The 22nd edition of the Tel Aviv Jazz festival will take place at its perennial berth, the Tel Aviv Cinematheque, between February 15 and February 18.The program offers a mix of “lighter” entertainment, such as highly animated vocalist Dee Alexander, alongside more arts-oriented shows the likes of Chicago-based flutist Nicole Mitchell who will bring her Indigo Trio to the festival.There will be more frontier-pushing endeavor from the Windy City in the form of percussionist Hamid Drake. Drake has appeared in Israel several times over the last few years and the festival offers an opportunity to see him reunite with Israeli avant garde jazz saxophonist Albert Beger with whom Drake recorded the two-volume Evolving Silence album along with fellow Chicagoan bassist William Parker.There’s more jazz from its natural homeland with pianist George Colligan’s trio, including bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Donald Edwards, while trumpeter Steven Bernstein will front a septet in a performance of material from his Diaspora Soul CD which he put out on John Zorn’s renowned Tzadik Records label in 1999 – from his four CD Diaspora series.Elsewhere in the Israeli section, singer Ayelet Rose Giotlieb will showcase her On the Roadside album, with a sextet that includes guitarist Udi Horev and double bass player Ora Bopaszon-Horev, with crooner-pianist Alon Olearchik making a guest appearance. Other Israeli slots of note include baritone saxophonist Eden Bareket and his quintet, Ofer Peled’s ethnojazz sextet and the Tel Aviv Jazz Orchestra with vocalist Efrat Gosh.For more information about the Tel Aviv Jazz Festival: www.cinema.co.il and 03-6060800. • Barry Davis
‘King’s Speech’ tops BAFTA nominations LONDON (AP) – Colin Firth and Nathalie Portman could replicate their best actor Golden Globe success at BAFTAs, after they were both nominated Tuesday for Britain’s top film awards.Their respective films, The King’s Speech and Black Swan led the way, with the study of king George VI’s battle with his stammer receiving 14 nominations and the ballet thriller earning 12.Thriller Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, follows with nine nominations, while director Danny Boyle’s rock-climbing drama 127 Hours and True Grit, the Coen brothers’ film, are in eight categories.The Social Network, the movie about the founding of Facebook which won the most Golden Globes on Sunday, including best picture, is up for six gongs.The Fighter, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Toy Story 3 each received three nominations.The awards ceremony, hosted by TV and radio presenter Jonathan Ross, takes place at the Royal Opera House in London on February 13.Beatles museum opens in Buenos Aires
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) – A brick from The Cavern Club, a check for 11 pounds signed by Ringo Starr, an “authentic” Beatles wig. These and thousands of other objects related to the “Fab Four” are luring Beatles fans to a new museum in Buenos Aires.The museum is the product of the particular “Beatlemania” obsession of Rodolfo Vazquez, a 53-year-old accountant who became a fan at the age of 10 when he got their Rubber Soul record.Vazquez scooped up all the memorabilia he could find in Buenos Aires about history’s most famous rock band, an obsession that grew until he made it into Guinness World Records in 2001 as having the planet’s largest collection.