seem to have deaged? In MK9 he looked to be about thirty+ Whereas here he looks like a really big Twenty-something, his arms are even different. So what happened there? 6. Why does Dark Raiden vanish? The game throws out the explanation that "Immortals" operate on a different timescale, more or less, but if he's unaffected by other time distortions, how was he pulled forward in the first place? 7. Why aren't more people from either side, including Smoke, Quan Chi, Shang Tsung, Reptile, Ermac, Goro, Mileena, and Kintaro, ALL OF WHOM (Save for Smoke) are Loyal to Shao Kahn, not also summoned into the arena? And "She can only summon people who are still alive" isn't a workable answer because of Baraka, Skarlet and Shao Kahn himself. She later says that she's finding people not happy with the course of history, but I doubt two of the most ambitious characters in the series (The Deadly alliance) would be all that happy about being dead. Nor, I'd wager, would Kintaro or Goro, form the prideful warrior race of dragon people? 8. Why is future Erron Black completely mute? Yeah. In every scene he's in (a few different ones in the coliseum) he never says anything but past Erron has loads of dialogue. 9. How does Raiden know about there being other Temporal nonsense going on elsewhere in not just the realm he's in, but Earthrealm? I know he's Earthrealm's protector but how in the high heaven does he know? 10.As a Little one: How is it that past Johnny is sitting on the other side of the room looking at his nails and then is immediately walking by Sonya and Jax with future Johnny? She was looking in kind of the same direction but how quickly did this guy get up to pull that off? 11.Raiden says he's been getting the premonitions for "MONTHS" But MK9 established pretty roundly that he only got them night one of the 10th tournament. Now, by the time of the MK2 ark in MK9, no more than a week or two could have passed, at least as presented, so how does that make any sense? (I will elaborate if asked but this is already long enough) 12. Why does past Jade have an English accent and why does Revenant Jade not? (Other voice inconsistencies from within this trilogy would take to long to point out, so again, this is just persistent for all of them.) 13. The Cyber Lin Kuei (Who I will call "Tekunin" from here on out because I just like that better) are still a thing, Kronika pulled Sektor into the present too, I can buy that. But why not also try and recruit another realm like Seido? Imagine having Hotaru and the help of his forces. It'd make for some cool scenes, especially at the end when all the Oni are fighting Raiden's army, it'd make things a lot more chaotic, which would look cooler. Why not Chaos realmers? Zaterrans? Vampires? Centaurs? Kytinn? She brought the Tarkatans back completely so how hard would any of these other virtually extinct armies be harder to bring back and sway to her side in comparison? What about the Red Dragon? 14. Raiden apparently knows some of the history of this altered timeline which just makes me wonder how much he could realistically be briefed on, especially when he reacts with shock when he finds out that Sub-zero is friends with Hanzo Hasashi. And yes, the Cyber Initiative was a thing in MK9 but Sektor wasn't the grandmaster when that was going on or when Raiden and co were pulled from time. So what does he know and not know? And why did no one think "That crazy fire ninja is on our side" Was worthwhile info? 15. Why isn't Noob just the past one? He straight up says that he survived the soulnado, not that he's a different version. He never showed up live in the comics so it makes zero sense for him to have full stop survived. 16. How does ripping out two bundles of wire "Reformat" anything? 17. Future Kano references the idea of the Black Dragon being on top of "Not just the black market, Every market." What does that even mean? Is there gonna be a black dragon funded super corporation? That'd be cool, TBH. Shame that's never elaborated on. 18. When Kronika freezes time, is it only local? Or does it hit an entire Realm? Because in the scene where she's talking with Future Jax, and come to think of it, the one with Shinnok's head, What the hell is her bubble of influence? 19. Jade mentions Sheeva "Respecting Kitana's opinion more than anyone else's." Where, At all, in either timeline was that ever represented? Because up to now, if memory serves, their only real interactions were Sheeva telling Kitana to suck it up and die with honor in MK9. 20. What up with Jade's Retcon into being Kotal's girl? It's just kinda weird. 21. When and how did Revenant jade learn to control giant bugs? 22. What is Cetrion even the god of? Raiden, and later Kitana, mention she's a god of Virtue but why then is she able to control the Earth? "Elder god" Maybe but Raiden in the OG timeline got that title at the end of MK 4, then stepped down and he was no more powerful for it but that seems to be what happened with Cetrion, IDK. 23. How far back did Kronika have to pull Past Kano and Kabal from? Because Kabal is still apparently working for the black dragon, whatever age she got him from, but he still has his post-burn super speed. 24. What was the point of blowing Sektor up other than to just lose a major power player for your own side? 25. (Ultimate nitpick on this one) Why is Skarlet and one line from Baraka speaking Tarkatan the only ones that get subtitles? Why not just either A. Say it in English, which they seem to understand enough of, or B. Just not add these translations if they aren't translating the rest of the Tarkatan speech we see? What is the point? "So we understand it." I think you're underestimating people's ability to get the concept of "They said a thing, they did a thing, that must be what was said." 26. In the fight with the Tarkatans, How did Liu Kang and Kung Lao have the time to change back into monk clothes? Where was Kung Lao keeping his hat? 27. What the hell was Shao's last name? at a time "Kahn" was probably just the answer until it became retconned to mean "Emperor of Outworld." But what was his full name? I'm honestly curious, less of a nitpick, more of a "Hm." 28. Why does Future Kano feel a hit to the gut? I understand Johnny's Scar in one way or another, but a hit to the gut, painful as it is, especially when he's showing no sign of feeling any of Past Kano's minor injuries, shouldn't feel like anything after 25ish years. 29. Why does Future Kano have a delayed reaction to "Death by Missing hunk of brain?" The wound instantly manifests but he stands and seems to try to talk for a few seconds before collapsing into sand. Wouldn't it make more sense for him to rot into nothing really fast? Then again, Time travel is always a nightmare in any media that attempts to talk about it. 30. How does Revenant Kabal mistake Past Jax for Future Jax? 31. When Scorpion saves Hanzo, why didn't he just split D'vorah's skull with one strike? Two in a pinch? If he's putting enough force behind it to cut her stabby limbs off, or just generally be a useful assassin, why not just go for the neck even? (This one was answered on a reddit post I made, so whatever) 32. Why doesn't Scorpion just surrender when he goes to the Fire Gardens? Wouldn't it be best to just sit down inoffensively and wait for people to show up? Even if Sub-Zero wants to fight, he could just put his hands up and start disarming himself, Not beat the Holy Snot out of Sub-Zero. 33. If Kronika can just appear out of thin air, freeze all the humans in a given location, and pluck one from the ground, why not just use one of her minions like Geras or Cetrion to help kill them all while they're frozen? 34. Kronika mentions "Playing out all possible Scenarios." How many resets have you done, lady? Millions, I'd wager. How has your utter defeat not come up at least one other time? 35. Where are revenant Nightwolf, Sindel, Smoke, and Stryker during all of this? I find it deathly strange that Kronika couldn't find a use for FOUR undead super warriors. At least three and a bloke with military and police backgrounds that make things like strategy a bit easier, probably. 36.Kronika just MAKES a massive battleship or two, so what was the point of Cetrion building the bridge or asking Kharon to help in the first place? Just make a boat. Barring that, D'vorah mentioned that all she had to do was render Kharon unable to help Raiden's forces during Kharon's introduction. Why not just kidnap him, load him onto a boat, tie him to an anchor, and then just drop him in the blood sea? Rather than this "Slowly torture" BS. 37. How does Future Jax yeet himself onto the upper deck of one of the ferries? 38. Frost says that Raiden "Ignored her, her entire life." Since when is she the Tsundere of the MK universe? Or more seriously: Is this a line that only makes sense when you read the comics? 39. Why would the Tekunin be rigged to Frost's brainwaves? One good conk upside the noggin, or stab, shot, what have you, and what? Do they all drop dead? 40. Why does Past Kang live through having his own soul stolen, something that is always instantly fatal throughout the series? 41. How does Revenant Liu Kang yeet himself off a small boat and onto one of the ferries full stop?

And that's everything, any answers are appreciated. Am I being nitpicky with a few of these? Probably, Do I care? Not so much. I’m just getting sick of people praising this story when THIS MANY holes are present. 

[edgeyberzerker]

Edgey Plays Mortal Kombat: Stryker Edition

[middlechildwhoescapedthebasement]

What the MK character(s) that you want to bang say about you: Male edition *I'll do Female characters later today or sometime tomorrow

Note: this is all a joke/me calling myself out so please don't take this seriously! Without further ado, time for me to expose y'all *nsfw-ish

Liu Kang: World harsh and cold, tibbies soft and warm

Kung Lao: You're a Dom who wants a bratty Sub

Johnny Cage: You're bi and touch starved

Kano: You have massive daddy issues that you never found a healthy coping mechanism for

Raiden: You have massive daddy issues that you DID find a healthy coping mechanism for

Jax: Honestly, you just wanna be held

Fujin: You've been dating assholes for years and now you want a change of pace

Scorpion: You take the term "playing with fire" a little too seriously and now you have a wax kink

Sub-Zero: Cold hands turn you on for some reason

Shao Kahn: see Kano but add on having a master/slave kink

Rain: You're a sub

Noob Saibot: Never left your emo phase

Kabal: You want someone who's down for getting Taco Bell at 3:00 A.M.

Kung Jin: You want somebody to talk shit about everyone else with

Takeda (I'm sorry if I spelled this wrong): You want someone that you can spoil the shit out of

Kenshi: You want somebody to grow old with and knit sweaters for

Erron Black: You like the Wattpad version of Bad Boys

Geras: You want someone who can and WILL destroy you on command

Curtis Stryker: "hasn't he been through enough?" Is a common saying for you

Kotal: Your parents never told you that they were proud of you

Mokap: You were a theater kid

Meat: You were THAT kid

Baraka: Beginner monster fucker

Smoke: You have social anxiety

Sektor: You thrive off of other's approval

Cyrax: You're the parent of your friend group

Reptile: Beginner monster fucker 2: Electric Boogaloo

Shang Tsung: You wish that you were apart of Lemon Party

Goro: Congratulations, you've now reached Intermediate monster fucker

Nightwolf: you're either went through a Zodiac phase or a Cryptid phase as a kid (I'm only saying this because every Nightwolf simp I've met went through one of those phases)

Hydro: You're cultured and look beyond one version of a story

Kintaro: Pyro Furry

[blackdragonturds]

Why thank you, doll! Its a very fun idea! <3  Without further ado, Mortal Kombat headkanon #8: “You and your Kombatant sweetie playing Mariokart!” Kano: Kano is a super competitive racer and is always willing to try every method there is to win. Expect lots of cursing and blueshells as he races past. Expect to be called a “bloke,” “Bloody wanker” and the “C” word a lot. (Hint: rhymes with  blunt). He never backs down from a challenge either. Probably likes to race as either Bowser Jr. or Wario. Kabal: Being he probably lives in an apartment with some stuff he brought with from his cop days on Earth, he probably likes to play video games on his spare time. He likes to pick the fastest racer because of his need for speed. He enjoys to play with you if you and him are dating and he finds it fun, as long as it isn’t Rainbow Road. He likes to play with Sonic when he has his chance to pick his racer. Liu Kang: Liu isn’t much of a gamer so expect lots of him falling off the racetrack, going the wrong way or losing track of where he’s going. He moves his body with playing which is in some ways adorable. He screams in frustration if he gets hit with shells or slips on bananas, and mainly would play as either Luigi or Bowser. 

Bo’ Rai Cho: He likes to play this with you and Raiden a lot, as a way to establish friendly dominance. He brings lots of snacks and junk food when its a date to play and never fails to entertain. He likes to play as baby Mario or Wario for the joke of it and has a thing for teasing Raiden with the banana peels. He also likes to eat while holding his controller for him to focus. When it comes to victory he is no pushover.  Raiden: Raiden enjoys to play with his friend Bo’ and you on a saturday night with nothing else to do. Most likely, he would enjoy to race as either Luigi or Rosalina. He likes to use his hat as a bowl when Bobo offers snacks and to rest his controller into when it comes to recording victories. He likes using the powerups to his advantage and enjoys a friendly rivalry when it comes to the tallies of victories. Erron Black: Erron isn’t much of a gamer either but he enjoys playing with you regardless. He purposefully lets you win because he doesn’t understand the controls. Like Liu kang, he moves his body with the motion from the tv as well. He likes to see you smile when you cross the finish line and its more than enough to make him happy to play with you. He most likely would play as either Didi Kong or Yoshi.  Stryker: Curtis is a huge fan of competition. In his days on earth with Kabal as cops, they probably had a little man cave to play video games, drink beer, ect. He’d be more than happy to go a few rounds with you and friends so get the party started! He would likely play as a Koopaling or Bowser. He would bring lots of snacks from his man cave and beer as fuel for the competition ahead. He’s a friendly competitor playing for fun and as competition. He would also use the blueshell on you on purpose to meaningfully kick you from first place as a way to establish dominance too.

Thanks so much for the suggestion Pinstripe! Pleasure to assist!

[tellusepisode]

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi |

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics fictional character Wolverine. It is the fourth installment of the X-Men film series, the first installment of the Wolverine trilogy within the series, and a spin-off prequel to X-Men (2000). The film was directed by Gavin Hood, written by David Benioff and Skip Woods, and produced by Hugh Jackman, who stars as the titular character, alongside Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Dominic Monaghan, and Ryan Reynolds. The film’s plot details Wolverine’s childhood as James Howlett, his time with Major William Stryker’s Team X, the bonding of Wolverine’s skeleton with the indestructible metal adamantium during the Weapon X program and his relationship with his half-brother Victor Creed.

In 1845, James Howlett, a boy living in Canada, witnesses his father being killed by groundskeeper Thomas Logan. Anxiety activates the boy’s mutation: bone claws protrude from his knuckles and he impales Thomas, who reveals that he is James’ birth father before dying. James flees along with Thomas’ other son Victor Creed, who is James’ half-brother and has a sharp claw-nails and healing factor mutation like James. They spend the next century as soldiers, fighting in the American Civil War, both World Wars and the Vietnam War in 1973.

In Vietnam, the increasingly violent Victor attempts to rape a Vietnamese woman and kills a senior officer who tries to stop him. James returns to Victor upon the commotion, and ignorant of his brother’s intent, he rushes to defend him. This results in the pair being sentenced to execution by firing squad, which they survive due to their mutant healing abilities. Major William Stryker approaches them in military custody and offers them membership in Team X, a group of mutants including expert marksman Agent Zero, katana-wielding Wade Wilson, John Wraith, super-strong and invulnerable Fred Dukes and technopath Chris Bradley. They join the team for a few missions, with James using the alias Logan, but Victor and the group’s lack of empathy for human life causes Logan to leave.

Director: Gavin Hood

Writers: David Benioff (screenplay), Skip Woods (screenplay)

Stars: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds, Will.i.am, Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Danny Huston

►Cast:

Hugh Jackman…Logan / WolverineLiev Schreiber…Victor CreedDanny Huston…StrykerWill.i.am…John WraithLynn Collins…Kayla SilverfoxKevin Durand…Fred DukesDominic Monaghan…Chris Bradley / BoltTaylor Kitsch…Remy LeBeauDaniel Henney…Agent ZeroRyan Reynolds…Wade WilsonTim Pocock…Scott SummersJulia Blake…Heather HudsonMax Cullen…Travis HudsonTroye Sivan…JamesMichael-James Olsen…Young VictorPeter O’Brien…John HowlettAaron Jeffery…Thomas LoganAlice Parkinson…Elizabeth HowlettPhilip A. Patterson…Firing Squad LeaderAnthony Gee…Carnival GuyAdelaide Clemens…Carnival GirlKarl Beattie…School ChildTom O’Sullivan…Logging SupervisorMyles Pollard…PhelanStephen Anderton…MarcuseChris Sadrinna…Van MierSeptimus Caton…BartenderMatthew Dale…SurgeonNathin Butler…Male Nurse #1Peter Barry…Male Nurse #2David Ritchie…Dr. CorneliusAsher Keddie…Dr. Carol FrostSocratis Otto…Lead Technician – Alkali LakeStephen Leeder…General MunsonJames D. Dever…Platoon LeaderMartin Obuga…Muttering ManRita Afua Connell…Nervous African WomanJohn Shrimpton…Stryker AideHenry Browne…CurtisTahyna MacManus…Kayla’s Sister / EmmaDaniel Negreanu…Poker PlayerAlexandra Davies…Woman of the NightDon Battee…Huge DoormanEvan Sturrock…Drunken Man In AlleyRob Flanagan…Amoured Humvee DriverHakeem Kae-Kazim…African BusinessmanAlison Araya…TeacherEric Breker…Special Forces CommanderEileen Bui…Vietnamese ChildAdrian G. Griffiths…Hunter #1 (as Adrian Hughes)Byron Chief-Moon…Hunter #2Mike Dopud…Vietnam Army OfficerBeatrice King…Waitress (as Beatrice Ilg)Kanako Takegishi…WaitressPanou…Tank SoldierJohnson Phan…Vietnamese ManElizabeth Thai…Vietnamese WomanJade Tang…Mutant Twin #1Joelle Tang…Mutant Twin #2Warwick Young…Helicopter PilotApril Elleston-Enahoro…Ororo Munroe (scenes deleted)Scott Adkins…Weapon XIJames Crabtree…MedicSusan Glaze-Harper…PedestrianDennis Kreusler…SoldierAndrew Maciver…SoldierGideon Mzembe…MutantPaul Padagas…WardenChris Polzot…MutantChaz Smith…Bourbon Street RevelerTerry Lee Smith…Bourbon Street PartierDerek Steen…SoldierSuzie Steen…Carnival MomPatrick Stewart…Professor Charles XavierIan Thompson…School Bus DriverElizabeth Tranchant…PedestrianJosh Dean Williams…Soldier

Sources: imdb & wikipedia

The post X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) first appeared on TellUsEpisode.net.

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[ao3feed-bnha-girls]

Jigsaw Reborn

Jigsaw Reborn by AidanTheCrab

After trying to end his life; Izuku wakes up from a five month coma confused, scared, and unable to remember what brought him there. After a year of being trapped in the hospital, He's had enough, in an act of anger and spite, he breaks out of the hospital. If he's not allowed to be a hero, he'll just become the next best thing

Words: 3964, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia, The Punisher (TV 2017), Daredevil (TV), Luke Cage (TV), Jessica Jones (TV), Iron Fist (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: F/F, F/M

Characters: Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Inko, Tokage Setsuna, Kayama Nemuri | Midnight, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Yaoyorozu Momo's Mother, Frank Castle, Dinah Madani, Amy Bendix, Curtis Hoyle, David "Micro" Lieberman, Matt Murdock, Karen Page, Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, Foggy Nelson's Family, Claire Temple, Madame Gao (Marvel), Wilson Fisk, Lester | Benjamin "Dex" Poindexter, Luke Cage, Willis Stryker, Danny Rand, Jessica Jones, Original Characters

Relationships: Midoriya Izuku/Tokage Setsuna, Kayama Nemuri | Midnight/Midoriya Inko, Franklin "Foggy" Nelson/Marci Stahl

Additional Tags: Angst, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicidal Midoriya Izuku, Fluff, Eventual Smut, Vigilante Midoriya Izuku, BAMF Midoriya Izuku, I'm Bad At Tagging

Read Here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/23265031

[jazzviewswithcjshearn]

Dave Stryker: Eight Track III (Strikezone, 2019)

Dave Stryker: guitar; Stefon Harris: vibraphone; Jared Gold: organ; McClenty Hunter: drums; Mayra Casales: congas & percussion (#2-3, 6-9).

Guitarist Dave Stryker's Eight Track series of albums have been a huge hit with audiences since the original recording in  2014.  The premise is simple-- Stryker and his well oiled quartet with organist Jared Gold, drummer McClenty Hunter and vibraphonist Stefon Harris look at classic 70's soul and pop pieces that are well known to the general public, in addition pieces the guitarist grew up with.  The music of that 70's era in particular, when looking at the work of Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, and Steely Dan (all represented in this collection) share a very specific attention to detailed harmonies that allow jazz musicians to really let go when gleaning the improvisational details.  The desire to complete the triage of albums was suggested by Stefon Harris in the summer of 2018, and the quartet aided by percussionist Myra Casales  on several numbers(last appearing on Messin With Mr. T) delivers on all fronts.  Harris reprises his role for the third go round, where he was replaced by Steve Nelson on the second album.

Stryker has always been able to excel at  great melody, and they flow thick on the present collection. The take on “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” from The Temptations classic All Directions (Gordy, 1972) is remarkable for it's ability to hint and imply the entire complex orchestration with just the quintet over the course of seven and a half minutes.  Gold and Hunter keep the groove steady as Casales' atmospheric shakers, heavily reverbed woodblocks lay another textural layer while the guitarist and vibraphone play the famous melody.  Stryker spins a solo of deep conviction carefully crafted for tension and release, Gold's tremolo'd B-3 wafts psychedelic textures underneath, Harris quietly simmers, and Gold explodes with chunky organ when it's his turn to shine.  On Roy Ayers “Everyone Loves The Sunshine”, the vibraphonist's liquidity roars to  heated testimony on one of the album's most memorable cuts.  Stevie Wonder's “Too High” is given a unique makeover in hard swing, and the legendary vocalist/singer/multi instrumentalist has the last word with “Joy In My Own Tears”.  Hunter provides authentic 70's flavor with dead snare drum, and the guitarist rings twangy deep blue hues and agile octaves over the closing motivic development section as he and Harris soar to an emotional climax.

Sound

Eight Track III, engineered by Chris Sulit at Trading 8's Studio in Paramus, NJ follows a similar tact as Stryker's other releases on his own Strikezone label. The sound stage is incredible close and fairly dry, with all the musicians heard in a hyper realistic manner. The guitar has a burnished tone, vibes appropriately glossy, and drums have snap with strong detail, and special attention paid to cymbal wash. There is a fair amount of compression that keeps it from being a reference quality recording, however it is a perfect example of mastering with jazz radio airplay in mind-- a practice with it's genesis in the music industry dating back to the 50's, where record companies wanted their albums to sound louder than the others.

Closing Thoughts

Dave Stryker takes the listener on another enjoyable, swinging, grooving journey through classics of the 70's that make Eight Track III a fitting finale to the trilogy.  Indeed, Stryker is no stranger to the vibes-organ combo, having previously explored it on Strykin' Ahead.  The stalwart guitarist proves the combination has a lot of mileage, having been investigated in the past by John Patton, Bobby Hutcherson and Larry Young.  Also the album has been a killer on jazz radio, having the #1  spot for six weeks on the Jazzweek chart.  The excellent playing makes this one to enjoy many times over.  For those who like swinging, funky, groovy jazz guitar, this will fit the bill.

Music: 8.5/10

Sound: 6.5/10

[incarnationsf]

Date & Time: Saturday June 22, 7:30  p.m. Venue: Incarnation Episcopal Church, 1750 29th Avenue, San Francisco Tickets: $20 General, $15 Seniors/Students

Eventbrite Ticketing:     Buy tickets online

Ben Rosenblum Jazz Trio

Ben Rosenblum – piano/accordion Greg Feingold – bass Ben Zweig – drum

Award-winning jazz pianist, composer and accordionist Ben Rosenblum has been described as “mature beyond his years,” (Jon Neudorf, Sea of Tranquility), and as an “impressive talent” (C. Michael Bailey, All About Jazz), who “caresses [the music] with the reverence it merits” (Bob Doerschuk, Downbeat Magazine). Ben is based primarily in New York City, and is a graduate of the Columbia-Juilliard program (in 2016). His original music combines his extensive knowledge of the history of jazz with a free-wheeling, modern melodic sensibility and powerful narrative approach to the piano. His profound passion for jazz, swing and world music genres finds expression in his unique fusion of harmonic and rhythmic elements from a wide array of sources, and gives rise to a signature compositional sound and style at once iconoclastic and deeply rooted in such figures as Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly. Ben’s first priority in his composition and in his playing is always narrative – to tell a compelling story with his music, while reaching the hearts of his audience, connecting on an emotional, an intellectual and a spiritual level.

Reviewers of his debut album Instead – released in 2017 with bassist Curtis Lundy and drummer Billy Hart – have been impressed by his musicality and his tasteful playing in light of his immense technical skill. Bob Doerschuk of Downbeat Magazine gave the album four stars, and wrote, “He has the chops to shoot off a few fireworks, … but that doesn’t seem to be a priority when covering sacred material.” C. Michael Bailey notes approvingly: “there do emerge conservatoire aces with grit in their imagination and a facility to express such in their playing. Ben Rosenblum is one such performer/composer. The Julliard-Columbia trained pianist brings a freighter of technique to the keyboard, while still maintaining enough earthiness in his playing to satisfy even the fussiest listener.” Fred Stal of RG Magazine most recently described his experience of listening to Ben’s live CD release performance: “The music keeps you on your feet and not wanting to miss a single moment of magic. … Raindrops from heaven poured down with style and grace from Rosenblum’s piano.”

Since the release of Ben’s debut album, Ben has been touring regularly – both nationally and internationally – celebrating the album and collaborating with artists around the world. Ben’s trio made debuts in Japan and in Canada in 2018. During his two-week tour of Japan, Ben performed in eight different cities, including in Tokyo at Akasaka B-flat, and in Yokohama at Himawari-no-sato Concert Hall with famed koto player Yuko Watanabe. Highlights of his Canada tour included appearances at Upstairs Jazz in Montreal, Maelstrom and Bar Ste-Angele in Quebec City and the Southminster “Doors Open For Music” Concert Series in Ottawa. In the United States, Ben has traveled extensively throughout the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast, with trips planned for the South and Southwest. These domestic tours have featured performances at some of the most well-respected venues in the country, including Kuumbwa Jazz Center (Santa Cruz), Ravinia (Chicago), Cliff Bells (Detroit), An Die Musik (Baltimore), The Bop Stop (Cleveland), Mezzrow (New York City) and many others. As a sideman, Ben has had further opportunities to tour the world. In 2018, he traveled for three weeks through Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and Serbia with Astrid Kuljanic, during which the group performed at multiple festivals, including the Ljeto na Bundeka Festival in Zagreb and the Soboško Poletje Festival in Murska Sobota. He also performed for two nights at the Blue Note in Beijing alongside famed jazz singer Deborah Davis.

Born and raised in New York City, Ben had the opportunity to study with some of the most influential figures in jazz piano, including Frank Kimbrough, Bruce Barth, Ben Waltzer and Roy Assaf. At the early age of sixteen, the originality of his work was already being recognized with numerous awards, including the ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award (2010), the Downbeat Student Music Award for Best Original Song (2010) and the Downbeat Student Music Award for Best Arrangement (2011). As a result, even before entering Columbia, Ben was commissioned by the XIBUS World Orchestra to write a piece for performance at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall in 2012. Ben has continued to earn numerous distinctions and honors in recent years. In 2015, he was a finalist at the American Jazz Pianist Competition in Melbourne, Florida, and in 2016, at the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2018, he earned further recognition from the ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award competition in the form of an honorable mention, and he was featured at the ASCAP Foundation’s 2018 “We Write The Songs” event at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

In addition to his own work, Ben often collaborates with other musicians. He has worked extensively with Grammy-nominated singer Ryland Angel on several compositional projects, including the project Unspoken, which premiered at the Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis, in November of 2016. His debut album Instead has received very favorable reviews from a wide range of sources throughout the world, including Downbeat Magazine, All About Jazz, Drumset Magazine (Italy) and The Jazz Writer (Germany).

Ben performed with the Bachiana Brasileira Orchestra at Lincoln Center (conducted by Joao Carlos Martins and featuring Dave Brubeck), and he was a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium with the New York Harmonic Band (conducted by Reona Ito). He traveled to New Delhi, India, to perform at a Max India Benefit, and was a participant at Il Grande Veggio, in Perugia, Italy. He has played at the Masten Jazz Festival (Buffalo), the Richmond Jazz Festival (Richmond), the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival (Maryland), Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival (Manhattan), the DUMBO Arts Festival (Brooklyn), Musikfest (Bethlehem, PA) and the Music Mountain Festival (Connecticut). He has also appeared at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, the Appel Room at Lincoln Center, Ryles Jazz Club, Webster Hall, Symphony Space, The Blue Note, Smoke, Smalls and a host of other music venues throughout the northeast.

Ben has worked extensively with such jazz luminaries as Curtis Lundy, Neal Smith, Winard Harper, Wayne Escoffery and Deborah Davis, and he has performed in bands led by Bobby Watson, TS Monk, Chris Washburne and Warren Wolf. In addition, he has shared the stage with many other jazz legends, including Wycliffe Gordon, Brian Lynch, Phil Woods, Houston Person, Jerry Dodgion, Eliot Zigmund, Clarence Penn, Craig Handy, Dave Stryker, James Cammack, Ameen Saleem, Bob Nieske, Steve Nelson, Yasushi Nakamura, Essiet Essiet, Willie Williams, Patience Higgins, Josh Evans, Kenny Davis and Rogerio Boccato.?

While at Columbia University, Ben founded the Columbia Jazz House, a student-run jazz advocacy group that promotes jazz on campus through concerts, educational workshops and jam sessions. On December 28th, 2015, the Columbia Jazz House was featured in a New York Times article titled “Melodies Night and Day in this Columbia Dorm.”

Greg Feingold started playing bass at the age of 10. He quickly realized that bass was something he would pursue for the rest of his life and was accepted to the Chicago Academy for the Arts. After graduating from the Academy, Greg was given a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music. Greg was very active both locally and nationally while at Berklee. He began playing with the International String Trio and performing regularly with Berklee faculty such as Bill Pierce, Neal Smith, Jon Hazilla, Doug Johnson, Rebecca Cline and many others. After graduating, Greg moved to New York and began playing in Winard Harper’s Jelli Posse. Throughout his stay in New York, he worked with legendary jazz performers such as Jimmy Cobb, Eric Reed, Eric Harland, Cyrus Chestnut, Steve Turre, Jim Rotondi, Jackie Ryan, Stephen Scott as well as continuing to tour with the International String Trio and the Valinor Quartet. Greg moved to Seattle in 2015 to change his surroundings and currently performs with a variety of groups around the west coast. He can be seen performing regularly with Thomas Marriott, Julian MacDonough, Miles Black and other great local Seattle musicians. He also co-leads the 200 Trio which performs around the country as one of the up and coming jazz guitar trios.

Jazz drummer and educator, Ben Zweig, “is able to combine history with the current musical environment, making it sound fresh” (Don Sickler). After moving to NYC in 2011, the 26 year old has accompanied an impressive array of jazz luminaries, including; Randy Weston, Johnny O’Neal, Larry Ridley, David Williams, Roy Hargrove, Deborah Davis, Joe Cohn, Champian Fulton, Jerry Dodgion, and Steve Nelson. Described by downbeat as “especially crisp and articulate,” Zweig has presented his personal sound performed with tours throughout the continental US, Asia and Canada. He currently tours regularly with Ben Rosenblum’s trio and leads a bi-weekly residency hosting the Sunday late night jam sessions at Smalls Jazz Club in NYC. Zweig is an avid educator. He has taught clinics across the country with the Champian Fulton quartet and has also directed the after-school percussion program at WHEELS middle and high school. Mentored by master drummers such as Joe Farnsworth, Billy Hart, Kenny Washington, Rodney Green, Justin DiCioccio, Christopher Brown, John Riley, and Rogerio Boccato, Ben is committed to passing down the information he has received from these legends. In his formative education, Ben was classically trained by Kenneth Piascik, culminating in performances with the NAfME All-Eastern Orchestra and as principal percussionist with the MENC All-National Concert Band. He currently maintains a private drum studio in Morningside-Heights with students of all ages. Ben received his B.M. and a M.M. from the Manhattan School of Music.

[bigboxochristmas]

Yuletidings 2020 - Citizen Cane

    1. Christmas Bells - John Gorka (Words by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)     2. You'd Better Watch Out - John Curtis     3. Merry Christmas! - Blind Boys Of Alabama & Taj Mahal     4. Cowboy Santa Claus - Prairie Ramblers     5. Sleigh Ride - Dave Stryker     6. Santa Caught a Cold on Christmas Eve - Dick & Richard             7. Greensleeves - Mason Williams     8. The Christmas Song - Jacob Collier     9. Winter Wonderland - Eddie Layton     10. Star Carol - Simon & Garfunkel     11. Frosty the Snowman - Loose Ties     12. Deck The Halls (Fa La La La La) - Little Jimmy Thomas     13. Zydeco Christmas - C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band     14. Xmas On The Moon - Gulag Picture Radio & WXRT     15. Space Age Santa Claus - Patty Marie Jay     16. Ding Dong Merrily On High - Kaare Norge     17. March Of The Flowers - Jose Melis, His Piano And Orchestra     18. Ave Maria - Leslie Odom, Jr.     19. You Can See Old Santa Claus (When You Find Him In Your Heart) - Gene Autry     20. Mister Santa - Ernie Haase & Signature Sound             21. I'll Be Home For Christmas -The Pilgrim Travelers     22. Auld Lang Syne - B.B. King

----------------------------------------

Between politics and the pandemic (not to mention the overlap between the two) and the divisions between people becoming more and more bitter and seemingly insurmountable, 2020 was not a great year for most people.  So it seemed right to begin this year’s collection with John Gorka’s setting of the Civil War poem, “Christmas Bells” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, hoping for peace in a time of deepest estrangement:

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old, familiar carols play,

    And wild and sweet

    The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

    Had rolled along

    The unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,

The world revolved from night to day,

    A voice, a chime,

    A chant sublime

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth

The cannon thundered in the South,

    And with the sound

    The carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent

The hearth-stones of a continent,

    And made forlorn

    The households born

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;

"There is no peace on earth," I said;

    "For hate is strong,

    And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

    The Wrong shall fail,

    The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men."

After that things become festive again with the New Orleans-flavored “Merry Christmas” by the wonderful Blind Boys of Alabama with Taj Mahal, and I do love old-time western Christmas songs like “Cowboy Santa Claus” by the Prairie Ramblers and “You Can See Old Santa Claus (When You Find Him In Your Heart)” by Gene Autry.  I also love Hammond-driven jazz, such as guitarist Dave Stryker’s “Sleigh Ride”.  And I consider Jacob Collier to be a once-in-a-generation musical genius; that’s him singing all the parts and playing all the instruments on “The Christmas Song”.

Other highlights include: Mason Williams’ re-working of his big hit, “Classical Gas” into an arrangement of “Greensleeves”; the insanely perky organ stylings of one Eddie Layton on “Winter Wonderland; Simon & Garfunkel’s sweetly harmonized version of “Star Carol”, which for many years was only available on an out-of-print various-artist collection called A Very Merry Christmas, which was produced in 1968 by Columbia Records for a chain of department stores known as W. T. Grants. 

Also: the cheerful bluegrass take on “Frosty the Snowman” by Loose Ties; the over-the-top funk of “Deck The Halls (Fa La La La La)” by Little Jimmy Thomas; the party-hardy “Zydeco Christmas” by C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band; a lovely, semi-classical arrangement of “Ding Dong Merrily on High” by Danish guitarist Kaare Norge and a perennial favorite of mine, the Pilgrim Travelers’ gospel take on “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”.

And of course the one and only B.B. King, easing us out of the year with his joyful and swinging “Auld Lang Syne”.

The Game of Thrones-inspired cover art was found online.

DOWNLOAD

[alwaysscreechingbasement]

Comment: “ I’m fascinated by the thought process that led to “No one could possibly be interested in any of the actual characters from the game; we’d better throw in some generic white guy as the main character.” Plus, if you’re determined to do that for some reason, Curtis Stryker is right there. ”