Two Words, One Answer.
Charles Band
![Mystery Monsters [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51G4HBQ66FL._SL160_.jpg) Mystery Monsters [VHS] $9.98 i am a fan of indie films and b-movies and am well aware that the caliber of each actor will not always be up to par with that of the mainstreamers, but this usually fair and understanding critic was shocked and disgusted with the performance of one of the child actor, Daniel Hartley. the film itself was entertaining and well directed but mr. Hartley drew my attention in every scene he was in. his clishe facial expressions and predictable deliveries turned the movie into a joke and seriously scarred what would have been a decent comedy. see the movie, it's good, but be prepared for the bumbling, inept danial hartley.  Emperor March: Live at the Blue Note $9.99 Certain jazz musicians work on the front lines of performance and writing for many years and never receive their just due insofar as recognition. Hank Mobley and Woody Shaw, during their lifetimes, come to mind. Others, such as Joe Henderson, are fortunate enough to have a benign coalescence of recording label and circumstance congeal at some point in their career to achieve that recognition - as Henderson did before his passing and Shirley Horn experienced in her later years; and we have seen a lot more attention to the music of Horace Silver over the past several years. Now's the time for Charles Tolliver. Tolliver has been a strong composer and soloist dating back to the sixties, when he performed with artists such as Jackie McLean, Lee Morgan, Gerald Wilson and Max Roach. He went on to form the Strata East label with pianist Stanley Cowell, although this was at a time when straight-ahead jazz began to suffer from the effects of jazz/rock fusion undermining the acoustic setting through much of the 70s. Lately, however, Tolliver has come to prominence with the 2007 release of "With Love" on Blue Note and now the compelling release of another big band session "Emperor March". This is exciting, well-arranged and brilliantly played music from an organization including Tolliver, former Strata East artists Stanley Cowell and Billy Harper, a trumpet, trombone and reed section, and the herculean work of bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Gene Jackson supporting the affair. Billy Harper delivers a typically brusque yet engaging treatment of "I Want To Talk About You"; the attractive melody and arranging of flutes and brass on the title track is framework for extended soloing; the offbeat melody of "In The Trenches", punched by the band, yields straight-ahead solos, and "Toughin'" hearkens to Tolliver's work with Gerald Wilson back in the Pacific Jazz years with a Spanish flair to its racing theme that again leads to exciting solos. "Emperor March" is first class big band material from one of this music's great artists.  Sterling Silver Black Cubic Zirconia Eternity Band Ring by Charles Winston, Size 5 $75.00 This is a beautiful ring. Nice, solid weight to it and very elegant styling. I am extremely impressed with the quality - far better than what I was expecting - and the stones have a very sophisticated look and sparkle. The black stones add a nice twist to a classic style and give it enough glitz to wear for special occasions. I feel confident now buying any other Charles Winston pieces and would recommend this ring in particular to anyone. |
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