My Favorite Things

One of my all-time favorite movies is “The Sound of Music.”

I have loved it since the fay I was strongly built and until today, it is like a fresh breath of air. Time has not changed the tide of love that flurries through my body when I see Julie Andrews walking across each scene doing what she did so beautifully. I guess my love for music falls in line with hearing her song the Do-Re-Mi song. Her singing lured me in and I never miss an opportunity when it is on television to let the hills come alive with the sound of music in my home.

So, when the opportunity to sing the song live came about, you can imagine how many times I had to brush the tears from my eyes to face the audience and sing “My Favorite Things.”

“My Favorite Things” is a tune by Rogers & Hammerstein from 1959 which was originally written for their play, “The Sound of Music.”The main character from the play, Maria, loved raindrops and roses and whiskers on kittens. I don’t like kittens so much but the stuffed kitten animals are cute. 

I do love roses though. You should know that on almost every stage that I sung on in Russia, somebody from the audience gave me a beautiful bouquet of roses and it was such a beautiful and welcoming thing for me that kept me smiling in the beautiful, distant place, for miles around.

Maria loved bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. I love bright copper kettles because I am a tea lover and try to have a spot of tea daily. I love woolen mittens and wish I had some when I was in Russia because it was cold. But at least I had gloves. Maybe I’ll get some for the NYC winter that has suddenly embraced us. I mean it is December.

Maria love brown paper packages tied up with strings and I love the strings of a bass guitar that seem to enhance the sound of music, when you listen to it; especially when it is live. She loved girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes. I love my nephews in anything they wear and in whatever they do because they are such cute young gentlemen with so much promise. I also love hearing my mother sing and when my father comes out of nowhere and compliments some aspect of my music. I love when my older sister invites me somewhere and when my younger sister sends me leads that might help me with my music. 

You can probably tell that most of my favorite things involve music. Like for instance, I love listening to frank Sinatra sing and I love to listen to Grover Washington Jr’s music. I love poinsettias and I love singing Christmas carols.

“My Favorite Things” has become a song that many refer to as a tune for the holidays. I love John Coltrane’s version and can’t resist enjoying Betty Carter’s rendition. For just one moment, I hope that you will stop and indulge in my rendition, as I performed it live with the Medgar Evers Jazz Ensemble at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, NY.  Here is the link: https://youtu.be/Q9NLJ6w2LXE

Today's post is dedicated to Frank Sinatra and Grover Washington Jr; two fellow sagges who celebrate their birthdays this week.  As I rambled about some of my favorite things, I am interested in hearing about some of yours. Would you please leave a comment and share those things that make your heart flutter with me? 

Thank you so much for reading my blogpost and from my heart to yours, happy holidays. 

June 2016 Celebrates One Year of Jazz on the JNote

I am experiencing tender feelings today, with the knowledge that this month makes a year since I started my show Jazz on the JNote.

It was never planned. My role in this situation sort of just happened and from the jumping off point of embarking on this task of creating a show featuring jazz music in hopes to keep jazz music alive, I can honestly say that it has added value to my world.

My humble beginning started without a clue of how but the why was always there. I loved jazz music and I had a goal of conducting research on the topic to write about it. My first show in June of 2015 was a tribute to Sarah Vaughan. I was never in a radio studio until that day and never knew how to operate the equipment but, I did it, just a few months shy of using those examples to build my internship which from, I came up with a thesis topic. I am thankful to Fitz Richardson who is the station manager of Medgar Evers College Radio, for allowing me the opportunity.

I finally found a way to apply my professional writing skills of creating a timeline and script and applying it to something. I sounded nervous in the final mix but, I did it and overnight I became a radio show host. A year later, I have decided to do another tribute to my favorite singer of all time, but this time, with a year of radio hosting and producing which now enables me to operate from the grounds of experience.

When I was in high school, my sister introduced me to jazz music, telling me that it helped to retain information if listened to while studying. That trendy thought was so easy for me to believe as a spoken truth and I started listening to Miles Davis and since then, have more jazz in my music collection than any other genre. I take comfort in the knowledge that jazz music has impacted change on everything about who I am.

And so, with my mission in mind to discover aspects of jazz and racism, I made it a matter for the crowd and I am thankful for the process as well as all those who took time to listen to my ramblings of what I’ve discovered about this culture that has become a part of the blood that runs through my veins. You have been a part of my succeeding in gaining this information.

I must mention however that history is not always the whole truth and though you may gain bits and pieces of valid data, one may never know that total authenticity of what has been mentioned about any topic you think of researching. Sometimes, we research and find conflicting stories compressed in metaphor.  Author of the book, Magical Realism, Maggie Ann Bowers said, “reality is built on prejudices, misconceptions and ignorance as well as on our perceptiveness and knowledge” (Bowers). If at times, you feel the urge to question history, it is because the conventional truth might not seem right.

History may not always be flawless in execution. Remember that heresy, even when written in a book featuring historical data still can be compared to the telephone game when I say something and you repeat what you think you heard which may not always be what was said. I wrote 44 pages for my thesis on jazz and racism based on books, scholarly journals, articles and more. I started my show with a mission to develop my knowledge on understanding on the culture. 

I began with a show on Sarah Vaughan the day after one door closed. And with the new door that opened, I presented it to the most respectable body of people to have ever allowed me placement in their good hearts. Today, I will pay tribute to Sarah Vaughan again, which can be heard this evening, June 5, 2016 at 7:30PM on WNYE 91.5 FM. And to think it has been a year already makes me see how time truly does fly at the speed of light. Where did the year go?

Thank you for making my year purposeful.

Istwa Dayiti Film Festival at Medgar Evers College

Tonight I had the pleasure of presenting the Haitian Film Festival at Medgar Evers College.

What a privilege to celebrate my culture and heritage in such an extraordinary way. And to think Medgar Ever's main concern was for people of color to have an identity. 

This film festival makes that identity for the Haitian community at this school even more relevant. Very cool event!!! 

This Sunday at 7:30pm on WNYE 91.5FM JAZZ ON THE JNOTE

On Sunday, March 20, 2016 at 7:30pm

Please turn your radio dials to 

WNYE 91.5FM 

For 

Jazz on the JNote

Brought to you from the studios at Medgar Evers College

And

Hosted by

Stephanie Jeannot

This week's show will be attributed 

To

Jazz innovator, trumpeter and vocalist Louis Armstrong.

You can also listen to this show at the same time 

On theenglishconnectionmedia.com 

or 

on theenglishconnectionmedia channel on mixlr.com or tunein.com

Looking forward to connecting with you this Sunday.

But until then, peace and jazz breezes. 

Cross-Cultural Revolutions and Resolutions for Three Kings 2016

Today is the 12th day of Christmas or what many would call 

Three Kings Day or Spanish Christmas.  

Me, the lover of Christmas, have been counting the 12 days of Christmas since December 25th, 2015, and here we have arrived to January 6th, 2016; a brand new year, day and if you are like me, another resolution to try to keep.

I have decided that this year's resolution will be different from the others. Two years ago I decided to give up drinking alcohol and two years later, have not picked up a drink since. Last year, I gave up pork and shell fish which I am still struggling with but I'm a foodie. LOL! This year, I decided for my resolution to be to love myself more and to simply enjoy life. How do I do that?

Read more books instead of trying to read into people or situations. Enjoy more music and find a way to be more culturally balanced, taking part in more of my heritage. I also came to realize that it is so important to celebrate yourself. Be happy for the little accomplishments. Remember that you must skein an inch before you reach the mile.  

So I started by treating myself to the most luxurious spa weekend and am reaping the benefits of finding stress relievers. If you did not know, stress can kill you. Better to grasp keeping that killer of hearts and healthy minds out of our systems or to find a way to balance it so it will not steal joy which is God-given and which no one or nothing should be able to take away. Often times, we do let things stand in the way of our own happiness. 

I pray that your 2016 will be filled with joy and will be stress-free. 

In keeping up with my heritage and culture, I produced a "Haitian Jazz mix" for my show Jazz on the Jnote which will air on WNYE 91.5, this Sunday, January  10, 2016 at 7:30PM, in celebration of the 212 year of independence which Haiti celebrated on January 1st.  

On Sunday evening, January 10, 2016, tune into WNYE 91.5FM at 7:30PM, when Medgar Evers College Radio takes over their airwaves, with Jazz on the JNote hosted by Stephanie Jeannot and bringing to you, a jazz-music and talk radio show . This edition will feature music from Tabou Combo, Nu Look, Carimi, Kassav and more. Please join me Sunday, January 10, 2016 at 7:30pm and get your Compas on with me. Until then, peace!!! 

Toujour Là by Stephanie Jeannot.

I chose English as a college major because I thought it would make me a better songwriter. 

Funny thing is I am of Haitian descent and French is the official language of Haiti. Yet still, I am not the best at the language but grateful to have learned bits and pieces of it. It is important for me to know my culture and to take part in my makeup.  

I had to take a French class and as a project for it, I wrote this song: Toujour Là by Stephanie Jeannot.

I produced it using Sonar Professional and I hope you will listen to it on Soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/stephanay-jnote/toujour-la-by-stephanie-jeannot

Jazz on the Jnote: Recap of MEC Jazz Ensemble at Jazzy Jazz Festival

“I strongly encourage listening to the radio

to hear something you haven't heard before.

It's a very healthy thing to do. It's strange:

unless you reload your iPods every couple

of weeks, you're listening to and recycling

the same music all of the time. I'm serious.

Listen to your radio station.”  - Alvin Lee

  

I am excited to announce that this Sunday, August 2, 2015, the show Jazz on the Jnote, which I produce and also radio host, will be airing on WNYE 91.5 FM via Medgar Evers College Radio. Please turn your radio dials to 91.5 FM at 6PM for a recap of the Medgar Evers College Jazz Ensemble’s live performance at the Dr Mary Umolu Jazzy Jazz Festival that took place this past Friday, July 24,^, 2015.

The Medgar Evers College Jazz Ensemble was founded in 2005 by Professor of music education at Medgar Evers College who is also the ensemble’s leader, director, trumpeter and pianist, Professor Roman G Mitchell.  Over the course of time it transformed from a group primarily of musicians to a group that now features vocalists.

The radio show will feature somewhat of a condensed sound feed of the music performed by this wonderful group, as well as interview segments of some of the their fans and audience members answering the question, “What is Jazz?”  

Slideshow

While you are waiting to hear some exciting moments that happened during the jazz ensembles performance on July 24^th, 2015, perhaps you might be interested in checking out some of the still shots and frames that are included in the following slideshow now on youtube and featuring different selections than that which will be shared on the air on Sunday, August 2, 2015 at 6PM.  Check it out here: https://youtu.be/krBGcUJao1o

 

DR Mary Umolu Jazzy Jazz Festival

Please note that each and every Friday on July and August from July 10^th to August 28^th, the Dr Mary Umolu Jazzy Jazz Festival takes place at 1638 Bedford Avenue (Crown Street) in Brooklyn, NY and it occurs from 7PM to 10PM rain or shine.  The following is a list of what you might find at this live outdoor summer concert:

7/10 Firey String Sisters

7/17 Touch of Ambience

7/24 Medgar Evers College Jazz Ensemble

7/31 Damon Banks “Travel Guides” with Special guest Gwen Laster

8/07 Brandon Sanders & the Swing Machine

8/14 Pan Sonatas

8/21 Vincent Gardner Quintet

8/28 Randy Weston

 

Thank you for checking out my blogpost! You can also find me at http://www.facebook.com/jnotemusic or http://www.instagram.com/musiqal1

My 2015 WCOPA Opportunity

Jeannot

I have been singing all my life and always had the dream that maybe someday, I would find my way to California; I even started planning a trip to drive all the way there from NYC with friends, but when the time finally came, the long distance road trip seemed unrealistic. Then, a mentor of mine called me and told me to come and audition for the World Championsip of Performing Arts Competition which will take place in California this coming July and because I took his advice, I have gained the opportunity to represent the United States for Medgar Evers College.  I cannot believe I am actually going to one of my dream places for the first time ever in my life and I am very excited. The competition will be over a nine day period and will feature acts which include but are not limited to, singing, dancing, acting, modeling and more and will be against teams from all over the world. I will be singing in four different categories which include jazz, R&B and original music. I am really amped about the idea of going and taking part, but I need help.  This trip is very costly and my team has been able to raise some funds so far for this expensive trip that we are about to embark on, but I am still in need of sponsors and was hoping that maybe you could help. Whatever you can and are willing to give, please contribute.  Even if it is only $1, it is $1 more than I had to be able to meet my goals for the WCOPA. But $5, $10 or $20, even better. Hoping this finds you with the most humble spirit.  Thank you in advance for all your help and God bless! Here is the link: http://www.gofundme.com/StephJnoteWCOPA Stephanie Jeannot