St. Louis Rams

gracing your lips. You feel butterflies in your stomach as you take your seat. The lights dim, and the velvet curtains slide open. The melodious tune of a trumpet fills your ears and you look onto the stage to see the man, the legend...Louis Armstrong. Today, Louis Armstrong holds the title as the world’s greatest jazz player. His rise to fame peaked in the 1920s, where he stunned the world with his bold trumpet style and idiosyncratic vocals. Coupled with his astonishing performing skills…

The Impact of Charlemagne on Christianity in the Carolingian Period The Carolingian period was forefronted by a great renaissance, which brought about much change in the medieval world. One of these changes was the major reshaping of Christianity. Religion played a big part in the lives of the medieval people, so it is only natural that many great leaders of the time played an important role in impacting Christianity. Three of these great leaders include Balthild, Saint Benedict, and…

What is Cool? Groovy,tubular,brisk and relaxed could all be considered synonyms for the same word but with very different meanings behind them. The word cool is used describe such vast variety of things from people,places,events and feelings. “Grab your jacket honey, it's cool out there!” Mom exclaims as he is walking out the door to catch the bus on that first crisp cool morning of November. Then he had responded by saying “its cool mom, I will be alright” explaining how nonchalant and feeling…

Louis Riel After the events of the Red River Rebellion and the Northwest West Rebellion, there has been much controversy over Louis Riel, who was the leader of the Metis. In a textbook, you might find articles that say he betrayed the government or you may find an article online that say he is a true Canadian hero. Inevitably, Riel was a hero who was determined to fight for his and his people’s rights to the very last breath. Despite the disdainful views that the textbook depicts, Riel should…

During the final week of classes at Truman, I had the pleasure of hearing the school’s jazz bands in concert. During the concert, the Jazz Lab band and the Jazz Ensemble, both directed by Tim AuBuchon, played several jazz standards and modern favorites. The Jazz Lab band started out the night with five big band pieces. The instrumentation of the Jazz Lab band was standard for a big band; it included about four of each horn (saxophone, trumpet, and trombone), an upright bass, a piano, and a…

“Americana is contemporary music that incorporates elements of various American roots music styles, including country, roots-rock, folk, bluegrass, R&B and blues, resulting in a distinctive roots-oriented sound that lives in a world apart from the pure forms of the genres upon which it may draw.”( americanamusic.org) Aaron Copland was an American composer who instilled a great sense of nationalism in the American people through his many works of music that became known as the standard of the…

The concet I attended is called Azesu (Maria Marquez) held in the California Jazz Conservatory. Azesu is comprised by Grammy winners David Pinto on bass, Omar Ledezma on percussion, Sheldon Brown on reeds, Alan Hall on drums and Jonathan Alford on piano. They plays songs from the Latin American Songbook and originals which represent the diverse musical heritage of its members. Featuring the vocals of Maria Marquez and Omar Ledezma, Azesu is a true hybrid group combining the rhythms of the…

What a great show from the veteran super group The Cookers. They presented their magnificent repertoire in two sets at the Nublu Jazz Festival. The band comprises an inflammatory frontline composed of Billy Harper on tenor saxophone, Donald Harrison on alto saxophone, and trumpeters Eddie Henderson and David Weiss. The respectful rhythm section brings us George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. For tonight’s concert, pianist David Bryant, 33, replaced the…

It is of the utmost importance that Americans uphold and honor the true quintessential values upon which our country was founded; values which allow us to function as a democracy. Arguably the most profound is freedom of speech. So that while we indulge in the privileges of today, we regard with great respect the fight that it took to get here. Charlotte Anita Whitney fought until her final days for freedom to speak in America. In the impressive book, “Speaking Freely,” Philippa Strum outlines…

On Monday evening, September 21, 2015, I had the pleasure of watching University Jazz Combos. The performance was held at the University of Louisville School Of Music in the Bird Recital Hall. These three combos consisted of the Mark Turner Combo directed by Tyrone Wheeler, Illinois Jacquet Combo directed by Ansyn Banks, and Michael Brecker Combo also directed by Ansyn Banks. I wasn’t for sure what to expect when coming to this concert. Different from the other jazz performance I attended, this…