The tenth solo offering from Ray Jozwiak of piano soundscapes based upon and inspired by his own unique and original world populated by some very influential influencers including: Mike & Lilly, John, Paul, George, Ringo, Myron Floren, Eddie Arnold, Peter, Paul & Mary, Burl Ives, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Chet Atkins, Janis Ian, Mr. Schwartz, Dimitrious Apostolou, Eddie (Taylor) Krawcyk, Stephen Krawcyk, Albert Krall, Buck Owens, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Gentle Giant, The Electric Light Orchestra, Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Ian Anderson, Peter Gabriel, Keith Morgan, Bruce Kafer, Greg Marsh, Ray Kitz, Eddie Singer, Rick Hannah, the other Rick (trumpet player), Ted Brittingham, Randy Filmore, John Hammond, Joseph Arthur, Ani DiFranco, Bob Zacharko, Frank Zappa, Cannonball Adderley, George Duke, Eric Dolphy, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Vince Guraldi, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Kris Kristofferson, Lafayette Gilchrist, Tom Bresh, Bruce Kovacs, Jay Graboski, David Reeve, Jeff Graboski, Bill Pratt, Dom Minasi, Ken Gutberlet, Doug Alan Wilcox, Rod Deacey, Ron Goad, Todd Walker, Tomy Wright, Chris Anderson, Mary Battiata, Lara Herscovitch, Spook Handy, Dean Zhlomski, Barry Reichart, Johnny Hofman, David Murray, N'Dinga Gaba, Ornette Coleman, Ray Anderson, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Sun Ra, John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, Elvis Costello, Ian Hunter, Ira Sullivan, Abdoulaye Ndiaye . . . (and many more)
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)
On Bob McDonnell, 'Strife has formed a core of their joint defense.' Bob McDonnell and his wife of 38 years insisted throughout the trial that their marriage was crumbling and in such a state that they barely spoke enough to be able to conspire to sell the influence of the governor's office to a dietary supplement executive in exchange for $177,000 in loads and luxury gifts. The trial was long and contentious.
The details of the story are convoluted. In my brief and superficial summary I see a marriage which slowly failed in sacrifice to promote a political career. Mrs. McDonnell dutifully raised the children while the ambitious Mr. McDonnell rose in political rank. The diet-supplement king enters the picture and captivates Mrs. McDonnell. She accepts his friendship and all the material and monetary accessories that accompany it. Mr. McDonnell sees it but believes no harm nor violations of law are occurring, so he lets it continue. Justice prevails in the end. But $177,000 and a political career? Doesn't seem worth the gamble in the first place.
Yes, it's easy for me to sit here and analyze at a distance from it all, but sad is my overwhelming reaction to it all.
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)
20 Top Ten singles, 12 Top Ten albums (five of which were #1), and sales of more than 120 million records . . . stylistic changes, I must admire the work ethic and perseverance of these musicians, the early work of which had [and still has] a tremendous influence on my music. . .
(from http://www.classicbands.com/chicago.html)
". . . "Baby, What A Big Surprise" sailed into the Top 5, and Chicago XI was certified platinum the month after its release. But only a few months later, the band would be devastated by a terrible loss. On January 23, l978, Chicago guitarist and singer Terry Kath died from an accidental gunshot wound. "Terry Kath was a great talent" says Jim Guercio, who worked with him on a solo album that was never completed. "Hendrix idolized him. He was just totally committed to this band, and he could have been a monster (as a solo artist)." Kath's death devastated Chicago, and the band considered breaking up. A short time after Terry's death, "Take Me Back To Chicago," was released as a single.
If the band was going to continue, it would need a new guitarist, and auditions began in earnest in the spring of 1978. "We felt that we were being left behind by the new music," says Cetera, "and we thought we needed a young guitar player with long hair. We sat through I don't know how many guitar players, but I'm sure it was 30, 40, or 50 guitar players. Toward the end, Donnie Dacus showed up. He played a couple of songs right and with fire, and that's how he was in the group."
Fast forward to 2014 - their new album . . .
(from http://chicagotheband.us/profiles/blogs/james-pankow-interview-chicago-trombonist-and-horn-arranger-leads)
" . . . includes 11 brand new songs, recorded on the road.
"We have some very exploratory stuff and music that is traditionally Chicago," Pankow said. "We have the signature horns and the identity that the music has always had, but we also have the fun of taking it places that was not possible before. The music is very daring in some ways. It is where we are now."
For this record, Chicago built a new "recording rig" that travels with the band.
"This new technology has allowed us to be extremely mobile," Pankow said. "The music is reported by us as we travel, as we get inspired. We can record in hotel rooms, on the bus, in the venue. We don't have to, like the old days, assemble in a traditional recording studio and track new songs and go through the protocol. We are now free to do whatever we want. We can push the limits."
They have even created an online collaboration portal that allows even more performances to be worked on around the clock from remote locations.
"For the first time since the beginning of the band, we are looking at not only a new way of making records, but a new way of manifesting those records," Pankow said. "We do business now essentially direct to fans through the Internet."
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' 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)
(from Friends of Bernie Sanders)
As a result of the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision, billionaires and large corporations can now spend an unlimited amount of money to influence the political process. The results of that decision are clear. In the coming months and years the Koch brothers and other extraordinarily wealthy families will spend billions of dollars to elect right-wing candidates to the Senate, the House, governors’ mansions and the presidency of the United States. These billionaires already own much of our economy. That, apparently, is not enough. Now, they want to own the United States government as well.
Four years ago, the Supreme Court passed Citizens United. A few weeks ago, they passed the equally horrendous McCutcheon campaign finance decision which gives even more political power to the rich. Now, many Republicans want to push this Supreme Court to go even further. In the name of “free speech,” they want the Court to eliminate all restrictions on campaign spending -- a position that Justice Thomas supported in McCutcheon -- and a view supported by the Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Not surprisingly, as it will give them the opportunity to buy politicians at will, this has always been the position of the Koch brothers.
The Koch brothers are the second wealthiest family in America, making most of their money in the fossil fuel industry. According to Forbes Magazine, they saw their wealth increase last year from $68 billion to $80 billion. In other words, under the “anti-business”, “socialist” and “oppressive” Obama administration, their wealth went up by $12 billion in one year.
In their 2012 campaigns, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney each spent a little more than $1 billion. For the Koch brothers, spending more than Obama and Romney combined in an election would be a drop in the bucket. They would hardly miss the few billion spent.
Given the reality that the Koch brothers are now the most important and powerful players in American politics, it is important to know what they want and what their agenda is.
Interestingly and not widely known, David Koch ran as the Libertarian Party’s vice-presidential candidate in 1980. He believed that Ronald Reagan was much too liberal. Despite Mr. Koch putting a substantial sum of money into the campaign, his ticket only received one percent of the vote. Most Americans thought the Libertarian Party’s platform of 1980 was extremist and way out of touch with what the American people wanted and needed.
Fast-forward 34 years and the most significant reality of modern politics is how successful David Koch and like-minded billionaires have been in moving the Republican Party to the extreme right. Amazingly, much of what was considered “extremist” and “kooky” in 1980 has become part of today’s mainstream Republican thinking.
Let me give you just a few examples:
In 1980, Libertarian vice-presidential candidate David Koch ran on a platform that called for abolishing the minimum wage. 34 years ago, that was an extreme view of a fringe party that had the support of one percent of the American people.
Today, not only does virtually every Republican in Congress oppose raising the $7.25 an hour minimum wage, many of them, including Republican leaders like Mitch McConnell and John McCain, are on record for abolishing the concept of the federal minimum wage.
In 1980, the platform of David Koch’s Libertarian Party favored “the abolition of Medicare and Medicaid programs.” 34 years ago, that was an extreme view of a fringe party that had the support of one percent of the American people.
Today, the mainstream view of the Republican Party, as seen in the recently passed Ryan budget, is to end Medicare as we know it, cut Medicaid by more than $1.5 trillion over the next decade, and repeal the Affordable Care Act. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Under the Ryan plan, at least 40 million people -- 1 in 8 Americans -- would lose health insurance or fail to obtain insurance by 2024. Most of them would be people with low or moderate incomes.”
In 1980, the platform of David Koch’s Libertarian Party called for “the repeal of the fraudulent, virtually bankrupt, and increasingly oppressive Social Security system.” 34 years ago, that was an extreme view of a fringe party that had the support of one percent of the American people.
Today, the mainstream view of the Republican Party is that “entitlement reform” is absolutely necessary. For some, this means major cuts in Social Security. For others who believe Social Security is unconstitutional or a Ponzi scheme this means the privatization of Social Security or abolishing this program completely for those who are under 60 years of age.
In 1980, David Koch’s Libertarian Party platform stated “We oppose all personal and corporate income taxation, including capital gains taxes … We support the eventual repeal of all taxation … As an interim measure, all criminal and civil sanctions against tax evasion should be terminated immediately.” 34 years ago, that was an extreme view of a fringe party that had the support of one percent of the American people.
Today, 75 Republicans in the House have co-sponsored a bill that Paul Ryan has said “would eliminate taxes on wages, corporations, self-employment, capital gains, and gift and death taxes in favor of a personal-consumption tax.”
Here is what every American should be deeply concerned about. The Koch brothers, through the expenditure of billions of dollars and the creation and support of dozens of extreme right organizations, have taken fringe extremist ideas and made them mainstream within the Republican Party. And now with Citizens United (which is allowing them to pour unlimited sums of money into the political process) their power is greater than ever.
And let’s be very clear. Their goal is not only to defund Obamacare, cut Social Security, oppose an increase in the minimum wage or cut federal funding for education. Their world view and eventual goal is much greater than all of that. They want to repeal every major piece of legislation that has been signed into law over the past 80 years that has protected the middle class, the elderly, the children, the sick, and the most vulnerable in this country. Every piece of legislation!
The truth is that the agenda of the Koch brothers is to move this country from a democratic society with a strong middle class to an oligarchic form of society in which the economic and political life of the nation are controlled by a handful of billionaire families.
Our great nation must not be hijacked by right-wing billionaires like the Koch brothers.
For the sake of our children and our grandchildren, we must fight back.
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 digitally downloaded at:
(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)
It makes me think of all the beautiful music I've heard
And brings to mind a kind of paradise
It just may be some kind of wonderland magically
Still don't know how this fortune came to me
All the things I see
When I hear the sound of your voice
When I hear the sound of your voice
If feels to me like warmth from sitting in front of a fire
Light of my life you always show the way
Gleam in your eye a spark igniting the fire inside
Burning so bright the way I feel for you
It's like a dream come true
When I hear the sound of your voice
When I hear the sound of your voice
All of my being depends upon you
That's for sure
You're my refuge in a stormy sea
The sun above that shines on me
I thought that love such as this could be found
Only in movies
Just like searching for a pot of gold
Follow the rainbow and do what you're told
Just when you think it's all been said and it's been done before
Should I explain how you're affecting me
It's not control it's more an influence over my soul
Covering all like colors brilliantly
Canvas brush palette three
When I hear the sound of your voice
When I hear the sound of your voice
. . . and ballads. Charles Lloyd has done, and continues to do it all. Check it out.
Lloyd was born in Memphis, Tennessee. From an early age, he was immersed in
that city's rich musical life and was exposed to jazz. He began playing
the saxophone at the age of 9 and took lessons from pianist Phineas Newborn. One of his closest
friends was trumpeter Booker
Little. Lloyd became a sideman in the blues bands
of B. B. King, Howlin'
Wolf, Bobby "Blue" Bland and others.
In 1956 Lloyd moved to Los Angeles and earned a music degree from the
University of Southern
California. During this period Lloyd played in the big band of Gerald
Wilson. From 1960 to 1963 Lloyd played in the band of drummer Chico Hamilton and became its musical director. Though the
band was known for playing "chamber
jazz" at the beginning of Lloyd's tenure, his influence as a
composer and a player quickly pushed it in a more progressive post-bop
direction. Lloyd's key musical partner in the band was the guitarist Gábor Szabó. In 1964 Lloyd left Hamilton's group to play with
alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley. During this period
he recorded two albums as a leader for Columbia Records; his sidemen were other young musicians
including Herbie Hancock, Ron
Carter and Tony Williams. Through 1966-1968
Lloyd led a quartet with pianist Keith
Jarrett, bassist Cecil McBee (afterwards, Ron
McClure), and drummer Jack DeJohnette, that producer George Avakian signed to a contract with Atlantic Records. The quartet's music was an interesting
fusion of straight-ahead post-bop, free
jazz, and soul jazz. The group's music quickly caught on
with both jazz fans and critics. Somewhat surprisingly, they also
achieved a fair amount of crossover success with young rock fans and
became the first jazz group to play in The
Fillmore. The album Forest
Flower became a big commercial hit, largely on the strength of
the title track. Other noteworthy albums include Dream Weaver and Love-In.
In 1968, after the quartet's demise, Lloyd entered a state of
semi-retirement. Despite recording several albums during the 1970s and
occasionally appearing as a sideman, he practically disappeared from the
jazz scene. During the 1970s Lloyd played extensively with The Beach Boys both on their studio recordings and as a member
of their touring band. In the late 1970s Lloyd was a member of
Celebration, a band composed of members of the Beach Boys' touring band
as well as fellow Transcendental Meditation
followers Mike Love and Al
Jardine. Celebration released two albums.
Upon being approached by pianist Michel Petrucciani in the early 1980s, he resumed
playing actively. From 1989, Lloyd toured actively and recorded for the ECM label. Although his playing
had not changed much stylistically since his groundbreaking work in the
1960s, these recordings showcased his sensitivity as a ballad
player. Noteworthy albums include Canto, Voice in the Night, The Water Is Wide (featuring Brad
Mehldau, John
Abercrombie, Larry Grenadier and Billy
Higgins), Lift Every Voice
(featuring Geri Allen), and the live Rabo
de Nube with Jason Moran). Lloyd has shown great consistency
and creativity in his period with ECM, much of his music containing a
strong spiritual element, some it heavily in a "world music" vein, and
some of it unusual and experimental as in the duets on Which Way
is East? with his longtime friend and musical soulmate, Billy
Higgins. (from Wikipedia.com)
What do YOU think?
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html
Download
your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray
Jozwiak
Anyone who was into popular music in the 1970s is aware of the groups, bands and artists who were affected by country and/or southern influences: the Eagles; Poco; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Sacco and Vanzetti-as the Wonderful WINO DJ played by George Carlin would say), the Band; the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; the Amazing Rhythm Aces; the Charlie Daniels Band; Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show and many others. Funny, I can now appreciate much of the music by all these bands, but like the early jazz critics who said that what Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie were playing was NOISE, I was a country purist. I loved my Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Roy Clark, George Jones, Tammy Wynette and Johnny Cash unadulterated. I didn't want any 'rock' mixed in with my pure, precious country music. Of course, country influenced rock, Cajun funk and swamp was into country, rock was into New Orleans. . . well you get the picture. And although maybe I just wasn't sophisticated enough to 'get it' at the time, I sure do get it now. And I love it.
download your very own copy of ANOTHER SHOT by Ray Jozwiak
. . . maybe it didn't really last that long, my career as a Beatle, but it was a potent experience. And thanks to my Mothers' Day debut, I got a taste of public performance, the energy shared between performer and audience, and I certainly did like it. Although the Beatles' influence upon me had subsided by this time, they were undoubtedly a profound influence; a lingering presence in or on our culture and myself as well and though I was not by any means an obsessive fan, I was always an appreciator of the music of the Beatles. Little did I realize at the time, their music-like all the music that I absorbed over the years, influences and informs the music that I make today in some form or fashion.
Around this time my record collecting appetite grew as did my curiosity about and pleasure in the music all around me. Soon added to my collection (and some borrowed from my sister) were records by Herman's Hermits, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, The Dave Clark Five, The Turtles, Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Animals, Tommy James and the Shondells and more. And added to that, one Christmas I was to receive one of the most treasured gifts of my childhood, that technological miracle that could connect a young boy to the great big world outside, that marvel of marvels. . . the transistor radio.
My little musical world was instantly widened and the musical menu available to me embellished beyond belief. In those days, there were many 'Top 40' radio stations which in truth (much like pop stations today) played a surprisingly small selection of songs over and over and over and over and. . . well, you get the idea. But to me, to possess this little box of my very own, that travelled easily with me, over which no one else could exert their control (broadcasting had not become concerned with 'parental contol/guidance' concepts yet) which provided me with endless (as long as I provided battery power) music, was nearly nirvana.
Download your very own copy of ANOTHER SHOT by Ray Jozwiak
