Monday, January 24, 2022

Wine . . .

 . . . anyone? 

 (From https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/12/donald-trump-wines [February 2018])
". . . What about the 2015 Trump Meritage, a blend of red grapes that are “sourced,” meaning trucked in from the West Coast. The label calls it “American red wine”; it sells for $30 on the Web site. My guest tasted the Meritage: “Welch’s grape jelly with alcohol. A terrible, fumy, alcoholic nose. If I served you that on an airline you’d be mad.” (A buyer at a well-known Washington wine shop I later asked to evaluate the wines—he once sold Trump vodka, produced from 2005 to 2011, because he liked it—took one sip of the Meritage, wanted no more, and said, “Grocery-store wine.”) . . . Even in the still-stunning setting, the wines suffer in isolation. The Viognier, the Virginia state specialty, was clean but tasteless; the rosé was water, the Chardonnay, the Cabernet, and the Meritage, alcoholic and sweet. At best the wines, such as the sparkling blanc de blanc and the Viognier, are, as my expert friend said, inoffensive; at worst . . . “At the end of the day Trump wines suck,” my visiting friend said as our Washington dinner came to a close. “But they give a lot of good and loyal people paychecks.”. . ."

(https://www.mashed.com/265881/the-untold-truth-of-trump-winery/ [February 2021])
". . . In standard Trump fashion, the Trump family moved in on an already established business, bought it out, slapped their name on it, then took all the credit for any later success. In this case, said success comes in the fact that many cases the re-christened Trump Winery sells are packed with surprisingly decent bottles of wine. The Piedmont region of Virginia, which lies east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is noted for several grape varieties in particular, such as chardonnays and Cabernet Francs, and the Trump Winery makes good use of the terroir in its winemaking. . . The Trump Winery chardonnay has been awarded multiple medals, including gold by the San Francisco Chronicle in 2017, the New World Reserve won a gold medal in the 2016 Virginia Governor's Cup, and the Sparkling Blanc de Blanc has received 92 points from respected experts including Steven Spurrier and James Suckling. So while it might be tempting to throw shade over the entirety of the Trump Winery, you have to hand it to them for making a few good wines. Or actually, you have to hand it to Jonathan Wheeler, the actual winemaker of the winery . . ."




Red Red Wine

- UB40


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Sunday, January 23, 2022

House . . .


. . . in the country?   Nah!

Money, an older composition of mine (from Critic's Choice, link below), in an updated performance with bass and percussion, and multiple virtual enhancements added through the magic of Logic Pro X. This version (redux) has added improvisation to give it that 'special' Gonzo touch.



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Saturday, January 22, 2022

Powers . . .

A new song is here about being your own, bad, super-self when the situation requires.

Ours is a sensory world.
So many sources abound to entice.
Still this mortal marathon’s run.
The trick’s in 
Pacing yourself.
Finishing’s more than the win.

Ears to see and eyes to hear.
Understand direction where to steer.
All the tender subtleties,
Every little nuance there.
Ears to see and eyes to hear.
Super-Sensory powers instilling fear.
Better than invisibility,
Leaping buildings,
Flying high.

Noise from all sides, all decibels,
Arresting every sensation possessed.

One step forward,
Two steps back.
How much can you take?
If doing the same thing over and over
Brings no change,
Will you do it once again?

I possess no bravery in matters
Any more than anyone else.

   

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Friday, January 21, 2022

Always You . . .

 

You've always been ahead of me;
One fact that I,
In my infinite wisdom,
Could not always see.
But in the end you always convinced me
Things aren't always
What they appear;
The things I've always looked for.

Once long ago, before we met,
I thought I could 
Singlehandedly make the
Spinning world go away;
Just like some king 
from back in those bygone days.
But I was wrong. 
I don't belong 
Inside this category.

Seemed to be,
At the time to me,
To my advantage.
Missing why,
Not knowing 
When to try 
To start believing
In my very own
Self determination.

Sometimes at night when I'm alone,
The solitude
And the quiet can bring out
All the worst in my head.
But now it seems that isn't so big or bad.
I've learned a thing, 
Or maybe two, 
And just ahead there’s always you.






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Thursday, January 20, 2022

Perilous . . .

 

I don’t ask much,
Living my life the way that I want.
I stay in touch with what goes on out there.
I’ve seen trouble. I’ve seen heartache.
But my time here
Has been long enough to
Instill certain qualities. 
Seems the more that I witness,
All the more that I wish
I could hear what you’re saying.
We’re all better than this.
Let’s identify exactly what we miss.

Beyond perilous moors
The brave sea glitters.
Better lies ahead.

Whether or not 
We realize the years flow upstream.
Things that we’ve got aren’t always what they seem.
Your and my faiths are so different.
Each is placed in 
Antipodal reference 
So painful to reconcile.
If we stop trying,
What can we do?
What’s in the future
For me and you?
There’s both right and wrong but only reality prevails.


Beyond
©2021 Raymond M. Jozwiak 
from the forthcoming album GRAINS

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Wednesday, January 19, 2022

The Market . . .

(from https://www.popmatters.com/kenny-g-art-asks-little?fbclid=IwAR2ObOlW7lbCr3V5LZwLl1tX4H3DKHNIBpQtNa5lgLRXR5qwGfdbwCiiSsU) 
". . . A steady diet of that smushy stuff—whether you’re talking about McDonald’s burgers or Kenny G’s music—is not good for you. It’s not nutritious; it doesn’t contain anything that does more than soothe one. Soothing is okay, and it’s not Kenny’s fault that his soothing music is well-liked. . . Kenny G may seem like he is “in on the joke” at times, but does he understand that his work is little more than pleasantly empty? It may be inoffensive, but it’s not wholly innocuous. When a culture overfills its plate with that kind of food, the body suffers. . . The value of “art” may be subjective, but it is equally valid that the value of things that are incredibly popular is not certain. Profitability isn’t actual value. We critics—whether it’s me pointing out that G’s music is the equivalent of a basketball spinning on someone’s finger or Pat Metheny noting that G’s playing is uninventive and ignorant to the history it wants so desperately to be a part of—have a right to our voice. You don’t have to agree with us, but neither do you have to “agree” with the market. . ."


Lonely Woman
- Ornette Coleman


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Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Book . . .

Dear Booking Coordinator,
Writing about having OHO added to your live music calendar in 2022. OHO (originally from Baltimore) began in 1971 playing music the chroniclers swore was years ahead of its time. After more than forty years of evolution, OHO (now consisting of founders Jay Graboski and David Reeve, reunited with long-time musical collaborator [1970s Ful Treatment] Ray Jozwiak and occasional, special, when-available, musical guests) now cranks out a bevy of thought-provoking original material (either complete trio or as a duo) blended with some classics and sophisticated covers. . . A sample of OHO’s recent activities can be heard at: OHO Music Live Demo.  (or copy and paste this to your browser: https://soundcloud.com/ search?q=oho%20demo).  You can also check out our You Tube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw37xsKB0YlxgDhagA_yXPA.  Looking forward to hearing from you. . . I can send you digital downloadable files (via WeTransfer) of our latest release of original music called GAZEBO upon your request by return email. . .
 


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