pianogonzology: August 2015

Monday, August 31, 2015

Alpha . . .

. . . Echo, Foxtrot, Delta (It's actually the first four notes that bring in the song). . .

AEFD
©2007 Raymond M. Jozwiak

. . . an improvisation on three descending chords, Dm, C and Bb. Alpha, Echo, Foxtrot, Delta connects each repeat of the progression.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_phonetic_alphabet)
" . . . The final choice of code words for the letters of the alphabet and for the digits was made after hundreds of thousands of comprehension tests involving 31 nationalities. The qualifying feature was the likelihood of a code word being understood in the context of others. For example, football has a higher chance of being understood than foxtrot in isolation, but foxtrot is superior in extended communication. . ."

A Alfa

B Bravo

C Charlie

D Delta

E Echo

F Foxtrot

G Golf

H Hotel

I India

J Juliett

K Kilo

L Lima

M Mike

N November

O Oscar

P Papa P

Q Quebec

R Romeo

S Sierra

T Tango

U Uniform

V Victor

W Whiskey

X X-ray

Y Yankee

Z Zulu

AEFD
©2007 Raymond M. Jozwiak

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html or at
http://www.ohomusic.com

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak. Please Visit http://www.ohomusic.com

My latest solo offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music is now available at - Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

(To Access all Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano music you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser: http://http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RayJozwiak)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Buckling . . .

. . . down on this tune (the moral of which is, 'since I don't repeat gossip, you'd better listen close the first time') to 'bring it home' at Johnny's in Ocean City MD on September 12th. . .

Heard somebody say
They overheard you
Just the other day
A simple word
About the way we get along
If only I were sure
Of the semantics
Having doubts 'cause I'm
One hopeless romantic
Could it be
You're slipping away from me

What will I do
If what I'm thinking is true
And you want to be
Really free of me
I won't last very long
Very far from your heart
And this third-hand intelligence
Might be the way that it starts.

Heard somebody say
They thought they saw you
Walking in their way
You were not alone
They said he didn't look like
Thinking to myself
Must be mistaken
Try not to believe
but still badly shaken
Why would you
Deceive me in things you do

So many years
Sharing our laughter and tears
Lasted very long
Maybe I was wrong
Not to ask you
Why you feel
We've drifted apart
And this third-hand intelligence
Might be the way that it starts

Are my sources reliable
Wait and see
Wait and see
Is my psyche too pliable
It could be
It could be

If somebody said
The sky was falling
Would you believe it's true
And change your direction
From spinning round
When it hits the ground
That's just not true
Any believers are few
When you've seen it all
It could never fall

Any more than
I think you could
Tear us apart
And this third-hand intelligence
Might be the way that it starts

Third-Hand Intelligence
rehearsal recording from August 2015 by OHO (Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak)

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html or at
http://www.ohomusic.com

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak. Please Visit http://www.ohomusic.com

My latest solo offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music is now available at - Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Marshall . . .

. . . your attention . . .

(from http://www.sunraarkestra.com/1-main.html)
". . . In the half-between world,
Dwell they: The Tone Scientists
In notes and tone
They speak of many things...
The tone scientists:
Architects of planes of discipline
Mathematically precise are they:
The tone-scientists
(Sun Ra) . . .

Perhaps most significantly, Marshall Allen [Marshall Allen- the tone scientist, and leader of the Sun Ra Arkestra] assumed the helm of the Sun Ra Arkestra in 1995 after the ascension of Sun Ra in 1993 and John Gilmore in 1995. Mr. Allen continues to reside at the Sun Ra Residence in Philadelphia, composing, writing and arranging for the Arkestra much like his mentor, totally committed to a life of discipline centered totally on the study, research, and further development of Sun Ra's musical precepts. . .Marshall maintains the Sun Ra residence as a living museum dedicated to the compilation, restoration and preservation of Sun Ra's music, memorabilia, and artifacts. Marshall has launched the Sun Ra Arkestra into a dimension beyond that of mere "ghost" band by writing fresh arrangements of Sun Ra's music, as well as composing new music for the Arkestra. He works unceasingly to keep the big-band tradition alive, reworking arrangements of the music of Fletcher Henderson and Jimmie Lunceford for the Arkestra to play, along with many other American standards. . . "

Tone scientist, Bowling Green or Saturn. . . WHO CARES???!!! Listen. . . listen . . . listen. . .

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html or at
http://www.ohomusic.com

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak. Please Visit http://www.ohomusic.com

My latest solo offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music is now available at - Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

Friday, August 28, 2015

Hopeful . . .

. . . feeings

. . . we are better than this . . .

(from 935 Lies; The Future of Truth and the Decline of America's Moral Integrity by Charles Lewis-quoring James Martin from The meaning of the Twenty-first Century)
". . . Today there are major roadblocks preventing that actions that are needed. There are huge vested interests with massive financial reasons for not changing course. . . There is widespread ignorance . . . For the powerful people who control events, the desire for short-term benefits overwhelms the desire to solve long-term problems. If these roadblocks are not removed, we will steadily head down paths that lead to catastrophe: famines, violence, wars over water, pollution, global pandemics, runaway climate change, terrorism with new types of mass-destruction weapons. . . "

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Read . . .

. . . ALL you can before you vote. . .

(from https://books.google.com/books?id=Q6u5ADXTpR4C&pg=PA162&lpg=PA162&dq=elections+decided+by+the+media&source=bl&ots=WkzXDdA4WQ&sig=eo8GUygJ8hMV_MS4KcOjgdBHfEs&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CD0Q6AEwBWoVChMIrZrX5r3BxwIVzGg-Ch3usgGS#v=onepage&q=elections%20decided%20by%20the%20media&f=false)
". . . 'Floating Voters' . . . who are less politically active, informed, and partisan . . . (have) become the focus of a number of studies. Findings, however, have been inconsistent on this point. Converse (1962) contended that uninvolved voters, who are likely to be weak partisans, have the potential to be greatly influenced by short-term electoral forces, particularly information flow, provided that the messages reach them. . . Information gained from the mass media tends to reinforce partisan stability, even among less involved voters. . . Voters who have decided early . . . will be more likely to find that the media satisfy their campaign involvement needs. . . "

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

The Attraction . . .

. . . of Trump. . . as explained by http://dailyrover.com/news/2015/07/07/what-explains-donald-trumps-appeal/ (my reactions in parentheses)
• Candor (Candor-yes. Insightful, logical, intelligent, solution-oriented? - NO)

• Leadership (of a country? - NO)

• Independence and incorruptibility (Yes and, hmmmm)

• The outsider (Outside of mainstream politics, yes. Any other benefit? I'm listening. . . )

• The negotiator (Convince me)

• The populist (How much of the population, you say?)

• Celebrity (Right on the money. [No pun intended])

. . . the web site FactCheck.org cited a half-dozen statements in Trump’s announcement speech that have been mistaken, false or deceptive. (Check it out, Trump-lovers. A little knowledge can be a good thing)

(Sorry. I had to do it Ma.)

Ace of Hearts
©1992 Raymond M. Jozwiak

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html or at
http://www.ohomusic.com

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak. Please Visit http://www.ohomusic.com

My latest solo offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music is now available at - Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Love . . .

Why is it that a young, handsome, twenty-something dude singing about how much he will love is young, cute, blond, girlfriend (in his video) moves so many more (and vocal) people than an old guy singing about how much he loves his significant other, as he has for the past forty years? . . .

. . . YOUTH. (A stretch of the literal, imaginative and credible, to be sure, but an observation not totally invalid.)

(Reproduced praise for a talented, young artist on YouTube-NOT undeserved, mind you)
. . . You never cease to amaze me with your pure talent. I really hope this was written for someone special in your life; you truly deserve love and happiness.

I love this song

This channel is so underrated. It really deserves more attention.

Not only do I adore your amazing talent and personality, I admire this song. Been on repeat for days ever since I heard it for the first time.

I am a huge fan of your music. I love that you do love songs. Not many singer/songwriters do. I have been a fan for a while now. and LOVE your collaborations . . . I hope you guys will make another sometime. but, this song. is fantastic! I feel like i can really relate to your music and hope you never stop writing music.

Pam's Song
from Chromatose
©2007 & 2014 Raymond M. Jozwiak

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html or at
http://www.ohomusic.com

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak. Please Visit http://www.ohomusic.com

My latest solo offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music is now available at - Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

Monday, August 24, 2015

I Think . . .

. . . you know what I mean . . .

Education without common sense or wit isn't really worth much. But it seems Lyle Lovett possesses these attributes in optimal proportion making for some clever and entertaining music . . .

". . . (Lyle) Lovett attended Texas A&M University, where he received Bachelor of Arts degrees in both German and Journalism in 1980 . . . Lovett was conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by the University of Houston on May 15, 2010 at its general commencement ceremony. His mother was in the audience as her son was presented with an honorary doctorate from the same university from which she had received her bachelor's degree in 1960. His late father was also a graduate of the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture of the University of Houston. In 2015, Lovett received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Texas A&M University. . ."

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Happy . . .

. . . hour . . .

(from http://mentalfloss.com/article/54050/where-did-term-happy-hour-come)
". . . the term itself comes from American Naval slang in the 1920s following the First World War. A “Happy Hour” was an allotted period of time on a ship where sailors engaged in various forms of entertainment to relieve the monotonies of the seafaring life. Most of the time, this meant wrestling or boxing matches, but it still could include other athletic activities intending to boost morale. . . At the same time, the U.S. was going through t. . . Prohibition, the failed experiment given legal standing by the infamous Volstead Act. From 1920 to 1933, the manufacture, transport, and sale of certain intoxicating beverages was prohibited. (Sacramental wines and cider fermented by farmers were given exemptions.) But instead of abiding by the newly enacted teetotal tenet, Americans became as alcoholic as ever, and would gather together in secret speakeasies or at home to consume some tantalizingly illegal cocktails to wet their whistle before dinner. “Happy Hour” as an expression was soon picked up, either directly or secondhand, from the Naval slang and merged to describe these outlawed gatherings. . ."

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Waltz . . .

. . . me NOT! (the composition 'Wisdom' has evolved [or devolved] back to its original non-waltz format. Click below to hear.)

(from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waltz_(music)
". . . The name "waltz" comes from the German verb walzen, in turn taken from the Latin verb volvere, which describes the turning or rotating movement characteristic of the dance. Although French writers have attempted to connect the waltz to the 16th century volta, firm evidence connecting this Italian form to the earliest occurrence in the mid‑18th century of walzen to describe dancing is lacking. . . Classical composers traditionally supplied music for dancing when required, and Franz Schubert's waltzes (including the Valses Sentimentales and Valses Nobles) were written for household dancing, without any pretense at being art music. However, Frédéric Chopin's surviving 18 waltzes (five he wrote as a child), along with his mazurkas and polonaises, were clearly not intended for dance. They marked the adoption of the waltz and other dance forms as serious composition genres. Other notable contributions to the waltz genre in classical music include 16 by Johannes Brahms (originally for piano duet), and Maurice Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentales for piano and La valse for orchestra (Lamb 2001). . . The long period of the waltz's popularity was brought to an end by the First World War, which destroyed the Austro-Hungarian monarchy and the Viennese culture which had nurtured it for so long. European light music shifted from Vienna to Berlin, and compositions by composers such as Gustav Mahler, Igor Stravinsky, and William Walton treated the dance in a nostalgic or grotesque manner as a thing of the past. Waltzes nevertheless continued to be written by composers of light music, such as Eric Coates, Robert Stolz, Ivor Novello, Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, Oscar Straus, and Stephen Sondheim. The predominant ballroom form in the 20th century has become the slow waltz, which rose to popularity around 1910 and was derived from the valse Boston of the 1870s. . ."

Wisdom
Composition-in-progress, ©2015 Raymond M. Jozwiak

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html or at
http://www.ohomusic.com

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak. Please Visit http://www.ohomusic.com

My latest solo offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music is now available at - Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

Friday, August 21, 2015

Stupidity . . .

(from http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/stupidity)
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
― Albert Einstein

“Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish.”
― Euripides, Bacchae

“People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.”
― Søren Kierkegaard

“Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.”
― George Carlin

“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.”
― Harlan Ellison

“I'll take crazy over stupid any day.”
― Joss Whedon

“Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it.”
― Laurence J. Peter, The Peter Principle

“In politics, stupidity is not a handicap.”
― Napoléon Bonaparte

“Stupidity isn't punishable by death. If it was, there would be a hell of a population drop.”
― Laurell K. Hamilton, The Laughing Corpse

“If complete and utter chaos was lightning, then he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are bastards!”
― Terry Pratchett, The Color of Magic

“Evil isn’t the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it’s a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against Stupid. That might actually make a difference.”
― Jim Butcher, Vignette

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Prospectively . . .

. . . posthaste . . .

Ray Jozwiak provides the Piano Prelude playing a preposterously paced program to preclude any possible passivity on the part of the patrons . . .

. . . this Monday evening, August 24, 2015 @ 7:15PM at the Brewer’s Alley Songwriters Showcase

Brewer's Alley Restaurant & Brewery
(Songwriters Showcase-Upstairs)
124 North Market Street
Frederick, MD 21701 
Telephone: 301-631-0089
Fax: 301-631-1874
http://www.brewers-alley.com/

Clarity
from Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak
©2007 & 2014 Raymond M. Jozwiak

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html or at
http://www.ohomusic.com

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak. Please Visit http://www.ohomusic.com

My latest solo offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music is now available at - Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Precision . . .

. . . from a dying, biblical Jacob, who in his aged wisdom and natural confusion issues instructions to announce to his sons the occasion of delivering his last words . . .

(from Joseph and His Brothers by Thomas Mann, translation by John E. Woods)
". . . "Assemble, you children of Jacob! Come together in your hosts and gather around your father Israel, that he may tell you who you are and what shall befall you in days to come." . . . That was the call Jacob had issued from his tent to his sons, when at last he decided the hour had come for his deathbed speech. For he had his life in his hands and knew exactly what energies were left for him to expend in final words and then to die. He sent out the call by way of his chief steward, Eliezer, that old young man; he recited it for him and had him repeat it several times so that Damasek (Eliezer) would know the words not just more or less, but by heart. "It's not 'come hither,' " he said, "but 'come together,' and not 'draw 'round' but 'gather round' Israel. Now repeat the whole thing once more and don't forget that double phrase, 'who you are and what shall befall you.'. . . Good, at last! I fear I have spent too much of my energy instructing you. Now make haste!" . . . And Damasek tucked his robe up under his belt and ran in all directions, so quickly that the earth seemed to leap up to greet him; he cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted: "Gather together, sons of Israel, and assemble your hosts, just as you are, that goods things may befall you from day to day.". . . "