Listening to Dad. . .

. . . play his accordion on Sunday afternoons was not my only exposure to or involvement in music. As kids, in the 60s, we always possessed, and I don't know how many (because they were cheap and inexpensive) that we went through, a small, portable 'record player' (we did not call them 'turntables' although the turntable is an essential component of the contraption). And through the magic of our 'record player', I entered a world that held every bit, if not more, intrigue, excitement, mystery, joy, sadness, exuberance, melancholy, pleasure, challenge, rhythm, lyric, engagement than any other child's literary or sports-induced fantasy. I felt like, paraphrasing Van Dyke Parks' song title "Movies is Magic", Music was magic.

I had records that you wouldn't believe; vinyl records, or maybe they were plastic since they all, at least the initial 45rpm and 78rpm-the little ones, contained children's music and the pop songs of the day. Some of the 78s were even different colors; which reminds me of my days in radio (many years after this) when I experienced a promotional 45 of the Brothers Johnson's Strawberry Letter 23 which was red AND strawberry scented. Some of the titles I remember are, Tom Terrific (the theme from the cartoon television show; one of many others: Huckleberry Hound for example), Puff the Magic Dragon (yes, Peter, Paul and Mary and it WAS in the top 40), Waytt Earp (with the Legend of Jesse James on the flip side; not sure who the performers were though), The Bear Went Over the Mountain (little memory remains of this one except that it was performed by a chorus and was one of my least favorites), until finally one day. . .



What I call 'selective memory' (not the textbook definition), "episodic memory impaired in normal aging" has left me with few definitive details of how, when, why and by whom my first Beatles 45rpm record was purchased. But I clearly remember that I owned "She Loves You" on the Swan record label (due to episodic memory impairment I don't remember the flip-side**) AND "I Want To Hold Your Hand", flip side of which was "I Saw Her Standing There".

At that stage in my musical development, I didn't evaluate music or entertainment for its sophistication, its level of technique or virtuosity or any of that stuff; and still don't, for the most part. But something about the entire Beatles' AURA got me hooked. I instantly became. . . one of the Beatles.

**I'll save you the trouble, flip-side of She Loves You was I'll Get You, which thanks to the web, I listened to again and do, fondly, remember.



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by Ray Jozwiak

So when. . .

. . . I started this blog, I said I would write everyday. With one or two early exceptions, I have been quite religious about it and now I see that I have 68 posts. SIXTY EIGHT POSTS. That's kind of hard to believe.

We, meaning a handful of dedicated 'amateur' (only in livlihood, not in skill) musicians are working hard on a piece of music entitled GONNA SMILE to which I referred a while back. The beauty of the thing is, we've never met face-to-face. We're doing the entire thing through the internet via a website called indabamusic.com.

As I said earlier, this is a great site for musicians with a little web/tech/virtual know-how. It's kinda like Fantasy Baseball for musicians.

Anyway, hopefully I can post the finished product for you to hear very soon. Meantime, if you're interested in making music on the web with people from all over the world, go to www.indabamusic.com. It's FREE. But if you're such a pro that you want lots of bandwidth, bells and whistles, you may upgrade.



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by Ray Jozwiak

So management. . .

. . . says I should keep this blog focused on music and music-related things. . . and since I'M management, I know that they know what they're talking about!

So that's what I'm gonna do. At least I hope I am. (I can't promise that I won't stray occasionally just because. . . JUST BECAUSE.
That's what life's about.)

Springtime can be downright inspirational. Of course it would be much more inspirational if the rain would stop. A little warm spring air might be nice too. Hey, it could be much worse. We've been known to have snow in these parts as late as May, although rarely. So suffice to say that I shall take inspiration from the fact that spring (and subsequently summer) are within view and inevitable. I take my inspiration from wherever I can get it and am in the process of composing new things while editing and reworking some older things. Meantime, I can hear the birds singing outside.

Like Frank Zappa said, "Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is the best..."


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I'm feeling dead. . .

. . . on my feet. I've got that stubble on my chin. Spent half the night on the job. I'm gonna bring that new account in.
There ain't no supper on the table. The lady knows just where I've been. I do the best that I am able with the limited resources I have in matters of the heart. And if it's coming down to minding my own business, it's just the business I've been minding; that I've been minding all the time. You gotta make up your mind. I always wanted to grow up shooting outlaws while riding on the back of a horse. But that just wasn't a part of the plan. My mother told me to always be a good boy. But I'm a company man. I do the best that I can. My wife and children will have to wait in line for my time 'cause I'm a company man.

This lookin' bad isn't good. The only answer is ignore it. A little pain here and there, you get some medicine and cure it. It's not that I can't take the PRESSURE. The pot is boiling all the time. It's only that I'm being measured by the powers in the boardroom above. They're always watching me. And if I miss an opportunity to make another, to make a profit they will find it. And it'll certainly be missed. Another cheek to be kissed. I always wanted to grow up shooting outlaws while riding on the back of a horse. But that just wasn't a part of the plan. My mother told me to always be a good boy. But I'm a company man. I do the best that I can. My wife and children will have to wait in line for my time 'cause I'm a company man.

I was so young and idealistic then. Couldn't see the trees for the forest most of the time until I tasted all the choicest wines. Saving money up for that rainy day. Promising a romantic getaway. Have I made a pact with the devil or is it just fate?

I was a child of the light. I always hoped to do the right things. And though they said I was bright there's still a fire inside me burning for all the riches I am missing; for all the love I never found. I wonder who she might be kissing in the middle of a cold winter night when left alone again. I wonder just what I would do if she would leave me; pack up the kids and run away without a singular goodbye. Why in the world would she try? I always wanted to grow up shooting outlaws while riding on the back of a horse. But that just wasn't a part of the plan. My mother told me to always be a good boy. But I'm a company man. I do the best that I can. My wife and children will have to wait in line for my time 'cause I'm a company man.


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(that's me!)

Sometimes you feel like a nut. . .

. . . sometimes you don't.

It's difficult to explain, but sometimes I feel like I am about seven years old. Childish? Hopefully infrequently, but more childlike, I think. Childlike in that I am curiously still full of wonder; questioning a plethora of things which so many others take for granted or are simply too busy (and adult?) to think about any longer. Childlike in my optimism (can you believe that?) and the sheer joy and pleasure I derive from the simple, and the BEST, things in life.

Security? Yes. I crave it at about the same rate as any other human being. But I do feel a certain amount of security, but a different, mature, independent security of my own making and not the security felt by a seven year old boy in a happy, for all intent and purpose, home with 'not a care in the world'. But at seven, why in hell should there be a care in the world? At fifty three, I would have to live in a hole to not have a care in the world.

The security I possess no longer comes from reliance upon a mysterious, unseen being or the promise of a nebulous, supernatural, post-death existence. It also most certainly does not originate from my own tiny little glob of gray matter. The king's portion of the security that I experience comes from my very own immediate family; my wife and three sons. And I don't mean that they exhibit a 'Ward Cleaver' authority and confidence to my sniveling, helpless child-man. What they DO each provide is a real, dependable, loving, appreciative, challenging human presence which elevates, fortifies, inspires, puzzles (and sometimes angers) me on a regular basis. This security seems to hit the spot for a mature (and again, I mean physically) adult male in 21st century America. . . me.



ANOTHER SHOT by Ray Jozwiak (that's me!)

Yeah. . .

. . . blathering again. . .

Music, music, music on my mind. Listening to my friend Doug Alan Wilcox as I write. He's working on a new CD. Check him out. Mellow! (The good kind of mellow.)

Good weekend. Weather is improving. Looking for those damned ants again. Not because I'm looking forward to seeing them. Only because they always show up. But I'm ready for them. I've got my Terro and more on order. Yuck!

Worked in the yard, not one of my favorite things, but actually enjoyed the time with my wife. And alas, another bottle tree grows in Towson. Tricky little suckers though. Gotta get the nails in the post at the perfect upward tilting angle, but not drive them in too far. A good wind though, and I fear their will be some bottles on the lawn to rake.

Watched a bit of the 'reelz' network special on JFK, my minimum weekly television requirement. Some good acting. Even DVRed, seems like there's a commercial after every 3 minutes of program. Sure, we zip through them, still annoying though.

Soothed the soul at the keyboard a bit. Mystic I played to a warm, appreciative congregation at CSL Baltimore on Sunday. Great folks. Love Lisa's soulful voice. (And the rest of the band is good too).

Shutdown of the government was avoided shortly before midnight Friday. That's good for a lot of government employees, that's for sure.

Gaddafi is still hanging in there. WTF???

Gotta go to the day job. Bittersweet. (Balance man, balance.)



ANOTHER SHOT by Ray Jozwiak (that's me!)

Stick to your guns. . .

STICK TO YOUR GUNS
STICK TO YOUR GUNS
DON’T LET NOBODY MAKE YOU RUN
JUST STICK TO YOUR GUNS

I’M NOT TALKING ‘BOUT WEAPONS
AUTOMATIC AND SUCH
IF YOU HAVE SOME CONVICTION
PRINCIPLES MEAN SO MUCH
PRINCIPLES MEAN SO MUCH

I JUST WANT TO SING
HEAR THE MANY VIBRATIONS RING
MAYBE MY MUSIC’S NOT YOUR KIND OF THING
I’VE GOT TO GET THE OTHERS LISTENING
I’VE GOT TO GET TH OTHERS LISTENING

IT’S A HUMAN THING
WE’RE EAS’LY LED WHEN THERE ARE TWO OR THREE
YES TWO IS COMPANY AND THREE IS A CROWD
THE GROUP OF VOICES CAN BE VERY LOUD
THE OTHER VOICES CAN BE VERY LOUD





ANOTHER SHOT by Ray Jozwiak (that's me!)