Musical Value. . .

. . . what does music do for you? . . .


(from Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann)
". . . He was incapable of drawing nearer to the music that so preoccupied Gerda and that friend of hers, Herr Pfuhl; and Gerda, who was always impatient and exclusive when it came to matters of art, made any approach even more difficult, sometimes in truly cruel ways.  . . He would never have believed that the essence of music could be so totally alien to his family as it increasingly appeared to be. His grandfather had piped a little on his flute, and he himself enjoyed listening to pretty melodies that had either an easy grace or a quiet melancholy about them, or that perhaps roused him with their cheerful vigor. But if he expressed his preference for anything of that sort, he could be certain that Gerda would shrug her shoulders and say with a sympathetic smile, "How is it possible my dear? Something to totally lacking in musical value. . . ". . . "

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Tell me at
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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)

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The Spice . . .

. . . of life is, of course, variety.

The etymology of the word itself bears that out.

(from http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=variety)

variety (n.) Look up variety at Dictionary.com

1530s, "change of fortunes," from Middle French variété and directly from Latin varietatem (nominative varietas) "difference, diversity; a kind, variety, species, sort," from varius "various" (see vary). Meaning diversity, absence of monotony" is from 1540s; that of "collection of different things" is from 1550s; sense of "something different from others" is from 1610s. In reference to music hall or theatrical performances of a mixed nature, first recorded 1868, American English.

variation (n.) Look up variation at Dictionary.com
late 14c., "difference, divergence," from Old French variacion "variety, diversity" and directly from Latin variationem (nominative variatio) "a difference, variation, change," from past participle stem of variare "to change" (see vary). The musical sense is attested from 1801. Related: Variational.


I discovered musical variations at quite a young age as my formal music education began at the age of seven. It seems to follow that I would be attracted to (and I now dislike using the word) 'jazz.' I remember reading about (and from) established and up-and-coming musicians within the genre when I took an interest in the mid-seventies. Many expressed a similar dislike, preferring to call their music simply, 'the music.' At the time I did not quite fully grasp the subtlety of that concept. Now I realize that I actually possess a great dislike of categorization of musical styles, although I do understand the necessity of it for commercial purposes and for discussion of music among those that do not personally create music.

So, you may ask, variations on what? I fear that, irrespective of my answer to that, you still will not believe me. Nevertheless, I do hope that you will listen. . .


Variations
©2017 Raymond M. Jozwiak

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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 Little More . . .

Piano -

I consider myself to be an inept pianist, a bad singer, and a merely competent songwriter. What I do, in my opinion, is by no means extraordinary.
-Billy Joel

My family was musical on both sides. My father's family had a famous flautist and a classical pianist. My mother won a contest to be Shirley Temple's double - she was the diva of the family. At 8, I learned how to play guitar. I used to play songs from the '20s, '30s and '40s in the kitchen for my grandmother.
-Gloria Estefan

When I was studying... there weren't any black concert pianists. My choices were intuitive, and I had the technique to do it. People have heard my music and heard the classic in it, so I have become known as a black classical pianist.
-Nina Simone

When a pianist sits down and does a virtuoso performance he is in a technical sense transmitting more information to a machine than any other human activity involving machinery allows.
-Robert Moog

Ray Jozwiak brings you 'Gonzo Piano'

Monday, October 19 at 7:15PM

The Piano Prelude at 

Monday Night Songwriters Showcase at

Brewer's Alley Restaurant & Brewery (take the elevator on the right to the 2nd floor)

124 North Market Street 

Frederick, MD 21701

Telephone: 301-631-0089 Fax: 301-631-1874 http://www.brewers-alley.com/

 Please visit http://www.rayjozwiak.com

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:
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Pitch . . .

(from http://attunedvibrations.com/432hz/)
". . . According to Brain T. Collins, a musician and researcher, the standard pitch (A=440 Hz) does not harmonize on any level that corresponds to cosmic movement, rhythm, or natural vibration. . . There’s a growing musical and metaphysical movement for recovering optimal integrity in the music industry and spirituality through the 432Hz tuning.  . . In April 2008 Dutch journalist Richard Huisken founded the ‘back to 432 Hz’ committee, claiming that this original tuning was used in ancient cultures and is found on antique instruments like the Stradivarius violin. According to Huisken, music tuned to 432 Hz is softer and brighter, giving greater clarity and is easier on the ears. . . 432 Hz seems to work at the heart chakra, “the feeling”, and therefore could have a good influence on the spiritual development of the listener. Some people who are not able to distinguish the 8hz difference claim they can feel the music warmer due to the longer wavelength. . . Researchers and musicians . . .report that they feel calmer, happier and more relaxed when playing music at 432Hz. . ."

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A440_%28pitch_standard%29)
". . . Prior to the standardization on 440 Hz, many countries and organizations followed the Austrian government's 1885 recommendation of 435 Hz. The American music industry reached an informal standard of 440 Hz in 1926, and some began using it in instrument manufacturing. In 1936 the American Standards Association recommended that the A above middle C be tuned to 440 Hz. This standard was taken up by the International Organization for Standardization in 1955 (reaffirmed by them in 1975) as ISO 16. . ."

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 will be released April 7, 2015  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

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Protocol . . .

(from wikipedia.com)
MIDI is short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard that describes a protocol, digital interface and connectors and allows a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, computers and other related devices to connect and communicate with one another. A single MIDI link can carry up to sixteen channels of information, each of which can be routed to a separate device.

MIDI carries event messages that specify notation, pitch and velocity, control signals for parameters such as volume, vibrato, audio panning, cues, and clock signals that set and synchronize tempo between multiple devices. These messages are sent to other devices where they control sound generation and other features. This data can also be recorded into a hardware or software device called a sequencer, which can be used to edit the data and to play it back at a later time.

MIDI technology was standardized in 1983 by a panel of music industry representatives, and is maintained by the MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA). All official MIDI standards are jointly developed and published by the MMA in Los Angeles, California, US, and for Japan, the MIDI Committee of the Association of Musical Electronics Industry (AMEI) in Tokyo.

Advantages of MIDI include compactness (an entire song can be coded in a few hundred lines, i.e. in a few kilobytes), ease of modification and manipulation and choice of instruments.

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:
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Amen . . .

 . . . I say to you . . .

 

OHO Calendar


Date    Location / Venue    Published    Delete

Sep 13, 2014
10:00 PM     Ocean City, MD
Johnny's Pizza & Pub
Baltimore's Iconic Rock/Pop/Folk/Jazz/Prog Musical Collective OHO   

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

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)

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)

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

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School . . .

 . . . of jazz


Jazz originated in the late nineteenth century in the Southern United States combining some European harmony and forms with African musical elements such as blue notes, improvisation, polyrhythms and syncopation.

As it spread many distinctive styles evolved such as  New Orleans jazz dating from the early 1910s, big band swing, Kansas City jazz and Gypsy jazz from the 1930s and 1940s, bebop from the mid-1940s, Afro-Cuban jazz, West Coast jazz, ska jazz, cool jazz, Indo jazz, avant-garde jazz, soul jazz, modal jazz, chamber jazz, free jazz, Latin jazz, smooth jazz, jazz fusion and jazz rock, jazz funk, loft jazz, punk jazz, acid jazz, ethno jazz, jazz rap, cyber jazz, M-Base and nu jazz.

Louis Armstrong said to Bing Crosby on the latter's radio show, "Ah, swing, well, we used to call it syncopation, then they called it ragtime, then blues, then jazz. Now, it's swing.  Armstrong also said, "If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know. In a 1988 interview, jazz musician J. J. Johnson said, "Jazz is restless. It won't stay put and it never will".  Ellington said, "By and large, jazz has always been like the kind of a man you wouldn’t want your daughter to associate with."

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)

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)

Also, be sure to visit:
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If You've Got the Time . . .

My early education in Zappa took a great leap the first time I heard this song (and the LP Just Another Band from LA).  Yes, it resembles in some ways what could be a high schooler's vulgar musical project and as Frank says himself in this version, many of the jokes are strictly from LA local culture of the period.  But now (and maybe for different reasons than in 1972 and those sentimental as well as musical) it still has much musical, lyrical and humorous merit.

Well anyway. . .  if you have 40 minutes to spare, our good friends at YouTube bring you this performance of Billy the Mountain . . .

[And yes, Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan (aka Flo and Eddie) and aka The Turtles perform the lion's share of this piece.]



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)

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)

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

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Go Figure. . .

I watched WAAAYYYY too much television than is healthy when I was a child.  Now I barely have time to watch ANY!   And I don't feel like I'm missing much.  Yes, there are some clever, cutting edge television programs on these days.  Matter of fact, the sheer number of choices of television entertainment available today is mind boggling compared with that of my youth, yet I watched it like a hawk then, but avoid it like the plague now.

Go figure. . .
BTW- the photo above is Rose Marie, co-star of the Dick Van Dyke Show (one among MANY other shows of the era) which ran from 1961 through 1966 and which, one of my good friends and musical OHO compatriots feels, sounds (or at least formerly sounded) very much like the lead vocalist in this legendary prog-rock ensemble, theory with which I can hardly argue . . .

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)

Coming April 8, 2014  - '2014' by Ray Jozwiak
at http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RayJozwiak
Pre-order your copy of "2014" at the iTunes Store NOW

My latest solo release, Black & White Then Back,
can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak3)

Also, be sure to visit:
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