Simplicity

There is definitely beauty in simplicity. I had earlier found such beauty in country music. My earliest memory of thoroughly enjoying country music is kind of an odd story. My parents, for some unknown reason (and I don't accurately remember precisely WHAT they would purchase) went 'shopping' at a local discount store called TOPPS. They did this EVERY FRIDAY evening.
When I was younger, I would go, of course. In my later trips to Topps, I would spend the period in the record section of the store browsing through all the vinyl beauties that were available at the time, popular items of which retailed for $3.47. (I'm not sure why I remember that number. It may simply be due to the fact the I had little money and kept close tabs on how much I would need to purchase things that I found desireable. By the way, Luskins (another retailer of the time) sold record albums for $2.99 so needless to say, I visited Luskins whenever I could.) I found myself drifting toward country music record albums. It's now unclear what, specifically influenced this branch in my musical development, (I do remember my cousin owned the 45 of Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash, which MAY be the original spark to the country music fire that consumed me at the time.) but I do remember (and don't laugh PLEASE) that the television program "HeeHaw" came about before, during or shortly after this time, which undoubtedly provided another opportunity for exposure to country artists of the day.

So I spent my Topps evening looking at Buck Owens, Charley Pride, Porter Wagoner, Merle Haggard, Tom T. Hall and others popular country artists at the time. Later, when my parents embarked upon the weekly jaunt to Topps, I stayed behind to happily wash the dinner dishes. Why happily? Because in the other room, the 'ancient' (even back then) radio we inherited from an aunt was playing WBMD AM loudly enough for me to hear in the kitchen. The 'genre' of the playlist on WBMD at the time - Country Music.





Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak

Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com



Tweet

Way. . .

. . . Way before I discovered the joys of jazz/rock fusion, my musical tastes took a turn that was probably pretty natural considering that the accordion pretty much started it all. My friend Joe - he of the red American Flyer and the hill at the elementary school in my neighborhood where we would sit (yes, on our bicycles) and discuss everything from soup to nuts and solve the problems of the world. . . well, at least our little world - had pretty eclectic tastes and what just the kind of personality I needed to gravitate toward at that time in my life. One of those tastes that rubbed off onto me was for a folk trio who had already been making music successfully for a number of years and of whom I knew some (Puff the Magic Dragon was a childhood anthem), Peter, Paul and Mary. And as is the case with much music that I loved in my early days, I couldn't then explain to you what attracted me to it, although now you would be sorry if you asked me to explain, I was enthralled by the simplicity, the intertwining harmonies and the contrast of the three voices when Peter, Paul and Mary performed.




Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak

Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com



Tweet

What do you do. . .

. . . if you are a cruel and ruthless tyrant, whose country is awash in turmoil because the population feels that you are unjust, corrupt, incompetent, power-hungry, and according to some. . . just plain INSANE. What do you do if most of the world powers have united against you, and have physically sent armed forces onto your own land to protect YOUR citizens from YOU and the paid mercenaries you employ to attempt to keep them at bay. What do you do if your entire population demands FREEDOM, a more democratic governing system, fairness, basic human rights while you feel that a royal decree or a divine providence enables you to maintain power over this population indefinitely and you continue to claim that you will not allow those citizens so much as a hearing of their grievances.

What do you do when the whole world is against you, your back is to the wall, barely a soul can be found to defend your intentions and your actions. Where do you go? What is your next move? WHAT DO YOU DO????????

YOU PLAY CHESS!!!!





Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak

Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com



Tweet

Sometimes enthusiasm. . .

. . . gets the best of you, and you take something much too far too fast, and in the end, the enthusiasm pales a bit, as it's not quite as enjoyable now through the newly-acquired cloak of discomfort you have donned in the process.

Or conversely, sometimes the emotional pain you're feeling becomes so unbearable that running seems like the only thing to do but after you've run as far as you can and you stop to regain your figurative breath, you find the cause of all that emotional pain is there waiting at the destination you have finally reached AND you find you also have additional company in the person of an accompanying physical pain above the eyebrows.



Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak

Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com



Tweet

Talking with. . .

. . .my good friend Doug Alan Wilcox about the youth quotient in the singer-songwriter genre last night and hearing a radio program on NPR about late 50s early 60s rock music sparked some thinking. Fortunately, the sparks were small and the resulting smoke was minimal, as I was driving home from Doug's CD release party at the Frederick Coffee Company where a wonderful, appreciative crowd gathered to celebrate, and where I believe I may have been the one in the room having the most fun, although it appeared that Doug was not far behind me in that respect. But back to the radio show, Bobby Rydell was being interviewed, he still performs BTW, and he and the host of the program were discussing how rock'n roll from that era, and the lifestyle of the preponderance of the consumer market for rock, were so very innocent and carefree. Bobby mentioned going to WIldwood, NJ as a teenager and bodysurfing, dancing, gathering on the beach and doing all those things that teenagers do. He also mentioned the fact that there was no Vietnam (War), drugs (not a huge concern in his crowd) and so many of the other issues that soon affected the innocence of teenagers. Youth for him, and hopefully for most of us, was an innocent time with very few worries or responsibilities.

And today, even though youth is relatively innocent, how can young people not be confronted at certain times by talk of the bad economy, unemployment, vicious politicians, terrorism, wars in far away Middle-Eastern locations, nuclear issues, freedom fighters and rebels. . . the list goes on. In other words, no matter how innocent youth is today, it cannot possibly be as innocent as it was for Bobby Rydell, the youth of his day, and even me (I lagged behind Bobby by some years). So the singer-songwriter of the (relatively) new millennium is a different animal than the singer-songwriter of times gone by. (Actually, singers and songwriters were separate entities in Bobby's day, but that's a whole different topic.) I'm not longing for the good ole days, mind you, I think we are are evolving and that's a GOOD thing. But this is merely a reflection. As a matter of fact, who can complain about the calibur of music that is available to us thanks to the youth of today. . .




Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak

Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com



Tweet

Some blatant, shameless. . .

. . . promotion - STRICTLY COMMERCIAL

My friend Doug Alan Wilcox will be performing songs from his new CD WHAT I MEANT TO SAY at the CD Release Party, Saturday June 11 at the Frederick Coffee Company. I am particularly looking forward to it because I will be accompanying Doug on keyboard. Hope you can join us if you're in the area. If you're NOT, hyperlinks to Doug's and my websites are further down on this page. Hope you'll visit our sites and maybe even purchase some music. Thanks.

Visit Doug Alan Wilcox's Website
Doug Alan Wilcox with Ray Jozwiak, Frederick Coffee Company, June 11 @ 8PM

Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak

Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com



Tweet

Sipping my espresso. . .

. . . in the darkest little corner up at Tio's. A Don Tomas perfecto and Courvousier can make me feel just fine. If you don't see me there I might be on a plane and bound for Rio. I live the life you'd like to lead and look so happy all the time. Must be cool must be collected; best that I am able, as the hostess sits you down at the nearest table. I'm only pretending; only pretending; pretending I'm doing alright. There just was no bending; we saw it ending - no mending could help all the damage we'd done. I'm only pretending; only pretending; only pretending.

She said that I should be mature about this situation. Maybe. I didn't think I had a problem. I was dealing with it fine. I told her I was gonna go and find myself another baby. She didn't think that I was serious but still she didn't mind. Now I've got my chance; my freedom. I'm an Indy agent. This will roll right off my back. Look what I've been staging. I'm only pretending; only pretending; pretending I'm doing alright. There just was no bending; we saw it ending - no mending could help all the damage we'd done. I'm only pretending; only pretending; only pretending.

I can pretend that I'm Napoleon. I'm just a man on a limb. Trying to get my two feet on the ground. I can pretend that I'll win.

I automatically launch into my routine each time I see you. It's just this thing I have to do to keep my sanity alive. A little defense mechanism that I use when I feel blue. A desperate man will use some desperate measures only to survive. People say don't take it too hard. There are other fishes swimming in the deep blue sea. I'm all through with wishes. I'm only pretending; only pretending; pretending I'm doing alright. There just was no bending; we saw it ending - no mending could help all the damage we'd done. I'm only pretending; only pretending; only pretending.

ONLY PRETENDING
©1997 Raymond M. Jozwiak



Visit Doug Alan Wilcox's Website
Doug Alan Wilcox with Ray Jozwiak, Frederick Coffee Company, June 11 @ 8PM

Download your
very own copy of
ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak

Please Visit
http://www.rayjozwiak.com



Tweet