Tails?. . .

(from the desk of Rod Deacey, Frederick (MD) area impresario, bluesman, singer/songwriter, poet, gentleman and scholar)


". . . The featured singer-songwriter at Brewer’s Alley Songwriters’ Showcase on Monday, August 26, is Maryland resident, frequent Nashville visitor and studio musician JACK BOND, who regularly returns to Music City to record, co-write and to perform at the famous Bluebird Café and other venues. Jack’s songwriting credits include the title cut on Roy Buchanan’s album, “That’s What I'm Here For.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGLL_yzNkZ0

In his Maryland performances, Jack is known for his rich baritone voice and exceptional guitar work, both on his own compositions and his covers of classic rock and country songs. We have seen him many times accompanying other performers here, such as our friend DULCIE TAYLOR (now in California; hi Dulcie!), but it is always a treat to hear Jack on his own! Ron put a video link of Jack playing a Telecaster up on Facebook, but he will be playing an acoustic for us…

The gonzo piano prelude will be played by our favorite piano workout instructor ROCKIN’ RAY JOZWIAK, http://www.rayjozwiak.com/  who keeps the embryonic grand in shape with his rigorous monthly routines – a dose of Oscar Peterson, an infusion of Thelonious Monk and a liberal application of Keith Jarrett and the keys are ready to play themselves out of any corner… Come and hear Ray put them through their paces, including finding them some especially difficult corners from which to escape… Don't be scared off by the jazz references, Ray is also a highly respected classical composer; he has even been known to wear tails to play, and he doesn't smoke funny tobacco…  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPqB_8BDXUk. . . "

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Connection. . .

. . . maybe. . .


In 1996, Peter Gabriel's A&R associate Harvey Schartz presented Gabriel with a demo of (Joseph) Arthur's first EP, Cut and Blind. Gabriel and Schwartz arranged a live audition at The Fez nightclub in New York City, and Arthur flew up from Atlanta. The night was a success; not only was Lou Reed a guest in the audience, but within a few months Arthur was officially signed, making him the first American recording artist signed to Gabriel's label Arthur recorded his debut album at Gabriel's Real World Studios in England with producer Markus Dravs (Björk, Coldplay, Arcade Fire). The debut album Big City Secrets was released worldwide in spring 1997, and Arthur joined Gabriel's WOMAD tour in Europe. Big City Secrets displayed Arthur's often angsty and emotionally-wrought lyrics coupled with diverse instrumentation, which he himself described as "someone struggling to heal over experimental folk-rock", but went virtually unnoticed by the mainstream. Two years later, he recorded an EP called Vacancy, which earned him a Grammy nomination in 2000 for best recording package.

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A Hero. . .

. . . ???

(An old composition, old story, new recording,  still a work in progress . . . )


I know you heard some talk today
It wasn't right but now
She won't be gettin' in my way
'Cause she was telling lies they say
It wasn't right but now
I can look the other way
And do as I please
I'm down on my knees
I'm begging you please

Why does a hero run so slow
Like he's got no place to go
And he will never be a hero again
Why does a hero run so slow
Like he's got no place to go
And he will never be a hero again

With thousands of adoring fans
I tripped the light fantastic
Was nothing more than sleight of hand
Don't underestimate my worth
I tripped the light fantastic
I'm just an ordinary man
I worked very hard
For all that I've got
A killer I'm not

Why does a hero run so slow
Like he's got no place to go
And he will never be a hero again
Why does a hero run so slow
Like he's got no place to go
And he will never be a hero again

Heros run so slow
Just like the tide
Heros want to take you
They want to take you for a
They want to take you for a
They want to take you for a ride

They're waiting here with baited breath
What is the actual story
They'll love him or they'll give him death
The verdict seems so clear to some
What is the actual story
He's dead before he's lost or won
The worst of his fears
A jury of peers
Can't turn back the years

Why does a hero run so slow
Like he's got no place to go
And he will never be a hero again
Why does a hero run so slow
Like he's got no place to go
And he will never be a hero again


A Hero
©1994 Raymond M. Jozwiak








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Words . . .

. . . new, and/or/but old. . .


(with thanks to Tom Chatfield theguardian.com and Betsy Towner, from: AARP Bulletin)

geek - socially awkward children obsessed with new technological devices.

spam - unwanted email.

LOL - "laughing out loud" in digital communication.

hashtag - formerly shorthand for weight in pounds, now on Twitter to denote popularity.

meh - an flexible contemporary species of digital indifference or "OK, whatever".

big media - Primary mass communication sources, e.g., TV and the press.

bromance - close platonic male friendship.

chillax - to calm down and relax.

cougar - older woman who dates younger men.

flash mob - brief gathering for a common purpose, announced by e-mail or text.

frenemy - friend with whom one has frequent conflict.

gal pal - female friend.f

heart - to like very much; love.

matchy-matchy - excessively color-coordinated.

megachurch - huge church congregation, typically evangelical Christian.

pimp - pimp to make something more showy or impressive.

riff - to expound on a particular subject.

social media - websites and applications used for social networking.

staycation - vacation spent at home.

nakation - nude vacation.

unfriend - to remove from a list of personal associates on a website.

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Bandits. . .

. . . or messiah. . .


(from Zealot;  The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan. . . )
". . . It was around this time that a new and far more fearsome group of bandits arose in Galilee, led by a magnetic teacher and revolutionary known as Judas the Galilean.  The traditions say that Judas was the son of the famed bandit chief Hezekiah, the failed messiah whom Herod had captured and beheaded forty years earlier as part of his campaign to clear the countryside of the bandit menace.  After Herod's death, Judas the Galilean joined forces with a mysterious Pharisee named Zaddok to launch a wholly new independence movement that Josephus terms the "Fourth Philosophy," so as to differentiate it from the other three "philosophies": the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes.  What set the member of the Fourth Philosophy apart from the rest was their unshakable commitment to freeing Israel from foreign rule and their fervent insistence, even unto death, that they would serve no lord save the One God.  There was a well-defined term for this type of belief, one that all pious Jews, regardless of their political stance, would have recognized and proudly claimed for themselves:  zeal. . . "

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Tribis Hippocriticus. . .

Mother always told us it's not nice to hate
She'd been practicing that golden rule for years
If we'd only treat each other how we want to be ourselves
God will love us
God will love us

When I first met you I was quite impressed
So much more than pretty face among the crowd
And it didn't happen overnight but the curtain slowly fell
And the colors of your rainbow were revealed

You are the tribis hippocriticus
You are the tribis hippocriticus
You are the tribis hippocriticus
We don't like you
Just trying to be honest

From your position of authority
You looked down and not across our great divide
With a smile upon your face and hands placed firm on the controls
You're so artistic
You're so artistic

Expertise portrayed for all appearances
Pure professional facade to face the crowd
But just beneath that thick veneer reside reality
The truth is evident and there for

You are the tribis hippocriticus
You are the tribis hippocriticus
You are the tribis hippocriticus
We don't like you
Just trying to be honest

'Cause that's the way we all should be
We're not islands
We're not stones
And just what will it take
To make you see this truth

Let me make it crystal clear how strongly that I feel
'Bout the way you take advantage for yourself
If you took the power devoted to your cold conniving ways
And you turned it
And you turned it totally around
Direct it to another place
Try to do what you have done unto yourself
Just a little understanding there are others here with you
This revolving's not designed for only you

You are the tribis hippocriticus
You are the tribis hippocriticus
You are the tribis hippocriticus
We don't like you
Just trying to be honest


Tribis Hippocriticus
©2013 Raymond M. Jozwiak





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Unsung. . .

. . . or unfocused? . . .

(from http://mentalfloss.com/article/30140/acdc-tesla%E2%80%93edison-feud#ixzz2cKrbbFpN)
". . . Edison’s least favorite of Tesla’s “impractical” ideas was the concept of using alternating current (AC) technology to bring electricity to the people. Edison insisted that his own direct current (DC) system was superior, in that it maintained a lower voltage from power station to consumer, and was, therefore, safer. But AC technology, which allows the flow of energy to periodically change direction, is more practical for transmitting massive quantities of energy, as is required by a large city, or hub of industry, say. At the time, DC technology only allowed for a power grid with a one-mile radius from the power source. The conflict between the two methods and their masters came to be known as the War of Currents, forever immortalized by the band AC/DC.

Tesla insisted that he could increase the efficiency of Edison’s prototypical dynamos, and eventually wore down Edison enough to let him try. Edison, Tesla later claimed, even promised him $50,000 if he succeeded. Tesla worked around the clock for several months and made a great deal of progress. When he demanded his reward, Edison claimed the offer was a joke, saying, “When you become a full-fledged American, you will appreciate an American joke.” Edison offered a $10/week raise, instead. Ever prideful, Tesla quit, and spent the next few months picking up odd jobs across New York City. Nikola Tesla: ditch digger. . . "

What do you think?
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My latest release, Black & White Then Back,
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