Had a great experience up in Portland yesterday, and it nearly didn't happen. I was scheduled for a gig at a library on the East side of town, right off the 205, and I left myself plenty of time to get there, like I usually do. I was scheduled to go on at 5pm, and figured I'd arrive around 4:15, just like usual.
But I saw a sign on the highway saying that the 205 was closed due to a truck crash and fire, and to 'find an alternate route'. I called my housemate Mark and asked him to check the map and get back to me, which he did in a few minutes. I'd have to drive into the city and catch an east west route to where the gig was. But damn, it was during the rush hour and with the highway closure, the traffic was gonna be bad. I turned on a Portland radio station to find out what I could, and yeah, things weren't looking good.
Fortunately I had the number of the library so I called in to tell them about the closure and to report on my progress, and then it was just 'see what happens'. I wasn't stressed at all. If I made it, good, if I didn't, oh well, there was nothing I could have done. The traffic slowed to a crawl but kept moving and slowly I got into Portland and began heading east. I kept in contact with the library, and they were able to switch things around a little bit and give me some leeway.
Pulled into the place at 5:07, immediately went to take an enormous piss and then walked into the room to find maybe 60 or 70 folks, lots of young kids, mostly Hispanic, eating their healthy snack of fruit and veggies, cheese and crackers. The event was a 'family health day' put on by the 'Healthy Starts' program, which is some type of consortium that advocates for good nutrition, exercise and all that good stuff. They figured that I'd be the perfect entertainer to add to the program, and they were right. It was in my wheelhouse.
I did a fun half hour, got them moving and laughing and then it was over. The kids got their free book from the library and a good time was had by all. Me, I was kind of ecstatic to have gotten to play the event after wondering whether it would happen. I figured the chances were maybe 50 50, so it was wonderful to hot only do the show, but earn the $300 fee, which comes in handy these days. But I think the most satisfaction comes from the fact that I had zero stress about it. It was out of my hands, and I found it to be a peaceful feeling. Other than having to take a wicked piss for the last half hour of the trip, it was an oddly calming experience. And the show itself was a pure gift. Gracias.
Wordplay this week
I don't exactly know how I got into it exactly, don't know why I started searching for little spoonerisms, those little quips in which the consonants get switched. But it totally feeds my 'puzzler' mentality, and if I start thinking about creating new ones, it's a pleasurable diversion, much like doing a puzzle. The good ones have some kind of point, more than the simple fact of actual words being created, they need to have some other element to make the cut. The first batch are below. Maybe they'll end up as patter, or lyrics or Facebook fill, but I do enjoy the process of trying to uncover them. Id bet that there will be more to come.
The dumb say 'some day'
I had a happy Christmas on a crappy isthmus
She was the thespian leader of the lesbian theater
It's the right time for a tight rhyme
They still moan about the mill stone
Batteries to flame, flattery's to blame
Reports of nude labor from the lewd neighbor
Wrote a bad song about a sad bong
Go pray, I'm pro-gay
He wrote the 'Gay Pride Pray Guide'
Rip the seal and sip the real
The jerky moose left some murky juice
A would be curse could be worse
It might be a 'bite me' situation
I'm quite trippy though trite and quippy
Could you maybe obey me?
You want to weigh me? May we? Mais oui!
Try meat.... my treat
Make tea..... take me
I'll surely go to the girlie show
Don't sigh, mister, that's my sister
Scrap the totem pole and tap the scrotum pole
I'd rather dip the wick than whip the dick
Make fast the fake mast
The Misses were pissed when pisses were missed
My psychiatrist said I have a 'passive meanness'
My wife is wonderful except for the fussy parts
The dumb say 'some day'
I had a happy Christmas on a crappy isthmus
She was the thespian leader of the lesbian theater
It's the right time for a tight rhyme
They still moan about the mill stone
Batteries to flame, flattery's to blame
Reports of nude labor from the lewd neighbor
Wrote a bad song about a sad bong
Go pray, I'm pro-gay
He wrote the 'Gay Pride Pray Guide'
Rip the seal and sip the real
The jerky moose left some murky juice
A would be curse could be worse
It might be a 'bite me' situation
I'm quite trippy though trite and quippy
Could you maybe obey me?
You want to weigh me? May we? Mais oui!
Try meat.... my treat
Make tea..... take me
I'll surely go to the girlie show
Don't sigh, mister, that's my sister
Scrap the totem pole and tap the scrotum pole
I'd rather dip the wick than whip the dick
Make fast the fake mast
The Misses were pissed when pisses were missed
My psychiatrist said I have a 'passive meanness'
My wife is wonderful except for the fussy parts
Early morning on a Saturday
What a surprise, I'm up early! (he said sarcastically) The ability to stay asleep is not one of my better attributes these days, but I don't particularly mind, since I have avoided the type of lifestyle that requires a full day's effort working for 'the man'. Instead, I can go ahead and do these morning gigs today and then snooze out in the afternoon, when the energy wanes, which it will.
But I'm feeling kind of psyched up today, especially for the first gig, which is a 50 minute set at Saturday Market. Normally I play the 'kid's set' at 11am, where my focus is on providing entertainment and excitement for the little ones. I'm good at it, I've been doing it for years, and it's fun, if a little predictable. I bring instruments, get the kids playing and moving, have a little party at the market etc.
Today it's different, in that I'm playing the 10am slot, which is usually a single musician making some sounds while the regulars have coffee and shmooze and no one pays much attention. In other words, a low pressure gig. So why am I feeling pressure? Because I've decided to bring a keyboard to the market and play through some of my 'greatest hits', a lot of which very few people have heard. Question.... can something be a greatest hit, if no one has ever heard it? Answer.... no and yes.
Well I suppose I was self-mocking when I called them 'greatest hits'. Reminds me of when I was in college and playing intramural softball with my buddies from the dorm. We called ourselves the 'Kruson Hall Tokers'. The faculty member, Coach Castrovillo, who was in charge of the league asked 'What's a toker?'. I said, 'Coach, a good toke is like a good hit' and he said, 'OK'. This is a true story, and I must give myself some retro props for thinking on my feet way back when. And ironically, some of my greatest musical creations also have that 'hit' connection. But I digress.
Over the years I've written a lot of really good songs, and today I'm going to break some of them out and share them with whomever is there. I did a Facebook invitation thing where I invited about 120 people, or at least let them know that it was happening, and for me, that constitutes a major promotional effort. And I've enlisted my son Zach (Rashid) to come and videotape the show, in hopes of having a few good songs to put up on Youtube next week. More sharing and just putting it out there. It's a small thing, but it's also a big thing, in the sense that who knows how long I get to live on the planet, and if I'm gone, it will be nice to leave a record of some of my efforts... like this blog for example. It's saying, 'I was here, I thought such and such, I created such and such, I lived such and such. Ah yes, my birthday is coming up in a few weeks, and you never know how many more trips around the sun you get to make.
Perhaps I should make a song list (something I rarely do, by the way, as I tend to let it flow in performance). After all these years, I trust the moment and my ability to think on my feet, use the improvisational skills and be in the present tense. And some of the best shows are ones in which something brand new happens on the spot. It keeps it fresh and exciting. But today, since I'm gonna be recording the event, I'd like to have a little more of a plan. So here are some of the songs I'm going to play.
Barra de Navidad a jazzy latin song about that beach town on the west coast of Mexico
One Little Glance a high society swing tune about 'making that connection'.
All I Want This Holiday a love ballad
Fishin' Song Americana tune with a twist
Because I Want You Fats Waller style jazz
Sweet as Cherry Pie Dixieland feel, might do it on guitar...
When I Was Ready for You Randy Newman style piano song
Song and Dance Man Uptempo swing
Love is Everywhere a Contemporary Christian or Rosh Hashana song. It's a God thing.
Mardi Gras zydeco double entendre comedy tune
American Song ragtime
Bruchim Habaim a song of welcome in your typical Hebrew salsa vein.
Time for a shower, a little practicing and off we go...
But I'm feeling kind of psyched up today, especially for the first gig, which is a 50 minute set at Saturday Market. Normally I play the 'kid's set' at 11am, where my focus is on providing entertainment and excitement for the little ones. I'm good at it, I've been doing it for years, and it's fun, if a little predictable. I bring instruments, get the kids playing and moving, have a little party at the market etc.
Today it's different, in that I'm playing the 10am slot, which is usually a single musician making some sounds while the regulars have coffee and shmooze and no one pays much attention. In other words, a low pressure gig. So why am I feeling pressure? Because I've decided to bring a keyboard to the market and play through some of my 'greatest hits', a lot of which very few people have heard. Question.... can something be a greatest hit, if no one has ever heard it? Answer.... no and yes.
Well I suppose I was self-mocking when I called them 'greatest hits'. Reminds me of when I was in college and playing intramural softball with my buddies from the dorm. We called ourselves the 'Kruson Hall Tokers'. The faculty member, Coach Castrovillo, who was in charge of the league asked 'What's a toker?'. I said, 'Coach, a good toke is like a good hit' and he said, 'OK'. This is a true story, and I must give myself some retro props for thinking on my feet way back when. And ironically, some of my greatest musical creations also have that 'hit' connection. But I digress.
Over the years I've written a lot of really good songs, and today I'm going to break some of them out and share them with whomever is there. I did a Facebook invitation thing where I invited about 120 people, or at least let them know that it was happening, and for me, that constitutes a major promotional effort. And I've enlisted my son Zach (Rashid) to come and videotape the show, in hopes of having a few good songs to put up on Youtube next week. More sharing and just putting it out there. It's a small thing, but it's also a big thing, in the sense that who knows how long I get to live on the planet, and if I'm gone, it will be nice to leave a record of some of my efforts... like this blog for example. It's saying, 'I was here, I thought such and such, I created such and such, I lived such and such. Ah yes, my birthday is coming up in a few weeks, and you never know how many more trips around the sun you get to make.
Perhaps I should make a song list (something I rarely do, by the way, as I tend to let it flow in performance). After all these years, I trust the moment and my ability to think on my feet, use the improvisational skills and be in the present tense. And some of the best shows are ones in which something brand new happens on the spot. It keeps it fresh and exciting. But today, since I'm gonna be recording the event, I'd like to have a little more of a plan. So here are some of the songs I'm going to play.
Barra de Navidad a jazzy latin song about that beach town on the west coast of Mexico
One Little Glance a high society swing tune about 'making that connection'.
All I Want This Holiday a love ballad
Fishin' Song Americana tune with a twist
Because I Want You Fats Waller style jazz
Sweet as Cherry Pie Dixieland feel, might do it on guitar...
When I Was Ready for You Randy Newman style piano song
Song and Dance Man Uptempo swing
Love is Everywhere a Contemporary Christian or Rosh Hashana song. It's a God thing.
Mardi Gras zydeco double entendre comedy tune
American Song ragtime
Bruchim Habaim a song of welcome in your typical Hebrew salsa vein.
Time for a shower, a little practicing and off we go...
My first 'Contemporary Christian' tune
And being that I'm neither contemporary nor Christian, I have no idea why this tune came through... but it did. It started a few nights ago as I was playing piano, jamming around in the key of F, some melody attached itself to my brain and my fingers started finding their way to the notes I was hearing. I ended up hanging out there for an hour or so, and it was a strange phenomenon, particularly in the left hand accompaniment.
Rather than do my typical 'root five root bass line, I started with something more plaintive and peaceful. And between the melody and the accompaniment, it started sounding like some kind of theme song for a tear jerker movie, a la Brian's Song. I was tapping into a sentimental place, and it was so satisfying to have it in my fingers, I kept playing it over and over. Woke up the next morning and did it some more, while starting to imagine how words could take their place in that melody.
And for some reason, I got the hit that it's a perfect song for my friend's congregation at the Faith Center, which is a big 'four square' church on the west side of Eugene. Russ sings there and is one of the worship leaders, and I imagine him introducing this song to his group. Having a destination for an artistic expression definitely colors the lyrics, but what the heck, I just followed where I was led, and ended up writing a God song. I'd like to sing it for Russ, see if he resonates with it, and invite him to contribute some lyrics that might fit in better than mine do. A collaboration, if you will. Here's my first draft:
I may not be all that I should
I didn't do all that I could
But if somehow, you love me still
And grant me time, my heart to fill
With a joy that's never ending
And a love that doesn't fear
With beauty and abundance
All the blessings of the year
Like the wind upon the water
Spirit in the air
A light unto the heavens
Your love is everywhere
If I could live all that I know
How I would give, how I would grow
So starting here, from right now
I won't refuse, I will allow
This love that's never ending
A joy that doesn't fear
All the beauty and abundance
The blessings of the year
Like the wind upon the water
Spirit in the air
A light unto the heavens
Your love is everywhere
Rather than do my typical 'root five root bass line, I started with something more plaintive and peaceful. And between the melody and the accompaniment, it started sounding like some kind of theme song for a tear jerker movie, a la Brian's Song. I was tapping into a sentimental place, and it was so satisfying to have it in my fingers, I kept playing it over and over. Woke up the next morning and did it some more, while starting to imagine how words could take their place in that melody.
And for some reason, I got the hit that it's a perfect song for my friend's congregation at the Faith Center, which is a big 'four square' church on the west side of Eugene. Russ sings there and is one of the worship leaders, and I imagine him introducing this song to his group. Having a destination for an artistic expression definitely colors the lyrics, but what the heck, I just followed where I was led, and ended up writing a God song. I'd like to sing it for Russ, see if he resonates with it, and invite him to contribute some lyrics that might fit in better than mine do. A collaboration, if you will. Here's my first draft:
I may not be all that I should
I didn't do all that I could
But if somehow, you love me still
And grant me time, my heart to fill
With a joy that's never ending
And a love that doesn't fear
With beauty and abundance
All the blessings of the year
Like the wind upon the water
Spirit in the air
A light unto the heavens
Your love is everywhere
If I could live all that I know
How I would give, how I would grow
So starting here, from right now
I won't refuse, I will allow
This love that's never ending
A joy that doesn't fear
All the beauty and abundance
The blessings of the year
Like the wind upon the water
Spirit in the air
A light unto the heavens
Your love is everywhere
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