There's still time to sign up for Ran's summer class on the jazz vocalist Chris Connor August 8-16.

Chris is one of Ran's all-time favorite musicians and he's been working hard researching her life and music, so don't miss this once in a lifetime chance to learn about this talented artist.

The course takes place inside Ran's Brookline apartment. On Tuesday evening, August 14, Ran and the class will present a special public evening at NEC featuring performances, conference calls, and other surprises.

You can receive one college credit for taking this short, intensive course. For more information and to download an enrollment form, go to this link or contact Ran at ran@ranblake.com.

A few notes from the company store:

For the first time, we have the CD version of breakthru available from ranblake.com. This 1976 album of solo piano on the Improvising Artists label was recorded in Oslo, Norway, and produced by the pianist Paul Bley. The album's 14 songs includes two originals (Bird Blues and the title cut), Ran's interpretations of songs by Charlie Parker (Parkers Mood) and Duke Ellington (Sophisticated Lady and Drop Me Off in Harlem), several standards (You Stepped Out of a Dream, Tea for Two, All the Things You Are), and a pop hit (Blood, Sweat and Tears' Spinning Wheel).

Also, we were out of Painted Rhythms, Vol. 1, for a few months but it's now back in stock.

Ran and guitarist David "Knife" Fabris are heading to Europe in the fall for a series of performances in France and Italy. We'll have more details in coming months, but we wanted to get you the dates in case you want to build a show into a trip of your own.

France
November 22 -- Ran performs solo at the Jazzdor Festival in Strasbourg.

November 29 -- Duo performance with Knife at Theatre du Perigueux in Perigueux.

December 9 -- Duo performance with Knife in the afternoon at Le Petit Faucheux in Tours. Ran will also be teaching a master class in the week leading up to this show.

December 13 -- Ran performs at the Sunset Sunside Club in Paris. Ran will teach a master class at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris in the days leading up to this show, and students will participate in this night's performance.

Italy
December 15 -- Duo performance with Knife at Casa Jazz in Rome.

2007
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
2006
May
April

We'll see you in August.
--Steve

Vol. 3, No.7