le cool issue # 117

21-Gun Salute

Despite the name, it's a peaceful salute. It comes from a defeated ship expending all ammunition to show defeat. Foreign ships coming into harbour would also symbolically fire 21 cannons to ease the locals' worry of attack. Our, also peaceful army, now fires this traditional salute for ceremonies, such as the presidential inauguration to welcome Michael D. Higgins - who I'm proud to say I voted for. I'm also just proud I voted. Although I do have an added fun bonus. You see the same ladies sit at the same table each time I vote and on a previous occasion my parent's address was misspelt on our polling cards so that it read 'SILVER BITCHES'. Gas altogether. Have the best laugh every time an election comes around. Big shout out to them, Michael D. Higgins, the Marys (we'll miss yiz), everyone who votes, and all the bitches.

Robert Glasper

Glasper can be, apparently, musically spot-on quite regularly. The LA Times gushed recently "it's a short list of jazz pianists who have the wherewithall to drop a J-Dilla reference into a Thelonious Monk cover, but not many jazz pianists are Robert Glasper.' I'm humbly impressed and I am going to go see him and his band - drummer, bassist and saxophonist/vocalist - perform. The experiment is an experience, his live concept of how music can be mixed and stirred smoothly. He kneads between layers of urban sounds. Of his style he says "Jazz is, for me, just a music that represents the, the society that you're in at the moment. Of the moment, a direct reflection of it." And people dig this, people like Kanye and Lupe and Mos Def. And me. And you? Yeah. Food for the soul.

Entire 117, all of it -HERE-