Revenge of the alarm clock

My alarm clock clearly has a mind of it's own. This morning my alarm went off at what I thought was it's normal time, 6:30 am.

Usually, it goes off, I lay in bed and listen to the news, snooze a little until 7:15 and then get up. However, something was off this morning. The news came on: "Good morning, it's 7:30 on Monday and this is NPR." What?!? It was supposed to be 6:30. My clock said 6:30, but the news said something different. I raced out of bed and ran over to my computer. Definitely 7:30.

This meant I was running late – definitely a negative for a Monday morning.

For the next 30 minutes, while I showered, let Blue (my dog) outside and got dressed, I tried to figure it out. Clearly, daylight savings time had started and no one told me. But then wouldn't it have been 5:30 am, not 7:30 am. Maybe it was a conspiracy and someone had changed my clock? That seemed unlikely since no one had been in my house except Blue. It must have been Blue! Wow! She's brilliant. No, that was unlikely.

I called my dad. He confirmed that daylight savings time had definitely not started and asked if maybe I reset my clock in my sleep. Nope.

Well, after thinking about this all day (yes, I know this shouldn't have been my primary focus, but it was important!) I realized my clock had reset itself on Saturday night at 2 am since that's when daylight savings time used to occur. That means that all day Sunday I was living my day an hour behind, which means that when I went to bed at 1am, it was actually 2! Well, at least I have an excuse for my total exhaustion all day!

Update on my volunteer work for CVT

So, a lot of people have been asking me about my post about volunteer work and wanted a follow-up to how things stand. Here's my best attempt though it will be brief.

Last Monday I went to the Center of Victims of Torture to discuss which volunteer opportunities would be the best fit both in terms of my interests and their needs. It was a great meeting and I'm really excited. The first step is going to be a lunch meeting next Friday between myself and their new Director of Communications.

In addition, they offered me some opportunities working with CVT's International Capacity Building project which works with 16 treatment centers throughout the world to expand their capacity to provide high-quality services to torture survivors; their International Services projects, primarily the New Tactics in Human Rights Project which uses an interactive social network to help human rights practitioners discuss tactics that are working or not working in the field; and, the Cambodia-Trauma Healing Initiative project which works closely with the Transcultural Psychosocial Organization of Cambodia and is close to my heart since I have a friend working for the prosecutor at the Khmer Rouge Tribunals.

I'm extremely excited about all the options and for the chance to combine my various skills into something that could be beneficial.

Proposed Creative Workflow

I saw this graphic on Daniel Case's blog, a really great blog for finding creative inspiration. Anyway, I felt this graphic fits exactly how I feel great advertising, design, or even, any mode of creative communication should work.

Awesome Opening Sequence

I don't really know how I feel about the HBO show, True Blood, but I do know I love the opening sequence by Digital Kitchen. There is something about it that just feels so Southern and so right. I have a weird addiction with watching it. Each time I see something totally new. Needless to say, I wish I came up with it and now I want to see everything by Digital Kitchen.

The Worst Commercial Ever

I was asked the other day what I think the worst commercial I've ever seen is. Now, of course, there are numerous really bad ones. Everyone has their own personal worst. There's the really bad Kia one where a choir is singing about being part of the rainbow. Or, the weird one and revolting one where stomachs are talking to you. Yet, for me, the worst hands down are the Quiznos commercials with the furry, rat-like things (I know these creatures have a specific name, but frankly I don't care). These ads are fairly old in ad terms, but they left such a bad feeling with me that I still shudder at the thought of them.

In the hopes of full disclosure, anyone who knows me even semi-well knows of my weird hatred for sandwiches. It's a well known fact that I buy into the idea of separate but equal with my sandwiches and will eat each element separately if given a chance. And before anyone asks, of course there are exceptions, but they are few and far between. However, this dislike of sandwiches did not fuel my immense hatred for these commercials.

First of all, how could any food establishment especially a fast food one think it's a good idea to have singing rat-like creatures in their ads? I mean seriously now I think: "Oh, Quiznos that's the rat food place." In fact, I've been unable to eat food from there since the ads aired. Second, the rat things are the most obnoxious things I've seen in years. These characters come from a man named Joel Veitch, who makes television shows for Britain's Channel 4 (according to his Web site, www.rathergood.com). However, that doesn't explain why any ad agency or more importantly, food establishment would want to use them. Just so everyone understands, I've included the ads below.

And, yet again I circle

Lately, I've been giving a lot of thought to the potential different directions my life can take. While this is something that is very common for me, I'm finding that my two main career interests appear to be circling each other again.

When I was back in New England for vacation, I met someone who got me thinking again about how important it is to do work that you find meaningful. The conversations both with him the night I met him and through email afterward made me start to question... How do I reconnect my background in human rights and international conflict resolution with my current work both as a designer and as a professional in the advertising and public relations field? Is there a way to do it without completely closing one of the doors?

I'm not sure what the answer is. One thing I have been considering is volunteer work. While that sounds a little insane with my current schedule of working a full time job, taking classes in art direction four nights a week, working on projects outside of class and attempting to sleep or occasionally go to the gym, I really think it might be something that is necessary for me to do. With that being said, I started looking into places in the Twin Cities that could be a good fit for my interests and with their needs. The solution, as of now, is the Center for Victims of Torture.

I applied to be a volunteer so now it's just wait and see if they want my help and what kind of help they want. And, of course, continuing to think about options to reconnect my interests.

Meet Groovesect

This is a repost of an article about my brother's band, Groovesect. The article was in today's New Orleans Times Picayunne. It's pretty cool to see this! Also, just to introduce them better, here's a couple of videos of them in concert. Some more, higher quality videos of Groovesect are located here. Oh, and yes, I realize this is a very long post, but its worth it.

SCHOOL OF FUNK

Legendary trombonist Fred Wesley is a funky mentor for Groovesect

Friday, August 15, 2008

By Keith Spera

Music writer

Trombonist Fred Wesley co-wrote two critical chapters in funk history. He was music director, arranger and a primary composer for James Brown from 1968 to 1975, then spent several years with George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic projects.

The legend's latest collaborators? Groovesect, a New Orleans instrumental funk band composed mostly of recent graduates from the Tulane and UNO jazz programs.

Wesley guests on three songs from Groovesect's 2007 debut, "On the Brim," and subsequently toured with the band. Tonight he joins Groovesect onstage at the House of Blues, part of the first-ever Cutting Edge Music Business Conference showcase at the venue.

"I like to think if Fred thought we were bad musicians, he wouldn't do it," said Groovesect bassist Eric Vogel. "The fact that Fred wants to hang out and play gigs, that means the most to us. It's an honor. He could take a gig with anybody. He's Fred Wesley, one of the fathers of funk."

Wesley returns the compliment.

"They're a young band, but a good band," the trombonist said this week from his home in South Carolina. "They work hard. They rehearse like maniacs. They're very dedicated to the music. They want to learn funky music, and I'm here to help them."

Vogel and future Groovesect guitarist Danny Abel and keyboardist Nick Krawitz first crossed paths as members of Tulane's jazz band in the early 2000s. Abel eventually transferred to UNO and met drummer Colin Davis. The foursome worked the frat party circuit as a funk band called Soda Popinski.

In 2006, they rechristened themselves Groovesect. In 2007, they added saxophonist Tim "Sully" Sullivan, an alumnus of Aretha Franklin's band who moved to New Orleans to enroll in UNO's jazz graduate program. They also recruited acclaimed New Orleans percussionist Alfred "Uganda" Roberts, whose epic résumé includes Professor Longhair, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, 101 Runners, Deacon John and Willie Tee & the Gaturs.

The alliance with Wesley instantly elevated Groovesect's national profile. The seeds of the collaboration were sown on Feb. 2, 2007. That night, Groovesect's manager, Justin Aliperti, promoted a sold-out James Brown tribute concert at Tipitina's featuring Wesley backed by local drummer Johnny Vidacovich and bassist George Porter Jr. The members of Groovesect opened the show, and asked Wesley to sit in for one song.

"He comes out for the one song, and ends up staying for three," Vogel said. "That began the relationship. And it's been fantastic ever since."

Wesley agreed to play on those same three songs on "On the Brim." And because his own Fred Wesley Group works mostly overseas, he was keen to tour with Groovesect. Billed either as "Groovesect featuring Fred Wesley" or "Fred Wesley featuring Groovesect," they jam on Groovesect originals and James Brown classics -- a particularly mind-blowing circumstance for the young musicians.

"In middle and high school, before I was even playing music, I listened to James Brown," Vogel said. "Then when you start to play your instrument, you learn those songs. All the horn lines that you hum in your head -- never in a million years did I think I'd be playing them with the man himself.

"Fred was the bandleader. To be taking cues from the leader . . . we play what Fred wants us to play. We take Fred's cues, just as he would take them from James. It's surreal."

Wesley runs a tight ship. "He shows us no mercy," Vogel said. "You hit a wrong note, you better believe Fred hears it. He's going to turn around, take a look at you for a second and set you straight."

He also encouraged his young charges to expand their repertoire into blues.

"We'd just been focused on the grooves, intense jams, funk and jazz," Vogel said. "All of his suggestions are crucial lessons. Everything he says is golden."

And not just on the bandstand.

"Going on the road with him, learning life lessons . . . I can't even explain everything he's done for us, as far as being a role model," Vogel said. "We want to be as good as we can and have as much fun as we can. There's nobody better to take those lessons from than Fred."

Wesley's history with New Orleans predates Groovesect by five decades. Growing up in Mobile, Ala., he often made the 150-mile commute to New Orleans to jam with the likes of drummer Smokey Johnson and saxophonists Red Tyler and Nat Perrilliat.

More recently, he appeared on the 2007 compilation "Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino" alongside his former JB Horns bandmates Maceo Parker and Pee Wee Ellis, Lenny Kravitz, the Rebirth Brass Band and Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews on "Whole Lotta Loving."

Post-Parliament, Wesley joined the Count Basie Orchestra and released jazz albums as a solo artist and with his Fred Wesley Group. He essentially retired from funk until, around 1990, former James Brown Band vocalist Bobby Byrd suggested he was missing out on the music's renewed popularity.

"I had no idea it would last this long and be this popular," Wesley said.

In the coming weeks, he'll tour as part of an African music tribute to Brown, followed by a long fall tour with bassist Bootsy Collins' Brown tribute. (That show comes to the House of Blues on Oct. 25.)

But in Groovesect, he's found a mutually satisfying partnership with young players who learn from him, even as they provide a fresh perspective on his own legacy.

"I'll find time for Groovesect," Wesley said, "and I'll find time to do my own thing."

_________________________

GROOVESECT Featuring Fred Wesley

With: Opening acts Elliot Cohn and Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor.

When: Tonight at 9.

Where: House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 504.529.2624.

Tickets: $8.50-$18.50, plus service charges.

To hear music from Groovesect's "On the Brim" CD, go to www.nola.com/music.