Rhythm

At first glance, a rhythm section-free duo outing between a piano and saxophone could be considered a challenging assignment for some jazz listeners. Not so with Kneebody saxophonist Ben Wendel and pianist Dan Tepfer, who has been tapped as a rising star after collaborations with Lee Konitz and an inspired album-long take on Bach's "Goldberg Variations. " Based on a show last year at this same venue, plenty of sparks will fly when these two forces meet, as heard on a new recording, "Small Constructions.

PARIS - There was never any question that the Spanish national anthem would be played for the French Open men's singles winner Sunday. And for most tennis watchers, there was no doubt which Spaniard would be the one to hold the trophy aloft. Rafael Nadal cemented his reputation as the sport's greatest-ever exponent on clay by scything down countryman David Ferrer, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, to harvest a record-extending eighth French Open title. No man has ever claimed the same Grand Slam tournament as many times, or won as many matches, 59, on the red clay of Paris.

MGM Studios plans to send James Bond on his next mission sooner than later, announcing Wednesday that it hopes to have the next installment of the popular spy series in theaters within the next three years. MGM Chairman and Chief Executive Gary Barber, in a conference call with investors, said the studio is developing the screenplay for the next Bond film, the 24th entry in the 50-year-old franchise. “We look forward to announcing a director soon,” Barber said. “We are really thrilled with where we have taken this franchise.” PHOTOS: James Bond through the years Sam Mendes, director of the most recent Bond film, 2012's "Skyfall," announced earlier this month that he passed on an offer from series producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli to return as director.  Star Daniel Craig is signed for two more films as the British secret agent.

Loaded with caffeine and taurine to stimulate the central nervous system, energy drinks have become the go-to solution when you need a quick, energizing pick-me-up. But sometimes energy isn't what you need. Concentration and attention can start to fade in the face of those midafternoon doldrums and a host of distractions. Something to perk up the mind and enhance focus would do the trick. Some beverage manufacturers say they have just the solution.

Dick "Huggy Boy" Hugg, a pioneering rhythm and blues disc jockey whose career spanned five decades in Los Angeles radio, has died. He was 78. Hugg, whose death Wednesday at Long Beach Memorial Hospital was blamed on internal bleeding, had been battling poor health for the last several years largely because of an accidental fall and a stroke, according to friends and colleagues. Born in Canton, Ohio, Hugg made his way to Los Angeles shortly after World War II to pursue a career in radio.

The first measures heard at  Staples Center as the Rolling Stones began their 26th (give or take) concert in Los Angeles didn't include Keith Richards' riffs, Mick Jagger's sweet falsetto, Ron Wood's delicate guitar lines or Charlie Watts' snare snaps. Rather, the boom of the UCLA Marching Band, streaming in through the middle of the crowd in its formal blues while the sound system brass-blasted “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction,” announced the arrival of the world's oft-greatest rock band into Los Angeles, and the commencement of its 50 and Counting tour of North America.

This should be a golden age for visual effects in movies. Thanks to the box office success of movies such as "The Avengers" and "Life of Pi," demand for visual effects has never been greater. Studios are spending $100 million or more to put ever more stunning digital images on the big screen. But the companies that create the computer-generated imagery for those blockbusters are struggling as a rising tide of globalization and runaway production takes a toll on an industry that California pioneered.

The digital doctor will see you now. Just pull out your smartphone. Want to track your blood pressure? Make checking your pulse as easy as saying "cheese"? Figure out your eyeglasses prescription or diagnose an ear infection? "The smartphone is effectively becoming a scientific instrument," says Frank Moss of the MIT Media Lab. With modern high-resolution screens and powerful computing ability, the smartphone can perform tests that previously required a doctor's visit. And more cheaply.

For the second straight year, the movie business fell for itself. "Argo" - in which a Hollywood producer and makeup artist help engineer the rescue of six Americans from Iran - won the top prize at the 85th Academy Awards, one year after the silent film story "The Artist" took the best picture Oscar. "I never thought I'd be back here. And I am," producer-director Ben Affleck said in accepting the best picture trophy Sunday night, 15 years after he won an original screenplay Oscar for "Good Will Hunting" and then saw his career fall into a tailspin that included "Gigli" and "Daredevil.