Ahmad Jamal is an American jazz pianist, composer and educator. For five decades, he has been one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz. Jamal was born in Pennsylvania, he began playing piano at the age of three, when his uncle Lawrence challenged him to duplicate what he was doing on the piano. Jamal began formal piano training at the age of seven with Mary Cardwell Dawson, whom he describes as influencing him, his Pittsburgh roots have remained an important part of his identity and it was there that he was immersed in the influence of jazz artists such as Earl Hines, Billy Strayhorn, Mary Lou Williams, Erroll Garner. Jamal studied with pianist James Miller and began playing piano professionally at the age of fourteen, at which point he was recognized as a "coming great" by the pianist Art Tatum; when asked about his practice habits by a critic from The New York Times, Jamal commented that, "I used to practice and practice with the door open, hoping someone would come by and discover me.

I was never the practitioner in the sense of twelve hours a day. I think about music all the time." Jamal began touring with George Hudson's Orchestra after graduating from George Westinghouse High School in 1948. He joined another touring group known as The Four Strings, which disbanded when violinist Joe Kennedy Jr. left. In 1950 he moved to Chicago and performed intermittently with local musicians Von Freeman and Claude McLin, solo at the Palm Tavern joined by drummer Ike Day. Born to Baptist parents, Jamal discovered Islam in his early 20s. While touring in Detroit, where there was a sizable Muslim community in the 1940s and 1950s, he became interested in Islam and Islamic culture, he converted to Islam and changed his name to Ahmad Jamal in 1950. In an interview with The New York Times a few years he said his decision to change his name stemmed from a desire to "re-establish my original name." Shortly after his conversion to Islam, he explained to The New York Times that he "says Muslim prayers five times a day and arises in time to say his first prayers at 5 am.

He says them in Arabic in keeping with the Muslim tradition."He made his first records in 1951 for the Okeh label with The Three Strings: the other members were guitarist Ray Crawford and a bassist, at different times Eddie Calhoun, Richard Davis, Israel Crosby. The Three Strings arranged an extended engagement at Chicago's Blue Note, but leapt to fame after performing at the Embers in New York City where John Hammond saw the band play and signed them to Okeh Records. Hammond, a record producer who discovered the talents and enhanced the fame of musicians like Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Count Basie helped Jamal's trio attract critical acclaim. Jamal subsequently recorded for Epic using the piano-guitar-bass lineup; the trio's sound changed when Crawford was replaced with drummer Vernel Fournier in 1957, the group worked as the "House Trio" at Chicago's Pershing Hotel. The trio released the live album, At the Pershing: But Not for Me, which stayed on the Ten Best-selling charts for 108 weeks.

Jamal's recording of the well known song "Poinciana" was first released on this album. Jamal's most famous recording and undoubtedly the one that brought him vast popularity in the late 1950s and into the 1960s jazz age, At the Pershing was recorded at the Pershing Hotel in Chicago in 1958. Jamal played the set with drummer Vernel Fournier; the set list expressed a diverse collection of tunes, including "The Surrey with the Fringe On Top" from the musical Oklahoma! and Jamal's arrangement of the jazz standard "Poinciana". Jazz musicians and listeners alike found inspiration in the At the Pershing recording, Jamal's trio was recognized as an integral new building block in the history of jazz. Evident were his unusually minimalist style and his extended vamps, according to reviewer John Morthland. "If you're looking for an argument that pleasurable mainstream art can assume radical status at the same time, Jamal is your guide," said The New York Times contributor Ben Ratliff in a review of the album.

After the recording of the best-selling album But Not For Me, Jamal's music grew in popularity throughout the 1950s, he attracted media coverage for his investment decisions pertaining to his "rising fortune". In 1959, he took a tour of North Africa to explore investment options in Africa. Jamal, twenty-nine at the time, said he had a curiosity about the homeland of his ancestors influenced by his conversion to the Muslim faith, he said his religion had brought him peace of mind about his race, which accounted for his "growth in the field of music that has proved lucrative for me." Upon his return to the U. S. after a tour of North Africa, the financial success of Live at the Pershing: But Not For Me allowed Jamal to open a restaurant and club called The Alhambra in Chicago. In 1962, The Three Strings disbanded and Jamal moved to New York City, where, at the age of 32, he took a three-year hiatus from his musical career. In 1964, Jamal resumed touring and recording, this time with the bassist Jamil Nasser and recorded a new album, Extensions, in 1965.

Jamal and Nasser continued to play and record together from 1964 to 1972. He joined forces with Fournier and drummer Frank Gant, among others; until 1970, he played acoustic piano exclusively. The final album on which he played acoustic piano in the regular seque

Mother Studios is an organisation which provides work spaces for artists in London. MOTHER STUDIOS in HACKNEY WICK, London and Colchester, Essex is an independent, non-profit, artist-run organisation, it was founded in August 2001 by artist Joanna Hughes for fine artists and makers. In the site in London, there is 15,000 square feet of warehouse space housing 43 affordable, quality studio spaces. Since 2004, Mother Project and Exhibition space opened in Mother Studios – a 1,200 square foot space; the gallery space has housed Elevator Gallery and Banksy. A second site for Mother Studios in Colchester, Essex was set up in 2015; the space is home to 34 studios. The studios are based in Hackney Wick, along the River Lea and opposite to the Olympic Site; the building a warehouse, was built in 1910 and is typical for the style of the time. The studio spaces comprise situated on the top 3 floors of the building. Mother Studios opened in 2001 by, continue to be run by, artist Joanna Hughes. Mother Exhibition and Project space, opened in May 2004 and in recent years has hosted Elevator Gallery, The Lab Film Festival and a Banksy project.

The Hackney WickED art festival was co founded by Joanna Hughes in 2008, continued to be a director until May 2013. Many of its residents take part in the open studios element of the festival. In 2012 she moved on to set up and co found The Lab Film Festival along with Abbas Nokhasteh and Bill Howard. Mother Studios in London closed in September 2016. Mother Studios Essex was sold to ACAVA studios in December 2017; this site is still a thriving creative arts community. Mother Studios website Elevator Gallery website Hackney Wicked website A transitional landscape FT.com Mother Studios, Mother Studios London - Spoonfed London Page describing Mother Studios. Visual Arts - Arts organisations directory - Arts directory - Tower Hamlets - Arts & Entertainment Artists fear loss of studios to Games | News Evening Standard article, including interview with founder of Mother Studios; the National Federation of Artists’ Studio Providers Listings Page Emin comes out fighting for first Olympic losers Times Article mentioning Mother Studios.

Hackney chic Google Maps listing of art venues in area

Edgar Milton Meuli was a New Zealand cricketer who played in one Test in 1953. Ted Meuli was a right-handed batsman and occasional leg-spin bowler who made his first-class debut in 1945–46, playing three games for Auckland, his next first-class matches were in 1950-51 for Central Districts when they made their first appearance in the Plunket Shield. He spent the rest of his career, he played for Taranaki in the non-first-class Hawke Cup from 1946-47 to 1968–69. In the Plunket Shield in 1952-53 he made 317 runs at 52.83, including 154 against Auckland, batting at number three, out of a team total of 319 in a low-scoring match that Central Districts won by an innings. A week earlier he had taken 6 for 67 against Otago, he hit one more century, in 1956–57 against Northern Districts, once again in a low-scoring match that Central Districts won by an innings. It was the first century scored against Northern Districts, who were playing their first season in the Plunket Shield, he was selected in the team for the First Test against South Africa in Wellington, making 15 and 23 batting in the middle order, not bowling, although South Africa's innings lasted 174 overs.

He was one of five players. List of Auckland representative cricketers One-Test wonder Moturoa AFC Ted Meuli at Cricinfo Ted Meuli at Cricket Archive

Chirritta Station most referred to as Chirritta or Cherratta is a pastoral lease operating as a sheep station in Western Australia. The property is situated 46 kilometres south of Roebourne and 86 kilometres north east of Pannawonica in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. A portion of the Maitland River runs through the property; the property was established by Donald Norman McLeod in the 1872 who returned to Victoria in 1882 and purchased Yannarie Estate near Portland and returned to Western Australia acquiring Minilya Station. In 1884 Chirritta was sold for £18,000. By 1888 the property was put up for auction on behalf of D. N. McLeod and Company, the property was stocked with 17,000 sheep along with about 200 head of cattle; the property was owned by Richardson and Gillam in 1893. Gillam introduced merino rams into the flock in 1899. A cyclone passed through the area the same year depositing 3 inches of rain at the station and tearing the roof from the old homestead. Gillam became the sole owner of Chirritta at some time prior to 1905.

He sold it in 1907 to the Withnell brothers. At the time the property supported about 16,000 sheep and shearing that year produced 288 bales of wool. Cases of leprosy were reported amongst the Aboriginal people who were living at Chirritta in 1912; the Withnells sold Chirritta in 1920 to Clarence Meares who paid an estimated £30,000 for the property. The property was stocked with about 22,000 sheep. List of ranches and stations List of pastoral leases in Western Australia

Shepard Stone was an American journalist and foundation administrator. Stone joined the New York Times in 1933, but in 1942 joined the U. S. was active in wartime intelligence work. He served in Military Government in 1945, establishing a press in the American Occupation Zone in Germany, he rejoined the Times in 1946, but in 1949 returned to Germany, having been recruited as Assistant Director of Public Affairs for Occupied Germany by the newly appointed High Commissioner John J. McCloy, he was subsequently promoted to Director. On McCloy's departure, Stone returned to the States as Director of International Affairs at the Ford Foundation, serving from 1952 to 1967, during which time he worked with the CIA in funding cultural projects around the world. From 1967 to 1974, he was President of the International Association For Cultural Freedom. In 1974, Stone went again to Berlin in a role as first director of Aspen in Berlin, a partner institute to American non-profit organization, the Aspen Institute.

He remained there until retirement in 1988. He was a participant in many of the Pugwash conferences, he was a member of the Steering Committee of the Bilderberg Group

Brooks was a London-based vocal pop group active in the late 1970s. Despite much hype and a number of single releases, the band failed to achieve any chart success. Two of the members however went on to achieve fame independently of each other: Mike Nolan, of Bucks Fizz, Chris Hamill, a.k.a. Limahl, of Kajagoogoo; the group was put together in 1976 by husband Peter Pereira. Miller had worked with The New Seekers, Pereira had been a member of pop band Co-Co, they recruited singers Mike Nolan, Chris Hamill, Ricky Gallahad through ads in The Melody Maker and The Stage, to complete the line-up with Pereira. In 1978 Hamill was replaced by John Humphreys. Shortly after, the group signed a contract with Polydor Records. Tony Eyers, who had worked with the group 5000 Volts, was hired as producer; the first single, released in 1979, was "The Sound of Your Love", with Pereira singing the lead. Nolan's voice was featured in the second single, "Cry". Both singles were arranged by Steve Gray. Despite television appearances on ITV's The Saturday Morning Show, The Dick Emery Show, the BBC's Lena Zavaroni and Music, neither of the group's first singles made an entry into the pop charts.

Roger Greenaway took over as producer for the group in late 1979. Greenaway had written a string of hits with Roger Cook, including "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" and "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing". Brooks' next single was ``, a Greenaway/Barry Mason composition; the BBC expressed reservations over the title and lyrics, so the single was re-recorded as "What a Great Night for Falling in Love". Once again, Nolan sang the lead. By 1980, singer Gallahad had been replaced by Ben Ellison; the group released two more singles produced by Greenaway. The single "Don't You Know a Lady" was released by former Sweet lead singer, Brian Connolly. In the end, neither artist made much progress with it in the charts. During this time, the group continued to promote themselves with television appearances and radio interviews; the members appeared individually on the covers of Oh Boy! magazine. In 1980, the group travelled to Yugoslavia as the UK entry in the Ljubljana'80 song festival, telecast over most of Europe.

Despite these efforts, none of the group's singles fared any better than their previous offerings, when it came to breaking into the charts. After considerable investment, two years without a hit, Polydor declined to take up the options on their contract. Miller's interest in Brooks waned after she split with Pereira, began managing Shakin' Stevens; the members had little in common musically or and without their contractual obligations holding them together, they split. Mike Nolan went on to success with Bucks Fizz, winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981, with "Making Your Mind Up". Chris Hamill, transformed into Limahl, had a worldwide hit with "Too Shy", with Kajagoogoo in 1983, as well as with his solo record "The NeverEnding Story", the theme song to the film of the same name. Ben Ellison returned to his acting career, appearing on stage and television, in film, his best-known work is his lead role in the 1989 film Looking for Langston. John Humphreys performed at folk clubs and on radio with "Home and Colonial" before returning to his native Canada in 1981.

Singles: March 1979: "Sound of Our Love" May 1979: "Cry" November 1979: "What a Great Night for Making Love" March 1980: "Don't You Know a Lady?" September 1980: "We Are United"