Reflecting . . .

. . . on others' reflections . . .


(from http://web.mit.edu/gtmarx/www/hitherthither.html by Gary T. Marx)

". . . There are many reasons for reflecting back on one’s life. The pleasures of good memories and nostalgia; revisiting people and places that were formative in one’s development; musing about roads not taken and imagining what might have happened if they had been; answering the question who am I now and how does that connect with who I was at the beginning of a career; finding the knowledge (or perhaps just new beliefs and interpretations) that can emerge from straining a career through five decades of experience; and channeling one’s lingering narcissistic needs into a socially acceptable form under the rationale of leaving a record for family, friends and fellow travelers. Furthermore, if it is correct as Eli Wiesel observes in Night that we are our memories then involvement with them is fundamental to our sense of self. . . Such reflections are like reversing the vista of a telescope by looking in the wrong end,—taking in the width of a life and narrowing it to one’s present. We can’t with much certitude turn to an unknown future. But the cornucopia of a lifetime’s memories, however blurry, faded and selective are there to be worked with. . ."

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http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html  or at
http://www.ohomusic.com 

Other Ray Jozwiak Offerings


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

Get your copy of OHO's  Where Words Do Not Reach now!
Watch The Ocean City Ditty Video on YouTube
Also, be sure to visit: www.rayjozwiak.com and www.ohomusic.com

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Image . . .

(from https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3956.Christopher_Hitchens)
"God did not create man in his own image. Evidently, it was quite the other way about, which is the painless explanation for the profusion of gods and religions, and the fratricide both between and among faiths, that we see all about us and that has so retarded the development of civilization."

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

My latest solo offering, No Frills, is now available at - No Frills

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

Get your copy of OHO's  Where Words Do Not Reach now!
The Ocean City Ditty Video is now on YouTube
Also, be sure to visit: www.rayjozwiak.com and www.ohomusic.com

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A Seed . . .

. . . an idea

. . . some development


and . . . stay tuned . . .



A Seed
for an OHO song

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

My latest solo offering, No Frills, is now available at - No Frills

(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)

Get your copy of OHO's  Where Words Do Not Reach now!
The Ocean City Ditty Video is now on YouTube
Also, be sure to visit: www.rayjozwiak.com and www.ohomusic.com

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Raising Children . . .

. . . is like writing songs. Well, it is kinda'. . .


Before you really have anything, you have some pretty good ideas about what you want in the end. So you get started and before you know it, you're working your butt off to take care of all the developments. And before you're ever really finished with ONE, another comes along and you find you're doing the same thing all over again AND at the same time you're still working on the other one. Before you know, you find that you sincerely like them individually and they can stand alone without you (and without each other too) and you begin to exhale a sigh of relief.  But alas, you recognize something that still needs your attention and, of course, you are more than happy to devote additional effort because you know that if you give all you've got, that (those) song(s) will provide pure musical to many and all kinds of others all by themselves for a long, long time.  It's a rewarding endeavor that brings endless joy and gratification.  But, and although some people make it look easy while others only do it half-assed, it is hard work.

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

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)

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

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Found . . .

. . . this

headline on MSNBC the other day. . .

"GOP lawmaker says Democrat drank on the job"

Now let's look at this with a somewhat discerning eye.  First, our 'objective' news organization thought this 'story' would be best promoted by pointing out that there are two opposing U.S. political parties involved in this 'development'.

Second, it appears that one of the principals in the 'story' (from one of the two opposing U.S. political parties) has an problem or an issue regarding either self-control, addiction or mere lack of discrimination in his personal activities.

So not only is there (and how many times do we see THIS??) no story here whatsoever, but the mere semblance of a story that was perceived by this reporter and his (or her) respective editor thought not only was it his (or her) duty focus public attention on a very personal problem of one individual who happens to be an elected official, but this reporter and his (or her) respective editor thought that possibly there could be no better way to maliciously publicize a potentially serious personal condition to the public than to invoke the currently divisive, polarized political climate and make sure that everyone knows that a "GOP" lawmaker said a "Democrat" drank on the job.

I didn't, haven't and do not intend to even read this story.  Quite possibly I have jumped to a conclusion or two in my thoughts and maybe the story is really harmless.  But I don't think so.  And I don't think so for the mere reason that, in spite of however true, tawdry, misguided, inappropriate, misjudging, naive or merely rebellious the latter personage's conduct truly is,  it is in fact, nothing short of irresponsible, inconsiderate and indicative of poor judgement for a news organization to even conceive of, let alone write and publish a headline of this fashion.

Sorry.  But that's the way I feel.

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AMBIENCE & WINE
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Slowly. . .

. . . my musical development moved closer to the area in which my peers were located. My love for Chicago (Transit Authority) and some of the 'pop' favs at the time (I listened to the radio and was exposed to such delights as KNOCK THREE TIMES by Tony Orlando and Dawn - which I openly admitted to enjoying [how UNCOOL!]), along with my musical appetite, tastes and scope continued to grow. So now, I wasn't a total freak for being a fan of Sonny James and Charles Magnante because I also like Jethro Tull and Three Dog Night.

My good friend Joe, now being of driving age, was more involved with cars than his old American Flyer. He wasn't a mechanic though. He was enamored with the aesthetics, internal and external, of the automobile with his favorites being those manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation. And if one is an afficionado of the sleek lines and contours of the fine, automotive form, what better way to enjoy it than with some. . . MUSIC?!

Joe was a fiend when it came to high-end sound in his cars. The more speakers, Joe theorized, the better the sound. (Joe's Mother once joked that Joe should install two-way speakers in the car seats so that if someone broke wind, everyone else in the car could hear it.) The source of all this wonderful aural confection was an 8-track tape player. And the sounds Joe liked to pump through those speakers included Rare Earth; Blood Sweat & Tears, The Ides of March and Neil Diamond. And just about one, short city block away from Joe, my buddies Michael and Gus were grooving (although in not-nearly as high fidelity as Joe) to Tull, Bloodrock, (more) Chicago and some Jesus Christ Superstar thrown in.



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ANOTHER SHOT
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From the ridiculous. . .

. . . to the sublime.

John Coltrane, who passed away 44 years ago this month, was a bebop trailerblazer, hard-bop co-founder, pioneer in the use of modes in jazz, revolutionary in the free jazz movement and ALSO a cannonized saint in the African Orthodox Church.

My initial exposure to Coltrane, not counting dialing the FM radio past a station playing 'A Lover Supreme' on one of the early anniversaries of his death, was a combination of the influence of my good friend Bob and my exposure to the music we call, for lack of a better word, jazz while working at my college radio station over 35 years ago. I always liked Coltrane's sound. I must confess though, I didn't always understand it.

And like other, truly creative, brilliant, musical pioneers (read: their music was always changing), John Coltrane's music was very different depending upon which stage of his career (and development) you consider. True, his tone was clearly and consistently distinctive and his 'sheets of sound' approach is evident in many of these stages, but nevertheless, his development is evident.

Over these years I have begun to understand more of his phases of musical exploration and as a result, appreciate and enjoy John Coltrane's music more with each year that I continue to listen.

I encourage you to do the same. (Don't let the shot of Eric Dolphy throw you. Dolphy's presence here is a nice bonus.)




download your
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ANOTHER SHOT
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It's been. . .

. . . a very busy weekend and, uncharacteristically, I'm looking forward to the 'normal' work week. (I think.)

After browsing some news this morning, it now appears that this week may not turn out to be so normal.
some 'developments' I found include:

** Ghadafi supporters are still fighting rebels in Libya
** Phil Collins is retiring
** The president denounced spending cuts
** Gingrich is running for president (uh oh!)
** The weather will be nice

And possibly the biggest development at all that will be closely monitored, I'm certain, by the pop culture media
. . .

** Justin Bieber to grow mustache
(Really. This is a news story on MSNBC.)

Wow! What a week it's gonna be.

(Hear my music at http://www.rayjozwiak.com)