The Joy of Soaking Prayer

The Joy of Soaking Prayer

Debbie Przybylski

“Jesus says, ‘Ask and you will receive’. We’re very good at the asking part but how about the ‘receiving’? If we are the ones who are dong all the talking, it’s a pretty one-way conversation. Soaking is the listening part of our conversation with Him. It’s laying aside time to lie down and receive from Him.” --CTF Ministries

“When we discipline ourselves to behold Jesus in every circumstance, a transformation occurs. We learn how to sit, wait and watch for Him every day. The Holy Spirit teaches us about face-to-face, personal adoration; it comes from a worship that flows from a place of rest. When we sit at Jesus’ feet and just be, as Mary did, we behold Him. Worship cannot come out of striving, but out of stillness. Spending time with God gives us a touch from Him - this touch is such a pleasure that it will cause a spirit of adoration to well up in us, and overflow.” --Graham Cooke

There is joy in the life of those who practice soaking prayer. It’s time to lay your burdens at the feet of Jesus. It’s time to find rest for your soul in 2007. It’s time to be still and know that He is God. It may take a little effort to quiet your racing thoughts, but it’s well worth the effort. Let Him lead you beside still waters. Take time to meditate on the following Scriptures:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:1-3).

“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

How to Soak in God’s Presence

”When it comes to real devotion, come with nothing to do except to sit and learn how to wait, rest and be. Be still. Fill your mind with Jesus. Faith and stillness are sustenance for your spirit, so learn to focus on Jesus. When your mind wanders off, bring it back. Retrain it; it’s had years of having its own way. Renewing your spirit and your mind is exciting and has incredible fruit. Worship becomes natural for you, and the peace of God wells up in your heart. God’s perspective can be seen more quickly.” --Graham Cooke”

• Find a quiet place - A peaceful environment helps you to become peaceful on the inside.
• Listen to worship music - You may want to use quiet instrumental or quiet worship music. There is so much good soaking music available (www.soaking.net is an excellent resource).
• Quiet down your busy thoughts - Initially your thoughts can be racing all over, but know that the Lord is with you. Turn your attention to Him. Wait for your thoughts to settle.
• Invite the Holy Spirit to come and soak you in His presence - Surrender your mind, body and soul in prayer to the Holy Spirit. Humble yourself before Him.
• Focus on the Lord’s presence - Open your heart to God. You are learning to abide in Him. You are learning to focus on Him and His presence.
• Rest in faith and believe that God is working within you - It isn’t about what you can accomplish through your efforts; it’s about what God is doing in you.
• Give time to soaking in God’s presence - The more time you can spend in His presence, the better. Start with 20 minutes in His presence. You will find as you do this, in a very short time you will want to spend more time in His presence.
• Watch as God changes you - You will leave refreshed and full of the Holy Spirit. Your life will be different because God is changing you through soaking in His presence. You will have an impact on the world around you as you carry God’s presence with you wherever you go.

“Intimacy with God is the key to fruitfulness in every area of our lives. As we become more aware of His presence in us… so do other people. As we become more affected by His presence in us… so do those around us. By taking time in the secret place with God, we start to walk by the spirit in everyday life. We find that rather than striving to achieve things for God, He is building His kingdom through us.” --CTF Ministries

Begin today by soaking for at least 20 minutes in God’s presence. Go on the internet to www.soaking.net. This website offers free downloads of soaking music. I guarantee that you will be blessed by playing this soaking music. We used it during our month-long 24-7 House of Prayer in Spain. It was a favorite in the prayer room. If you don’t have a computer, put on any quiet worship music. Practice the above points and watch what God does. Soaking prayer will have a transforming effect in your life, and if you practice it regularly during 2007, it will have a transforming effect in your year.

“Soaking is a dedication: ‘God, this is time just for you.’ Soaking is an invitation: ‘God, do what you want to in me.’ Soaking is an expectation: ‘Thank you, Father, for what you are accomplishing as I rest in you.’ We come to Him like little children believing that He has good things for us. ‘If you then know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him.” --CTF Ministries

Together in the Harvest,

Deb

This article first appeared on the Praying Pastors Blog of the National Pastors' Prayer Network. Used with permission.
Debbie Przybylski is the founder and director of Intercessors Arise International, a part of the ministry of the Elijah Company, Inc. The vision of Intercessors Arise International is to see thousands of intercessors from every nation released in strategic prayer for the furtherance of the Gospel worldwide. Contact Deb at deb@intercessorsarise.org

Church Lingo Translated football phrases

Church Lingo Translated

In a never-ending effort to attract the unchurched, some churches have considered translating their unfamiliar terminology into familiar football phrases. Although these definitions are not the best football and certainly not the best theology, they would help initiate football fans into the complexities of church life.

• EXTRA POINT: What you receive when you tell the preacher his sermon was too short.
• FACE MASK: Smiling and saying everything is fine when it isn't.
• BLOCKING: Talking endlessly to the pastor at the church door and keeping everyone else from exiting.
• DRAFT CHOICE: The decision to sit close to an air-conditioning vent.
• DRAW PLAY: What restless children do during a long sermon.
• END AROUND: Diaper-changing time in the nursery.
• END ZONE: The pews.
• FORWARD MOTION: The invitation at an evangelistic service.
• FULLBACK: What the choir sees while the sermon is delivered.
• HALFBACK: What the organist sees.
• HASH MARKS: Stains left on the tablecloth after a potluck.
• HEAD LINESMAN: The one who changes the overhead projector transparencies.
• ILLEGAL USE OF HANDS: Clapping at an inappropriate point in the service.
• ILLEGAL MOTION: Leaving before the benediction.
• IN THE POCKET: Where some church members keep God's tithe.
• INCOMPLETE PASS: A dropped offering plate.
• INTERFERENCE: Talking during the prelude.
• LINEBACKER: A statistic used by a preacher to support a point just made.
• PASSING GAME: The maneuver required of latecomers when the person sitting at the end of the pew won't slide to the middle.
• QUARTERBACK: What tightwads want after putting 50 cents in the offering.
• RUNNING BACKS: Those who make repeated trips to the rest room.
• THROUGH THE UPRIGHTS: Getting things done via the elders or church board.
• TOUCHBACK: The laying on of hands.
• TWO-MINUTE WARNING: The chairman of the board looking at his watch in full view of the preacher.

—William Ellis, Leadership, Vol. 15, no. 3.

Lifting Ligeti With the Force of an Organ

 

 

 

 

Lifting Ligeti With the Force of an Organ

 

Published: January 30, 2007

A passer-by glancing through a rear window of the sanctuary at St. Thomas Church on Sunday evening might not have noticed anything amiss. The pews were filled with people whose heads were bowed in concentration, eyes closed tight; a few faces were turned heavenward in amazement or rapture.

But what had so transfixed this throng was “Harmonies,” an étude by the Hungarian composer Gyorgy Ligeti, performed midway through a recital by the organist John Scott, a concert presented by the Miller Theater at Columbia University.

Mr. Scott, the music director at St. Thomas, recently embarked upon a complete traversal of the German Baroque master Dietrich Buxtehude’s organ works here, parceled out in 10 installments. Ligeti, by contrast, required only half of a single concert, with sufficient room remaining for the complete organ music of Jonathan Harvey, a British modernist.

Mr. Scott played Mr. Harvey’s music on the church’s vast Arents Memorial Organ, a Skinner instrument built in 1913. “Laus Deo” offered a brisk interplay of frantic exclamations and gentler ruminations. Brittle figures flashed and spiraled upward like sparks over a campfire at the beginning of “Fantasia,” which thoroughly explored the instrument’s registrations. Surging arpeggios clashed with recorded rhythms in “Toccata, for Organ and Tape,” building to a barbarous climax.

Mr. Scott switched to the church’s Loening-Hancock organ, a more compact instrument built according to German and Dutch Baroque custom, for Ligeti’s “Ricercare: Omaggio a Girolamo Frescobaldi.” The deliberately monotonous parody of 12-tone music served as a palate cleanser; what followed was unearthly, disorienting and never less than gripping. Ligeti called for the organ to be played with reduced wind pressure in “Harmonies,” resulting in sounds that suggested by turns a consort of model-train whistles, a ghostly choir and a swarm of crotchety bassoonists.

Mr. Scott produced a jarring flurry in “Coulée,” a perpetual-motion study that gradually ascends in pitch until the player runs out of keyboard. Saved for last was “Volumina,” whose notorious opening chord has been responsible for the death of more than one organ. Happily the St. Thomas instrument survived, producing dissonant clusters that rippled like heat haze and bass notes that rumbled as if the subway below the church had suddenly risen to within inches of the floor.

A second Miller Theater organ recital, by Kevin Bowyer, is scheduled for Feb. 11 at St. Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue at 53rd Street, (212) 854-7799.

Talking Shop: Lady Sovereign

Talking Shop
UK rapper Lady Sovereign on taking the US by storm

 

Talking Shop: Lady Sovereign

UK rapper Lady Sovereign has already made a name for herself in the US - she was the first non-American woman to sign with the Def Jam label and made her album debut inside the Billboard top 50 last year. The 21-year-old from Wembley also had a top 10 UK hit last year with Nine2Five, a remix of her earlier single of the same name, this time collaborating with the Ordinary Boys. The self-confessed "biggest midget in the game", Lady Sovereign hopes to replicate her US success on home turf with her latest single Love Me Or Hate Me. Her album Public Warning is due out in the UK on 5 February. Here, the 5ft 1ins star tells of her fairytale meeting with rap legend Jay-Z and explains how she pioneered the use of the internet for promoting her music. What was it like to make it big in the US before cracking the UK? Lady Sovereign says her worst job was cleaning bakeries That's just the way it happened - I can't walk down the street without people recognising me. Things are going really well over there, I love it. I spent most of last year out there so I got used to it and I'm back in the spring, touring with Gwen Stefani. How important is it for you to make it big at home? It's important, I always want that recognition in the UK. People know who I am now but it doesn't necessarily mean I'm that successful here. Do you like the fame that comes with the musical success? Yeah and no, it's hard sometimes 'cause everyone watches your every move, I try not to think about it that much - you do the littlest things and I'm like, why do people really care? So you really were the first non-American female to be signed by Def Jam? Hell yeah! Jay-Z heard my music, it was weird, a meeting out of the blue. I tried to drink as much as I could before I went in to audition to calm my nerves! You didn't slur your words, did you? Yeah, thought I'd ruined it! But an hour after I went in there, they were like: "Welcome to Def Jam". Your music is very British, musically and lyrically, with mentions of shepherd's pie etc. Did you feel any pressure to come up with a more American sound for the US market? I only say what I know, so if I do talk of my American experiences that's because I know it and I live it - I know where I'm from, the whole British thing is just me. Who are your musical influences? I like UK garage, drum and bass, techno and I love old punk, X-Ray Spex, Buzzcocks, I want to do more of that. A lot of artists are using the internet to promote themselves these days. How much do you credit the net with getting your career off the ground? A lot. I'm the internet pioneer, I'm the originator. Everyone says it's Lily Allen or Arctic Monkeys but I was doing it for years before everyone else. It was me! I begged my dad for a PC and then the internet, got bored one day and just started doing it. I met my DJ on there. It was all word of mouth. I still run my MySpace page. You did a few odd jobs after first leaving school. What was your worst job? Cleaning bakeries with my friend - we didn't even get paid, we were just given cakes and bread! The single Love Me Or Hate Me was released on 22 January. Lady Sovereign's album, Public Warning, is released on 5 February. Lady Sovereign talked to BBC News Entertainment reporter Emma Saunders.

Latin American films top Sundance

Latin American films top Sundance

Christopher Zalla directed the award-winning film 'Padre Nuestro' Two Latin American dramas have scooped awards at this year's Sundance independent film festival. Padre Nuestro (Our Father) tells the story of an illegal immigrant from Mexico seeking his father in New York and was given the Grand Jury Prize. Manda Bala (Send A Bullet), a film portraying the violence of modern Brazilian society, also won an award. More than 120 films have been screened during the 10-day festival which takes place in Park City, Utah. The director of the 2007 edition of the competition, Geoffrey Gilmore, said it has been a "landmark year" for the festival. "For so many different reasons, this work is exceptional in terms of how much of it will get into the marketplace, and the range of issues and maturity of the film-makers," he said. Iraq focus The director of Padre Nuestro, which won the award for best drama by a US film-maker, said the film wanted to highlight New York as a city of immigrants. "When we filmed the movie we talked to a lot of people crossing the borders, and they were just families - families coming to feed themselves and reunite with their family," Christopher Zalla said. Manda Bala, which examines corruption and crime in Brazil, was given the documentary jury's top honour. An Israeli film entitled Sweet Mud which explores the relationship between a young boy and his mentally ill mother won the World Cinema prize. The Audience Award for best drama was given to a film which portrays a father who must tell his children that their mother has been killed in Iraq. The director of Grace is Gone, starring John Cusak, said he wanted to "show what really happened to bring us to this horrific state". Charles Ferguson's film is one of which several influenced by the Iraq conflict at this year's Sundance festival.

Alice Coltrane, born Alice McLeod (August 27, 1937–January 12, 2007

 

Alice Coltrane, born Alice McLeod (August 27, 1937–January 12, 2007)

Alice Coltrane, born Alice McLeod (August 27, 1937–January 12, 2007) was an American jazz pianist, organist, harpist, and composer. Her half-brother was the bass player Ernie Farrow.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Coltrane studied classical music, and was given piano lessons by Bud Powell. She began playing jazz as a professional in Detroit, with her own trio and as a duo with vibist Terry Pollard. From 1962 to 1963 she played with Terry Gibbs's quartet, during which time she met John Coltrane. She replaced McCoy Tyner as pianist with his group from 1965 until his death in 1967, marrying him in 1966. John became step-father to Alice's daughter Michelle, and the couple had three children: drummer John Jr., and saxophonists Oran and Ravi. John Jr. died in a car crash in 1982.

After her husband's death she continued to play with her own groups, moving into more and more meditative music, and later playing with her children. She was one of the few harpists in the history of jazz. Her essential recordings were made in the late 1960s and early 1970s for Impulse! Records.

In the early 1970s, after years of involvement with Vedanta,[1] Coltrane took the name Swamini Turiyasangitananda. She was a devotee of the Indian guru Sathya Sai Baba. Heavily influenced by his teachings and the philosophies of Hinduism, Coltrane established the Vedantic Center near Malibu, California. She continued to perform under the name Alice Coltrane, however.

In the 1990s new interest was shown in her work, which led to the release of the compilation Astral Meditations, and in 2004 she released her comeback album Translinear Light. Following a twenty-five-year break from major public performances, she returned to the stage for three U.S. appearances in the fall of 2006, culminating on November 4 with a concert in San Francisco with her son Ravi, drummer Roy Haynes, and bassist Charlie Haden.

Alice Coltrane died of respiratory failure at West Hills Hospital and Medical Center in suburban Los Angeles. Reportedly she had been in frail health for some time before her death.

STEVE REICH & SONNY ROLLINS

 

 

STEVE REICH & SONNY ROLLINS
WINNERS OF THE POLAR MUSIC PRIZE FOR 2007

The Prizewinners of 2007

Steve Reich and Sonny Rollins

  

The winners of the Polar Music Prize Award for 2007, were unveiled on Thursday the 25th of January at The Royal Swedish Academy of Music in Stockholm. The Chairman of the Board and Award Committee, Mr. Åke Holmquist, read the Award Committee’s citations.

The Steve Reich Citation
The 2007 Polar Music Prize is awarded to the American composer and musician Steve Reich. The award recognises his unique ability to use repeats, canon technique and minimal variation of patterns to develop an entire universe of evocative music, endowed with immediate tonal beauty. Inspired by different musical traditions, Steve Reich has transferred questions of faith, society and philosophy into a hypnotic sounding music that has inspired musicians and composers of all genres.

The Sonny Rollins Citation
The 2007 Polar Music Prize is awarded to the American tenor saxophonist and composer Sonny Rollins, one of the most powerful and personal voices in jazz for more than 50 years. Sonny Rollins has elevated the unaccompanied solo to the highest artistic level – all characterised by a distinctive and powerful sound, irresistible swing and an individual musical sense of humour.

He is still active and the greatest remaining master from one of jazz’s seminal eras.

The prize winners will receive the prize from His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at a gala ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall to be followed by a celebratory banquet at Grand Hôtel on Monday the 21st of May.

The event, which is broadcasted on national television (TV4), attracts international media, members of the international music business, celebrities, artists, musicians, government ministers, politicians and leading members of society and industry.

A whole weekend of activities is being planned under the name of Polar Music Prize Week, encompassing exhibitions, workshops, seminars, film screenings and live performances at various locations in Stockholm. This is an important area of expansion for the prize and it is a means for increasing both local and international awareness of the Polar Music Prize.

Each recipient receives a total amount of one million Swedish Crowns which is equivalent to approximately USD 140.000 or EUR 108.000.

February 1st a reception and press event will be given by the Consul General of Sweden in New York to honour the winners of the Polar Music Prize Award for 2007.

The Polar Music Prize was founded in 1989 by the late Stig “Stikkan” Anderson, one of the true greats in the history of popular music. As the publisher, lyricist and manager of ABBA, he played a key role in their enormous success. Anderson donated a large sum of money to The Royal Swedish Academy of Music to establish The Stig Anderson Music Award Foundation in The Royal Swedish Academy of Music and to create what was to become known as the Polar Music Prize.

Its name stems from Anderson’s legendary record label, Polar Records. The Polar Music Prize is an international music prize and awarded to individuals, groups or institutions in recognition of exceptional achievements in the creation and advancement of music. The prize breaks down musical boundaries by bringing together people from all the different worlds of music.

The board of the Stig Anderson Music Award Foundation, consists of representatives from the Stig Anderson family, SKAP (The Swedish Society of Popular Music Composers) and STIM (The Swedish Performing Rights Society). The task of scrutinizing nominations submitted and selecting the ultimate prizewinners is undertaken by an Award Committee comprising of experienced members of the music industry.

Today, the Polar Music Prize has become one of the most prestigious music prize in the world. The list of prize winners bears witness to this. Sir Paul McCartney, Dizzy Gillespie, Witold Lutoslawski, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Quincy Jones, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Sir Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Pierre Boulez, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Ericson, Ray Charles, Ravi Shankar, Iannis Xenakis, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Isaac Stern, Burt Bacharach, Robert Moog, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Sofia Gubaidulina, Miriam Makeba, Keith Jarrett, B.B. King, György Ligeti, Gilberto Gil and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Valery Gergiev and Led Zeppelin have all been bestowed with the Prize since its inception in 1992. In 1992, the Baltic States were also awarded the Prize to encourage them in their work for protection of copyright.

January 25 was Stig Anderson’s birthday and the year 2007 marks
the 10-year anniversary of his death.

STEVE REICH & SONNY ROLLINS
WINNERS OF THE POLAR MUSIC PRIZE FOR 2007

The winners of the Polar Music Prize Award for 2007, were unveiled on Thursday the 25th of January at The Royal Swedish Academy of Music in Stockholm.

 

 

Prizewinners

2007 - Steve Reich and Sonny Rollins

2006 - Valery Gergiev and Led Zeppelin

2005 - Gilberto Gil and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

2004 - B. B. King and György Ligeti

2003 - Keith Jarrett

2002 - Sofia Gubaidulina and Miriam Makeba

2001 - Burt Bacharach, Robert Moog and Karlheinz Stockhausen

2000 - Bob Dylan and Isaac Stern

1999 - Stevie Wonder and Iannis Xenakis

1998 - Ray Charles and Ravi Shankar

1997 - Eric Ericson and Bruce Springsteen

1996 - Pierre Boulez and Joni Mitchell

1995 - Sir Elton John and Mstislav Rostropovitch

1994 - Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Quincy Jones

1993 - Dizzy Gillespie and Witold Lutoslawski

1992 - Sir Paul McCartney and The Baltic States

Namibia: Classical Music At the Warehouse

Namibia: Classical Music At the Warehouse

New Era (Windhoek)

January 26, 2007
Posted to the web January 26, 2007

To start the month of romance, the Warehouse and the Bank Windhoek Arts Festival present to you the Summertime Concert with a range of classical pieces from works by Beethoven (Sonatina for mandolin), Bach (Prelude) and Rachmaninoff (Full Moon) to light music by renowned composers such as Gershwin (Summertime) and Jerome Kern (All the things you are).

This was announced in a press release by Ernst Herma.

According to him, the programme also includes Samba de Orfeu, Gypsy Russian Czardas and Cho-Clo, an Argentinian Tango.

"The Summertime Concert will feature Werner Khlwetter on piano forte, Heinz Werner Czech on violin, Alessandro Alessandrino on guitar, mandolin and accordion, and Christopher West on percussion.

"Werner Khlwetter, who plays the piano forte in this show, is originally from Germany and is a former teacher at the Hochschule for Musik. He performed at French and American clubs and it is here where his love and knowledge for swing, jazz and the blues became a reality. He is also a well-vested accordion and trombone player," Herma said.

Khlwetter now resides in Namibia and currently heads the Männergesangverein of Swakopmund.

"Heinz Werner Czech, is a former senior lecturer of violin at the College of The Arts in Windhoek. He was a conductor of a choir at The College of the Arts, for which he composed many works. Czech, a former concertmaster of the Namibia National Symphony Orchestra, also hails from Germany and is likewise based in Swakopmund where he is actively involved in an orchestra, called 'Swakop Strings'," the statement reads.

Alessandro Alessandrino was born and bred in Soriano nel Cimino, 40 miles north of Rome.

"Alessandrino is popular for his major contributions to music which has come to characterize Italian cinema. The Italian-born artist has collaborated on numerous movie soundtracks and documentaries such as 'For a Fist-full of Dollars', 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly', Once Upon a Time in America and Once upon a Time in the West, with Ennio Morricone." Herma asserted.

The multi-talented musical guru has a talent for whistling which he often incorporates into his performances. Alessandro Alessandrino is also a virtuoso player on saxophone, sitar, accordion and keyboard.

"This very serious musician, with a quiet manner and understated elegance, also has a light-hearted side that is gracefully reflected in his love for life, a mischievous sense of humour, and in his music. Alessandrino now resides in Swakopmund and is married to a Namibian," he concluded.

*The show is organized by The Warehouse Theatre in collaboration with Bank Windhoek Arts Festival. Tickets for the show cost N$45 in advance and N$55 at the door. Advance tickets are available at The Warehouse Theatre as from 25 January.

Nigeria: The Gospel of Sound, By Effizi

 

 

 

 

 

Nigeria: The Gospel of Sound, By Effizi

This Day (Lagos)

January 28, 2007
Posted to the web January 29, 2007

Nseobong Okon-Ekong
Lagos

Following in the footsteps of his elder brother was an easy act for Collins Akpapunam, CEO, Effizi Worldwide Entertainment. Growing up in a home where musical records and sound equipment were prized possessions on account of his brother, Mr. Mannix, who was a popular Disc Jockey in Lagos, he needed no persuassion to tow the line that ensured fame and liquid cash for his brother.

Like his brother, he too became a popular face and name at social functions in many secondary schools around Lagos back in the 1970s. He operated with the nickname, "Decipher" because access to his Mr. Mannix's gave him an advantage over his peers and many of the songs he played for their enjoyment went over their head. They just couldn't decipher it.

DJing was fun while it lasted. He made hay with it, well into his time at the Univeristy of Maryland in the US, where he studied Journalism, specializing in Advertising and Child Psychology.

His 24-year sojourn in the US, between 1980 and 2004 was broken for four years when he returned to live in Nigeria between 1995 and 1999.

During that period, he set-up a flourishing entertainment enterprise called Tower Records. From this platform, he launched a self-sponsored programme on Raypower 100.5FM that provided him an opportunity to advertise and draw attention to his company. His rich collection of over 30, 000 musical albums is something that he can't exchange for the world. Already, he has transfered over 4,000 of these works from vinyl to CDs.

Today, Collins lives in a world of sound where he is determined to continuously eliminate every obstruction to clean and unobstructed sound. "I'm concentrating on the business of providing clear, distinct sound devoid of distortions, revibrations or hisses.

He describes himself as an Event Support Specialist, providing sound, lighting, audio-visual equipment and an entertainer.

So what obstructs sound? "some of the causes are when you use an amp that is too powerful for the capacity of the speaker; when you turn up the volume of the amplifier too loud for the venue; infact the dimension of the venue determines the sound you feed into the system".

In his line of job, every attention is paid to minute details. Therefore, carrying out a recognizance of the venue before the event is very important, whether it is an indoor or outdoor event.

Collins likes to emphasise the importance of lighting along with the sound. "What's the use of having clear and distinct sound if the venue is not supplied with the right kind of lighting to convey the mood of the event through quality pictures".

In his line of job, Effizi has established a reputation that goes before it on account of the quality job it delivers to clients all the time. His company was privileged to handle landmark events like the Commissioning of Virgin Nigeria Airline at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Airport, Lagos; the Roundtable to Commemorate the Retirement of the Honourable Justice Mohammadu Uwais, GCON, from the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria at Eko Hotel and Suites and the 29th AGM of OANDO Plc.

The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier

Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography

by Sidney Poitier
From the show Sidney Poitier

From The Publisher

In this candid spiritual memoir, legendary actor Sidney Poitier reflects on life itself as he reveals the spiritual depth, passion, and intellectual fervor that has driven his remarkable life. Poitier credits his childhood of poverty on idyllic Cat Island in the Bahamas for equipping him with the unflinching sense of self-worth, family values, and simple ethics that he has never since surrendered and that have dramatically shaped his world.

Just a few years after his introduction to indoor plumbing and the automobile, Poitier broke countless barriers to launch a pioneering career portraying important, dignified characters in some of the most morally significant films of the late 20th century. Drawing on his personal journey, Poitier explores such themes as sacrifice and commitment, pride and humility, rage and survival, and paying the price for artistic integrity. His engaging memoir spans a time in history from Jim Crow segregation through the early Civil Rights conflicts to present-day cultural struggles and spiritual seeking. Poitier shares his provocative thoughts on racism in Hollywood, consumerism and the media, child-rearing, illness and mortality, honoring a higher consciousness, and realizing how fully a part of "the grand scheme" each of us is. This book is a powerful testament to the rewards of being true to one's self, acting passionately on one's convictions, and boldly walking on the edge.

The Measure of a Man

by Sidney Poitier HarperSan Francisco, May 2000, $26.00 ISBN 0-6251607-8

One of the most influential actors of our time, Sidney Poitier has stubbornly remained an enigma, a complex tangle of myth and mystery, since he first burst on the American film scene with No Way Out in 1950. He quickly emerged as the first black actor to become a successful leading man in the overwhelmingly racist environment of Hollywood, becoming a recognized international star in a few short years and eventually a number one box-office star and Oscar winner. Despite a series of polite interviews, Poitier maintained an air of secrecy and confidentiality concerning his private life and views until the publication of his 1980 memoir, This Life.

Although that book goes into much detail about the hows and whys of his life, it shed little light on Poitier, the inner man, choosing to dwell instead on the actor's impoverished childhood on Cat Island, his closely knit family, the tough, early salad days in New York and his subsequent breakthroughs on stage and screen. Both books, the previous and the latest, a so-called "spiritual autobiography," share many of the same material about his stellar life in film, recycling similar anecdotes about his work in the ground-breaking Broadway play, A Raisin in the Sun, and other roles in such movies as The Blackboard Jungle, The Defiant Ones, Lilies of the Field, To Sir With Love, In the Heat of the Night, and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Some repeating facts, figures, and scenes should be expected so the reader of The Measure or a Man must not be dismissive concerning the new book's collective value.

 

Hence, the value of Poitier's latest offering comes not in its rehashing of old tales of Hollywood's dream factories but in his numerous revelations about Poitier the father, the activist, the spiritual seeker. It is also his clear-eyed acknowledgment of the history of black actors in his business and deep understanding of the high price they paid to enable him to succeed that makes this book worthwhile. "But I knew when I came on the scene how painful it had to have been for them sometimes," he writes, "Certainly not all the time, but sometimes it had to have been a bitch for them to say some of those words and behave in some of those ways. So I look back on them with respect and appreciation."

In his rather flank chapter, "Why Do White Folks Love Sidney Poitier So?" the actor confronts the Uncle Tom label that dogged him regrettably throughout the `60s and `70s. His comment pulls no punches: "I think it's all too easy for anyone not a participant in the cultural clashes of that era to unfairly dismiss films such as Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, forgetting just how revolutionary they were in the context of their times."

Unfortunately, a sizeable portion of The Measure of a Man is wasted in repeating familiar platitudes about forgiveness, positive thinking, compassion, aging, and faith. It's the kind of thing one would expect from New Age sages Deepak Chopra or Marianne Williamson. Luckily, those sections do not comprise a lion's share of the text and are easily passed over. Poitier shines, however, when he turns his attention on artistic integrity, the media, political commitment, moral courage, and the role of sacrifice and perseverance in the fiercest moments of the civil rights campaigns of the `60s. Many of these passages alone make the purchase of the book a real necessity for the young who wish to put their lives in an historical and spiritual perspective.

As this exceptional book draws to a close, Poitier is often found in a reflective, philosophical mood, taking on the role of a man not only re-examining a long, accomplished life but looking ahead at the steady approach of his own mortality. Yet he appears to the reader to be someone who has few regrets about how he has spent his time on earth. Absent from shady gossip or vainglorious self-congratulatory posturing, The Measure of a Man truly ranks as a strong candidate for a top spot on the list of the 10 best celebrity memoirs published this year.

Robert Fleming is the author of The African American Writers' Handbook and The Wisdom of the Ancestors.

COPYRIGHT 2000 Cox, Matthews & Associates
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group

As we Glory in His Embrace and Encampment

As we Glory in His Embrace and Encampment

 

		As we Glory in His Embrace and Encampment There is a Glory in His Embrace and Encampment. You'e invited! There is an open heaven to those who reverence God. It is a Jacob ladder direct line into His presence.  An open door into His presence. Whilst in His presence, there is the Angelic embrace-love and encampment. Observe, there is healing in His wings. Psalms 91:1 <DIV style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 10px 10px 3px 0px; WIDTH: 226px" ?> He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Wings: the place of refuge, safety, rest, security, and rejoicing: We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder We are climbing Jacob's ladder (3x) Soldiers of the cross (brothers, sisters all) 2. Every round goes higher,higher Sinners do you love your Jesus? If you love him, why not serve him? Rise, shine, give God the glory. We are climbing higher, higher The angel of the Lord encamps those that fear the Lord. Psalm 34:7 (David praises God, and encourages to trust him. (Psalm 34:1-10) God's angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray. The holy angels minister to the saints, and stand for them against the powers of darkness. All the glory be to the Lord of the angels. encamps encampeth   encampeth Genesis 32:1,2; Zechariah 9:8 Overview - Psalms 34 1  David praises God, and exhorts others thereto by his experience. 8  They are blessed that trust in God. 11  He exhorts to the fear of God. 15  The privileges of the righteous.           -hnx, Chanah, khaw-naw'     , to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against , (Qal) to decline, to encamp pitch 78, encamp 47, camp 4, pitch ... tent 4, abide 3, dwelt 2, lie 2, rested 2, grows to an end 1 “Hide me under the shadow of Thy wings.” Psalm 17:8 Under His wings I am safely abiding, Though the night deepens and tempests are wild, Still I can trust Him; I know He will keep me, He has redeemed me, and I am His child. Refrain Under His wings, under His wings, Who from His love can sever? Under His wings my soul shall abide, Safely abide forever. Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow! How the heart yearningly turns to His rest! Often when earth has no balm for my healing, There I find comfort, and there I am blessed. Refrain Under His wings, oh, what precious enjoyment! There will I hide till life’s trials are o’er; Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me, Resting in Jesus, I’m safe evermore. Refrain
		Click here: What does the Bible teach about angels? - ChristianAnswers.Net Since angels are spirits rather than physical beings, they don't have to be visible at all (Colossians 1:16). Elisha once prayed that his servant would see the armies of angels surrounding the city, and the young man discovered that he had overlooked a lot of invisible beings (2 Kings 6:17)! Abraham was visited by three heavenly messengers. When angels do appear, they generally appear in the form of men. In Genesis 18, Abraham welcomed three angelic guests who appeared at first to be nothing more than some travellers. In the following chapter, two angels went to Sodom where they were assumed to be simply a pair of human visitors. With the possible exception of one debatable passage in Zechariah 5:9, angels always appear as males rather than females (Mark 16:5). Sometimes an angel appears to be a man with unusual features. Daniel saw an angel with arms and legs resembling polished metal and precious stones, and a face like lightning (Daniel 10:5-6). The angel that rolled back the stone from Christ's tomb was radiating dazzling light (Matthew 28:3; Luke 24:4). The book of Revelation describes some highly unusual beings who may be a variety of angel in Revelation 4:6-8. Angels in the Bible never appear this way. Angels in the Bible never appear as cute, chubby infants! They are always full-grown adults. When people in the Bible saw an angel, their typical response was to fall on their faces in fear and awe, not to reach out and tickle an adorable baby. Some Bible passages picture angels with wings (Isaiah 6:2,6). Other verses talk about angels flying, and we assume that the wings would be useful for that flight (Daniel 9:21). However, I suspect that angels can move around without having to depend on wings. Most references to angels in the Bible say nothing about wings, and in passages like Genesis 18-19, it is certain that no wings were visible.

Are You Ready for the next “Christian” American Idol?

 

 

 

 

Are You Ready for the next “Christian” American Idol?

 16,000 contestants, 8 finalists, 3 judges, 1 winner. GIFTED hosted by Brian Littrell (Back street Boys) will showcase 8 finalists singing some of the most well-known songs in Christian Music in styles ranging from Praise & Worship, Gospel, and CCM with the winner receiving a recording contract with EMI Christian Music Group. Are you ready for the "Christian" American Idol?

 

 

On January 26, 2007, on prime-time television, the first season of Gifted is televised to over 49 million households on TBN (95 million total U.S. reach). The 2-hour show hosted by Brian Littrell (formerly of the Backstreet Boys) showcases eight finalists singing some of the most well-known songs in Christian Music in styles ranging from Praise & Worship, Gospel, and CCM. The winner receives a recording contract with EMI Christian Music Group. Anticipation for the show has been enormous as the auditions were held all over the country for the past year in the most influential mega-churches in large markets.

Click here: Gifted

GIFTED CD includes performances by all 8 contestants as well as the first radio single “Amazing Love (You Are My King)” sung by all the GIFTED finalists. The GIFTED DVD includes the 2-hour premier episode as well as behind the scenes footage, interviews, and stories about the contestants.

GIFTED resembles other popular reality-based TV shows, its unique quality is that contestants desire to display the gift that God gave them and to give back that gift by sharing with the world the message of hope in Christ.

 

Welcome to GiftedShow.com! Take some time to get to know our Top 8 Finalists and take a look around the site. Curious about Gifted? Read on!

16,000 contestants. 8 finalists. 3 judges. 1 winner. GIFTED. On January 26, 2007, on prime-time television, the first season of Gifted is televised to over 49 million households on TBN (95 million total U.S. reach). The 2-hour show hosted by Brian Littrell (formerly of the Backstreet Boys) showcases eight finalists singing some of the most well-known songs in Christian Music in styles ranging from Praise & Worship, Gospel, and CCM. The winner receives a recording contract with EMI Christian Music Group. Anticipation for the show has been enormous as the auditions were held all over the country for the past year in the most influential mega-churches in large markets.

GIFTED CD includes performances by all 8 contestants as well as the first radio single “Amazing Love (You Are My King)” sung by all the GIFTED finalists. The GIFTED DVD includes the 2-hour premier episode as well as behind the scenes footage, interviews, and stories about the contestants.

GIFTED resembles other popular reality-based TV shows, its unique quality is that contestants desire to display the gift that God gave them and to give back that gift by sharing with the world the message of hope in Christ.

Top 10 Predictable Times for Conflict in the Church

Top 10 Predictable Times for Conflict in the Church

Dale Huff shares the 10 most predictable times for conflict to arise in the church. Would it help if we anticipated these times and prepared for conflict? Take a look at Dale's list (available at LifeWay.com) and see what you think...

  

1. During the Easter Season

2. During a Stewardship Campaign or Budget Preparation

3. When Adding Staff

4. When the Basic Leadership Style/Approach Changes

5. During the Pastors Absence

6. Following a Change in the Pastor’s Family

7. When there is a Significant Generational Change in the Focus of the Church.

8. Upon the Completion of a New Building

9. Rapid Loss or Rapid Increase of Church Membership

10. During the Time Between Pastors

For Discussion: What do you think?  Are there others you would add to your list?  Have you found this list to be pretty accurate (have most of your conflicts come out of these specific times?

 

Top 10 Predictable Times for Conflict in the Church

Written by Craig Webb

Dale Huff uses this list when he teaches pastors about Church conflict. Dale shares that it is adapted from a list authored by church conflict Guru, Speed Leas, in the book "Mastering Conflict & Controversy" by Edward G. Dobson and Marshall Shelley (Word Publishing, December 10, 1993). Dr. Joe Sherrer (New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary) shared this list with our Doctor of Ministry Class.

I have tried to explain some of the reasoning and appreciate Dale's help with this article.

The following are times in the life of the church when conflict is liable to surface. If you are dealing with unhealthy conflict, this may be expecially critical:

1. During the Easter Season

• Busiest time in the life of the church.
• Intensity of numbers
• High expectations
• Spiritual dimension - doctrinal issue flies in the face of Satan
• Conflict between pastor and music leader over amount of preaching vs. music

2. During a Stewardship Campaign or Budget Preparation

3. When Adding Staff

4. When the Basic Leadership Style/Approach Changes

5. During the Pastors Absence

• Vacation
• Mission Trip
• Revival Leave

6. Following a Change in the Pastor’s Family

• Most people want to feel good about the pastor - but most have an idealized view of the pastor’s family.
• During the birth of the baby a pastor will spend more time at home and less time with the church family.
• When there is a wayward teenager or similar crisis.

7. When there is a Significant Generational Change in the Focus of the Church.

• Leas uses the example of an influx of baby boomers into the church

8. Upon the Completion of a New Building

• There has been an excitement and a dream
• The Church family has Raised and given a lot of money
• Now we have this new building and it is not perfect

9. Rapid Loss or Rapid Increase of Church Membership

Dr. Sherrer added number ten ...

10. During the Time Between Pastors

• Jockeying for position and power
• Leadership Vacuum

Dale Huff is the Director of the Office of LeaderCare/Church Administration for the Alabama Baptist Convention State Board of Missions. Dale's primary job is to help ministers find places of service and to help churches find ministers. He also provides a care and counseling ministry to ministers and their families, addresses the crisis of the termination of ministers, and offers help to churches in conflict. Dale and his wife, Lanelle are members of of Vaughn Forest Baptist Church, Montgomery, AL. They have two sons

Yes, Tonal. Have a Problem With That?

 

 

Yes, Tonal. Have a Problem With That?

 

By VIVIEN SCHWEITZER

Published: January 29, 2007

 

It seems strange, so many decades after the postwar avant-garde first gathered in Darmstadt, Germany, how often the words unabashedly and tonal are still linked. Given that composers now enthusiastically write in wildly diverse idioms, calling a piece “unabashedly tonal” seems almost as odd as referring to a work as “bashfully dissonant.”

The recent orchestral works of the popular Philadelphia composer Jennifer Higdon are certainly primarily tonal, as well as imaginative, richly orchestrated and accessible, which presumably explains why “Blue Cathedral” is one of the most frequently performed new works in the United States. The Oberlin Conservatory Symphony Orchestra gave a dynamic reading of the piece during its concert on Friday night at Carnegie Hall, led by Robert Spano.

Mr. Spano, the enthusiastic music director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, is a 1983 Oberlin Conservatory graduate and now associate professor of conducting there. He has championed Ms. Higdon’s works (in performance and on recordings) and transmitted his excitement to the young musicians. They played “Blue Cathedral” (written in 1999 during the first anniversary of the death of the composer’s brother) with skill and understanding, vividly illuminating the Coplandesque swaths of color that build to an intense, optimistic climax.

A performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 in C (K. 503), which followed on the program, was more tentative. The work’s architecture wasn’t quite coherent, and textures were muddy, although the soloist, the pianist Pedja Muzijevic (not an Oberlin graduate), gave a competent, tastefully ornamented rendition. He ably played an unusually elaborate cadenza by Philipp Karl Hoffmann, Mozart’s contemporary.

But the uncertainty the musicians seemed to feel during the Mozart disappeared during a stellar performance of Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra, which concluded the concert. The contrasting moods of the five movements were probingly explored, and there was no weak link in the band. The fiery, polished strings and excellent woodwinds and brass all confidently enjoyed their chance to shine in Bartok’s egalitarian concerto.

Before the concert Oberlin’s dean, David H. Stull, pointed out that New York is the primary destination for Oberlin graduates. On Friday night they loyally turned up in full force, packing Carnegie Hall with enthusiastic supporters.

Marilyn Horne Puts Her Protégés on Parade in Song

Marilyn Horne Puts Her Protégés on Parade in Song

Protégés on Parade in Song

 

From left, Erica Strauss, soprano; Leonardo Capalbo, tenor; Sasha Cooke, mezzo-soprano; and Andrew Garland, baritone

 

 

By ANNE MIDGETTE

Published: January 29, 2007

The standing ovation came before a note of music had been sung. The Marilyn Horne Foundation’s annual gala recital is supposed to focus on song, but it also focuses on Marilyn Horne. Looking radiant in gold lace, apparently undaunted by a year’s struggle with cancer, she played host to Friday evening’s event at Zankel Hall, a night after giving a master class there, with every bit of her star flair. And at her first entrance the audience stood, with applause and shouts of “Brava,” to greet her.

Strange to say, the main attractions of the Horne Foundation’s four-day event (now in its 13th year), of which the gala was the culmination, do the least singing. This year master classes led by Ms. Horne, Barbara Cook and Evelyn Lear rather overshadowed two duo recitals by young singers.

Customarily the gala also features a guest artist in a cameo star turn. This year it was Marcello Giordani, who offered three Italian songs that had little to do with the program’s title, “Gypsy in My Soul.” For a man acknowledged as one of today’s leading tenors, three songs are a walk in the park, and Mr. Giordani tossed them off, with plenty of high notes. One is often aware, listening to him, of his hectic schedule; he seems to be in too much of a hurry to caress any one note fully, though you, and he, know that he could if he wanted to.

The bulk of the program was left to four able beneficiaries of the foundation: Leonardo Capalbo, a tenor; Sasha Cooke, a mezzo; Erica Strauss, a soprano; and Andrew Garland, a baritone. The tricky thing about these recitals is that they spotlight young artists performing music that may be new to them. Certainly Mr. Capalbo, who has a nice baritonal heft, didn’t sound completely at home in “Tres Poemas” by Joaquín Turina: he sang strongly but also often flat. Ms. Cooke, who has a smooth, grounded mezzo, and Ms. Strauss, who seems a little overeager to establish the strength of a good-size voice that needed a little more filling out, alternated in Dvorak’s “Ciganske Melodie” (“Gypsy Songs”).

The sandy-voiced Mr. Garland got to deliver the evening’s world premiere: two of three songs by Gabriela Lena Frank, settings of the Nicaraguan poet Pablo Antonio Cuadra. (The third song was composed during the workshop for composers and singers led by John Harbison andDawn Upshaw at Carnegie in 2004.) The three songs were effective though a little similar in their dramaturgy: in each, a thick piano part welled around the voice, then pulled back to leave him singing softly, a capella, or even speaking at climactic moments, after which the piano commented with plucked chords like the strumming of a guitar. Donna Loewy was the competent accompanist.

The other accompanists were Jonathan Kelly; the sparkling Vlad Iftinca; Jerome Tan; and a star in his field, Warren Jones. After the four singers had concluded the evening with a batch of rather messy Brahms “Zigeunerlieder” quartets, Mr. Jones buoyed them in a rendition of “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” that was happily puppylike in its enthusiasm.

West African Religion Lends a Spiritual Framework to a Jazz Exploration

West African Religion Lends a Spiritual Framework to a Jazz Exploration

By NATE CHINEN

Cassandra Wilson worked with musicians convened by the alto saxophonist and composer Steve Coleman, with whom she recorded her first few albums some 20 years ago.

I hope you know this is a rehearsal,” said Cassandra Wilson near the close of her first set at the Stone on Saturday night. “No, seriously,” she added. “We just got together today.”

Hiroyuki Ito for The New York Times

Cassandra Wilson at the Stone in the East Village on Saturday.

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Forum: Jazz

If that disclosure took people by surprise, they didn’t show it. Most of the audience had stood in line outside for an hour or longer to hear Ms. Wilson sing in this austere and intimate setting. She was working with musicians convened by the alto saxophonist and composer Steve Coleman, with whom she recorded her first few albums some 20 years ago. The experimental thrust of the evening was largely the point.

There was a deeper point too. Mr. Coleman and Ms. Wilson had agreed on a conceptual framework for their reunion: the West African system of divination known as Ifa, a central feature of Yoruba religious practice. Beside the stage, a posterboard diagram depicted the system’s 16 principal Odu, or stations of the human condition. The group had conceived music for four of them, Ms. Wilson said.

The first one began with a rustling rubato of hand-held shakers and drums and a self-assured invocation by the percussionist Pedro Martinez. Gradually a pulse emerged — four beats, then two, with a polyrhythmic clave pattern running underneath — as Mr. Coleman played one melodic fragment, and the pianist Jason Moran offered another. It was hazy and hypnotic: hardly the standard accompaniment for a jazz singer.

And when Ms. Wilson made her entrance, she was speaking, not singing. “Odu Eji Ogbe,” she pronounced, in a ceremonial cadence. What followed was a regal recitation: “Victory over enemies/Spiritual awakenings/Long life/And peace of mind.” Then came a scrap of song, sung in a deep drawl, as the band swirled around her.

Ms. Wilson seemed deeply happy to be nestled within the ensemble. She traded a few improvised lines with another vocalist, the less commanding but agile Jen Shyu, and occasionally turned around to engage directly with the bassist Lonnie Plaxico and the drummer Dafnis Prieto. The apparent ideal was collective polyphony, rather than an arrangement of accompanists behind a lead.

There were a few bracing solos along the way nonetheless: by the guitarist Marvin Sewell and the tenor saxophonist Yosvany Terry, as well as by Mr. Coleman. And Ms. Wilson ventured some surefooted scat choruses over a rhythmically complex groove halfway through “Oyeku,” a song that she connected lyrically to the blues.

By the end of the set the group had pushed itself toward a churning cohesion. Ms. Wilson was smiling broadly, as was Mr. Coleman. They had pulled off an uneven but impressively exploratory performance, or — perhaps more accurately — a deeply promising rehearsal. The only remaining question is where that preparation will lead.

Does Money Make You Mean?

Does Money Make You Mean?

By Jay MacDonald • Bankrate.com

 

We all know that money can't buy love or happiness. But could just thinking about money actually make you mean?

 

A new behavioral study finds that folks with money on their minds are less helpful, less considerate and less willing to ask for assistance or engage with others than those who have not been preconditioned to money. On the bright side, the money-minded tend to be more independent and focused and they tend to work longer on a task before asking for help.

The nine experiments in the study, published as "The Psychological Consequences of Money" in a recent issue of Science Magazine, used random samples of students and nonstudents at the University of Minnesota, Florida State University and the University of British Columbia.

Kathleen Vohs, the assistant professor of marketing at the UM Carlson School of Management who authored the article with Nicole Mead of FSU and Miranda Goode of UBC, says she was surprised at how consistent the findings were across the nine experiments.

 

Money may not be the root of all evil, but it might be the root of some indifference," she says. "It does make you perhaps indifferent to others."

At the drop of a pencil To determine whether money in mind leads to self-sufficient behavior, Vohs and her team divided their subjects into groups. The control group received neutral preconditioning while the "money prime" group was subtly reminded of money in various ways: a word scramble puzzle that contained money references, a poster depicting different currencies, stacks of play money or tokens, or reading an essay that mentioned money.

Following the preconditioning, the groups were given a task or placed in a staged situation that tested measurable subconscious behavior.

In the first two experiments, subjects were given a puzzle and told that help was available for the asking, either from the experimenter or a peer who had just completed the exercise. Result: The money-prime participants waited significantly longer than control subjects to ask for help.

 

In the next four experiments, subjects were asked for help in several scenarios: by the experimenter, by another participant, by a passerby who spilled a box of pencils in a random accident or by the suggestion that they donate to the University Student Fund. Result: The money-prime subjects offered to fill out fewer data sheets, spent less time helping a peer, picked up fewer pencils and donated less to the student fund than their neutral counterparts.

In the final three experiments, money-prime participants placed more physical distance between themselves and a participant partner, preferred solitary to group leisure activities and more frequently chose to work alone rather than with a peer compared to the control participants.

'Social cluelessness' But does that necessarily mean money makes you mean?

"No, we don't find any evidence of that," Vohs says. "We take a lot of emotion measures, and money reminders don't put people in a different mood. Since mean people are generally in a bad mood, we rule that out. In nine studies, we found no effect on mood."

Then again, money primes weren't exactly candidates for Mr. or Miss Congeniality either.

 

"We didn't find any animosity; it was more of a sense of social cluelessness. They're not mindful of other people. We don't have any indication that they were being rude to these people. It was more 'I can't help you' or 'I don't know how to help you.' Granted, being helpful would be a nicer thing to do, but the intention wasn't to be selfish or mean; they just didn't see that they had a role in this person's life."

The study doesn't surprise New York psychologist and author April Lane Benson. She's been counseling clients for years that the acquisition of wealth for the wrong reasons is virtually a prescription for unhappiness.

 

"So much of the literature says that there is an inverse relationship between subjective well-being and materialism," she says. "But it only holds when the motives have to do with the desire to hoard, amass and use money for power and control, keep up with the Joneses, rather than as a vehicle for generosity.

"It does not hold when you want money in order to educate your children or save for the future."

Benson notes with interest that the study's findings were remarkably consistent, regardless of geography or the wealth of the participants.

"The fact that it is consistent over nine studies might tell us that there aren't that many of us around who want money for the right reasons," she says.

 

 

Money changes everything Vohs says the study's findings may have broad implications from the boardroom to the schoolroom. If just the thought of money tends to alter behavior, an increased awareness of that might one day lead to more productive relationships at work and at home.

"I think there is a power here to be used for good as well," she says. "Depending on the results you are seeking to bring about, you can either underplay or enhance the role of money."

Take "Dilbert," which portrays the prototypical dysfunctional corporate cube farm where the well-intentioned efforts of the engineers are continually undercut by the bottom-line reasoning of a clueless management.

"If, as a manager, your goal is to get work groups to be very, very cooperative, you want to really minimize the presence of money and the importance of money, because if cooperation is the key, that's going to be problematic," says Vohs.

"On the other hand, you can use money to orchestrate certain situations. For instance, if you had a task where you really wanted people to just go at it full force and independently because maybe teamwork would slow the project down, then you may want to motivate them with money."

On the home front, where money battles rank as the No. 1 cause of divorce, an ounce of awareness of the potency of the subject may eliminate the need for a ton of counseling.

"In interpersonal relationships, we know that it's very difficult to talk about money," she says. "Couples, and even parents and children, need to approach the topic with very open eyes and realize that disagreements that arise might just be because of the money and not because of what the other person is saying."

 

"You're working at cross purposes if you're going to incentivize with money. I think it's important to learn just to learn. On the other hand, I think that things like making the bed or helping set the table could be incentivized with a weekly allowance and I think that would be just fine because those are daily tasks that they're not going to find much love in anyway. You can use money as an incentive to help kids be more self-reliant, but downplay the role of money when you're teaching values."

Benson agrees: "These are important findings that parents should know about. These studies show parents that if they're throwing money and money talk around too much, this is the kind of long-term effect it could have."

Jay MacDonald is a contributing editor based in Texas

Fortifi@ Recent Entries 2007 01/27/07

Nahum 3:14 Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln.		Fortifi@ Recent Entries 2007
Click here: Fortifi @ Humor The State of the DisUnion		1/25/07 Music Ministry Revival part119 1/28/07 ARETHA FRANKLIN: Royal Highness 1/27/07 Blues LegendB.B. King Out of the Hospital 1/27/07 Rod Stewart, John Legend to perform at Jazz Fest 1/27/07 Bluesman B.B. King 'back to old self' after being released from Texas hospital 1/27/07 Michael Jackson returns to the U.S. 1/27/07 Trudy Pitts, Greg Osby and the Organization 1/25/07 John Lennon's Born-Again Phase 1/25/07 Quincy Jones Named "Mentor of the Year" 1/25/07 George Wein Sells Company That Produces Music Festivals 1/24/07 Lawsuit Over Notorious B.I.G.'s Death Tossed 1/24/07 Making Music Speak for Those Without a Voice 1/23/07 Episcopal 'U2-charist' uses songs in service 1/21/07 Richard Smallwood  Gospel Great Inducted Into Gospel Music Association Hall Of Fame /20/07 Metaphysical Ruminations, Glowing With Winter Light Fred Hersch performing songs from his cycle 1/20/07Uganda: UK Church to Promote Fada Pest 1/20/07 Uganda: Vicki Yohe Returns to Miracle Centre 1/20/07 Kenya: Tupac May Be Dead, But His Music Lives On 1/23/07 Showcasing Talents for Those Who Write the Checks 1/19/07 John Waller Among Billboard's Best Bets for 2007 1/19/07 Southern Gospel's Best Awarded at Harmony Honors 1/19/07 Afters Song Tops Most Downloaded Christian rock band The Afters 11/19/07 'End' Just the Beginning for Red
Nahum 3:14 Store up water for the siege.    Shore up your defenses. Get down to basics: Work the clay    and make bricks.		1/25/07 Five Streams of the Emerging Church 1/25/07 Mega-Headache 1/25/07 Interview with Eugene Peterson  Why Can't I Hear God? 1/25/07 Men ought always to pray, and not to faint 1/24/07 Friends of God: A Road Trip With Alexandra Pelosi 1/23/07 Evangelical: Can the 'E-word' be saved? 1/22/07 When can the Pastor fight back? Part 2 1/22/07 10 Signs You're not Ready for Change 1/22/07 The Joy of Soaking Prayer
“We fortify in paper and in figures, Using the names of men instead of men, Like one that draws the model of an house Beyond his power to build”		1/25/07 13 Real Reasons How Repetition Will Build Your Reputation
		Fortifi@ Entries 2006 2006 Review December (87) November (197) October (162) September (106) August (70) July (107) June (73) May (64) April (39) March (34) February (36) January (10)

 

ARETHA FRANKLIN: Royal Highness

Entertainment industry legends, both old and new, will hold court with the irrefutable Queen of

 

 

ARETHA FRANKLIN: Royal Highness

Posted Jan 26th 2007 3:14PM by Karu F. Daniels
Filed under: Entertainment Newswire

By Karu F. Daniels, Entertainment industry legends, both old and

Entertainment industry legends, both old and new, will hold court with the irrefutable Queen of Soul on the TV screens across the country this weekend, during the UNCF's 28th 'Annual An Evening Of Stars: Tribute To Aretha Franklin' telecast.

 

 

The star-studded show, taped in Los Angeles last fall, features performances by Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Joss Stone, Al Jarreau, James Ingram, Kierra "Kiki" Sheard, Smokey Robinson, Fantasia Barrino, Natalie Cole, Ruben Studdard, Herbie Hancock, Michael Bolton, and Jennifer Hudson, among others, all paying homage to Franklin. Actors Courtney Vance, Dule Hill, Nicolette Sheridan, Regina King, and music industry titan Clive Davis also took the stage in honor of Franklin.

"What an audience...what a night... what a show," Franklin said as she accepted her award.

The 17-time Grammy Award winning legend is the first female recipient of the organization's "Award of Excellence" -- for her longstanding efforts and dedication for the higher education needs of minority students.

"UNCF is delighted to show Aretha Franklin some of the R-E-S-P-E-C-T that she has shown us for so many years," UNCF President and CEO, Dr. Michael L. Lomax told The BV Newswire. "She has honored us so often with her appearances on 'An Evening of Stars' and her support of our mission of education. Now it is our turn to honor her by giving her our Award of Excellence.As an artist, an entertainer, and a citizen, her career has established a standard of excellence that exemplifies the educational distinction to which our member colleges are dedicated and to which they hold their students."

Highlights include Academy Award nominee Hudson putting her own stamp on "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You," Barrino belting out "Rock Steady," Robinson serenading the audience with "I Say A Little Prayer For You" and Khan letting loose on "Respect."

"[It] was wonderful," Franklin said in an interview with The BV Newswire yesterday. "Everyone was there. My family came out to be with me. I was just blown away by Al Jarreau and Herbie Hancock. They just stopped the show for me. They PRE-formed, not performed. They got down. They're just so bad, it's just ridiculous."

The historic event will premiere Jan.27 in Los Angeles and Chicago. BET will air the show nationally on Jan. 28.

Check local listing for additional airings in your area.

 

Hearing Things. The Wrong Kind of Things.

 

By DAVID MERMELSTEIN

Published: January 28, 2007

 

IT happens all the time. In 2005 Till Fellner, an Austrian pianist then rising quickly, canceled an appearance in the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center because of illness. A cold? The flu? A sprained finger?

This time the matter was not so simple. Mr. Fellner had developed tinnitus, an ear affliction that rendered him extremely uncomfortable.

“I couldn’t play because everything — traffic, people talking — seemed much too loud to me,” Mr. Fellner said recently from his home in Vienna. “I couldn’t bear listening to anything, so even teaching wasn’t possible.”

Tinnitus can be caused by exposure to sounds that damage the delicate hair cells in the inner ear, said Dr. Neil Cherian, a neurologist and the director of the Center for Performance Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. One result can be a persistent ringing, hissing or buzzing.

What causes the condition is not always obvious, nor is it necessarily clear what allows normal ear function to return. “There is no consistent method to help this,” Dr. Cherian said, noting that many tinnitus sufferers recover simply by avoiding reinjury and allowing their ears time to heal.

Ear ailments are well known in classical music. The most famous sufferer was Beethoven, whose decline into deafness has been recounted not only in books and monographs but also in plays and movies — recently, “Copying Beethoven,” with Ed Harris.

Schumann too endured an ear affliction at least for a time. In the book “Schumann: The Inner Voices of a Musical Genius,” Peter Ostwald quotes Schumann’s wife, Clara, describing her husband’s troubles as a “constant singing and rushing in his ears.”

As for Mr. Fellner, the ailment disappeared with treatment after an agonizing three months, and he resumed his career without making the matter public.

“Normally I don’t talk about it,” he said. “In Europe nobody knows about it.”

Now after an absence of more than two years from New York, Mr. Fellner is set to return,playing a program of Bach, Beethoven and Schubert at the Metropolitan Museum on Feb. 8.

“I enjoy playing even more than before,” Mr. Fellner said. “There was a lot of thinking going on, but I realized how important it is to me, playing the piano. So I’m very happy I could continue.”

Mr. Fellner, 34 and a native of Vienna, first performed in the United States in 1995, then appeared regularly in New York and with major orchestras like the Chicago Symphony and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Still he has yet to achieve the fame of other pianists of his generation like Leif Ove Andsnes and Hélène Grimaud.

Part of the reason may be his self-effacing manner. He has been compared to Tobey Maguire, the star of the Spider-Man films, though he does not so much resemble Mr. Maguire as embody his typical on-screen persona: the awkward boy next door, lanky, a bit goofy and unfailingly earnest. Still there is nothing tentative about Mr. Fellner’s playing. It is assured, fluid and musical.

“To my mind he has all the ingredients to be on the top,” Alfred Brendel, the elder statesman among Austrian pianists and Mr. Fellner’s best-known teacher, said from his home in London. “It has impressed me how ambitiously he has developed his repertory from Bach to the present, being equally at home in solo and concerto repertoire, chamber music and lieder.”

The conductor Kent Nagano, who has worked with Mr. Fellner steadily since 1997, is also an admirer. “When you perform with him, you share the feeling of music as a language beyond technical expression,” Mr. Nagano wrote in an e-mail message. “For me, his music-making has a special kind of truth and natural character.”

Mr. Fellner’s big break, if the term applies, came three years ago, with the release of his recording of Book 1 of Bach’s “Well-Tempered Clavier” by ECM. The praise from critics was almost universal. Anthony Tommasini, in The New York Times, called the album “a major achievement” and later listed it among the best classical CDs of 2004: “one of the most substantive and rewarding recordings of the year.” (Mr. Fellner has yet to follow up that success, though he is scheduled to record Bach’s Two- and Three-Part Inventions for ECM in July.)

In addition to Bach, Mr. Fellner performs many Classical and Romantic standards, Mozart’s concertos prominently among them, and continues to expand his range. He recently performed Chopin’s F minor Concerto for the first time, and Beethoven will soon fill his days. He plans to present complete cycles of the Beethoven sonatas in Vienna and London over two seasons, beginning next year.

He also plays less familiar music, including Schoenberg’s solo pieces and the demanding sonata of Julius Reubke, a talented pupil of Liszt who died young. He is especially fond of the music of Gyorgy Kurtag, the contemporary Hungarian composer. “Except for Anton Webern, he is the only composer who can express himself in so few notes,” Mr. Fellner said.

Mr. Fellner has played other contemporary music as well. In 2002 he and the cellist Heinrich Schiff gave the first performance of “Mumien” by the Austrian composer Thomas Larcher. And last summer Mr. Fellner and Adrian Brendel, a cellist and Alfred Brendel’s son, performed “Lied,” a short work by the British composer Harrison Birtwistle written in honor of the elder Mr. Brendel’s 75th birthday. Mr. Fellner is scheduled for premieres by both composers this year.

“His choice of repertory will seem highbrow to some people,” Mr. Brendel said, “but I applaud him for it. And don’t mistake him for a predominantly intellectual player. I heard him do the best live performance of Liszt’s ‘Années de Pèlerinage.’ ”

Mr. Brendel and Mr. Fellner met in 1990, when Mr. Fellner, then 20, was studying at the Vienna Conservatory.

“I listened to Till, and he sounded promising,” Mr. Brendel said. “It was evident that he was very intelligent.” They have since met two or three times a year, discussing repertory and playing on two pianos.

“He’s a wonderful teacher,” Mr. Fellner said. “Normally he demonstrates a lot. On one hand, he’s looking for all the details. But on the other, he gives you a view over the whole piece. What he says is always very precise, very concrete.”

For his part Mr. Brendel said: “It is really a matter of a very valuable friendship. I like to share my experience with young concert pianists who are able to help themselves, and to check them out once in a while, to see whether they remain on course.”

Mr. Fellner, having overcome a physical setback, seems to have done just that.