Thorn Fascination Weekend

A weekend of fascinators with Thorn family and friends.

1959

50 Years Ago and Still the Best Year in Jazz

50 years ago certainly told some sad stories in jazz, including the death of Billie Holiday and Lester Young. But 1959 still appears to be the year that produced some of the most influential albums in jazz history. Here is a list of the best from 1959 (and thanks to Robin Lloyd for the list, and pointing out their similar anniversary).

1. Kind of Blue – Miles Davis

The most legendary album in jazz history easily takes the top spot on this list. The original album still sells 5,000 copies a week. A two-CD “Legacy Edition” version of this album was released celebrating the 50th anniversary, including alternate takes, false starts, and a 17-minute live version of So What.


2. Time Out – Dave Brubeck

The album that left the 4/4 time signature behind, was the first jazz album to have a single (Take Five) that sold one million copies. Sony will release its own 50th Anniversary edition of Time Out this Tuesday, featuring three discs. Disc one will feature a newly remastered edition of the original. Disc two is a 30-minute DVD interview with Dave Brubeck talking about the making of Time Out, with never before seen footage, and Disc three is a compilation of recently discovered tapes at the Newport Jazz Festival from 1961, 1963, and 1964.

3. Giant Steps – John Coltrane

Another great album where every song became a jazz standard. The album features two different trios, with bassist Paul Chambers being the only member to participate in both. Constant chord changes and wonderful improvisation made this a classic.

4. Mingus Ah Um – Charles Mingus

As mentioned earlier, the great Lester Young died in 1959, and Mingus Ah Um is highlighted with a wonderful tribute to Young called Good Bye Pork Pie Hat. Columbia has also released a two disc “Legacy Edition” of this album this year, featuring unedited versions of tunes that were shortened for the original version, as well as some great outtakes.

5. The Shape of Jazz to Come – Ornette Coleman

Released exactly 50 years ago last Friday, The Shape of Jazz to Come basically said “forget about the rules, just let me play”. That might sound sloppy (the description, not the music), but Coleman might have just looked at things differently than those before him. He always heard a melody, and managed to create great jazz with freedom that didn’t sound chaotic.

This post is a post on Groove Notes by Kevin Kniestedt who hosts Grooveyard show on KPLU, as well as host on Jazz24

Girlz

Parents Weekend, St Johns College

The next weekend I flew to Annapolis to attend "Parents Weekend" at St. Johns College What a buzz that was...
Couch crashing, auditing classes and much revelry...


Jet lagging in the kitchen


Home, away from home...


The cool painting in the foyer next to the five Platonic solids ( Euclid Book 13)
Tetrahedron; Hexahedron or Cube; Octahedron; Dodecahedron; Icosahedron.
The name of each figure is derived from the number of its faces: respectively 4, 6, 8, 12, and 20.


Mr. Russell (amazing jazz musician/singer) and Acacia


Athena... slayer guarding the entrance to campus


St Johns College


Who are those parents?


the Spartans pretty much rule in DC


Hermes


Acacia dancing with the devil at the waltz party.


On the mall, DC

A few weeks ago I got together with Ade and we zipped up to Mt. Baker to catch the seasonal window for ice on Colfax Peak.

Looking pretty ominous on the approach.


Following one of the upper pitches.

Photos courtesy of AdeMiller.com

CrossFit Kids cert weekend

Kallista and I took a trip to San Diego for a CrossFit Kids Certification. We arrived a couple days early and were able to make the rounds visiting with friends and dropping in on affiliates.

First stop, Fitness Beyond the Box for a workout (mini-Murph) with Susan Robinson.

In the afternoon some lifting at Mike's Gym
Video review with Coach B

The next day a stop at US Crossfitl in Encinitas
with Randy.


At the Cert....with Eric LeClair of Elite Fitness

Kallista with Beth of Crossfit Hollister

Showdown...with Keegan of BrandX/CrossFit Kids

Get some...
3 Rounds
3 Burpee/ front tuck
10 hang power snatch
Great weekend, great people, fun times.

Orbit, again...

Back to the Snow Creek wall for one of the best routes in Washington at its grade, not to mention a little spice, too. A visiting climbing friend of Kurts, Keren and I zoomed out to Leavenworth for a day of climbing. A super fun day of climbing with exceptional weather sandwiched between two storm cycles.

Leading off P2

Crux pitch.

Top of the 5th...

Another great day, climbing in Washington!

Black Mountain

Can-Am Fly-in.
I got my second flight of the month in over three years...
No wind launch, sled ride and slid in on a no wind landing. Probably scared the crap out of the local pilots when I ended up drifting out of position on base and threading it through a slot in the trees where somebody cratered some time ago.
I chowed down at the barbecue and headed home. I spite of a rumor of improving conditions tomorrow, I didn't want to "burn" up another day, it was +90 deg. and 90% humidity.





To ease my conscience, it was monsoonish and starting to OD the next morning in Seattle.

One more step to some serious soaring, again...

Prusik Peak - West Ridge (not)

Acacia and I brashly attempted the West Ridge of Prusik, well kind of, well ok, not at all. We unrealistically started at 5:00am and didn't push the pace on the way in then by the time we missed the short cut to the base it was kind of late to start. That is if we intended to return to the car before 10:00pm, best case. Not too dismayed over this we decided to go ahead and finish the "Traverse of the Enchantments" since we were pretty much half way there already. Good times.


Prusik Peak


Half way?


Asgard Pass and Colchuck Lake below

We figured on hitching a ride back to Snow Creek parking lot. We were back at the car by 6:00pm after our 20 mile ramble through the mountains.

Crossfit Games

The Games were spectacular. What can I say, it's always a pleasure hanging out with all of the great folks of the CrossFit community and seeing amazing athletes compete for the title of "Fittest Stud(ette) in the World". Pretentious. Maybe. But arguable and plausible.

You can see the Games promo HERE


Workout #1
21-15-9
95/65# Thruster/Pullup

Workout #2
5 Rounds
5 Deadlift 275/185#
10 Burpees

Workout #3
720m run (two concentric loops on the side of a hill)


Final event
155/100# Clean & Jerk 30 reps

Kallista came to play and stepped it up for every event. She PR'd in every workout in terms of the loads. Undaunted she went out and tackled the 30 body weight C&J's without a word, well maybe a little power scream. It was a sight to behold, I was speechless.
Check out the video of last few lifts HERE
Also see Sevan and Kallista in the pre-event interview

Dragontail Peak

Serpentine Arete






car-to-car <13:20

Countdown to 3-2-1-GO!

Just a reminder.

Get out the dixie cups and head down to Aromas, CA where the Kool Aid will be flowing freely . . .



Call 911. There will be a meltdown on July 5-6, no not from fireworks on Independence Day, the 2nd CrossFit Games will going off. Over 150 of the most fit stud(ette)s in the world from all over the WORLD will be converging on the Central Valley of California to compete in the Sport of Fitness.

Get off your elliptical and step away from the mirror to see what fit REALLY is . . .

By the way you to could have that for FREE! Real results.

Vancouver

This last weekend I went to a CrossFit Run Endurance Cert hosted by CrossFit Vancouver. Presented by Brian Mackenzie and Carl Borg of CrossFit Newport Beach. All of you joggers and tri-folks out there resisting CrossFit, stop wasting your time getting slower and s-l-o-w-e-r check this out. Of course, now I will now persuade you with my most potent diplomatic charm. . . get the @#$#@ over it, drink the Kool Aid, now! Otherwise serve your life sentence of wasted time, ruined relationships, over training, chronic injury, doing your LSD.

It's not like they had to twist my arm, I'm in the choir screaming "preach it, amen!" This Cert involved CrossFit's application to the classic endurance sports but more specifically running. By the way running is skill... duh. Like all skills some us naturally click with them but fortunately for the rest of us, it can be learned. But you say, what's the "right" way? I won't waste time debating . . . just say Dr. Romanov, POSE Method. However if you wish to debate, not with me, reinvent the wheel and do your own common sense research of barefoot running (Kenyans, Aboriginies, Tarahumara) or try running on ice. I'll be down the down road . . .

Check out CrossFit Endurance to see how to effectively apply CrossFit in a sports specific application.

Castle Rock

Mike following the "5.7"...



MK leading the "Scary" Canary...

Constantly impressed with the stiffness of the grades or maybe just the stiffness of our bones.