News: Daily Skimm Weekend: A bowl of goodies at our reach

Saturday, April 29, 2023

Daily Skimm Weekend: A bowl of goodies at our reach

"Strawberry"

— The flavor of Haribo's green gummy bear. Chew on that.

theSkimm With

Terri Lyne Carrington

Listen up, music lovers: Tomorrow is International Jazz Day. To kick things off on the right note, we spoke to drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, founder and artistic director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice — and first woman to win a Grammy for best jazz instrumental album. Because despite some big names throughout history (Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Norah Jones, to name a few), women are still vastly underrepresented in the genre. Here's what she had to say…

Q: Jazz has been slow to embrace female musicians. Why is that?

It's systemic oppression that has happened on many levels … When slavery ended and people could travel, men were the ones that were traveling. That started a whole culture of male musicians on the road [and it not being] safe for women. Or, jazz being played in brothels and places that "respectable" women weren't supposed to be at … Jazz has not had the same checks and balances that other fields have had. We have a musicians' union, but it's up to the musicians, up to the stakeholders, up to the business people — all the infrastructures that are still led mostly by men — it's up to them to instate different practices within their work. And to recognize that the music itself won't be its best until everybody is able to be the creators of it.

Q: Does the lack of gender equity exist across the board in jazz? Or has women's representation been greater for certain positions?

There's an unwritten narrative that has supported the idea that women sing jazz and men play it. Of course, there are some exceptions, especially when it comes to piano, which has always been seen as a respectable instrument for women to play … But there's always been singers. When you're a singer standing up front, you're also an entertainer. You're selling something, you're sexualized … It's like you can be a commodity, in that way. But just being artistic and being celebrated for that is a different story.

Q: What can be done to encourage more women to pursue jazz?

Jazz is such a small percentage of the music industry — I think it's around 2%. So exposure is always going to be key for anybody … But with that, who's being exposed? That's important because people need to see themselves in something. So if you only see a lot of men playing the music, without even thinking about it, you don't see yourself doing it. That's shifting. Lots of things are shifting now, and the future looks much brighter to me now than it did even just a few years ago.

Q: What musicians would you recommend for someone new to jazz?

Kassa Overall. He made a record called "Go Get Ice Cream and Listen to Jazz" … [It's] a great example of blending jazz with hip hop. Another artist is Melanie Charles. I like how she blends jazz with hip hop, too. She had a record called "Y'all Don't (Really) Care About Black Women," where she took some classic jazz songs by Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter, Dinah Washington, and others. And then she put a hip hop spin on those actual recordings — almost like remixes. And then there's the classics. Jazz that'll either speak to you or it won't. Everybody cites Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" as one … I also love "John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman," which is the only album they did together.

Psst, this interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What's Happening

📺 In entertainment…

"The Daily Show" correspondent Roy Wood Jr. is getting ready to do the roast, err, most ahead of tonight's White House Correspondents' Dinner. While ahead of her new album, Kesha is raising her voice — and dropped two new singles. In movie news: First looks at "Dune: Part Two" and "Wicked" were just a couple of the highlights from CinemaCon. A beloved Judy Blume book is hitting the big screen, while "Fatal Attraction" is hitting the small screen. Plus, Netflix is pressing play on more K-content, a move that comes as the streaming service has made some big strides in diversifying its casts. And, apparently, three-hour-plus movies can actually be enjoyable.

🙃 In adulting…

If Mercury in retrograde is taking its toll, Wendy's is dishing up some free food to help you get through. Other things that could help: Practicing yoga nidra (think: Shavasana…but for 30 or 45 minutes) or putting a personal theme song on repeat. Also, still got a stack of Bed Bath & Beyond coupons? You can't use them at the namesake store — but you can use them at the other stores. Oh and if you want to be the hostess with the mostess, consider tossing your formal place settings, going barefoot, and chilling out with boozy freezer pops. We'll raise an espresso tonic to that.

🦧 In science…

Love citizen science? NASA wants you to lend an ear. Meanwhile, actual scientists fitted 15 goldfish with some so-fish-ticated headgear to see how they navigate their environments. In other animal news, recent studies found that apes love going for a spin, while parrots love a video call. Because animals — they're just like us. In more ways than one, according to studies comparing our DNA. Also, research on hope is giving, well, hope. And if you need help identifying that strange flower growing in your backyard, there's a few apps for that.

Skimm Reads

"Happy Place" by Emily Henry...Emily Henry meets Nancy Meyers in this buzzy ensemble rom-com. Harriet and Wyn are college sweethearts…err were. Each year, their group of friends head to a family home in Maine. But this summer will be the group's last, as their go-to cottage is on the market. Recently, Harriet and Wyn ended their engagement for reasons they can't even seem to figure out. The catch? Their college friend group doesn't know. And now, they have to fake it through their annual summer vacation because telling them would ruin their final chance to enjoy their vacation as a group. In our humble opinion, this is Henry's best work yet.

Skimm Money

Together with

If you're a human person who eats food, you may have noticed that grocery prices are on the rise. Here are some ways to save: Keep costs on track by checking what you've already got, eating beforehand, and shopping alone whenever possible. Going in well-prepped can help make sure you use up what you already have, and being well-fed and flying solo can help avoid impulse purchases.

Another budget best practice? Walmart+. Members can get their groceries delivered with no markups or delivery fees to help avoid those in-store temptations. Plus, on top of Walmart's everyday low prices on groceries, members can save even more with Walmart Rewards.† Sounds like a no-brainer to us.

†See Walmart+ Terms & Conditions.

Mother's Day

If you haven't checked the calendar lately, here's a friendly reminder that you've got just over two weeks to shop, order, and wrap your gifts for Mom. To help you out, we've rounded up some of our favorites…

Skimm Picks

Here are today's recs to help you live a smarter life…

1. A bra that'll solve all your wardrobe woes.

The Victoria's Secret Bare Every-Way Strapless Bra features 12 different styling options including halter, low back, and plunging v-neck. Non-slip cups to ensure everything stays put? Check. Side- and back-smoothing technology? Also check.*

Stock up

2. A thoughtful gift that'll remind mom why you're her favorite.

A Massage Envy gift card encourages her to put herself first and enjoy a little ME Time with a massage, facial, or stretch session. Or all three.*

Get gifting

3. A fan slash air purifier that'll keep your home feeling and smelling good all summer.

This machine will clear your space of less-than-fresh odor and gas particles. And keep you cool in the process. The best part? It's almost $200 off today only. Don't wait.*

Shop now

Psst...looking for more discounts on brands Skimm'rs love? Check out all of our exclusive promo codes here.

Weekend Escape

*Slams laptop shut until Monday.* We know the feeling. And we've got some tips for escape.

If you're like most Americans, you've probably already started thinking about your summer vacation. (If not, now's the time, according to some experts.) And while vacations are supposed to be relaxing, planning for one can sometimes end up being a big source of stress. Particularly if you've got an ambitious bucket list, filled with "must-see" places and "must-do" activities. So maybe it's time to take bucket lists, well, off our bucket lists. And try this instead...

Take the road less traveled. In general, the more mainstream the destination, the more you "have" to do. Instead, opt for a low-key spot. That could mean visiting the North Cascades or Saguaro National Park, rather than the Grand Canyon or Yosemite. Or, that could mean traveling to Daytona Beach, FL instead of Miami or Flagstaff, AZ instead of Sedona. Bonus: There's likely to be a lot less traffic and overcrowding.
Skip hard-to-snag reservations. Sure, reservations can be helpful if there is a specific restaurant you really want to try. But as anyone who has ever been on Resy will tell you: Getting the right reservation at the right time can be difficult. Instead, let the locals lead the way. At the first restaurant you go to, ask your server where you should eat next. Repeat for each meal after that.
Be a vacation repeater. Traveled somewhere you loved, but didn't get to do everything you wanted? Go back for round two. Not only are you more likely to already have ideas of what you want to see and do, but traveling to the same place can make for a more relaxing vacation, according to an expert.
Change your perspective. A vacation doesn't have to mean seeing a new place. It can also be an opportunity to learn a new skill. Choose something you're passionate about, like dance or music, then find ways to build your trip around that. In the case of music, that could mean taking a songwriting course, booking some piano lessons, and attending a few concerts.