Best Jazz Albums of 2017 Part II: the Top 5!

I have finally sampled all (and deep-dived a few) of the Best of Jazz 2017 I posted earlier. And I really dig the followings:

• Akua Dixon - Akua's Dance: This one is probably the most mainstream among all the recommendations even though she played a non-mainstream jazz instrument (cello). After all, she did cover Sade's The Sweetest Taboo, which I actually like (the original too, of course)  Her music reminded a little bit of Regina Carter. I also enjoy the acoustic guitar works on this album. It would have been perfect without that lone vocal track IMHO.
• Binker and Moses - Journey to the Mountain of Forever: I wouldn't expect a duet of sax and drums can sound so exciting. As you know, it's challenging even for a sax trio with bass and drums as the rhythm section without a chordal instrument like piano or guitar to supply the harmony. I admire their ability to pull this off. Of course, it featured more band members in the later part of the album and those tracks are as good. 
• Tony Allen - The Source: this is one funky album that is growing on me.
• Harriet Tubman - Araminta: there are only 2 tracks available on Spotify for this album but you get an idea of what this guitar trio plays: jazz that really rocks. 
• Camilla George Quarter: she is yet another exciting (female) sax players that I hear in the last few years. Again, the vocal track is the only "distraction" for me.

The Magic of Mushroom

最近在Netflix介紹下看了一套以題目為名的紀錄片，大家不要以為和迷幻有關，只是科學吧。一直以為菇是植物，原來生物學中fungi自成一類，在植物和動物之外，反而比較接近後者！本片用鏡頭特別放大拍攝菇類靠孢子由一處彈到另一處繁殖，實在有趣；而在我們吃菇看到的「帽」之下，原來有延申極廣的根網絡，深入其「寄主」（例如樹）後，從後者吸到水分，同時又為其提供礦物質（如氮）。這個也是菌類分解有機物的機制，本片指出其重要性，如沒有此機制，地球上會堆積更多廢物！除了以菇類製成抗生素，片中又提到發明家利用菇類根網的特性，把木屑和菌放在模內，可製成類似發泡膠的物料。此外，大家都會聽過一味中藥：冬蟲夏草，其實也屬菇類，醫學界正研究以此藥抑壓癌細胞擴散。本片實在值得一看。

宋詞. 菩薩蠻·花明月暗籠輕霧

今天介紹一首很香艷的詞：李後主描寫他的美女情人小周后和他偷情又驚又喜的心態（其姐大周后時為李後主皇后）；全文（此頁有註釋）：

花明月暗籠輕霧，今宵好向郎邊去。剗襪步香階，手提金縷鞋。
畫堂南畔見，一向偎人顫。奴爲出來難，教君恣意憐。