The Old North State

Review of Times Right Now by smokin' Piedmont acoustic singer-songwriter, Jon Shain

terrasig — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 11:02:26 +0000

Review of Times Right Now by smokin' Piedmont acoustic singer-songwriter, Jon Shain

Jon Shain and his Trio will be performing this evening (Saturday, July 17) at The Soul Cafe in Durham, NC, together with Washington, DC's The Grandsons and Pat Wictor. The Soul Cafe is an alcohol-free venue near Durham's Brightleaf Square. Sadly, I'm out of town and can't attend - but you should. Click here for more information on tonight's show from Jon's Facebook page.

Times Right Now is the 6th album by Piedmont Blues guitarist Jon Shain since he went solo in 1998 after a decade with his folk-rock group, Flyin' Mice, and their spinoff, WAKE.

Shain's album covers as much diverse ground as you might expect from a Jewish boy from a Massachusetts milltown who came to Duke to major in American history and seek the mentorship of legends in the Piedmont blues style (biography here). There's something for everyone on this album regardless of one's musical preferences.

Perhaps the greatest departure for Jon is the partnership with The Grandsons from DC who add a layer of vintage horns not normally seen on previous albums. Hailing largely from DC, The Grandson bring a self-described "pawn shop of instruments" to the effort. Together with members of his time-tested trio, FJ Ventre on bass, Bill Newton on harmonica, and John Currie on dobro, Times Right Now is a work of finesse and strong songwriting and musicianship while also serving up a few earbugs for even the casual listener.

Self produced with Scottsburg Jonze and Jackson Hall, it's the fresh mixing of Chris Stamey that comes to the forefront from the first note. Stamey, a long ago member of the dBs and outstanding guitarist in his own right most recently partnering with his old mate, Peter Holsapple, has made a consistent name for himself with his recording and production skills. Stamey brings the clarity and authenticity of each instrument to the overall mix and Holsapple even shows up for a guest appearance. After listening to Auto-Tune-worked songs and sampling loops out the wazoo elsewhere, it's truly refreshing to hear exquisite playing that doesn't skimp on melody and hooks.

Shain opens "James Alley Blues" with the album's title line, "times right now ain't nothing like they used to be," letting us know from the start that this is a different album. His acoustic guitar lines are clean and the groove set down by Newton and Ventre is infectious. Followed by "Mr. Snakeoil!," a tune inspired by the Bush administration, the album opens strongly with blues riffs before Jon breaks it down to show his diverse skill.

"Spinning Compass" is the first of a few dreamier numbers that demonstrate Shain's penchant for supreme fingerpicking and sense of melody. A few of the breaks are reminiscent of Suzanne Vega's debut album "down in your hometown." The Grandsons are then front and center on "Something New," launching with tenor sax and Bill Newton's playful harmonica in the style of Stevie Wonder.

It took me several listens to the concertina waltz, "Clementine," before I could identify what grabbed about this one. I could hear this being one of Springsteen's sweeping waltzes featured on 1980's, The River, except that Jon's singing is more authentic and less affected than The Boss was on that album (and that coming from a Jersey boy).

"Driving them Crazy" again pulls out the fingerpicking chops and hits a home run with "Careless Love," a top pick from a musician's standpoint with pre-World War slide picking and lonesome vocal harmonies.

The most broadly accessible song on the album is the New Orleans-flavored, "Oooncha Ooncha Music." This song has become a ritual for the PharmKid every morning this summer where we can play it three times in the car before I drop her off at camp. That's a far greater endorsement than my writing can provide. I'm happy to support her fixation on the song because she sings along with words that tell the music history: "Louie Armstrong and Jellyroll, they paved the way for rock 'n' roll." If you don't move some part of your body while listening to this song, you need a defibrillator.

"Midnight Snack" then features FJ Ventre on vocals. I learned from seeing the trio a few weeks ago that Jon writes a song on each album for FJ and they've been trying to get this song adopted by Lynne Rosetto Casper for her NPR foodie show, The Splendid Table.

"Louise, Louise" is one of the grittier numbers in the true blues style: "When Louise gets down to business, she's like a locomotive train."

"Song for Dara" kicks off back-to-back family time building on Jon's tunes Song for Maria and Song for JoJo on his previous album, Army Jacket Winter. For his sister, Dara, Jon devotes a catchy instrumental with an overdubbed counter melody - a tasty little piece. But to reprise his devotion to his daughter JoJo, Shain channels Matthew Sweet's Divine Inspiration in "Little Flower". Johanna (her given name) is a contemporary of the PharmKid, a rising 3rd grader. The song will resonate with the daddy faction, reminding of short time we have with these little angels before they launch off: "Just a little while longer, she'll blow away from me soon."

Jon closes the album with a primarily acoustic number called "Yadkin River Blues," a song that was my instant favorite when I saw the Shain with FJ and Bill Newton the night I purchased the disc. The Yadkin River Valley is a sleepy region of North Carolina one encounters while driving west up to the Appalachians that's now making its name as a major wine grape growing region, the first American Viticultural Area appellation so designated in the state. Perhaps reflecting North Carolina's prominence in science, technology, and education, but down-home Southern culture, Shain grabs me with the lines, "I'm just waiting for two checks in my mail...one's from the academy and the other's from a jail."

While Jon has another three or four decades of doing this, I found that this album was a major step forward that the previous albums had been leading to. I didn't speak much about Jon's singing but it's really strong and pure with an ease that hadn't quite come through fully on previous albums; I feel that he's really hit another milestone in his own musical journey. I tried to identify a weakness in the album but the only one I can find was that it ended after the last song. Certainly, some songs will appeal more to some than others but Jon is to be congratulated for putting together such a strong team whose seasoned core and new friends, The Grandsons, treat his songs with the craftsmanship they deserve.

Shain's own press release describing the background and inspirations for this album can be found in this PDF.

And he'll teach you how to do this, too
I should also mention that Jon is an equally talented instructor of electric and acoustic guitar and bass in many styles as well as songwriting technique. His long-running advertisement in the Triangle's Independent Weekly cites his expertise with helping adult players getting unstuck from their plateaus. It was that line that drew me to seek Jon out for lessons for the first time in my 30 years of being stuck at my own plateau. As an instructor, Jon's approach is to help you be whatever you want - a parlor hack, an open mike night player, a solid traditionalist, or a balls-out rocker.

His teaching sessions don't just cover music theory and fingerpicking exercises. Jon's given me tutoring on songwriting, how to talk to an audience (don't tell a long story about the story you're about to sing them), and the basic nuts and bolts of the music business.

Jon's also built a really nice community among his protégés by hosting an open mike house concert for his students every few months to give everyone a chance to perform in a supportive environment no matter where they are in their music development. It's not often that you'll find such a magnanimous spirit in the music industry - Shain is a community treasure.

You can download Shain's Times Right Now and hear previews at cdbaby.

And for those readers in New York and New England, Jon will be touring up with y'all during August. Check his tour calendar to learn we you can see him live.

Disclosure: The copy of Times Right Now reviewed herein was purchased by the blogger at a Jon Shain Trio concert but I did get a deal by buying three for $30 and had them autographed by Shain, FJ Ventre, and Bill Newton. No free materials or other services were provided by the artist in exchange for this review or endorsement of his instructional activities. This is pure love and admiration, my friends.

terrasig Sat, 07/17/2010 - 07:02

Tags

music

The American South

The Old North State

Loved reading this, Abel, and I agree wholeheartedly. Jon's wide-ranging talents and passions have touched many of us. He's a gem.

Indeed, NB - we're mighty lucky folks that he lives in our area.

Jason Dorsette: Maximizing collegiate success for African-American men

terrasig — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 06:02:29 +0000

Jason Dorsette: Maximizing collegiate success for African-American men

In the 18 years from my first faculty appointment, one of the most satisfying parts of the journey has been watching students come through my life who you can tell - you just "know" - are going to make a huge difference in the world. (I previously wrote of one of these here, Arizona clinical pharmacist, Sandra Leal, PharmD.)

Well, two years ago, I was at the kickoff of a Juneteenth celebration at my new institution and was immediately drawn to this striking young man who, after speaking with him for a spell, convinced me that he was going to be one of these kinds of students.

It's not just that he stands out from a crowd because he's taller than me. Anyone who has met Jason Dorsette will tell you that the man just simply exudes warmth and elegance. And not just because he is literally tall, dark, and handsome. He makes you feel welcomed, listened to, and valued. You see him making an impact in everything he touches, from leading the NCCU Graduate Student Association to building through Habitat for Humanity to leading a new university initiative to cultivate young African-American men for collegiate success.

I view Mr. Dorsette as a role model. And I'm just a professor from a completely different discipline.

In our continuing series reviewing issues raised at the Centennial HBCU Symposium in Research Triangle Park, NC on June 3-4, 2010, I want you to know more about Jason Dorsette. I have no doubt that you will hear much more about him in the years to come.

From Jason's professional biosketch:

Mr. Jason J. Dorsette is a native of High Point, North Carolina. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Education as well as his Masters of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University.

He has received numerous awards on national, state and local levels for his ability to lead. Mr. Dorsette research interests include African-American males living in the 21st century growing up in single-parent households; students' support and advising; and the importance of expanding economic development for minority communities.

He has been fortunate to travel throughout the state, sharing his passion as it relates to mentoring black males in college. He has been blessed to participate with several internships. Some of the internships include the United States Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc., the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, The United States Department of Education, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, and Durham Habitat for Humanity.

Currently, Mr. Dorsette is Student Services Specialist/Program Advisor for Student Leadership, Training & Development at North Carolina Central University and Coordinator for the North Carolina Central University Centennial Scholars Program. In his spare time, Mr. Dorsette likes to play sports, read and travel. He lives by the motto, "A persistent strong desire pushes your goal into manifestation." Last but not least, he is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

While I was fighting the vestiges of my semester-long illness and Jason was jetting around for job interviews (we kept him!), we had an e-mail exchange to share with our readers of Terra Sig:

Terra Sig: Thanks for doing this, Jason. We'll have your formal bio on the blog but tell us a little about your background and how you pursued your own education.

Jason Dorsette: I am from a small town just west of Greensboro, North Carolina called High Point. I am a product of a single parent home. Like many African-American families, my father was not present in my household. I am a first generation college graduate. Although my family members were not able to further their educational endeavors post-high school, my mother and grandmother always advocated for me to pursue my college education.

Growing up, I shared in the same dream like so many of other African-American boys; I wanted to be a professional basketball player. As a result of my athletic accomplishments on the court, I was decided to enroll in Louisburg College, which is a junior college outside of Raleigh, NC. My plan was to play basketball for Louisburg College and then transfer to a Division I school to further my dream of becoming a basketball player. In short, when I arrived at Louisburg College and tried out for the basketball team, I was called a "Nigger" by another student who was trying out for the team and decided to never return back to for tryouts.

As a result of me disliking Louisburg College, I transferred to North Carolina Central University (NCCU). NCCU was a total culture shock to me. Although I was an African-American student, I did not attend an all-black high school, nor did I have a lot black friends growing up; my friends were mostly white. Even though my most of my friends where white, they NEVER treated me as an outsider. They were extremely embracing and welcoming at all times.

The transition to NCCU was not the best. I entered into institution trying to find my fit. I can recall being told by several brothers and sisters that I speak, dress, and act like a white boy. In addition to me not being welcomed by my peers, I did not see a point to go to class. At my lowest my GPA was a 1.67 and I was placed on academic probation. Not only was I not fitting into NCCU, but I was almost was asked to leave due to my poor academic performance. After several attempts to convince my mother to allow me to transfer to another institution, I realized that she was not budging. After all, she was supposed to attend NCCU after high school but became pregnant with my brother and never fulfilled her dream. She made me attend NCCU because this she wanted to attend NCCU.

During the second semester of my sophomore year here at NCCU, I was required to take a course entitled "African-Diaspora" with Dr. Sylvia Jacobs. Dr. Jacobs challenged me like no other person I know. She saw potential in me. She then introduced me some positive black college men on campus that were a part of the 100 Black Men of America, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. These men took the time to actually get to know me and groom me. They were very influential in my development academically and socially.

As I entered into my senior year, I became an influential student leader. I was Chair of the Rules Committee with the Student Government Association; President of the 100 Black Men Chapter of NCCU, in which we received organization of the year in North Carolina and runner up nationally. I earned my Bachelor of Science in History with a concentration in Middle Grade Education.

I then took an internship working with a program funded by the United States Department of Education in Washington, DC. The experience working in Washington, DC, was GREAT; however, I decided to pursue my Master's Degree in Public Administration (MPA). While pursing my MPA I was appointed to serve as the President for the NCCU Graduate Student Association. I was charged to re-energize the graduate student body by getting my fellow graduate students and faculty members excited and motivated while pursuing their degrees.

Terra Sig: I first met you at our Juneteenth celebration in 2008 when you were president of the NCCU Graduate Student Association. What has driven you to lead organizations and projects while you are pursuing your own demanding schedule?

Jason Dorsette: My desire to give back to this great institution that has given so much to me has driven me to lead and participate with various projects and organizations on campus. Furthermore, as a kid I always enjoyed being the leader in different activities.

Terra Sig: Can you tell us how the system-wide Minority Male Mentoring Program and the NCCU Centennial Scholars Program got started, how it's funded, and what your goals are?

Jason Dorsette: National research indicates that minority males are not attending and/or graduating from college at the same rate as their female or Caucasian male counterparts. A multitude of colleges and universities around the country have developed programs and initiatives to increase opportunities for access and success of this critical population.

NCCU has been named 1 of 9 state supported institutions to participate with the UNC Minority Male Mentoring Project. The UNC Minority Male Mentoring Project is a grant funded by the UNC System General Administration (GA), to increase enrollment amongst minority male transfer students from a 2-year community colleges to a 4-year universities. (Durham Tech and Vance County Community College are our clients)

For the past few years, several colleges have developed leadership groups and activities specifically for minority males and now we can include North Carolina Central University!
The NCCU Minority Male Mentoring Program Steering Committee has been charged with designing, supporting and recommending initiatives to increase access, promote retention and increase degree completion rates for minority male students transferring from these 2-year colleges. In collaboration with NCCU Undergraduate Admissions, the NCCU Male Minority Mentoring Program has developed a strategic multi-faceted approach that encourages academic achievement; promotes personal and professional development; and provides support for students to enroll and stay in college and graduate, and achieve their goals.

The three primary goals of the NCCU Minority Male Mentoring Program are:

To increase the access and persistence rate of minority males.
To proactively connect minority males with academic and other support resources during their first semester at North Carolina Central University (i.e. University College, fraternal support, and support from learning communities such as the Centennial Scholars, etc.)
To enhance the college environments to create a culture of success where minority males can develop a sense of belonging and a connection to faculty, staff and other students.

Terra Sig: Our own program at NCCU has been averaging 60-75% female students. What do you view as the barriers to getting young African-American men interested in a 4-year degree? Is there a perception that education just isn't cool or any other peer-pressure to NOT go to college?

Jason Dorsette: Although it is difficult to identify every barrier to getting young black men interested in 4-year degrees, I have been able to identify some variable that make black males less interested in a 4-year degree.

1. The lack of self-esteem. I think that there is a clear connection between self-esteem and academic achievement. Low self-esteem means that the individual lacks respect for self, due to prior experiences. For example, when black males are unable to succeed in high school, this causes negative emotional reactions. Just think, what if a student receives the lowest grade on a final exam out of the entire class and then somehow someone stumbles upon the students' scores and broadcast the grade to others in the class, one could imagine the amount of embarrassment felt.

2. Negative stigma/perception associated with black males succeeding in institutions of higher education. More often than not, black males do not view themselves as scholars, instead they view themselves as professional athletes and that is it. Unfortunately due to the fact that in the black community, there are not as many black men in academia, the average young black male views on academic success is skewed. In our communities, we see more black males working average jobs and not furthering their education, which in return has potential to limit the options that black males think they have. Our black role models are mostly professional athletes. As black people we do not hold high academic endeavors in high regard. Our people seek more instant gratification versus having to put in the work and watching your work pay off in the long run.

3. Peer pressure. I really think that the media and entertainers like rappers do not help in trying to promote higher education. This generation, commonly referred to as "the Hip Hop" generation is consumed with rap music. Some rappers' lyrics are too explicit. It's almost as if rappers' lyrics brain washes our black youth. Neither rappers nor enough persons in the black community speak on the importance of further education, therefore furthering your education is viewed as not cool.

4. Failure to institutionalize or integrate with higher education. Often times, black male students fail to realize the importance of becoming fully acclimated with the university and the many resources they offer.

Terra Sig: In a February 18 Campus Echo article, you were quoted as saying, "The men need real down-to-earth, uncensored talk to prove we care. We need to plant the seed and provide mentors to go beyond all measures to ensure success." What kind of uncensored talk works best with these young men?

Jason Dorsette: The kinds of uncensored talk that works best for the young men is actually getting in their faces and hold them accountable for their actions. As a young professional in the field of student affairs, I am very knowledgeable as it relates to the various theories and models pertaining to student development and developed best practices; however, sometimes it takes me having to result back to my African-American male culture. In addition, flexibility is crucial for a good mentor. Our young people are social network fanatics, ie. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc. as mentors we need to always remain familiar with the new trends and happenings of the generation that we serve. Mentors cannot continue to do the same traditional practices of mentoring. They should think outside of the box and dig deeper to relate to this generation.

Jason with his own role model, NCCU Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, Dr. Kevin Rome (left).

Terra Sig: In Barry Saunders's March 25 column in the News & Observerentitled, "Dining for Success," you and Kaia Clarke (Women's Leadership Coordinator for NCCU's Women's Center) were featured in an activity to teach young women and men the etiquette of dining and general professional etiquette. Do you think this is a deficiency specific to African-American students or just an overall problem in all facets of today's collegiate culture? How do you convince students that knowing which fork to use or what to do with your cell phone is important in business situations?

Jason Dorsette: Honestly, I think that this deficiency is an overall problem with today's collegiate culture. The potential of etiquette and manners of our African-American students are internal, they need guidance on how and when to use them. Also, there is a population of students that have many examples of this practice but may be ashamed or embarrassed to expose among their peers. The benefit in collaborating with the young ladies enhanced our CSP objectives.

We believe that our scholars have the potential to as long as the resources are provided. I believe the problem or concern is that today's collegiate culture, specifically at Liberal Arts colleges such as NCCU may be the deficiency. Considering the African-American Males Centennial Scholars program was established to address the retention issues of some black males as well to prepare them professional and academically for graduate/professional school and jobs explains that some Liberal Arts education is lacking or deficient in its delivery of curriculum. In my role as CSP coordinator, I was able to observe and recognize that many of the African-American males are enhancing their values and best practices as it relates not only to proper dinning etiquette but also to their professional well-being. Deciding to collaborate with Kaia Clarke was beneficial because it allowed the scholars to demonstrate what they have learned while being a part of the CSP. Truthfully, they wanted to impress the young women therefore they were not ashamed or embarrassed to showcase those manners that have been in them all along.

I believe you can convince students why business and dining etiquette is important by giving other professionals an opportunity to share in positive testimonials. Instead of giving a student a little part of the big picture, working backwards will assist in their understanding and purpose as to this program relevance. Explaining to students that business is everywhere, from getting a haircut to buying your favorite music CD to asking the office staff for assistance, it is all part of best practices. In a nutshell, providing more programs such as the ones provided by the CSP will assist in continued development in the lives of African-American males and acknowledges the purpose of importance in their future endeavors.

Terra Sig: You are widely known on campus as a motivating role model. I know that it may be embarrassing to talk about yourself but what special qualities do you think you have that make you so effective as a role model to young men?

Jason Dorsette: This is a hard question for me to answer. People ask me all the time, "Jason, how did you become such a great role model? What do you do?" and my response is, I don't know. I do not have scientific method. But I will try to answer this question as best as I can. I think that I am an effective role model on campus because people can tell that I am genuine and have a good heart. Some qualities that I posses as a role model are: honesty, adaptability, persuasion, and fairness. Without sounding egotistical or arrogant, either you got it, or you don't.

Terra Sig: So, I'm a white dude - yes, I'm from a blue collar background and a first-generation 4-year college student but I'm from the North and I'm now a prof. I can't talk to young black men as a Southern black man and I'm not close enough in age to be dialed in to all of the lingo, music, and culture. In fact, the social science and education literature does sometimes note that the good intentions of white faculty on HBCU campuses can be viewed as paternalistic and even condescending. So, what can bespectacled, graying white guys with goatees do to support this project and be perceived as genuinely committed to helping these young men succeed?

Jason Dorsette: Wow! This is a great question and honestly, I do not have a solution; however, I would offer some words of encouragement. As stated above, I attend a predominantly all-white high school in the South. During my sophomore year in high school, I took a class called African-American studies with Mr. Barnwell.

Mr. Barnwell was a white guy with red hair in his mid-40's with a strong southern accent. As a matter of fact, his reputation amongst the student body was that he was the most racist teacher at the school, which I found out was not the case at all. Mr. Barnwell simply a white guy who wanted to push young black boys like myself to be all that can be. This reminds me, I need to check in with Mr. Barnwell.

The only advice that I can give to white faculty members on HBCU campuses is to continue to work with our black students, because we need you. No matter what the literature says and regardless of white faculty members questioning if or not they are "real" in the lives of black males, I would say carry on. I have said this before and I believe this with all of my heart, other ethnic groups that decided to teach on HBCU campuses need to be praised and supported just as much if not more than black professors on HBCU campuses. They bring a different dynamic to the HBCU experience. Hell, the same Dukes who started Duke University, gave Dr. James E. Shepard money to establish NCCU.

Terra Sig: Thank you, Jason, for sharing your story, insights, and advice with us and our readers. I really appreciate your frankness as well as your advice to me as well! Call on me anytime you think I can be of help.

terrasig Thu, 06/17/2010 - 02:02

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Academia

Race in Science and Society

Categories

Thanks for introducing us to such an awesome young guy, Abel!

Jason, congratulations on your success thus far. You are an inspiring leader and mentor. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors!

Great interview Dr.Pharmboy. Every example helps break the prevailing stereotype a bit. And what a fine example Jason is.

Jason,
Congrats on your success so far, and kudos to your mom for not budging at a crucial juncture. She must be really proud of you now. Wish you lots of success if all your future efforts too.

belle: As always, I love to share stories about the remarkable people who come into my life. I really appreciate your RT of the interview on Twitter. If you come on down to ScienceOnline2011, you can even have a chance to meet him!

arvind: Thank you as always for your support. It's all Jason - all I did was ask the questions. I had the chance to chat briefly with Jason's mother at the Chancellor's Reception for grad when he got his MPA - as you might guess, she too exudes warmth and strength.

I feel so incredibly lucky that we were able to keep Jason here in Durham for our young men and the larger university community. I know that he had attractive offers at larger universities so I look forward to watching his star continue to rise firsthand.

Think that there is a clear connection between self-esteem and academic achievement. Low self-esteem means that the individual lacks respect for self, due to prior experiences.

Great post, Abel! Jason is one of my favorite people at Central and you've done an excellent job capturing him. Kudos!

Jason, I am so proud of you! You have become such an inspiration to many! God has really blessed you and will continue to!

Little Talley!

I have known Jason for over 3 years and he is a great leader of NCCU and Durham

I stumbled across this article and am very impressed with the story.
I am at Minneapolis Community and Technical College and one of our goals is to support the success of African American Males.
I wonder if Jason or someone else is available to be a speaker for us or to provide me with additional resources based on the success of their program.

Yvette Trotman
Special Assistant to the President for Diversity and Anti-Bias Issues

Jason,

I hope that you can be of some much needed assistance. I live in Greensboro, North Carolina. I am Godmother to a 14 year old African American girl who is extremely concerned about her 16 year old brother who has been kicked out of school and is selling drugs. There have been church members who have tried to reach out to him and mentor, but there is never a real connection. Can you offer any assistance or do you know of anyone here in Greensboro that you may be able to place him in contact with. He is a very intelligent young man and is capable of making good grades when he is focused. I look forward to any assistance that you can give. Thank you.

Brian Kennedy on the continued relevance of HBCUs

terrasig — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:02:01 +0000

Brian Kennedy on the continued relevance of HBCUs

As launched with yesterday's post, we'll be spending this week presenting my impressions of a symposium held on June 3-4, 2010, entitled, "Setting the Agenda for Historically Black Colleges and Universities." Sponsored by North Carolina Central University, one of five HBCUs in the University of North Carolina system, this gathering of national education leaders culminated a year long celebration of the centennial of the 1910 founding of the institution by businessman, teacher, and pharmacist, Dr. James E. Shepard.

A native of Raleigh, Shepard earned a Ph.G. in pharmacy (the original pharmacy degree) in 1894 from the Leonard Medical School at Shaw University. After establishing the first pharmacy in Durham that served African-American clientele, Shepard was central to the founding of two institutions that established the Bull City as a beacon of Black business activity in the South: the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company (1898) and Mechanics & Farmers Bank (1907).

HBCUs have tended to focus on their rich history of struggle and accomplishment but the symposium focused on moving forward as an institution in today's highly-competitive higher education landscape and global economy. Scholars far more qualified than I have held forth on the continued relevance of the HBCU.

But as a white professor from the North at a HBCU, what I find most refreshing is learning from students about how the HBCU experience is relevant to them - today. I want to share one example with you in this post.

Brian Kennedy is a native of the Charlottesville, Virginia area and is a rising junior in political science at NCCU. He was recently elected vice-president of the NCCU Student Government Association. Brian qualifications could have easily gotten him into UVa, or any university for that matter, but he chose only to apply to Howard University and NCCU. (This reminds me of a Temple University commercial on Philadelphia television stations in the early 1980s featuring Bill Cosby speaking about specific students and their qualification with his tagline, "She could've gone anywhere. She chose Temple.")

On day one of the HBCU Symposium, Brian gave the lunch address in a session entitled, Student Matters: Manifestations of the HBCU Experience. Brian was swamped with attention following the session but he took time later in the day to share with Terra Sigillata readers the highlights of his talk. Toward the end we also shared a few laughs as to whether students want blogging professors in their social media affairs.

Many thanks to Mr. Kennedy for talking with us about his talk and his own influences and motivations for choosing to attend a HBCU.

terrasig Mon, 06/14/2010 - 02:02

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Academia

Race in Science and Society

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I attended Oakwood University. OU HBCU has a higher rate of acceptance of pre-med students to medical schools or graduate schools than most other schools in the country. It is the same for most HBCU's as far as their graduates being prepared for graduate schools. I was accepted with a full ride into my master's program and was pleasantly surprised to be BETTER prepared than my classmates who came from PWI's, in regards to psychology foundational knowledge.

The mentoring that occurs as well as the rigor in academic preparedness due to smaller classes are a factor this conversation gets at but does not illuminate. Thanks for sharing this.

no luck on the Historically Lily White College or University moniker then?

Dr. Gamble - thank you so much for your insights. We need more people like you to tell your personal stories. The statistics I quoted above are well-worn but there is nothing more powerful, to me at least, than hearing of one personal HBCU experience and retrospective.

The small class sizes you note are indeed another great benefit of many HBCUs because of the opportunities for personalized attention. Discussed at the symposium was the concern that economic pressures to increase enrollment runs the risk of compromising this advantage of the HBCU.

BikeMonk - Indeed, HLWCUs was the term that arose in the blog post thread back in 2008. But there is some scholarly truth in your classification as put forth by University of Pennsylvania professor Marybeth Gasman. She noted that she specifically uses the term "historically White institutions" or HWIs instead of "predominantly White institutions" because these colleges have in their history a policy of systematically excluding Blacks, many as late as the 1960s and 1970s.

Surprising to many was that Gasman, a scholar who has devoted her respected career to the study of the HBCU, Black women in the STEM fields, and the history of the United Negro College Fund, is White. I had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Gasman and will post parts of that interview later in the week.

NCCU Centennial HBCU Symposium - Setting the Agenda for Historically Black Colleges and Universities

terrasig — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 09:43:28 +0000

NCCU Centennial HBCU Symposium - Setting the Agenda for Historically Black Colleges and Universities

On June 3rd and 4th, I had the pleasure of attending a fabulous program on the modern role and future sustainability of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States. The HBCU Symposium: Setting the Agenda for Historically Black Colleges and Universities was the culmination of the 100th anniversary of the founding of North Carolina Central University (NCCU).

NCCU is one of five HBCUs in the University of North Carolina system and among 11 such institutions of higher learning in the state (list and links here). I currently serve on the faculty of this institution.

For those unfamiliar, HBCUs were classified by President Lyndon B. Johnson's Higher Education Act of 1965 as institutions established prior to 1964 with the intention of providing higher education to the Black community. There remain 105 such institutions today, primarily in established former slave states following the Civil War.

However, the original HBCUs were founded in the North prior to the Civil War by the generosity of Quaker, Episcopalian, and other abolitionist supporters of the day: what is now Cheyney University (1837) and Lincoln University (1854) in Pennsylvania and Wilberforce University (1856) in Ohio.

Our September 2008 post for National HBCU Week provides more introductory background on these institutions as well as a round-up of commentary around the blogosphere on the continued relevance of these institutions.

It is important to note that the special federal classifications of these institutions was not meant for any preferential treatment of Black students but rather simple parity with historically White institutions. But among public HBCUs, state higher education funding per student averages about 3/5ths that of historically White institutions, a fraction whose irony is not lost on me.

Another important source of financial support, but one that cannot be influenced by federal or state policies, is university endowments. A good example of the disparity here in North Carolina is that HBCU endowments average 12.4% that of the state's non-HBCU institutions when calculated based on full-time student equivalent (Nelms and Fobert, PDF). In the city of Durham, the endowment of Duke University, established in its current form in 1924, is $4.4 billion; that of NCCU, established in 1910 a couple of miles away, is (PDF source) about $20 million. This may not be an entirely fair comparison, though, because James Buchanan Duke and family endowed their university, then Trinity College, with $40 million - yes, Duke started in 1924 with twice the endowment of NCCU today.

(An aside: a little-known fact is that the Duke family and Duke Endowment played an very important role in the early days of NCCU, especially Benjamin Newton Duke who took over leadership of the endowment when brother James B. Duke died a year after its establishment in 1924. The Dukes donated just over half of the acreage upon which NCCU sits and its main campus performance facility is the B.N. Duke Auditorium. The first interracial collegiate basketball game, known in sports history as The Secret Game, in the segregated South occurred in 1944 between the then-North Carolina College for Negroes and the Duke intramural team comprised US servicemen attending the medical school. The relationship between the two universities, IMHO, remains today much closer than one might expect based on the 2006 Duke lacrosse episode.

What's so special about HBCUs?
A September 2008 post here provides more background on HBCUs and the debate over the purposes they serve today. Here are a few relevant facts about HBCUs that are most relevant to the readership of the ScienceBlogs network:

From an article by Michelle J Nealy in Diverse Issues in Higher Education, "While HBCUs represent only 3 percent of all colleges and universities, they enroll close to one-third of all Black students. Forty percent of HBCU students pursue four-year degrees in science, technology, engineering and math, and about half of all Black students in teaching fields attended HBCUs. Three-quarters of all African-American Ph.D.s did their undergraduate studies at an HBCU, and, according to a study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, the total economic impact of the nation's HBCUs in 2001 was $10.2 billion."

Rochelle R. Bush wrote, "Spelman College and Bennett College produce over half of the nation's African American female doctorates in all science fields."

Xavier University in New Orleans, the only Catholic HBCU, is particularly notable in the biomedical fields. From their website:

According to the U.S. Department of Education, Xavier continues to rank first nationally in the number of African American students earning undergraduate degrees in both the biological/life sciences and the physical sciences.
The College of Pharmacy, one of only two pharmacy schools in Louisiana, is among the nation's top three producers of African American Doctor of Pharmacy degree recipients
In pre-medical education, Xavier ranks first in the nation in placing African American students into medical schools, where it has been ranked since 1993.

HBCUs moving forward
But HBCUs are not just for Black students. In North Carolina, the student body of HBCUs generally range around 70% to 80% African-American. The fastest growing segment for many HBCUs is the first-generation Hispanic college student. HBCUs are also an exceptional value and accept students whose high school performance may have been suboptimal because of secondary school issues beyond their personal control.

But that is history. The focus of the symposium was on HBCUs moving forward and clarifying their purpose for the future and defining their role in higher education that is financially sustainable while consistent with their historical mission. African-American students have a much wider choice of institutions now than in the 1960s and are often very heavily recruited by top-tier, Research I universities. Many schools are now also offering the "nurturing, family environment" that epitomized HBCUs for decades. The chronic underfunding of HBCUs often makes them appear less desirable since the other fringe, creature comforts offered in the competitive higher ed market - recreational facilities, for example - may be less than optimal at some institutions.

The unifying introductory message from NCCU Chancellor Charlie Nelms was that to move forward as a collective institution, HBCUs need to share successful approaches and not be fearful of adopting programs developed elsewhere. Nelms spoke of the benefits of distributive leadership and lamented that "we keep starting over and over." Nelms, together with journalist and public relations director Cynthia Fobert, wrote this provocatively titled article, HBCU Reconstruction (PDF), that first appeared in the Winter 2010 issue of the American Council on Education publication, The Presidency. The post-Civil War Reconstruction era in the United States was when most HBCUs were established in order to provide formal education to newly-freed slaves.

The PDF is a great primer for those not familiar with HBCUs but should also be read by those who care about and work at HBCUs.

"The future of HBCUs will be determined by their competitiveness, responsiveness,
and relevance," he writes.

The NCCU HBCU Symposium featured some of the most influential voices in higher education today, not just Black higher ed. Most notably, the keynote address was given by the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. The full text of his comments can be found at the Department of Education website.

Duncan noted that HBCUs have served the important role of providing opportunity for advancement of students most often neglected by historically White institutions and may were originally established as teacher's colleges. I particularly loved this statement from Secretary Duncan which I tweeted from the symposium under the hashtag #hbcusymp:

Ambrose Caliver, the first African-American research specialist hired by the U.S. Office of Education, captured that urgency in a single sentence 75 years ago when he wrote: "In the hands of the Negro teachers rests the destiny of the race."

As a result, Duncan issued two challenges to the HBCU representatives gathered:

"First, I want to see HBCUs taking the lead in improving teacher preparation programs and training a new generation of minority students, especially black males, to teach in our nation's public schools."
"The second challenge I would like to see HBCUs take on is the one I began my remarks with: Boosting graduation rates. HBCU graduation rates are significantly lower than those at non-HBCU two-year and four-year institutions. We know this is the case chiefly because HBCUs work with disproportionate numbers of students who need remedial coursework, have significant financial hurdles to overcome, or are the first members in their family to attend college. Individually, and collectively, these are huge challenges."

I was blown away to learn that less than two percent of US schoolteachers are African-American men. This simple fact accounts for many issues but most obviously influences that Black boys and teenagers do not often see people like themselves as educators and, informally, that there are fewer same-demographic mentoring opportunities for Black students as compared with White students. As we will discuss in subsequent blog posts and interviews, the comparative lack of a strong male influence in some Black households has tended to perpetuate a significant problem for Black men - an issue that is a hot-button for discussion and one for which I, as a White male, welcome comment on from those in the African-American higher education community.

The second point that Duncan raised is equally important. Yes, HBCUs have traditionally offered opportunity. And with traditionally challenging budgets, HBCUs have had to work harder on student retention and graduation than historically White institutions. The challenge to HBCUs is to somehow "get out of the remediation business." Duncan feels that we can do this by focusing on high schools that would otherwise feed African-American college ranks. One of his facts that I tweeted during the symposium: half of all US high school dropouts come from just 2,000 high schools and 75% of those account for Black and other minority dropouts. Those who do graduate from such schools are students who require the greatest magnitude of remediation.

I've worked in higher education with minority student recruitment and development in the pharmacy profession and broader biomedical sciences since 1992. I am convinced that opportunity can make up for poor college preparation. But funding problems in secondary schools are making it even more difficult for higher education programs that are also increasingly strained. I'm so impressed by how HBCUs do indeed reach out to secondary schools in their communities. My hope is that by training more and better-qualified teachers to work in those schools might increase the ultimate probability of success of underrepresented minorities in higher education.

We'll continue this discussion of the HBCU Symposium over the next few posts. Please feel free to ask questions and share comments.

terrasig Sun, 06/13/2010 - 05:43

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Catherine Clabby covers Frank Stasio (WUNC-FM's The State of Things) for Durham Magazine

terrasig — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 05:02:23 +0000

Catherine Clabby covers Frank Stasio (WUNC-FM's The State of Things) for Durham Magazine

Homer alert.

The title pretty much covers three of some of my favorite things about living in Durham, NC. From the Pharmboy mailbox and Durham Magazine website:

Catherine Clabby - former reporter extraordinaire for The News & Observer, current editor extraordinaire for American Scientist magazine and a long-time Durhamite extraordinaire - spent hours finding out why The State of Things host Frank Stasio has fallen head-over-heels for Durham. Sometimes it takes an outsider to help us all appreciate how good we have it. Frank's doing that in a big way, both through his work at NPR and in his day-to-day life. Good on you, Frank and Catherine.

The focus of the article in the magazine extraordinaire, Durham Magazine, is Frank Stasio, host and interviewer extraordinaire of his noontime show, The State of Things, on our NPR affiliate, WUNC-FM, and the statewide North Carolina Public Radio network. Like many of us, Frank is a transplant (from DC in the case of his family) but has seized upon his new home with all the gusto of a Chamber of Commerce booster. I have learned more from Frank about music, writers, community, health, recycling, and hog farms than from any other venue in the state. The description of his show is:

The State of Things is a live program hosted by Frank Stasio devoted to bringing the issues, personalities, and places of North Carolina to our listeners. We present the Tar Heel experience through sound, story, discussion, commentary and listener participation through calls.

I should also mention Frank's unsung hero, producer Katy Barron, with whom I had the pleasure of working during last year's U2 academic conference and a recent book author tour. Garnering a photo from a studio glass reflection in the article, Katy is the ethereal presence of The State of Things, scheduling talent, listening to their music or reading their books in advance, and helping Frank stay on top of everything. Katy is the head of the production staff to which Frank deflects any compliment.

They run a civilized operation from one of the most comfortable radio stations I've ever sat in, offering glasses of hot tea to guests from their central location in the American Tobacco Campus, Durham's example of warehouse revitalization.

(By the way, the irony is not lost on me that this month's photo exhibit at the historic district is The New Face of Cancer Care: Portraits of Courage, Strength, and Hope from the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.)

As noted in the teaser above, the article is written by Catherine Clabby. Clabby is a fellow member of the board of Science Communicators of North Carolina, or SCONC, and has been a great supporter of all of our writing activities. Catherine was even kind enough to recommend a couple of fellowship opportunities for a freshman student of mine who accompanied me to a SCONC function on H1N1 at Duke University.

But the article isn't yet available online - you either had to beat me at my mailbox or, better, go buy yourself a dead-tree version. The superb graphics, layout, and feel of the print edition reminds me that print is not dead.

The June/July issue is also a gem as it features "50 Ways to Love Your Summer," which, somehow makes even me look forward to the sweltering months ahead.

And if you're a former Dukie, NCCU alum, or anyone with a little Bull City in their heart, subscribe. There's really something great about local mags - I still subscribe to Denver's 5280 more than ten years after leaving the Queen City of the Plains.

As Frank is quoted in the article while playing bongos at a jam at our local bar, The Pinhook, "This is so Durham."

Special thanks to PharmKid for picking her favorite picture of Mr. Stasio from the web.

terrasig Thu, 06/10/2010 - 01:02

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Flue-cured solar power

terrasig — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 05:57:32 +0000

Flue-cured solar power

This is not your father's North Carolina.

On my trip last weekend to southern Virginia, I passed by this business park in Roxboro, NC in Person County. The county sits immediately north of Durham County, home of the Research Triangle Park, and runs to the Virginia border.

This is a microcosm of today's North Carolina. Tobacco is still relatively strong, particularly as smoking continues to grow in Asia, thereby allowing us to slowly kill a whole new market. However, tobacco jobs pale in comparison to what they once were with many people out of work.

But I credit the state's best economic development minds in science & technology and other areas with their long-range plans to replace tobacco with other crops - hops, muscadine grapes, medicinal plants - and adapt the state's well-known technological innovations to provide jobs for those displaced in the furniture, tobacco, and textile industries, particularly in the large rural areas of the state.

One of the most interesting parts of living in the American South is the juxtaposition of technology and tradition - this photo captures one of those moments for me.

terrasig Sat, 06/05/2010 - 01:57

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The American South

The Old North State

Ah, the old days with Mom: baking, knitting, extracting DNA

terrasig — Mon, 10 May 2010 06:02:19 +0000

Ah, the old days with Mom: baking, knitting, extracting DNA

I did not turn on the computer yesterday (yes, it was glorious) so I missed Mother's Day coverage in our local newspaper. When we returned home, I was happy to see that on the front page of the print copy the dean of Duke School of Medicine, Nancy Andrews, MD, PhD, was featured with her daughter in the lab on their fun Saturdays together.

Also cited and pictured in the article was Duke vice dean for research and professor of pharmacology and cancer biology, Sally Kornbluth, PhD, and her daughter.

Written by News & Observer science editor Sarah Avery, the article describes how women are increasing in ranks in biomedical degrees earned while still lagging at the associate professor level and up. This trend was cited specifically for faculty and administrators in basic science departments of medical schools but is widespread in academic science and engineering.

In 2007, I wrote about Andrews becoming the first female dean of a top 10 US medical school and expressed my bewilderment that it took that long. In fact, local attitudes were such that Andrews recalled this recollection in a NEJM article about taking the dean's position:

...it continues to be true that we do not expect women to hold certain positions in society or medicine. Recently, I witnessed firsthand the persistence of such expectations, when my husband, our children, and I went to visit a school in North Carolina where Duke staff members had made an appointment for the family of the new dean of the medical school. As we entered the school, its principal vigorously shook my husband's hand and welcomed him, saying, "You must be the man of the moment." Unfortunately, it is quite understandable that it wouldn't have crossed his mind that I might be the "woman of the moment" instead...

It's always a Good Thing to see science featured on the front page of a region's major newspaper, especially the Sunday edition. And I recognize that it was a nice human interest piece for Mother's Day and you don't want to be a cynic on such a day. So, it's no surprise that the article didn't address the specific challenges that women face of achieving the academic heights of Andrews and Kornbluth.

And I see only one lab coat and no eye protection in the lead photograph.

terrasig Mon, 05/10/2010 - 02:02

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Women in science and medicine

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Social Sciences

Add this on top of the declining intergenerational rates of education. Hard to compete with the WWII generation, but we're now actually below unity gain.

Usually didn't bring the kids to the lab, but my daughter got really good at photocopying articles in the library on snow days.

Hey Abel! Sarah Avery is a graduate of the Addiction Studies Program. Speaking of which, I need to contact you directly ASAP. My computer crashed Tuesday and I don't have a workable address. The one Duke lists for you bounces back!

Pls email me at srusche@nationalfamilies.org

Many thanks,

Sue

Attention Evil Geniuses and Kids: MakerFaireNC today!

terrasig — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 08:02:09 +0000

Attention Evil Geniuses and Kids: MakerFaireNC today!

So you ran any number of 5K charity races yesterday or went on the Piedmont Farm Tour. But it's a rainy Sunday in the Southeast and you're wondering what to do with a house full of cooped-up kids, especially if it's too soggy to do day two of the farm tour.

Let me suggest that you get to Durham, NC, to MakerFaire:NC.

Maker Faire is an annual event organized by the people who bring us MAKE Magazine. Maker Faire:NC is a fully sanctioned event but is being planned and coordinated by Raleigh/Durham locals. Our goal is to bring together Makers, Crafters, Inventors, Evil Geniuses, Scientists, Artists, and anyone else interested in learning from NC, SC, VA, DC, and beyond.

Maker Faire:NC is FREE to attend thanks to our generous sponsors and commercial exhibitors.

Just like the bigger Left-Coast version, Maker Faire:NC celebrates things people create themselves -- from James Bond-worthy electronic gizmos to Martha Stewart-quality "slow made" foods and homemade clothes. Inspiration is ubiquitous at the festival and there are surprises around every corner for people of all ages.

Regular readers who follow the creative activities of Toaster Sunshine at Mad Scientist, Jr. will know a little more about what these life and tech hackers do.

Here's the Quick FAQ but the details are:

Where: Indoors at Loehmann's Plaza, 1821 Hillandale Rd, Durham, NC 27705

When: Today, Sunday, April 25 - 9 am to 9 pm

Cost: $0.00

There will be wi-fi available for two bucks if you need it.

Here's a list of the exhibitors to get a flavor of the stuff that will be there.

MakerFaireNC is run by a professional events company under the local guidance of Jonathan Danforth, an audio/video/artist/multi-tech guy I first learned of from his expertise in daguerreotypes.

The PharmKid and I will be rummaging about. Follow us on Twitter @AbelPharmboy.

terrasig Sun, 04/25/2010 - 04:02

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Cool stuff

Kids' stuff

Stuff I don't know about

The Old North State

Thanks for the suggestion. I went down for about an hour and found a very eclectic mix of people - beekeepers, bat houses, the guy making organs from old keyboards and chips rescued from Commodore 64s, the local SCA, and I actually bought one of the Ardunio kits one of the groups was selling.

I've attended two of the West Coast ones, and will do so next month. Thanks for promoting this nifty event!

Roger McGuinn, John Coltrane, and the banjo

terrasig — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 12:32:21 +0000

Roger McGuinn, John Coltrane, and the banjo

Something about Sunday mornings leads me to really enjoy listening to folk and other acoustic music. These guys ended up being electric, though.

The Byrds were a Los Angeles-based group that grew out of the folk music scene in 1964. The original line-up was Jim McGuinn, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Gene Clark and Michael Clarke. The distinctive sound of the band came from the electric 12-string Rickenbacker guitar of McGuinn - in fact, all three guitarists played 12-strings.

On the recommendation of jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader, Miles Davis, Columbia Records offered The Byrds a contract to record one single in January 1965. Bob Dylan had previously written and recorded the song "Mr. Tambourine Man" but one of the background vocals was off and the version was not released. The Byrds changed the timing of the song and used only one of Dylan's verses to keep the song under two minutes and thirty seconds, the unwritten limit for a 1965 pop song.

The single was released June 5, 1965 and reached #1 on Billboard's Top 40 chart three weeks later. An album of the same name followed.

The Byrds subsequently recorded other big hits that included Pete Seeger's "Turn! Turn! Turn!," "Feel A Whole Lot Better," and "Eight Miles High," among others. The Byrds influenced many bands since but especially Tom Petty and R.E.M. The band kind of trickled to a stop in the early 1970s leaving just McGuinn to work on a solo career which continues today - here's an article by Jeremy Goodwin about his gig last night at The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Earlier this week Professor Paul Jones retweeted a link from Roger McGuinn to this video of McGuinn talking about the origination of his playing style - I had not known of some of his influences.

Paul is the originator of ibiblio.org, the original internet "collection of collections." Paul hosts a great deal of McGuinn's content there including his main website, his Folk Den project and The Byrds FAQ from which I borrowed heavily in writing this post (correct me if I'm wrong, Paul).

And yes, the David Crosby who started off in The Byrds is the same David Crosby of Crosby, Still, Nash, +/- Young. The younger generation may also know of David Crosby as the sperm donor for the two children of singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge and Julie Cypher. The mystery of the father of the adorable Bailey Jean and Beckett was Crosby, as detailed in this February 3, 2000 cover story of Rolling Stone.

As the former leader of The Byrds is enjoying continued success with another generation that has discovered his music, new fans are often confused as to the relationship between Roger McGuinn and Jim McGuinn. Here is the story from Roger's FAQ:

Jim was born James Joseph McGuinn III. He changed his name in 1967 because a guru in Indonesia said that a new name would vibrate better with the universe. The guru sent Jim the letter "R" and asked him to send back ten names starting with that letter.

Because Jim was into gadgets and Sci-Fi, he sent names like "Rocket" and "Ramjet."

He included the name Roger only because they use it for radio messages to indicate "OKAY."

Roger was the only "real" name in the bunch and the guru picked it. Jim only changed his middle name from Joseph to Roger but used Roger as a stage name.

As far as the vibrating with the universe ... he didn't notice any change and would have changed his name back to Jim (which he liked) but that would have been too confusing.

A study of the '60s would help you to understand all this.

Click here for high-quality video of The Byrds performing on The Ed Sullivan Show on December 12, 1965 (embedding is disabled).

Here is a terrific reunion version of Turn! Turn! Turn! - you'll see that the years have been much kinder to McGuinn than Crosby:

And for the players reading, here is a clip from McGuinn's instructional DVD for Turn! Turn! Turn! which demonstrates how he keeps the rhythm going with the banjo fingerpicking technique while playing the leads.

terrasig Sun, 03/28/2010 - 08:32

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Great article! always loved the Byrds. I'm part of a group of Byrds fans! Let's keep up the good work about promoting the Byrds and Rogers work.
http://fantourage.com/fz/654/the_byrds

Hah! Always good to hear from another Byrdbrain!
Have you seen Roger in concert yet? He does a great show, lots of old and new tunes, and interesting anecdotes as well. He's also involved in the Rock Bottom Remainders, a pickup band composed of various authors, including Dave Barry, Stephen King, Amy Tan and Ridley Pearson. How cool is that? Here's the info on the next tour in April (with McGuinn sitting in on the 21st).
I like to play 12 string as well, but I haven't mastered the banjo roll fingerstyle yet. Someday...

http://www.rockbottomremainders.com/pages/band.html

Forgot the link!

Thanks, Mike - it amazes me that they were doing this stuff in 1964-5. Few people under 40 can grasp the influence The Byrds have had.

Sadly, Bruce, I've never seen McGuinn live despite spending five years in north central Florida, barely two hours from where he lives. Very glad to hear that you are a 12-string fan. I have a Taylor 855 acoustic but really want a Rick - I keep talking about the 360/12 but it still has yet to show up under the Christmas tree.

And yes, I had known about the book writers' band. Amazingly, I'll be in DC on 4/21 so I may actually be able to catch him with them.

Science with Moxie's Princess Ojiaku: PLoS Blog Pick of the Month this week, on tour with band next week

terrasig — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:23:32 +0000

Science with Moxie's Princess Ojiaku: PLoS Blog Pick of the Month this week, on tour with band next week

I want to get this quick shout-out for local hero, blogger, musician, and all around too-cool Princess Ojiaku before her band, Pink Flag, plays tonight at 10 pm in Durham, NC, at The Broad Street Cafe. From their website, "They're a regular three girl rhumba dancing on the common ground of a love of early post-punk, riot grrl and top 40 of the 1990s." Their name pays homage to the 1977 album by Wire (that also includes the song "Three Girl Rhumba"). I like these kids, paying proper respect to their elders.

Some of you may know Princess from having met her at ScienceOnline2010 in January or from her blog Science With Moxie. One of her recent posts, Music Emotions: Chill Edition, was selected as the PLoS Blog Pick of the Month for her review of, "The Rewarding Aspects of Music Listening Are Related to Degree of Emotional Arousal," by Valorie N. Salimpoor et al. She wrote:

When we get chills or feel intense pleasure when listening to music we enjoy, there is an actual range of bodily responses that go along with that! This seems like common sense, but this is important scientifically because having an actual, quantitative measure of the changes our bodies go through when experiencing good music opens doors to scientists thinking about other questions like, "why is music so unique that it causes actual emotional and physical arousal?"

Usually emotional responses have a definite function, such as joy from eating good food serves to keep us alive, or bonding with friends keeps us happy and connected to our fellow humans. Feeling these emotions helps us by making sure we keep doing the things that are good for our survival and well-being. But music is one of the only things that makes us happy without having a clear beneficial function to our survival as human beings. I think that makes it pretty special and interesting, and that makes me content to consume and play it.

And music she knows as she takes Spring Break away from the lab next week for a short tour with Pink Flag in Wilmington, NC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and NYC. Check out their MySpace site for dates and locations.

One last thing on this multi-talented scientist and musician: Princess was featured in a Wall Street Journal article last September on virtual internships. Typically wired, Princess found out about the internship via Twitter:

Princess Ojiaku, a graduate student studying biology at North Carolina Central University, wants to work in science policy. In July, she began a virtual internship of up to six months with Scientists & Engineers for America in Washington, D.C. She learned about the internship on Twitter, where she was following updates for the nonprofit group, which promotes awareness of science and technology issues to policy makers.

As part of her internship, Ms. Ojiaku spends 15 minutes to an hour each night tracking news articles, ads and poll results for this year's Virginia gubernatorial election, one of the elections the group is following. She posts updates on the group's Web site, including YouTube videos, campaign ads and summaries of the candidates' positions on science-related issues.

Ms. Ojiaku, who is considering being a lawmaker or policy adviser, says the internship has helped her learn about the legislative process and key players in Congress, without driving eight hours round-trip to Washington. "I'm getting an inside view," says the 25-year-old, who juggles the internship with classes and work as a graduate assistant in a university lab.

Damn. I'm tired just reading about everything she's doing.

Have a great show tonight and safe travels on your Northeast tour!

Readers can follow Princess O on Twitter @artfulaction, on her blog Science with Moxie, and at her band's MySpace or ReverbNation sites.

terrasig Sat, 03/06/2010 - 12:23

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