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EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012
Jazz band fuses old, modern styles By SERGIO BERRUETA Staff Writer First Friday Jazz Concert at the S2 Recital Hall delivered, as Luther Hughes and the CannonballColtrane Project brought a mix of old and new jazz styles and arrangements. Members included Glenn Cashman on tenor sax, Ed Czach on piano, Paul Kreibich on drums, and Luther Hughes on bass with special guest Tom Luer on alto sax. As the concert started, the band began to play the Cannonball classic “The Work Song,” introducing the audience to the tributes and covers of Cannonball Adderly and John Coltrane being played for the evening. Hughes proceeded to introduce the band and give insight into the songs they will be performing. “This next song is from our second album ‘Things Are Getting Better’ and is dedicated to McCoy Tyner, Coltrane’s longtime pianist, entitled…well, McCoy,” Hughes said. The sounds of drums and alto sax rang through the halls with the samba inspired number leading to a riveting crowd pleasing piano solo by Czach. The next tune ’What Dolphins Say’, written by Cashman, provided a Latin Samba spin to the room inspired by the idea of aquatic life suddenly speaking. The slow paced number brought
CN/ERIK LUNA
Load the cannons—Alto saxophonist and special guest to the Luther Hughes and the Cannonball-Coltrane Project, Tom Luer, left, alongside tenor saxophonist Glenn Cashman bring the song ‘Once in a While’ to an end at the First Friday Jazz Concert last Friday. a wave of relaxation and smooth drum brush hits, giving a sense of exploring the ocean world down below. Quickly after, the band played a new arrangement on the classic love standard ‘Once in a While,” made popular by greats such as Ella
Fitzgerald and Johnny Mathis. The arrangement gave the slow and somber tune a new life by giving it a fast-paced bossa nova feel. The alto sax and tenor sax switched back and forth, taking the stage and delivering a fantastic duet by the song’s end.
The next song was an untitled free-form ensemble piece inspired by Cannonball. The piece allowed each member to fully express themselves with Tom Luer giving a tremendous alto sax solo. After, the band proceeded to perform another original piece
written by Kreibich entitled “Takin’ It Home.” While explaining the inspiration for the song, Kreibich said with humor, “I’ve made dozens of dollars with the song, that’s why I love it”, with Hughes quickly replying, “I’m greedy too. I love this song because it begins with a bass solo.” As they played, the essence of Coltrane oozed out with homages to the Coltrane classic “My Favorite Things,” with Luer and his alto sax once again stealing the show. Hughes also got praise with his fantastic light bass solo with Kreibich’s tremendous mixed beats and use of percussion following behind. The last tune of the evening returned to the bossa nova sound of earlier entitled “Capistrano” written by Cashman with Luther humorously quipping “Of course you would write about Capistrano while living in Lake Elsinore.” The tune itself was a light ballad perfected by Czach getting another turn in the spotlight by turning in a fantastic performance from his piano. As the concert came to a close, Hughes decided there was enough time for one more number, the classic jazz standard “Limehouse Blues” as performed by Cannonball and Coltrane on Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago. The number gave the feel of the previous free-form ensemble piece. Kriebich delivered a dazzling drum solo, giving the spotlight to Luer and Cashman’s stellar dueling saxes.
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S p ot lig h t : Carlos Almaraz: ‘A Life Recalled’ events continue By JESUS FIGUEROA Staff Writer Dan Guerrero will moderate the first of two panel discussions at the Vincent Price Art Museum lecture hall this Saturday at 2 p.m. Panel 1: The Artist as A Friend, will have Guerrero moderate a panel consisting of Barbara Carrasco, Richard Duardo, Frank Romero and John Valadez. They will discuss the influences of East Los Angeles artist and muralist Carlos Almaraz and his friendships. Elza Flores Almaraz, widow of Carlos Almaraz, will lead a special tour of the exhibit on Dec. 1 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Panel 2: The Artist in Context, will be on Dec. 1 from 2 to 4 p.m. The VPAM continues to house the “Carlos Almaraz: A Life Recalled” Exhibit until Dec. 8. These events are free and all members of the community are invited.
Narai Thai serves tasty Thai food By JESUS FIGUEROA Staff Writer
PHOTO COURTESY OF paramount pictures
DEep in thought—Pilot/captain Whit Whitaker (Denzel Washington) ponders as he prepares to board a flight on a stormy evening.
‘Flight’ storyline engages audience By JAIR FUENTES Staff Writer “Flight” is an endearing story about a pilot who faces an investigation and legal issues, despite saving hundreds of lives in a plane crash. The film revolves around Captain Whip Whitaker, played by Denzel Washington. A seemingly troubled person, Whitaker is a drug and alcohol user who finds it hard to control his addiction. Due to this, he even mixes an alcoholic beverage while on the job. During a flight, the plane begins to experience extreme turbulence and eventually fails. In a moment of panic, Whitaker keeps his cool and decides to land the plane by rolling it in an inverted position and landing it in a glide maneuver. Initially, Whitaker’s act is hailed by many as heroic. Afterwards, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) begins to investigate to see if he had anything to do with the plane’s failure. They discover that Whitaker had alcohol in his system during the plane crash, and if convicted, he could spend years in prison. He decides to avoid major media attention, so he stays at his father’s farm in the days leading up to his
trial, while getting moral support from his love interest Nicole, played by Kelly Reilly. Along with his friend Harling Mays, played by John Goodman, colleague Charlie, played by Bruce Greenwood and attorney Hugh, played by Don Cheadle, the film follows Whitaker’s journey of trying to prove his innocence all while dealing with his inner demons. This film features exceptional performances. Washington portrays an honest, yet troubled character who truly connects with audiences. While at times the audience will root for him, there are moments where he is stubborn and unlikable. Goodman is amazing as always, as is Cheadle. The only minor exception is the female lead, Reilly, who is a bit underdeveloped. Written by John Gatins, the film’s script is very well done. Each scene has important dialogue that keeps the film running smoothly. Nothing seems forced and the actors make every word believable. All in all, it’s a great film with an interesting story and incredible acting. Not to mention, an absolutely breathtaking plane crash sequence. “Flight” is directed by Robert Zemeckis and runs for two hours and 19 minutes. It is rated R for drug and alcohol abuse, language, sexuality/nudity and an intense action sequence.
Narai Thai serves up visually stunning and delicious Thai style food at a costly price. Their prices are expensive but the portions could serve two people. The walls are well-decorated, with few distractions over the red paint. A bar, tables and booths are readily available for dining. The location is perfect for an intimate dinner. Each table is decorated with a solid white tablecloth, a plate with a folded napkin, a fork, knife, and a few carnations in a small vase. In the evenings they set out tea candles to add to the already romantic atmosphere. The service is not the highlight of the restaurant. Although it is not bad, it is not the best. The waitresses are quite busy, leaving customers unattended for a considerable amount of time. To start things off they bring a glass of water as well as take a customer’s drink order. The lemonade cost $1.50 and has a strange stale taste. They offer various alcoholic drinks such as a Thai version of a mojito and sangria. They also have classic Pad Thai, flat noodles in Thai spices, served with chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp. It’s tangy, sweet and has a mouthwatering aroma. At $7.96, it’s not a bad choice. Among the authentic Thai cuisine is a freshly made Pad See-iw, rice
CN/Jesus Figueroa
Tantalizing—The green papya salad is served fresh with julienned cabbage and drizzled with a tangy spicy sauce. noodles, choice of meats or tofu, Chinese broccoli, and egg sautéed in a special sauce. The dish is sweet and tangy priced at $7.95. For the seafood lover, Snow Crab Fried Rice is a fantastic alternative. A large portion of jasmine rice sautéed with crab meat, cashews, raisins, pineapple, onion, egg, tomatoes, peas and carrots. It cost $8.95, which may be a bit pricey. A Green Papaya Salad can be ordered mild or spicy. The spicy Green Papaya Salad is served with
a vast amount of peppers. The taste is addicting and it is served in a generous portion. At $7.50, this delectable dish is visually attractive, delicious and at a good price. T h e r e s t a u r a n t o ff e r s f e w desserts. A common Thai dessert at restaurants is fried bananas. Served visually delicious, lightly browned, small battered portions of banana are decorated with sweet chocolate and lightly powdered with confectioners sugar and a small dish of chocolate. It is visually stunning
and at a reasonable price, $3.95. Everything can be ordered to specific needs, with a no meat or no chicken broth options for vegetarians. Most portions are large enough for two. Although it is not the cheapest food, it can be shared between two people comfortably. Located in Downey on 7611 Firestone Blvd, Narai Thai is open Sunday-Thursday from 11 a.m to 9:30 p.m. and on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m to 10 p.m.
Swift experiments with album ‘Red’ By JESUS FIGUEROA Staff Writer Life, love, and rhythm play a big part in Taylor Swift’s newest album “ Red,” in stores and iTunes October 22. The 22-year-old country pop star continues to impress her loyal fans with an upbeat album, which brings out another side of Swift. The album starts off with pop heavy “State of Grace,” which flatters Swift’s voice. The beat is fast and had strong graceful steady vocals. The title song “Red,” tells the story of a romance so passionate it can only be described with the color red.
Using colors to describe the feelings of different situations gives this song consistency and rhythm. The use of colors helps this song catch the audience. The songs vary in speed, showing Swift’s range. She leads every song with consistent strong vocals. Each song tells a story, and the tempo of her voice fits to emphasize the mood for the track. Powerful electric guitar riffs drive the majority of the tracks. Some tracks have a softer tone with an acoustic-sounding guitar. ‘Red’ also consists of two duets with Ed Sheeran and Gary Lightbody. The most memorable of the duets is between Swift and Lightbody,
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who compose an uplifting strong song. The duet between Swift and Lightbody titled “The Last Time” shows a nice combination of vocals. Two talents join forces to put out a marvelous song filled with emotion. The first single off this album “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” was released before the album, giving a slight hint to the more of a pop sound of Swift. Swift shows her maturing talent with spectacular lyrics and progressing vocals. Song after song describes failed relationships, heartbreak and unforgettable feelings. Life experiences that have accumulated to bring Swift to this
point in her career are proudly displayed. “Red” does not match up to previous albums by Swift. Previous albums have more of a comfortable feel that have propelled her to winning multiple awards. Different and unique, “Red” becomes an album that brings Swift into collaboration with artists who are star in their own respect. The experimentation into new genres of music continues to propel Swift forward, reaching a broader audience with the talent to go into many different genres. Swift has revealed that this album is about the crazy, semi-toxic relationships she has gone through over the past two years.