VOA标准英语2009年-Celebrations, Death of Guitarist Les P

2009 marked a year of celebration in jazz. One of the more notable events was a jazz clinic at the White House, hosted by U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama.

Doug Levine | Washington 25 December 2009

 
Photo: AP
Jazz musician Paquito D'Rivera plays clarinet as First Lady Michelle Obama, seated with daughters Malia and Sasha at jazz workshop for students at White House in Washington, 15 Jun 2009

"There is no better example of democracy than a jazz ensemble¹," said First Lady Michelle Obama.

It was a day to remember for 150 lucky high school jazz students who came to the White House in June for a program called Jazz Studio.  Front and center were five members of the Marsalis family and saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera, who led an interactive² music workshop and concert.  Mrs. Obama summed up the event saying, "There is no better example of democracy than a jazz ensemble."

Speaking of up-and-coming jazz ensembles³, 10 bands were selected for a U.S. State Department world tour.  As part of the Department's American Music Abroad Program, the groups will travel to countries not often visited by American jazz musicians, in such regions as Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.  Included on the tour are public concerts, master classes, lectures, and collaborations with local musicians.

Satellite radio first

 

As jazz spreads cheer throughout the world, closer to home jazz continues to grow on satellite radio.  For the first time in its history, the Sirius/XM radio network dedicated⁴ one of its channels exclusively to a jazz artist, trumpeter Miles Davis.  Although it was a limited-run program, hundreds of tracks by Miles Davis were beamed across the country, non-stop and commercial-free for five straight days.

On one of his only recording⁵ dates for Blue Note Records, March 9, 1958, Miles Davis performed Cole Porter's "Love For Sale," from Cannonball Adderley's critically-acclaimed album, Somethin' Else.

While Blue Note couldn't claim Miles for its permanent roster⁶, the label which celebrated⁷ its 60th anniversary in 2009, was home to some of the greatest names in jazz.  Despite swirling⁸ changes in jazz over the decades, Blue Note has managed to stay afloat with distinguished⁹ players, from its earliest years with stride pianist James P. Johnson; through the '40s and '50s with Art Blakey and Thelonious Monk¹⁰; and its most recent catalogue featuring albums by Herbie Hancock, John Scofield, Wynton Marsalis, and Norah Jones, who released one of the most successful jazz albums of all time, Come Away With Me.

Les Paul Dies

Someone once said, "Without Les Paul, we would not have rock and roll as we know it."  Those sentiments were echoed across the globe when guitar virtuoso¹¹ Les Paul died in August at the age of 94.  Paul was known for his innovative¹² multi-track recording techniques; for designing the solid body electric guitar; and for his string of hits with his wife and singer Mary Ford¹³.

Also lost in 2009 were jazz composer George Russell, saxophonists Hank Crawford, David "Fathead" Newman and Johnny Almond, blues¹⁴ singer Koko Taylor, drummer Eddie Locke, vocalists Al Martino, Kenny Rankin, and Blossom Dearie, and 101-year-old guitarist Lawrence Lucie, who recorded with everyone from Jelly Roll Morton and Coleman Hawkins to Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong.

Louis Armstrong Remembered

Close to 40 years after his death, Louis Armstrong remains¹⁵ one of the most popular figures in jazz.  2009 saw the release of more than 60 new titles by Armstrong, many of them imports, compilations¹⁶ and reissues.  A five-disc set of John Coltrane music was one of the year's best sellers, as well as new albums by Boney James, Chris Botti, Diana Krall, Harry¹⁷ Connick, Junior and Michael Buble.

Buble also appears alongside past and present jazz greats on the 2009 holiday musical collection Letters To Santa, singing "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"
 

1 ensemble   

n.合奏(唱)组；全套服装；整体，总效果

参考例句：

• We should consider the buildings as an ensemble.我们应把那些建筑物视作一个整体。
• It is ensemble music for up to about ten players,with one player to a part.它是最多十人演奏的合奏音乐，每人担任一部分。

2 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

3 ensembles   

整体( ensemble的名词复数 )； 合奏； 乐团； 全套服装（尤指女装）

参考例句：

• I love to play in all types of ensembles. 我喜欢参与吹奏各种各样的合奏曲。
• The 5th Brigade is now taking 895 Land Warrior ensembles to Afghanistan. 第五旅现在携带895套陆地勇士装备去阿富汗。

4 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

5 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

6 roster   

n.值勤表，花名册

参考例句：

• The teacher checked the roster to see whom he would teach this year.老师查看花名册，想了解今年要教的学生。
• The next day he put himself first on the new roster for domestic chores.第二天，他把自己排在了新的家务值日表的第一位。

7 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

8 swirling   

v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Snowflakes were swirling in the air. 天空飘洒着雪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• She smiled, swirling the wine in her glass. 她微笑着，旋动着杯子里的葡萄酒。 来自辞典例句

9 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

10 monk   

n.和尚，僧侣，修道士

参考例句：

• The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。
• Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。

11 virtuoso   

n.精于某种艺术或乐器的专家，行家里手

参考例句：

• He was gaining a reputation as a remarkable virtuoso.作为一位技艺非凡的大师，他声誉日隆。
• His father was a virtuoso horn player who belonged to the court orchestra.他的父亲是宫廷乐队中一个技巧精湛的圆号演奏家。

12 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

13 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

14 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

15 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

16 compilations   

n.编辑，编写( compilation的名词复数 )；编辑物

参考例句：

• Introductory biology texts tend to be compilations of conclusions. 导论式的生物学教科书，多倾向于结论的汇编。 来自辞典例句
• The original drafts were mainly chronicles and compilations of regulations. 初撰本主要以纪事本末体和典志体为主。 来自互联网

17 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。