Take a Break - Perpetuum Jazzile - an Outstanding Jazz Choir

Approximately six months ago, I had the pleasure of introducing some of you to an outstanding Slovenian jazz choir.  I have described them as the best Slovenian jazz choir, but I will admit they may be the only one.  My earlier post with their version of the 1983 Toto song, Africa, may be found <here>.  Search You-Tube for Perpetuum Jazzile for other performances.

Most of their songs are performed a capella or with minimum instrumentation.  Most of their rhythm and percussion lines are produced vocally or by hand.  The participants are young but not kids (20’s or so to these tired eyes) and they clearly enjoy every minute of their performances. 

They perform a variety of musical styles under the title of jazz to include bossa nova, pop, gospel, swing and others including Swingle Singers type of vocal jazz interpretations. 

You can find a number of new You-Tube videos recently from their annual VokalXtravaganza concert in November 2009.

I have chosen to include Joyful Joyful (with apologies to Ludwig van Beethoven) in a high temperature arrangement from the movie Sister Act 2. 

Enjoy – Perpetuum Jazzile  (5min25sec)

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtJP4oGReFk

Other selections you may enjoy:

Michael Jackson’s Will you be there  <link> (with group all wearing one
glove and including segments of Slovenian Classical music)

George Benson Medley  <link>  (three great George Benson standards to include
This Masquerade, Turn your love around and On Broadway)

Billy Joel’s Just the way you are  <link>

A Little More Politics this Week - From the Supreme Court

The US Supreme Court, in a 5–4 vote and announced at an unusual Thursday session, said today that the government restrictions on independent expenditures of corporations to influence elections violate the First Amendment in Federal Elections. 

Citizens United v Federal Election Commission  challenged the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA) – better known to some of us as McCain Feingold.  Citizens United was a non-profit corporation which released a documentary film, “Hillary” which was critical of Senator Clinton in 2008.  In advance of distribution of the film, the distributor sought a declaratory judgment that the section of the act that prohibited corporations and unions from making independent expenditures for “electioneering communications” was not Constitutional or would not apply to their film.  At issue are corporate paid issue-ads in the final 30 days before an election that support or oppose the election of a particular candidate. 

The Court’s action today removes the ban on corporate expenditures and takes out major sections of BCRA.  There is a tension behind those who believe that money in politics is the root of all evil.  These folks try to limit the use of money to influence elections.  I call these folks incumbents.  Clearly any attempt to limit personal expenditures in support of a candidate or issue will tend to favor incumbents because of the many advantages an incumbent candidate has in our system of elections.  The other group of us feels that government limitations on political speech such as advocacy for a candidate or issue is a violation of the First Amendment – which is designed to protect political speech above all other. 

I favor the free speech argument (with strong requirements of disclosure on the internet of contributors) and I feel that this decision by the Court today was a victory for the good guys.

Scott McLaughlin, writing for HumanEvents.com has an excellent article on today’s decision <link here>.  For those who can take the punishment, the full text of the Supreme Court opinion can be found <here>

 

Mass Senate Race

Quote from Tampa writer Larry Thornberry…

“I’ve resisted making a prediction in the Massachusetts senate race.  But my New England sources are telling me that a formation of pigs has been spotted over Ipswich.”