Portfolio07

Two Women In Jazz

Jazz washes away the dust of every day life.

Art Blakey

Today I want to talk about life by analogy. I want to take a random topic, and I can say that life is comparable, for example, to the jazz -one of the greatest aesthetic pleasures. The beauty of life, jazz in this case, is the ability to convey emotions, feelings and involvement in our mood. That feeling comes to us through music. It's the gift of other human being' experience: the author. This is better illustrated if we consider the career of two acclaimed women contaautoras: Billie Holiday and Norah Jones.

First of all, we must consider to Billie Holiday, whose life and music is always being reminisced. Although Lady Day was considered to be an eccentric and rebellious woman, I think she didn't want  to be remembered only fot what she did bad, but especially for how she did her art. If you doubt this click on to her website (http://www.billieholiday.com/about/biography.htm) and make your own judgement. So don't forget that 'Billie Holiday, a musical legend still popular today, died an untimely death at the age of 44. Her emotive voice, innovative techniques and touching songs will forever be remembered and enjoyed.'

On the other hand, it's young Nora Jones (http://www.norahjones.com/). She, who acknowlegdes the clear influence of Billie in her music, is also one of the most important singer-songwriter today. This pianist established herself on the American music scene playing her own blend of jazz, soul and pop. Jones has won nine Grammy Awards and Billboard named her as one of the best-selling artists of all time.

Finally, the highest recognition to the works of an artist exists where there are not only a recognition of her value as woman but especially a great recognition of her personal talent as a real music. To quote a Billie Holiday, 'I can't stand to sing the same song the same way two nights in succession, let alone two years or ten years. If you can, then it ain't music, it's close-order drill or exercise or yodeling or something, not music.'

Portfolio06

Art Is About Life

You don't take a photograph, you make it.

Ansel Adams

I feel I was born with the music coming to me, and that's not something to be wasted.

Janis Ian

Having a sensitive soul is not a privilege; it’s a present we received and enjoyed with the life. All of us are sensible people. The proof is we can enjoy the art. The art as life is a shared experience, in my opinion. And, specifically, in the art takes part three actors, at least: the creator, the work and its viewer. We need to establish an open dialogue between them if we want understanding and reliving the art.

In American culture class today, as an inexperienced observer, I would like to give my opinion about how to understand the art. So, I must say the art is a multiple manifestations. In particular, I prefer arts like photography and music. About the first, I want to cite to Ansel Adams. He talks about his art and he says the photography is not to take, it’s about to make. Then I think is similar in life because my life must be to make things. For the other side, we have to Janis Ian, who speaks about the instinct talent. She suggests we have gifts and we must not waste it. On the contrary, we must grow and develop our skills. And this is something that we often forget: we have our own skills and must share them with all the others.

In conclusion, I think the art is the better analogy about the life. Or, in the words of William Faulkner, "The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again since it is life."

Portfolio05

Political Debate in American Culture Class

“Honest differences of views and honest debate are not disunity. They are the vital process of policy making among free men.”

H. C. Hoover

In the classroom, the political debate is maybe the best pedagogical tool for learning American culture. There are at least three reasons for this. First, debate awakens passion and feelings between people; when the people feel passion they set aside their shyness. Secondly, in a debate, especially political, people are obligated to give their own point of view.  Lastly, debate requires a prior investigation; students need to understand and master the subject. In general, debate in classroom is the best opportunity to learn the American culture while learning about current U.S. presidential campaign.

Portfolio04

No Man Is an Island

“No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as any manner of thy friends or of thine own were; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.” John Donne

  

 

Maybe I can begin talking about the poem with another poem. A few people, I think, have no idea about what means to be human being. When I think or feel like an individual person, I can’t see mankind. If I think in this way I’m susceptible to have prejudges like racism. For instance, every war in the world ends. But, at the end, it is the opportunity to change our feelings. It is the time to recognize our mistakes and repair the damages. It is the time to learn and forget, even though it seems like a contradiction.

On the other hand, when I say ‘any man's death diminishes me’, I want to say people need to be people. The Markovitz’s case is a clear example. Here we can look how some people receive the help of the others like a gift. A real gift, a real present because is now when they need and receive the mankind’s help. This is not about religion, gender and race. It is about people helping each other and themselves.

            What is my learning today about this? I can ask the opinion of others. Or I can have my own opinion and share it. I prefer the second for one reason. If I did not utter a word, I am exposing to accept the general opinion. So, not always the general opinion is the correct one. This is true when we are talking particularly about on issues of prejudice. 

 

Portfolio03

Celebrating life.

“Once again, we come to the Holiday Season,
a deeply religious time that each of us observes,
in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice”
Dave Barry

What I prefer to do when I know a new country?  Where to locate my eyes when I come to a new country? At the culture. This is the goal. Knowing the traditions is very important because we need to celebrate the life. It’s very interesting to observe as the people love to talk about their culture, rites and traditional foods. The people is according to talk about this things because it appeals at the heart. In every country, people, who is a good host, forget to talk about politics, religion or other fussy topics.

In this way the culture enters by the astonished eyes, by the hungry mouth and by the surprise touch. By ears, rarely. All our senses are affected, implicated. For this reason, we must always keep our sense of wonder. Affecting our senses assures that our heart remembers.

I have three weeks in USA.  I haven’t had time to be homesick for my country yet. But if I look the life I must thank God. I received an invitation to live a party, a meeting, a celebration. And I decide to accept it.

Always I remember this saying, ‘Love, because love is the only real experience’. I think in the new people, the life in this country, the rich traditions.

Finally, by chance I found a very useful site: public holidays in the world. We can find the holidays by continents and countries. And we can find different holiday topics: national, religion, school, etc. The cover of the website shows a world map with flashing light. This indicates that today there is a holiday in particular region.

Portfolio02

The fire that lit a flame of hope

‘He who wants to do good knocks at the gate:
he who loves finds the door open’

The last weekend, I dreamed with an empty home and a written wall.On occasion we have the opportunity to receive presents. I received a word and I desired to share it. But I forgot to do it. I should share the message.

In March 1911, 146 young women immigrants, fighting for their rights, to improve their conditions, demanding justice, had the misfortune to die. But today their deaths are a sign of social injustice, the disaster caused by the selfish interests of a few people. This tragedy remains in the collective memory of labor movements.

The great significance of remembering this event was to show the inhumane conditions under which people can be. The horror of this incident is the clearest analogy about inhuman desire to exploit the weak. This should not have happened. But once that has happened makes us to be alert to the need to apply equal justice for all, regardless of race, creed or gender.

This week I met the Triangle Waist Company's drama. I revived my dream. An empty place, battered women and lives extinguished by the fire. In my confusion, questions arise: How many people need to die to open my eyes? Who has the right to exploit the other people?  Who can be quiet while see this?

Today my heart found his dream. But I am sad and somber because wise people said that Fear loves to steal dreams. But I am happy too. Because of the fire ignited a flame of hope.

Portfolio01

The protest music in Latin America

‘All around me a voice was sounding,

the land was made for you and me’

Pete Seegar

Normally, when we are talking about the protest music we think just in American
singers. But it’s important to rescue any protest music in South America. For
example, it exists in Cuba a very long tradition of compositors. We know their
movement like ‘the new cuban trova’. If you pretend to know the protest music, you
need stopping and knowing them.

It’s very common in the protest music that the writers refer to the wars in the
world, the division between poverty and richness. Such as Bob Dylan’s famous song
Blowin’ in the wind. We know a lot of version of this song. In the same lane, we can
talk about Pete Seegar’s song This land is your land.

However, in the case of Latin America, the protest song refers to topic like racism,
gender fight, domestic policies and, of course, against USA. Like I said, the most
popular singers are from Cuba. Silvio Rodriguez and Pablo Milanes are very popular
in all countries. Happen the same with American composition: the poetry is present
in their songs.

Finally, in Latin America, a very important aspect with the protest songs is about
their lyrics themes. People tend to confuse it with romantic and loving songs.
But the experts know that this happens because the writers need to hide the real
intention: to protest against his own regime. Probably, it isn’t one no democratic
government. Of course, they are singing their songs, because we need to know that
the land was made for you and me, for us.