Source: LiveScience - Babies love a beat, according to a new study that found dancing comes naturally to infants.
The research showed babies respond to the rhythm and tempo of music, and find it more engaging than speech.
The findings, based on a study of 120 infants between 5 months and 2 years old, suggest that humans may be born with a predisposition to move rhythmically in response to music.
"Our research suggests that it is the beat rather than other features of the music, such as the melody, that produces the response in infants," said researcher Marcel Zentner, a psychologist at the University of York in England. "We also found that the better the children were able to synchronize their movements with the music, the more they smiled."
To test babies' dancing disposition, the researchers played recordings of classical music, rhythmic beats and speech to infants, and videotaped the results. They also recruited professional ballet dancers to analyze how well the babies matched their movements to the music.
During the experiments, the babies were sitting on a parent's lap, though the adults had headphones to make sure they couldn't hear the music and were instructed not to move.
The researchers found the babies moved their arms, hands, legs, feet, torsos and heads in response to the music, much more than to speech.
Source: Yahoo - In a surprising discovery about where higher life can thrive, scientists for the first time found a shrimp-like creature and a jellyfish frolicking beneath a massive Antarctic ice sheet.
Six hundred feet below the ice where no light shines, scientists had figured nothing much more than a few microbes could exist.
That's why a NASA team was surprised when they lowered a video camera to get the first long look at the underbelly of an ice sheet in Antarctica. A curious shrimp-like creature came swimming by and then parked itself on the camera's cable. Scientists also pulled up a tentacle they believe came from a foot-long jellyfish.
"We were operating on the presumption that nothing's there," said NASA ice scientist Robert Bindschadler, who will be presenting the initial findings and a video at an American Geophysical Union meeting Wednesday. "It was a shrimp you'd enjoy having on your plate."
"We were just gaga over it," he said of the 3-inch-long, orange critter starring in their two-minute video. Technically, it's not a shrimp. It's a Lyssianasid amphipod, which is distantly related to shrimp.
The video is likely to inspire experts to rethink what they know about life in harsh environments. And it has scientists musing that if shrimp-like creatures can frolic below 600 feet of Antarctic ice in subfreezing dark water, what about other hostile places? What about Europa, a frozen moon of Jupiter?
"They are looking at the equivalent of a drop of water in a swimming pool that you would expect nothing to be living in and they found not one animal but two," said biologist Stacy Kim of the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California, who joined the NASA team later. "We have no idea what's going on down there."
Microbiologist Cynan Ellis-Evans of the British Antarctic Survey called the finding intriguing.
"This is a first for the sub-glacial environment with that level of sophistication," Ellis-Evans said. He said there have been findings somewhat similar, showing complex life in retreating ice shelves, but nothing quite directly under the ice like this.
Ellis-Evans said it's possible the creatures swam in from far away and don't live there permanently.
But Kim, who is a co-author of the study, doubts it. The site in West Antarctica is at least 12 miles from open seas. Bindschadler drilled an 8-inch-wide hole and was looking at a tiny amount of water. That means it's unlikely that that two critters swam from great distances and were captured randomly in that small of an area, she said.
Yet scientists were puzzled at what the food source would be for these critters. While some microbes can make their own food out of chemicals in the ocean, complex life like the amphipod can't, Kim said.
So how do they survive? That's the key question, Kim said.
"It's pretty amazing when you find a huge puzzle like that on a planet where we thought we know everything," Kim said.
Saturday afternoon, I woke up with plans to take it easy and go with the flow. A few hours later, I somehow ended up at a private Malibu residence for a community gathering around Malibu's upcoming election for City Council. The event was coordinated by Kofi, a record producer and long-time Malibu resident. A few of the other candidates were in the house, and much of the dialogue encompassed safety, conservation, and how to keep Malibu as beautiful as it is, moving into the future.
Source: Malibu Times -The Malibu Times sent a questionnaire to all 10 Malibu City Council candidates. They were all given the same time frame to respond and were limited to 75 words per answer. Two profiles will be printed, in alphabetical order, each week beginning this issue until the April 1 issue. Election Day is April 13. The full list of candidates profiles will be viewable online at www.malibutimes.com, under the tab, “Election News,” beginning April 1.
The Malibu Times' interview with Kofi, 41 Source: Yahoo (TAIJI, Japan) – The gala crowd in Los Angeles cheered as "The Cove" won the best documentary Oscar with its grisly portrayal of dolphin hunting. Half a world away, residents of the small Japanese village shown in the film abhorred the attention and said it won't end their centuries-old tradition.
In Taiji on the rocky coast of southwest Japan, residents gathered in whale eateries with names like "Tail" and rolled their eyes Monday when told of Oscar laurels for the film, which they see as yet another biased foreign take on their culture.
The village of 3,500 people has been hunting dolphins and whales since the early 1600s. It calls itself "Whale Town" and has a massive pair of whale statues looming over the main road. "The Cove" refers to Taiji and its dolphin fishing as "a little town with a really big secret," but local councilman Hisato Ryono said there is nothing to hide.
"Everyone around here knows about it. The water nearby turns red during the hunt. The actual killing is done in a concealed area because it is unpleasant to look at, as is true of killing cows or pigs or any other animal," said Ryono, who says he was tricked into appearing in the film.
"This is a close-knit group of fishermen. The more they feel squeezed, the more they will close off to outsiders. They won't stop this hunt because of such pressure," Ryono said.
The Japanese government allows about 19,000 dolphins to be killed each year. Taiji hunts about 2,000 dolphins every year for meat — less than other places — but is singled out in part because of its "oikomi" method of herding and killing them near the shore.
Dolphins, in addition to being food, are also recognized in Taiji as crowd pleasers with their playful natures, leading to odd contrasts. Taiji fishermen capture some to sell to aquariums, and the area is dotted with ocean cages offering dolphin bonding sessions. "Dolphin Base" charges 2,000 yen ($22) for a 20-minute session less than half a mile from the cove where hundreds of the animals are stabbed and dragged ashore in the annual hunt.
Like most residents of Taiji, the dolphin trainers repeatedly avoided talking to a foreign reporter — one young woman ran away when asked her opinion. At the nearby Dolphin Resort, a modern hotel complex with its own dolphin pool, manager Kiyo Ikeda agreed to be interviewed, as long as there were no questions about dolphins.
"We really don't get many foreign guests at this hotel," she said.
Many Taiji residents said they would no longer speak to foreign visitors on the record, after years of what they felt were one-sided articles and gory pictures shown out of context.
After the movie won, the town government issued a short news release.
"There are different food traditions within Japan and around the world," the statement read. "It is important to respect and understand regional food cultures, which are based on traditions with long histories."
The documentary, directed by Louie Psihoyos, follows Ric O'Barry, a trainer for the 1960s "Flipper" TV series who says he became an activist because of a suicidal dolphin in his charge. The film team broke into a restricted area to set up cameras that captured the slaughter.
The Cove has not yet been released in Japan, but it will start showing here in June at 20 to 30 theaters nationwide. It was shown at the Tokyo International Film Festival in October, where viewers gave it mixed reviews.
Several Japanese who appear in the film, including Ryono the councilman, and Tetsuya Endo, an associate professor at Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, say they were lied to about its subject matter beforehand.
Endo, clearly angry when reached by telephone Monday, said he is considering legal action.
"I feel that they should have declined the award," he said.
Japanese government officials defended the fishermen's right to hunt dolphins and called the film unbalanced.
"There are some countries that eat cows, and there are other countries that eat whales or dolphins," said Yutaka Aoki, fisheries division director at the Foreign Ministry. "A film about slaughtering cows or pigs might also be unwelcome to workers in that industry."
Source: LA Times - The Tim Burton film takes in $210.3 million worldwide, the biggest Winter premiere of all-time. Much of the take comes from showings in 3-D.
Disney ended up picking just the right moment to jump down the 3-D rabbit hole.
As "Avatar" comes to the end of a historic three-month run, Walt Disney Studios' "Alice in Wonderland" took most of the 3-D screens and opened to an eye-popping $210.3 million worldwide.
Much like director James Cameron's mega-hit, Tim Burton's adaptation of the classic tale, starring Johnny Depp, generated about 70% of its opening weekend business from theaters with 3-D screens. It easily beat the premiere of "Avatar" and set a record for the biggest winter opening, even accounting for ticket price inflation, selling a studio-estimated $116.3 million worth of tickets in the U.S. and Canada.
Overseas, it took in $94 million in 40 territories, also setting a record winter opening. Kiehl’s Since 1851 and Voice For The Animals Foundation host Pet Adoption and Fund-Raising Event this Saturday Feb 27th!!!
Each customer who donates $10+ to Voice For The Animals Foundation on the day of the event, and at the Kiehl’s store through Saturday, March 6, may choose between a complimentary Creme de Corps body moisturizer (4.2 oz. size), or a Spray-N-Play Cleansing Spritz (one product per customer)
When: Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 from 12 pm to 3 pmWhere: Kiehl’s Since 1851, 100 N. Robertson Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048 310-860-0028
·Kiehl’s will present $500 to Voice For The Animals Foundation at
the event, in support of the organization’s advocacy on behalf of
animals.
·Voice For The Animals Foundation will bring a number of animals looking for homes to Kiehl’s, in hopes of making a match.
·Each customer who adopts leaves with a Kiehl’s gift box
·Kiehl’s customers are invited to donate to Voice For The Animals Foundation.
Kiehl’s is dedicated to our communities: The Mission of Kiehl’s Since 1851 states that “a worthwhile firm must have a purpose for its existence. Not only the everyday work-a-day purpose to earn a just profit, but beyond that, to improve in some way the quality of the community to which it is committed.”
Kiehl’s Since 1851 is a skin, body and hair care apothecary dedicated to serving women and men formulas made with uniquely efficacious, natural ingredients, and committed to giving back to the communities in which we do business. (www.kiehls.com)
Voice For The Animals Foundation is a Santa Monica-based organization devoted to creating respect and empathy for animals through education, rescue, legislation, and advocacy. (www.vftafoundation.org)
Source: LAist - There's a good chance when voters hit the booths on Election Day next November, Californians will be asked to add an $18 vehicle license fee when they pay their annual DMV registration.
If passed, the debate over funding state parks would be over, as the fee would guarantee the system of 278 parks an adequate and stable funding source to survive. As an added bonus, the initiative would end parking fees at state parks, meaning those who often take advantage of them will see a considerable amount of savings. Tomorrow, a City Council committee is poised to pass a resolution supporting the initiative, with a staff analysis recommending its approval. If passed, it will moved to the full Council and then to the Mayor.
We have put together a little get-together called The Valentine's Day Love-In at the beautiful and tucked away Descanso Gardens.
Where: Descanso Gardens "Main Lawn"
When: Sunday, February 14th @ 12pm
What to bring: You, little snacks, a blanket to site on, friends and appreciation for the magical weather and city we live in.
Here is a link to the Event Page on Facebook
We look forward to Seeing You!
Source: Hidden LA -Whether you call her Los Angeles, LA, la la land, the city of Angels, or Love Angeles, doesn't matter. What does matter is that more and more people are beginning to catch the wave of love, community and inspiration rising up in our beloved city and they're doing things about it! I recently stumbled upon Hidden Los Angeles, a dream come true to the residents, visitors and followers of the most influential city on the planet.
Hidden LA is broadcasting the Real picture of LA to the world by publishing articles all about the great places, foods and happenings around town. They've even begun to through their very own mixers for the community to get together and celebrate living and breathing in this magical city.
Tonight, they are hosting a meetup at Musso & Frank in Hollywood (Find more details below). We look forward to meeting up with the community and meet the creative forces behind the movement!
**Official Facebook Event Listing**"LA Time Machines awarded Musso & Frank its top award: Best Restaurant in the World. “This is really not subject to debate – where else in the world can you find a place that combines so much history of the movies and TV, and Hollywood, including the history of many of the world’s greatest musicians, directors, actors and writers. This in conjunction with great service (taking into account the unique and unparalleled personalities of the staff), a perfect “time machine” interior, nice and enlightened owners, and fantastic food. A totally non-controversial decision!”
Parking in the back is pretty cheap with validation. Their food is good… it can get pricey if you order carelessly, but there are very reasonable options. How much you spend is entirely up to you. The bar can get busy and is not always the easiest place to strike up conversations with people, so we will be booking tables… look for us in the three booths at the back of the bar."
Source: Yahoo - "Lord of the Rings" fans once lamented the twisted little fiend Gollum - created by a blend of human performance and digital effects - didn't get his due during Hollywood's awards season.
Years later, the combination of live-action performance overlaid with computer animation has hit a new peak with "Avatar" — an awards favorite this season, even though the performers beneath all that digital wizardry have gone overlooked for acting honors.
"Avatar" is tied for the lead at the Academy Awards with nine nominations, among them best picture, director for James Cameron, musical score and most of the technical categories.
The science-fiction sensation's stars — Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington and Sigourney Weaver — drew solid praise, though not necessarily the sort of raves that would have hurled them into the thick of the Oscar acting race.
Yet the technology raises an is-it-live-or-is-it-Memorex question: Does the performance come from the actors or the animators?
Nothing in the Oscar-voting rules prohibits these "performance-capture" roles — or even voice work — from earning acting nominations. Yet as lifelike as digitally-assisted characters might look, there remains a sense in Hollywood they are more a result of technical innovation than acting talent.
Cameron and others suggest it might be a matter of enlightening the industry as to what's really involved in performance-capture roles — where actors perform on bare soundstages, with digital cameras and sensors capturing their body language and visual-effects artists later filling in costumes, features and other details.
"There's nothing to say that they would have been nominated had it been an even playing field and had there been performances photographed instead of captured," Cameron said. "But I do think that there is an issue here where the acting community needs to be educated about what it is performance-capture really is, especially the way we did it on 'Avatar,' where we preserved every nuance of the performance.
"And hopefully, if we could overcome that learning curve over the next couple years, then next time a performance-capture film comes along, that it will be an even playing field."
Worthington and Weaver appear in much of "Avatar" as their human selves, their performance-capture alter-egos coming in portions where the characters take on the form of the 10-foot-tall Na'vi, the dominant species on the distant moon Pandora.
Saldana plays a native Na'vi, her entire role delivered through performance-capture.
For Worthington, the work he did in his performance-capture scenes — wearing a skintight suit covered with sensor dots read by the digital cameras — was as much an acting job as his live-action sequences.
"It is a performance. It hasn't been animated on top of that. That to me was a big thing, that they don't enhance my performance in any way," Worthington said. "Whatever we did does translate exactly 100 percent. Maybe my nose is animated and my tail. That's because I don't have a tail. And the ears are a bit different, but those are about the only things they've changed."
Cameron even strapped tails and big ears on the actors playing the Na'vi so their performances would reflect the body language of creatures with those appendages, Worthington said.
Convincing more conventional actors such as Anthony Mackie of the worthiness of performance-capture could be a Na'vi-sized challenge, indeed.
"'Avatar' was good, but it wasn't a movie, it was a spectacle," said Mackie, who has a supporting role in "The Hurt Locker," "Avatar's" stiffest competition in this year's Oscar race. "I'm excited to see exactly how they reward the work we do."
Some feel Hollywood's lack of recognition for performance-capture is a matter of inexperience.
"I really do think there is a prejudice among certainly many actors against these kind of performances — particularly from actors who have never done it before," said Entertainment Weekly film reporter Dave Karger, who covers Hollywood and the Oscars.
"Until people are educated about what goes into a performance-capture film, I don't think anyone will ever have a chance to get nominated from one."
The debate over what might constitute an awards-worthy performance is not new. In 1992, Robin Williams earned Oscar buzz for his effervescent voice role in the animated adventure "Aladdin," though the chatter did not result in a nomination.
Andy Serkis won high praise for his work as Gollum in the last two "Lord of the Rings" films, his character created through motion-capture filming that was a precursor to the more-immersive technology Cameron used on "Avatar."
"Really, it's terrible that Gollum didn't win an award. He was brilliant. He's the main thing in the movie," said "Avatar" co-star Weaver, who earned a best-actress nomination for Cameron's "Aliens."
So far, there have been only a handful of films featuring substantive performances created this way, including Robert Zemeckis' "The Polar Express," "Beowulf" and "A Christmas Carol."
Zemeckis plans to keep working in performance-capture, and the runaway success of Cameron's "Avatar" makes sequels likely and may inspire other directors to try out the technology.
Sooner or later, the technology may produce an undeniably great performance that forces awards voters to consider it alongside searing live-action roles such as those delivered this season by Oscar front-runners Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart" or Mo'Nique in "Precious."
"A Christmas Carol" producers Steve Starkey and Jack Rapke borrow a line from Ray Winstone, who played the title role in their and Zemeckis' "Beowulf."
"What Ray Winstone said is the difference between this and live action is that in live action, you go into hair and makeup, you go into wardrobe, and then you act," Starkey said. "In this, you act, and then they put on your hair and makeup. There is no difference. You're acting in both, and I say it should be considered as a real performance."
Source: Yahoo - British fashion designer McQueen found dead at 40. His runway shows were often like performance pieces: One featured models with headwear made of trash. Another showed off 10-inch heels shaped like lobster claws.
At the pinnacle of his success, British fashion designer Alexander McQueen was found dead in his home Thursday, days after posting anguished online remarks about the death of his mother. He was 40.
The circumstances pointed to a possible suicide, but there was no confirmation from police or McQueen's publicists. Authorities said the death was not suspicious, apparently ruling out foul play. They did not indicate how McQueen was discovered.
The Sun tabloid cited an anonymous source on its Web site who said workers found McQueen hanging in his apartment. The newspaper gave no further details. His family issued a statement asking for privacy.
McQueen is credited with helping revive the once-moribund British fashion industry. His edgy pieces were coveted and treasured by stylish women across the globe and seen on numerous red carpets.
Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour called McQueen "one of the greatest talents of his generation."
"He brought a uniquely British sense of daring and aesthetic fearlessness to the global stage of fashion. In such a short career, Alexander McQueen's influence was astonishing — from street style, to music culture and the world's museums," she said in a statement. "His passing marks an insurmountable loss."
McQueen did not design for the celebrities, but they flocked to him for the sheer audacity of his creations, which were instantly recognizable for being dramatic, exquisitely tailored and oh-so sexy.
A stunning dress for Sandra Bullock? A special order for Madonna? Something special for Kate Moss or Naomi Campbell? All these feats seemed easy for the quiet, slim, bearded Englishman who shunned publicity and laughed off the limelight.
Lady Gaga recently made waves when she wore McQueen's spring 2010 lobster-claw shoes in her "Bad Romance" music video.
McQueen's mother died Feb. 2. Some fashion experts speculated that his mood may have also been clouded by pressure to top himself again next month at his catwalk show in Paris.
News of his death broke at the start of New York Fashion Week and sent shock waves through the Bryant Park tents. A presentation of McQueen's secondary label, McQ, had been scheduled for later Thursday, but it was quickly canceled.
After word of his death spread, one mourner left pink flowers at the doors of the designer's London headquarters. Mourners also gathered outside his New York store.
"He was a great, great talent who had lost someone important in his life," said Xavier Keane, who placed the flowers. "I know how he feels because I lost my mother last year."
McQueen sounded anguished and frustrated in recent postings on his Twitter page. The remarks also sounded slightly confused.
"i'm letting my followers know the my mother passed away yesterday if it she had not me nor would you RIP mumx," he wrote.
Shortly afterward, he added: "But life must go on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
On Sunday, he used an obscenity to describe his "awful week" and said he had to "some how pull myself together and finish."
Four days later, he was dead.
"If you are a genius, the pressure to be a genius is always immense," said Imogen Edwards-Jones, author of the "Fashion Babylon," a novel on the untidy underside of the industry.
McQueen helped spark a renaissance in London fashion, helping to revive it after the long-dormant period that followed the punk explosion in the 1970s.
He was also responsible for one of history's most famous "wardrobe malfunctions." He designed Janet Jackson's Super Bowl outfit, which fell open while she was singing, revealing one of her breasts.
In the usually glad-handing fashion world, McQueen was known as a private man who shunned the limelight. He turned down most interview requests and did not cultivate a cult of personality or try do develop an air of mystery about his work.
McQueen, a trim, handsome man with startling gray-blue eyes, had an easy smile, but did not linger in the camera's glare.
"In a world where every man and his dog is a designer, Alexander McQueen was the real deal," said celebrated hat maker Philip Treacy. "His talent was supersonic."
McQueen made his name first in London, then wooed audiences in Paris, New York and Milan to take his place in the upper echelons of the designing world. He was named British Fashion Designer of the Year four times, and was recognized by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003, when she made him a Commander of the British Empire for his fashion leadership.
"McQueen influenced a whole generation of designers. His brilliant imagination knew no bounds as he conjured up collection after collection of extraordinary designs," said Alexandra Shulman, the editor of British Vogue.
Hal Rubenstein, a fashion director for InStyle magazine said McQueen started out tough and angry — in his work and attitude — but softened over time as he felt more appreciated by the industry.
McQueen, he said, was a master of integration of technology into fashion.
"He changed the way so many of us see shows."
McQueen was known for pushing the envelope. At his spring-summer 2010 collection, he featured sculptural cocktail dresses in psychedelic snakeskin prints, with the hoof-like platform booties that were worn by Lady Gaga. The show opened with huge screens projecting close-up images of a woman writhing among a den of snakes.
The death left the future of the McQueen label in doubt.
After a founder's death, other major labels have turned to lesser-known in-house talent, as happened with Valentino; or brought in outside designers, as happened at Emanuel Ungaro; or even recruited family, as with Versace.
McQueen was the youngest of six children born to a taxi driver and a teacher. He received his early fashion training at the Central St. Martin's College of Art and Design, long recognized for its fashion-forward approach and encouragement of Britain's talented young designers.
He learned the finer points of traditional men's tailoring at two famous, conservative Savile Row houses: Anderson and Sheppard, and Gieves and Hawkes.
After his Savile Row stint, McQueen started to develop his trademark, more theatrical designs, working with several other brands before first starting his own label in 1992.
He quickly earned a reputation for innovation. The company he founded was purchased by the Gucci Group, and he retained creative control of his own brand. There were plans for stores in Paris, Milan and London, as well as Manhattan and San Francisco.
His runway shows were always a highlight during the Paris ready-to-wear fashion week.
One of his previous collections included a show built around the concept of recycling, with models donning extravagant headwear made out of trash. His last collection, shown in October in Paris, featured elaborate and highly structured cocktail dresses. Critics raved.
Source: Yahoo - Southwest Airlines Co. is offering a sale geared toward leisure travelers who want to make short trips this spring.
The discount carrier said Tuesday it will sell tickets starting at $39 each way on some routes under 500 miles.
As usual, the airline didn't say how many seats it will offer at the sale prices, and Friday and Sunday flights aren't included. The sale ends Thursday and covers travel from March 15 through May 25.
Delta, American, United, Continental and US Airways matched the sale prices on routes where they compete with Southwest, said Tom Parsons, CEO of BestFares.com. Fellow discount carriers JetBlue and AirTran matched on some routes, he said.
Southwest has reported steadily rising traffic for several months — up 7.1 percent in January compared with a year earlier. The Dallas-based airline broke its own record for average occupancy in January. Still, 28 percent of seats were empty.
The sale shows that airlines are struggling to fill planes, especially during the relatively slow travel period between spring break and summer vacations.
"In order to fill up those last 20 percent of seats, Southwest still has to discount to get people off their couches and on to their computers booking tickets," said Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare.com.
Since the sale is mostly limited to short hops, the airline can still charge a reasonable price per mile, Parsons said.
"That's still money, and cost per mile is what they go by," Parsons said.
At $39 one way from Dallas to Houston, Southwest would get more than 16 cents per mile. In 2009, the airline's operating costs were a bit more than 10 cents per mile, so it can make a profit even at the sale prices if it can fill the planes.
But flights between San Francisco and Los Angeles would barely break even if every seat were taken at $39.
Source: ecorazzi - The Trust for Public Land (TPL) has announced its intention to protect the view of the famous Hollywood Sign by purchasing 138 acres on Cahuenga Peak in Los Angeles. TPL must raise $12.5 million by April 14 in order to prevent the land from being developed for luxury homes.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus has agreed to lend her support to the campaign. She is joined by other Hollywood stars including Virginia Madsen, Katherine Morris, Aisha Tyler, John Slattery, Julian McMahon, Tippi Hedren, James Kyson Lee, and Beau Garrett.
“With the support of donors such as The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, TPL and its partners are in a campaign to raise a total of $12.5 million by April 14,” said Sam Hodder, California State Director for TPL. “The Hollywood Sign is one of America’s iconic views and that view would be ruined forever if estates are built behind it.”
Once the TPL is able to purchase the acreage, the land will be added to Griffith Park which, at 6.52 sq mi of land, is one of the largest urban parks in North America.
By Jerry Lee Davis, Staff Writer
At times, we all need to have someone else express our thoughts and feelings, as the words will not come, or once they do come, we cannot speak them. And, if it’s true that music soothes and stirs the soul, then the world needs more conscious and aware singer/songwriters who are also musicians, for their work has the potential to be the voice of our heart and soul, in essence, the voice of Man’s truth. Meet The Wailin’ Jennys, a Juno Award-winning Canadian trio of women from Winnipeg, Manitoba and New York, consisting of soprano Ruth Moody, mezzo Nicky Mehta, and alto Heather Masse who are certainly using their talents and gifts to move humanity in a beautiful and uplifting manner.
Currently on tour to promote their newest release, Live at the Mauch Opera House, an 18 song collection that captures the magic of their live performances with show-stopping harmonies and dynamic instrumental solos from all three of the women and their sideman Jeremy Penner, The Wailin’ Jennys are stopping in Pasadena for a show at Caltech on February 27th.
Interview with Ruth Moody, singer/songwriter/musician and member of The Wailin’ Jennys (www.thewailinjennys.com)
Jerry: You and Nicky Mehta are the founding members of the trio. Where did you meet, and from where did the idea for the group originate?
Ruth: Nicky and I knew each other through the music scene in Winnipeg. She claims that we met before I remember us meeting for the first time. Her different hairstyle threw me off.
Anyway, Nicky had released a solo CD. I had been in a band full of boys, and I wanted to start a girl band. I’d grown up singing with my sisters. So, I approached Nicky, and we started working together. We played our first show to a packed house, and we liked the energy of the show, and we did another and then another.
Jerry: And the group name?
Ruth: A friend at the guitar shop kept coming up with a list of names for us, and most of them were awful. Then he came up with The Wailin’ Jennys, and we thought it was funny, and it stuck.
The name has done us very well.
Jerry: Heather Masse is the third member of The Wailin’ Jennys? She’s the latest person to fill that third spot in the group, right? Have the change ups affected the dynamics of the group?
Ruth: Both of the previous Jennys ended up wanting to pursue their solo careers. Once the word got out that we’d lost another Jenny, a friend said that Nicky and I had to meet Heather. At one of our shows in Philadelphia, Heather came, and we went into the bathroom of the venue and sang together, “Amazing Grace,” and an old Hank Williams tune. We loved Heather’s voice, and she instantly felt like a kindred spirit. It didn’t take long at all for us to start working as a cohesive unit.
Jerry: What’s the creative process like for The Wailin’ Jennys? Besides the obvious of more people involved, how is creating in a group different than creating alone?
Ruth: Well, when you’re recording and writing and singing on your own, you don’t have to ask anyone’s permission. But the collaborative energy is wonderful. Each of us comes to the table with songs that we’ve written. Then we play and sing the song until it feels right. We don’t write together, but we arrange together. Though on our upcoming album, Nicky wrote a few lyrics for one of Heather’s songs.
Jerry: How would you describe the type of music that comes from The Wailin’ Jennys?
Ruth: We call ourselves folk roots singers and singer/songwriters who sing three part harmony. You can hear different colors in our music, whether it’s traditional, folk, pop or jazz and blues.
Jerry: What impact or effect do you hope your music has on listeners?
Ruth: You can’t control how they react or respond, but you hope it goes out and touches people in a positive way and has a positive influence on them. And I don’t always associate positive with happy music. A sad song that moves me and makes me cry is a positive thing for me. I get to move through my emotions and have a release.
Jerry: With the song One Voice, a personal favorite of mine, the song seems to have a double meaning. It’s apparent that “one voice” refers to the three of you, but the message also seems spiritual and worldly and a call for unity.
Ruth: That’s exactly right. I wanted to write something that is unifying, and I wrote it with the Jennys in mind. But you hit the nail on the head with the greater significance. We’re all coming from the same place. It’s disturbing how many people don’t get it that we’re all one. It’s important for people to spread that message.
Jerry: Do you prefer performing live to being in a recording studio? Any rituals the group does before going on stage?
Ruth: I love both. Exploring in the studio is wonderful, but I’ve missed performing live. We’ve been off the road for a year, since Nicky had twins. As for rituals, we don’t really have any.
We warm up vocally and instrumentally, and we try to get together to talk about the show and to discuss what our intentions are and what our message is.
Jerry: How do you decide what songs to record, your own songs versus covers of Neil Young’s “Old Man” or traditional songs such as “The Parting Glass?"
Ruth: There’s no decision. It sort of just happens. We were asked to learn a Neil Young song for a tribute, and the next thing you know we’ve recorded “Old Man.” Wherever we are sometimes inspires us to do a particular song.
Jerry: Speaking of covers, you all perform Jane Siberry’s “Calling All Angels” beautifully. Have you gotten any feedback from Jane Siberry? What about Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings for “One More Dollar?” Neil Young for “Old Man?”
Ruth: We’ve never gotten any feedback from the artists whose songs we’ve covered. But I think that’s pretty standard. We did hear that Jane Siberry was glad that we recorded “Calling All Angels.” Nicky’s voice works really well on that song, and she really connects with it. No matter how tired she is from touring, that song brings her back.
Jerry: Your most current CD was recorded live at The Mauch Chunk Opera House in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania? Other than it being live, how is this recording different from your two previous CDs?
Ruth: This current one is way more pared down. It’s our stage show, and we tour as a pared down trio with a fiddle player. So it’s not as produced as our studio recorded CDs. We wanted to give our fans a recording of the way we sound at our shows.
Jerry: Ever thought of The Wailin Jennys doing an all a cappella album, a Sweet Honey In The Rock type album?
Ruth: I love Sweet Honey In The Rock. We’ve talked about that idea. We’ve also talked about a covers album and a Christmas album. It’s just finding the time to do them all.
Jerry: What would you say to aspiring singer/songwriters who keep hearing the negative messages that no one is listening to their kind of music or that the music industry is dead?
Ruth: Ignore it. The music industry has changed. Now, it’s probably working more in the favor of independent artists. Big record labels are dead more than the music industry is dead. I say go forth with no fear and write and perform.
Jerry: Who are your personal inspirations, and who are the group’s inspirations?
Ruth: I always go back to singer/songwriters: Towns Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, John Prine, Joni Mitchell and Lucinda Williams. I love the Beatles. I love Ron Sexsmith, Leonard Cohen, traditional music, pop music, old-timey music. For the group’s inspirations, it’s hard to speak for the other Jennys. I know Nicky is somewhat influenced by British pop, and Heather has a jazz and blues background.
Jerry: The group has had a lot of success in Canada, even winning a Juno Award. Do you feel that you’re developing a loyal following here in America?
Ruth: America has been really good to us. We’ve gotten a lot of exposure, because of our connection with A Prairie Home Companion radio show. We’ve toured a lot in America, and there are more places to play in the States than in Canada.
Jerry: I’m curious as to why Canada produces so many good female singer/songwriters. You’ve got Joni Mitchell, k.d.lang, Sarah McLachlan, Alanis Morissette, Jane Siberry, Jann Arden, and the list goes on. I include you on that list, too.
Ruth: Thank you. I don’t know why it is, but I’m glad it is.
Jerry: How do you feel about singers and musicians using their voices as a forum to promote political or social causes?
Ruth: I think it's very important, and I have huge respect for people who do it well. I think that it is a gift in itself to be able to speak out on behalf of issues or causes. It's a tricky thing because in the context of performing it involves a balance. Some people come to see you perform and only want to be entertained, or want to forget about the troubles of the world. So you need to be able to find ways of sending messages without totally alienating your audience or turning people off who just came out to hear some music. Having said that, the Jennys as a band will never think twice about saying what needs to be said when it's important.
Jerry: Many are now proposing that in order for the world to survive and get back in balance the feminine and maternal energy needs to rise up and maybe even rule. Your thoughts?
Ruth: I totally agree with that. It often occurs to me that you don’t see women starting wars. I think the feminine force is definitely lacking in making higher level decisions.
Jerry: Are you looking forward to performing in Pasadena? Are you planning on driving down the road to L.A.?
Ruth: Yes. I can’t wait. We like performing in California. If we have time, we’re planning on getting to L.A. We’ll maybe stay an extra night. Mark Howard, the guy who produced our upcoming album, lives in L.A.
Jerry: Thank you for your time, Ruth. I’ll see you in Pasadena on February 27th.
Ruth: Thank you. Come up and say “hi.”
*Ruth Moody of The Wailin’ Jennys. Hear more music by The Wailin' Jennys here and at www.thewailinjennys.com
Jerry Lee Davis
Love Angeles Magazine©
jerrylee@loveangeles.com
One Voice lyrics:
This is the sound of one voice
