Sunday, March 31, 2013

Memories. . .

You've seen the articles and email about the 'good ole days' like:

". . . I remember the simple days of growing up in the 50's and 60's.
Remember cars without seatbelts?
Remember riding a bike without helmets?
Getting excited to see the milk-man
bringing fresh milk to the back porch?
Sitting on the front porch and knowing our neighbors!
Praying in school?
Being spanked by our parents! ( yeah it was ALLOWED! )
Getting "licks" in school. ( the great board of education! and it worked!)
Being a ONE car Family! you know the one dad used to go to work in!
The smell of sheets on the bed from being hung on a clothes line!
When we used empty food cans with string to talk to our friends ( before we even knew what cells phones were!)
Oh the simple days.....

And...with all our progress...
don't you wish...just once...
we could slip back in time and savor the innocence,
the respect, the slower pace...
and share it with the children of today? . . ."


I'm not one to get lost in the past and certainly believe MOST of what I have today is better that what I had in the past, especially technology and my own maturity.  

But. . . "Budoir Photo Packages" and "Pole Dancing Lessons" give one pause regarding the progress we've made as a society.


What do YOU think?
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

You can NOW download your
very own copy of Ray Jozwiak's
newest release:
AMBIENCE & WINE

Ray Jozwiak: Ambience & Wine
Please visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

PIANOGONZOLOGY - Blogged My 
Zimbio
blog search directory Blog Directory

Saturday, March 30, 2013

April. . .

 

. . . second. . . 
"RAY JOZWIAK is back with his gonzo piano, boldly taking us to places no-one has gone before, not even him!  (Rod Deacey, Board Member of the Frederick Acoustic Musicians Enterprise (FAME), Musician, Performer, Writer, Poet, Organizer, Emcee, Bluesman 11/20/11)

". . . He’s got some terrific ideas there and an unusual approach to rhythm and song structure. These are fantastic assets and more than one of his songs could find tons of fans who appreciate music which isn’t the same ol’ same ol’ all the time. . . "  (Paul Sedkowski, Fairplayformusic.com)
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

You can NOW download your
very own copy of Ray Jozwiak's
newest release:
AMBIENCE & WINE

Ray Jozwiak: Ambience & Wine
Please visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

PIANOGONZOLOGY - Blogged My 
Zimbio
blog search directory Blog Directory

Friday, March 29, 2013

Odd. . .

Isn’t it odd that our Supreme Court is finding it difficult to say that gay people should be accorded every benefit of marriage while they had no difficulty at all saying that corporations are people?  Maybe it’s time to clean the judicial house.  (Guess that really can't be done, can it?  What a shame.)

http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

You can NOW download your
very own copy of Ray Jozwiak's
newest release:
AMBIENCE & WINE

Ray Jozwiak: Ambience & Wine
Please visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

PIANOGONZOLOGY - Blogged My 
Zimbio
blog search directory Blog Directory

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Ah, the internet. . .

 . . . it's a hell of a thing. . . 

(from http://www.londonburningradio.com/2013/03/ray-jozwiak-black-white-then-back.html)

Monday, March 18, 2013

Ray Jozwiak - Black & White Then Back (Release Date: 2 April 2013)

Creative musician, Baltimore-based Ray Jozwiak offers recordings and performances of eclectic, instrumental solo piano (and piano-based) compositions that have been referred to as 'Fractured Jazz' laced with generous amounts of 'Improvisational Terror Tactics' . In addition to his solo activities, Ray contributes keyboard to the iconic Baltimore mainstay band OHO, with long-time musical collaborators Jay Graboski and Dave Reeve.
Ray has been nominated for a WAMMIE Award in the Jazz Instrumentalist category, named Baltimore Magazine's BEST LOUNGE PIANIST and was a finalist in the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest for the composition ALWAYS YOU.
Performances in and around Baltimore include the 13th Floor Lounge - The Belvedere, The Kiss Cafe, Gardel's Supper Club, The Full Moon Saloon, The Baltimore Songwriters Association, Border's Books and Music, GBMC, Tyson's Tavern, Elk Run Vineyard and Brewer's Alley. 
Ray's CDs (CHROMATOSE, CRITIC'S CHOICE, PUT A FINGER ON IT, FOR THE RIDE and digital downloads-only ANOTHER SHOT, AMBIENCE & WINE and BLACK & WHITE THEN BACK [release April 2, 2013]) are available for purchase at http://www.cdbaby.com/all/rjozwiak as well as a host of cyber-outlets for download (cdbaby has a list). 

Helpful Links

http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

You can NOW download your
very own copy of Ray Jozwiak's
newest release:
AMBIENCE & WINE

Ray Jozwiak: Ambience & Wine
Please visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

PIANOGONZOLOGY - Blogged My 
Zimbio
blog search directory Blog Directory

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Creative . . .

. . . original expression. . .
(
(Composition with Woman and Chair by Jason J. Loya)

I, personally, could not paint my way out of a paper bag.  (Nor have I found myself inside a paper bag with a paint brush recently.)  But, I will be playing my original, jazz-inflected, solo piano compositions [with a few covers of well, and not-so-well known tunes] this Saturday, March 30th at Towson's Bread and Circuses Bistro.  Music starts at 6PM.

And this as a prelude to the release of my newest collection of original music as a digital download- only album on Tuesday, April 2nd at www.cdbaby.com entitled "Black & White Then Back".

Bread & Circuses Bistro
27 E. Chesapeake Avenue
Towson, MD  21286
410-337-5282
http://bandcbistro.com/




What do YOU think?
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

You can NOW download your
very own copy of Ray Jozwiak's
newest release:
AMBIENCE & WINE

Ray Jozwiak: Ambience & Wine
Please visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

PIANOGONZOLOGY - Blogged My 
Zimbio
blog search directory Blog Directory

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Why. . .

. . . are we ignoring this? . . . 

[from  http://www.truthdig.com/report/item
the_crucifixion_of_tomas_young_20130310/]
. . . "(Thomas)Young will die for our sins. He will die for a war that should never have been fought. He will die for the lies of politicians. He will die for war profiteers. He will die for the careers of generals. He will die for a cheerleader press. He will die for a complacent public that made war possible. He bore all this upon his body. He was crucified. And there are hundreds of thousands of other crucified bodies like his in Baghdad and Kandahar and Peshawar and Walter Reed medical center. Mangled bodies and corpses, broken dreams, unending grief, betrayal, corporate profit, these are the true products of war. Tomas Young is the face of war they do not want you to see. . . "

Yet Bush, Chaney and Rumsfeld are free, and wealthy men.







What do YOU think?
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

You can NOW download your
very own copy of Ray Jozwiak's
newest release:
AMBIENCE & WINE

Ray Jozwiak: Ambience & Wine
Please visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

PIANOGONZOLOGY - Blogged My 
Zimbio
blog search directory Blog Directory

Monday, March 25, 2013

Easy. . .

. . . to verify. . .
After so much talk about guns, school shootings, deaths, children, the constitution, 2nd amendment, rights, militia, concealed carry, assault guns, automatic and semi-automatic, I've come to a conclusion.

Anyone who takes either side of the debate, but refuses to engage in meaningful discussion about, is clearly part of the problem.  They are part of the problem because they do not even want to begin to think about a solution.  (And if they do not think a problem exists. . . well, that's an entirely different story.)

This rant is honestly inspired by the existence of too many cutesy, Fox-news-y, tough-guy, on-line posts on social media regarding the issue.

Personally, I find gratification in facts.  Granted, one must always bear in mind the accuracy of the 'facts' they have received (in this on-line age this is all-too-easy) and verify same before actually BELIEVING them, let alone try to force them on all their social-networks 'friends.'

Want facts?  They're everywhere. . .
Hepburn, Lisa M. and David Hemenway. “Firearm availability and homicide: A review of the literature.” Aggression and Violent Behavior. Vol. 9, 2004: 417-440.
National Research Council of the National Academies, Committee on Law and Justice. “Firearms and Violence: A Critical Review.” The National Academies Press: Washington, D.C., 2004.
Average civilian ownership data for 178 countries: Small Arms Survey 2007, Chapter 2, Annexe 4.
UNODC Homicide Statistics. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Annual Firearms Manufacturers And Export Report. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Report years 1998-2011.
Total NCIS Background Checks, Nov. 30, 1998 to Nov. 30, 2012. Federal Bureau of Investigations. accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Hemenway, David. Director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center. Phone interview with FactCheck.org. 18 Dec 2012.
Wellford, Charles F. Professor, University of Maryland Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Phone interview with FactCheck.org. 18 Dec 2012.
Wintemute, Garen. Director of the Violence Prevention Research Program, University of California-Davis. Phone interview with FactCheck.org. 18 Dec 2012.
Robertson, Lori. “Violent Crimes and Handgun Ownership.” FactCheck.org. 6 Mar 2008.
Face the Nation. Transcript. CBS News. 16 Dec 2012.
Facts: Gun Violence.” Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Fatal Injury Reports, 1999-2010. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Undated accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Injury Mortality Reports, 1981-1998. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Undated accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Murder Victim, by Weapon. 2011 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Definitions for WISQARS Fatal. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Undated accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Murder Victim, by Weapon. 2006 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Table 15. Crime Trends: Additional Information About Selected Offenses. 2007 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Table 15. Crime Trends: Additional Information About Selected Offenses. 2009 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Table 15. Crime Trends: Additional Information About Selected Offenses. 2011 Uniform Crime Report. FBI. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Nonfatal Injury Reports, 1999-2011. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Undated accessed 20 Dec 2012.
Nonfatal firearm-related violent crimes, 1993-2009. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Department of Justice. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.
This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Transcript. ABC News. 16 Dec 2012.
Major School Shootings in the United States Since 1997.” Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Undated, accessed 20 Dec 2012.





What do YOU think?
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

You can NOW download your
very own copy of Ray Jozwiak's
newest release:
AMBIENCE & WINE

Ray Jozwiak: Ambience & Wine
Please visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

PIANOGONZOLOGY - Blogged My 
Zimbio
blog search directory Blog Directory