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Boston Globe
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
The Newport Jazz Festival begins with swing, soul, and a sprinkle of pop
Advertisement Carter, 88, first appeared at Newport with Davis 60 years ago. In recent years, he has often brought his unparalleled touch and famously dapper suites to the festival's smaller stages. He had no trouble keeping that sense of intimacy at the large Fort Stage with his Foursight Quartet. Saxophonist Jimmy Greene, pianist Renee Rosnes, and the hard swinging drummer Payton Crossley all showed why they're among Carter's favorite collaborators. An extended Carter bass solo touched on everything from Bach to 'You Are My Sunshine' while the audience remained impressively hushed. Not all of the jazz came from the elders. The day started with Tyreek McDole, who, in his mid-20s, is clearly ready to be added to the short list of current noteworthy male jazz vocalists. Singing Billy Strayhorn's 'Lush Life' with just pianist Caelan Cardello, McDole's rich baritone cast the kind of spell that even the loud ringing of a phone in the crowd couldn't break. Advertisement South Africa's BCUC, Sanabria was preceded on the Harbor Stage by another one of the standout acts, alto saxophonist Darius Jones, who like Sanabria is New York-based but hasn't played Boston in over a decade. Jones was the day's main representative of the avant-garde, opening his trio set with the scorched earth of 'We Outside.' Keyboardist Uri Caine has often been another part of the outsider jazz world, but on Friday he crafted groove jazz with Christian McBride, DJ Logic, and Questlove, who reconvened as a group called The Philadelphia Experiment. Questlove also ended the day with The Roots, the house band for 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' (and the unofficial house band of hip-hop). Their mixtape-style set still sounded fresh nearly 40 years after the group's inception. Sofi Tukker, a dance music duo that formed at Brown University, garnered a massive turnout. Most of their material was drawn from 'butter,' a record they made in Brazil with producer Marcio Arantes, who joined in on bass. Even in downtempo jazz-adjacent mode, it was still a dance party, bolstered by tropical versions of their hit 'Purple Hat' and 'All That She Wants' by Ace of Base. Advertisement The end of the afternoon featured back-to-back performances inspired by classic soul. Like The tender falsetto crooning of Thee Sacred Souls's lead singer Josh Lane showed why the band has become the most popular of the West Coast soul ballad revivalists. Lane spent much of the set in the aisles directly serenading the audience, and offered one of the only political statements of the day when he argued that Palestinian, Congolese, and Sudanese people deserved freedom. Raye and Thee Sacred Souls – artists often found at pop festivals – were well-received, but so were the heavy hitters from the jazz world. It was an indication that while Newport might have found the formula for commercial success, it still draws an attentive and enthusiastic audience of jazz lovers. NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL At Fort Adams State Park, Newport, R.I., Friday Noah Schaffer can be reached at
Hamilton Spectator
16-07-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Take care of my baby': Heartfelt ceremony marks anniversary of Midland woman's murder
'Wouldn't it be great if we didn't need a transition house? Isn't that the ultimate objective?' The question was posed by Marion Dutton, the adoptive mother of Midland resident Julia Brady, who was killed on July 15, 2024, a victim of intimate partner violence. She was 23. The question, asked through a wavering voice, was posed Tuesday at a ceremony on the town's harbour docks during the installation of a purple bench and two purple Muskoka chairs, shortly after Dutton and Brady's aunt, Mary Ross, had placed a rose and a sunflower on each chair. 'When Julia was little, and she first came to me, I would rock her in my chair and sing You Are My Sunshine,' explained Dutton, fighting back tears. She had taken in Brady shortly after the death of her own mother as a way to carry her mother's wishes. 'To my mom and my dad, you are my heroes,' said Dutton. Unable to hold back her grief, she added, 'Take care of my baby.' It was a heartfelt ceremony filled with tears and heightened emotions — sadness, memory, and anger with frustration toward inactivity — shared by two dozen attendees. Started in 2015, the purple bench initiative began as a commemoration in Nova Scotia of Barb's Bench to bring attention to the death of Barbara Baillie, murdered in 1990 through intimate partner violence. Haily MacDonald, executive director of Huronia Transition Homes, spoke with passion against gender-based and intimate partner violence at the Midland event. 'We can't just call women who are murdered for the sake of being women another homicide,' she said. 'We have to acknowledge that it was a result of them being a woman. So, every time we use the word femicide, that itself is an act of resistance.' In attendance were representatives of La Maison Rosewood Shelter and the Georgian Bay Native Women's Association, as well as Mayor Bill Gordon and other members of council. 'Words are not actions,' said Gordon. 'We rely on our policing partners when it comes to being the action when it comes to intimate partner violence.' During his remarks, Gordon noted Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) members were not in attendance, despite their being a key element of tackling the epidemic. He cited an 18 per cent increase in intimate partner violence calls for service in Ontario over past year, according to OPP statistics, but noted it was uncertain whether that was from 'more violence being perpetrated, or if people are coming forward now and reporting that. 'The stigma is being broken by efforts like this,' Gordon said. As explained at the ceremony by Desiree Salis, crisis counsellor for La Maison Rosewood, a moment of silence would be followed by the gathering making as much noise as possible to draw attention to Brady and the plight faced by women everywhere. The silence was marked by held hands and soft tears, followed by an eruption of drums, pots, and stir spoons, shouting, clapping, banging and more. Its conclusion resulted in a second moment of unintended silence and hugs. Huronia Transition Homes has been in operation since 1984 in north Simcoe and has a 24/7 county-wide crisis line where community members can access critical support and resources. (In north Simcoe: 1-800-461-1750; in south Simcoe: 1-800-987-0799.) Justus Chester has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Brady, who was his partner. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Scientific American
14-07-2025
- Health
- Scientific American
Combatting Toxic Stress with Science
George Slavich recalls the final hours he spent with his father. It was a laughter-packed day. His father even broke into the song 'You Are My Sunshine' over dinner. 'His deep, booming, joyful voice filled the entire restaurant,' says Slavich. 'I was semi-mortified, as always, while my daughter relished the serenade.' Then, about 45 minutes after saying goodbye outside the restaurant, Slavich got a call: his father had died. 'I fell to the ground in a puddle of shock and disbelief,' he says. Slavich recognized the mental and emotional trauma he was feeling — and could imagine how it would affect his health. He studies stress for a living, after all. Yet even after he brought up his concerns, his health-care provider didn't evaluate his stress. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. 'If stress isn't assessed, then it isn't addressed,' says Slavich, a clinical psychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles. 'The experience highlighted a paradox between what I know stress is doing to the brain and body, and how little attention it gets in clinical care.' Decades of research have shown that, although short bursts of stress can be healthy, unrelenting stress contributes to heart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory disorders, suicide and other leading causes of death. In some cases, prolonged stress drives the onset of a health problem. In others, it accelerates a disease — or induces unhealthy coping behaviours that contribute to chronic conditions. Stress also seems to be on the rise. It increased globally during the recession of 2007 to 2009 and the COVID-19 pandemic, says David Almeida, a developmental psychologist at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, who studies historical shifts in stress as well as everyday stressors. Polls show that globally, including in the United States, stress hasn't gone back down to previous levels. 'Any time there is uncertainty in society, we see increases in reports of stress,' says Almeida. Uncertainty can ramp up our responses to stressors that are usually minor, he says: 'Being stuck in traffic might make you more upset than it did before.' Although people tend to be aware of their stress, they often don't know what to do about it. A physician might recommend leaving a stressful job, engaging in talk therapy or eating and sleeping better — but those options are not always possible. In fact, many of the individuals who face the greatest stressors also face the greatest barriers to treatment. What's more, some people take pride in how many demands they can juggle, wearing stress like a badge of honour, says Slavich. He, Almeida and other researchers are trying to change the current thinking. Emerging assessment tools, along with basic advances in stress science, now make it possible to answer questions such as 'When does good stress turn bad?' and 'How can we intervene effectively?' An improved understanding of stress, says Slavich, could 'fundamentally transform health care'. Good versus bad stress Sources of stress run the gamut: a high-stakes presentation at work, a disagreement among friends, trauma from military conflict, living in poverty, structural racism, divorce, a lost job — or a lost loved one. When the body perceives a threat, stress hormones, including cortisol, flood the bloodstream. Muscles tense and blood sugar levels rise. The heart beats faster and stronger, and blood vessels dilate, shuttling extra oxygen through the body to help you think and move quicker. The immune system is put on call for rapid healing and recovery. This fight-or-flight response has, over millennia, helped humans to survive. But it didn't evolve to cope with traffic, cyberbullying, credit-card debt and the countless other stressors of modern life. 'There is an evolutionary mismatch happening right now,' says Almeida. Issues arise when the body fails to control the on–off switch, says Wendy Berry Mendes, a psychologist at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Stress becomes problematic if the body overreacts to situations that are not life-threatening, anticipates a stressor too soon or dwells on negative feelings after the stressor has passed — or if a source of stress sticks around for too long. When cortisol and the sympathetic nervous system are dialled up for extended periods, good stress can turn bad. But how would someone know when the line is crossed? Stress assessments tend to rely on self-reported symptoms, such as anxiety or trouble sleeping, plus, in some cases, on measurements of blood pressure, cortisol levels or heart rate. These tools aren't always sufficient. An elevated cortisol level or heart rate, for example, could be explained by exercise or 'that cup of coffee you just had', says Almeida. Blood pressure, cortisol and heart rate also rise and fall naturally throughout the day. The timing of the measurement matters, as do patterns over time. Mendes says she is most confident in cortisol measurements that are taken approximately 30 minutes after waking, when a healthy person should experience a strong spike. Heart-rate variability, a measure of the natural fluctuation in the time between beats, is also much more informative as to how the body regulates stress than is the heart rate itself, she says. Access to many more types of measurement might offer a fuller picture, say researchers. Nearly the entire body reacts to stress, including the nervous, respiratory, digestive, cardiovascular, immune, circadian and endocrine systems. In a study that has not yet been peer reviewed, Slavich and his colleagues found that the expression of more than 1,500 genes, especially those involved in inflammation and antiviral responses, can change after a person is socially stressed for as little as 10 minutes. With this complex cascade in mind, Slavich and his colleagues are investigating a broad array of self-reported measures, including past stress and trauma exposure, as well as data on neurotransmitters, hormones, genetics, gene expression, gut bacteria, inflammatory markers, glucose levels, lipid function and metabolites. These data are now easier to obtain, often with affordable at-home tests. The COVID-19 pandemic spurred the creation of simple-to-use devices to collect blood, saliva and stool samples. In parallel, there are increasingly small and powerful wearables that can continuously assess physical activity, sleep, heart rate, heart rate variability, vestibular balance and galvanic skin response. Sensors under development aim to detect real-time levels of cortisol and other stress hormones through sweat. Meanwhile, researchers are designing ways to gauge blood pressure when people are on the go. There are limitations to the wearables currently on the market, says Mendes: 'Many physiological measures that wearables can detect are simply easy to obtain rather than being the most informative about stress or health.' Still, optimism is high that measures that can be taken quickly and with little or no effort will help people to become more aware of their stress level and will advance stress science. The influx of data could help researchers to understand how stress contributes to long-term health problems, as well as offering guidance in the clinic. Currently, there are no clinical cut-offs that indicate harmful stress, says Slavich. By contrast, a health-care provider concerned about cardiovascular disease, for example, can measure levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation, to determine whether a person is at an elevated risk and whether they'd benefit from further testing and treatment. 'If you are going to transform clinical care and give health-care providers and patients a target to move towards, that's a first step,' he says. For harmful stress, Slavich anticipates that a more robust and continuous stress score, derived from a combination of signals, might be needed. Stress gets personal The good news is that a variety of interventions are already available, and more options are on the horizon. Robust clinical trials show that cognitive behavioural therapy, breathing exercises, social support, exercise and time spent in nature can fight bad stress by altering how a person thinks, how they act and how their body responds to stress. Cognitive behavioural therapy has been shown to reduce how much people dwell on negative feelings after a stressor, for example, as well as helping a person to reframe their perception of an upcoming stressful event. Last year, a meta-analysis of techniques for reframing stress concluded that they can provide a small boost in performance on a range of tasks, notably those that involve social evaluation, such as giving a business pitch. There are other tools that can help a body overwhelmed by stress. Beta blockers, for example, can be prescribed to tamp down the sympathetic nervous system as needed. Anti-inflammatory drugs can calm an immune system that remains activated after a bout of stress. Even omega-3 fatty acids can buffer the stress response and reduce inflammation. Part of the challenge going forward will be to match the treatment to the individual. In the past several years, researchers have realized just how much the impacts of stress vary depending on someone's biology, past exposures and present circumstances. For one thing, men and women tend to differ in their responses. Men show greater cortisol responses to stressors related to performance, for example, such as public speaking, whereas women might react more strongly to inter-personal stressors. Some studies find that people whose microbiome is out of balance, because of antibiotics or previous stressors, can experience an exaggerated stress response. There's also a body of research on how children who experience abuse or chronic neglect can be predisposed to a maladaptive stress response later in life. 'An early-life traumatic experience can lead you to believe the world is unpredictable and unsafe place,' says Slavich. In the future, Slavich says, having a comprehensive profile of a person could guide a health-care team to the best combination of interventions for them. He and his team are testing such an approach by pairing personal stress profiling with tailored treatments. The team matched more than 400 participants in California to one of five 12-week interventions on the basis of how individuals reported being affected by stress. The treatment programmes focused on improving either sleep, eating habits, physical activity, cognitive responses or social relationships through weekly pre-recorded videos, digital modules, a coaching session and an assessment. The researchers are now analysing data collected on a variety of psychological, emotional, biological and behavioural outcomes — from sleep to the diversity of bacteria in the gut. Rewiring resilience Other treatment options could emerge from new ideas about how stress contributes to disease in the long-term. One theory centres on mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells. It suggests that psychological stress drives disease and accelerates ageing, in part, by using up too much cellular energy, creating oxidative stress that can damage cells and tissues. And because mitochondria are extremely sensitive to inflammation and oxidative stress, the effects can amplify in a harmful feedback loop. Martin Picard, a psychobiologist at Columbia University in New York City and one of the proponents of the link between mitochondria and ageing, says it could explain many of the ways in which stress affects the body — including greying hairs. During a bout of grant-writing stress in 2017, five of his own auburn hairs turned grey, reverting back after a holiday. 'Hair colour is one of the most futile, dispensable features of our bodies,' says Picard. 'If the body runs out of energy, it makes sense that it would 'de-prioritize' making pigment for hairs.' Picard suspects that interventions, including meditation and exercise, could help to boost the quality and function of mitochondria. And if the theory is correct, it might even support the use of psychedelic therapy for people with post-traumatic stress and other stress disorders, he says. There are early hints that psilocybin, LSD and other hallucinogens act on a cell-surface receptor that seems to be involved in increasing the production of healthy mitochondria. Targeting the microbiome is another emerging avenue. Research over the past couple of decades points to bidirectional communication between the brain and gut, with stress disrupting the microbiome and a disrupted microbiome exacerbating the stress response. John Cryan, a neuroscientist at University College Cork in Ireland, and his team have shown that supplementing the diet with specific strains of gut bacteria that are naturally present — yet often depleted — dampened the stress response in both laboratory animals and humans. The same effects didn't show up in mice with a severed vagus nerve, pointing to that nerve's central role in gut–brain communication, says Cryan. Research by Mendes and others is also showing that direct stimulation of the vagus nerve might modulate the stress response. Finding solutions doesn't just benefit the individual. Through behaviours driven by stress and inflammation — including impaired decision-making — one person's stress can make others stressed, says Julia Concetta Arciero, a mathematician at the University of Indiana in Indianapolis. Last year, Arciero co-authored a paper that used mathematical models to study the links between individual stressors and large-scale societal dysfunction over time. 'The decisions people make, the actions they take, they're all very interactive without us realizing it,' says Arciero. Almeida, who wrote an editorial accompanying the paper, says the effects of stress go beyond individuals and beyond health problems. 'If we're not making good decisions, or we can't help each other because we're all stressed, that could be a daunting future.' But eliminating stress entirely is not the answer, says Elissa Epel, a behavioural scientist at the University of California, San Francisco, and a pioneer in research on the mitochondria–ageing theory. Even though stress often causes damage at the cellular level, research by her team and others shows that brief bouts of well-regulated stress can bolster mental and physical health and strengthen resilience to future stress. Stress can even fuel action and ignite a positive feedback loop that might mitigate the burden of stress across society, says Almeida. Whether the stress is driven by moral outrage at injustice or by climate change, 'it's motivation for activism', he says. 'That typically doesn't happen if you don't feel threatened or challenged.'
Wales Online
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Stevie Wonder wows huge crowd with hit-filled performance in Cardiff as he closes Blackweir Live gigs
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Away from all the controversies about the use of Blackweir in Cardiff for gigs, on Wednesday night I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been one of the tens of thousands to be standing in a park I love, in the my home city, listening to the absolute icon that is Stevie Wonder playing some of his classics just metres away from me. He is a global superstar with more accolades my word count will allow me to list, and he was right here on my doorstep, and what a night it was. The sun was shining, the venue was packed and he performed hit after hit after hit. Earlier in the week, as I was cooking dinner I'd asked Alexa to "play Stevie Wonder". For the next hour, every single song that came on was a classic, and seeing most of them live a few days later? Well, that's bucket list stuff. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . The 75-year-old performed for more than two hours - coming on stage just after 8pm, ending around 10pm, telling the crowd he "had to". Given half the chance, I reckon he'd have carried on, because I can't remember a gig I've seen where the artist was so clearly enjoying every minute. Coming on stage, guided by two of his children, he explained this night was all along the theme of Love, Light & Song - and drew attention to the importance of his outfit choice, a diamante studded jacket - with Martin Luther King on one side and Gandhi on the other. (Image: John Myers) He opened with Love's in Need of Love Today - a sentiment he explained was as important today as it was when released in 1976 and closed with As in between? Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours; Sir Duke and You Are My Sunshine, were highlights. He was presented, mid-show, with an honorary fellowship of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and gave an impassioned speech about his life with sight loss. He told the crowd, "the truth is, shortly after my birth I became blind. That was a blessing because it allowed me to see the world in a vision of trust, see people in the spirit of them, not how they look, not what colour they are, but their spirits". The audience sang, boogied, swayed, and it was amazing to see the variety of ages of people there. Those who have been around for some if not all his career which started in 1962, right through to those much younger who have presumably fallen for the soul singer later in his career. He was joined on stage by his son, and support act Corinne Bailey Rae, they were the only relative breaks he took in the whole set. An impressive feat in a performance that was soulful, full of spirit and little short of beautiful. This was the last of the gigs at Blackweir, although the row over the use of the public land for gigs rumbles on, but the reviews I'd heard beforehand that it was a well organised event were true when it came to getting in, but I would say if they return, I think there's some work to do on the logistics. Downloading tickets has been a problem throughout the series as people struggled to get signal. The area we were in was packed, with huge bar queues, and our plan to eat was scuppered when we saw the massive queues there too. (Image: John Myers) Getting out was a slow affair, with relatively narrow lanes for pedestrians to exit. But even then, you can't say it ruined a night that is one which I'll never forget. A friend said to me as we left 'it was once in a lifetime, wasn't it?" and I can't disagree.
Wales Online
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
What's Stevie Wonder's setlist at Blackweir in Cardiff going to be
What's Stevie Wonder's setlist at Blackweir in Cardiff going to be He's expected to bring some of his best tracks such as Superstition, You Are My Sunshine and Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours to his Welsh audience The US singer has notched up 49 Top 40 singles, 32 number ones and has sold over 100 million records worldwide over the years (Image: 2024 Getty Images ) Music legend Stevie Wonder is taking to the stage at Blackweir Live for the fourth and final night of the series on Wednesday, July 9 and it's shaping up to be a big one. The Love, Light & Song show is coming to Cardiff as part of just three outdoor dates in the UK in 2025. Blackweir Live has divided opinion in the capital with some people loving the large venue surrounded by greenery and others taking issue with its location and it's disruption to the park itself, but there's no denying that having Stevie Wonder headline the closing night is a serious booking. Stevie's been performing some live dates this summer already, the last being the Utilita Arena in Birmingham. While we can't say 100% these are the songs he'll sing when he's at Blackweir, they give us a good idea. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here What's Stevie Wonder's setlist? Love's in Need of Love Today Play Video As If You Read My Mind Play Video Master Blaster (Jammin') Play Video Higher Ground Play Video Contusion Play Video All I Do Play Video You Are My Sunshine (Jimmie Davis cover) (Sang by the audience) Play Video You Are the Sunshine of My Life Play Video Everybody Is a Star (Sly & the Family Stone cover) Play Video Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours Play Video Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing Play Video My Cherie Amour Play Video Overjoyed Play Video Stranger on the Shore of Love Play Video Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) (Aretha Franklin cover) (Only the band) Play Video Sweet Love (Anita Baker cover) (Only the band) Play Video If You Really Love Me ((Stevie's daughter Aisha Morris and Stevie on lead vocals)) Play Video I Just Called to Say I Love You Play Video Happy Birthday Play Video Living for the City Play Video Sir Duke Play Video I Wish Play Video Isn't She Lovely Play Video I Can Only Be Me ((Stevie's son Mandla Morris on lead vocals)) Play Video Do I Do Play Video Superstition Play Video As Play Video Another Star British singer and songwriter, Corinne Jacqueline Bailey Rae who is best known for her 2006 single 'Put Your Records On' will also be supporting Stevie. At her most recent show at Lytham St Annes, England, this is what her setlist looked like: Been to the Moon Play Video Closer Play Video Breathless Play Video Is This Love (Bob Marley & The Wailers cover) Play Video Till It Happens to You Play Video The Blackest Lily (with guitar solo) Play Video He Will Follow You With His Eyes Play Video New York Transit Queen Play Video Earthlings Play Video Put Your Records On (extended) Play Video Like a Star Stevie Wonder is one of the biggest names in music history. He's notched up 49 Top 40 singles, 32 number ones and has sold over 100 million records worldwide and has picked up 25 Grammy Awards over the years including the Lifetime Achievement Award along with a Golden Globe and an Oscar. His 1976 album Songs In The Key of Life is considered one of the greatest records ever made, and it's even been archived in the US Library of Congress for its cultural and historical significance so we can surely expect to hear tracks from this as part of the set. It's been more than 50 years since Stevie last performed in Cardiff. Back in 1965, at just 14 years old, he played the Capitol Theatre alongside The Supremes and Smokey Robinson as part of the Tamla Motown tour. He returned to the same venue in 1971 and later played The Vetch in Swansea in 1984 so it will hopefully be a huge full circle moment for him, and especially anyone who saw his previous shows at the gig on Wednesday. Can you still get tickets for Stevie Wonder at Blackweir Live? There are still tickets available for Stevie Wonder at Blackweir Live. Article continues below They start at £95.20 on Ticketmaster and you can buy them, here.
