Ran's annual Contemporary Improvisation Department production on November 9 went well. This year's event focused on Sidney Lumet's 1965 film The Pawnbroker and its film score by Quincy Jones.

Reviewing the three-hour show in the Boston Phoenix, critic Jon Garelick called the show "a riveting evening of music" and a "one-of-a-kind experience." You can read the full review here.

The three large photos in this issue, taken by Andrew Hurlburt, are from the event. Up top: Clayton, Brad and Sarah. Below: Dorothy Clark. Below right: Amie, Sandy and Wayne.

Friends of Ran are putting together a show highlighting his original compositions on Thursday, December 17 at Vernissage, a Brookline restaurant.

The show is still taking shape, but performers are expected to include Eleni Odoni, Sara Serpa, Aaron Hartley, Brad Barrett, Jason Yeager and others. Ran plans to attend and will likely join in for a song or two. For further details, e-mail Aaron at aaron@hartleymusic.com in December.

Ran is conducting a piano seminar at 10 a.m. on Friday (the 20th) at the New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall.

The seminar is free and open to the public. Ran will talk about the art of improvisation and also perform several compositions. Prudence Steiner and Eleni Odoni will also perform.

The seminar is sponsored by the Piano Department, and it was organized by department chair Bruce Brubaker.

The Short Life of Barbara Monk, one of Ran's most critically acclaimed albums, is back in stock on CD at ranblake.com after an absence of several months. The album, which features saxophonist Ricky Ford, was released in 1986 on the Soul Note label.

Thanks for reading. As always, you can reach Ran directly at ran@ranblake.com, and you can read back issues here. We'll see you in December.
--Steve

Vol. 5, No. 11