Random thoughts and non-thoughts
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Happy Holidays!
A little musical slideshow Christmas card for our friends!
Turn volume on if you dare!
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Happy Autumn
Autumn --
my favourite time of year --
a time, at once, of change and timelessness --
a time of reflection and reminiscence...
I have created this musical slide show of Autumnal photos I have taken, set to my song,'Autumn's Child' (best viewed full-screen @ 1024X768 resolution):
Autumn's Child Music Slideshow
Hope you enjoy it.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Boston Folk Festival '06
Went to the Boston Folk Festival this weekend at UMass Boston. The campus is a lovely venue, situated on a paeninsula off Boston Harbour. The weather was perfect. Sadly, we were not allowed to take photos nor (obviously) use any recording devices. I did get a hat and a duckie, though.
We arrived just in time to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of his demise with the Phil Ochs Tribute, hosted by Sonny Ochs, and featuring Kim and Reggie Harris, Greg Greenway, and emma's revolution. They all together started the set off with 'Power and Glory'. I wept. The sound and the memories reached deep into my soul.
My eyes misted up again when Greg Greenway performed a haunting rendition of 'No More Songs'.
I pulled myself together enough to lend my voice to everyone else's on the finale, 'When I'm Gone', a song that, for me says it all:
"And I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone
Next we were treated to the sweet voice of Tish Hinojosa singing her songs of the West and her multi-cultural heritage.
Next came Richie Havens, another moving and spiritual experience, as he interwove tales of his Greenwich village days with stirring renditions of topical songs of yesterday and today, all relevant to our current sociopolitical experience.
His performance of 'Lives in the Balance':
"There are lives in the balance
was nothing short of electrifying.
A beautifully hypnotic rendition of Joni Mitchell's 'Woodstock' led into a climactic performance of 'Freedom/Motherless Child' which left us shaken AND stirred. Pass the hanky please.
Havens left us with a message of love -- "Do for each other..." which seemed to become the theme of this folk festival.
Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul came on next to close the evening, and got everybody dancing and singing with their exuberantly and impeccably played blend of Celtic, Jazz, and show tunes. We were tired puppies as we headed home.
The next day, we arrived too late to catch Tony Bird, a performer I had hoped to see.
We staked out our spot in the main field and enjoyed the traditional and original songs dance tunes of the Cottars,a fine group of young musicians from Cape Breton.
Next came the Kennedys. Pete and Maura Kennedy regaled us with their captivating and spiritual original songs, including 'Half a Million Miles', a delightful song about their falling in love and marrying at Buddy Holly's grave.
"Namistai, (the divine spark in me recognises the divine spark in you,)
Next we moved to the Coffehouse Stage to hear Pierce Pettis perform his very moving original songs.
We returned to our stakeout in the main field to hear Jesse Winchester, another favourite of mine. Jesse's laid back demeanor gave the impression, even though we were several thousand strong, sitting in a six or seven acre field, that we were invited for a little chat in his living room. The chat was filled with Jesse's beautiful voice, untarnished by time, singing some of the most accessible melodies ever written, delivering lovely lyrics that touched us all deep inside.
The spiritual theme of the festival continued as Jesse finished by leading us all in a rousing a cappella gospel song.
Which leads us to the headliner for the festival -- Bruce Cockburn. Bruce is not only a brilliant lyricist, but also a consummate musician. Accompanied by only a drummer and a keyboardist who doubled on harmony vocals, Bruce delivered an impeccable set that was at once danceable and enjoyable, and yet spiritually profound. Like the songs of Phil Ochs, Bruce's songs, while topical, are timeless.
Bruce paints a bleak picture of Baghdad today in 'This Is Baghdad':
"Carbombed and carjacked and kidnapped and shot
Bruce dipped into his new album to end his set with a sing-along song called 'Mystery'. One of my favourite verses from this song is:
"Infinity always gives me vertigo
The last verse reiterates the theme of the festival:
"So all you stumblers who believe love rules
We all stood shining and applauding and brought him back for an encore -- 'If I Had a Rocket Launcher'. We remained standing and dancing through this song. Amazing how relevant the lyrics are today, some twenty years later!
We headed back to the car to the driving beat of 'Night Train', a perfect finish to a perfect weekend.
We arrived just in time to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of his demise with the Phil Ochs Tribute, hosted by Sonny Ochs, and featuring Kim and Reggie Harris, Greg Greenway, and emma's revolution. They all together started the set off with 'Power and Glory'. I wept. The sound and the memories reached deep into my soul.
My eyes misted up again when Greg Greenway performed a haunting rendition of 'No More Songs'.
I pulled myself together enough to lend my voice to everyone else's on the finale, 'When I'm Gone', a song that, for me says it all:
"And I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone
And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone
Can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here."
Next we were treated to the sweet voice of Tish Hinojosa singing her songs of the West and her multi-cultural heritage.
Next came Richie Havens, another moving and spiritual experience, as he interwove tales of his Greenwich village days with stirring renditions of topical songs of yesterday and today, all relevant to our current sociopolitical experience.
His performance of 'Lives in the Balance':
"There are lives in the balance
There are people under fire
There are children at the cannons
There is blood on the wire"
was nothing short of electrifying.
A beautifully hypnotic rendition of Joni Mitchell's 'Woodstock' led into a climactic performance of 'Freedom/Motherless Child' which left us shaken AND stirred. Pass the hanky please.
Havens left us with a message of love -- "Do for each other..." which seemed to become the theme of this folk festival.
Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul came on next to close the evening, and got everybody dancing and singing with their exuberantly and impeccably played blend of Celtic, Jazz, and show tunes. We were tired puppies as we headed home.
The next day, we arrived too late to catch Tony Bird, a performer I had hoped to see.
We staked out our spot in the main field and enjoyed the traditional and original songs dance tunes of the Cottars,a fine group of young musicians from Cape Breton.
Next came the Kennedys. Pete and Maura Kennedy regaled us with their captivating and spiritual original songs, including 'Half a Million Miles', a delightful song about their falling in love and marrying at Buddy Holly's grave.
In keeping with the aforementioned unofficial, yet apparent theme of the festival Pete and Maura taught us to sing in Sanskrit and Japanese:
"Namistai, (the divine spark in me recognises the divine spark in you,)
Domo Arigato, (thank you.)
Next we moved to the Coffehouse Stage to hear Pierce Pettis perform his very moving original songs.
We returned to our stakeout in the main field to hear Jesse Winchester, another favourite of mine. Jesse's laid back demeanor gave the impression, even though we were several thousand strong, sitting in a six or seven acre field, that we were invited for a little chat in his living room. The chat was filled with Jesse's beautiful voice, untarnished by time, singing some of the most accessible melodies ever written, delivering lovely lyrics that touched us all deep inside.
The spiritual theme of the festival continued as Jesse finished by leading us all in a rousing a cappella gospel song.
Which leads us to the headliner for the festival -- Bruce Cockburn. Bruce is not only a brilliant lyricist, but also a consummate musician. Accompanied by only a drummer and a keyboardist who doubled on harmony vocals, Bruce delivered an impeccable set that was at once danceable and enjoyable, and yet spiritually profound. Like the songs of Phil Ochs, Bruce's songs, while topical, are timeless.
Bruce paints a bleak picture of Baghdad today in 'This Is Baghdad':
"Carbombed and carjacked and kidnapped and shot
How do you like it, this freedom we brought"
Bruce dipped into his new album to end his set with a sing-along song called 'Mystery'. One of my favourite verses from this song is:
"Infinity always gives me vertigo
Vertigo
Vertigo
Infinity always gives me vertigo
And fills me up with grace"
The last verse reiterates the theme of the festival:
"So all you stumblers who believe love rules
Believe love rules
Believe love rules
Come all you stumblers who believe love rules
Stand up and let it shine
Stand up and let it shine"
We all stood shining and applauding and brought him back for an encore -- 'If I Had a Rocket Launcher'. We remained standing and dancing through this song. Amazing how relevant the lyrics are today, some twenty years later!
We headed back to the car to the driving beat of 'Night Train', a perfect finish to a perfect weekend.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
My New Instruments
Hi, Folks,
A couple of months ago I returned from France with a small inheritance. I used most of it to lighten my debt load, and squandered the rest on musical instruments and such. I bought a Roland MP 60 piano, an Edirol UA 4-FX Recording interface, (which I still can't get to work with my computer,) and these two folk instruments: an Ome Juniper openback banjo, and a Walnut Creek mountain dulcimer:
I took a little ride to Bar Harbor, Maine, to try out the Walnut Creek dulcimers at:
The folks there are very nice, and have a great array of folk instruments at reasonable prices.
I bought my Ome banjo online at:
John there is also very nice. Anybody who sells banjos and unicycles can't be all bad.
Here are a couple of tunes I laid down quickly to give everyone a chance to hear these wonderful instruments, (albeit clumsily played):
The Cruel War / How Can I Keep from Singing
Dulcimer
Play Hi-Bitrate
Play Lo-Bitrate
Shady Grove / Pretty Polly
Banjo
Play Hi-Bitrate
Play Lo-Bitrate
A couple of months ago I returned from France with a small inheritance. I used most of it to lighten my debt load, and squandered the rest on musical instruments and such. I bought a Roland MP 60 piano, an Edirol UA 4-FX Recording interface, (which I still can't get to work with my computer,) and these two folk instruments: an Ome Juniper openback banjo, and a Walnut Creek mountain dulcimer:
I took a little ride to Bar Harbor, Maine, to try out the Walnut Creek dulcimers at:
The folks there are very nice, and have a great array of folk instruments at reasonable prices.
I bought my Ome banjo online at:
John there is also very nice. Anybody who sells banjos and unicycles can't be all bad.
Here are a couple of tunes I laid down quickly to give everyone a chance to hear these wonderful instruments, (albeit clumsily played):
Dulcimer
Play Hi-Bitrate Play Lo-BitrateShady Grove / Pretty Polly
Banjo
Play Hi-Bitrate Play Lo-BitrateThursday, July 13, 2006
Road Rage Handbook: Turnsignals
Q. Why doesn't anybody use their turnsignals anymore?
A. Because using your turnsignals gives your opponent the advantage.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
a day late and a dollar short
Richard, our ezFolk guru, some time ago started a patriotic song project on the ezFolk forums to coincide with the approach of the Fourth of July. My contribution is late, as usual.
I knew that I wanted to do something with Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land.
I also knew this:
"The anthem of unity and beauty which so many children learned in school was actually written in response to the equally reverenced "God Bless America". ... Woody was infuriated with the lack of realism and the message of complacency in this song which infiltrated the nation's air waves. In response, he wrote "God Blessed America For Me" which later became "This Land Is Your Land"."
I knew that I wanted to do something with Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land.
I also knew this:
"The anthem of unity and beauty which so many children learned in school was actually written in response to the equally reverenced "God Bless America". ... Woody was infuriated with the lack of realism and the message of complacency in this song which infiltrated the nation's air waves. In response, he wrote "God Blessed America For Me" which later became "This Land Is Your Land"."
So I endeavoured to create a sort of a medley:
It took me awhile to put it together and teach it to myself. I still can't play it all the way through without a noticeable mistake.
It's a day late; it's a dollar short; it's crude, but here it is:
This Land Is Your Land / God Bless America
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism."
______________________Thomas Jefferson
Saturday, June 17, 2006
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