Amina Figarova

Very cool concert, thank you to jazzfresno. People make fun of that city, and sometimes they have reason, but lack of a committed jazz corps is NOT one of them. so, I suggest all lovers of our music in my area subscribe to the website: jazzfresno.org and try to attend. It sure has gotten easier to get up to Fresno from the South Valley, so really...

I know I know, I wasn't going to use this space for "teacher stuff" but here I am, proud of my kids again. What a giant part of my life my little music program has become. So, from my facebook notes, here this is:

I am OH SO proud of the Exeter Winter performing ensembles...they represent our little school so well! Check the faces...how can you not smile? Win or lose, we have a great time together with excellent instructors and dedicated parents. A band director's dream come true...

Now if the full band can sit up and take note: Hard work and dedication over time is the key to having this kind of FUN!!! You CAN DO IT TOO!!!

We are starting fund-raising for a "Music Academy" in Exeter for Exeter music students to obtain private lessons over time. We are selling coffee and other goodies...folks, look for it and support this vision! Use these successes to build on!

check it out. For the next three weeks I, or any band member or booster, can supply you with a brochure for which our program will receive between 40-50% profit. After that time, you can still support us by going to the company's website:

wecarecoffee for Exeter

In any case, celebrate with me and spread the word! Music is alive in Exeter and in all the great programs participating last night...we can still have MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS! If we want it enough!

San Joaquin Valley jazz festival

I think, in fact, that Mr. Lucckesi has a golden touch. My jazz ensemble has just returned from performing at the festival, held at Buchanan High in Clovis, Ca. I am proud of my kids, and especially proud and fortunate to have such a friend and colleague as Paul. His band sounds great, but his achievements in bringing a musician the quality of David Binney to our neck of the planet...THAT is a great job for a jazz educator.

At Mr. Binney's concert last night, I looked down the line of the nine students I brought with me to the concert and knew, all over again, why we can NEVER let music education be "cut" out of their experience. Which of those kids would have been there to be perhaps changed forever if it was not for their school band program?

And oh, that music. I've been trying to put it into words, but as usual, words fail. i think, if you have any kind of appreciation for music as art or as an energy exchange, you owe it to yourself to go to this website: http://www.davidbinney.com/ and check it for yourself. Like no other.

In closing, thanks Paul and all your volunteers for a GREAT night of jazz and camraderie. It's what our chosen art form should be all about, and what a "festival" really should be all about too.

Rein it in, Bill O'Reilly and co.

An Open Letter to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Michelle Malkin
(Posted by Robert Reich at robertreich.blogspot.com/2009/01/open-letter-to-rush-limbaugh-sean.html)

"In a time like this, when tempers are riding high and many Americans are close to panic about their jobs and finances, you have a special responsibility to consider the accuracy of what you say and the consequences of inflammatory and erroneous statements. In the last few days, manifestly distorting my words and pulling them out of context, you have accused me of wanting to exclude white males from jobs generated by the stimulus package. Anyone who takes a moment to examine what I actually said and wrote knows this to be an absurd misrepresentation of my position (see this). My goal is and has always been to create as many opportunities for as wide a group as possible, and not exclude anyone from access. There is and has never been any ambiguity about this. The hate mail I have received since your broadcast suggests that the mischievous consequences of your demagoguery are potentially dangerous, in addition to being destructive of rational and constructive political discourse. I urge you to take responsibility for your words. Words and ideas have real world consequences, and you have demonstrated a cavalier disregard for both."

Now watch this drive

And this, from Time Magazine's top ten videos of Bush: (we will miss this guy, if only to plumb the depths of ridiculous behavior):

Made famous by Michael Moore's documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, this scene from 2002 of Bush following up a screed against "terrorist killers" with a golf swing spelled disaster for his reputation. Really, Mr. President? Suicide bombings in Israel and you're showing off your form?

1,000 words

It is hard to imagine that the nightmare is finally over. More tough doings ahead, but at least we may not be an international pariah anymore.

CBDA Board

We are done with another year! The State Honor Bands are seated, the mailers are on the way. I should be rolling for home (via EUHS) by 1. This board works REALLY hard to make this thing happen smoothly. Now its on to start school. New class to take on...I'm excited. We will see how it all goes.