Miss Tracey Nolan

Toronto Jazz Festival Day One: VERTIGO

2009-06-27T17:22:00.005-04:00

Venerable Toronto jazz mainstay The Rex has, for the second year in a row, chosen "Saxophone Summit" as their theme for the jazz festival, lending an enviable cohesiveness to their programming.

The 11pm show last night featuring a roster of young local talents including sax favourite Quinsin Nachoff did not disappoint the standing room only crowd. The compositions were complex rhythmic structures and the overall sound was offbeat without sacrificing accessibility.

For more on drummer Michael Herrings outfit, Vertigo visit: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=16362

Toronto Jazz Festival Day One: SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS

2009-06-27T16:55:00.005-04:00

The soul continued to flow at the Toronto Jazz Fest last night when Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings took to the mainstage. The Dap-Kings are best known for backing Amy Winehouse on her monster hit Rehab and one of my personal favourites from Winehouse's canon, You Know I'm No Good.

They provided a truly funky danceable backdrop for Jones to colour with her powerhouse vocals and vibrant stage presence. It was a treat to see the kind of enthusiasm that Jones and the Dap-Kings inspire in an audience. Folks were dancing, storming the stage and singing along. Many crying cathartic tears when Jones paid tribute to Michael Jackson with a rousing rendition of the Jackson Five fave I Want You Back.

A Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings show isn't a concert as much as it is an event, a happening. If you ever have the opportunity to catch them live, I'd suggest taking it, and putting on your party pants and your dancing shoes. You're going to need them.

For more information on Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings visit their website:http://www.daptonerecords.com/

Toronto Jazz Festival Day One: SONNY ROLLINS

2009-06-27T15:59:00.006-04:00

It's not often you get the chance to see a living legend on stage and that is, without a doubt, the status that Sonny Rollins carries with him these days. Rollins isn't the kind of player to rest on those laurels though. If there was one thing evident in his playing last night it was a continuing sense of exploration and a monster work ethic.

With his horn seeming to be sort of plugged into his iconic visage, Rollins paced the stage, interacting with his band and the crowd, jutting around and almost dancing during the bouncy calypso (not St. Thomas) that he closed the set with.

The opening was a relentlessly rhythmic and repetitive piece that showcased the eclectic instrumentation that Rollins favours these days including a conga player I have yet to identify (it was not Kimati Dinizulu who he regularly plays with), Bob Cranshaw on electric bass and Clifton Anderson on trombone. While Cranshaw's bass sounded driving, clean and modern off the top of the show during this searching, almost trance like tune once the program turned to standards like Irving Berlin's They Say It's Wonderful and Ellington's In A Sentimental Mood it was suddenly incongruent.

The conga player mercifully laid low during the Berlin, but found many ways to shoe-horn in jarring triangle riffs, tambourine hits and rhythms on the conga during the Ellington that pulled focus throughout, especially from lovely trombone work of the capable Anderson.

The most striking element of the evening had to be Rollins magnificent tone. He remains singular sounding, with perhaps a shadow of the influence of his idol Coleman Hawkins in his lower register. His sound is one of the reasons he is one of the greats and it is still there in all its glory.

The crowd gave Rollins at least a partial standing ovation upon his entering and then again after every number during the concert. He seemed unphased throughout, focussing on the task at hand not speaking or introducing the tunes, acknowledging that what had just transpired was something special only as he left the stage, fist raised triumphantly, as if in both solidarity and victory.

For more information on Sonny Rollins visit his website www.sonnyrollins.com

Toronto Jazz Festival Day One: SOUL STEW

2009-06-27T14:48:00.004-04:00

The first free outdoor show of the 2009 Festival (there was no lunch time show on the first Friday this year) featured Canadian band Soul Stew, anchored by the powerful vocals of Michael Dunston. Soul Stew brings the party with by the book renditions of soul, R&B and funk tunes. By the book, with the exception of special guest Robi Botos on keys. If there is a funkier man in the city of Toronto, I don't know who it is.

The Toronto Jazz Festival has always been better about programming actual jazz music then a lot of other popular and well attended fests like Beaches Festival and the world famous Montreal Festival. While nobody would argue that what Soul Stew does is jazz, if there is a place for this kind of alternate programming it is at the after work series when people are ready to soak up the sun, enjoy a beer and dance their troubles away.

Of particular note was a fun medley of Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" and "Sex Machine". Dunston tore the (non existent) roof off the dump and the crowd couldn't get enough. It was a joyful, raucous party to kick off what promises to be a great festival.

For more information on Soul Stew visit their website: http://soulstew.ca/

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

2009-06-26T11:09:00.005-04:00

The rubber soles of cheap, worn sneakers dragging across the gravely pavement of my 1980's school yard had a distinct sound. I was in third grade when Thriller was released and EVERYBODY was trying to moonwalk.

That's me in the back row, with the unfortunate bangs and the plaid dress. I didn't have my finger on the pulse of pop culture back then. Like today, my tastes were a little...different. But even I knew what a big deal Michael Jackson was. I remember other kids wearing buttons of Michael Jackson on their fake red leather zipper jackets. I remember that my friends rented top loading VCRs in order to watch his videos. I remember when Tammy Malden's Dad got her Thriller for her birthday and that once she opened that first gift, everything else was forgotten. Her party turned from a "birthday party" into a "listening party", all of us gathered around her Fischer Price Turntable in our party dresses and sweater vests, listening as intently as A&R men or Quincy Jones himself.

Yesterday, while watching the flurry of media coverage over Michael Jackson's death I found this great video on Youtube of The Jackson Five at the peak of their early popularity.

It has the added bonus of Cosby as "Scoop Newsworthy", another icon from my youth. This is the music that really speaks to me now, as an adult. This early, joyful stuff that I wasn't around to experience the first time.

As I was sitting there, bopping to that little kid's brilliant vocals it dawned on me that he was missing a tooth. I mean, he was such a little kid that he was MISSING A TOOTH. And that realization just made me desperately sad. To think he was about the same age then as I was when Thriller changed the landscape of popular music is pretty much unimaginable. To think of what he was put through at the hands of his thug of a father and then what the ravages of mental illness and Dysmorphic Disorder did to this beautiful little guy is a tragedy of Shakespearean proportion. Especially if any of the allegations about his inappropriate relationships with children are true. Regardless, a lot of people were caught in the web of tragedy that surrounded this once promising, unbelievably gifted kid.

There has been a lot said in the last several hours since the news of his death broke about how the media's attention should not be diverted from the human rights crisis that is unfolding in Iran or that his personal troubles somehow erase everything that this man accomplished and all the joy he brought to others. On some level, I understand that sentiment. But our attention spans are wide, we should be able to seek out other news sources if places like CNN have developed MJ OCD and we should be able to look beyond an artist's personal life and appreciate their body of work and how it touched our lives. As Rev. Jesse Jackson said yesterday, "We are out of our joy and he is out of his pain. Several generations have not lived a day without Michael Jackson in their lives..." and that I think, really is the point. The arts don't exist in a vacuum and neither did Michael Jackson, as much as he might have wanted to.

New Elling

2009-06-02T14:55:00.001-04:00

Ooohh! I cannot wait to get my paws on this disc. Beautifully produced EPK from the folks at Concord too. Take a look.

Randall Terry should be water boarded.

2009-06-01T16:25:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, after the brutal assassination of Dr. George Tiller, President Obama released the following statement:

I am shocked and outraged by the murder of Dr. George Tiller as he attended church services this morning. However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence.

It was a relief to hear the word "outraged" even though the statement itself was appropriately measured. It Bush were still in office, I'd fear a "chickens coming home to roost" type statement, which would, of course, make my head EXPLODE. I mean, rocket, clear off my neck.

The thing of it is, I don't want measured. I want someone, anyone, to stand up and call it like it is. These anti-choice people are religious fundamentalist terrorists, period. There will be no reasoning with them, there will be no middle ground, and they won't stop.

Anti-Choice demonstration in Toronto, 2007. They didn't like me taking their picture. Which begs the question, if you don't want attention, why aren't you just off praying somewhere?

But we're measured. Because that's how you win the argument, right? Tell that to Randall Terry, head honcho at Operation Rescue and de facto anti-choice leader:

George Tiller was a mass-murderer. We grieve for him that he did not have time to properly prepare his soul to face God. I am more concerned that the Obama Administration will use Tiller's killing to intimidate pro-lifers into surrendering our most effective rhetoric and actions. Abortion is still murder. And we still must call abortion by its proper name; murder. Those men and women who slaughter the unborn are murderers according to the Law of God.

My articulate response to this? Get your pens ready. "Aaargghhuuuhhh." I have lost all will to try and come up with a reasonable, measured argument against people who are CRAZY and get a seat at the table. Why do these religious nuts, these men (SO many of them are) get any say about what women choose to do with their bodies? Why do we have to react in a measured way when one of them goes off the reservation and commits murder? They shot a man, point blank, in the head while he was in the lobby of his church. In front of his family and his community. A man who has been living with the threats for decades. A man who was shot twice 16 years ago and still continued to show up for work every day and provide health care to the women who needed it.

What we are dealing with here is not just a feminist issue, this is a civil rights issue...a human rights issue. And the sooner we all stop being pushed around by people who claim that "God" is on their side, the sooner it will actually be a fair fight.

I know I said "don't miss it" and everything, but in case you did...

2009-06-01T15:46:00.004-04:00

Enjoy a taste from the magic of Youtube!

If you are in Toronto...don't miss this one!

2009-05-27T13:53:00.000-04:00

Long a favourite of Toronto’s Cabaret fans for his rich, velvety voice and engaging stage presence Michael Lamont-Lytle has appeared in the Mirvish Productions of The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast and has toured the country in productions of Chicago, Dreamgirls and other hit shows. While his repertoire includes some of the show tunes that you would expect from a veteran of the musical theatre stage, Lamont-Lytle’s flavour has always been decidedly more R&B and Jazz tinged. No surprise really, when you consider that Lamont-Lytle is the son of famed jazz vibraphonist Johnny Lytle.

Considered one of the top vibes players in the world, Johnny Lytle was known for his great hand speed and showmanship. He was also a songwriter and wrote many of his own hits, including "The Loop," "The Man," "Lela," "Selim," and the jazz classic "The Village Caller." Lytle recorded more than 30 albums for various jazz labels including Tuba, Jazzland, Solid State and Muse. Throughout his career he performed and recorded with jazz greats the likes of Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Miles Davis, Nancy Wilson, Bobby Timmons and Roy Ayers. Lytle was such an admirer of the music of the Miles Davis that he wrote "Selim" (Miles spelled backwards) in honor of Davis, which features Davis' former pianist Wynton Kelly.

Appropriate then, that Lamont-Lytle will be, along with treating the audience to some of his favourite standards and show tunes, paying tribute to his late father by performing some of the material that he made famous, with Jim Clayton on vibes.

Although he will be playing vibes at Hugh’s Room, Lamont-Lytle’s frequent collaborator Jim Clayton is best known as the co-leader, pianist and composer for The Clayton/Scott Group. The band won Group of the Year, 2005 and 2006 at the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards and Best Jazz Recording, 2004 Canadian Urban Music Awards and has received prominent radio play all over the world.

These days, Jim is in demand for corporate events and is a favourite of clients like The AGO, The ROM and The Granite Club, which makes club appearances like this one rare and not to be missed!

Thursday, May 22, 2009 at 8:30pm
Michael Lamont-Lytle with The Jim Clayton VIBES Quartet
Hugh’s Room
2261 Dundas Street West

Box Office – 416-531-6604

For Jen and Shawn.

2009-05-24T11:00:00.001-04:00

Just a 30 second taste of the kind of playfulness between Dickens (Bics) and Pickles (Pick) that The Robeau and I enjoy and Bernie endures.

On Knowing What It Means...

2009-05-21T11:07:00.002-04:00

It's been about a month since we returned from New Orleans and I've yet to upload all my photos or blog about our experience this time around. It was a perfect trip and I think that somehow by writing about it...or (ahem) unpacking my suitcase I'll be admitting that it really is over.

Last week, on one of the first nice sunny days we've had here in Toronto this Spring, I was taken back there a little bit. I caught a whiff of a lilac bush in someone's front yard and then someone else's rotting garbage and I realized just how much I missed New Orleans. When the smell of garbage makes you all nostalgic for a place, you've got it bad.

At some point down the road I'll tell you some stories about the amazing folks we met (you'll enjoy the one about the taxi driver with the TV set at his feet, watching "his stories"). In the meantime, here is a brief selection of photos. Pour yourself a coffee and chicory, pump up some Louis Armstrong and enjoy.

Hakuna Matata, Everybody.

2009-05-19T19:20:00.003-04:00

The newest member of our family.

2009-05-17T20:50:00.005-04:00

I kind of wanted to start this post "Dear Jen and Shawn, thanks for the cat". You see, my friend Jen, my wonderful and talented friend Jen with whom I used to share an office (an exercise that can't help but bring people together) and her lovely husband Shawn have moved to Vancouver. That's a big move, clear across the country, and their 15 year old cat Dickens decided she wanted to stay in Toronto, so naturally she's come to live with us. Miss Tracey Nolan, The Robeau (aka The Cat Whisperer), Pickles and Bernie. This all happened a little over a month ago, about a week before we left for our trip to New Orleans. We were worried that she'd have a hard time adapting to life here at Chez Nolan/Clayton for many reasons, the least of which was the fact that she has never lived with another cat and now she was moving in with Pickles, a girl brimming with playful love (the sheer force of which could kill a weaker creature) and Bernie, who is routinely mistaken for a chow dog or a small bear (she's BIG). Dickens has lived a life of solitude, being doted upon by her people. She is considerably smaller than both our cats and top it off, she has no claws. It could have been a recipe for disaster. After the initial fear and growling (and that time Bernie pooped her pants in fear), the purchase of a baby gate (sad) to keep her sequestered downstairs and The Robeau spending that first night in the basement with her (sweet) things normalized pretty quickly. By the time we left for New Orleans she was walking around like she owned the joint. Dont' tell our landlord.

The things she does that the other cats don't never ceases to amaze me. Dickens paces back and forth for hours at a time. Maybe that's how she stays so petite? Dickens can jump up on the countertop! Stop that Dickens! Dickens lets us pick her up under our arms like Hader and Samberg do in that Laser Cats sketch. Dickens is friendly when guests come over. She socializes! Dickens actually plays with Pickles. Finally somebody to play with Pickles. They chase each other around and it sounds like a herd of elephants. Dickens, for some reason, hates Bernie and routinely blocks her entry to and from the litter box and the food and water dishes with such callous nonchalantness that you'd think she got her name not because she's a "little dickens" but, you know, for that other thing. Ahem. Dickens, leave Bernie Boo alone, seriously. Bernie, for the record, appears to be terrified of Dickens and will do anything to avoid her. Must have been something she said.

I'm sure Dickens misses Jen and Shawn, because while she is warm with us she won't sit with us on the couch and cuddle...yet. But she does let us pick her up and for some godforsaken reason she always follows me into the bathroom where she will rub up against my legs and try to hop up on my lap. I'm not gonna ask, Dickens. I'll take what I can get.

I do think she's pretty comfy here though, and I'm so glad she is.

Dear Jen and Shawn, thanks for the cat.

It's been a good 100 days.

2009-04-30T16:07:00.004-04:00

The sudden rise of ROOIBOS.

2009-04-28T16:51:00.001-04:00

Seriously. What's the deal with Rooibos? Where did it come from all of the sudden and why is it in all of my teas, smoothies and lotions?

Blog Post About Nothing.

2009-04-21T14:13:00.002-04:00

I've been watching a lot of Seinfeld reruns lately. I think it may be my ultimate TV comfort food.

In Toronto? Come see the Robeau do his thing!

2009-04-17T22:25:00.005-04:00

On Saturday May 16th, come on down to Dominion on Queen to catch Jim Clayton and his VIBES Quartet in a rare club performance. Not to be missed!

The show starts at 8pm and there is a very reasonable cover of $8.

Dominion on Queen boasts a warm, inviting atmosphere and a stellar menu. More at: http://www.dominiononqueen.com

More about Jim:

Jim Clayton is best known as the co-leader, pianist and composer for The Clayton/Scott Group. The band won Group of the Year, 2005 and 2006 at the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards and Best Jazz Recording, 2004 Canadian Urban Music Awards.

These days, Jim is in demand for corporate events and is a favourite of clients like The AGO, The ROM and The Granite Club. For more information, visit his website: http://claytonmusicservices.com

Derek Weiler 1968 - 2009

2009-04-13T16:55:00.011-04:00

A couple of years ago, The Robeau's brother Mister Jep invited his friends, neighbours and strangers on the street to take Sharpie in hand and write farewell messages on his about to be junked car, Simon. Naturally, a lot of it was pure gold and Jep has the pictures to prove it. His friend Derek's message was heartfelt and simple.

"Farewell Simon, I didn't know you well, but you seemed like a good guy. DW"

This is sort of how I felt last night when we returned home from New Orleans to the news that Derek, just 40 years old, had died suddenly. It would be clear to anyone who met him, even briefly, that Derek was a good and true friend. I had the pleasure of his company here and there, mostly at several parties over the years with Jep and his partner Marjan (who were both dear friends of Derek's) and enjoyed talking with him about the things we shared a passionate interest in, namely baseball and David Simon helmed television. He was smart, funny and it seemed to me, a little dark, in a wonderfully quiet way.

Celebrating Marjan's Graduation.

What I'm learning now, as the tributes pour in at places like The CBC , The Globe and Mail and literary blogs all over the web is how accomplished and respected Derek was as a journalist and co-worker.

Derek Weiler 1968 - 2009

This tall, unassuming, smart, funny guy who will be missed by so many friends and his loving family, especially I'm sure his wife Sari, left a mark on all who knew him. Our encounters, whether at a comedy show, a birthday party or just on the Queen Streetcar are evidence of that. Derek, we hardly knew ye, and that seems a great, great shame.

And We're OFF!

2009-04-06T11:44:00.003-04:00

In about 90 minutes we're going to hit the road for our return trip to New Orleans, where we're going to spend the rest of the week. I'll see you on the flip-side, Bloggy McBloggerson.

Feets, do your stuff.

2009-04-06T11:34:00.005-04:00

On the weekend some of my awesome girlfriends and I participated in the Harry Rosen Spring Run Off in High Park. I attained my uber-modest goal of finishing the first 5K of the season in under an hour!

It was cold. It was windy. There was a hill at the end. Holy crap, people. Holy crap.

Clearly, I am not built for speed (sorry, Ray Brown). What is interesting is that I'm finding that I gain more speed when using "race walking" techniques than I do when I run or jog (or "yog" as I like to say).

Perhaps a race walking clinic is in my near future? The next 5K is in July. We are planning on taking part in another one in October as well.

As long as there is a mimosa waiting for me at the end, I'm there.

Wish List

2009-04-05T19:22:00.003-04:00

I can't get enough of that Marvin Gaye video I posted earlier (see below). Casting Idea for a biopic: JESSE L MARTIN. Hollywood, steal this idea! Steal it!

It's not just Marvin that makes that video special though. I really admired and connected with the direction and camera work, so I looked up the Director of the film "Save The Children". Here's the cool part - it's not that Stan Lathan's work connected with my aesthetic, it's that he probably had a large role in forming it. His first big gig as a Director before making this movie was working on a new show on PBS show called Sesame Street, so yeah. How cool is that? It kind of blows my mind. His resume after Sesame Street and Save the Children is a laundry list of episodic TV from the era.

Then, In 1989, Lathan and Russell Simmons partnered to create one of the most successful franchises in entertainment: HBO’s Def Comedy Jam series, which started the careers of folks such as Chris Tucker, Dave Chappelle, Martin Lawrence, Bernie Mac, Cedric the Entertainer, Steve Harvey, Mo'Nique, Mike Epps, and D. L. Hughley.

Crazy.

So I want that Jesse L Martin / Marvin Gaye biopic...and I want Stan Lathan to Direct and Produce it.

Happy Birthday Marvin Gaye!

2009-04-02T12:16:00.002-04:00

Today would have been Marvin Gaye's 70th birthday. I'd suggest celebrating by checking out this nine minute excerpt from the long out-of-circulation 1973 film, "Save The Children". The photography is amazing, Marvin is in perfect form (and a sharp dressed man to boot) and yes, that's James Jamerson on bass.

This is not an April Fool's Joke.

2009-04-01T01:02:00.004-04:00

NOTE - Almost two months later....

This apparently was an April Fool's joke. I couldn't take the pressure. Project 365 is DEAD!

One of my favourite places on the intornets is Flickr. I could spend all my free time on there uploading pictures, looking at other people's pictures and getting involved in theme driven shooting challenges. It's fun, it's accessible and it has, without a doubt made me a better photographer.

One of the most popular destinations on Flickr is the Project 365 Group. Which is exactly what it sounds like..a place where members submit one self portrait each day for a year. Being truly insane, I've signed on for this project. You can check out my photos, EVERY DAY at Project 365 or "How I learned to stop worrying and embrace the narcissist".

I imagine this exercise is going to be one part infuriating, one part informative. I guess we'll know by April of 2010. My hope is that by forcing myself to explore the limitations of self portraiture, I will become more creative in my shooting of portraits of other people. The reality will probably involve some form of a breakdown, but, as per usual, I haven't got anyone to blame but myself.

Wish me luck?

WWBMD?

2009-03-29T18:45:00.006-04:00

The day after Obama was elected, The Robeau and I were sitting around watching CNN when this unintentional comedy appeared on screen.

That evening I posted the picture on Facebook under the heading "November 5th 2008 - Look! Jim took the best picture EVER!" because I thought, and I still do, that the juxtaposition is HI-Larious. Also, I have a great number of Facebook friends who share my ideals and point of view. Many of them are comedians (or just as funny as the comedians) and I knew they would dig it as well. That's what I'm all about folks, sharing the snark. Never let it be said that I saw something mean and/or funny and didn't share it with my nearest and dearest via the internets. Let that be my legacy.

Among the comments:

- Trickle down fans? They also love shoulder pads, Dynasty, and think "Say Say Say" by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson is the best work by either artist.

- Love it!

- I'm so glad that so many people were positive about Obama's win yesterday because believe it or not SOME people wrote very cynical status updates yesterday. Shocking.

- lol!

- wicked

- ahahah!

Needless to say, I felt pretty good about sharing this little moment with my pals. Hell, I felt pretty good about everything - it was November 5, 2008.

Then I found a note in my inbox from a girl I knew in high school. We haven't seen one and other in at least fifteen years. We didn't have a ton in common in school, save working together on the school newspaper.

Hey Tracey! Hope you are doing well! I can definitely see from your page that you are JUMPING in the music and jazz scene! Holy cow!

However, I did want to comment on one thing about that photo you posted taken by your partner (I'm presuming Jim's your partner). I personally am glad that Obama won, and I'm an evangelical Christian. Palin freaked me out, and saddened me a lot to think that she got lumped in with me (that being said, I don't hate her, and I think she's a bit misguided, and I really hope she readjusts her vision one day). I think it's a bit unfair to be gleefully saying that I'm a loser, when I don't think I am, at all, really, that's all.

Just wanted to say that generalized stereotypes are really sad, and don't help people actually work together, especially when they go in both directions, that's all. Just some food for thought.
Otherwise I hope you are well! :)

I felt bad when I first read it because I was gleefully calling her a loser. I was. And that is not nice. And some of what she said was lovely, to be honest. But I also took objection to the way her note was put together. Don't give me the old soft-sell, Church Lady, I've read your blog! I don't buy this "we're the same but different" crap. I wanted to quote Dawkins and Hitchens to her. I wanted to rail against the history of ignorance and hate perpetrated by organized religion. I wanted to throw examples in her face. The Pope(s) and AIDS in Africa. Flying airplanes into buildings. Those really, really uncomfortable things they make you kneel on. But in the end I just ignored it. Maybe I thought that by taking an extreme argument I'd be no better than an evangelical. Or maybe I just wasn't up for the fight.

Anyway, cut to almost six months later when we rented Religulous the other night. It was smart and funny but mostly it was Bill Maher preaching to the converted. Until the end of the film, where Maher gives us a veritable call to arms. It's the only way to describe it, a call to arms.

Watch that and tell me you don't suddenly want to stand up and talk sense to people. It sure made me want to speak up and be heard. Time will tell if I've got the guts or not.

You GUYS! Check out the pigeon on my office window sill!

2009-03-27T15:52:00.002-04:00

Isn't he AWESOME?