pianogonzology

Thursday, August 24, 2017

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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Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Quotes . . .

. . . and the press. . .

. . . inanities (blamed on the press, but originating from his own mouth) from the idiot-in-chief . . .

(http://www.newsweek.com/trump-press-conference-charlottesville-quotes-651178)
Discussing the Opposition to Confederate Statues-
“George Washington was a slave owner. Was George a slave owner? So will George Washington now lose his status? Are we going to take down statues to George Washington? How about Thomas Jefferson? What do you think of Thomas Jefferson? Do you like him? OK, good. Are we going to take down the statue? Cause he was a major slave owner. Now are we going to take down his statue?”

Trump, Who Has Repeatedly Made Statements Before Knowing the Facts, Says He Waits for the Facts-
“I didn’t wait long. I wanted to make sure, unlike most politicians, that what I said was correct, not make a quick statement. The statement I made on Saturday was a fine statement but you don’t make statements that direct unless you know the facts. It takes a while to get the facts. You still don’t know the facts. I want to know the fact.… Before I make a statement, I need the facts.

The Alt-Left-
“What about the alt-left that came charging at, as you say, the alt-right, do they have any semblance of guilt? What about the fact that they have charging with clubs in their hands, swinging clubs. Do they have any problem? I think they do. So as far as I’m concerned that was a horrible, horrible day. Wait a minute, I'm not finished, fake news.”

Reviving the ‘Many Sides’ Statement-
“I watched those much more closely than you people watched it, and you had a group on one side that was bad and you had a group on the other side that was also very violent. And nobody wants to say that, but I’ll say that right now. You had a group on one side that came charging in, without a permit, and they were very, very violent.”

‘Defending’ Steve Bannon-
“I like Mr. Bannon. He’s a friend of mind. But Mr. Bannon came on very late, you know that. I went through 17 senators, governors, and I won all the primaries. Mr. Bannon came on very much later than that. And I like him, he’s a good man. He is not a racist, I can tell you that. He’s a good person. He actually gets a very unfair press in that regard, but we’ll see what happens with Mr. Bannon”

Plugging His Winery-
“I own a house in Charlottesville, does anyone know I own a house in Charlottesville? It’s in Charlottesville, you’ll see. It is the winery. I mean I know a lot about Charlottesville. Charlottesville is a great place that’s been very badly hurt over the last couple of days. I own actually one of the largest wineries in the United States. It’s in Charlottesville.”

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Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Suspense . . .

I went through a phase a while back, of wearing suspenders (braces, if you're from the other side of the pond) just about all the time. Well, maybe not with shorts, but the rest of the time. Not sure if I was inspired by Mork from Ork or another source, but I ended up owning multiple sets of the in all colors and designs; gaudy and conservative. The thought crossed my mind recently while pondering tension and release in music, then suspense in movies leading to how that concept is such a common element in entertainment. When we seek escape from the concerns, commitments and responsibilities of everyday life, we desire suspense. Why is that?

(from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suspense)
the state of being suspended : suspension
mental uncertainty : anxiety
pleasant excitement as to a decision or outcome a novel of suspense
the state or character of being undecided or doubtful : indecisiveness
suspensefulplay \-fəl\ adjective
suspensefullyplay \-fə-lē\ adverb
suspensefulnessplay \-fəl-nəs\ noun
suspenselessplay \-ləs\ adjective

Suspendered
©2017 Raymond M. Jozwiak

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Monday, August 21, 2017

Ready . . .

. . . set . . .

List . . .

OHO Original Songs:
1. Blood Brother
2. Back On the Streets
3. Close But No Cigar
4. Denial
5. Dot On Your Door
6. Hidden Agenda
7. How Is Where We Go
8. It Will Not Be Late
9. Limousine
10. Live & Long To Be Latin
11. Ocean City Ditty
12. Out Of Thin Air
13. Paleolithic Goddess Figurine
14. Plunge
15. Ring In the Rightness
16. S/he
17. Shouts In the Street
18. Slough of Despond
19. Third Hand Intelligence
20. Unique
21. Where Words Do Not Reach
22. You Should Envy Me

Experience OHO on
Sunday, September 3rd, 2017
at 3:00PM
MILLSTONE CELLARS
2029 Monkton Road
Monkton, MD 21111
443-895-9991
Price: $5.00
OHO brings their unique, refined rock/prog/folk/pop/jazz music to Millstone Cellars for a beautiful late summer afternoon.

What do you think?
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Sunday, August 20, 2017

Good Humor . . .

(from John Adams, by David McCullough)
". . . Because wisdom and education were not sufficient of themselves, he had added the further "duty" of government to "countenance and inculcate" the principles of humanity, charity, industry, frugality, honesty, sincerity - virtue, in sum. And amiability as well - "good humor," as he called it - counted for the common good, the Constitution of Massachusetts was to proclaim, suggesting that such delight in life as Adams had found in the amiable outlook of the French had had a decided influence. . . "

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Saturday, August 19, 2017

Jump . . .

(from http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/trump-s-presidency-enters-uncharted-waters-n793446)
". . . Four in ten Americans now support the impeachment of President Donald Trump - a ten point jump in the last six months - according to a new poll from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). . . The survey found that 40 percent of Americans - including nearly three-quarters of Democrats but just seven percent of Republicans - back impeaching the president and removing him from office. That's compared to 30 percent who said the same in February. Trump's overall favorability rating in the poll stands at 38 percent favorable, 56 percent unfavorable. . ."

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Friday, August 18, 2017

Change . . .

(from John Adams, by David McCullough)
". . . All that part of Creation that lies within our observation is liable to change. . . Even mighty states and kingdoms are not exempted. If we look into history, we shall find some nations rising from contemptible beginnings and spreading their influence, until the whole globe is subjected to their ways. When they have reached the summit of grandeur, some minute and unsuspected cause commonly affects their ruin, and the empire of the world is transferred to some other place. Immortal Rome was at first but an insignificant village, inhabited only by a few abandoned ruffians, but by degrees it rose to a stupendous height, and excelled in arts and arms all the nations that preceded it. But the demolition of Carthage (what one should think should have established it in supreme dominion) by removing all danger, suffered it to sink into debauchery, and made it at length an easy prey to Barbarians. . . England immediately upon this began to increase (the particular and minute cause of which I am not historian enough to trace) in power and magnificence, and is now the greatest nation upon the globe. . ."

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