Snoozer Scalloped Dog Ramp Demo

I have to constantly think of ways to keep Maestro busy on days off. Here, he demonstrates how to use the Snoozer Scalloped Dog Ramp. I blogged about it earlier in A Look at Pet Stairs and Ramps.

As you can tell, he tackles the scalloped stairs differently as compared to regular stairs - with a subtle zig-zag motion (like deer on a hill) - as opposed to barreling up or down. The foam is so soft (yet firm enough to sustain his weight). He lands on the floor gently.

Dog Ramps and Stairs on Amazon

SWING! CUBA! Calgary Jazz Orchestra Concert Review

The Calgary Jazz Orchestra performed a varied and entertaining programme to an enthusiastic audience on Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. At Calgary's River Park Church. The concert featured swing jazz as well as Cuban and Latin American music.

Opening Act University of Calgary Jazz Ensemble

The U of C Jazz Ensemble kicked off the evening with four numbers, starting with the Wayne Shorter number “Speak No Evil”. The band switched gears with Maria Schneider’s “Baytrail Shuffle”. “Don't Know Why” featured the sultry voice of Ellen Doty and the rhythm section. The UCJRE wrapped up the set with Gordon Goodwin's “There's the Rub”, which had audience members bopping in their seats.

Under the direction of Dr. Jeremy Brown, the UCJRE performs music that spans the entire time-line of jazz. The jazz band performs regularly throughout the year both on and off-campus.

With just three rehearsals together, the group performed extremely well together. The violin and guitar added a freshness to the numbers.

Nate Waters, Joanna Skrajny, Josh Burton, Steve McNeilly and Kayla Koshynsky make up the saxophone section in the jazz band. Andrew Rodrigues, Jonathan Craik, Jory Wutzke and Andrea Journault make up the trumpet section. Dylan Martin, Casey McLary, Scott Tkaczuk and Josh Kay comprise the trombone section. The rhythm section is comprised of Si Rim (bass), Hannah MacGillivray (bass), Krishan Power (piano), Ian Tullis (drums), Jamison Ko (drums) and Colin Adikary (drums).

Rounding out the ensemble are vocalist Ellen Doty and violinist Jeremy Gignoux. The group was joined by Calgary guitarist Ralf Buschmeyer as well as CJO members Greg Robertson, Kim Beacham and Johnny Summers.

Swing Jazz Featured in Calgary Jazz Orchestra's First Set

“We've downsized,” quipped CJO Director Johnny Summers while the UCJRE traded places with the CJO. The group, sporting matching icy blue ties, performed hits and hidden gems from the Big Band Swing era.

First up was “Harlem Airshaft” by Duke Ellington. This upbeat number showcased the technical and creative talents of Jeremy Brown (saxophone), Johnny Summers (trumpet) and Tim Embree (trombone), drawing the first of many cheers and whistles from the audience.

Glenn Miller's “Sun Valley Jump” featured strong solos by Kim Beachum on trumpet, Greg Baker on drums and Jeremy Brown. Brown's solo, packed with runs and trills that spanned the entire range of the saxophone, drew appreciative cheers from his fellow band mates.

“The Man with the Golden Arm” is an original composition by Johnny Summers for the upcoming film Burlesque Assassins. This musical preview gives the audience a taste of what the soundtrack will be like. This catchy number featured trumpets, trombones and the rhythm section. It is easy for the listener to be transported to the era of “Batman” and “Mission Impossible” when listening to this.

Three other numbers rounded out the first half. “Goodbye” is a ballad by Gordon Jenkins. “Black and Blue” by Fats Waller, which has been covered by another jazz great – Louis Armstrong. The group closed the first half with “Air Mail Special” by C. Christian. This upbeat number has been performed by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Glenn Miller.

Sizzling Solos, Afro Cuban and Latin Jazz in CJO's Second Set

The CJO set the mood for the second set by sporting hot red ties. The group was joined by drummer Brent Van Dusen on Latin percussion. “Cachao, Creador Del Mambo” is a mambo by Bebo Valdes. This featured dramatic solos, featuring cross-rhythms, syncopation and chromatic runs by Kim Beachum, Tim Embree, Gerry Hebert and Egor Ukoloff.

An exception to the theme was made with “Dulce Amor” by Poncho Sánchez of Mexico. This slow number featured dreamy fills and lyrical solos by Rich Harding and Al Muirhead.

The final number on the programme was “Párraga” by Orlando Valle. This bright number, like all the upbeat numbers on the programme, had members of the audience tapping their toes, bopping and swaying to the music. This featured solos by Egor Ukoloff, Brent Van Dusen, Greg Baker, Jeremy Brown, Kim Beachum, Brian Walley, Sarah Matheson and Johnny Summers.

Three more numbers rounded out the second half. “Ecuacion” is a guaracha/mambo) by Bebo Valdes. “Cuban Afro” is an original composition by Greg Baker. “Quierreme Mucho” is a sexy bolero, which featured the saxophone section performing on clarinet.

About the Calgary Jazz Orchestra

CJO Director Johnny Summers founded the Calgary Jazz Orchestra in 2004. This particular concert showcased 15 of the jazz band's members: Gerry Hebert, Rich Harding, Jeremy Brown, Shane Statz and Sarah Matheson on saxophone/flute/clarinet. Johnny Summers, Kim Beachum, Gordon Wilhelm and Al Muirhead formed the trumpet section. Brian Walley, Tim Embree and Greg Robertson performed on the trombone. The rhythm section was comprised of Egor Ukoloff on piano, Kodi Hutchinson on bass and Greg Baker on drums. Music for this performance was arranged by Johnny Summers and Greg Baker.

Jazz lovers will have four more opportunities to enjoy some high-calibre performances by the Calgary Jazz Orchestra this season. On October 29, the CJO will perform at The Al Capone Charade, a gangster Halloween party. Upcoming season concerts include A Perfectly Frank Christmas, the music of Billie Holliday and Chet Baker and finally a concert featuring blues tunes and numbers written by members of the Calgary Jazz Orchestra.

The Calgary Jazz Orchestra's 2011/12 season got off to a lively start on September 25, 2011 with SWING! CUBA!. This concert featured impressive solos, as well as a diverse mix of swing jazz hits, Latin American music and Cuban grooves that had members of the audience tapping and bopping long after the performance ended.

Originally published on Suite101.com on September 28, 2011. Updated July 13, 2013.

FUNimation, Media Factory's Soul Eater Part Two DVD Review

Soul Eater might have gotten off to a slow start in Soul Eater Part One, but the action shoots forward in Soul Eater Part Two. The second installment of this popular supernatural shonen series includes episodes 14 - 26.

About Soul Eater the Anime

Soul Eater is based on the long-running manga created by Atsushi Okubo. The story centers around three meister/weapon student teams who attend the Death Weapon Meister Academy. There's hardworking Maka, a scythe-meister and her "stay cool" partner Soul. Their closest friends include Black Star the stage hog martial artist and his partner, the sweet and cooperative Tsubaki, as well as the symmetry-obsessed Death the Kid and his partners, the vain Liz Thompson and her childish sister Patty. These students and their classmates develop the skills and knowledge needed to slay monsters who are on the path to becoming a dreaded kishin. Supporting the main characters are Shinigami-sama (Lord Death), Maka's "pervert father" Spirit, stoic Sid the Zombie, the dissecting-obsessed Dr. Stein and the sexy kitty/witch Blair.

Soul Eater the animated series is directed by Takuya Igarashi (Japanese) and Zach Boulton (ADR). The original Japanese version is produced by Bones/Square Enix (Fullmetal Alchemist and Cowboy Bebop), while the ADR producers are FUNimation/Media Factory.

A Look at Soul Eater Part Two

Part 2 starts off on a light-hearted note. "The Super Written Exam" displays each main character's quirks hilariously as they study. "The Legend of the Holy Sword" introduces audiences to Excalibur's theme song (which will stay in viewer's heads for hours after hearing it), while "The Death Scythes Convene" introduces viewers to three Lord Death's eight Death Scythes.

The tone quickly sinks into the dark depths of madness as the story progresses. The witch Medusa's plan is revealed and viewers learn more about Crona, who was introduced in Soul Eater Part One. By episode 26, viewers have experienced the team's biggest fight so far and learn more about the kishin.

Soul Eater Part 2 DVD Extras

Like Soul Eater Part One, Part Two includes FUNimation trailers, textless versions of the intro and outro themes, the Late Night Show clips and audio commentary for one episode (Episode 23); provided by FUNimation voice actors Vic Mignogna (Spirit), Chuck Huber (Stein) and Luci Christian (Medusa). The audio commentary is fine to listen to in the background while doing something else. It's filled with just as much ego-stroking as the Episode 7 audio commentary in Soul Eater Part 1. Even the Late Night Show clips get stale after a while. However, the sticker of Black Star is a nice bonus.

Soul Eater Part Two DVD Information

Directors: Takuya Igarashi Writers: Akatsuki Yamatoya, Megumi Shimizu, Yoneki Tsumura Format: Color, Widescreen, NTSC, Import Language: Japanese (with English subtitles), English Number of discs: 2 Studio: Funimation! Unidisc Release Date: March 30, 2010 Running Time: 320 minutes ASIN: B0030ZOYKY

Available locally at Future Shop or your local geek store and online at Amazon,ca , Amazon.com , the

RightStuf , JList and CD Japan

.Soul Eater Part Two

- An Enjoyable Watch Time and Time Again

The quirky animation style is on par with the discs from Soul Eater Part 1. Vivid colors jump out from the screen. The fight scenes are exciting to watch and well-drawn, especially on the second disk.

The music for Soul Eater, as the voice actors have commented on repeatedly, is downright catchy. The background music meshes harmoniously with the tone of the dialogue and fighting.

Then there are the characters. Viewers learn more about Maka and Soul as well as Black Star and Tsubaki as they try to work through their personal issues. Liz and Patty's past and early days with Death the Kid are also revealed. Their quirks, their motivations and support of each other engages viewers.

Voice dubbing? Viewers whose introduction to Soul Eater was in Japanese may still be cringing over FUNimation's English casting for Black Star, Death the Kid, Soul Eater and Stein. That is, if discussion forums, such as the one on My Anime List are any indication. It's just not the same. Soul needs more soul! Stein needs more creepiness. Black Star is too girly and Kid is just too....arrogant sounding.

The voice actors did a good job though. Those lines aren't the easiest thing to say, especially since they have to match lip flaps precisely. It isn't their fault if things got lost in translation from Japanese to English or if the director decided to take a different approach.

Dubbing aside, Soul Eater Part Two, like its predecessor, will draw viewers and buyers to it (and bring them back for a second, third or 30th viewing) for its characterization, music and animation. It's smart, it's funny and it handles the mood swings from funny to serious as fluidly as Soul transforms into a scythe.

Soul Eater Part Two gets 4/5.

Originally published on Suite101.com on May 31, 2010. Updated July 13, 2013.

A Look at Pet Stairs and Ramps

Pet Gear Pet Stairs

Last year, I bought these Pet Gear Easy Steps for Maestro. There were a couple of other models and brands that I looked at. This won over the competition because of its sturdy construction.

Alley-oop!

The carpet on the stairs is removable so you can toss the carpet into the wash.

When Maestro was diagnosed with IVDD and arthritis, one of the first things the vet told me was, "No stairs". Going up isn't the problem, going down is. The impact of descending, with all your weight bearing down is hard on the joints - whether you are furry or furless!

My brother discovered the Snoozer Scalloped Pet Ramp:

This Snoozer Scaloped Stairs

The scalloped stairs make it a hybrid between stairs and ramps. They are made of sturdy foam.It took Maestro a while to get used to them, but now he has no challenges. Sometimes, he even sits in the middle!

Alternative Pet Stairs and Ramps

Dog Ramps and Stairs on Amazon

Calgary Wind Symphony Apollo Sings Concert Review

Sweeping melodies, dramatic contrasts and lush imagery were on tap at the Calgary Wind Symphony's June 2, 2013 performance at the Rozsa Centre. Billed as "Apollo Sings! Music that Soars", this live concert featured a diverse mix of program and absolute music to work the listener's imagination.

Picking up the conductor's baton for this wind symphony concert were Artistic Director Dr. Jeremy Brown and Associate Conductor Wendy Freeman. CWS members Mary Hamm and Noel Jones were featured in Mendelssohn's Concertpiece No. 2 for Two Clarinets with Band.

Programme and Aleatoric Music Performed by the Calgary Wind Symphony 

The concert opened with Alfred Reed's The Hounds of Spring. The work is based on Algernon Charles Swinburne's poem Atlanta in Calydon. The sweeping melodic lines, depicted romance in the springtime. This was a number that showcased just how wonderful the acoustics are in the Rozsa Centre. It also demonstrated how tight the ensemble is. The balance was superb, while the tone was rich and warm..

Yasuhide Ito's Gloriosa was one of the many hidden gems on the programme. This work for symphonic band featured Christian hymns that were "Japanified" by Crypto-Christians who continued to practice their religion in secret after it was banned in Japan (1643 - 1848).

Gloriosa  contains three movements. "Oratio" was dripping with melancholy. The chimes in the opening, followed by the CWS singing a Gregorian chant, filled the hall with sorrow. In contrast, the middle section featured the flutes and clarinets playing a sweeping Japanese melody, punctuated by accents and harmonies in the brass, depicting the persecution of the Crypto-Christians. The movement ends as it began, with distant chimes. It was an utter delight to listen to the Calgary Wind Symphony sing the Gregorian chants.

"Cantus" showcased the flute and piccolo playing a melody sounding very much like a traditional Japanese song on the shakuhachi. Another Gregorian chant was buried deep within the score, nearly hidden by the flute melody, the taiko-like percussion and the blues-like harmonies..

From the shrill opening to the taiko-like rhythms, "Dies Festus" sounded more like a battle than a festival. This movement contained a Nagasaki folk song that was popular where many Crypto-Christians lived.

Christiaan Ventner's Dancing Lights of the North earned positive comments in the lobby during intermission from various concert patrons. To introduce it, Dr. Brown spoke of how the process is just as important as the melody. The piece is comprised of unfolding segments that contain a high element of improvisation.

It opened with a solo water glass passage (yes, you read that correctly), The twinkling percussion undoubtedly represented stars, while the woodwinds represented the shimmering aurora borealis. To me, the rumbling brass depicted night descending upon the listener. Later, the woodwinds sounded like birds and crickets in the night:

Associate Conductor Wendy Freeman conducted Illyrian Dances by Guy Woolfenden. This three-part work would fit perfectly in a fantasy tale such as the Chronicles of Narnia series. "Rondeau" was a lively modal dance peppered with syncopation and hemiolas. In contrast, "Aubade" was a slow and dreamier movement. "Gigue" is extremely playful, as depicted by the dancing flute melody and light percussion. The horns interjected with a hunting-like theme.

The CWS Presented Dramatic Contrasts and Meltdown by Marco Pütz

Calgary Wind Symphony members Mary Hamm and Noel Jones took to centrestage for Mendelssohn's Concertpiece No. 2 for Two Solo Clarinets with Band. The Romantic composer penned the work for the sons of clarinetist Heinrich Barmann.

This three-movement work is highly technical. It opened with a dramatic swell from the ensemble before Hamm and Jones' lines weaved and danced around like birds exploring the landscape from above.The second movement unfoled slowly. The running sixteenths were reminiscent of Schubert's Ave Maria. The third movement was rather operatic, like the love duet between the main characters in an opera. It finishes off with a highly virtuosic cadenza between the soloists.

Hamm and Jones were superb throughout. Their tone was well-matched and their technique complemented each other beautifully. They negotiated through those rapid-fire runs gracefully.

The highlight of the second half was Meltdown by Marco Pütz. This symphonic poem could easily fit into a dramatic film score. Even without knowing the programme - the meltdown of a nuclear reactor - one can easily hear it working for movies involving dinosaurs, gigantic monsters or space battles.

Meldown began ominously with the bass clarinet, followed by the other woodwinds, one layer at a time. The dance of the nuclear particles was extremely tense and frenetic, achieved by instruments playing in the extreme high register, an uneven waltz pattern and dissonant harmonies.

The brass and percussion drove the listeners towards the actual meltdown, with an increase of aural explosions. Rhythm and harmony continued to play a role in weaving a tale of instability, drama and fear. The lone beeping and hum from the synthesizer was akin to a lone machine beeping in the aftermath before fading into nothingness. The closing theme presented by a solo trumpet before being joined by the rest of the wind ensemble, seemed to describe the survivors surveying the landscape after the explosion.

To clear the air, Meltdown was followed up with two lighter works, Leonard Bernstein's Overture to Candide Karl King's The Purple Pageant March. These two are well known and oft-performed.

Smart Programming, Balance and Variety by the Calgary Wind Symphony 

One thing that continues to impress me with the Calgary Wind Symphony is the programme choices. The group isn't afraid to step out of the box of standard concert band repertoire. Each concert has included lesser-known works, as well as pieces that may challenge some listeners.

That's just fine. The edgier works are introduced clearly in the concert programmes as well as by the conductors on stage. What's even smarter is how these works are programmed. There is always a balance between these newer works with a good dose of familiar composers or styles.

About the Calgary Wind Symphony

The CWS (formerly the Calgary Concert Band) is a 60-member wind ensemble that has been around since 1947. It is directed by directed by Dr. Jeremy Brown of the University of Calgary and Associate Conductors Wendy Freeman and Gareth Jones.

Subscriptions for the 2013/14 season are already available.The lobby was abuzz with the news of Carmina Burana on the December programme. For more information, visit the Calgary Wind Symphony's website.

The Calgary Wind Symphony presented an engaging and varied programme for the ensemble's final concert of the 2012/13 season. Like the Greek god, Apollo, the June 2, 2013 concert brought sunlight into the concert hall and lit up the stage with soaring melodies and rich harmonies.