def logger(*args, **kwargs):
    """
    shortcut to :func:`utils.get_basic_logger`
    """
    if mpi.within_mpirun and mpi.myrank == 0:
        # tell the workers to invoke the same logger
        mpi.comm.bcast({'worker_command': 'logger', 'args': args, 'kwargs': kwargs}, root=0)

    return _utils.get_basic_logger(*args, **kwargs)