Fearless Drummer

Ben Ratliff on Max Roach:

Mr. Roach, who died yesterday at 83, was in on the ground floor of aesthetic change for much of his working life. He just kept on being involved in whatever mattered most, zeroing in on particular regions of his drum kit and reshuffling rhythms, inventing percussive patterns that helped move jazz away from typical swing.

Who Let the Pussycat Out?

Nicole Scherzinger’s “Whatever U Like” is horrendous even with the help of T.I., but she’s, indeed, hot as a stove.

What is Art Direction?

“…the non-verbal information that triggers [the] content in the viewer’s mind.” –Zeldman

Random Images

Visualgui.com is running two graphical spots. The one you see on the left displays various facial expressions of Eric to add some visual elements to the simple homepage. The one on the graphic page showcases the banners I have done for the Infosite.

Minh Tuyet vs. Thanh Thao

Minh Tuyet’s Yeu Mot Nguoi, Song Ben Mot Nguoi released in the States while Thanh Thao’s Bup Be Con Trai relased in Viet Nam, yet what do they have in common? They are both mediocre and about six degrees from artless, yet why do they still make them? If there are still demand for them, why not? Don’t hate the players; hate the game.

The Art of Power

Thich Nhat Hanh has a new book. Let’s take a wild guess: The Art of Power is about appreciating the present and being mindfulness. Despite how many times he writes in his books about living a happy life now, not in the future, I tend to forget after I close his books. Every time I see mindfulness, however, I think of him. The word is like his brand.

Motherfucker’s Blog

Pretty nice design for a motherfucker.

Kelly Series

Forget Chinese and Korean series. R. Kelly has released 10 more chapters of his infamous “Trapped in the Closet,” a crossover between “brilliance and insanity” according to Evan Shapiro, the general manager of IFC. From the New York Times:

The story began simply enough: the love triangle of Sylvester, Kathy and Rufus. But after 12 chapters the triangle was more like a lopsided octagon, with a dozen characters and as many cliffhangers. The dramas hinged on unlikely plot devices: leg cramps, pie allergies, the surprising things one finds hiding in cupboards.

Miles Meets Nas

Freedom Jazz Dance,” a jazz/hip-hop collaboration with Miles Davis, Nas and Olu Dara (Nas’ pops). The groovy joint is from Evolution of the Groove album, which will release on August 21.

Chinese Jazz

Sounds interesting but… very Chinese. NPR interviews Chinese jazz singer Coco Zhao.

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