Died Eldar Ryazanov (1927-2015). Here it is, his own poem about this event:

“In old park of hospital building,

Made of brick and of simple design…

Pity as I did not learn praying,

And did not believe in miracle of mine.

Behind my window the fall’s in blossom,

Foliage to fall, soon cover with snow.

I’m dismayed and unfocused,

To accept injustice I can, but no.

Of no longer concern’s my people’s lot,

Where it is going and happening what,

The nature’s so righteously dying,

Opposite to illy human’s crying.

Here I have to go and dissolve…

Farewell, the sounds,voices,

colors, odors, the dearest faces,

Made of brick and of simple design building…”

(translated by VFP)

Eldar Ryazanov’s muse did not like bustling, he created his masterpieces in quietness and extreme concentration mood. Loved by millions of Russians for his timeless classics:”Carnival Night”(1956), “Irony of Fate” (1975), “The Man from Nowhere” (banned by Soviet Authorities) etc. The People’s Artist of the USSR award was given to him in 1984. He never received the same kind of acclaim in the United States as in Russia.

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Muse does not like bustling for 80-year old Al Muirhead, composer, arranger, trumpet player, recording artist, adjudicator and mentor. He is quite simply a legend of Calgary’s music scene. You would think, then, that he has seen it all, done it all and is ready to slow down. But that’s not Al. “I always learn new things. Everybody you play with, you learn something from”, says Al Muirhead, who was one of the artists showcased at the recent Jazz YYC Canadian Jazz Festival.

Creative life keeps on and that is the main thing in our lives. Enjoy every second of this life. And be happy.

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