(from http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/04/us/freddie-gray-baltimore-protests/)
Asked if she thought it was premature to send the military home, she (Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake) replied, "It will either be too long or too early. You'll let me know afterward."
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)
(from http://money.cnn.com/2015/04/30/news/companies/cvs-baltimore-riots-jobs/index.html)
". . . Forty-five Baltimore CVS workers who saw their stores burned down in the riots earlier this week are still getting paid. Two CVS locations sustained such heavy damage that they remain closed Thursday. But "given the extraordinary circumstances," CVS is paying those workers for their regularly scheduled hours while they try to transfer them to nearby stores, spokeswoman Carolyn Castel said. In fact, "most" have already been working at other locations, she said. There are 20 other CVS stores in the city. Castel declined to say how long they would keep paying the displaced workers, but added she is "confident" that the company could place all those who want to work at another location. . ."
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)
. . . in my insulated little world. A Serious Problem in OUR human one.
(from http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/breaking/bal-orioles-protests-freddie-gray-camden-yards-20150425-story.html)
" . . . When Saturday’s (Baltimore Orioles baseball) game. . . went to extra innings, fans were asked to remain inside the ballpark until further notice. Soon, they were prohibited from leaving Camden Yards, and every gate around the concourse was closed as word traveled that protesters were heading back downtown. In the bottom of the decisive 10th inning, the gates opened and fans were allowed to leave. . . "
(from http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/04/orioles-john-angelos-baltimore-protests-mlb by Orioles COO John Angelos, son of owner Peter Angelo-in response to scattered violence during protests on Saturday)
". . . the principle of peaceful, non-violent protest and the observance of the rule of law is of utmost importance in any society. MLK, Gandhi, Mandela and all great opposition leaders throughout history have always preached this precept. Further, it is critical that in any democracy, investigation must be completed and due process must be honored before any government or police members are judged responsible. That said, my greater source of personal concern, outrage and sympathy beyond this particular case is focused neither upon one night’s property damage nor upon the acts, but is focused rather upon the past four-decade period during which an American political elite have shipped middle class and working class jobs away from Baltimore and cities and towns around the U.S. to third-world dictatorships like China and others, plunged tens of millions of good, hard-working Americans into economic devastation, and then followed that action around the nation by diminishing every American’s civil rights protections in order to control an unfairly impoverished population living under an ever-declining standard of living and suffering at the butt end of an ever-more militarized and aggressive surveillance state. . ."
(from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/28/us/baltimore-freddie-gray.html?_r=0# - after Monday's
riots in West Baltimore)
". . . Maryland’s governor activated the National Guard on Monday and the city of Baltimore announced a curfew for all residents as a turbulent day that began with the funeral of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, the nation’s latest symbol of police brutality, ended with rioting by rock-throwing youths, arson, looting and at least 15 police officers injured. The violence that shook the city broke out in the late afternoon in the Mondawmin neighborhood of northwest Baltimore, where Mr. Gray’s funeral had taken place. Angry residents threw bottles, rocks and chunks of concrete at officers who lined up in riot gear with shields deployed. Cars were set on fire, store windows were shattered, a CVS drugstore was looted, and the cafe inside a century-old Italian deli was destroyed. Trouble also erupted at the city’s Lexington Market. . . "
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)
We will most likely hear of this type of situation in many more American cities before any meaningful change occurs. But it will. It has to. The time has come. The time is now.
(http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/25/us/baltimore-freddie-gray-protest/)
". . . Protesters angry over the death of Freddie Gray got into physical altercations with police Saturday night in downtown Baltimore near the city's famed baseball stadium.
Some of the hundreds who confronted lines of police officers got into shoving matches with helmeted cops while other demonstrators threw objects. At least five police cars were damaged by people who smashed windows and jumped on them.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said she was profoundly disappointed by the violence, adding that 95% of the protesters were respectful but a "small group of agitators intervened."
Twelve people were arrested, Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said. . ."
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)
(thanks to http://io9.com/5891504/what-hypnosis-really-does-to-your-brain)
Nearly every culture in the world has a history of hypnotic trances considered either spiritual or eerie. India and China used hypnosis to relieve pain during surgery. The practice soon migrated to Europe. Ether and anesthesia pushed hypnosis out of medicine, for the most part. Eventually, Hollywood embraced it as a plot device, adding on fantastic properties that made it seem still more outlandish to the public. It finally settled in the entertainment industry, where it does have the power to make people do extremely silly things, with extreme sincerity.
Compared to a resting brain, many areas are activated when a person is put into a hypnotic trance. All the areas that flare to life during hypnosis are also engaged when a person is concentrating on mental imagery — except one. Like many areas of the brain, the precuneus lights up during many different tasks, all of them having to do with a consciousness of self. It also deals with visuospatial aspects of the brain, letting us know where we are in space.
Under hypnosis, people are able to concentrate intensely on self-created imagery (or imagery that suggested to them) but do not place their selves as part of that imagery. They've lost the reminder of what they personally do and what normal judgments they make, while increasing their ability to think about a whole range of imaginary situations.
Baltimore Improvisation
OHO's Jay Groboski, hypnotic guitar musings to the changes of Randy Newman's Baltimore, Ray Jozwiak, keyboard accompanist (recorded at the Compound, December 2014 sans percussion)
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 release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:
(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)
(fromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Airy,_Maryland)
Mt. Airy was established in 1830 and continued to develop throughout the decade, beginning with the construction of house settlements along Parr's Ridge. A man named Henry Bussard built the first of these houses. This town was known for its train station on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) at Parr's Ridge. The railroad ran from Baltimore to Frederick, cities to the east and west, respectively, of Mt. Airy. Following 1830, the town received its official name after the suggestion of "Mount Airy" from an Irish B&O worker who complained about his freezing ears on a windy work day.[citation needed] Over the years, milling, canning and sewing industries initially helped support Mt. Airy's economy.
The city's proximity to the National Road contributed to its growth. The National Road ran west from Baltimore to Illinois. By the 1890s, the city's growth had increased significantly and three new churches were built (one Episcopal and two Methodist), along with a very important bridge, still standing and known by residents as the Twin Arch, that helped with railroad transportation. Four great fires (1903, 1914,1925 and more recently 2007) burned though the downtown district, but the town rebuilt every time.
The Mount Airy Historic District that includes the railroad station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Currently, Mt. Airy is no longer economically dependent on the railroad, as citizens work a variety of different jobs. Many of its citizens work in Washington, DC or Baltimore; the city is a part of both of those cities' metropolitan areas. Mt. Airy is a neighborhood community for these job centers. Mt. Airy is similar to back in the day with the national road but now with Interstate 70 bordering the southern end of town with an interchange with MD-27. In the last few decades Mount Airy has had a lot of growth with the town which was part of the Residential project of the Mount Airy Master Plan from the 1994 to 2003 update.
(from http://www.elkrun.com/about/)
Elk Run Vineyards is nestled in the rolling hills of Frederick County
surrounded by dairy and horse farms, fields of wheat and corn. The name
“Elk Run” was chosen for a stream. The deed name to the property is the
“Resurvey of Cold Friday.” It was a land grant from the King of England
to Lord Baltimore. The winemaker’s home is circa 1756. Since 1983 Fred
and Carol Wilson and Neill Bassford, family and friends, have made Elk
Run a shining star among American wine producers.
For the past 5 years Julian Wilson has taken on greater
responsibility for field management, wine making as well as the most
knowledgeable in new marking technology. Lauren Wilson, Julian’s wife, a
former Technical Director for WHAG in Hagerstown, has taken on
marketing & event work for the winery.
Using new world research and technology while maintaining the
traditions and values of old world practices, Elk Run’s focus is on
producing high quality wine from high quality grapes. Practicing
sustainable agriculture, on 25 acres, dense planted and controlled crop
is heightened by the soils of schist and shale which allow for deep
roots and good drainage. Eight hundred foot elevations help keep the
vineyard safe from frost danger. Warm days and cool nights preserve the
fruity character in the wines. Practicing sustainable agriculture, close
spacing with great attention to crop levels allow the wine maker to
create wines of varietal character, structure, balance and good color.
While a few wines are augmented by additional fruit, Elk Run Grows
all the varieties it makes. Elk Run is the sole grower, producer of
Gewurztraminer, the first and one of two who grow Pinot Noir ( 4 time
Gold medal winner in 2012 for our 2010.
Did I mention OHO, at Elk Run Vineyards, Sunday, September 21 at 3PM for 'Sippin Sunday'? . . .
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
My latest solo release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:
(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)
For anyone not from the Baltimore metropolitan area, we here at home have a distinctive dialect of the Mother tongue, ranging from the mild to the severely unintelligible, called Balmerese. . . (and we frequently refer to each other as Hon and we always vacation in Ocean City). . .
Just as an illustration . . .
(from http://www.baltimorehon.com/)
A
Aig...the kind with a yoke
Amalance...You know, the vehicle that takes you to the hospital
Ann Runnel...Glen Burnie's county
Anyfink..As in anything goes
Arn... What you do on an arnin board
Arnjuice...from the sunshine tree
Arsh...People from Arlin
Aspern..."Take 2 and call me in the morning"
Authoritis...arthritis
Awl...goes into the crankcase
Ax...as in Ax me no questions, I'll tell ya no lies
B
Baffroom...see "rostrum"
Balamer...our home town
Barrie...as in I need to barrie some money off you
Bawler...what the plumber calls your furnace
Beeno...A famous railroad
Beero...bedroom dresser (with jroors fulla cloze wif jewry and nick nacks on top)
Bethlum...A steel mill
Bidness: as in nunyer bidness
Birfday...blow out the candles on this day
Blare...City in Harford County
Bleef...What you believe in
Blow...opposite of "above"
Brefist: Champions eat it...meal you eat (or drink) before lunch
. . . Anyway . . . OHO was in Ocean City recently, dig . . .
Slough of Despond
Live
at Johnny's, Ocean City, MD-August 2014 [field recording
by OHO - Jay Graboski, David Reeve and Ray Jozwiak]
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 and Ray Jozwiak.
My latest solo release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:
(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)
. . . and understandably so. I was the son of the offspring of Polish immigrants who came to Baltimore in the early 20th century to escape deplorable economic conditions and an unstable political climate. There are no cotton fields in Baltimore. (Trust me.) But the song, I Never Picked Cotton, written by Bobby George and Charles Williams is the inspiration for this musing.
(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Never_Picked_Cotton) ". . .The plot of "I Never Picked Cotton" is told in first-person, mostly in flashback from the perspective of a native of a poor sharecropping family in Oklahoma.
In the first verse, the song's protagonist — the youngest son of a coal miner who died working in the mines — bitterly recalls his family's past and upbringing. He recalls (as a young boy, too young to work on a cotton plantation) how his mother, brother, and sister all picked cotton to support the family, while his dad died in the coal mine. Seeing that this is not the type of life he wants to live, the boy resolves that when he is old enough to do so, he will leave the farm and his family.
One night, the protagonist makes good on his vow, stealing $10 and a pickup truck, and leaving the plantation, never to return. He then turns to a lifestyle of partying, "and I took it all with a gun". His criminal lifestyle ultimately leads to a fight with a local redneck on a Saturday night in Memphis, Tennessee; the redneck insults the protagonist's origins and is killed in return.
The protagonist, fingered as the killer, is found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by hanging. Just hours before he is sentenced to die, he reflects on his life and notes that "there ain't a hell of a lot, that I can look back on with pride" – except that he made good on his vow to "never pick cotton" like his family did. . ."
My earliest recollection of hearing this tune, which I then thought was one of the 'toughest' and now think one of the most clever and well-constructed country songs I've ever heard was from somewhere around 1970 or 71. My parents undertook, on a regular (with occasional exceptions) an outing to our local 'Topps' retail outlet, to shop for . . . I'm not exactly sure WHAT. I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying them to visit the record (vinyl LP) department, but in my later childhood years not so much. On one particular Friday evening, after partaking of our regularly scheduled Catholic, Friday, fried fish dinners, I respectfully declined from participating in that evening's shopping event and instead offered to stay behind and wash the dinner dishes. When choosing to spend my Friday evening in such a manner, which I did numerous times, I would tune into WBMD-AM, our local country music station, on an old RCA combination phonograph/AM-FM radio in the dining room, turn it to a sufficient volume level to be able to hear it in the kitchen next door while washing dishes, and proceed with my post-dinner activity. Silly, trite, trivial - maybe. But it's ALL MINE!
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 and Ray Jozwiak.
My latest solo release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:
(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)
Aug 15, 2014
10:00 PM Ocean City, MD
Johnny's Pizza & Pub
Baltimore's Iconic Rock/Pop/Folk/Jazz/Prog Musical Collective OHO
Jul 26, 2014
4:00 PM Ocean City, MD
Warrens Park
Baltimore's Iconic Rock/Pop/Folk/Jazz/Prog Musical Collective OHO
Jun 25, 2014
10:00 PM Ocean City, MD
Johnny's Pizza & Pub
Jay Graboski, Founding Member of Baltimore's Iconic Rock/Pop/Folk/Jazz/Prog Musical Collective OHO - solo
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)
My latest solo release, '2014', can be downloaded digitally at:
(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)
small.jpg)
.jpg)
