Playing For Change

Citizen K. recommends that you drop by Starbucks and get a copy of Playing For Change: Songs Around the World, which gathers musicians and singers from around the world as part of "a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music." The CD/DVD set is a project of the Playing For Change Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps bring music into the lives of disadvantaged youth. The "Stand By Me" video went viral last year; the album also features covers of "One Love," (video below)"War/No More Trouble," "Biko," "Talkin' 'Bout A Revolution," and "A Change Is Gonna Come." In short this is the best album of its kind since Steven Van Zandt led the Artists United Against Apartheid through Sun City back in 1985. Do a favor to your heart and your feet by adding Playng For Change to your music collection. For more information, see playingforchange.com.

Citizen K. has lately been availing himself of the considerable pleasures of straight ahead jazz. There's nothing innovative going on in any of these CDs, but all four make for great listening.

• Earfood, The Roy Hargrove Quintet. Trumpeter Hargrove leads his band through twelve compact compositions (and a cover of Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me" that leave you asking "Who are these guys?" Just like the posse in Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, these keep coming at you.
• Present Tense, James Carter. Carter's wend their way through a set of ten covers and originals with precision and grace. No matter what the tempo, Carter's soloing remains one of the marvels of contemporary jazz.
• The Bright Mississippi, Allen Toussaint. Although the elegiac qualities give Mississippi its burnished glow, this is no mere exercise in nostalgia by the great New Orleans pianist, composer, and arranger. The inclusion of Mark Ribot's acoustic guitar allows Toussaint to explore his musical memory while simultaneously looking forward to the future.

Authors of the torture memos face backlash. That's not the only lash they should face...

Breaking News: Joe the Plumber quits the GOP. Whatever will they do now?...

Say it isn't so, Manny. The excuse that "I took something a doctor in Miami prescribed" has become flimsy, shopworn, and unbelievable. This is a great player whom no one accused of taking performance enhancing drugs, and now he's just another guy fumbling to explain himself...

NOLA Happenings: Just because Jazz Festival is over doesn't mean that the party is over. Dance to the music and learn about fire safety in Covington at the Stop, Drop, Rock 'n Roll...Don't want to leave town? Then check out the fourth annual 7th Ward Festival at the corner of Urquhart and Pauger...

Musicians and singers from around the world join Keb' Mo' in performing Bob Marley's great song, "One Love":

Opening Day

Here's to the two best smiles in the major leagues! Of course, if you were Manny Ramirez or Ken Griffey, Jr., you'd be smiling, too...

The Red Sox and A's played the earliest opening day in major league history this morning, with the Sox prevailing 6-5 in 10 innings. Manny drove in four runs and rookie Brandon Moss tied the game in the ninth with a one-out homer. If Manny is feeling it from the get-go, look out world. A big reason why the Red Sox enter the season as favorites to repeat is because they won it all last year despite Manny having and off year while David Ortiz struggled in the early going. 

My quickie evaluation of the Sox and their main competition:

Boston Red Sox: The best balanced team in the American League and therefore major league baseball. An outstanding bullpen supports a strong rotation headed by bona fide ace Josh Beckett. Big If: They're depending on LHP John Lester to finally realize his promise after beating lymphoma and on the continued development of rookie RHP Clay Bucholz.

Cleveland Indians: These guys are good, giving the Red Sox all they could handle in the ALCS. C. C. Sabbathia and Fausto Carmona are the best 1-2 starters in the league. The lineup is solid, although it's short on guys who really scare you. Big If: Is the bottom of the rotation good enough to pick Sabbathia and Carmona?

Detroit Tigers: The acquisition of Miguel Cabrera gives them a fearsome lineup that should lead the league runs scored. The rotation is good but nothing special, and the bullpen is a question mark. Big If: Can Dontrelle Willis turn around his declining numbers now that he is with a new team and will have all the offensive support he can use?

Los Angeles Angels: They won their division last year, so you have to respect them. The additions of Jon Garland and Torii Hunter will help, but I just don't see them as being in a class with the above three teams. Big If: Is Hunter good enough to protect Vladimir Guerrero?

New York Yankees: The Yanks still have plenty of guys who can produce, but overall this is an aging lineup with holes. The Indians exposed them in last year's playoffs as a team good enough to run up its record by beating up on weak opponents, but not good enough to take on a talented team in a post-season series. Big If: Can young pitchers Phillip Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and Joba Chamberlain all come through?

Toronto Blue Jays: Once again, a popular pick to disrupt Red Sox-Yankee dominance in the AL East. They are very good up the middle, and it will be interesting to see if Scott Rolen can revive his career in Toronto. He's 32, meaning that history says he won't. Rolen was awfully good in his prime, though. Big If: Are A.J. Burnett and B.J. Ryan really healthy? They have to be for Toronto to contend.

What Did He Say? "Akinori Iwamura (Tampa Bay) may have the biggest thighs of any second baseman in modern day, but he has looked like a very adequate defender at the position."

Peter Gammons, ESPN

The Five Best Baseball Novels:

The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop., Robert Coover

Bang The Drum Slowly, Mark Harris

You Know Me Al, Ring Lardner

The Natural, Bernard Malamud

The Great American Novel, Philip Roth

With honorable mention to Hoopla (Harry Stein) and Toot-Toot-Tootsie Good-bye (Ron Powers).

Three Nonfiction Books You Must Read To Understand The Game As It Is Today:

The Lords of the Realm: The Real History of Baseball, John Helyar

A Whole Different Ball Game: The Inside Story of the Baseball Revolution, Marvin Miller

Baseball's Great Experiment: Jackie Robinson and His Legacy, Jules Tygiel

The Three Most Important Figures In The History Of Baseball:

Marvin Miller

Jackie Robinson

Babe Ruth

See you at the ballpark!