LOVE ANGELES

Gregory Colbert's Ashes and Snow

If you haven't heard of Gregory Colbert or 'Ashes and Snow,' be prepared to experience one of the most breathtaking works of art in modern times.

Source: Youtube - Gregory Colbert has used both still and movie cameras to explore extraordinary interactions between humans and animals. His exhibition, Ashes and Snow, consists of over 50 large-scale photographic artworks, a 60-minute film, and two 9-minute film haikus.

This excerpt is entitled Feather to Fire, and is narrated in three languages by Laurence Fishburne (English), Ken Watanabe (Japanese), and Enrique Rocha (Spanish).

More information about Gregory Colbert and Ashes and Snow is available at www.ashesandsnow.com.

Better Birth Weight for Babies of Exercisers

Source: NY Times - Regular exercise during pregnancy doesn’t change a mother’s body weight but does lead to a small reduction in the baby’s weight, a new study shows.

The findings are important because larger birth size is associated with higher risk for childhood obesity.

In a randomized trial of 84 first-time mothers, participants were assigned to either an exercise or a control group. Exercisers rode stationary bikes for 40 minutes, five days a week, while the other women just maintained their regular activity. The women began exercising in the 20th week of pregnancy and continued until at least week 36.

The exercise didn’t make any difference in the mother’s weight compared with mothers who weren’t exercising. But among mothers who didn’t exercise, their babies were an average of five ounces heavier than babies born to women who exercised during pregnancy. There also was no difference in the average length of the babies, according to the study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

The study shows that moderate, regular aerobic exercise can have a meaningful effect on a baby’s birth weight without putting the pregnancy or child at risk.

Baby, I'm Born to Dance!

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.

One Voice

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
One spirit, one voice
The sound of one who makes a choice
This is the sound of one voice

This is the sound of voices two
The sound of me singing with you
Helping each other to make it through
This is the sound of voices two

This is the sound of voices three
Singing together in harmony
Surrendering to the mystery
This is the sound of voices three

This is the sound of all of us
Singing with love and the will to trust
Leave the rest behind it will turn to dust
This is the sound of all of us

This is the sound of one voice
One people, one voice
A song for every one of us
This is the sound of one voice
This is the sound of one voice.

Malibu Pediatrician Helps Out in Haiti

Source: Malibu Times - A local pediatrician set out to the devastated country to provide medical assistance to some of the approximate 194,00 injured by the earthquake that struck two weeks ago.

Malibu resident Dr. Jason B. Litten left for Haiti last week Wednesday as part of the humanitarian organization “Project Haiti Heart's” mission to provide humanitarian and medical assistance to earthquake victims.

By 10 a.m. on the second day after he arrived he had seen 200 patients. By noon, he had resuscitated a 91-year-old man who was pulled from the rubble after being buried nine days. “He's gonna to make it - That's a will to live!” Litten wrote on his Facebook page.

The third day he was there, he saw a six-week-old baby who was found in the rubble, and gave a 12-day-old baby girl-born by C-section “DURING the quake”-her first physical examination. By Saturday afternoon, Litten had seen a total of 574 patients.

And Monday morning, he delivered a baby girl under the most primitive of circumstances.

“Last night was the most horrible and wonderful of my life!” Litten posted on Facebook. “The stories abound ... We'll talk when I return. For now, meet Clara. She was born at 4:17 a.m. in a tent.”

Litten is senior medical scientist with Thousand Oaks-based Amgen Incorporated. He is part of a team that went to Haiti for 10 days to provide whatever medical services are required, joining other medical professionals from around the world who are donating their time and expertise to help Haiti after a 7.0 earthquake on Jan. 12 struck the island country, flattening its capital, Port-au-Prince, and causing widespread damage elsewhere.

The Haitian Health Ministry has estimated that 150,000 people have died as a result of the quake. Other organizations put that toll as high as 200,000, with 194,000 injured.

Haiti's infrastructure was already undermined by extreme poverty and political violence for much of its history before the quake hit, leaving the care of its children in even more dire need.

According to CNN.com, there are 300,000 children younger than two years of age who are in need of nutritional support, and 90 percent of Port-au-Prince's schools have been destroyed.

“My goal is to serve in any way I can,” Litten stated in a press release by AmeriHealth, a New Jersey insurance company, which is financially sponsoring his mission. “I believe that most physicians would do the same if their obligations allowed them.  Fortunately, I'm able to go, for which I feel fortunate.”

Litten's brother, Brian J. Litten, is a senior executive with AmeriHealth, which is covering the cost of Litten's airfare and essential materials such as a sleeping bag, insect repellent, mosquito tents and other items.

As Jason B. Litten found time in between taking care of hundreds of patients to take photos and post them along with his updates on Facebook, his family and friends responded with encouragement and praise. “It makes all those years of schooling worth it,” his brother Jordan Litten wrote. “Congrats bro. It's so surreal. It's spine chilling. Keep up the good work and come home safe.”

The “schooling” that Jason Litten's brother wrote of includes a degree in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University, a degree in medicine from Emory University School of Medicine, a degree in Pediatric Medicine from the University of Miami, and a fellowship in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology from UT Southwestern.

Litten, 36, will be coming home this Saturday to tell the full story of his experience in helping those suffering from the quake and its some 50 aftershocks that rumble through the devastation.

In his postings, he mentioned the desolation, but also the hope and the help of organizations that have joined the rescue and humanitarian efforts. “It's easy to see the horror in Port-au-Prince these days. You have to look harder to find the beauty. I have found quite a bit in the warm, tireless and passionate people with whom I'm working: NYC EMT, International Medical Relief, Taiwan Root (my team) NorCross, U.S. Army ...”

He also wrote of the immediate results of his work. After helping a young girl, whose picture he posted, he wrote: “A fractured hip, a homemade crutch and a million dollar smile!”

Taylor Swift Is Fearless In Her March To The Grammys

Source: MTV - The country-pop crossover had the best-selling album of 2009. Think back to what you did when you were 19. Maybe you just finished your freshman year in college, came home a few fudge sundaes heavier than when you left and spent the summer sleeping until noon at your parents' place while waiting for the next party to start up.

But if your name is Taylor Swift, 19 was the year you catapulted from country cutie to international megastar. Swift was already a very popular singer before last year, releasing a self-titled debut album in 2006 that has sold more than 3 million copies.

But 2009 was the year she went supernova, all thanks to an album called Fearless. Released at the tail end of 2008, Fearless dominated the charts in 2009, spinning off a string of hit singles such as "Love Story," "White Horse," "Fifteen" and "You Belong With Me" and racking up eight Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, while selling more than 3 million copies.

She's a country star pop fans love and a pop star whose humble roots and strong songwriting chops appeal to country fans. It helps that Swift is also incredibly talented, co-producing the album with Nathan Chapman and writing or co-writing every one of its 13 songs. Like many country crossover artists before her, Swift often leans heavily on the pop end of the spectrum, offering hints of the sounds heard on albums from other teen girl singers, but without the assist of Auto-Tune, corny hip-hop-inspired beats or party-till-you-drop lyrics. Fearless is a true singer/songwriter album, with affecting, timeless stories of teen heartache and longing that feel decades ahead of the singer's chronological age.

That honesty comes through loud and clear on songs like "Forever & Always," which fans immediately recognized as a kiss-off to former flame Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers. "With this situation, I feel like I owed it to my fans to be like, 'Look, it happened, you weren't crazy,' and address it," she told MTV News the week the album was released. "And I addressed it, and, you know, that's a chapter in my life that's closed now."

Swift admitted that she went a bit more general in her songwriting on the album, unlike her VMA-nominated "Teardrops on My Guitar," in which she called out one ex by name. "I like to write personal songs," she explained. "I like to write songs that are very obviously about people. It's kind of hard to change your stripes. I like to write songs about love, and I like to write songs about relationships, and I like to write songs about boys."

It helps that Swift has a megawatt smile and is a serious double threat, writing and performing great songs, but also showing up on "CSI" and cooking up some serious laughs as the musical guest/ host on "Saturday Night Live." MTV News' #2 Woman of the Year not only set digital download records for a country artist, she landed all but two of the tracks from Fearless in the Billboard Hot 100 at some point over the past year, became the first female country artist to log eight weeks at #1 on the Billboard and the youngest artist to win the Entertainer of the Year award at the Country Music Association Awards, just one of the dozens of major honors she took home in 2009.

In addition to debuting at #1 when it was released, Fearless spent 53 non-consecutive weeks in the top 10, tying it for the longest run near the top since Shania Twain did it with Come On Over from 1997-1999. Amid all that, the preternaturally sweet and grounded singer also unintentionally scored one of the top pop-culture memes of the millennium when Kanye West bum-rushed her at September's VMAs, uttering the phrase that became an instant sensation and punch line, "I'm sorry, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time."

Her stunned, emotional reaction only made Swift even more relatable and lovable, as evidenced by the spike in sales for Fearless and the subsequent Platinum Edition re-release in October, which kept Swift in the top 10 through the end of the year and into 2010.

Swift continues to tour the album and will play a sold-out show in front of 68,000-plus fans at Gillette Stadium in June. With a third CD already in the works and Fearless showing no signs of slowing down, a Grammy for Album of the Year would be yet another sign that Swift shouldn't worry about her rocket ride ending any time soon.

Martin Luther King

"Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don't have tohave a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subjectand verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soulgenerated by love." ~ Martin Luther King Jr.