EXC 008 Aaron Colvin 4-28-2022

Acc #: 756; EXC 008 In this recording, Aaron Colvin is interviewed by Ryan Morini, Michael Campbell, and Willie Dinish in the McCall Library at the University of South Alabama about his experiences in the Excelsior Band. Mr. Colvin discusses being the youngest member of the Excelsior Band. He also reflects on his development as a musician, and the role that music education played in the process—including previously learning under current members of the band. He also offers reflections on the musicianship of the band, and on Excelsior’s legacy

EXC 006 Danny Mosley 4-27-2022

Acc #: 756; EXC 006 In this recording, Danny Mosley is interviewed by Jada Jones, Michael Campbell, and Willie Dinish in the McCall Library at the University of South Alabama about his experiences in the Excelsior Band. The interview begins with Mr. Mosely observing that he is one of the youngest members of the group. He talks about his experienced in the Vigor High School band, and how it educated him on HBCU culture, leading him to eventually attend Jackson State University. Near the conclusion of the interview, he reflects on the reasons that he decided to continue his career as a musician

EXC 003 Sean Thomas 4-22-2022

Acc #: 756; EXC 003 In this recording, Sean Thomas is interviewed by Jada Jones, Ryan Morini, and Willie Dinish in the McCall Library at the University of South Alabama about his experiences in the Excelsior Band. The interview begins with Mr. Thomas discussing where he grew up and the role that football and family played in the origins of his interest in music. Mr. Thomas observes some of the differences between Excelsior Band and other bands, including the fact that they do not practice or use sheet music, but rely on playing by ear and strong knowledge of keys and scales. He discusses what he learned from senior band members such as Theodore Arthur and Hosea London. The interview concludes with Mr. Thomas talking about James Seals and some of the musicianship that he learned from him

EXC 010 Bradley Cooper 8-31-2022

Acc #: 756; EXC 010 In this recording, Bradley Cooper is interviewed by Ryan Morini, Michael Campbell, and Willie Dinish in the McCall Library at the University of South Alabama about his experiences in the Excelsior Band. Mr. Cooper describes growing up in College Station, Texas, and the path that led him to attend Jackson State University in Mississippi. He discusses his early music education, and the musicians who inspired him to play trumpet. He describes some of the unique experiences he has had playing out as a member of Excelsior Band, and reflects on the band’s legacy. The interview concludes with some of Mr. Cooper’s hopes for the future of the band

EXC 004 Ronnie Hunter 4-22-2022

Acc #: 756; EXC 004 In this recording, Ronnie Hunter is interviewed by Jada Jones, Ryan Morini, and Willie Dinish in the McCall Library at the University of South Alabama about his experiences in the Excelsior Band. The interview begins with Mr. Hunter talking about growing up in Maysville and the origins of his interest in music. He reflects on the gravity of the band celebrating its then-upcoming 140-year reunion, and the sort of celebrity that comes with being a member of the band in Mobile. Mr. Hunter also discusses the importance that he sees in music education programs, and the decline in support for such programs that he has seen over his lifetime. He also reflects on the importance that music has for him personally as an outlet and a means to unwind. He concludes with discussion of some previous members of the band, including tuba player Charles Hall

EXC 005 Herbert Nelson 4-27-2022

Acc #: 756; EXC 005 In this recording, Hosea London is interviewed by Jada Jones, Michael Campbell, and Willie Dinish in the McCall Library at the University of South Alabama about his experiences in the Excelsior Band. Mr. Nelson begins his narrative with his experiences growing up in Prichard, and his early education. He describes his early memories of Excelsior Band and the musicians who influenced him in his youth, and shares some of the experiences and adventures that he’s had in his musical career. Mr. Nelson also discusses what it’s been like to move to Los Angeles and other places for years and then come back to Mobile

EXC 002 Leon Rhoden 4-22-2022

Acc #: 756; EXC 002 In this recording, Leon Rhoden is interviewed by Ryan Morini, Sara McGough, and Willie Dinish in the McCall Library at the University of South Alabama about his experiences in the Excelsior Band. The interview begins with Mr. Rhoden talking about growing up in the Crichton neighborhood of Mobile, and the beginnings of his interest in music—more specifically, percussion. He discusses his first experiences with the Excelsior Band when he was a child, and how they inspired him. He explains what the band looks for when finding new members, and the importance for a musician to be able to listen and hold a tune. The interview concludes with Mr. Rhoden discussing some of the recent events the band had played at the time

EXC 011 Luquen Cannon 8-31-2022

Acc #: 756; EXC 011 In this recording, Luquen Cannon is interviewed by Ryan Morini, Michael Campbell, and Willie Dinish in the McCall Library at the University of South Alabama about his experiences in the Excelsior Band. Mr. Cannon begins by discussing the Maysville neighborhood of Mobile where he grew up, and his early experiences with meeting some of the outstanding musicians from Mobile at that time. He reflects on the value of music education in shaping him as a musician, and the means of expression that music offers him, particularly jazz. Mr. Cannon describes his experiences playing in the band at Jackson State University, and what it was like to join the Excelsior Band. The interview concludes with Mr. Cannon reflecting on some of his favorite moments playing with Excelsior

Diffuse optical spectroscopy and imaging to detect and quantify adipose tissue browning

Adipose (fat) tissue is a complex metabolic organ that is highly active and essential. In contrast to white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT) is deemed metabolically beneficial because of its ability to burn calories through heat production. The conversion of WAT-resident adipocytes to “beige” or “brown-like” adipocytes has recently attracted attention. However, it typically takes a few days to analyze and confirm this browning of WAT through conventional molecular, biochemical, or histological methods. Moreover, accurate quantification of the overall browning process is not possible by any of these methods. In this context, we report the novel application of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and multispectral imaging (MSI) to detect and quantify the browning process in mice. We successfully demonstrated the time-dependent increase in browning of WAT, following its induction through β-adrenergic agonist injections. The results from these optical techniques were confirmed with those of standard molecular and biochemical assays, which measure gene and protein expression levels of UCP1 and PGC-1α, as well as with histological examinations. We envision that the reported optical methods can be developed into a fast, real time, cost effective and easy to implement imaging approach for quantification of the browning process in adipose tissue