#hamilton resurgence era?

[sunleaffe]

a bit unrelated to what i've been posting but i listened to "it's quiet uptown" a bit ago and it had me in shambles

#hamilton resurgence era? #hamilton #alexander hamilton #eliza hamilton #its quiet uptown #hamilton musical #philip hamilton #my art #art #digital art #fanart

[paladin-of-nerd-fandom65]

How exactly was Jon Kent’s introduction handled? Did Clark essentially just bring him out like “hey guys, here’s my 10 year old son I haven’t told you about” ?

If you mean canonically in the comics….like with many, MANY things. It’s complicated but I’ll give it my best

See in 2015, during the height of the New 52 era, was the event comic Convergence. In this one, Brainiac, who basically is revealed as techno organic eldritch abomination in a dimension known as the Vanishing Point, has kept various versions of Gotham and Metropolis from all through the DC multiverse’s histories in bottles right before the Flashpoint reboot altered everything.

One of these cities was the Pre-Flashpoint/Post-Crisis Metropolis containing their Clark and a pregnant Lois Lane. In their tie in issue, after an encounter with the flashpoint Superman and Batman aka Thomas Wayne, Lois successfully gives birth to Jon.

At the end of the event itself, Pre Flashpoint Clark, Pre Flashpoint Barry Allen, Parallax!Hal Jordan and Pre Crisis Kara meet up with the main leads of the event (The survivors of Post Flashpoint Earth 2) to encounter Brainiac who as gratitude for rescuing him from the villains of said event, decides to return every city back to their proper place. However, the Original Crisis was a point even he found too strong to overwrite so those four heroes plus Lois and baby Jon are sent across time and space to take down the Anti Monitor prematurely and shortly afterwards, incorporated into the New 52 DCU

In particular, for Lois, Clark and Jon, they landed on the day the New 52 Justice League, with their own Superman in tow, was first formed. They got themselves temporary new identities as the Whites and for the in universe ten years lived a low profile yet relatively quiet life

It wasn’t until Jon was about 9 1/2 after a run in with Intergang that not only did he discover his own superpowers but also that indeed Clark was a second yet strangely older Superman. These were two things that surprisingly neither Lois and Clark were anticipating to kick in so quickly

A few months later, the New 52 Superman seemingly perished during a final battle against a rouge government experiment in trying to replicate his powers though not before him and the rest of the Trinity meet with Pre Flashpoint Clark and Lois. It’s after this and Lex Luthor making a claim as the next Superman that Clark decides to switch out his secret black and silver suit, shave his beard and don the red and blue once more. After a team to between the two to take down a resurgent Doomsday, Clark gets to work earning the people of New 52 Earth trust as a new Superman

Things come a head though when Jon starts developing heat vision as the Kents move to a small town community not too far from Metropolis called Hamilton County. It’s here Clark makes a choice to train Jon with those powers, by first a small mission to rescue a trapped submarine being attacked by a mind controlled giant squid monster. As Clark finds the device used to control said monster, he has Jon fire his red eye beams to destroy it but Jon is very reluctant to do so, afraid to hurt his Dad. But Clark is reassuring all the way through and Jon fires, first a big Kamehameha style beam before a Clark is able to instruct him to shrink it down to a small laser which surely does the trick

It’s here where Jon reveals he had purchased his trademark S logo sweatshirt.

After this and a massive battle between the two and a resurgent Eradicator which not only had them cause damage to Batman’s Moon Cave but also was shown to most of the world the presence of a younger Kryptonian, finally Clark decides to properly introduce Jon S. Kent to his Justice League allies as a brand new Superboy

For a final note, the Kents then have a run in with long time reality warping antagonist Mr Mxyzptlk which sees a brief return of the New 52 versions of Lois and Clark, revealing that indeed, the entity responsible for the New 52 in the first place actually had split Lois and Clark’s souls of sorts into two halves, the Pre Flashpoint side having the experience and love for each other yet not their history on the mainline DCU as their Post Flashpoint versions of themselves. Thanks to Jon’s presence, the two halves of the Kents merged with each other, becoming whole once more and now they no longer have to take on new identities as the Whites, they are the Kents. Plain and simple

#clark kent #lois lane #jonathan samuel kent #rebirth

[ktf1official]

As Daniel Ricciardo prepares for the start of the 2024 Formula 1 season, he can't help but feel that a new chapter in his racing career is about to unfold. The Australian driver, known for his infectious smile and daring overtaking moves, has been a mainstay in the sport for over a decade now. But as he approaches his mid-30s, Ricciardo says that the 2024 season feels like the "second part" of his F1 career is just beginning.

"I've had some incredible experiences in the sport so far, but I really feel like I'm entering a new phase of my career now," Ricciardo said in an interview with F1.com. "I've learned so much in my time in Formula 1, and I really feel like I'm in the prime of my racing abilities. I'm eager to see what the future holds."

Ricciardo burst onto the F1 scene in 2011 with the HRT team before moving to Toro Rosso and then landing a coveted seat at Red Bull Racing in 2014. During his time with the energy drink team, he scored numerous victories and became known as one of the most exciting talents on the grid. His daring, wheel-to-wheel battles with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel made him a fan favorite.

In 2019, Ricciardo made the move to Renault, hoping to challenge for race wins and podiums with the French outfit. However, the team's struggles to consistently deliver a competitive car left him frustrated at times. But the Australian never lost his trademark smile and positive attitude, even during difficult moments.

Now, as he gears up for the 2024 season, Ricciardo finds himself with a new team once again, this time at McLaren. The Woking-based team enjoyed a resurgence in form in recent years, and Ricciardo is eager to build on the success of the team.

"I feel like I'm joining McLaren at a really exciting time," Ricciardo said. "The team has made great strides in recent seasons, and I'm confident that we can compete for podiums and victories. I really believe that we have the potential to challenge for the championship in the coming years, and I'm excited to be a part of that journey."

With the 2024 regulations bringing sweeping changes to the sport, including new technical regulations and the introduction of sustainable fuels, Ricciardo is eager to see how the competitive landscape of F1 will shift. He knows that the new era of Formula 1 will provide a fresh challenge, and he's ready to embrace it with open arms.

"I feel like the 2024 season is the start of something new for me," Ricciardo said. "I'm more experienced and more motivated than ever before, and I'm ready to give it my all. This feels like the second part of my Formula 1 career, and I can't wait to see what the future holds."

As the 2024 Formula 1 season kicked off, all eyes were on Daniel Ricciardo, the Australian racing star known for his natural talent and infectious personality. After a few challenging seasons, Ricciardo made a bold statement, declaring that the 2024 season feels like the "second part" of his F1 career starting.

Ricciardo's journey in Formula 1 has been nothing short of remarkable. His rise to fame began in 2014 when he secured his first Grand Prix victory at the Canadian Grand Prix. From there, he continued to impress with his fearless driving and unparalleled speed, earning the nickname "The Honey Badger" for his aggressive yet smooth racing style.

However, as the years went on, Ricciardo faced his fair share of setbacks. A move to the Renault team in 2019 didn't yield the results he had hoped for, and a switch to McLaren in 2021 proved to be a challenging transition as well. Despite these challenges, Ricciardo remained resilient, always pushing himself to perform at the highest level.

Now, as the 2024 season begins, Ricciardo finds himself at a crossroads in his career. With a new set of regulations in place, he sees this as an opportunity to rewrite the narrative and make a fresh start. He has expressed a renewed sense of optimism and determination, stating that he feels like the "second part" of his F1 career is about to begin.

With his characteristic smile and positive attitude, Ricciardo exudes a sense of confidence and readiness for the challenges that lie ahead. He has been working closely with the McLaren team to adapt to the new regulations and fine-tune his driving style to maximize the car's potential.

As the season progresses, Ricciardo hopes to make a statement on the track, showing the world that he is not done yet and still has plenty to offer in this high-octane sport. With a competitive field of drivers vying for the top spot, the 2024 season is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent memory.

Ricciardo's bold declaration has sparked a renewed excitement among fans and pundits alike. Many are eager to see how he will fare in this "second part" of his career and whether he can reclaim his status as one of the sport's elite drivers.

As the season unfolds, one thing is for certain – Daniel Ricciardo is ready to write the next chapter in his Formula 1 career, and the world will be watching with bated breath as he embarks on this new journey.

#sports cars #formula 1 #racing cars #formula1 #formula one #f1 testing #f1

[barbiegirldream]

ooooo i'm interested to learn more about how Dream embodies romanticism

Yes okay so romanticism was born out of disillusionment of the times in the 1800-1850s. Height of the industrial revolution. people were being oppressed and unheard in a system that didn't care about them

Dream's approach to gaming have been to make the space open and welcome to everyone. To try and give unheard communities and individuals a voice. He wants to make his neurodivergent, female, queer, and poc fans all feel valued.

If you think about his choice of game Minecraft and the way he has helped build a resurgence around that and the type of community he's built it's like how people built romanticism off the backs of the disillusioned poets of the 1780s-90s. Dream entered a space unwelcoming to most and with his videos he helped re-shape it. He didn't need to make paintings he just needed to present his videos. And the messages in the DSMP oddly fitting in the romanticism (because of the Hamilton inspo i'd imagine) the emotions of feeling hopeless against an unchanging world (cycles of violence)

Also Mask would fit right in with the romantic songs of the era. It was all about the emotions of the individual in a society that wanted you to be a cog in a machine. Dream has come in relevance at a time that mirrors the romantic era so maybe that's it. But yeah that's how I think Dream embodies romanticism

[mickstart]

hi bestie, I’m honestly still in shock and disassociated with reality after what happened to lewis and I’m so scared to go on social media and look at news articles cause they’ll be going off about how lewis’ dominance is finally ending and whatnot, so I kinda wanted to rant and maybe get reassurance?? that the king is still rising and he’ll only come back stronger cause as nico said, lewis is scarier when he’s hunting from behind??

what are your thoughts on this, are we seeing a red bull resurgence or is lewis only getting stronger and more able as a driver? I’ve only recently got into f1 but I’ve known lewis for years and he’s only gotten more impressive, especially with how committed he is for the environment and equality. will France see the return of the king?? will we see lewis coming back to take the crown like he did in 2018 I think it was? When he wasn’t even leading until halfway through the season?

so sorry for the massive rant, I just wanted to get this off my chest and get some assurance, especially with how wrecked and heartbroken lewis looked yesterday...

;Hey nothing to be sorry for bestie I completely understand feeling a little Out Of It from this! I honestly haven't been able to look at post race stuff with Lewis bc the way he sounded on the radio is just haunting me. Putting this under a cut because I also needed to do a massive rant about how good Lewis is.

First of all: for sure red bull have massively improved and are the best car this year. The regulations specifically target Merc and no amount of Sky trying to downplay how much better the red bull is magically gives Merc the better car again. Valtteri is not struggling that badly with the car because he's suddenly forgotten how to drive, it is clearly a hard car to drive. Realistically, it was only a matter of time before Max and red bull led the championship at some point this year.

But honestly? In Bahrain the scenario we're in now was so far beyond my best case scenario. I truly expected max to lead the championship from bahrain and be running away with it now whilst lewis and merc tried to sort out their problems. The fact that Lewis led the championship - for MULTIPLE races - is like.... it's insane to me. Going into this season I LIKED Lewis as a person sure, but I wouldn't have said he was one of my top 3 drivers. But every single race this season he's been more impressive. His talent, how hard he works, his mentality as a competitor, it has all just been amazing to watch. It keeps hitting me that this is a seven time world champion in his strongest era. I see absolutely zero loss in Lewis' skill, if anything I think he's either still sitting on his peak or still rising.

I know it sucks right now because Monaco and Baku back to back have been terrible races for Lewis, but recency bias is a huge problem in F1 and we need to look at it in context that this feels worse BECAUSE of monaco. Neither tracks suited the W12 and in Monaco Mercedes were an absolute disaster, as poor Valtteri proves. In Baku Lewis accidentally hit one button and the restart went to hell, other than that he was flawless all race and once again got fucked by a bad mercedes pit stop. Also, Mercedes struggle with softer tyres and I think we all suspect the tyres at Baku were too soft for EVERYONE let alone a team that struggles with the softs.

Two bad calls that are entirely on mercedes, and one accidental button press. When you look at it like that absolutely nothing damns Lewis or suggests he's losing it. Quite the opposite actually. It's just unfortunate they happened one after the other.

So Mercedes need to get their shit together - they can do that - but Lewis? Lewis has been dragging these clowns to glory. Lewis has been the apex predator. This season so far has only proven his skill and regardless of what happens with the championship I think that in 5 years time - with hindsight and such - people are going to look back at this year and say that THIS is the year to watch to see an F1 legend at his peak. Lewis has pulled off miracles this year. Two bad races in a row - at tracks where he has to work the car to its absolute limits - don't diminish that.

So yeah, I think that in France Lewis is going to be back at it again. As you said, Lewis always vibes better with the tracks after mid season and at France Red Bull will lose the flexi-wing advantage. I'm not guaranteeing everything will be perfect and rosy from France onward. This is going to be a tight season, and throughout the year we're going to see this pattern of red bull and mercedes trading bad days and good days and tracks that suit either car. Be prepared for that and remember the big picture. But am I worried that Baku means it's 'over' and Lewis is going to get eaten up by Red Bull? Absolutely not.

This sport is made up on hundredths of seconds. We see singular moments where one thing going wrong reshapes the entire narrative. We live in the moment because you have to live in the moment in F1. Sometimes we need to take a step back and see the bigger picture. Lewis was pushing the car to its limits, he lost positions solely because of the team's bad pit timing, and there were tyres blowing up around him with no warning which is a problem that's haunted him before. The pressure on him was immense, and STILL it wasn't really a mental mistake it was a physical one. Not to quote god himself but "Less button?" is a relevant rant today.

I get feeling bad after that race and I'm right there with you I was just sat there in utter shock for the last two laps. But trust me bestie, Monaco and Baku are outliers and should not be counted. Lewis is at his peak and only getting better and I think that Hamilton Resurgence this year is going to be the sexiest it's ever been. You’re feeling out of it BECAUSE lewis making a mistake is so unheard of. Feeling lost and upset when Lewis makes a mistake is itself reassuring proof that Lewis is THAT bitch who is normally rock solid.

The championship is in a holding pattern, neither Max nor Lewis lost or gained anything. Baku might as well have not happened for either of them, so let's follow that example. Strike Baku from your mind, from the record. We are in the same position we were in after Monaco, except we're going to a track that SHOULD suit us more than Baku.

This isn't the first seven time world champion I've defended from the press whilst a red bull driver was leading the championship and mercedes were being clowns, and 2012 taught me how to bite.

TL;DR - Baku means nothing, this is going to be a tight season and there will be days like this, but Lewis is operating at his peak and whatever bad takes the press have this doesn't change that. Baku is over, it's time for France.

#ask #Sir Lewis #I wish I had a tag for my bad F1 takes

[dianabillingsart]

Album Cover Art - The Record Cover

Album artwork is as important at identifying the music as much as the musician. Buying the album was like buying your own little piece of artwork and part of the music. Album art in the later twentieth century became a massive cultural influence. It opened our eyes and minds to new and wondrous ideas and music. Many people like myself hang onto our records our entire lives. We become nostalgic about our music and the album cover. There are many times when we say, “ Hey, remember the Hotel California record cover?” This starting a conversation about music and why we loved the particular album so much.

The album book came from the pre World War I era. It literally meant that the record was stored in what looked like a booklet, similar to a photo album. Development of album cover design started that early

When musical recordings were first being made, it quickly became evident that the commercial availably of music would change how music would be heard forever, going from listening to music only in concert halls, dances, church, and pubs to becoming an item of personal ownership. If you have the opportunity to own a gramophone or phonograph you could play music any time you wished. The first gramophone was invented on 1895, the discs were fragile wax cylinders, sold in boxes and were susceptible to damage. By 1910 the 78 rpm record had appeared and were made of rubber coated with shellac, but still easy to damage. Sold in a paper envelope with an open circle in the centre, so you could read the label of the music. This envelope was an opportunity for advertising on the paper sleeve by the recording companies and stores that sold the records.

With Word War II over, commercialism grabbed hold of the recording industry. The film and music industries worked hand in hand. With the rise of teen culture, the music business changed again. Jazz, Country and Western, Rhythm and Blues all were very popular. Album covers were clean images of performers and bright colours, representing a clean and wholesome culture. Album covers sometimes would look like movie posters.

The 1960’s Jazz album covers were abstract and colourful showcasing the musician. Artist like Peter Max and Andy Warhol designed covers for Kenny Burnell and Meade Lux Lewis. Some of the album covers were true works of art. Album cover design was becoming an art form. Rock and Roll caused the album covers to expand just like many ideas of the 1960’s. Album cover artwork was no longer becoming a new art form, it was an Art Form. There was everything from psychedelic images, to black and white art photos. You name it, it was on an album cover. Pink Floyd, a cow? - Atom Heart Mother, designed by Hipgnosis and John Blake. The Beatles - White Album designed by Richard Hamilton. Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers designed by Andy Warhol. Santana’s - Abraxas designed by Abdul Mati Klarwein and Bob Venosa. Lastly, Tommy - The Who designed by Mike McInnerney and Barrie Miller. All amazing and unique covers. There were well known photographers like John Mapplethorpe who photographed Patty Smith. In the 1970’s and 80’s Mascots and Logos were popular with bands, such as Iron Maiden’s famous mascot “Eddie”.

There have been a number of individuals and groups who have been notable in the cover design field, such as the Hipgnosis group and Roger Dean, among others.

In the 1980’s the development of the CD (compact disc) was a concern for albums and cover art. The thought of a 4”X4” plastic case holding a real piece of art seemed impossible. But there were artist still making beautifully designed work like, Rush’s - Power Windows. Now with the digital age album art is still here but not in the same compelling way. The concept has developed into marketing a brand, all put together with videos, photoshoots and promotional merchandise.

But some artist have embraced the album cover again and there has been a resurgence on buying vinyl albums. Newer artist like Kendrick Lamar, Lorde and Bastille, have all put out albums. There are now collectors of albums for the music and the artwork. The album may never die, because it is an art form! I will always treasure my albums some from my youth, and some more recent. I have them in my family room on display for all to see. Many of the older albums are still playable and do get played from time to time. Some are just for saving.

My source for this article is:

The Album Cover Album.

The Book of Record Jackets Edited by Hipgnosis and Roger Dean

Introduced by Dominy Hamilton

Published in 1977 by Dragon’s World Limited

I have to say, I have had this book since 1980, there are other album cover books published as well. I love this book and have looked at it over the years repeatedly. The introduction about the development of the record, and album covers is worth the read alone. I encourage you if you have the opportunity to look at this book, do so!! You will throughly enjoy it!

I sorry to say that I can not show images from the book due to copyright. The book is still available for purchase.

Hope you all still have albums you love too. Diana

[itsvr27]

Bahrain Grand Prix 2021

Image Source: XPB

Formula 1—the pinnacle of motorsport—a war of attrition. In F1, if you're not moving forward, then you are being pushed backwards; it's the name of the game. However, in the turbo-hybrid era, Red Bull Racing has been served with the familiarity of the most unwanted kind. They finished P2 in 2014, P2 in 2016, P3 in 2017/2018/2019 and P2 in 2020, but that changes now.

"Out of the final corner he comes, he can see the line in a distance; Max Verstappen goes through; MAX VERSTAPPEN IN ON POLE for the Bahrain Grand Prix by almost 4-tenths of a second!"

Red Bull had not taken pole position at the opening round of the season since Sebastian Vettel in 2013, a pole that marked the beginning of one of the most dominant seasons in the history of F1—the glory of yesteryear that the team has been craving for over half-a-decade.

It took Red Bull 7 seasons to get back on pole position for Round 1, but their moment may have finally arrived.

"Max Verstappen positions himself for a good exit as they head towards Turn 4, side by side, and Max Verstappen is on the outside; he's keeping his foot on the gas, and Max Verstappen leads!"

A few laps later, Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes' 7-time World Champion, crossed the chequered flag first, winning his 96th race and, in the process, extending his record for most wins. Lewis' racecraft and his ability to win was on display for all to see. As the Brit raced on, managing his comparatively older tyres, his talent and racing acumen came to the fore, proving that it's not just the car but the combination of man and machine pushing together for the ultimate glory.

On the other hand, Max Verstappen, Red Bull's most valuable asset, crossed in P2, having to cede the lead earlier in the race because of a track limits infringement. But while the results made for a somewhat disappointing read for Max, having dominated most of the weekend, what became unquestionable after the race was the remarkable pace of the RB16B, and he can take some comfort in that fact— the fact that in 2021, a championship challenge is on the cards for the young Dutchman.

Behind the battle royale, the midfield contenders duelled for invaluable points. McLaren's Lando Norris continued McLaren's resurgence as he finished P4 behind Valtteri Bottas. Sergio Perez, on his Red Bull debut, finished in P5; the race result further justifying Red Bull's signing of Checo as he sliced his way through the field after car troubles on the formation lap forced him to a pitlane start; his pace in the RB16B trumping his predecessor's from a few months ago on the same track.

Behind the #11 Red Bull finished the ever-impressive Charles Leclerc in his improved Ferrari as he headed the remaining points finishers: Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Yuki Tsunoda, all completing their maiden races for their teams inside the points; Yuki Tsunoda arguably the most impressive of them all. Lance Stroll in his Aston Martin was in P10.

Outside the points were the Alfa Romeos of Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi, cementing the belief that the team had made substantial gains over the winter break.

Esteban Ocon, in Alpine's debut race, finished a lowly P13. Ocon trailed his new teammate, returning World Champion Fernando Alonso since qualifying on Saturday. Alonso was running a decent race before retiring with brake issues caused, in a rather comical way, by a sandwich's plastic wrapper. Regardless of a non-finish, Alonso proved that his skills in an F1 car remain undiminished.

George Russell finished in P14, a good result, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Williams team.

The two German drivers, Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher finished P15 and P16, and while one of them would be disappointed, the other would be delighted to finish his first race after his teammate proved how easy it is to make mistakes and, in the process, crash out.

Pierre Gasly and Nicholas Latifi were the other non-finishers.

Formula 1 returns to Imola for Round 2 in April.

#f1 #bahrain gp 2021 #max verstappen #lewis hamilton #lando norris

[blackkudos]

Dexter Gordon

Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He was one of the first players of the instrument in the bebop idiom of musicians such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell. Gordon's height was 6 feet 6 inches (198 cm), so he was also known as "Long Tall Dexter" and "Sophisticated Giant". His studio and performance career spanned over 40 years.

Gordon's sound was commonly characterized as being "large" and spacious and he had a tendency to play behind the beat. He was known for humorously inserting musical quotes into his solos, with sources as diverse as popular tunes like "Happy Birthday" to the operas of Wagner. This is not unusual in common-practice jazz improvisation, but Gordon did it frequently enough to make it a hallmark of his style. One of his major influences was Lester Young. Gordon, in turn, was an early influence on John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. Rollins and Coltrane then influenced Gordon's playing as he explored hard bop and modal playing during the 1960s.

Gordon was known for his genial and humorous stage presence. He was an advocate of playing to communicate with the audience. One of his idiosyncratic rituals was to recite lyrics from each ballad before playing it.

A photograph by Herman Leonard of Gordon taking a smoke break at the Royal Roost in 1948 is one of the iconic images in jazz photography. Cigarettes were a recurring theme on covers of Gordon's albums.

Gordon was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in the Bertrand Tavernier film Round Midnight (Warner Bros, 1986), and he won a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist, for the soundtrack album The Other Side of Round Midnight (Blue Note Records, 1986). He also had a cameo role in the 1990 film Awakenings. In 2019, Gordon's album Go (Blue Note, 1962) was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Life and career

Early life

Dexter Keith Gordon was born on February 27, 1923 in Los Angeles, California. His father, Dr. Frank Gordon, was one of the first African American doctors in Los Angeles who arrived in 1918 after graduating from Howard Medical School in Washington, D.C. Among his patients were Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. Dexter's mother, Gwendolyn Baker, was the daughter of Captain Edward Baker, one of the five African American Medal of Honor recipients in the Spanish–American War. Gordon played clarinet from the age of 13, before switching to saxophone (initially alto, then tenor) at 15. While still at school, he played in bands with such contemporaries as Chico Hamilton and Buddy Collette.

Between December 1940 and 1943, Gordon was a member of Lionel Hampton's band, playing in a saxophone section alongside Illinois Jacquet and Marshal Royal. During 1944 he was featured in the Fletcher Henderson band, followed by the Louis Armstrong band, before joining Billy Eckstine. The 1942–44 musicians' strike curtailed the recording of the Hampton, Henderson, and Armstrong bands; however, they were recorded on V-Discs produced by the Army for broadcast and distribution among overseas troops. In 1943 he was featured, alongside Harry "Sweets" Edison, in recordings under Nat Cole for a small label not affected by the strike.

Bebop era recordings

By late 1944, Gordon was resident in New York, a regular at bebop jam sessions, and a featured soloist in the Billy Eckstine big band (If That's The Way You Feel, I Want To Talk About You, Blowin' the Blues Away, Opus X, I'll Wait And Pray, The Real Thing Happened To Me, Lonesome Lover Blues, I Love the Rhythm in a Riff). During early 1945 he was featured on recordings by Dizzy Gillespie (Blue 'n' Boogie, Groovin' High) and Sir Charles Thompson (Takin' Off, If I Had You, 20th Century Blues, The Street Beat). In late 1945 he was recording under his own name for the Savoy label. His Savoy recordings during 1945-46 included Blow Mr. Dexter, Dexter's Deck, Dexter's Minor Mad, Long Tall Dexter, Dexter Rides Again, I Can't Escape From You, and Dexter Digs In. He returned to Los Angeles in late 1946 and in 1947 was leading sessions for Ross Russell's Dial label (Mischievous Lady, Lullaby in Rhythm, The Chase, Iridescence, It's the Talk of the Town, Bikini, A Ghost of a Chance, Sweet and Lovely). After his return to Los Angeles, he became known for his saxophone duels with fellow tenorman Wardell Gray, which were a popular concert attraction documented in recordings made between 1947 and 1952 (The Hunt, Move, The Chase, The Steeplechase).  The Hunt gained literary fame from its mention in Jack Kerouac's On The Road, which also contains descriptions of wild tenormen jamming in Los Angeles. Cherokee, Byas a Drink, and Disorder at the Border are other live recordings of the Gray/Gordon duo from the same concert as The Hunt. In December 1947, Gordon recorded again with the Savoy label (Settin' the Pace, So Easy, Dexter's Riff, Dextrose, Dexter's Mood, Index, Dextivity, Wee Dot, Lion Roars). Through the mid-to-late 1940s he continued to work as a sideman on sessions led by Russell Jacquet, Benny Carter, Ben Webster, Ralph Burns, Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, Gerry Mulligan, Wynonie Harris, Leo Parker, and Tadd Dameron.

The 1950s

During the 1950s, Gordon's recorded output and live appearances declined as heroin addiction and legal troubles took their toll. Gordon made a concert appearance with Wardell Gray in February 1952 (The Chase, The Steeplechase, Take the A Train, Robbins Nest, Stardust) and appeared as a sideman in a session led by Gray in June 1952 (The Rubiyat, Jungle Jungle Jump, Citizen's Bop, My Kinda Love). After an incarceration at Chino Prison during 1953-55, he recorded the albums Daddy Plays the Horn and Dexter Blows Hot and Cool in 1955 and played as a sideman on the Stan Levey album, This Time the Drum's on Me. The latter part of the decade saw him in and out of prison until his final release from Folsom Prison in 1959. He was one of the initial sax players for the Onzy Matthews big band in 1959, along with Curtis Amy. Gordon continued to champion Matthews' band after he left Los Angeles for New York, but left for Europe before getting a chance to record with that band. He recorded The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon in 1960. His recordings from the mid-1950s onward document a meander into a smooth West Coast style that lacked the impact of his bebop era recordings or his subsequent Blue Note recordings.

The decade saw Gordon's first entry into the world of drama. He appeared as a member (uncredited) of Art Hazzard's band in the 1950 film Young Man with a Horn. He appeared in an uncredited and overdubbed role as a member of a prison band in the movie Unchained, filmed inside Chino. Gordon was a saxophonist performing Freddie Redd's music for the Los Angeles production of Jack Gelber's play The Connection in 1960, replacing Jackie McLean. He contributed two compositions, Ernie's Tune and I Want More to the score and later recorded them for his album Dexter Calling.

New York renaissance

Gordon signed to Blue Note Records in 1961. He initially commuted from Los Angeles to New York to record, but took up residence when he regained the cabaret card that allowed him to perform where alcohol was served. The Jazz Gallery hosted his first New York performance in twelve years. The Blue Note association was to produce a steady flow of albums for several years, some of which gained iconic status. His New York renaissance was marked by Doin' Allright, Dexter Calling..., Go!, and A Swingin' Affair. The first two were recorded over three days in May 1961 with Freddie Hubbard, Horace Parlan, Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers, George Tucker, Al Harewood, and Philly Joe Jones. The last two were recorded in August 1962, with a rhythm section that featured Blue Note regulars Sonny Clark, Butch Warren and Billy Higgins. Of the two Go! was an expressed favorite. The albums showed his assimilation of the hard bop and modal styles that had developed during his years on the west coast, and the influence of John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, whom he had influenced before. The stay in New York turned out to be short lived, as Gordon got offers for engagements in England, then Europe, that resulted in a fourteen-year stay. Soon after recording A Swingin' Affair, he was gone.

Years in Europe

Over the next 14 years in Europe, living mainly in Paris and Copenhagen, Gordon played regularly with fellow expatriates or visiting players, such as Bud Powell, Ben Webster, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Kenny Drew, Horace Parlan and Billy Higgins. Blue Note's German-born Francis Wolff supervised Gordon's later sessions for the label on his visits to Europe. The pairing of Gordon with Drew turned out to be one of the classic matchups between a horn player and a pianist, much like Miles Davis with Red Garland or John Coltrane with McCoy Tyner.

From this period come Our Man in Paris, One Flight Up, Gettin' Around, and Clubhouse. Our Man in Paris was a Blue Note session recorded in Paris in 1963 with backup consisting of pianist Powell, drummer Kenny Clarke, and French bassist Pierre Michelot. One Flight Up, recorded in Paris in 1964 with trumpeter Donald Byrd, pianist Kenny Drew, drummer Art Taylor, and Danish bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, features an extended solo by Gordon on the track "Tanya".

Gordon also visited the US occasionally for further recording dates. Gettin' Around was recorded for Blue Note during a visit in May 1965, as was the album Clubhouse which remained unreleased until 1979.

Gordon found Europe in the 1960s a much easier place to live, saying that he experienced less racism and greater respect for jazz musicians. He also stated that on his visits to the US in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he found the political and social strife disturbing. While in Copenhagen, Gordon and Drew's trio appeared onscreen in Ole Ege's theatrically released hardcore pornographic film Pornografi (1971), for which they composed and performed the score.

He switched from Blue Note to Prestige Records (1965–73) but stayed very much in the hard-bop idiom, making classic bop albums like  The Tower of Power! and More Power! (1969) with James Moody, Barry Harris, Buster Williams, and Albert "Tootie" Heath; The Panther! (1970) with Tommy Flanagan, Larry Ridley, and Alan Dawson;  The Jumpin' Blues(1970) with Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones, and Roy Brooks; The Chase! (1970) with Gene Ammons, Jodie Christian, John Young, Cleveland Eaton, Rufus Reid, Wilbur Campbell, Steve McCall, and Vi Redd; and Tangerine (1972) with Thad Jones, Freddie Hubbard, and Hank Jones. Some of the Prestige albums were recorded during visits back to North America while he was still living in Europe; others were made in Europe, including live sets from the Montreux Jazz Festival.

In addition to the recordings Gordon did under his major label contracts, live recordings by European labels and live video from his European period are available. The Danish label SteepleChase released live dates from his mid-1960s tenure at the Montmartre Jazzhus. The video was released under the  Jazz Icons series.

Less well known than the Blue Note albums, but of similar quality, are the albums he recorded during the 1970s for SteepleChase (Something Different, Bouncin' With Dex, Biting the Apple, The Apartment, Stable Mable, The Shadow of Your Smile and others). They again feature American sidemen, but also such Europeans as Spanish pianist Tete Montoliu and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen.

Homecoming

Gordon finally returned to the United States for good in 1976. He appeared with Woody Shaw, Ronnie Mathews, Stafford James, and Louis Hayes, for a gig at the Village Vanguard in New York that was dubbed his "homecoming." It was recorded and released by Columbia Records under that title. He noted: "There was so much love and elation; sometimes it was a little eerie at the Vanguard. After the last set they'd turn on the lights and nobody would move." In addition to the Homecoming album, a series of live albums was released by Blue Note from his stands at Keystone Corner in San Francisco during 1978 and 1979. They featured Gordon, George Cables, Rufus Reid, and Eddie Gladden. He recorded the studio albums Sophisticated Giant with an eleven piece big band in 1977 and Manhattan Symphonie with the Live at Keystone Corner crew in 1978. The sensation of Gordon's return, renewed promotion of the classic jazz catalogs of the Savoy and Blue Note record labels, and the continued efforts of Art Blakey through 1970s and early 1980s, have been credited with reviving interest in swinging, melodic, acoustically-based classic jazz sounds after the Fusion jazz era that saw an emphasis on electronic sounds and contemporary pop influences.

Musician Emeritus

In 1978 and 1980, Gordon was the DownBeat Musician of the Year and in 1980 he was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame. The US Government honored him with a Congressional Commendation, a Dexter Gordon Day in Washington DC, and a National Endowment for the Arts award for Lifetime Achievement. In 1986, he was named a member and officer of the French Order of Arts and Letters by the Ministry of Culture in France.

During the 1980s, Gordon was weakened by emphysema. He remained a popular attraction at concerts and festivals, although his live appearances and recording dates would soon become infrequent.

Gordon's most memorable works from the decade were not in music but in film. He starred in the 1986 movie Round Midnight as "Dale Turner", an expatriate jazz musician in Paris during the late 1950s based loosely on Lester Young and Bud Powell. That portrayal earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor. In addition, he had a non-speaking role in the 1990 film Awakenings, which was posthumously released. Before that last film was released he made a guest appearance on the Michael Mann series Crime Story.

Soundtrack performances from Round Midnight were released as the albums Round Midnight and The Other Side of Round Midnight, featuring original music by Herbie Hancock as well as playing by Gordon. The latter was the last recording released under Gordon's name. He was a sideman on Tony Bennett's 1987 album, Berlin.

Death and postmortem

Gordon died of kidney failure and cancer of the larynx in Philadelphia, on April 25, 1990, at the age of 67.

On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Dexter Gordon among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.

Family

Gordon's maternal grandfather was Captain Edward L. Baker, who received the Medal of Honor during the Spanish–American War, while serving with the 10th Cavalry Regiment (also known as the Buffalo Soldiers).

Gordon's father, Dr. Frank Gordon, M.D., was one of the first prominent African-American physicians and a graduate of Howard University.

Dexter Gordon had a total of six children, from the oldest to the youngest: Robin Gordon (Los Angeles), California, James Canales (Los Angeles), Deidre (Dee Dee) Gordon (Los Angeles), Mikael Gordon-Solfors (Stockholm), Morten Gordon (Copenhagen) and Benjamin Dexter Gordon (Copenhagen), and seven grandchildren, Raina Moore Trider (Brooklyn), Jared Johnson (Los Angeles), and Matthew Johnson (Los Angeles), Maya Canales (San Francisco) and Jared Canales (San Francisco), Dexter Gordon Bogs (Copenhagen), Dexter Minou Flipper Gordon-Marberger (Stockholm).

When he lived in Denmark, Gordon became friends with the family of the future Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, and subsequently became Lars's godfather.

Gordon was also survived by his widow Maxine Gordon and her son Woody Louis Armstrong Shaw III.

Instruments and mouthpieces

The earliest photographs of Gordon as a player show him with a Conn 30M "Connqueror" and an Otto Link mouthpiece. In a 1962 interview with the British journalist Les Tomkins, he did not refer to the specific model of mouthpiece but stated that it was made for him personally. He stated that it was stolen around 1952. The famous smoke break photo from 1948 shows him with a Conn 10M and a Dukoff mouthpiece, which he played until 1965. In the Tomkins interview he referred to his mouthpiece as a medium-chambered piece with a #5* (.080" under the Dukoff system) tip opening. He bought a Selmer Mark VI from Ben Webster after his 10M went missing in transit. In a Down Beat magazine interview from 1977, he referred to his current mouthpiece as an Otto Link with a #8 (.110" under the Otto Link system) tip opening.

#02/27 #04/25

[k-racer]

A Formula 1 Fantasy Universe using GPM2 2019 Mod: Intro, entry list, and race calendar

Hello there, after a long break from posting stuff on here.

This is going to be a randomized let’s play of Grand Prix Manager 2, using the recently released 2019 mod as a foundation, but with three expansion teams joining in so that we have a full 26 car entry list. I will be taking control as one of the expansion teams, so enjoy the ride!

The 2019 Entry List

Here’s what the lineups look like for all 13 teams after conducting a Draft Lottery and a snake format Fantasy Draft based off the lottery results complete with a preview of what I think the team’s fortunes are. Remember, in F1 each team can only have two race drivers at a time, and a backup reserve driver is highly recommended and actually required by the game itself. That’s the main reason why each team must have three drivers signed before the start of the season!

Mercedes

14 Fernando Alonso

63 George Russell

T 24 Lucas di Grassi

Will Fernando Alonso finally gets his elusive third Driver’s title? With the best overall car on paper, this is his best and probably final chance that he gets to do just that! On the other side of the garage is George Russell, who will make his F1 debut under massive pressures to perform straight away. George already has proven everything in the junior categories, winning titles in every single category of the ladder, F4, F3 and F2. This has the potential to be awesome like their recent successes over the last five years or maybe it would turn into a nightmare like when Alonso had to partner Hamilton in 2007? 

Ferrari

27 Nico Hulkenberg

99 Antonio Giovanizzi

R 28 Brendon Hartley

The Number 27 is officially back on a Ferrari! With Ferrari signing Nico Hulkenberg, they have just gotten a driver that was looking for a top tier ride all of this time, and he finally got his wish. He will perform with a chip on his shoulder and maybe take the Tifosi by the neck and push them to work harder than ever to get that elusive team’s title back to Italy. The biggest question mark regarding the Scuderia is the #2 slot with Antonio Giovanizzi, who only has two f1 starts to his name with Sauber as an injury replacement, but he had to struggle with an inferior car, maybe being in an elite team will help him?

Red Bull-Aston Martin 

33 Max Verstappen

25 Jean Eric Vergne

T 37 Nick Cassidy

Max Verstappen was going to stay put as soon as it was announced that Red Bull Racing would get the first pick in the lottery. Now, the bigger question, can Max become the second Red Bull driver to win the Driver’s title? His chances are decent but the biggest question mark is the new in-house built Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR1 engine. If it’s reliable, expect them to be contenders for the team’s title, especially if Jean Eric Vergne relishes his second chance in Formula 1, fresh after winning the Formula E Championship. If not, Nick Cassidy, the team’s new tester will have a stab at things sooner than later.

Renault

3 Daniel Riccardo

77 Valtteri Bottas

T 6 Artem Markelov 

Mr. Smiley has a new home! After being treated harshly at red bull racing last year, he decided to exit the program altogether and joined a factory team in desperate need of a savior. In addition, Valtteri Bottas, a perfect #2 driver during his time at Mercedes AMG before being let go over the lack of one-lap qualifying pace relative to Hamilton joins the Enstone-based team looking to crack into the big three conversation once again. What does this mean for Artem Markelov, who was looking to crack into F1 after finishing 2nd in F2 during the 2017 season? He will be a hot prospect going forward, that’s for sure.

Haas-Ferrari

11 Sergio Perez

88 Robert Kubica

T 50 Josef Newgarden

Money is starting to be a problem over at Haas especially if the rumors that Rich Energy is a faker happens to be true. In the meantime, they have Sergio Perez’s Carlos Slim backing of companies providing a more stable back-up package if the Rich Energy deal happens to be blocked by a court. On the other side, is an amazing comeback story, Robert Kubica, who almost lost his life before the 2011 F1 season, is officially back in a F1 race seat. There’s no question that his qualifying pace is still great, but how can his race pace be especially considering his physical limitations post-rally crash? 

Racing Point-BWT

31 Esteban Ocon

94 Pascal Wehrlein

T 34 Nyck de Vries

Racing Point is now officially a full-fledged constructor now. They still have a customer Mercedes Benz Engine but it’s rebadged as BWT. As for their drivers, they kept Esteban Ocon, a promising talent that is looking for a promotion to Mercedes AMG, when and if Fernando Alonso calls it quits. Pascal Wehrlein, who is back into a F1 race seat after a year’s worth of testing work with Ferrari is the other driver. Nyck de Vries is the team’s reserve driver, after getting his F1 super license thanks in part of his stellar F2 finish last year. 

McLaren-Cosworth

44 Lewis Hamilton

20 Kevin Magnussen

T 40 Paul Di Resta

Just as Lewis Hamilton was looking like he could potentially get his 6th drivers title, the FIA has decided to conduct a sport-wide fantasy draft in an effort to stop his domination. Despite this, Lewis Hamilton has returned back to McLaren, after Zak Brown selected him 3rd overall in the draft. With McLaren rebuilding after years of devastating management calls since Lewis left before the 2013 season, the hope is that he turns them back into title winners. His teammate would be Kevin Magnussen, who is also returning to the team for a second stint. Hopefully, the in-house built Cosworth engine is up for the task.

Alfa Romeo

5 Sebastian Vettel

13 Pastor Maldonado

T 36 Luca Ghiotto

The newly renamed Alfa Romeo F1 team, who is now building their own engines, has managed to steal an elite level qualifying talent to spearhead their rebirth since flopping big time during the ground effect era of the early 80’s. Sebastian Vettel who failed Ferrari thanks to the massive pressures of driving for the Tifosi, has returned back to the team that gave him his F1 debut in 2007. However, in a highly debatable move, the Alfa Romeo Management decided to give the second seat to an interesting driver, Pastor Maldonado, who was out of F1 since the end of 2015 has somehow got more money to spare!

Toro Rosso-Honda

10 Pierre Gasly

23 Alexander Albon

T 53 Alexander Rossi

Entering year two of the Honda engine partnership, Toro Rosso are hoping to build on a modest start by improving driver talent across the board. Pierre Gasly stays put which is a good thing for research and development work. Alexander Albon, a relatively late addition to the draft, was selected as the team’s second driver after initially was hoping to crack into Formula E instead. As for the test driver, that role falls on a resurgent Alexander Rossi, after spending the last three years back in the United States honing on his race craft in the IndyCar championship.

Williams-Mercedes

7 Kimi Raikkonen

4 Lando Norris

T 21 Esteban Guiterrez

Things couldn’t get much worse for Claire Williams, right? After going for the extra money in 2018, which backfired them in the worst possible way. They are now going in the opposite direction, going for experience and proven quantities that can help set up and develop a car that desperately needs it. Kimi Raikkonen, an elite racing talent still at this point of his career despite losing some outright one-lap pace over the last few seasons, signs on a one-year prove it deal. For the other seat, they are going with Rookie Lando Norris the 2nd place finisher in F2 last year, who has star level qualities already.

Panthera-Honda (User Controlled by Myself)

16 Charles Leclerc

18 Lance Stroll

T 70 Naoki Yamamoto

Now for the brand-new teams that will enter Formula 1 in 2019. First up, Panthera Team Asia, who will use Customer Honda Engines. It also helps that this expansion team got the 2nd overall pick in the draft and snatched Charles Leclerc away from Alfa Romeo. He can lead this team far if given a solid baseline to begin with. The bigger issue is at the #2 seat, with Lance Stroll, now being separated from his rich dad for the first time in his racing career, after Lawrence decided to run the Racing Point team. How well can he respond to this separation? At worst, Naoki Yamamoto is a quality driver that should get some looks.

SMP-Renault

26 Daniil Kvyat

2 Stoffel Vandoorne

T 35 Sergey Sirotkin

The second of the three Brand-new teams, SMP Racing has decided to go with two drivers looking for fresh starts to their F1 careers after fizzing out with their previous teams. Daniil Kyvat, who bombed out with Red Bull and refined his career with a simulator job at Ferrari the previous year, has a new lease at life with SMP racing. The other seat will be taken by Stoffel Vandoorne, who failed to produce alongside Fernando Alonso at McLaren over the last couple years, but he should be better in a lower-pressure environment. Sergey Sirotkin, the team’s reserve, pays the bills for the Renault engines if anything.

Campos-Porsche

55 Carlos Sainz Jr.

8 Romain Grosjean

T 9 Marcus Ericsson

The last of the three Brand-New teams, Campos Racing has managed to convince Porsche to return to Formula 1 as an engine supplier only. As for their drivers entering 2019, they managed to draft Carlos Sainz Jr. with the 4th pick in the draft, and he will spearhead the charge for this young team that is looking for a role model to rally around. As for the other race driver, they are counting on Romain Grosjean to be less of a crasher in the races and more helpful with feedback during the practice sessions. If that doesn’t happen, Marcus Ericsson, a useful veteran is always welcome to try.

The 2019 Race Calendar

1 Albert Park: Melbourne, Australia

2 Bahrain International Circuit: Sakhir, Bahrain

3 Circuit de Catalunya: Barcelona, Spain

4 Monte Carlo Street Circuit: Monte Carlo, Monaco

5 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve: Montreal, Canada

6 Silverstone Circuit: Silverstone, Great Britain

7 Nurburgring: Nurburg, Germany

8 Hungaroring: Budapest, Hungary

9 Spa-Franchorchamps: Spa, Belgium

10 Monza Circuit: Monza, Italy

11 Marina Bay Street Circuit: Singapore

12 Suzuka Circuit: Suzuka, Japan

13 Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez: Mexico City, Mexico

14 Circuit of the Americas: Austin, United States

15 Interlagos Circuit: Sao Paulo, Brazil

16 Yas Marina Circuit: Abu Dhabi, UAE

The First round will be posted shortly, stay tuned!

#formula 1 #f1 #onlyinagame #alternate universe #grand prix manager 2 #letsplay

[onestowatch]

Marco McKinnis Illustrates Love, Growth, and the Beginning of an Artistic Evolution in ‘E’Merse’ [Q&A]

The resurgence of R&B over the past few years is undeniable. Fusing traditional elements of the genre with new textures, artists operating in this surging space have brought life back into a sound that was arguably dormant. Compiling a list of the heavy-hitters emerging in the genre would be incomplete without the talents of Marco McKinnis. The Virginia-based artist may be relatively new but has already generated a cult-like following that heralds his music as the genre’s best-kept secret. Apologies to the McKinnis fandom, we’re about to spill the beans.

Marco McKinnis first gained traction on SoundCloud in 2016 after uploading several original records that highlighted his natural talents. One of his songs, “Beautiful Demo,” generated over 400 thousand plays and ten thousand likes on the streaming platform–safe to say listeners swooned. Partnering with Republic Records a year after the song’s release, McKinnis began showing up on major streaming platforms, effectively delivering two singles, “How I Feel” and “Middle Of The Party.” Both records continued building the mysteriously-sultry persona of the then fairly unknown vocalist.

A year after his signing with Republic, McKinnis delivered a moving body of work in the form of his six-track EP, Underground. The 18-minute exhibition resonated an energy that is lightyears ahead of its time. Despite this being his first official multi-track debut, McKinnis brandished a self-awareness that transcended his “newcomer” status. Standout tracks like, “CPR” and “Stillness” solidified his ability to not only cater to the bedroom but to the brokenhearted as well.

With consistency in mind, McKinnis wasted no time in sharing his next body of work, a six-track EP titled E’Merse. The 20-minute offering, released on June 14, floods your senses with varying themes of intimacy and romanticism. Built atop a combination of live instrumentation and trap-soul production, E’Merse makes a compelling case for McKinnis’ untapped musicality. Still in the process of discovering his own abilities as an artist leaves us excited to witness his artistic evolution.

E’Merse wastes no times on pleasantries, throwing you into the thick of things with its bass-driven, saxophone-assisted introduction “Energy.” The consoling opener is a shining example of the content and production to be expected on later tracks. Whether pleading to his former love on “Give It Up,” questioning commitment on “Deep” or confidently departing an unhealthy relationship in “On The Market,” McKinnis spotlights his growing self-awareness and natural ability to occupy multiple spaces while remaining concise.

We had the privilege of catching up with Marco McKinnis about his love for live instrumentation, opening up more, future plans, and dance moves that would make Omarion’s character in You Got Served quake.

OTW: First off thank you for taking the time, how are you doing?

McKinnis: I’m doing good man, just had my hair braided up, making me a grilled cheese right now. I got a performance tonight, I’m feeling good!

OTW: It sounds like you are living the life. What does this moment feel like? Your second EP?

McKinnis: It feels good man! I feel like I’m moving along, I’m getting the ball rolling. People are starting to really recognize me for my talent and my gift. It just feels good to just get expressions off–getting it out there in the open–it’s like I got those things off my chest so now I can keep going, keep expressing and keep showing what I’m made of.

OTW: It’s been about three years since you first released music on SoundCloud, when did you make the decision to pursue music full time?  

McKinnis: It was around 2015 when I dropped this song called “Clouds” on SoundCloud. Once people started really rockin’ with that joint, I was like, ‘alright, I’m finna keep doing this’ because I was getting looks from certain people and they’re people that wouldn’t say my music is just good for the fun of it. So, I saw people checking for me, people listening to the music and people started hitting me up telling me how my music made them feel and knew I had to keep going.

OTW: Who were your first introductions into music?

McKinnis: I listened to a lot of Gospel, a lot of Chris Brown, I was listening to a lot of Anthony Hamilton without even me really knowing I was listening to him (laughter). He was doing a lot of synchs, so a lot of his songs were in movies and stuff like that, so I would watch the movies just to hear the songs he was singing. Other than that it was a lot of Gospel though, but then I started getting hip to the music that was taking off, so like Ne-Yo, Lloyd, Lil Wayne–that early 2000’s era of music. I was kind of late to it though ‘cause I was raised on gospel. My parents would play it throughout the crib. I had to find my own way, there’s still a lot of music out that I don’t know about that people think I know about, which is kind of funny, but I was rockin’ with all of them but rockin’ with Chris Brown heavy.

OTW: What was your move from Virginia to Los Angeles like? Does location play a factor in your creative process?

McKinnis: It was cool, it wasn’t anything crazy for me honestly. I see LA as a place to give me space, you know? I’m a guy who loves his space, just like everybody else, but it [moving] did give me the platform to think about things, have my own time, to not be rushed to do certain things. As time went on, I’m like ‘man I need to go back to New York, I need to get back on the East Coast.’ The East Coast is very stimulating for me and it’s just different. Both coasts are definitely needed for me, I love both coasts, but each coast has its purpose.

OTW: You released your first EP, Underground, not even a year ago, is there a connection between that project and this one?

McKinnis: The connection between the projects is really just me showing my musicality. I was very, very involved in the musicality of the second project. Trying to get a little bit more personal, in terms of my love life and stuff like that. My second project isn’t too specific, but it updated people on what is going on in my life right now as opposed to the first project where I felt I was a little vague on certain details. Like on “Deep,” I mention a gap in age and little details that I didn’t mention on the first project, but it was definitely a growth musically; lyric wise, writing wise and I think it just serves as my process and my expression and everything I am going through at the moment.

OTW: I think that is definitely apparent when comparing the projects side by side. There is also a maturity to your music and not just content-wise, but sonically it sounds polished, what’s your work ethic like when approaching a new project?

McKinnis: Honestly, I just love music man. I want to hear music the way I want to hear it and I’m getting hip to my gift and my ear for music. So, when I hear certain things, it has to be a certain level – I don’t know how to explain it – I’m just learning more about my gift so going forward it has to be very strategic with the music. I can have an open mind about things, but I have to be very specific with what I want. It’s all about how I feel, if it doesn’t resonate with my spirit, I don’t like to partake in it.

OTW: That’s a great place to be working from. What were you listening to while working on E’Merse?

McKinnis: I was listening to Omarion, jamming to Toni Braxton, a little bit of Carl Thomas. A lot of R&B that was out in the early 2000’s. I just wanted to tap into that and get that off my chest because I feel like a lot of people think that is what I’m going to sound like for the rest of my life, but really I won’t. I’m going to always have those elements of R&B and those old school elements or whatever you want to call them nowadays, but that’s just something I had to tap into so I can move forward and get to that next level of my artistry.

OTW: You’ve spoken about learning new instruments and your connection to live instrumentation, did you play anything on the EP?

McKinnis: I didn’t play any instruments on this album, but I was very vocal about a lot of things. I haven’t made my instrument-playing debut just yet but very, very soon I will.

OTW: Staying on the production side of things, there is a nice balance sonically, like the solo saxophone on “Energy,” was the goal to show a combination of live instrumentation and more trap-soul style of beats?

McKinnis: It was definitely a priority, like when we were making “Energy,” I had it as a demo, and I could hear a saxophone on the joint and I love live instruments. I’ve been playing around with instruments almost my whole life, I haven’t mastered one just yet but I’m in the process of doing that now. I just wanted to stamp that I’m very in love with live instrumentation, so I had to get that sax in there. I had to do a little A&R work (laughter) and find that right one. His name is Kailin Joshua, my homie introduced me to him, and he did that joint in one take, I sent him a little reference of a couple tracks that have sax on it and he sent it back to me, I chopped it up a little bit, did my thing and there it was. I am so glad I put it in there. I love the sax bro when I start playing the sax, when I get a hold of a sax bro, it’s over, it's over!

OTW: Do you have a favorite song off the EP?

McKinnis: It fluctuates honestly, so it goes off the vibe, so right now, I don’t know, I’d say “Energy” because that saxophone hits, it may change tomorrow though or the day after, it fluctuates.

OTW: What do you envision for a live performance?

McKinnis: We’ve been putting together my band and stuff like that for the shows and touring. That is going to be a big, big part of my show. That’s the thing a lot of people have been wanting to see from me, the chemistry I have with live instruments and a band, that’s something that I’m definitely going to be taking with me on stage.  

OTW: You showed off some moves on your Instagram leading up to the release of the EP, is that something we can see carried over into your shows?

McKinnis: Definitely! I’m just finding that pocket haha I’ve always danced, I’ve always been a dancer, I was a dancer before everything so that’s second nature to me. I’m just finding that pocket to infuse it with what I have going on. Just trying to introduce people, upload it, show people what I can do.

View this post on Instagram

Me when E’Merse drops tonight. 🕺🏾

A post shared by Marco McKinnis (@marcomckinnis) on Jun 13, 2019 at 5:41pm PDT

OTW: There’s no denying a resurgence in R&B over the past few years, how does it feel to be making this kind of music right now?

McKinnis: It feels great to be honest. I’ve been getting a lot of feedback like, “oh he’s bringing back the R&B, blah blah blah,” which is dope, it’s fire, it’s amazing to see it going down like that because I’m just doing me. I haven’t told myself, “oh I’m going to bring back real R&B” or anything like that, I’m just expressing myself, so the feedback is amazing. I’m just excited to see the feedback as my career progresses because like I said earlier there are going to be more elements that I infuse. As the days go by, I just get more and more expressive, more and more creative.

OTW: What’s next for you?

McKinnis: Shoot, I’m going to drop more music, got to stay consistent, more performances and just getting more in the public eye. Showing my face some more because it’s about that time to be out there and we got tour ideas and all that stuff getting situated too. Visuals as well!

#marco mckinnis #interview #R&B #soul #e'merse

[newshubnaija]

Ferrari vs Max headlines epic F1 opener | Merc aim to 'hold on'

Ferrari vs Max headlines epic F1 opener | Merc aim to ‘hold on’

A new era of Formula 1 is set for an epic first race today with the Bahrain GP, as a resurgent Ferrari battle Max Verstappen and Red Bull at the front while Lewis Hamilton looks to “hold on” to Mercedes’ faster rivals.

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[jonathangroffcentral]

Bobby Darin Who? Jonathan Groff Gets It Now

Jonathan Groff, the star of “The Bobby Darin Story,” which will open the new season of the “Lyrics & Lyricists” series at the 92nd Street Y. Credit: Ike Edeani for The New York Times

By Elysa Gardner  Jan. 4, 2018 (x)

When he was first asked if he’d want to play Bobby Darin in an upcoming production in the long-running “Lyrics & Lyricists” series at the 92nd Street Y, Jonathan Groff wasn’t sure how to respond.

Mr. Groff, who became a Broadway star at 21 in the 2006 production of “Spring Awakening,” knew little about the entertainer and songwriter who, in a tragically brief career, was one of the biggest pop stars and most accomplished performers of the late 1950s and early 60s.

“My only reference point was seeing the movie with Kevin Spacey,” Mr. Groff explained during a recent interview, referring to the 2004 biopic “Beyond the Sea,” which earned lukewarm reviews and flopped at the box office, even well before accusations of sexual misconduct abruptly derailed Mr. Spacey’s career. (Mr. Spacey’s lugubrious performance of Darin’s “The Curtain Falls” at the end of last year’s Tony Awards did little to help that singer’s faded reputation.)

But the morning after Ted Chapin, the new “Lyrics & Lyricists” producer, mentioned Darin’s name to him over a post-theater dinner, Mr. Groff was hooked.

“I went on YouTube,” said Mr. Groff, speaking before an early rehearsal at the Y, where “The Bobby Darin Story” will kick off the new “Lyrics” season from Jan. 20 to 22. “I watched all these TV performances, from the beginning to the end of his career, and I was blown away by his versatility. The rock & roll and the standards, the dancing, the folk songs. The duets with George Burns and Judy Garland. His life was insane.”

Bobby Darin performing on “American Bandstand” in 1959. Credit: ABC Photo Archives, via Getty Images

Mr. Groff — also known for his cheekily effete, Tony-nominated performance of King George III in “Hamilton,” and TV roles in “Glee,” “Looking” and “Mindhunter” — was discussing his new “obsession” with the show’s director Alex Timbers, the music director Andy Einhorn and Mr. Chapin.

Mr. Timbers, the director of “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” and “Here Lies Love,” was brought into the project by Mr. Groff. The two had met last spring to discuss another collaboration, but couldn’t coordinate their schedules.

Mr. Timbers said he was intrigued by the chance to reconsider the performer’s career. “It’s interesting to ask if Bobby Darin’s legacy has been negatively impacted by the fact you couldn’t put him in a box,” said Mr. Timbers. “He was always chasing the next wave in music. In one of our first conversations, we were talking about people like Madonna, how she was ahead of the whole EDM thing with ‘Ray of Light.’ Or U2, when they released ‘Pop.’ ”

If Darin’s singing could seem slicker and less distinctive than that of his more celebrated contemporaries, his range was indeed expansive, encompassing rock (“Splish Splash”), lush and jazzy pop (“Dream Lover,” “Beyond The Sea”) and show tunes and songbook staples (“Mack the Knife,” most famously).

He also ventured into film acting, founded a record label and music publishing company, and, as his political awareness grew, crafted “Simple Song of Freedom,” a pacifist anthem for the Vietnam era.

Darin pursued goals like he was running out of time — “like he had a stopwatch on his life,” noted Mr. Timbers. And with good reason: childhood bouts with rheumatic fever had left the performer’s heart severely weakened; he would die at 37. He nonetheless proceeded at a breakneck pace: marrying movie sweetheart Sandra Dee; collecting an Oscar nomination; holding court at the Copacabana and in Las Vegas; campaigning for Bobby Kennedy before returning to nightclubs.

“It’s an extraordinary trajectory for a guy who was told he’d be dead by the age of 15,” said Mr. Timbers.

If Darin’s singing could seem slicker and less distinctive than that of his more celebrated contemporaries, his range was indeed expansive, encompassing rock (“Splish Splash”), lush and jazzy pop (“Dream Lover,” “Beyond The Sea”) and show tunes and songbook staples (“Mack the Knife,” most famously).

He also ventured into film acting, founded a record label and music publishing company, and, as his political awareness grew, crafted “Simple Song of Freedom,” a pacifist anthem for the Vietnam era.

Darin pursued goals like he was running out of time — “like he had a stopwatch on his life,” noted Mr. Timbers. And with good reason: childhood bouts with rheumatic fever had left the performer’s heart severely weakened; he would die at 37. He nonetheless proceeded at a breakneck pace: marrying movie sweetheart Sandra Dee; collecting an Oscar nomination; holding court at the Copacabana and in Las Vegas; campaigning for Bobby Kennedy before returning to nightclubs.

“It’s an extraordinary trajectory for a guy who was told he’d be dead by the age of 15,” said Mr. Timbers.

While Darin was prolific in the studio, evidence suggests his live performances could be looser, and swing harder. In the “Mack the Knife” captured on “Darin At the Copa,” his voice sounds grittier than on the hit single, and his syncopation is more playful.

“As with so many great performers,” said Mr. Einhorn, “there was clearly something about being in the room with him, this great kinetic energy. That’s often where you discovered what he could really bring to the music.”

From left, the creative team of “The Bobby Darin Story”: the director Alex Timbers; the producer Ted Chapin (back to camera); the music director Andy Einhorn; and Mr. Groff, who performs the title role. Credit: Ike Edeani for The New York Times

While in Australia in 2016, Mr. Chapin caught the jukebox outing “Dream Lover: The Bobby Darin Musical” and began to think that Darin’s work might an attractive subject for the “Lyrics” series. “There was so much about his story I didn’t know,” he said.

Though “Lyrics” shows have focused more on writers known for their work in theater — the new season will include tributes to Irving Berlin, Frank Loesser and Lynn Ahrens — Mr. Chapin said he thought, “Well, Bobby Darin did write his own songs, so there is that aspect to it.”

After getting the blessing of the “Dream Lover” producers (who hold worldwide rights to Darin’s story, via his estate), Mr. Chapin assembled his team and hunkered down. Getting rights to the songs Darin had written, of which there are 160 titles, proved tougher than expected: “I could get my hands on only 25 of them. One piece I actually bought on eBay for $35.”

Like previous installments of the “Lyrics” series, “The Bobby Darin Story” will not be a book musical. (Nor are the creators banking on a fuller production.) But there will be something of a narrative line, written by Mr. Chapin, as well as other performers joining Mr. Groff to tell the story of Darin’s roller coaster life, which included a “midlife meltdown,” in Mr. Chapin’s words, precipitated by the late-in-life discovery that the woman he thought was his older sister was actually his mother.

“There aren’t characters speaking dialogue, having conversations on stage,” Mr. Timbers said. “It will show emotion through music, and narration. That section toward the end of Darin’s life, this sort of downward spiral, could have been tricky in musical theater, where it can become less exhilarating when you don’t have a protagonist making choices, taking positive action. But Ted has been able to focus on the coolest, juiciest stuff about Bobby Darin.”

Mr. Groff’s own research has included “Dream Lovers,” an unsparing account of Darin and Ms. Dee’s lives together written by their son, Dodd Darin.

“There’s this quote that basically says that after all the things Bobby Darin did, in the end, he felt most powerful and most alive and most himself performing in a nightclub setting,” Mr. Groff said.

Mr. Timbers added: “He lived a gritty, driven life. He hurt people along the way and people hurt him.

“It would be easy to do a hagiography, a scrubbed-clean look at the meteoric rise of a pop sensation who bottoms out in midcareer and then has a resurgence. But I think this will be more ornery and strange and idiosyncratic. As befits Bobby Darin.”

A version of this article appears in print on January 7, 2018, on Page AR4 of the New York edition with the headline: Look Out, Old Macky’s Back. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

#jonathan groff #the bobby darin story #the new york times #interview

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Masculinity and dueling, effeminacy and homoeroticism

Continued from part 1

The homoerotic account of the Hamilton-Burr duel has earned a lot of eye rolls and laughs, but the ties between dueling and effeminacy are a real thing for scholars. Dueling in the early modern period was a test of one’s manhood. As such, the act of the duel and the consequences also had gender/sex overtones. 

Both the physical stance of the duelers, and what happened to the body of the defeated, is tied into how the male/female body was viewed (please see my post on the one-sex model for background, as it’s crucial to understand that man/woman gender has been hypothesized to be on a vertical axis that one could move up and down - not as opposites as in the current two-sex model). One could “lessen” the dominant male body by making it akin to the subordinate female body through penetration. Since dueling was usually a male-male activity*, it therefore had notable homoerotic overtones. Critical to this is the understanding that male-male penetrative sex for men of the same status was generally condemned, from the classical era through the 18th century. 

First, let’s start with how dueling began to define how male/female physical space should be defined. From Low: “A gentleman’s understanding of spatiality derived in part from training in the use of the rapier, which influenced him to develop a sense of extended personal space that eventually becomes a visible sign of gentle birth. Such elements as the positive value of flexibility and the broadening of one’s personal space distinguish the gentleman’s sense of space from that of lower-ranked men.  In “Of Education, Especially of Young Gentlemen” (1673), Obadiah Walker notes that men should aspire to the following in their physicality and presence: “a certain mime and motion of the body, and its parts, both in acting and speaking, which is very graceful and pleasing.”

Women, on the other hand, should “be still from the clamours and turbulent insults of the World; still from the mutinous motions and innovations of the flesh”, (from “The English Gentlewoman”, Braithwait, 1613). Women were trained to stand composedly with feet together, avoiding unnecessary bodily movement. Their physical space was limited to their actual physical bodies. They were also to accept the approach of others into their physical space - their own bodies - without hesitancy or flinching. Several of the English slang words for penetrative intercourse in the 17th and 18th centuries focuses on this entering of the female space.

The functions of the female body were used to argue for its inferiority to the male form. Uncontrollably, women seemed to effuse bodily fluids - menstruation, lactation, during childbirth. Women in the early modern period were also still thought of in terms of their matriarchal figurehead of Eve - persons of unrestrained lust that required outside forces to keep them in check. (The “women are naturally chaste and virtuous” belief is a later development.) 

Men do not uncontrollably emit bodily fluids; and when they do, it is in a controlled manner that reinforces their superiority to women. They may weep, but as this is done until their control, it is a further display of their perfect form (ability to unite the feminine and masculine). Seminal fluid is released, but such activity is only supposed to happen under defined occasions. Additionally, seminal fluid was thought to be the highest form of fluid in the body, consisting of blood that had been purified through several stages.  Especially in Anglo/Anglo-American society of this period, men who are highly sexual are viewed with suspicion - these men cannot control themselves and their bodily emissions. (One of the objections of the English to opera’s castrati was that these effeminate men must have sex drives that were out of control.) Excessive orgasms dry a man out, making him effeminate. The prime model of a virile man is one who confines his sexual activity to his marriage bed and moderates the uncontrollable sexual appetite of his wife.

In a duel, the penetration of one man into another’s personal space makes the latter subordinate, and, if successful, makes him bleed involuntarily - like a menstruating woman. Thus, only one person leaves the duel as a man.

Or as Gail Kern Paster states, “Man is naturally whole, closed, opaque, self-contained. To be otherwise is both shameful and feminizing...The male body, opened and bleeding, can assume the shameful attributes of the incontinent female body as both cause of and justification for its evidence vulnerability and defeat.” 

Low points out that being penetrated could be perceived not only as feminine, but as a sign of immature masculinity. She argues, “Immaturity and the passive role in homosexual intercourse had been linked in the minds of early modern gentlemen since the resurgence of interest in Greek texts. In classical Athens, the passive partner in male/male intercourse was generally either a slave, or an adolescent boy who permitted the practice as a favor to an older man, as he expected it would be permitted to him once he attained full maturity (Dover, Greek Homosexuality). Penetrating a slave simply supported the foundations of the Greek patriarchal master/slave system; penetrating a boy of good family reinforced the rigid social hierarchy that designated physical immaturity in males as a specific social category distinct from that of other kinds of males....Man/boy practices were accepted in Greece (they tended to be overlooked in early modern England); consensual man/man sex in either culture was generally censured, reciprocal desire between men of the same age and status was virtually unknown.”

As Laqueur argues: “the issue is not the identity of sex but the difference in status between partners and precisely what was done to whom.  It was the weak, womanly male partner who was deeply flawed, medically and morally. His very countenance proclaimed his nature: pathicus, the one being penetrated; cinaedus, the one who engages in unnatural lust; mollis, the passive, effeminate one.” 

Gender studies historian Alan Bray (Homosexuality in Renaissance England) offers a detailed analysis of several social contexts in early modern England in which male/male sexual contact, while censured, was nonetheless accepted. These contexts include: the household, the educational system, homosexual prostitution and the like. As Bray points out, “so long as homosexual activity did not disturb the peace or the social order, and in particular so long as it was consistent with patriarchal mores, it was largely in practice ignored.” What violated these mores was in fact sex between adult men, which was taken much more seriously than relations between a man and a boy. James I’s relationship with Buckingham involved a significant difference in status that both parties acknowledged, and was reinforced by referring to one another in correspondence as “dad” and “dear child.” 

In the 18th century, male homosexual activity in both England and the English North American colonies starts to be considered differently: suddenly, the male “homosexual” as a person enters the picture, and is treated with scorn and eventually outright condemnation in the 19th century. 

Please note: by current American legal and social interpretations, condoned male homosexual behavior in both the ancient world and early modern England would be defined by us now as nonconsensual. These were interactions that depended on an imbalance in the power dynamic - that’s why they were considered licit.

I hope I have established here that dueling in the early modern era involved a different definition of manhood and masculinity than today’s conceptions. Indeed, there were multiple definitions of manhood and masculinity that I’ve alluded and that I will probably touch on briefly in future posts.

*Low has a chapter on female dueling that also has some analysis on females becoming masculine. It’s good work, but not really the subject of these posts. I also don’t mean to pretend that female homosexuality in the classical or early modern era was non-existent, but it’s not what I write about on this blog. 

#Masculinity #Manhood #Dueling

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Naughty or Nice: NBA Edition

The greatest day in the Christian religion is almost upon us, ladies and germs! Ah. Christmas. Gathering around an icy cold, barley used fire place, while your dad plays “The Dark Knight Rises” for whatever reason as you and your siblings gather to open up gifts around an artificial tree. I reach down into my stocking and bring out a lump of black, bumpy coal, It’s ash staining my palm. Last Christmas I was on the “Naughty List” of dear ole Saint Nick. Something about not helping the needy. This year I expect to so up on the infamous list once again… but I don’t want to be alone. So let’s rattle off fellow impure -and some pure teams in the NBA that’ll round out Santa Claus’s records.

Naughty: Oklahoma City

Didn’t see this coming back in September. Sam Presti was on my shortlist to win General Manager of the Year, trading for Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, without giving up much, and signing Russell Westbrook to an extension that saved basketball in the state of Oklahoma. Unfortunately the team’s fallen on hard times since. Westbrook is useless when off-ball and isn’t engaged. Carmelo is old, slow and looks rhythmless. Paul George, the second-best small forward in the East just a season ago, can’t seem to carve out a role and the coaching of Billy Donavan apparently is wasting his talents in such an unimaginative system.

The Thunders woes exclusively are on the offensive side of the court; defensively they’ve played at a nearly elite level: 100.2 Opp/PTS allowed (3rd); 103.7 Def Rtg (2nd), which is shocking when considering the personal change over the course of the summer. Carmelo Anthony in year fifteen is not an ideal option to guard your opponents second best wing player. Anthony’s DRtg sits prettily at 105, the best since 2011-12 with the Knicks.

One of the reasons for the surprising poor start is Donovan’s inability to work his three stars into the offense. Making one of the strengths of Paul George last season, running far less Pick and Roll as the Ball Handler, percentage of time he ran this playtype last season was 17.5%, upped to 23% this season; though his points per possession, 1.01 down to 0.76, and percentile rank, 92nd last season to 39th. What’s more staggering is his decline in the most basic of metrics. On an Indiana team, playing alongside miss-match pieces George’s averages were 46.1 fg%, 39.6 3P%, 23.7 PPG - 6.6 RPG - 3.3 APG - 2 Stocks and his Clutch statistics have fallen substantially, given he wasn’t too good to begin with, last season: 47.6 fg%, 33.3 3P%, 4 PPG - 0.7 RPG - 0.2 APG.

This season: 40.4 fg%, 33.9 3P%, 19.9 PPG - 5.7 RPG - 3.1 APG - 3.1 Stocks; Clutch: 37 fg%, 28.6 3P%, 2.4 PPG - 0.8 RPG - 0.1 APG. George’s never been clutch. Surprise, surprise. But the fall in efficiency is enough to have me shaking in my boots. The way Westbrook’s handled this season has also disappointed me. He’s woeful when off-ball, often indifferent, walking aimlessly around the court after getting rid of the ball.

Like George, Westbrook’s strengths also mysteriously disappeared. For Russ it’s his ability to come up big in the clutch that won him the MVP, 44.6 fg%, 1.9 fta, 85.3 ft%, 6.2 PPG - 1.3 APG - 0.7 RPG - 0.5 TPG ; this season: 33.8 fg%, 0.9 fta, 52.9 ft%, 3.6 PPG - 1.5 RPG - 0.7 APG - 0.4 TPG.

Carmelo’s knees betrayed him some time ago. He isn’t able to get the amount of lift necessary to justify his isolation-heavy style of play, predicated on making long-two point attempts. Witnessing the stagnation of the offense whenever Carmelo just touches the ball, teammates resign to the fact he’s just going to shoot it brings back painful memories of Westbrook’s ball-domination sapping the potential of Victor Oladipo. Currently 15-15, there isn’t a lot to pin your hopes on for anybody who came into the season high on the Thunder. Westbrook’s victorious 2016-17 MVP campaign brought about speculation by many whether he was indeed the right choice, some of the shine is starting to come off the magnificent statistical season this year.

Nice: Victor Oladipo

Anybody who tries to tell you they liked the Paul George return prior to Thanksgiving are liars. Do not believe them. Kevin Pritchard had zero support once the deal became official. Domantas Sabonis, miscast by Donovan in OKC as a stretch big-forward, Nate McMillan deserves props for recasting the Gonzaga product as a pure center, shooting 54.4% from the field, averaging 12.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. Sabonis is the best backup center in the East; a sneaky choice for Sixth Man of the Year.

Shooting guard Victor Oladipo wasn’t respected by those who considered him Smush Parker to Westbrook’s Kobe last season. Despite then career-highs in field goal and three-point. His massive $84 million contract given to him by Presti raised the eyebrow of many. Drafted second overall in a weak draft, from Indiana University, Oladipo entered Indianapolis amidst fanfare. Pritchard loved Oladipo before he even suited up for the Pacers in a game, mostly due to his Indiana roots. This came across to me more as a low profile clown show. When the spotlight was shined on to Indiana, and when we all stopped laughing at them, they weren’t expected to do more than to be in the middle-to-later parts of the lottery. Fast forward to Christmas time, the Pacers are on pace for 42 wins (I think they’ll win 45), despite a piss-poor bench outside of Sabonis. High profile wins over the then-streaking Cleveland Cavaliers, Vic went for 33 points off of 11 of 24 Shooting (Indiana also beat Cleveland on Nov 1), San Antonio, and sneaky good Toronto.

Oladipo in the clutch will save the Pacers from the ashes they’d otherwise be reduced to, 43.1 fg%, 41.2 3P%, 3.2 PPG - 0.8 RPG - 0.4 APG. Against Boston on Monday, Vic was held in check in the first half before exploding for thirty-points in a contest the Pacers absolutely should’ve won if it wasn’t for late-game bungling courtesy of Bojan Bogdanovic. Vic scored 14 points in the final quarter, Boston had no answer for him. Make no mistake Victor Oladipo is the best shooting guard in the East. Better than Bradley Beal. Better than DeMar DeRozan.

He can score in more ways than DeRozan, who’s amazingly been productive despite an utter lack of a jump shot, and isn’t a liability on defense like he and Beal are. For Pritchard to obtain third best shooting guard in a time where the league is seemingly stacked at that position is reason enough for him to be involved in GM of the Year talks. Boy, do I have egg on my face.

Naughty: Washington Wizards

Awful lot of talking the fellas in the D.C area have done since being ousted in the second round by a clumsy Canadian and a five-foot, nine inch point guard suffering immense pain because his hip bone was puncturing his skin. Still, the previous season reignited the John Wall-era, his knees were stable once again, played the best ball of his career. Hopes were high entering the 2017-18 campaign, nice, but the utterly inconsequential trade for backup point guard Tim Frazier and signing of shooting guard Jodie Meeks was welcomed by critics of the Wizards front office, such as myself. The summer prior when the money pit was all too deep not to jump in head first line Scrooge McDuck. Ian Mahimi, Jason Smith and Andrew Nicholson, none worked out. While Smith is serviceable, Mahimi hasn’t produced, and Nicholson was traded by February.

Tim Frazier isn’t a backup point guard on a perennial East-Finalist. Jodie Meeks hasn’t played a quality season since... a long time.

Wall’s knees are made of cotton candy, missed seven-games this season due to discomfort and inflammation in the knee. Given PRP (platelet-rich plasma). I don’t know what that is, but it can’t be good.

Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat enjoyed the best season of their respective careers. Morris’ points per game is down; rebounds are down; assists are down, as is his field goal percentage. Gortat is thirty-three, will turn thirty-four in February, his field goal percentage fell from 57.9% to 53.5%. The Wizards sit in a tight scramble for the bottom of the playoff picture at 16-14. For all the talk of their belief that the Cavaliers “were ducking” them, I don’t even think the Wizards can beat the Nets two out of three times this season.

The dream fans cling to is a DeMarcus Cousins 0.25 cents on the dollar transaction, one which doesn’t involve Star two-guard Bradley Beal. Despite the 15-16 record causing the murmurs of a potential trading of Superstar Anthony Davis, given the delicate situation of the Pelicans franchise, they’re currently in the eighth seed. Only three-games behind Minnesota for the fourth-seed, the final spot for home-court advantage. Shooter Otto Porter alone provides necessary salary flotsam to obtain Cousins; though his contract provides a 15% trade kicker. And while Porter is a better option to play either forward position than Solomon Hill, if New Orleans stays the course and if by February 8th the are out of the playoff picture and it’s clear their core around A.D & Boogie isn’t good enough then MAYBE the Wizards have a chance. But who’s to say by then the Wizards and Pelicans won’t have the same record by then?

Nice: Toronto Raptors

Entering the summer of 2017 after being swept by LeBron without breaking a sweat, a tremendous sea change was about to be expected. GM Masai Ujiri decided to run back the previous season’s team, despite the skinny wallet. Choosing to re-sign Serge Ibaka over P.J Tucker. Sign-and-trade Cory Joseph for C.J Miles. Trading DeMarre Carroll, a first round pick and a 2018 second draft pick to Brooklyn for Justin Hamilton - a deal not looking so good now, given Carroll’s resurgence. So far the Raptors are on a wins pace of fifty-seven, good for second best in ESPN’s BPI Playoff Odds. Despite Lowry’s sluggish start to the season of transition, averaging 17.9 points, 7.5 assists, 6.9 rebounds, 45.1 fg% and 41.4% from three-point; help the Raptors offensive rating of 113.4 (4th). Lowry is on a team-friendly three-year, $100 million contract that assures the Raptors aren’t paying an arm and a leg for old and decrepit Lowry.

Second-year center Jakob Poeltl was unglued from the bench and showed some promise, making 89 of his 130 field goal attempts; 74% on attempts taken zero-to-three feet. The production of Poeltl is similar to albatross Jonas Valanciunas, on the second-year of a four-year, $64 million contract; a player-option for 2019, one Jonas will surely pick up given the NBA isn’t clambering for a slow-footed, old school center and certainly don’t want to pay one $17 million.

The Raps are seventh in defensive rating. DeRozan has the highest DRtg of all the team with 107. Rank fifth in eFG%; forces the seventh most turnovers (14.5). On offense the Raptors are fifth in field goal percentage and third in two-point attempts.

An intriguing roster of seasoned veterans on sort-of-nice contracts and prospects. They’re weak in the backup guard and wing positions, if the Raptors still have assets from last season’s gamble they can chase marksman Buddy Hield, bench scorer Tyreke Evans, and even take a big whiff at Marc Gasol and Paul George. The Raptors should be linked to Gasol especially. The Grizzlies have fallen to the bottom of the lottery, if the season were to end today.

Ujiri is an underrated candidate for Executive of the Year. He’s navigated through dangerous waters and came out still on track to win a playoff series and sneak into the East-Finals. The Cavaliers aren’t afraid of Toronto, but maybe it won’t be them they’ll have to face. You never know.

#oklahom city thunder #toronto raptors #Indiana Pacers #Washington Wizards #Wiz #Thunder #Raps #Pacers #santaclaus #Sailboatstudios #free coinage of silver #cleveland cavaliers #victor oladipo #domantas sabonis #demarcus cousins #demar derozan #Russell Westbrook #Paul George #carmelo anthony #Marc Gasol #Bradley Beal #John Wall

[sartle-blog]

Marie Antoinette Undressed: 5 Things You May Not Know

#marie antoinette #history #french history #french revolution #french monarchy #art history #art #hamilton #marquis de lafayette

[hipernikao]

NO SEAS INDIFERENTE

👩🏼‍💻 *Megan Kanka era una nena de 7 años que amaba salir en bicicleta por las calles de su barrio, en Hamilton, Nueva Jersey - EE.UU. La tarde del 29 de Julio de 1994, un vecino la llevó engañada hasta su casa, la violó y la estranguló.* La indignación que despertó el crimen se convirtió en incendio cuando la gente supo que el asesino ya había estado preso dos veces por abuso de menores. Y nadie les había avisado que estaba viviendo entre ellos. El escándalo motivó la sanción de una ley que lleva el nombre de la nena y que creó un registro de agresores sexuales que obliga al Estado a monitorearlos tras su salida de la cárcel, a notificar a los miembros de una comunidad cuando un condenado se muda a vivir allí e incluso, en ciertos casos, a publicitar sus datos en la web. Aquí se intentaron iniciativas similares pero fracasaron, al ser tildadas de estigmatizantes. Y llevó años crear un *_"REGISTRO GENÉTICO DE VIOLADORES"_*, que hoy existe aunque sólo tiene el objetivo de ayudar a esclarecer casos consumados. El debate resurge cada vez que se conoce una muerte conmocionante. *HOY 8 de Abril de 2017 apareció muerta Micaela García en Gualeguay, Entre Ríos - ARGENTINA. El asesino confeso es Sebastián Wagner, condenado por dos violaciones y beneficiado con salidas transitorias.* Si estás de acuerdo con una Ley que te permita saber si un delincuente sexual vive cerca tuyo, pasá este mensaje, *POR FAVOR !!!!!* 🏛⚖