New episodes of The Jazz Session: Fly and Barbara Dennerlein (0)
Posted 20 April, 2009 in Jazz, Music, Poetry, RIJF, Rochester, The Jazz Session
Jason Crane interviews the members of the trio Fly: bassist Larry Grenadier, drummer Jeff Ballard and saxophonist Mark Turner. Fly is very much a collective effort — the group operates with a leaderless philosophy in which everyone contributes equally. As a result, the trio has come up with some fresh and exciting sounds as they try new combinations and new ways to balance their respective instruments. All three musicians are very much in demand as sidemen, too. A full transcript of this interview is available at AllAboutJazz.com.
Jason Crane interviews organist Barbara Dennerlein about her pipe organ recording Spiritual Movement No. 2 (Bebab Records, 2008). The album was recorded at one of Germany’s most famous churches in front of a very appreciative audience. In this interview, recorded before a concert in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Dennerlein discusses jazz on the pipe organ; why organists should use their feet; and how she adapts to the challenge of seldom having her own instrument on stage.
The Jazz Session is back! (0)
Posted 10 April, 2009 in Jazz, Music, Poetry, Rochester, The Jazz Session
THE JAZZ SESSION #52: MARILYN CRISPELL. Jason Crane interviews pianist Marilyn Crispell about her album of solo piano pieces, Vignettes (ECM, 2008). Crispell made an early name for herself with Anthony Braxton, and she’s since amassed an impressive list of recordings that include composed and freely improvised pieces. In this interview, Crispell talks about the nature of improvisation, the particular challenges of solo playing, and the joys of Woodstock, NY.
Listen to the show at thejazzsession.com.
Article: Bucky Pizzarelli (0)
Posted 27 March, 2009 in Jazz, Music, Poetry, Rochester
My latest article for the Island Packet newspaper is a short biographical sketch of Bucky Pizzarelli. The posted piece is significantly shortened, but you’ll get the idea.
Urban Chickens (0)
Posted 13 September, 2008 in Food, Politics & Activism, Rochester
Quite a few of my Rochester friends are raising chickens in the city. You can find out more about the Rochester Chicken Club (which is not a sandwich) in this article. (Thanks to chicken rancher Julie for the link!)
The Rochester Dissident (0)
Posted 14 May, 2007 in Politics & Activism, Rochester
I’ve mentioned my colleague Jack Bradigan Spula before. He writes the wonderful blog The Rochester Dissident.
I think the thing I like most about Jack is that he sees an entirely different side our of city from what most people see. Jack rides his bike everywhere, and his years on two wheels have caused his eye for detail to strengthen. Reading Jack’s blog is always revealing. He forces me to think about the world around me in ways that I often forget in my daily life.
For example, check out today’s post on a new college development project.
Immigrant Rights Day speech (0)
Posted 2 May, 2007 in Politics & Activism, Rochester
On May 1, I had the pleasure of speaking at Immigrant Rights Day rally in Rochester. If you’re interested, here’s what I had to say:
Buenos tardes. Mi nombre es Jason Crane. Soy un organizador para al sindicato UNITE HERE. UNITE HERE representa a trabajadores en las industrias siguientes: tejidos, lavanderías industriales, hoteles, casinos, servicio de alimento, aeropuertos y restaurantes. Mi sindicato cree que ninguna persona es ilegal. Cada trabajador tiene derechos legales, derechos civiles, y derechos de trabajo. Por favor perdóneme, pero el resto de este discurso es en inglés.
Good afternoon. My name is Jason Crane. I’m an organizer with UNITE HERE. UNITE HERE represents workers in textiles, industrial laundries, hotels, casinos, food service, airports and restaurants. My union believes that no person is illegal. We believe that all workers have legal rights, civil rights, and labor rights.
UNITE HERE supports the broadest possible legalization program for the 11-12 million currently undocumented workers. They’re here, they’re working, they’re contributing to our country. They should become legal permanent residents and then be able to earn their way to citizenship.
UNITE HERE does not support Bush’s guest worker program. However, we recognize that there’s going to be a future flow of immigrant workers. That’s why we support an immigrant worker visa with the following features:
- The visa must allow an immigrant worker to petition on his or her own for permanent residence.
- The new worker can’t be tied to an employer — there must be job portability. If you come to this country and go to work for a boss who treats you badly, you should be able to leave and go to work for somebody better.
- Immigrant workers must have the same legal, labor and civil rights protections that domestic workers have. They’re American workers, not second-class workers.
UNITE HERE supports family reunification. The government backlog is so huge right now that many workers with legal residence have to wait 10-15 years or longer for their spouses and children to get family visas. We want that backlog cleared up so that these families can be reunited.
Right next to this building is the Crowne Plaza Hotel, where the workers have been fighting for almost a year to get management to respect their right to choose whether or not they form a union. Many of these workers are immigrants from places like the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Vietnam. They came here to find a better life for themselves and their families. At the Crowne Plaza, many of these workers make poverty-level wages, and many can’t afford health care. Is this the promise of America?
UNITE HERE thinks we can do better. We’re committed to helping workers in our industries create power for themselves so they can have respect on the job, so they can take care of their families, and so that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are more than pretty words.
Most people have forgotten why May 1 is an important day in the lives of workers. On May 1, 1886, close to 300,000 workers nationwide, including more than 40,000 in Chicago, took part in demonstrations for the eight-hour day. On May 4, workers rallied at Haymarket Square in Chicago to protest police brutality against striking workers on the South Side. As the last speaker finished his remarks, police marched in and demanded an end to the gathering. Then an unknown assailant threw a bomb into the crowd, killing and wounding several police officers and workers. Police arrested eight anarchists on charges of conspiracy to commit murder. All eight were found guilty and four were executed: Albert Parsons, August Spies, Adolf Fischer, and George Engel. The latter three were German immigrants.
The trial is often referred to by scholars as one of the most serious miscarriages of justice in United States history. Most people now believe that Pinkerton agents provoked the incident. In HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1893″ \o “1893″ 1893, Illinois Governor HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Peter_Altgeld” \o “John Peter Altgeld” John Peter Altgeld concluded that all eight defendants were innocent and signed pardons for those still alive.
As we stand here on State Street in front of the seat of government and next to the site of ongoing labor struggle, let’s remember the millions of immigrants who built this country. My union, UNITE HERE, pledges to fight for the rights of those who are here now and those yet to come. Thank you.
BOA Editions Getting A New Home (0)
Posted 23 April, 2007 in Literature, Random Musings, Rochester
BOA Editions, one of the brightest spots in Rochester’s cultural life, is moving to new digs. This is from this morning’s Democrat & Chronicle newspaper:
BOA Editions moving to North Goodman Street
Local publishing company BOA Editions will be moving to the Neighborhood of the Arts.
It is moving from 260 East Ave. to the Anderson Alley building, 250 N. Goodman St. The new address will be effective April 30.
Poet and editor Peter Conners from BOA Editions was a guest on The Jason Crane Show last year. You can check out that episode for an interview with Peter and poetry from a number of great poets.
NewsTalk 950 in Rochester strengthens its lineup (0)
Posted 15 February, 2007 in Radio, Rochester
NewsTalk 950 WROC, former home of the original The Jason Crane Show, is Rochester’s progressive talk station. With the departure of Al Franken from Air America yesterday, WROC took the opportunity to revamp its lineup. The new version is much, much stronger. Here it is:
- 12 a.m. — Politically Direct (hosted by David Bender, sponsored by People for the American Way)
- 1 a.m. — Joey Reynolds (old-school variety talk show from WOR in NYC)
- 6 a.m. — The Bill Press Show
- 9 a.m. — Stephanie Miller
- 12 p.m. — Ed Schultz (live instead of taped, as it had been until now)
- 3 p.m. — Randi Rhodes (also live now instead of taped)
- 6 p.m. — News 8 (audio of local TV newscast)
- 6:30 p.m. — Rachel Maddow (for my money, the brightest light to come out of the whole Air America adventure)
- 8 p.m. — Democracy Now! (finally, a local station dares to air this daily progressive news program from Pacifica)
- 9 p.m. — Lionel (in my opinion, this show is the low point of the schedule, but you can’t have it all…)
- 11 p.m. — News 8 (audio of local TV newscast)
- 11:30 p.m. — Lionel (again)
I’ve got to say that I’m really impressed with this new lineup. Sounds like the program director has a vision for what to do with this station. Kudos!
The full schedule and links to the shows are at the NewsTalk 950 Web site.
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