A bit of me-giving

While I very much enjoy finding gifts for others that they will surely like, I also like treating myself to little gifts in the crazy giving season.

This year I chose 2 used CDs of Wynton Marsalis music and a second-hand copy of The Girl Who Played With Fire. The trio set me back about $15.00... What a steal!

I heard fragments of these CDs on the radio two weeks ago, and fell in love. Wynton Marsalis plays different kinds of jazz, and some of his albums are a bit too experimental for me. I like the traditional New Orleans jazz sound best, thank you very much. These albums do just that. On one of them, he plays with his father, the legendary jazz pianist Ellis Marsalis, and two other chaps.

One cannot mention the Marsalis family without bringing up the Musicians' Village, "a cornerstone of the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH) post-Katrina rebuilding effort, is designed to both construct a community and preserve a culture. Conceived by New Orleans natives Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis, Musicians' Village will provide a home for both the artists who have defined the city's culture and the sounds that have shaped the musical vernacular of the world." (more about the project here)

"...Another important innovation in the Musicians' Village effort is the inclusion of the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, named in honor of the New Orleans native and legendary jazz pianist, educator and patriarch of the Marsalis clan. Focusing on the ethnically and culturally diverse musical heritage of the city, the Center will include a 150-seat performance space with state-of-the-art lighting and sound. The Center will also support the growth of emerging New Orleans talent and music by providing classrooms, technical and administrative support, and producing the accomplishments of its students. These facilities will be available for residents of Musicians' Village as well as artists and students citywide. "

How cool is that???

The dog ornament is the Blue Dog, a New Orleans' staple, and the round glass one was a gift from a great friend and was mailed all the way from Cracow. It came in one piece!