Documentary Trailer Released
 During last winter’s European tour, a documentary crew from LAV Pictures trailed Ran for several days in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The crew recently completed the documentary, which is titled “Above the Sadness,” and is seeking to have it shown at an upcoming film festival, according to LAV’s Dimitrij Veller, who also eventually plans to release it on DVD.
You can view a 9-minute trailer for the documentary by clicking on the photo of Ran and David “Knife” Fabris above. The trailer includes excerpts of interviews with Ran and others as well as rehearsal footage and a classroom scene.
The photo above and the one at the top of this issue are still frames from the documentary. You can view additional stills here.
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Marie Belloc Lowndes
 Ran has become interested in Marie Belloc Lowndes, a prolific English novelist whose 1913 novel, The Lodger, based on the Jack the Ripper murders, was adapted on film by Alfred Hitchcock and subsequently remade several times. Ran wants to learn more about Lowndes, so if you happen to be an expert on her, please contact Ran at ran@ranblake.com.
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August Concert
Cadbury Commons in Cambridge
 Ran and several musician friends will perform a free concert on Thursday, August 25th at Cadbury Commons, an assisted living facility in Cambridge, Mass. (Click on the image above to see the full-size poster.)
The concert is titled Ghost Tones. Musical guests include David Fabris (guitar), Aaron Hartley (trombone), Eric Lane (saxophone), and Andrew Mulharker (tenor sax). They’ll perform noir versions of songs associated with Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, and Abbey Lincoln, and pay tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.
The show, which is open to the public, starts at 6:30 p.m. Cadbury Commons is located at 66 Sherman St. in Cambridge. For more information, call (617) 868-0575.
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Recent Releases
 Ran’s latest album, Grey December – Live in Rome, is available from Tompkins Square Records, Amazon, iTunes, and other retailers. The album of solo piano was recorded Dec. 16 at the Casa Del Jazz in Rome.
Ran’s book, The Primacy of the Ear, is available on lulu.com. The book outlines Ran’s philosophy on development of the ear and explains how musical memory is the key to becoming a more potent musician and shaping a personal musical style.
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