A Little Sir Duke for Saturday

workin w hahva at “the coffee shop” on mariposa. man, they’ve been playing all the classic jams today. they actually played blood sweat and tears, lucretia mcevil…i used to jump up and down and run around the living room to that song when i was like 7yrs old. now it’s “songs in the key of … [Read more…]

ABC News: 30 Mins of Music for a Healthy Heart

  Music to Your Ears? Music for Your Heart, Too By Maggie Fox, Reuters (Story about the study was picked up last night by ABC’s World News) WASHINGTON Songs that make our hearts soar can make them stronger too, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday. They found that when people listened to their favorite music, their blood vessels … [Read more…]

How to get to “Yes I Can”: Jazz Corps

A couple weeks ago I was at an Education Innovation panel in DC (w Harlem Children Zone’s Geoffrey Canada, Harvard Education Innovation Lab Economist Roland Fryer, NYT Mag Editor Paul Tough and CAP Senior Fellow/MNSi Board member, Robert Gordon)  Roland raised one of his central questions – in short, and in general (unrelated to Obama), how do … [Read more…]

Nation of Idealists and Dreamers Recaptures Some Mojo

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible…tonight is your answer.” “So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other.” … [Read more…]

Musicians Use Both Sides Of Their Brains

Musicians Use Both Sides Of Their Brains More Frequently Than Average People http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002172542.htm Former colleague (from the Corp for National Service) and good friend Jennifer Tabola sent this link and message from Science Daily: “Supporting what many of us who are not musically talented have often felt, new research reveals that trained musicians really do … [Read more…]

MNSi hits UMich Arts Enterprise & CMJ

Kiff did a two-day residency at the University of Michigan to discuss MusicianCorps and the intersection of arts, entrepreneurship and public service. Later he joined Oxfam, PETA, IAVA and band “The Greater Good” on the Music for Change panel at CMJ in NYC.