In the Zen

CHRISTMAS EVERYTHINGNESS 𝙅𝘼𝙕𝙕 𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 from In the Zen

by Kerilie McDowall

ALL THINGS MUSIC

I have been in touch with many musicians daily who often contact me for various different reasons related to the Polaris Music Prize, or due to their upcoming releases. Lately, I have been enjoying writing about some I adore.

I have a special article in tribute to a favourite, the late Italian legendary jazz vocalist and renaissance woman, TV/Radio Host-Producer/Writer extraordinaire, Lilian Terry, that I have published already and decided to re-format as its own article in grand style, as she truly was such an icon. This was a new afterthought as I continue to add structure and gather ideas for the In The Zen blog.

The blog’s format is taking shape, and this more barer minimalist type of format seems to be a good idea for focusing upon certain artists and interview guests. And you will not want to miss hearing about Lilian Terry’s inspirational life as a gifted jazz vocal pioneer. Do not miss the audio posted, “Tune Up,” Terry is exquisite!

I wrote about and reviewed Terry’s wonderful excellent joyful book, 𝐷𝑖𝑧𝑧𝑦, 𝐷𝑢𝑘𝑒, 𝐵𝑟𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑅𝑎𝑦, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐹𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠: 𝑂𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑂𝑓𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑅𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝐽𝑎𝑧𝑧 𝐺𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑠, in a past year when I was writing in the former years for 𝑫𝒐𝒘𝒏𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒕.

I plan to re-format my former original post today in my blog concerning the icon Lilian Terry. You can get the recipes here below in this Christmas blog edition, that were published in the original, now reformatted Lilian Terry blog post. Stay tuned for more on this, too in grand style from All About Jazz, it's in the works!

Lately, I have spoken with and interviewed such a talent: theatre sensation, Nanaimo Fringe Festival winner, Oh Mother's jazz-pop diva, Andrea Superstein, check out the blog archives posted you will not want to miss the interview!

Also, a favourite composer of mine, the brilliant clarinetist, François Houle, is interviewed in two parts, learn about his latest projects.

Justin Time Records’ owner Jim West, USA's Angie Wells, and JUNO winner from Fond of Tigers’ Stephen Lyons are also on the upcoming Q&A list. And yes, do have a peek at my blog posts, as I had a past autumn chat with former Toronto Shuffle Demons’ saxophonist now in BC, Ryan Oliver, he was on the way to perform at Nanaimo’s Simon Holt Restaurant! All of the articles were posted first on All About Jazz https://www.allaboutjazz.com/

The holiday season is upon us, and no matter how you celebrate, I wish you the most happiest cheer! I am a bit late with this edition, I lost my mother November 3rd and I am taking things slow.

I also have been cooking up a storm baking for loved ones and people in the community who could use a little cheer, like the local senior home, family, and church.

I have been celebrating Christmas for many years, shockingly already at over half a century, yes, and I am excited once again to be decorating the Christmas tree with its final touch-ups from scarcely decorated to all-dressed up, with a break and planned rest from my current schedule. I am still going easy and slow to finish things up in between baking for family, friends and church and grieving often as well.

P.S: Do not forget to click the clipped link in blue text to read the full newsletter at the end of the first page to read more, and hear about wonderfully talented friends from Senegal. Enjoy the Xmasy yummy recipes from dips to shortbread and chocolate apple crisp.

Here is a peek at the unfinished tree! See later in the blog edition for the fully dressed completed tree! The first reader who can tell me where the not-so-obvious silver jingle bell is located in the blog (like a treasure hunt), will get a free one and a half hour service from Canadian Online Guitar Lessons & Services and 4 download products of their choice. Value: $ 100.00. Hint you have seen this before during a previous TV-related Xmas post!

As many of you know I lost my late mother to illness last month, and am still grieving and feeling lost, but nonetheless, I am making new traditions for myself and my family. Inspired by my Georgia, Atlanta, Black Women in Jazz and The Arts founder friend, Sha Sha Battle, I will be gifting blessings bags with no strings to the homeless randomly to honour in the giving spirit of my mother, who gave so much charity and gave such selfless love to the vulnerable and unfortunate for decades. I will also select one person for charity each year to gift a basket or help/charity to, preferably someone struggling with their health, or sitting with misfortune.

How can you create a special blessing bag for the homeless, too? And what could you put inside it? Here are some starter ideas as inspired and copied from my American friends:

“Keep a "Blessing bag" in your car in case you see someone in need. You can make these up with items from the Dollar Store such as gloves, thermal socks, beef sticks, crackers, candy bars, toothpaste, toothbrush, wipes, deodorant, snacks and other items that may help someone who is homeless or in a bad way. It is just a thoughtful, inspiring thing to do. Random acts of kindness.” 

How can you create a gift basket to honour someone’s memory or assist someone with a health crisis or misfortune?

IDEAS:

Cash.

Delivery gift certificates to Door Dash, Skip the Dishes, and favourite healthy tasty restaurants. Taxi coupons.

A delivery from www.trulocal.ca that includes grass-fed meats, pork and poultry, wild-caught seafood, with vegetarian pre-made items, too, all sourced locally from your major region within Canada.

Local delivery from pre-made food from farms with organic or non-GMO ingredients like Valley Farms.

A run to the grocery store or other errands for the family/individual.

Gifting helpful health items like anti-infection and gum disease-curing wild oregano oil Hedd Wyn Essentials Wild Organic Mediterranean Oregano Oil, arnica gel and Boiron arnica pellets, Epsom gel for pain.

Probiotic, natural fibre toothbrush or a genuine non-plastic hairbrush, and cleaning agents like essential oils, (tea tree, lemon, eucalyptus) hypoallergenic soaps and laundry soaps.

Clothing gift certificate to the Gap, Reitmans, Suzy Shier, Wal Mart, Costco, Mark’s Work Wearhouse, Skechers, Sports Mart.

Amazon and Indigo Chapters’ and Movie/cinema/Netflix gift cards.

Extra: A medical or emergency first-aid kit,

Children: toys, clothing, bedding, blankets, shoes, candy, healthy snacks, games, Make a Wish Foundation items, art supplies and musical instruments, technical gifts, asking the child’s family directly what the child would like as a gift, cash, sports equipment, swimming tickets.

A GoFund me or online fundraiser for children in serious need of medical help and family supports.

Goody and grocery gift baskets.

I send my sincerest wishes to you for true blessings for a Merry Christmas and holiday season no matter what you celebrate or decide to gift or give. And, a Happy New Year to you!

This is the last In the Zen blog post before the New Year. My next happy-wishes-to you-post will be in 2024! Happy celebration to you!

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FEATURED DECEMBER INTERNATIONAL ARTICLES:

𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆, Italian jazz pioneer vocalist, TV/radio host and producer, businesswoman, journalist, author, mother. 𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆, 𝗜𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗺, 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲.

Film: Alpha Sadou Gano. Senegal, Africa.

Music: Prefet Adam. Senegal, Africa.

On the In the Zen website: 

Canada’s 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰̧𝗼𝗶𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗲, 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗯𝘂𝗺, 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀, 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗶̂𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗾 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲-𝗼𝗳-𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘅 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴. Pop-jazz divinenesse, Andrea Superstein. Ryan Oliver’s masterful musings.

𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀? Book a consult.

Sinfully Good Xmasy Recipes

Everythingness Health Smoothie
For your morning Oneness!

Here is my latest 2023 anti-toxic world health smoothie recipe:

Use organic ingredients where possible.

1/2 tsp nutritional yeast for b1

1 tsp flax seed ground for weight loss

1 tsp hemp oil for weight loss

2 tsp cod liver oil with lemon for brain health

1 tsp chia seeds for healthy protein

1/2 container coconut-sourced yogurt homemade or Silk

3/4-1 cup coconut milk —Silk

1 cup blueberries antioxidants

1/2 cup cherries to sweeten and or use tart cherry for inflammation

Chlorophyll powder or liquid as directed

1 tbsp mct oil

beets chopped pieces for the liver

1/2 tsp turmeric or 1 stick of celery for inflammation

1/2 cup Cabbage for any extra gut inflammation

2 cups of fresh then steamed kale, beet, nettle or dandelion leaves for liver (kale steamed for thyroid protection)

1/2 tsp fresh ginger for hormonal balance

(No sugar or wheat gluten and dairy free please use cherries to sweeten as needed.)

Wait a minute don’t forget the organic banana!!!

Pulse and blend.

Email: Canadianonlineguitarlessons at gmail dot com or subscribe to opt in to the 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗭𝗲𝗻 source e-blog.

Why grow sprouts? 

The nutrients can not be found elsewhere or in such abundance as here, examples below.

Red clover: one of the highest dietary sources of isoflavones. Vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, Phosphorus, Potassium, Chlorophyll, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, Carotene, and amino acids. Cancer fighter.

Broccoli sprouts: https://akiorganic.com/blogs/healthy/broccoli-sprouts are also a valuable cancer fighter due to the high amounts of sulforaphane

Alfalfa sprouts are an old fave, more from Dr. Josh Axe on this: https://draxe.com/nutrition/alfalfa-sprouts/
a cancer preventative, very high in nutrients as a superfood.

How to 𝙜𝒓𝙤𝒘 𝒇𝙧𝒆𝙨𝒉 𝒐𝙧𝒈𝙖𝒏𝙞𝒄 𝒔𝙥𝒓𝙤𝒖𝙩𝒔 (𝙨𝒆𝙚 𝙗𝒆𝙡𝒐𝙬):

1 glass mason jar (2-3 for larger families)

1 stainless steel sprouting jar screen and one lid each (2 for larger families)

2-3 tbsp of your favourite medicinal sprouts

Suggestions: alfalfa, fenugreek, broccoli, sandwich booster, fantastic four, mung, red radish (West Coast Seeds online store, Food Country on Bowen in Nanaimo)

Directions to make affordable nutrients:

Soak seeds for 2-6 hours in the mason jar as directed, filled with water, then rinse by emptying it through the screen, and adding jar water 3-4 times to clean and rinse it well.

Daily work: Rinse twice or three times with water in the morning and the evening twelve hours later or so do not forget. So the emptying of the water is out the top of screen. Do not remove lid. (Until eating.)

Wait until the sprouts are fully formed and then eat them up fresh. Two jars are recommended. Avoid plastics, that is recommended. You may also love and enjoy sprouting in organic soil in the garden while maintaining regular trimming and planting throughout the summer. Enjoy

XMAS DIP APPYS

Not-to-miss-recipe repost: G𝐚r𝐥i𝐜 𝐬c𝐚p𝐞 𝐩e𝐬t𝐨 dip

10 garlic scapes or so, fresh or from the freezer.

1/3 cup sunflower seeds and cashews mix,

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese,

1/3 cup olive oil,

1/2 juice of a lemon,

Salt and pepper,

Chop the scapes smaller and add all ingredients to the blender then blend, TIP: Be careful to chop the scapes first to be gentle with your blender. I destroyed a blender from not chopping the scapes into small enough pieces, yes the blender went kaput as the pieces wound around the blades, and that smoking not-so- good smell arrived that tells you to unplug the machine and never use it again. So I bought a heavy-duty blender smoothie ice crusher machine.

Serve with crackers or pita. Also great heated through on gluten-free pasta or spaghetti squash.

XMASY FIESTA! ORGANIC HANDMADE SALSA & GUACAMOLE

A special friend and past mentor, Vancouver, BC, jazz and symphony bassist Chris Nelson, was honoured with respect yesterday as l made his tomato salsa recipe to make organic nachos for a family member with the best ingredients. I really miss Chris' wisdom, and l absolutely adored and loved his bass playing.

Here is Chris’ salsa recipe. It was simply the best. Recipe below.

As many finely chopped diced organic garden tomatoes as you can find,
fresh garden tomatoes 8-11.

1 large finely chopped homegrown organic jalapeño, rainbow or regular

3/4 medium chopped organic onion

1/4 or more of freshly finely chopped organic cilantro

Add the juice of two organic limes.

If desired add finely chopped organic garden green or red sweet pepper, bell, to taste.

Chop all ingredients finely by hand with love. Taste, then add a little white vinegar about 1/8 c or much less according to how you like vinegar to taste. Chris in the winter added a bit of white sugar, but if your tomatoes are summer-sweet fresh you do not need sugar. If you like add a little Himalayan salt if desired.

Enjoy. From the very gifted Chris, given as a wonderful recipe to me, and now to you. I have never forgotten this, and Chris is dearly missed by all who knew him.

Serve these recipes with handmade flaxito chips or use organic nacho chips, and shred marble cheese on top of generously over the chips. Add chopped onion, jalapeños, and green peppers thinly sliced with chopped olives. Bake in a pan at 350 F until melted.

Serve with guacamole, organic sour cream, and halved lime on the side.

For the guacamole recipe here is an organic recipe:

Garden Guacamole Recipe

3-4 avocadoes, organic

1 large beefsteak tomato, organic

2-3 cloves organic garden garlic

handmade mayonnaise or organic, about 3 large tablespoons depending on the size of the avocadoes, add more.

4 tablespoons cilantro

Juice, hand squeezed, of 1 ½ to 2 lemons (or 3 limes) depending on their size, taste recipe while adding lemon (or lime) juice.

Don’t forget: Harvest your seeds for next year…

Iman’s Lebanese Eggplant Holiday Spread

Wickedly good recipe! Keeps 2-3 days in fridge.

1 large eggplant, peeled, chopped

salt

3 tbsp oil

1 clove or more of garlic

¼ cup of tahini

2 tbsp lemon juice

¼ tsp paprika

Cook eggplant on a wire rack, sprinkle with salt, let stand 20-30 minutes. Rinse in cold water, drain on absorbent paper.

Heat oil on medium heat. Add eggplant and garlic to the oil. Stir over moderate to low heat for about 10 minutes. Do not brown too much. Place in blender and blend until smooth. Cool. Serve with Lebanese pita and raw vegetables.

Harry Hotlips’ Lebanese Festive Hor D’Oeuve

Slice eggplants, either medium-sized eggplant or long Asian purple eggplant into rounds. 4 large eggplants for larger parties, or 10 long Asian .

Salt them heavily on a plate and place a large plate on top of them, heavily weighted.

Leave to soak for about 2-3 hours, then rinse the salt off very well, then dry the eggplant and deep fry in small batches in oil.

Topping:

Mix 5-8 chopped finely chopped big garlic cloves with diced small tomato pieces, a lot of cilantro to taste, and generous amounts of to taste, lemon juice.

Fry the eggplant to golden brown colour then add the topping on each eggplant round slice, the more garlic the better! Serve on a special fancy platter and serve your favourite guests.

Mom’s Fave Xmas Shortbread

Small batch:

1 cup grass-fed butter

¾ cup icing sugar

2 cups no additive unbleached flour

½ tsp organic vanilla

Blend with a mixer for 5 minutes, then knead by hand for 10 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, 12-15 minutes, be sure to be careful not to overcook them, they burn easily.

Xmas Chocolate-Walnut Apple Crisp

5 cups peeled and sliced apples (Jazz apples)

1/4 pound of butter, in small pieces

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 - 1 cup chocolate chips or dark chocolate chunks

¼ cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup walnuts

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 1.5-quart baking dish, place and spread the apples into it, then scatter 1/3 cup water on top. Combine dry ingredients, the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl, and knead in the butter with your fingers until it resembles crumbs. Spread over the apples smooth and evenly. Sprinkle the chocolate chips then walnuts over the top evenly. Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is browned. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Ratio 3 parts apples and 2 parts crumble mixture, it is ok to pile high as the apples shrink! Mix in the chocolate chips or chocolate cookie bar pieces if you prefer with the crumble mix!

HEALTH FINDS

PHARMA MEMORY LOSS

A must read. Tell your loved ones. Drugs and medicines that cause severe and potentially deadly memory loss: HERE.

Black Walnut for Parasites in Adults and Children 
Source: BacktoYourRootsHerbs.com

How to make Calendula Cream 
Source: growforagecookferment.com.

Spurge and cancer cells
Source: wimbledonacupunctureandherbs.co.uk

Ashwagandha vs Rodiola
Source: https://dailygem.co/blogs/news/ashwagandha-vs-rhodiola

FILM DISCOVERY CORNER

Because it’s so good!!

Oulimata’s story: Eliminating one girl’s barrier to education

Director: Alpha Sadou Gano
SENEGAL, AFRICA

WATCH IT HERE: https://youtu.be/bZi05Bixs4U?si=ZaGr9d9mcXngWcqw

My friend in Senegal, Africa, Alpha Sadou Gano, made this moving film on the topic of schools becoming accessible to disabled children in Africa, and he continues to make great films. Many of his films are inspiring because they focus on areas of needed important social justice or of concern like, community women coming together in business, and the equal rights of the disabled and women in Africa.

This is a film that I hope you can discover, and if you are a filmmaker, it will inspire you to do more. Like it did with me.

After seeing this below, see the link below to Alpha’s film, I suggested to Alpha that we make a collaboration for September 21, 2023 for International Day of Peace with both of our film materials, mine from Canada and his from Africa. I was so happy that he found the time to do this and we agreed it was a good idea, and Alpha with very limited time due to shooting in villages in Africa, and a computer technical breakdown, (his Apple overheated), overcame all and somehow put it all together quickly.

I recently posted the collab film again on Facebook. Alpha did the editing and shot choices as the overseeing director, and I as a producer sent my photos to him and those that Nanaimo photographer Dirk Heydemann had permitted to use for Alpha so he could pop a quick short film together. You can view it on my Facebook timeline now or by going back to my Facebook timeline from September 2023.

Alpha is a filmmaker to watch for, his great short documentaries are worth seeking out. Enjoy his film below.

Contact Alpha Sadou Gano by email: [email protected]
Phone: +221 77 636 83 15

MUSIC

Well, a very, very, talented international African musician who introduced me to Alpha, whom l am a very big fan of, Prefet Adam, from Senegal, made a personal request for me to create 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙝𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙟𝙖𝙯𝙯/world 𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩, for contacting Canada's jazz music fests. So I did. I have always enjoyed helping talented musicians like Prefet Adam. His music has inspired me greatly due to its close, honest relationship and devotion to God the Creator, social justice, and world unity.

I also love Prefet’s fancy guitar sounds, with his truly wonderful rhythms and creative ideas straight from his culture of Fulani, based in Senegal, and it’s inspiring. His band is like no other, they play as if they have performed together for many decades of years, and how wonderful the interplay is. Scroll below to have an up-close listen and merge yourself into the world of Senegal and Fulani music. An exciting and close-up glimpse into the music culture of Africa.

Contact Prefet Adam by email: [email protected]
Phone: +221 77 505 88 15

Contact Prefet Adam on Facebook:

http://facebook.com/prefet.balde

CANADIAN ONLINE GUITAR LESSONS NEW YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND COMING SOON!

On the upcoming studio shooting list now is some video shooting of new Christmas Songs for Guitar Beginners with either the same chords or similar chords and patterns in the same simple key to aid you.

 Video 1 Repertoire builder: You will learn 5-7 new tunes rapidly!

 Video 2 Adding in an extra separate video Xmas BONUS, just for you: Learn right-hand strumming, and the easy 1-2-3 secrets to playing the B major, and F major chord! COMING SOON!

Subscribe here to get the Video 1 & 2 freebies: https://youtu.be/ER7V_pPlIE8?si=nRbdzZ5cfjv4hk1o

OPEN HOUSE and 20% off all services going now until the end of December 2023 for Xmas shoppers! Get a free 30 minute services gift! Choose your service below.

Products sale choose three downloads for $10.99 or $4.99 each.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CANADIAN ONLINE GUITAR LESSONS CHANNEL

Information about upcoming YouTube videos.

In the Zen is the new blog of freelance writer and music professional, Kerilie McDowall. Fun jazz and creative interviews, seasonal lifestyle articles including health, garden, interesting tidbits, and all things music. Stop by for music industry and film festing informative flashes and other insights from 12x award-winning jazz short documentary filmmaker McDowall. She has much to share with over 34 years in the music industry as a music graduate, jazz guitarist/composer, jazz writer, past jazz and creative concert producer/publicist, and as a former TV Director, radio and TV host and producer.

Book 15 min: https://calendly.com/kerilie/guitar-lessons-workshops-writing-publicity-media-contact

T: 1-250-668-3589 E-transfer/email address/donate: [email protected] Subscribe | In the Zen (beehiiv.com)

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Images of Kerilie McDowall by Dirk Heydemann of HA Photography.  Trophies: Vegas Movie Awards

WANT TO SEE MORE IN THE ZEN?

Kerilie works very hard to bring you jazz news and to assist musicians. Permit Kerilie to have the time to bring it to you. Donate to In the Zen! With e-transfers, just copy and paste my email address into your one-time donation or Subscribe: weekly or monthly by e-transfer. Drop me a line or two! E-transfers: [email protected]

1-(250)-668-3589

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CONTACT Book your private Open House session HERE.

Thank you for your support.

The finished Christmas tree! I wish you happy Christmas and holiday cheer!

In loving memory of Stephanie McDowall; March 5, 1943-November 3, 2023.