WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW NYC 2011 #-25

The Westminster annual dog show.

Lucas watches westminster

This is what happened when we let our dog Lucas watch the Westminster Dog Show, Thanksgiving 2009

Maltese Nounous barking at the westminster kennel club dog show

The Newport Jazz Festival: RI's Historical Improvisation for Jazz Appreciation

Jazz has been an integral part of African-American culture for over one hundred years. Its strong rhythmic understructure, bit o' the blues, solos, call-and-response patterns, and melodic improvisation bequeath this musical genre with a built-in sexiness or sax appeal! No surprise, early jazzmen said "to jazz" was to fornicate. Trumpeting a higher note, many literary scholars argue the term originated with Chaucer and Shakespeare. However, musician and songwriter, Clarence Williams, declared he was the first to use the word "jazz" in a song.

Before Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, and Billie Holiday defined jazz on their own terms, the genre's roots can be traced back to slavery on southern plantations. According to "The History of Jazz": To keep up a productive rhythm in the fields, spiritual work songs were created in the style of "call-and-response" where a song leader would call out a line, and the workers would respond to the call. At the turn of the 20th century, the spiciness of New Orleans homogenized blues, ragtime, and marching band to a style of music formally called "jazz." As African-Americans migrated to northern cities such as Chicago and New York during the Roaring Twenties, jazz took root and sprouted mightily through the 50s until rock n' roll ruled. The Civil Rights movement of the 60s influenced black jazz artists to take greater control over their music, predisposing the genre to reinvent itself which brings us to the origin of jazz appreciation in Rhode Island.

The state of Rhode Island's historical improvisation for jazz appreciation resulted in the establishment of the Newport Jazz Festival, a noteworthy event featuring famous artists from the jazz scene, currently held every August as a three day event at Fort Adams State Park in Newport. The Festival's coming to fruition as a cherished institution on Rhode Island soil is tinged with a bit o' the blues:

History of the Newport Jazz Festival

In 1954, socialite Elaine Lorillard and her husband established the Newport Jazz Festival, billed as the "First Annual American Jazz Festival," held at the Newport Casino of Newport, Rhode Island. The first event featured academic panel discussions and live musical entertainment on the lawns of the Casino, graced with performances by jazz greats. Over the course of two days 11,000 enthusiasts attended the event, whereby major newspapers hailed the festival as a success.

The following year the Casino opted not to host the festival because its lawn and other facilities did not hold up well to the magnitude of such an event. The Lorillards then purchased Belcourt, a large estate built during the Gilded Age, so the show could go on. The neighborhood wasn't too keen on the idea, foreseeing public disturbances. To put it bluntly, Newport's established upper crust opposed the festival for lack of jazz appreciation, whereas younger members of the elite participated in organizing it, attracting hordes of commoners to the city. Traffic congestion became a big concern. Sufficient lodging not forthcoming, many camped outdoors with or without tents. Since many of the musicians and fans were of African-American descent, racism also factored heavily in the denunciation of future jazz events. Nevertheless, with a little improvisation, the 1955 festival was held at Freebody Park, while workshops and receptions were held at Belcourt.

1956: Duke Ellington performed "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue."

1957: Performances by Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Carmen McCrae were incorporated in an album released in 1958-- "Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday at Newport."

1958: Sets by Dave Brubeck, Ray Charles, and Miles Davis appeared on subsequent albums-- "Newport 1958," "Ray Charles at Newport," and "At Newport 1958."

1960: Performances by Muddy Waters and Nina Simone were released as albums entitled--"At Newport 1960" and "Nina Simone at Newport." That same year the National Guard was called in to quell unruly spectators, so the Newport Jazz Festival was not allowed to happen in 1961. Improvisation procured a replacement billed as "Music at Newport," though it proved unsuccessful.

1962: The festival resumed at Freebody Park. George Wein, an astute businessman hitherto associated with fest ventures, took over the not-for-profit organizational venue, and incorporated the festival as an independent business venture of his own. This festival was documented in a film whose performers include Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan, the Oscar Peterson Trio, Roland Kirk, Duke Ellington, and the Count Basie Orchestra.

1964: Jazz appreciation had outgrown Freebody Park. Wein hosted the 1965 event at Festival Field where Old Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra, played the joint, causing attendance to soar. "Let's fly, let's fly."

1969: A year that will live in infamy, the fest was an experiment in fusing jazz, soul, and rock. Excess crowds with thousands unable to get tickets resulted in major disturbances. In 1971, more of the same ensued as the location could not accommodate all attendees.

1972: Jazz left Rhode Island when Wein decided to move the festival to New York City, renaming it, "Newport Jazz Festival-New York." This gala production consisted of 30 concerts with 62 performers such as Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Ray Charles, and Roberta Flack. Though successful, Wein missed the outdoor aspect.

1981: Wein brought the Newport Jazz Festival back to Newport, this time to Fort Adams State Park. Its seaside location afforded a free view of the event to yachtsmen. A daytime-only, alcohol-free format was adopted, and till this day--three stages are used.

Today, Newport trumpets a different tune from its earlier disdain, quite receptive to the continuance of the Newport Jazz Festival in its own backyard as a boost to tourism. In 2007, Wein sold his Festival Productions Company in a merge with producer, Shoreline Media. He took over the reins again in 2009.

"Come fly with me where there's a one man band to toot his flute for you" so to speak, and check the artist lineup of performers scheduled for three days each August at the Newport Jazz Festival website. Meanwhile, residential and out-of-state jazz enthusiasts can enjoy the musical genre of jazz and live performances all year round at the following establishments:

Aspire Restaurant(311 Westminster St., Providence): Considered the capital city's latest hot spot and A-bar, Aspire was the recipient of RI Monthly's 2008 "Best Restaurant and Lounge." Live jazz is featured every Friday night.

Bovi's Tavern (287 Taunton Ave., East Providence): Established in 1947, Bovi's has been the place to come and listen to jazz. Every Monday night, the John Allmark 16 piece jazz band is featured. Live bands perform every Friday and Saturday night.

Chan's Fine Oriental Dining (267 Main St., Woonsocket): "Home of Eggroll, Jazz, and Blues," Chan's has been a RI and national institution since 1905. Its 150 seat Four Seasons Jazz and Blues Club continues to host some of the finest local and international artists, earning a reputation as one of the premier jazz and blues clubs in the country.

Two Jerks Pub and Grill (336 Waterman Ave., East Providence): Every Wednesday night the pub hosts one of the area's best jazz jams.

Jazz continues to evolve and pulsate through its structural elements of rhythm, blues, solos, call-and-response patterns, and above all-melodic improvisation. Rhode Island's Newport Jazz Festival continues to evolve as a cherished institution through improvisational planning to attract great musicians, while accommodating an ever expanding fan base who dig all that jazz. From its inception in 1954 until the present, numerous masterpieces performed live at the Festival have been preserved in documentary films, albums, or CDs. Whether or not you're able to attend the three day event held annually at Fort Adams State Park-you can improvise by listening to Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Count Basie or perchance Ray Charles playing alto sax for "The Spirit-Feel"(1958), preserved as a Festival blues print, for enjoyment within the confines of home sweet home.

Eva Pasco - Author
UNDERLYING NOTES (238 pgs)

A Midlife Journey of Self-Discovery: Winding past Rhode Island's affluent coastal communities, prominent landmarks, cherished institutions, and olive oil spills of the underworld.

FREE EXCERPT (Chapters 1-3)/Convenient Ordering: eBook or Print

http://www.booklocker.com/books/4431.html

West Highland Terriers - Dog Breeds

West Highland Terriers or "Westies" originated in the West Highlands of Scotland. These terriers were originally bred to go after small game. It is said that their breeding came about after another terrier was mistakenly shot Another breeder had a few white pups in the litter and bred those exclusively to become the West Highland White terriers of today. A Westie is very friendly and has a jaunt about his step. This breed is very hardy and needs a walk every day for exercise. Westies have a better temperament than most terriers and will not snap as much. They are recognized by the AKC and other top breeding programs as a legitimate breed.

Westies are fun loving, and fun to be with. They need a small yard to be happy. They are also good companions to be with, and all the love that you could ask for. However, the life can go right out of them if you mistreat these precious dogs. They are good companions for those that have families and well behaved children. They are a bit high strung, but are well worth it to have as friends and companions. The heart of a warrior lies within their chests.

For hunting of small game, these terriers really cannot be beat. These hunters keep at it until they have found their prey. Their determination is one of their inborn traits as a small game hunter. They are fantastic to work with and a joy on the hunting field. These terriers have a natural ability to hunt and also to play. Their good nature is what truly endears them to dog lovers. For Westie owners, they really would not have it any other way. These dogs are also champions on the field of competition and have the AKC stamp of approval. You can see a representative at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. You can also see these at any AKC competition.

These adorable Westies have won Best of Show, Best of Breed, and even won several AKC events. Breeders have entered these dogs into all sorts of shows. They have won major competitions in any show that they have been entered into. They are champions of field, of breed and lovable companions to any and all who take them into their homes. If you want a loyal dog breed this is the only one to have.

For more information on West Highland Terriers or Dog Breeds take a look at this Dog Training website.

Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Dog Breed - Height, Weight, Color, History and Description

Description: The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a hunting dog that is very strong. With a slightly rounded top to the skull that, on profile, will look square. The head is in proportion to the body. This breed has a brown nose with wide-open nostrils, and their teeth meet in a scissor bite. This breed has large eyes that are round in shape and come in brown to yellow colouring.

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon ears are set at the head line and hang down, lying against the head. This dog has a long neck. The height is 20-24 inches and the weight is 50-60 pounds. It has rounded front legs that are straight; this dog has webbed feet and is a marvellous swimmer. In countries that permit docking the tail is docked, this is a straight tail that is carried high.

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon has a coat that is medium in length, rough, course and double coated. The under coat is soft. This dog has bushy eye brows, beard and moustache. Colours we see are: steel grey with brown, white and orange, white and solid brown, white and brown.

History: The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon came about due to the hard work of a Dutchman called Eduard Korthal, he was a very keen hunter and wanted the best hunting dog he could breed. He mixed setter, German Griffon, and the French and German Pointers. The amazing thing was that he got the dog he wanted in about 20 years, he also wrote the standards and formed the Griffon Club of America in 1916. This breed more than matched what he was seeking and this dog exceeds in small game hunting.

For more information on different Dog Breeds, Dog Training and Teacup Puppies for sale including Yorkies, Chihuahuas and Morkies please visit our websites below. Be sure to Register for our Free Puppy Contest where you can register to win a Free Puppy valued at up to $1,500.00 with Free Shipping.

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The Three Different Types of Poodles

Poodles are divided into three different varieties, the standard, miniature, and toy. The American Kennel Club, a leading authority on dog breeds, delineates the varieties by size. Standard poodles must be over 15 inches at the highest points of their shoulders. Miniature poodles are defined as 15 inches or less at the highest point on the shoulders and over 10 inches. Toy poodles must measure 10 inches or less at the highest point of the shoulders.

The standard poodle was the earliest variety of this dog breed. It was bred to retrieve waterfowl for hunters. The name "poodle" was likely derived from the German "pudelin", meaning to splash in the water.

Many people think of the poodle cut as something invented for pampered smaller dogs to appear cute, but it was actually invented for the standard poodle in its original job as a water retriever. The rear fur was cut off to make the dog able to swim better while the chest hairs were left intact to protect his or her vital organs in cold water. The pom on the tail and the bow on the head were used to help hunters to find and identify their dogs in the water.

The size of the standard poodle has made it useful in many other capacities as well. Poodles have been trained as guide dogs, army dogs, guard dogs, cart dogs and even sled dogs.Prince Rupert of the Rhine, cousin to Charles I of England, is said to have had a white standard poodle named Boy, whom he took into battle with him, and who died in 1644 at the Battle of Marston Moor. Emperor Napoleon mentioned in his memoirs a standard poodle who died at the battle of Marengo. During World War II, in the United States, standard poodles were used to guard defense plants, military installations, and coastlines. Because they are hypoallergenic, poodles make good guide dogs for blind people with allergies. In 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991 dog-sled teams made up partly of poodles ran the Iditarod race in Alaska and finished the long, grueling trip through the ice.

Miniature and toy poodles were bred during the Renaissance, when European nobility wanted small dogs for companions. People would carry little poodles around in their sleeves during cold weather. To this day toy and miniature poodles are thought of as companion dogs, frequently carried around in purses or bags. Smaller poodles have been used for finding a kind of fungus called a truffle, because they would disrupt the ground less than their larger cousins. Small poodles were trained by Gypsies to perform tricks and were used in vaudeville and circuses.

In February a male toy poodle named Walker won in the toy dogs division at the Westminster Dog Show, beating a Pekinese, a shih-tzu, and a papillon. Walker was the top-winning toy dog in the country last year, winning more than 30 best in show awards.

Two sizes of Poodles not recognized by the AKC are the Klein and teacup poodles. The Klein is intermediate in size between the standard and miniature, standing at 15 to 20 inches at the highest part of the shoulder. Kleins, or moyens as they are called in France, are usually kept as pets in American homes since they cannot compete in AKC shows. Teacup poodles are the tiniest, being only nine inches at the highest part of the shoulder or smaller. They usually weigh only six pounds or less.

Whatever their size, poodles are known to be one of the most intelligent, trainable dog breeds. If you buy a poodle, socialize it well and train it early to have a well-adjusted, happy companion.

Lea Mullins, discusses the differences between the 3 different types of Poodles - the Standard Poodle, the Miniature Poodle and the Toy Poodle. Visit TrainPetDog.com to learn about different dog breeds.