親子.單車

大家都知我是單車運動愛好者，家中兩個小朋友十歲前我就多次帶他們踩，好幾次還達十英里，不過隨著他們長大有自己喜歡的活動，反而此情不再，著實令我失望。
上星期竟然連續兩天分別和兒子及女兒踩車！話說兒子放學後在另一間學校有樂隊活動，他懂得如何踩去，卻沒有信心由那裡回家，媽媽耐心打開地圖解釋一遍後，還是不太放心，派我去「陪踩」一次，誰知這次他早放，我未到他已離開，不過在「必經之路」上他很醒目地叫在對面街的我！以後讓他看地圖學路線應該沒有問題了。
之後那一天女兒要去藝術中心交暑期活動的表格，單車車程要20分鐘，我們決定一起踩一次，為暑期作準備；我說她的座位太低，令她不能完全發揮腳力，她不服地說已算踩得快！可能因此決定在回程時show下quali，我跟在她後面竟然有點吃力呢！
我的兩個寶貝真的開始長大了！

Archaeology of Ancient Greece and US Politics?

I found that the "establishments" in Hong Kong these days like to use the term "politicized" whenever their behaviors were (rightfully) criticized. And they like to blame it on US influences. Well, they actually might have a point. Consider a Smithsonian magazine article I read recently about the discovery of the "Griffin warrior" at an ancient Greek site, which gave rise to new theories about the beginning of the Greek civilization (and the whole Western civilization in general) Before its discovery, when artifacts from the island of Crete (which were more well-developed before the mainland Greece did) were found in the latter, historians believed they were robbed by the mainland Greek and moved there. The new theory is that two culture might have co-existed peacefully and influenced each other. And the people at those days might not see a clear distinction between them. This is certainly a plausible theory. However, the author added his comments on how this is related to the current political situation: cultural influences from immigrants are beneficial to our society! Yeah, I think this story is politicized.

爵士樂首張錄音誕生一百週年

那是一百年前的二月廿四日，之前有爵士樂雜誌專題討論，然後又讀了這篇BBC的文章，如此長文真難得有心讀完。老老實實，即如我般沉迷爵士，也未必有興趣一再欣賞這張Original Dixieland Jass Band的唱片，皆因和今時今日我們常聽到的現代爵士相差太遠了！當中扮動物聲音效果更令我嗤之以鼻。個人來說，回溯歷史，值得開始欣賞的，最早期要算是Lester Young Billie Holiday 四十年代的Swing爵士樂。

Borrow magazine from Palo Alto library to read on your iPad

I just figured out how to take advantage of this great service offer to us. Here are the steps:
0. Install the Zinio app on your iPad
1. Visit this PA Library page for digital magazine
2. Click the link for "Zinio for Libraries" Logon with your library card number and your library password
3. You will be redirected to RBDigital's page. Even if you previously use Zinio for other paid magazines, you will need a new account for this. Create one and note your password. This account would be separate from your existing Zinio account (if any) and your library account.
4. You could proceed without linking any other account. Click on the Zinio icon and you will see a list of magazines.
5. Choose your magazine and hit the Checkout button. Then hit Start reading.
6. Open your Zinio app on your iPad and you will see your magazine and you can download it and start reading on your iPad!

雪的音樂

早幾天我們四大中佬Twins fans去了Reno看她們的演唱會，回程時路上因大雪，數小時只能龜速行駛甚至完全停頓！結果用了十二小時回家。USB flash drive很多Gb的廣東歌也幾乎要重覆！其實出發前開始聽一集In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond很應景的podcast： Snow blues. 當中兩首有Soprano sax(分別由Joshua Redman, Donny McCaslin負責)的作品更是特別動聽：
Joshua Redman Quartet ~ Second Snow ~ Spirit of the Moment: Live At Village Vanguard
Alon Nechushtan ~ Snow-Flow ~ Venture Bound
巧合的是今天我也罕有地拿了我的Soprano出來練習！

悼念融合爵士結他大師Larry Coryell

Larry Coryell在前幾天去世，老實說我對他的熟悉程度遠不如很多其他爵士結他手，他的Spaces一碟倒十分有印象，皆因那是十分精彩的融合爵士，另一張較新以上世紀中引發全美反種族隔離的民權運動的城市Montgomery為名的作品我也相當欣賞。今天聽了他和Flamenco結他大師Paco De Lucia合作的作品（收錄於Castro Marin一碟，原來算是冷門之作）想起五年前曾在紐約唯一一次看過他和兒子合作演出。

RIP Mr. Coryell

歷史之謎：冰島維京人定居格陵蘭後又消失

小時候沒有讀太多西洋史及地理，對Greenland（格陵蘭）及Iceland（冰島）兩個"big land"認識甚淺，總之就是荒蕪加冰凍。原來在地圖上兩者是鄰居：均位於Scandinavia以東。從國家地理網站讀到一篇文章指住在冰島的維京人曾於十世紀左右殖民格陵蘭，但其後抵逹的歐洲人卻完全沒有發現這些維京人的後人！該文章的結論如下：

400 多年後大環境不利下卻適應不及，支撐殖民地的農牧、狩獵、貿易體系全面崩潰，我們對這段過程的了解仍很有限。

期待將來史學家對此有更多發現和認識 。

It's OK to like Smooth Jazz

The title of this post actually came from an article by uDiscoverMusic. Obviously it's a reaction to many jazz snobs thinking it's NOT OK to like Smooth Jazz. I happened to be NOT one of them though. While I agree traditional jazz is certainly a "higher" form of art, it requires a great deal of musicianship to play smooth jazz well too. My saxophone (online) teacher Eric Marienthal is a good example of musician who excels in both genre. Anyway, that article was a good read for those who are not familiar with the origin, the pioneers/superstars and the history of the genre. I am already very familiar with it but I did learn from it a new player: guitarist Tyler Reese. I enjoyed his album a lot, which actually reminds me less of smooth jazz but more of the instrumental albums by the "shredders" (think Vinnie Moore or Stu Hamm) in the late 80s.

Bright Lights, Cool Minds

最近因為某種不明原因，看的電視節目、讀的書和參觀的展覽不約而同地有著微妙的連帶關係。從Netflix看到的英國BBC一連三集紀錄片Bright Lights Brilliant Minds:每一集主持人介紹他認為廿世紀三個西方史上重要年份及城市組合，分別為：

• 1908維也納：那一年在維也納，對多位來自不同範疇的專家藝術家及政治人物，均是一個重要里程碑，心理學家佛洛依德發表他的戀母情意結理論，音樂家Schoenberg創作無調性音樂，包括前無古人的二號弦樂四重奏（後半部加入人聲），畫家Klimt畫了他最著名作品Kiss，但那個浮華的表面其實暗藏危機：例如該市貧富懸殊，妓女數量極多。而希特拉當年嘗試考入藝術學院不果，最終踏上從政（或成魔）之路。該年波斯尼亞新納入奧匈帝國，亦正是第一次世界大戰的導火線（費迪南大公在當地被暗殺）
• 1928巴黎：這一集講及該年代最耐人尋味的新藝術思潮：超現實主義（Surrealism），那是令我最著迷的現代藝術派別，Dali的畫作別具震撼力。原來該派的誕生源於一位作家Andre Breton，這位「祖師爺」後來又把Surrealism散播到墨西哥以及北美洲。看完這一集不久，我就有幸在史丹福大學Cantor美術館參觀一個超現實主義如何影響各地各年代藝術及藝術家的展覽。那個年代的巴黎的確和美國相當有關係：美國作家海明威、音樂家Gershwin及Cole Porter都在那𥚃取得成功，很多美國人和他們一樣帶著美金在當地自在消費，不過隨著美國股市崩潰（大蕭條），一夜之間富貴化為烏為的美國人唯有紛紛回國。
• 1951紐約：該年聯合國選擇在紐約成立總部，標誌著西方文化政經重鎮從那時開始由歐洲「搬遷」到北美洲，爵士樂及Beat文學那一年在紐約發揚光大，Thelonius Monk及Jack Kerouac分別發表其名作，而瘋魔萬千影迷的巨星如馬龍白蘭度及占士甸均在那年代學習方法演技，也就是周星馳在喜劇之王一片提及的史坦尼斯拉夫斯基影響所生的一派。在看此節目之前我剛巧讀了"The Birth (and death) of the Cool"一書，正正就是討論以上提及的各種演藝文學文化（所謂「Cool」的態度）如何主導著美國潮流（包括電視電影廣告等等）達數十年之久；其「沒落」只是近十幾年的事。其實亦僅是反映風水輪流轉，任何誇張的事物總會回歸基本務實之路，直至下一浪來臨為止。

人類之源？

因為讀過好些科普書籍，大概知道哺乳類動物（包括人類）可能是由海洋生物進化而成，不過進化過程中有甚麼生物呢？最近科學家在中國找到一化石，指該奇形生物可能是其中一員，亦是已發現中最古老的。除了歷史台，香港生果報也有報導，不過該文的焦點是此生物進食及排洩均用同一洞／口（報章水平和讀者掛鈎，怪不得它，在下也不能免俗地邊睇邊罵！）

From my living room playlist

Like a lot of people, I am the type of person who cannot stand absolute silence. While in the living room, I often turn on the TV and it's quite easy to find a semi-interesting program on US cable TV with tons of channels. The alternative is of course listening to music. That's usually my "accompaniment" for breakfast time. I alternate between the Opera channel from Music Choice (iOS app exclusive channel) and the Audiophile Classical channel from Shoutcast. And if nothing is good "on the air", I can always count on Spotify, on which I have setup a bunch of playlists: one for Alto Sax, one for Metal, and a very special one with violin music only (which I could play when other family members are there too!) I am listening to this playlist just now and it was the first time I listened to "Prince of Clouds," a double violin concerto composed by Anna Clyne for this album and performed by Jennifer Koh and her mentor Jamie Jaredo. In fact, the whole album featured 4 pieces of double violin works, starting with the seminal one by Bach. I like this "concept" a lot! I hope someone who do a "Three x 4" using Beethoven's Triple Concerto as its model!

Now my goal is to listen to enough classical music on Spotify that it will create a Daily Mix for me (we have 3 family members listening to the same account at different times. 1 playlist is Cantopop. 1 for "US" pop. 1 Metal and for some reason Spotify made 2 jazz mixes for me)

電影馬拉松

近年很少去戲院的我在去年底竟然去了三次！看的包括Da Vinci Code作者Dan Brown小說改編的Inferno（前年去意大利時一直在讀）, 源於漫畫人物的Doctor Strange, 以及迪士尼破紀錄地賣坐的動畫Moana。承接這道戲癮，今年在家中試用Netflix，又看了一大堆新舊戲：

• The Magic of Belle Isle：這是一套有點超現實的電影，皆因劇中有一段老年黑人男子同中年白人女子愛情故事，發生在底特律附近一個不差的社區。不過由老戲骨Morgan Freeman飾演該男子又作別論，角色是一位才氣橫溢的作家（及前職業棒球手因傷殘轉行）女主角則是出道時以飾演「艷女」聞名的Virginia Madsen，近年也成為演技派。作家因喪妻意志消沉避世於該地，三女之母則在辦離婚中，幾個聰明伶俐又有奇想的小朋友和老人家互相啟發，總算讓人看得心頭暖暖。
• A Mile in his shoes：這也是一套勵志式電影，以飾演電視版超人聞名的Dean Cain在片中的角色是一支半職業棒球隊的領隊兼球探，在開車前往物色球員途中抛錨，意外地認識一名農村少年，該少年有自閉症但特別擅於投擲水果，領隊視他為棒球投手可造之材！在相當保護其子的父親不太情願的情況下，領隊把少年帶入球隊，其才華得到發揮，當然亦招妒中詭計，但總算在挫折中成長。
• Captain America 3 Civil War：本片的主線是Avenger成員分裂互揪，因為各國政府認為他們屢次闖禍，必須受約束，以Iron Man為首一派同意，以美國隊長為首一派則反對。這個主題在動畫及漫畫我均已看過，所以不感陌生，反而覺得真正大戰來得太遲，原來已是電影尾聲！當然埋下伏筆拍下一集了。
• Arrival：本帖多套電影中這套最為出色。女主角是一位語言學家（想起老友妹妹！）透過同外星人接觸，受他們語言影響了思考，學會預知未來的秘技。到結尾觀眾會發現全片情節並非順序發生，實在巧妙。值得一提：電影改篇自得獎科幻小說Story of your life，作者是美國華裔Ted Chiang（姜峯楠）
• Horrible bosses：片中三位波士豈止horrible，簡直就是變態！Kevin Spacey飾演一間企業高層，下屬為搏升職被「駛到盡」卻不獲公平回報；Colin Farrell飾演一間生產商的二世祖太子爺，父親是良心老闆但急病去世由他接替，他在公司胡天胡帝亂炒下屬；Jennifer Aniston飾演一個脅迫下屬和她做愛的中女牙醫。這三個組成的卡士實在有來頭，其實主角是要向他們三人報復的下屬，演員的名氣遠遜其「波士」，本片笑位頗多成績不俗，相信令三位男主角「升價」不少。
• Jaco：去年提過這套關於低音結他鬼才Jaco Pastorious的電影，將另文專述。

書法在香港招牌

在香港的日子，家住得遠，又喜歡常常周圍去，花在坐車的時間實在不少，幸好不用自己開車，所以可以隨意欣賞街景。近年醉心書法，發現香港街上店舖招牌的字體變化多端，實在很有觀賞價值！原來隸書行書甚至草書也很常用。當然，從小學和寫的楷書是主流。近年這些招牌上所用的字體成為了話題：領展旗下的店舖招牌「被統一化」，早年常用的「北魏楷體」被換為「黑體」。以下摘自中文字體設計師許瀚文接受《香港01》的訪問：

小店所用的「白底紅字」為北魏楷書，是世界有名、香港獨有及廣泛運用在商店和招牌的中文書法風格，對於北魏楷書被換走感到可惜。許以圖中「永記辦館」為例，指原有招牌的北魏楷書感覺神氣、有精神而靈活，在本土香港人眼中與辦館小店形象更為配合。 許瀚文補充指，北魏楷書筆劃誇張明顯，字的輪廓鮮明，辨識度極高；加上店舖招牌風格能否讓顧客留下深刻印象至為重要。許指，雖然新更換的黑體有簇新感，但黑體四平八穩，無甚驚喜；缺乏性格之餘，亦失去北魏楷書的靈活感。

計我話：這位許生實在太客氣了！這個黑體不止無驚喜，根本就是死氣沉沉！「輸入」電腦文字處理時使用（就如現在在此ipad打字），排得整整齊齊，也算合適，但「輸出」讓人觀看就毫無美感了。想不到我這個觀點有專家同意！此文引述字體設計師陳濬人：

電腦字體主要用作輸入內文，放大變成標題跟字款本身的設計原意有所不同，變成招牌感覺更是奇怪。

陳並指北魏體能夠盛行因夠實用，「起筆收筆都很誇張，比較鈍和倔，回筆很粗，令字體挺拔突出，最重要是遠距離亦能清楚看到。」

其實這些書法招牌出自何人手筆，傳媒也有查究，上文介紹了（內有多圖，包括不同字與字體的例子，其中一個有張又有蘇，正是我兩位寫書法的老友的姓氏！）多位「街頭書法家」，寫這張蘇記的是華戈，而當年很多北魏體招牌出自名家區建公，另一位多產的書法家則是精於隸書的謝熙，根據百度：

1952年，他旅居香港，對索書者，有求必應，從不高價取值。故他的書法於50年代中，便已遍布港九商市及文化單位。如惠康、永安，大元等公司，國際、嘉麗華酒樓、新鴻基地產、通亨銀行等招牌大字均為先生所書。

這單爭議令我對魏碑體增添了不少興趣！魏碑既有楷書也有隸書，例如前秦廣武將軍碑就很有參考價值。（經友人指出，作為五胡十六國之一曾經實力強橫的前秦滅亡後才有北魏，不過似乎該時代的作品也被統稱為魏碑）

中文課本插圖出錯被學生發現

話說人民教育出版社一本教科書有一幅關於宋朝知縣的配圖，圖中知縣衣裝為紫色，一名小五生指出應為青綠色。北京藝術博物館文物專家胡桂梅解釋：

按宋代服飾制度，只有三品以上才能穿紫色服，七品以上綠色，「書中的官員如果是縣令，應屬八品，按宋代的服飾制度，應該服青色而不是紫色，小朋友說得有一定道理。」

出版社應該對該學生寫個服字！

當在街食重平過街市買返黎煮既時候

你就會懷疑：喺街外食既究竟係乜野材料？雖然餐館入貨有volume discount，但又有燈油火蠟喎。舊年在台灣西門町及各大夜市的確食得好過癮，但睇完呢篇文，真係有啲保留。

得罪人多稱呼人少

寫另一帖時無意中看到一則祖國名咀在美國開車藏槍藏毒被捕的新聞，比較有趣的是此君經常出口傷人，例如批評演員徐崢「演豬挺像，演人挺囧」（前半句指徐崢在《春光燦爛豬八戒》中扮演的豬八戒，後半句指他在《泰囧》中的角色），令徐崢相當尷尬，但也不能不讚他的口才／文筆呢！此外，他又說春晚（春節晚會）的觀眾都是農民，「我根本不屑上春晚的舞台，春晚的觀眾都是農民，我不想讓那麼多農民認識我」Well，有很多港星倒是恨上春晚得不得了呢。

Jazz saxophone music recommendations again

Can't stop listening to good jazz sax!

- Troy Roberts: Tales and Tones
I actually wanted to write about his 2015 album, Secret Rhymes, since 2015 but never got to it. Well, he has already released another one, for 2017 :) If you enjoy hard bop, he really nailed it. And you can't go wrong with Robert Hurst on bass and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums.

- Western Jazz Quartet: Free Fall
Speaking of high quality post bop, one should listen to "Free Fall," inspired by a jump from the edge of the space to fall at 843 mph and break the sound barrier. I thought the "west" in the name refers to, well, the west coast but it's actually Western Michigan (yeah, the same school who lost to Wisconsin at the Cotton bowl this new year!) They are the resident jazz quartet at the school.

- Florencia Gonzalez: Between Loves
Last week I wrote about the interesting interplay between alto saxophonist Kris Allen and his tenor player Frank Kozyra. If you enjoy unison/harmonized horn playing, you should definitely listen to this one, with a "triple horn attack" (sax, trumpet and trombone) This reviewer thinks they sounded bigger than they are (almost like a big band) and I couldn't agree more.

Music and politics

香港近年經常有人說不要把事件政治化，也有人說在社會發生的事和政治不可分割，以下所講發生在美國一事相信就見證了後者。美國著名搖滾樂手「波士」Bruce Springsteen一向被不熟悉音樂的外國人誤以為是大美國主義者，連他唱的名曲也名為Born in the USA！其實相反：該曲正正批判退伍軍人不被美國社會及制度善待，也有其他作品關於藍領勞工階層遭遇的不公；是不折不扣的liberal政見人士，當然不支持候任美國總統杜林普！杜林普上台慶典自然不會找到波士來表演，不過演出名單卻有一隊波士的cover band（我想中文可稱此樂隊為專演出波士的音樂的致敬樂隊）他們解釋主辦單位早於數年前已和他們簽約，本來不想事件政治化，只想履行合約，其實支持及反對者都有；不過最終決定毀約，已有賠毀約金的打算，因為波士不會同意用他的音樂去慶祝杜林普上台。

作出這樣的決定，又引起更多議論紛紛，不少指他們在整個派對只是小角色，有更多大牌歌手樂隊；也有人認為，靠波士的音樂揾食，還是順順他的意比較好吧。無論如何，我覺得他們出來講這幾句有百利無一害：相信面對輿論壓力，主辦單位不敢要求太多毀約賠償金吧。政治這東西，不是想避就避得到的！

Jazz saxophone music recommendations

It has been a while since last time I wrote about the saxophone music I have been listening to. These are some good ones I listened to in the past few years:

- Kris Allen: Beloved
This CD is recommended by my favorite Podcast: "In the Groove - Jazz and Beyond, by Ken" as Kris Allen is a Hartford musician local to the Podcaster. It got my attention as Allen is an alto player and I was totally into alto lately. And I found this album interesting immediately because it featured 2 sax (Allen on alto and Frank Kozyra on tenor) but no piano (actually no chordal instrument at all) and I could see the challenge (which he explained here) It's worthwhile to mention the rhythm section provided great support and was recorded well.

- Antonio Arnedo: Travesia
This jazz album is also piano-less but it does feature a chordal instrument: guitar played by the highly regarded Ben Monder. Arnedo played some very beautiful and sometimes haunting soprano here. 

- Bill Bruford's Earthworks: A Part, yet Apart
Bill Bruford is probably more well-known as the drummer of the progressive rock band Yes. However, he has also been playing jazz for a long time (saw him with his fusion group Earthworks at the Knitting Factory in 1999 and so impressed that I bought their "The Sound of Surprise" CD later on, which was the release after this one) And I particularly enjoy the tenor and soprano saxophone parts on this album, played by Patrick Clahar.

- Reggie Codrington: Always in Motion
Well, this is another detour, to smooth jazz. Saxophonist Codrignton is definitely not a big name you hear often like Dave Koz, Marion Meadow or Everett Harp but this is one high quality smooth jazz album with the "classic" smooth sax sound, beautiful playing on soulful ballad and energetic on funky tunes. Judging from the varieties of old and new artists on Smooth Jazz channels (like Music Choice provided by cable) and podcasts, I think the scene is actually quite healthy, contrary to what the "smooth jazz hating" music critics would like to portray.

Coin show

My mom loves collecting stuff like stamps and rare money (paper or coins) so I learned that from her when I was a kid. I don't have as much enthusiasm though. So my collections have grown just a tiny bit from those days. And I got some nice additions from the first coin show I have ever attended last week as I took my son there to fulfill his requirement for a boy scout merit badge. And it was his lucky day: one seller was very eager to teach us some basics of collecting and while we were there one of his customer bought 100 $1 coins that worths $1800 and suggested the seller to give one to my son. We also learned from him that 1921 silver dollar is known as a Morgan dollar, and it contains real silver (the amount of silver itself worths ~$13 today) Nowadays coins do not contain any precious metal. Another beautiful coin I saw there that I would like to collect but too expensive was an Indian head $5 gold coin. It worths ~$420 today with ~$300 of gold content.
Then we checked out another seller's interesting paper notes. He showed us some special US dollar that was stamped with a Hawaiian brown seal. Those notes were released to the Islands after the Pearl Harbor attack as a counter-measure: all notes were replaced there with the stamped notes just in case the Japanese put in some counterfeits to screw up the system (like what they did in Asia during WWII)
Before we left, I visited a seller with many inexpensive foreign coins. Since I don't really have much knowledge, I randomly pick the ones with designs I like and bought 11 for $4.
It was fun.

Update: my son and I both entered the show's prize draw and my son was so lucky to win a buffalo nickel in mint condition!