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EESTI ELU reedel, 15. oktoobril 2021 — Friday, October 15, 2021
English-language supplement to the Estonian weekly “EESTI ELU” Tartu College Publications Founding Chairman: Elmar Tampõld Editor: Laas Leivat 3 Madison Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 2S2 T: 416-733-4550 • F: 416-733-0944 • E-mail: editor@eestielu.ca Digital: www.eestielu.ca
Lying, exaggeration, false assurance Liars would be more hesitant about lying if it was easier to recognize lying, it’s said. It’s also said that everybody lies. But not everyone is capable of detecting them. Research has shown that even parents, teachers, husbands/ wives, the police, judges and other specialists catch lies only half of the time. Lying and its behavioral cohorts such as deception, distortion, hiding the truth, embellishment, exaggeration, cheating, etc., seems to occur naturally, especially in a life-threatening situation. Research shows that the average person lies at least once a day. But surely there is vast difference between an unintentional statement based on a mistake and a deliberate goal of misleading an audience. The motivation or cause of presenting false information is the determining factor here. Some researchers have indicated that presenting untruths seems to be tied to a need not only to deceive others but also oneself. Perhaps this was the case of Mr. Trump offering false assurances at the start of the pandemic that the COVID-19 crisis was similar to typical seasonal flus. False assurances can be just as damaging as gross, deliberate lies. If told many times, they can become part of people’s views of actuality. False assurances within a small community can have the same effect. On a much broader scale Joseph Goebbels maintained this, as did Soviet propagandists, and yes, the party hacks from occupied Estonia. Currently one of the most blatant, harmful falsehoods propagated by Mr. Trump is the allegation that the last U.S. presidential election was stolen, through organized, widespread fraud. Tens of millions of people are convinced of this, in spite of all court decisions and recent voting audits that have resolutely rejected it. Sadly EKRE’s ‘Uued uudised’ actively supports Trump’s assertion, even publishing an a rticle stating that Mr. Trump’s judicial petitions have been successful. A recent headline in ‘Uued uudised’: “Trump’s team has won most court cases related to the election”. This is part of what’s internationally known as the ‘Big Lie’. Refugees from Soviet occupied Estonia still recall the deluge of pamphlets, booklets, newspapers sent to the West declaring the legitimacy of Soviet rule over Estonia, the ‘lawful’ annexation of Estonia by the Soviet Union, the adherence to human rights and the democratic process under So viet rule, etc. These were the ‘big lies’ of which Estonians in the West were reluctant targets. Soviet propagandists misspent their time and resources. We totally rejected these efforts. It’s bewildering to witness EKRE’s ‘Uued uudised’ mimic the tiresome tactics of the EKP (Estonian Communist Party), by singularly advancing Mr. Trump’s ‘Big Lie’, a fiction rejected by all credible witnesses and observers. But the ‘Big Lie’ has enjoyed substantial traction, especially among those Trump faithful, entrapped either by his political coercion or nauseatingly fake sincerity. Those enticed by the latter are the gullible, the easily manipulated people believing some thing is true when it isn’t. They have a willingness to believe unproven propositions with no plausible evidence. It seems that EKRE has contempt for its supporters who agree with many aspects of its ideology and program. To take their acceptance of unconfirmed claims for granted shows EKRE’s low regard for their loyalty. Lying to those that trust you is sad, is reprehensible. It attacks the inherent dignity of all Estonians. LAAS LEIVAT
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We’re Listening with EMW: soulful thoughts with Rita Ray Vincent Teetsov For all that completely new genres of music have to offer, there’s also a need for musi cians to carry forward tradi tions, and to say something new in a tried-and-true for mat. Rita Ray (born Kristi Raias) is Estonia’s answer to that. While, for example, the music video for her song “Love Ain’t the Same” has a film camera aesthetic, a retro American car, and a twangy country style guitar riff, her rich voice and the band’s swaying rhythms address listener’s lives today without limitations. In anticipation of her Estonian Music Week concert on October 22nd, she’s shared a little bit about herself and the four-piece band, so we can get to know them. Most people wouldn’t asso ciate Estonia with soul music. What is it that you love about this genre? I think the reason I fell in love with this genre is because soul music is so expressive and full of emotion. The style of singing takes the listener on a trip. It makes them feel things and reminisce. Every word has meaning and every emotion is connected to the way the voice moves. It’s the same way for me, when I’m singing this music. What’s the story behind forming the band and starting to record albums together? I’ve known Jasper Alamaa – the band’s bass player – the longest. We were in the same year when were at Georg Ots Tallinn Music College. He was studying bass and I was studying singing. We got along really well from the first moment. So there was no question about asking him to record and perform the music I had written. While I was studying there, I was attending a lot of jam nights at Philly Joe’s Jazz Club in Tallinn. A very frequent visitor was guitarist Kristen Kütner.
At the recent exhibit from artists of EKKT, President Elva Palo with special guest, writer and illustrator Lorrie Gallant of the Six Nations community.
Erik Spirka with his work, ‘Lighthouse Dark’ at the recent EKKT exhibit. Photos: EE
We became friends and I asked him to do an Etta James tribute concert with me. I had asked a drummer to play for that concert, but he backed out at the last minute. So Kristen recommended Ott Adamson, whom he had known and played with for ages. Lastly, I went to study jazz singing at the Estonian Aca demy of Music and Theatre along with Jasper and Kristen. There, we met Latvian pianist Artis Boriss, who clicked with us right away. After that, I knew that, together, we had a band. We started recording and performing locally, and that’s where everything began. How would you describe the process of arranging, of adding strings and horns onto the core of your songs? I think a lot of listeners don’t know about my fascination with arranging. To be honest, arranging for my own music is the most satisfying thing to do. The process itself starts with me gathering ideas and writing out melodic lines. Then I try out the voicings and start writing down
the material. Thanks to the miracle of computers and notation programs, I can listen to the stuff I have written. Then I just correct and write what’s left to write. The process can take weeks, or even months, but I have to feel that an arrangement is perfect for a particular song to be happy and proud in the end. One of your songs is titled “Disco Stu.” Aside from the clear stylistic disco connection, is this meant to be a reference to the character from The Simpsons? On that note, in what ways do you put to gether inspiration, stimuli, or even humorous aspects of your life into songs? I wrote “Disco Stu”, while I was in Põlva, my hometown. There weren’t any recurring words to consider as a title. I just asked my sister what the title of the song should be, or what kind of feeling it has. Right away, she said “Disco Stu”, so I went with that. Although, she was watching a lot of episodes of The Simpsons (Continued on page 9)
Photo: Markus Sein
