Ravi Coltrane leaves his band in the dust at Jazz Showcase

Saxophonist Ravi Coltrane outplayed the rest of his quartet in the Jazz Showcase on Thursday September 27^th, 2012. The band leader’s rhythm section, made up of bassist Drew Gress, drummer E.J. Strickland and pianist Luis Perdomo, was not up to par, and quite often they dragged behind Coltrane. Fortunately, their performance at the Jazz Showcase is not a reflection of their typical work as the group just recently released a very well played record. This article was written by Howard Reich, an arts critic for The Chicago Tribune. The Chicago Tribune, a credible resource, is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois and has been in print since June 10^th, 1847. The main reason this reviewer was disappointed with Coltrane’s group’s performance because his latest record, “Spirit Fiction,” was rather impressive. This article was written for jazz enthusiasts as well as for the benefit of Ravi Coltrane’s band themselves as a second opinion of Thursday night’s performance. The author uses many similes as well as personification to describe the poor musicianship of Ravi Coltrane’s rhythm section members including their tone, phrasing, and rhythm. The author wrote this article to express his well-developed opinion as to how Ravi Coltane’s band performed at the Jazz Showcase. I believe that he accomplished his purpose through the text, because he is an experienced reviewer. The reader can tell this because of his logical reasoning as to why the quartet’s performance was not up to their usual standard.  

Trouble in the Corral

“Trouble in the Corral” is a faith story told by Susan Stone in the magazine Guideposts: True Stories of Hope and Inspiration. Guideposts, a nonsectarian magazine, contains short articles by individuals of any age, gender, or race recounting how their faith in God has comforted them through personal tribulations. “Trouble in the Corral” features Susan Stone, who always wanted to be a rancher. She moved to Winnett, Montana to get a job as a ranch hand. She adopted an intelligent puppy named Smokey Joe. When Stone would work with cows, Smokey Joe knew to never step inside; however when she and her boss were calving, the heifer went crazy and began to attack them. Fortunately, Smokey Joe came to the rescue and by biting the cow, chasing her back into the cattle shed. Although she was injured, Smokey Joe saved Susan Stone’s life. A rhetorical device used in this article is the appeal to pathos, because the author appeals to the audience’s emotion through her faith story. The purpose of this text is to show how God has had an impact on Susan Stone’s life, and it was written for people who of faith, such as Christians. I believe that the author has accomplished her purpose through the text, because Susan Stone is able to convey her faith through the story of her dog. 

In Standoff, Latest Sign of Unions Under Siege

     Beginning September 9th, 2012, twenty-six thousand public school teachers in Chicago, Illinois have gone on strike. The teachers have gone on strike because if students do not meet annual yearly progress, money will be deducted from their salaries. The Chicago governor, Rohm Emanuel, has made many demands that has angered teachers’ unions: he has pressed the school board to withdraw a four percent raise and have student performance count heavily in evaluating teachers for tenure. The New York Times article I read, In Standoff, Latest Sign of Unions Under Siege, was written by Steven Greenhouse. The NY Times is a credible daily newspaper that has been in print since 1851. It has won 108 Pulitzer Prizes, which is more than any other news organization. Steven Greenhouse graduated from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1975 and has been reporting for the NY Times since 1983. The circumstance behind the teachers’ strike is the No Child Left Behind Act. The government’s educational reform is based on the idea that setting learning standards and establishing high goals are the source of improving individual outcomes in education. The purpose of this article is to inform the reader about the recent issues surrounding teachers' unions, and newspapers are intended to keep the public educated about current events. This article was written for the average person who reads the newspaper. We have just begun studying rhetoric in English class so I am not quite an expert yet; however to the best of my knowledge, I have not picked up on any rhetorical devices. I believe that the author does accomplish his purpose through the text. The Chicago teachers’ strikes have been going on for about a week, and it is important that the public understands why it is happening, and the writer conveys his point well.