Liz Green - Where The River Don't Flow

English artist Liz Green has not finished delighting us. After her highly acclaimed debut album O, Devotion! in 2011, her eccentric and attractive world will be out in the open again with her follow up Haul Away!, due out via PIAS on 14 April 2014.

In Liz‘s own words, “Haul Away! is a breath of the edge of the world. The Ground vs The Sea I suppose. There’s more life and more going on.” She adds, “Hopefully it sounds a little more like me.”

The single ‘Where The River Don’t Flow’ is a good introduction to this new work. Beginning with a jazzy and catchy Aristocats-like piano introduction, the entire song contains this chiaroscuro mood making it so attractive.

Apart from a somewhat disappointing piano transition at the middle of the song, which could have been a bit crazier and imaginative, Liz Green‘s true voice and the piano play well together. Very faint drums and saxophone remain in the shadows throughout, to support the former shining duo.

‘Where The River Don’t Flow’ has this musical eccentricity typical of an English style – slightly wacky in its own way, but all the while maintaining it within classic standards, so that anyone can be touched by it.

This is for sure a song that will make you want to discover the rest of Liz Green‘s new album. Until then, only one remaining word need be said about ‘Where The River Don’t Flow’: enjoy!

 This article appeared on AAAmusic.co.uk.

Censorship, Yesterday and Today - International Symposium

History of censorship in the world,
from the 18^th century to the 21^st century

International Symposium, Paris, 6-8 February 2014

Selfban, by Solar Jam

Where does censorship begin, where does it end? Where is the limit between censoring and regulating? Does censorship still exists in democracies of the 21^st century? These are some of the questions addressed during this three-day symposium on the history of the practice of censorship throughout the world, event organized by several institutions and universities from Paris.

The symposium took place between Thursday 6 and Saturday 8 February 2014, in three different locations: Sciences-Po's history center, Paris 2 University and the INA center. From the first to the last day, people got to know one another gradually and it was in a good-natured atmosphere that the event ended.

The substance of the symposium was very stimulating, and all the interventions were very relevant to one another, not only to the general theme. This success was the product of a well-informed research and one-by-one selection of all of the participants instead of a general call to a vast and approximate range of scholars, one of the organizers and animator of the event told me, Mr Laurent Martin, History teacher at Paris 3 University.

Indeed French, English, American and Canadian scholars, as well as academics and activists from several other countries participated over the days to the general argumentation – which was carried out both in French and English. The schedule had been arranged in a dynamic fashion, and in particular the “round tables” offered lively brainstorms, where any one could ask questions to the experts and fuel the debate, which was much more opinionated than the rest of the symposium.

 

From the 18^th to the 21^st century, in totalitarian or democratic states, censorship has always existed and is still used today under many various forms, whether it be directed at political pamphlets in 18^th century France, the trade of pornographic literature between France and Spain in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, English and German theater plays in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, at the media today in China and Russia or education in Japan and the United-States. These are some examples of the addressed topics during the conference, wide-ranging both in nature and geography.

One of the highlights of the symposium was the round table of day 3, with the participation of activists: Ismail Serageldin for “Beacon for Freedom of Expression”, an international censorship database gathering information about censored media; Marie Korpe representing “Freemuse”, association acting against censorship in music throughout the world; and Agnès Tricroire, lawyer and representing the Human Rights League and the Observatory for Freedom of Creation. The very fact that they were people actively defending freedom of expression in several of its forms (whether politically, historically or artistically) offered an engaged and enlightening view of contemporary censorship.

Still, issues remain without clear answers even after the colloquy, due to their complex nature: first, the fact that there will always be the paradox of having more information about censorship in countries where it is not that effective in the end – since it is possible to have some knowledge of it – and much less information from countries where freedom of expression is completely oppressed at all levels. I wonder how the system of censorship works in North Korea.

Alexis de Tocqueville, who had already written
about the issue of the "tyranny of the majority"
in his Democracy in America, 1835

 Another moral question arose during the concluding round table of day 1, after a presentation of a case in Arizona, where a progressive Mexican American Studies curriculum in school books had been banned bythe Arizona legislature in 2010. The question was, is it morally more acceptable and/or better for the good of society to let experts rule – which would be compared to an oligarchy, but by people who have a round knowledge of what they're dealing with; or to let the majority rule – because the people have the right to decide of the aspects that directly apply to them, however flawed, partial or simplistic their knowledge of it might be? We therefore go back to the broader debate about democracy altogether, and its “tyranny of the majority”. But the issue, once again, remained unresolved and was rather quickly dismissed as well. 

It is of course not in the scope of a three-day symposium that the big problems of our century will see an end. Thankfully though, this kind of events show that there are still people on this planet who are willing to share what they know in order to open an intelligent discussion and act toward a better world, and it is with such initiatives that Man will not fall into the oblivion of its own mistakes.

This article was written for this blog only.

Human interest: portrait of three LSJ students

Journalism is testing, but they are determined to get there

Claudia, 25, student in journalism from Avezzano, Italy

I have always been someone sociable. I love to have contact with people, and I am also very into the field of culture - I myself studied violin for eight years. But writing is also one of my passions.

First, I have studied humanities for five years, but I also have a bachelor's degree in Italian literature. And now, I am studying journalism since last year. As practical experiences, I have worked in different publications over the years, in the field of informations and communications. Obviously, I have never been paid for all I have done there, but I guess that is the way at first. I must say it has not been disappointment-free: even if you are passionate about a work, it does not make everything, and we need to feel gratified sometimes... Something that did not always happen. When I worked for an important Italian newspaper, for instance, they had promised me a job at the end of my internship. Of course, this never happened, and it has upset me deeply.

So now, I work as the head of press office at Adsumus Quoque, an association I founded with friends of mine, and where I deal with arts and cultural events. I am very happy with it, because I can keep on writing – the one thing I love and that makes me feel free – and I am keeping a contact with culture.

But even though I am lucky to have had all those experiences, the LSJ was a great opportunity because it is one of the best schools to study journalism. So at the end of it, when I will have learned so much, I will go back to Italy and try to work in some newspaper in Rome. I will also keep on practising my English, because it is one of the most important languages in this globalized world now. For someone sociable like me, that would be really ironic not to be able to communicate well with others!

 

Morgane, 23, freelance journalist from Paris, France

I realized I love writing when I made a communications' internship for my languages studies. After that I made another internship at the cinema journal Première – I honestly still have no idea how they got my resume – and there, it was... special. On the one hand I was writing about cinema, something I had always dreamed to do; on the other hand, the rhythm was one of a factory, and with time I got almost fed up with cinema altogether. I didn't like this bitter-sweet taste, so before the end of the contract, I quitted.

Then I left for New York to take a language class for two weeks last January, and when I came back I started working at the League Against Cancer. But they did not gave me the tasks promised in the ad, and in the end I was never in contact with people; however that's what I am interested in. So I quitted.

But I knew I still wanted to write. So I applied to where I am working now, La Gazette du Val d'Oise and L'Echo régional. I discovered many things there, from politics and cultural events to associations and humanitarian actions: domains I truly love. However it is not well paid, and I want to be financially independent now.

I also want to leave France, and if possible go back to the United-States. That is why I took this summer school: I was looking for a short programme that would give me more skills in the English

writing style, so that I can work abroad. The LSJ's programme being very broad, I thought it could also make me realize where I would want to specialize in.

So as soon as I get back in France, I will quit my job (I swear I am not making it on purpose) and look for several weeks for journalism opportunities abroad. And if I can, I would like to pursue humanitarian works, to give a voice to minorities and get involved in social issues through my writing.

Fabiola, 21, student in political sciences and international relations from Salerno, Italy

Since I was a child, I have wanted to become a journalist. So I am ready to do whatever it takes to succeed in my dream – my dream job being correspondent for a Middle-Eastern country, which is why I have learned Arabic.
After my baccalaureate three years ago, I went to a political sciences and international relations' bachelor's degree at the university of Naples “L'Orientale”. Even though I have also participated in national final games in mathematics and chemistry prior to that, in 2000 and 2009, what I like is humanistic studies and not hard sciences.

But actually, my interest in international relations, which in my view are a key feature to understanding society, was born in my last year of high school. That is why I worked afterwards for my university's newspaper, Levante online, at the Middle-Eastern desk. But I quitted and since May of last year, I am working at the Radio Base, based in Pagani in Italy. It is not always easy of course, it has its ups and downs, but I want to stay because it is really interesting to have the chance to experience real editorial reality.

I am really benefiting from this summer course, and London is a nice change from the place where I live back home: I like the cosmopolitan soul of this city. What I expect from this school is, first of all, to improve my English, which will in turn allow me to keep on pursuing my efforts to become a foreign correspondent. I know there are a lot of difficulties, and I am actually realizing every day how difficult it is make yourself a place in this world. I guess it is the kind of things that happen when you face the reality of any job you want to do; but it won't stop me, that is a certainty. 

This article was written as an assignment for the London School of Journalism

Zara McFarlane - If You Knew Her

Zara McFarlane is a rising London-based jazz singer, whose beautifully honeyed and pure voice you will remember. If you are fond of Nina Simone and Jose James, you will want to follow her as well; Zara even participated in  last year’s Nina Simone tribute concerts in the Netherlands with Gregory Porter.

After her 2011 debut Until Tomorrow, Zara‘s second album is finally being released (January 2014). If You Knew Her, on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label, is an emotionally loaded work seeing this talented singer progressively getting assurance as an asserted artist.

Most of the album showcases her voice, with only a plain instrumentation of double-bass or piano in the background – although, having a good voice timbre and technique, she could have used it in a slightly wider range in order for us to really get an overview of her vocal skills.

The album opens on smooth Caribbean drums in the quiet first track ‘Open Heart’, and continues on an old school wave through songs like the poised ‘Move’ and the retake on Nina Simone’s ‘Plain Gold Ring’, both songs being reminiscent of the ‘spiritual jazz’ Black movement of the 70s in America.

Apart from her own compositions, one of the key tracks is of course the fine jazz resurrection of ‘Police and Thieves’, already a fan-favourite and radio-choice. It offers a nice saxophone solo, one of the few throughout the album, and the track increases in intensity until a break at 5’40”, where the quiet feeling of the beginning returns.

The eighth, ‘Angie La La’, featuring Leron Thomas, gives a nice duo with the two singers, and is one of the few tracks offering a larger spectrum of Zara‘s abilities. This is a reworking of a 60s reggae Jamaican song – a kind of experimental jazz moment. The trumpet here gives a good accompaniment to Leron’s gravel voice, though it gets a bit too talkative around the end.

All in all, If You Knew Her is a mirror of Zara McFarlane‘s personality: a contemplative and engaging album combining jazz with Black music, having as its basis thought-provoking writing – a fine and promising work indeed.

This article appeared on AAAmusic.co.uk.

Nov. 14, 1966: Muhammad Ali vs Cleveland Williams

Cat and mouse play at the Astrodome

Muhammad Ali, the 1964 World Heavyweight Champion, retained his title against Cleveland “Big Cat” Williams after a ferocious fight last night at the Astrodomein Houston, Texas.

Controversial Ali, 24, who has a record of 27 wins and no losses, knocked down 33-year-old Williams, a 65-time winner. The referee had to stop the fight to relieve Williams from Ali's hold.

This was a much expected match between Ali, who has been dividing the American opinion over his recent conversion to Islam, and Williams, recovering from gunshots wounds for the past year.

Ali knocked down the Big Cat four times in total. Considering his state, Williams took it all in quite decently.

The first round started with Ali making his little dance, moving clockwise, making Williams throw his fists in the air.

Williams kept on stalking him, and after another 30 minutes, Ali started to react. He was twice pushed into a corner of the ring, but extracted himself quickly.

Ali hit Williams several times in a row but the latter stood his ground. The bell rang after three minutes, ending the round.

When the second round began, Ali instantly launched the offensive. Williams seemed more ready to throw punches than he was at the first round.

Ali got more offensive and at 4'40” launched a series of strikes, angering Williams.

At 5'24”, Ali knocks the Big Cat on the floor from a right. The referee intervened, Williams did not appear hurt and got up again quickly. The fight soon resumed.

Ali attacked right at the start, leaving no time for Williams to reply, and sending him sitting on the ground. He got up immediately again.

At 12 seconds from the end of the round, Williams sent a left, to which Ali replied automatically with a left, a right, two lefts and a final right knocking Williams down for the third time.

The third round began and, determined, Williams launches the offensive with several lefts: he has nothing to lose. Ali fought back, Williams tried but failed to protect himself, and was knocked down again at 6'50”.

Kessler intervened and Williams got up, a bit shaken. The match resumed, and he got almost knocked again.

Williams, badly hurt, is now backing. Kessler stopped the fight, Williams receiving too much punishment. Ali is the winner, holding on to his world Heavyweight Champion title.

This article was written as an assignment for the London School of Journalism.

Interview of: Petros Klampanis

Petros Klampanis is the leader, composer-arranger and bassist of Contextual Trio, a NY jazz formation which played on last Wednesday in Paris at the Cultural Centre of Serbia, organised by the Hellenic Cultural Centre (Read our review here…). Petros’s life is split between NY stages and classrooms where he teaches between the US and Greece. His first album Contextual was released in 2011, and his second album is under way. Marguerite Gallorini chatted to him in Paris ahead of his tour in Greece…

AAAmusic: Hi Petros. Firstly could you tell us about your overall journey, to get a bit of context?

Petros: I grew up in the small Greek island of Zakynthos, then moved to Athens, and then I left for Amsterdam in 2005, where I studied music until the end of 2007. I then did a tour in Portugal, before leaving for the US in 2008, where I live now in New York.

AAAmusic: How long have you been playing music?

Petros: Since I was four years old. But I didn’t start with the bass; I started by playing the piano and singing – where I come from in Zakynthos, we have quite a vocal tradition, with choirs, etc. Actually, the first song of my first album Contextual, called ‘Thalassaki’ (literally “little sea” in Greek), is an old song that derives from the musical tradition of the Greek islands – but on the album it is played by a string quartet and the double bass. Also on my island, there is an interesting combination of Greek but also Italian music, since it had been occupied for a long time by Venice. Therefore the music sounds a bit different from the rest of the country, because it is based on western harmonies, on a more Italian “Bel Canto” opera style, rather than oriental-Turkish melodies.

AAAmusic: That is indeed interesting, since your music has nevertheless this oriental touch throughout…

Petros: I guess it comes from the broader Greek tradition. Even though Zakynthos is a bit particular; I am Greek after all, so it has to transpire in some way since I have been immersed in it while growing up. However I took notice of it – and took a greater interest in it too – when I moved to New York and started studying oriental idioms. That’s where I discovered it on a new light, and only then did I feel less “guilty” of my Greek influence in my music.

AAAmusic: What do you mean?

Petros: Well, you know when I grew up in Greece, I didn’t like all this tradition surrounding me and thought “why not try something else, like jazz” – I didn’t like to have too much Greekness piercing through my playing. But when I learned it again from another perspective, especially by being physically outside of Greece, I learned to love it again and now I use this part of my personality in a prouder manner.

AAAmusic: Where do you get your inspiration to compose, and since when have you been composing?

Petros: I have been writing since 2007, when I was in Amsterdam. As for the inspiration, I think it’s the same for every artist, we get it from everyday life and experiences. I could be specific, or say that Bach or whoever inspired me at some point… But it’s just about the condition we live in, anything can trigger an inspiration as long as it is linked to emotions.

AAAmusic: So there might be a link between the fact that you moved out of Greece to Amsterdam and started composing then?

Petros: I guess so, yes… It was a big change, and somehow I needed to create a frame, a context; I had to find another means of expression.

AAAmusic: Let’s get back to your group for a second. What does the name “Contextual Trio” stand for?

Petros: Well… Of course the idea of context is central to the idea. I came up with the concept in 2007 – I say concept because it is not a fixed trio: in NY we are in fact a bigger formation, with a string quartet, percussions, a guitar… so I guess the “trio” part doesn’t really work here! But the idea of the band is really a merge of different contexts, like an object on which a light is projected from different angles and therefore giving a unique perspective of it every time – but the basis remains the object in itself, and all these lights just help us get a better overall perception and understanding of it. So in Contextual Trio there are different roles for the double bass than for the quartet and the rest – the percussions give a more warlike touch for instance, and so on.

AAAmusic: So what about the two musicians who played with you last Wednesday (in Paris), how did you three meet?

Petros: Well as I said, Contextual Trio is not something really fixed, it is more of a collective – and so it is not always the same people playing too. It was actually the first time that we played the three of us, with saxophonist Sylvain Rifflet, from Paris, and trumpeter Andreas Polyzogopoulos, who is also Greek. So I guess it was an actual trio, for once. I met Sylvain last year in Paris through my manager, then we had a few drinks together and kept in touch… And as for Andreas, I know him from Amsterdam, where we studied together.

AAAmusic: Who are your favourite artists?

Petros: I like very much French impressionists, like Debussi and Ravel. From Jazz, well… I love Miles Davis, I think he was a visionary, he never stuck to the same style. He was always looking for the next thing, but was always relaxed and confident.

AAAmusic: Apart from that, who have you been listening to lately?

Petros: Lots of different things… There is this NY group that I like, Now VS Now, with keyboarder Jason Lindner, bass player Panagiotis Andreou and drummer Mark Guiliana, who had played with Avishai Cohen. Lately I have also very much been into Flamenco music, like Paco de Lucia’s recordings from the 70s/80s, or guitarist Tomatito, and of course Camaron de la Isla. I also like Indian music, like Zakir Hussain, and I am listening to a trio from Turkey, Taksim, and to Tigran Hamasyan. I also have quite a few English artists that I like, especially Gwilym Simcock and Phronesis Trio, a jazz band from London. I’m also very impressed by young Jacob Collier!

AAAmusic: And on a practical level, how do you listen to music? Physical, downloading, streaming…?

Petros: Well actually, both physical and downloading. You know when I go to concerts, I tend to buy the CD of the group if I liked it, because we have to help each other in our industry, that is how it works! But sometimes I do listen to music on iTunes, you know, or use BitTorrent, that’s very practical…

AAAmusic: Otherwise how is your life now in New York?

Petros: Ah, New York is crazy. Less than before, but still… There I teach, but as private lessons. But I also conducted workshops at the Conservatory of Music – Oberlin College for a spring semester, something I also plan on doing this summer on Zakynthos with pianist Kenny Werner and percussionist Jamie Haddad.

AAAmusic: Have you done tours in the US and in Greece?

Petros: Yes of course. We played in Boston, Philadelphia, North Carolina, Washington, California… And we actually did a tour in Greece last summer, with Jean-Michel Pilc, a pianist from Paris.

AAAmusic: Where is the place where you feel most comfortable?

Petros: Well… As everyday life, I love Greece of course, it’s my country. I love the nature there; the sun, the sea, the food… As for concert experiences, I had great impressions from France and Germany. The public are very attentive, but also very enthusiastic, they know how to be warm. In Greece, people are becoming more and more curious and attracted to jazz so that’s good – it has not always been the case, being a very traditional country. But I have never toured in the UK, though I would love to give a concert in London. I ought to be starting to send emails to plan this…

AAAmusic: Finally, what are you planning on doing next?

Petros: For now I am going to tour in Greece with the State Orchestra of Athens, before flying back to the US on December, where I’ll give a concert on the 27th at Cornelia Street Cafe. Otherwise we have a second album being mixed right now and which should be released in 2014…and I think I would like to support this one with videoclips maybe, and a documentary film on the band. I’ll also be touring Europe in 2014, and afterwards the US.

This interview appeared on AAAmusic.co.uk.

Contextual Trio Live Review - Centre Culturel de Serbie, Paris

Wednesday 20^th November, Paris

 

In the little crowded room on the first floor of the Cultural Centre of Serbia, the concert of NY-based multicultural Contextual Trio took place. Petros Klampanis is the leader, composer, arranger and bassist of the formation, and released a first album Contextual in 2011; tenor saxophonist Sylvain Rifflet is Django of Gold in the category “new talent” in 2008, and composes for his own albums (Alphabet in 2012); and trumpeter Andreas Polyzogopoulos of the European Orchestra of European youth jazz,  and was involved in more than 40 CDs, has been a member since 2010.

They started with ‘Blue Cave’, written by Petros in Amsterdam in 2007, with the double bass creating a dreamy mood. This slow-paced, poised first track offered a nice trumpet solo and Q/A between the trumpet and the saxophone near the end. It was followed by ‘Q’, written by Sylvain and presenting a well-mastered saxophone solo; the overall track stood on the same airy and experimental tones as previously. Then they played a calm and double bass-based ‘Lilly’s Promenade’, before finally presenting themselves quickly.

They continued with ‘Barbas’, a song written by Andreas, where the double bass started alone in the introduction. The trumpet playing with an echo effect added to the oriental, desert-like mood of the song. The saxophone seemed to have a reed that was too dry though, resulting in a sound that was not always very clear and round. Next, on ‘Thalassaki’, inspired from Greek islands’ traditional songs, the double bass was amazingly played for percussion on the instrument’s box and on the chords with each hand. The fifth track ‘Minor Dispute’ offered another impressive double bass performance, with a solo where Petros played and sang in a perfectly accorded way.

Finally they ended on ‘Mingum’, where the trumpet played a mastered solo, as well as the saxophone, with an enjoyable harmonious accompaniment by the double bass. The attentive audience then burst into happy applause, before getting to know the members of the band who convivially stayed to share a drink with their enthusiastic public.

This article appeared on AAAmusic.co.uk.