Author: Laura Crowley

Laura Crowley

Arts & Life Editor

As part of the Jazz at Bucknell series, the Jerry Granelli Trio performed on March 6 in Bucknell Hall. The trio includes Jerry Granelli on drums, J. Anthony Granelli on bass and Briggan Krauss on saxophone. Jerry Granelli, who is a native of San Francisco, is well known for having created the swing beat for the “Peanuts” theme song. Our generation may also recognize him from performing in “The Matrix” and alongside the Grateful Dead.

While Jazz performances are typically held in the lobby of the Weis Center for the Performing Arts, the change of venue to Bucknell Hall attracted a comparably sizeable group.

“It’s great to hear live music in another space on campus,” said Assistant Professor of Music Barry Long.

“One reason why people like improvised music is that it’s a direct reflection of life, not something we thought up. It scares you … makes you think you’re going to die for a moment,” Jerry said.

Jerry’s alternative approach to jazz music has led him to be a pioneer in psychedelic sounds during the ’60s and a winner of the last NEA Grant award. Jerry, who is also a Buddhist, is largely influenced by his heavily Italian hometown. His dad was an Italian wedding drummer.

“[My] dad liked swing, my uncle was more bebop. My first memory of music was finding a couple of screwdrivers then climbing up the drums to play them,” Jerry said.

Despite his age, Jerry has no plans to retire.

“I want to be an artist until I drop and continue to be relevant,” Jerry said. “I remember seeing Max Roach in New York City just before he died in 2007. I walked into Carroll Music on 55th and could not believe my eyes. At 83, that man had rented a room and was in there … practicing.”

Jerry’s long career showed in his performance, which displays his capacities for improvisation. Long calls the trio’s style “a blend of free and traditional.” JazzTimes Magazine calls Jerry “one of those uncategorizable veteran percussionists who’s done it all.”

Staff member brings late Christmas to campus

Kerong Kelly and Laura Crowley

Members of the campus community gathered in the Harvey Powers Theatre on Feb. 28 to read through Joe Gaughan’s original musical entitled, “Santa’s Last Christmas.” Gaughan, a facilities employee at the University, spent the last five years writing the play in partnership with the late Ed Rhoades and Rhoades’s daughter, Heather.

The read-through event, which was hosted and organized by Matt Dranzik ’13, had a workshop environment in which the audience could offer their thoughts and critiques at the end. The Writing Center, Residential Life and Cap and Dagger 2.0, who were all sponsors of the event, encouraged both students and non-students to provide feedback.

While the original concept was to just create a CD of Christmas music, the idea grew to a full-length play. The cast, which was comprised of 15 students and Gaughan, sat in a row on stage and each read various parts without costumes and props. In place of the live musical numbers, prerecorded renditions of the original music by Gaughan were incorporated throughout the reading.

Gaughan describes his play as a family-oriented show that gives Santa elements of human emotion. It also presents what he does as a job, which as we all know has stress and good and bad parts to it. Children are also shown Santa’s more forgiving side, as Gaughan includes parts in which Santa gives kids a second chance and encourages them to be good.

“It was so much fun and it was something that was so fresh. The script was malleable and I was honored to be a part of this work that Joe [Gaughan] has been working on for so long. I love the theater and have so much respect for someone who can put something together like that,” Evan Turissini ’16, who read the role of Santa during the workshop, said.

Gaughan incorporated prerecorded readings, which are also knows as MIDI. With MIDI recordings, a theater group who doesn’t have enough musicians can use the recordings when necessary. Additionally, the tone can be manipulated to accommodate different sounds. Gaughan hopes that the flexibility he has given with his recordings will encourage theater groups to pick up his play.

“The readers did an incredible job portraying the characters that Joe Gaughan and his co-writers created and made them lovable and enjoyable to listen to,” Dranzik said. 

One of Gaughan’s goals was to make Santa come to life and incorporate issues a real person would have, such as the stresses of a job and longing for a vacation.

“The reading ran smoothly and the audience and readers enjoyed watching it come to life,” Dranzik said. “Seeing Joe’s happiness throughout the reading and afterwards was more than enough to consider this event a success.”

Trend Report: Spring Watches

By Kate Jansen

Are your accessories looking drab this season? This spring, watch out for these watches that will brighten up your wardrobe:

White accents: Adding white to your wardrobe is a huge trend this spring. Try out oversized watches with white wristbands and gold or silver accents. These add a fresh, professional look when paired with a pastel blazer and dark wash skinny jeans.

The wrap: Wristwatches with an additional flare are definitely my favorite accessories of the season. Keep an eye out for wraparound watches, especially those that have bracelets attached to them. Some retailers that sell these accessories are Piperlime, Bloomingdale’s and Zappos. On a local note, I’ve also seen them displayed at the thrift shop in Lewisburg and Dwellings. Target just launched an affordable La Mer line that features a variety of styles, colors and patterns of watches. Check out your local Target or Target.com.

Brights: Try mixing up your outfit with a neon watch. A bright watch band can definitely be a center piece in your outfit. These watches pair nicely with solid dresses and skirts, as well as jean shorts and tees for a more casual look.

Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi” was this year’s winner for most Oscars won by a single movie, garnering Best Direction for Lee, Best Visual Effects for University grad Bill Westenhofer ’90, Best Original Score and Best Cinematography. The film has also been a runaway popular success, both for fans of Yann Martel’s fantastic novel of the film and first-timers to Pi’s heartwarming story.

The story of “Life of Pi” is told through the process of an interview conducted by a Canadian journalist with the grown-up title character. It opens with the somewhat fantastical beginnings of Pi Patel in Pondicherry, India. Named after an uncle’s favorite swimming pool in Paris (“piscine” is French for swimming pool), our young protagonist takes early action to end the unfortunate homophonic nickname assigned him by his peers, “Pissing.” Instead, he dubs himself “Pi,” invoking the immense mathematical figure to reinforce the new moniker, a choice with obvious repercussions for the film’s title as well.

That established, we are walked through Pi’s unusual childhood, a curious mix of zoology and theology. His father runs the failing Pondicherry Zoo, where we meet the other main character, the tiger Richard Parker, (so named for a comical clerical error). Pi adopts three different religions: his native Hinduism, Christianity and Muslim. Despite many jokes at his expense for taking up (simultaneously) three incompatible religions, Pi remains unperturbed by his unusual situation and continues practicing all three. The family moves from India after the zoo goes under, so they book passage for themselves and some of their animals on a Japanese steamship. A fateful storm sinks the ship, and Pi, a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan and Richard Parker find themselves sharing a lifeboat.

What ensues comprises the majority of the film. As Pi’s skin darkens in the sun and he rapidly loses weight, he also deals with the very real danger of life. These dangers include not only life in a lifeboat on the open sea, but also sharing living quarters with a tiger. An important scene from the beginning of the film serves as a reminder that Richard Parker, regardless of the natural desire to personify him, is very much a dangerous wild animal. This fact is borne carefully in mind, as Pi and Richard Parker attempt, if not to become friends, at least coexist in relative peace under their unpredictable circumstances.

“Life of Pi” is probably one of the most visually beautiful films ever made. Lee’s tasteful use of 3D is purely an addition to the already sweeping imagery of the open sea and skyline. Many readers of “Life of Pi” would probably write the book off as unfilmable, myself among them, but Lee has defied us all, making a film that closely preserves the inexhaustible joie de vivre of the original work. The terrific ending is as jaw-dropping as the first time you heard about it, which is a relief for fans of the book.

“Life of Pi” begins with our journalist coming in search for a “story that will make you believe in God.” Whatever you believe in, though, “Life of Pi” is a truly wonderful film that I doubt many people would regret having seen.

Lasagna is a fantastic classic because there are so many ways to customize it. You can use all different vegetables, herbs, themes or proteins. The way I keep my versions lighter is by using lower fat (not fat-free) cheese and fat-free ricotta (or in this case sour cream). It takes a while to bake but just minutes to pull together, and it makes eight servings so pack up the leftovers for easy, healthy, delicious on-the-run lunches or dinners!

Chicken Fajita Lasagna

8 servings

295 calories, 6 g fat, 35 g carbs, 26 g protein

Ingredients

• 9 pieces Barilla no-cook lasagna noodles
• 1 jar (15 oz) organic chipotle salsa
• 1 can low sodium black beans (rinsed)
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
• 1 packet low sodium taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced green pepper
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat Mexican blend cheese
• 3/4 cup fat-free sour cream

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 F and mix together corn and beans.
2. Over medium heat, cook onions, peppers, chicken and taco seasoning (with 1/2 cup water) for 8-10 minutes until completely cooked.
3. Build your lasagna: 1/4 of the salsa, 3 noodles, 1/2 of the bean mixture, 1/2 of the chicken mixture, 1/2 cup cheese, 1/2 of the sour cream, 1/4 of the salsa; 3 noodles, 1/2 of the bean mixture, 1/2 of the chicken mixture, 1/2 cup cheese, 1/2 of the sour cream, 1/4 of the salsa; 3 noodles, remaining cheese and remaining salsa.
   
4. Cover loosely with tin foil and bake for one hour. Remove tin foil and bake 15 more minutes.

I’d like to begin this review by saying that “Django Unchained” was my favorite movie of 2012. Quentin Tarantino’s latest is equal parts fairy tale and grotesque spectacle, blown to truly epic proportions. Like similarly huge works before it, it sparked controversy prior to even hitting theaters, but was duly rewarded at this year’s Academy Awards with Best Original Screenplay for Tarantino and Best Supporting Actor for Christoph Waltz.

“Django” opens in the antebellum South, as a group of slaves are marched through a dark forest. From this darkness emerges Dr. King Shultz (Waltz) riding in a dentist’s wagon topped with an absurdly large bobbing tooth. He’s looking for a slave named Django (Jamie Foxx), whose assistance he requires in identifying a trio of wanted brothers from Django’s past. The good doctor speaks with characteristic Tarantino verbosity and buys Django’s freedom, shoots up the slavers and points out the North Star to the remaining slaves. With that done, he’s on his merry way.

The doctor, we soon learn, is not so much a practicing dentist as a successful bounty hunter and forward thinking opponent of slavery (a convenient plot loophole for Tarantino) and for a time, Django becomes his business partner. Along the way, Django reveals his quest to rescue his beloved wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), from her new owner and Shultz offers his help.

Broomhilda is not the property of just any plantation owner. She has been sold to the monstrous Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), sadistic proprietor of Candyland, the largest and most dreaded plantation in the area. Based on this knowledge, Shultz and Django come up with a gutsy plan to get them on Candie’s good side, but whether they’ll successfully fool Candie’s sniveling, self-loathing slave-butler, Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson) is another question entirely.

Tarantino has been soundly criticized by many for the flagrant use of the N-word (over 100 times in this film), as well as the proliferation of disturbing imagery, even by his own standards. “Django” absolutely deserves its R-rating, but I for one disagree with stances that the film is too flippant about the ever-present American issue of our national slave-owning past. Honestly, the N-word would have been standard vernacular for most of the antebellum South well into the twentieth century. Also, the most startling and uncomfortable role in “Django” casts Jackson as a traitor to his own race, serving as a brutal reminder of minority enforcement from within the minority itself. Jackson plays the part brilliantly, and the effect of his combined performance with DiCaprio (who is very possibly at a career-best as Candie) is blood-chillingly awful. Scenes of slaves fighting to the death for their owners’ pleasure and of a man being eaten alive by hounds are juxtaposed against Django’s heroism and shows of bravado that are necessary reminders that the backdrop of that familiar tale of rescuing a fair maiden in distress is catalyzed, not by some evil witch or overprotective parent, but by the violence inherent in the system of slavery. Critics seem unilaterally to agree that “Django” more closely approaches the goal Tarantino set out to achieve in “Inglourious Basterds” and the result is a more mature, if similarly eccentric, final product.

But what should not be forgotten, above all, when watching “Django Unchained” is the amount of fun Tarantino invariably has with his films. It is at turns madcap and deadly serious, but it has that irrepressible je ne sais quoi which keeps audiences returning again and again to see explosions, bloodbaths and general mayhem, and really, who could do it better?

Indian Dance ensemble

By Laura Crowley

On Friday night, the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble will perform for the public in the Weis Center for the Performing Arts. The group, which is from a small village in India, is known throughout the world as one of the most elite dance companies from the country, with performances in Hawaii, Denmark, Holland, Portugal, the Middle East, Singapore, New York and Japan.

In English, “Nrityagram” means dance village. Dancers from the ensemble live together and practice eight hours a day for six days a week since “dancers in India are required to reach a high level of skill before they ever perform,” Kathryn Maguet, executive director of the Weis Center, said.

The founder of the group, Protima Guari, purchased 10 acres of land in 1990 for the ensemble to live and dance on. The ensemble first performed for a foreign audience in 1996 in New York, where they were quickly critically acclaimed. In addition to dance, the ensemble learn yoga, mediation, Sanskrit, mythology, martial arts and literature.

“[The Nrityagram is] a community of dancers in a forsaken place amidst nature. A place where nothing exists, except dance. A place where you breathe, eat, sleep, dream, talk, imagine dance. A place where all the five senses can be refined to perfection. A place where dancers drop negative qualities such as jealousy, small-mindedness, greed and malice to embrace their colleagues as sisters and support each other in their journey towards becoming dancers of merit,” Guari said.

Gurus and students are welcome in the Nrityagram and contribute to its functional and spiritual upkeep.

One New York Times reporter noticed the effects of the their living styles on the dancers, as he wrote that they “performed with a burnished grace, a selfless concentration and a depth that reflected their intensive training in dance, music, literature, language and philosophy.”

Traditional Indian dance centers around seven dance forms: the residential school offers training in Indian classical dance forms, Odissi, Mohiniattam, Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Manipuri. The ensemble stays loyal to these ancient dances, yet incorporates a modern feel to its dances by exchanging dance styles with other artists.

Choreographers, musicians and other artists such as sculptors, painters, writers and actors from throughout the world visit the village to exchange art forms, which has given the group a more intercultural feel while still “maintaining a feel of traditional Indian dance,” Maguet said.

University students are among those artists who have been able to share their culture with the ensemble. The group arrived on campus Feb. 26 and has been running workshops for dance and music classes for the past three days.

“This exquisite company performs with exceptional synchronicity, compelling physicality and emotional honesty,” Maguet said. “This overwhelmingly beautiful program will leave audiences in awe of the dancers’ powerful imagery and captivating movement.”

The performance will be Friday night at 8 p.m. at the Weis Center. The event is in part sponsored by Gary and Sandy Sojka. Tickets will be $20 for adults, $16 for seniors over age 62 and $10 for children under 18 and can be purchased at any Box Office location, or by calling the Campus Box Office at 570-577-1000.

Tip to Beat Exam Stress

By Anna Jones

With midterms right around the corner, everyone is beyond stressed. Although a little bit of stress can be a good thing, everyone knows that if you get too worried, disaster is inevitable. Here are a few tips to beat the strain of midterms.

1. Set out a schedule

If you go to the library with the intent of studying everything you’ve ever learned, chances are you won’t be very productive. Instead, plan out your studying time. Devote an hour to focusing on Spanish verb conjugations, an hour to memorizing history dates and an hour to outlining your English essay. If you really focus on each topic during its assigned hour, you’ll learn exactly what you need.

2. Take breaks

It’s important to stop studying sometimes. After hours of cramming, you will reach a point where you just can’t take in any more information. When you hit this point, stop. You end up being less productive and learn less overall if you don’t take breaks periodically. Even just 10 minutes to get up and walk around, get a snack or some water can be extremely helpful.

3. Do what works for you

If you work well in groups, try to organize a study group with a few friends from your class. Having other people to explain confusing concepts or even exchange ideas can be really valuable. If you know you’ll do better by studying on your own, do that instead. (Even if your classmates are pushing really hard for you to be in their study group.) It’s important to know what study tactics work for you and use them to your advantage.

4.  Eat right

Although it can be tempting to stock up on brownies and goo cake from the Bostwick Marketplace to nibble on while studying, eating healthy foods during exams is very important. Fruits, vegetables and protein give your brain fuel and help avoid crashes while studying. Plus, you won’t feel guilty after four hours of snacking on carrots.

5. Work out

Exercise can be a great study break. If you feel yourself falling asleep while in the library, get up and go to the gym. It will help get your blood flowing and energize you to finish your studying. If you feel like you have too much to study and can’t take time off to go work out, bring a book with you. You can read your geography textbook or study math formulas while on the stationary bike, which kills two birds with one stone.

6. Sleep

This is probably the most important tip on the list. Many studies show that students do better on exams if they are well-rested. Your brain actually organizes the information you’ve studied while you’re sleeping, so it’s important to get rest. Although studying 24/7 seems really important, sleep is even more of a priority. Plus who wants to fall asleep during the middle of an exam?

7. Do something fun

Last semester, my friends and I went out to dinner at Elizabeth’s right before finals. Getting out of the library to have a good meal was so much fun and got my mind off of the impending exams. Allowing yourself to indulge in a fun night out with friends can help you feel calmer and do better on your exams!