The Jazz Bus: Harvest Moon
It was beautiful, full, orange, and “the man in the moon” was visible. Fortunately it was a crystal clear evening and I was located on a large deck just off the ocean, without an obstruction near. Looking up I was reminded of times, more innocent times, where life was not so hectic. I took a deep breath and sip on my cocktail and rethought it, life is good. I was 700 miles away from home, with my bride celebrating our 37th anniversary. Yeah, it’s all good.
The Harvest Moon is a full moon which occurs nearest the autumnal equinox (September 23).This year it was on the exact date making it more significant having not been seen since 1991, and not again until 2029. This “super full moon” seemed to rise very slowly in the sky continuing on its path, shining brightly for what seemed like forever. Known as a “moon illusion” it seemed bigger and closer than ever before. Nicknamed the Harvest Moon by farmers and gatherers who could continue on their appointed rounds late into the night “by the light of the full moon” …Three days in succession. Since we are no longer a tribe of hunters and gatherers who needed the extra light to do our thing, what significance does this Harvest Moon hold for us? Besides signaling the start of a new season, fall, autumn, football, hockey, it was just another evening’s sphere. But it still fascinated me.
Loading Neil Young’s Harvest Moon in my player I started my research. First I found a site that gave names to the full moon for each month. February has the Snow Moon (ah, no kidding) March a Worm Moon, Strawberry Moon is saved for June with a Thunder Moon to follow in July. Then I hit a site that had me mesmerized just like the moon. Moonlightsys.com/themoon/song pulled me in and held me. Song after song about the moon. SHINE ON HARVEST MOON, the vaudeville song, was written 100 years ago, before my time. Bill Monroe’s BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY, Elvis’ BLUE MOON, FLY ME TO THE MOON by Frank Sinatra, MOON SHADOW sung by Cat Stevens, Ozzy’s BARK AT THE MOON, Brooks and Dunn’s NEON MOON, Creedence BAD MOON RISING, Pink Floyd’s DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, King Crimson’s MOON CHILD, MOON RIVER by Louis Armstrong and Van Morrison’s MOON DANCE. Whew, while the hunters and gathers were doing their thing, the poets and musicians must have hung back and wrote about it. Happy Anniversary.
JazzBus@gmail.com
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Pull Tabs
The Jazz Bus: The Urban Legend of the Pull Tab Collectors
Sometimes I open my email to find that my immediate attention is needed to help save someone’s life. Knowing I have no such power to save lives I politely research the requests and more times than not find the information to be false. However, I did and have been caught on one, an urban legend if you will, for many years. The mysterious “pull tab collection” to save the world phenomena.
Over the last few years I have been faithfully saving my pull tabs from aluminum beverage cans for a friend. I was lead to believe these tabs would go to numerous worthwhile organizations which would use the recycled materials or money from their recycling efforts to help offset the cost of dialysis for kidney patients, for diabetic’s medications, to help purchase wheel chairs for disabled veterans, or to aid in the care of seriously ill children. After rinsing the container for recycling, I would religiously pull the tab off, place it in a cup by the sink, and when the cup was full, transfer the tabs to a plastic Ziploc, knowing in my heart I have done a good deed for my fellow man. When I would see my friend I hand him a filled Ziploc or two. Proud as a peacock, this has been going on for a few years. Until, I gave a few hundred of these tops to my friend’s wife who looked at me curiously and shook her head dismissing the act with a simple request, “stop”. No reason was given, just a disapproving “stop”, like Mom used to say many years ago. Hmmm.
Like a good researcher I decided to investigate the origin of this collection and what had become of all the tops I and hundreds like me have faithfully collected to help save mankind from extinction. In a few clicks of the computer I realized that somewhere, someone, might be my friend, has a garage filled with thousands of pull tabs that are basically worthless. The aluminum used in making the tab is the same as the can itself so there is no “special value” or “special alloy” in the pull tab as I was led to believe. The Diabetes Society does not collect tabs to offset the cost of dialysis treatments, nor does the Veteran’s melt it down for wheelchair parts for their disabled brethren. The only organization that would accept any such collection was The Ronald McDonald’s House in St. Louis but doing so only as a service for those of us who were duped into collecting these items. Ronald “does not encourage collection”. The question is, why?
One million (1,000,000) pull tabs has the recycle value of $366.00, that’s about 3 ½ cents for each 100 collected. Collecting, sorting, transporting, and finding a place to recycle for cash and the record keeping involved is not cost effective when compared to the value of the collected items. In fact anyone taking on this endeavor would be losing hundreds of dollars, not making one red cent. I found most organization would prefer you collect pennies, convert them into cash and send in a check. Done. My pull tab cup has now been replaced by a penny jar. Saving the world, one cent at a time.
Jazzbus@gmail.com jazzbus.blogspot.com
Sometimes I open my email to find that my immediate attention is needed to help save someone’s life. Knowing I have no such power to save lives I politely research the requests and more times than not find the information to be false. However, I did and have been caught on one, an urban legend if you will, for many years. The mysterious “pull tab collection” to save the world phenomena.
Over the last few years I have been faithfully saving my pull tabs from aluminum beverage cans for a friend. I was lead to believe these tabs would go to numerous worthwhile organizations which would use the recycled materials or money from their recycling efforts to help offset the cost of dialysis for kidney patients, for diabetic’s medications, to help purchase wheel chairs for disabled veterans, or to aid in the care of seriously ill children. After rinsing the container for recycling, I would religiously pull the tab off, place it in a cup by the sink, and when the cup was full, transfer the tabs to a plastic Ziploc, knowing in my heart I have done a good deed for my fellow man. When I would see my friend I hand him a filled Ziploc or two. Proud as a peacock, this has been going on for a few years. Until, I gave a few hundred of these tops to my friend’s wife who looked at me curiously and shook her head dismissing the act with a simple request, “stop”. No reason was given, just a disapproving “stop”, like Mom used to say many years ago. Hmmm.
Like a good researcher I decided to investigate the origin of this collection and what had become of all the tops I and hundreds like me have faithfully collected to help save mankind from extinction. In a few clicks of the computer I realized that somewhere, someone, might be my friend, has a garage filled with thousands of pull tabs that are basically worthless. The aluminum used in making the tab is the same as the can itself so there is no “special value” or “special alloy” in the pull tab as I was led to believe. The Diabetes Society does not collect tabs to offset the cost of dialysis treatments, nor does the Veteran’s melt it down for wheelchair parts for their disabled brethren. The only organization that would accept any such collection was The Ronald McDonald’s House in St. Louis but doing so only as a service for those of us who were duped into collecting these items. Ronald “does not encourage collection”. The question is, why?
One million (1,000,000) pull tabs has the recycle value of $366.00, that’s about 3 ½ cents for each 100 collected. Collecting, sorting, transporting, and finding a place to recycle for cash and the record keeping involved is not cost effective when compared to the value of the collected items. In fact anyone taking on this endeavor would be losing hundreds of dollars, not making one red cent. I found most organization would prefer you collect pennies, convert them into cash and send in a check. Done. My pull tab cup has now been replaced by a penny jar. Saving the world, one cent at a time.
Jazzbus@gmail.com jazzbus.blogspot.com
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Half Way to St. Patrick's Day
The Jazz Bus: Half way to Saint Patrick’s Day:
It’s almost that time of year again. With only 182 left until St. Patrick’s Day, I say “let the preparations begin”. This fabled day has truly become a part of Americana. But I ask why do we reserve the festivities for only one day a year? Other “holidays” have elite status and are big deals in retail circles; but not St. Pat’s. It’s was not even Labor Day and the stores were already starting to sell Halloween decorations, while stocking up on their Thanksgiving supplies. Did I see Christmas lights going up? Many times merchants rush the holidays for a quick buck to be made. But what about adding St. Paddy’s Day to that list? The wearing of the green, funny hats, green beer, and some corned beef and cabbage. Unfortunately, not truly an Irish custom, but blatantly American, I suggest St. Pat’s should be celebrated year ‘round on the 17th of each month.
Many stories are told about the man we fondly call Saint Patrick, some stories true, others just legend. One of the most often told is how as a young man, later to be the Patron Saint of Ireland, banishes the snakes from Ireland. Well, not to truly disappoint you but there were no snakes in Ireland, then or now. The origin of this story is most likely a reference to Patrick’s (his taken Christian name) attempts to drive Pagan Druids from Ireland, their symbol being a serpent. Bannavem Taberniae, his given name, was born about 385 A.D. and after being kidnapped at age sixteen and escaping his captors became a Christian missionary, probably the most successful in history. March 17, the day of his death, is celebrated both in and outside of Ireland, as both a liturgical and non-liturgical holiday. In the dioceses of Ireland it is both a solemnity and a holy day of obligation. The Isle of Ireland is associated mostly with the color green. This is due in part from the abundance of three leafed shamrocks which cover the landscape. These plants were used by the Catholic ministers in their teaching the concept of the Holy Trinity to the people, hence the symbol of Irish Christianity.
The St. Patrick's Day custom came to America in 1737. That was the first year St. Patrick's Day was publicly celebrated in this country, in Boston. Today, people celebrate “the day” with parades, wearing of the green, and drinking beer. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become so popular is that it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring, another reason to celebrate after a long cold winter.
Corned beef and cabbage with green beer is an American thing. Beef was and is a rarity in Ireland. However, it is not so in America so every, without exception, Irish tavern or inn in the United States has it on its menu.
As my grandmother was fond to say “If you are lucky enough to be Irish, well, then you are
Lucky enough”. Happy Half-way to Saint Patrick’s Day.
Jazzbus@gmail.com jazzbus.blogspot.com
It’s almost that time of year again. With only 182 left until St. Patrick’s Day, I say “let the preparations begin”. This fabled day has truly become a part of Americana. But I ask why do we reserve the festivities for only one day a year? Other “holidays” have elite status and are big deals in retail circles; but not St. Pat’s. It’s was not even Labor Day and the stores were already starting to sell Halloween decorations, while stocking up on their Thanksgiving supplies. Did I see Christmas lights going up? Many times merchants rush the holidays for a quick buck to be made. But what about adding St. Paddy’s Day to that list? The wearing of the green, funny hats, green beer, and some corned beef and cabbage. Unfortunately, not truly an Irish custom, but blatantly American, I suggest St. Pat’s should be celebrated year ‘round on the 17th of each month.
Many stories are told about the man we fondly call Saint Patrick, some stories true, others just legend. One of the most often told is how as a young man, later to be the Patron Saint of Ireland, banishes the snakes from Ireland. Well, not to truly disappoint you but there were no snakes in Ireland, then or now. The origin of this story is most likely a reference to Patrick’s (his taken Christian name) attempts to drive Pagan Druids from Ireland, their symbol being a serpent. Bannavem Taberniae, his given name, was born about 385 A.D. and after being kidnapped at age sixteen and escaping his captors became a Christian missionary, probably the most successful in history. March 17, the day of his death, is celebrated both in and outside of Ireland, as both a liturgical and non-liturgical holiday. In the dioceses of Ireland it is both a solemnity and a holy day of obligation. The Isle of Ireland is associated mostly with the color green. This is due in part from the abundance of three leafed shamrocks which cover the landscape. These plants were used by the Catholic ministers in their teaching the concept of the Holy Trinity to the people, hence the symbol of Irish Christianity.
The St. Patrick's Day custom came to America in 1737. That was the first year St. Patrick's Day was publicly celebrated in this country, in Boston. Today, people celebrate “the day” with parades, wearing of the green, and drinking beer. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become so popular is that it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring, another reason to celebrate after a long cold winter.
Corned beef and cabbage with green beer is an American thing. Beef was and is a rarity in Ireland. However, it is not so in America so every, without exception, Irish tavern or inn in the United States has it on its menu.
As my grandmother was fond to say “If you are lucky enough to be Irish, well, then you are
Lucky enough”. Happy Half-way to Saint Patrick’s Day.
Jazzbus@gmail.com jazzbus.blogspot.com
Saturday, September 4, 2010
September 11
The Jazz Bus: September 11, 2001
Where were you and what were you thinking when you first heard the news that a plane had crashed in to the Twin Towers? Naively, I thought a jet had veered off course and a tragic accident had occurred. Immediately turning the television on, watching the building burn, I noticed a second plane come into view and right then my heart dropped. What was happening? Coincidence? Did the navigation systems go haywire? Within the next two hours both buildings had tumbled to the ground, thousands of lives lost, tens of thousands of families shattered and millions of heart broken.
Nineteen terrorists simultaneously hijacked four (4) commercial passenger jet airliners originating from Boston, Newark and Dulles in Washington D.C. with intent to purposely crash these machines into their intended targets; WTC #1, WTC#2, The Pentagon, and The Capitol Building.
8:46 a.m. - The North Tower is hit followed by The South Tower at 9:03.(Seventeen minutes apart) Both buildings burn frantically while in Washington a third plane hits The Pentagon at 9:37 (51 minutes from first impact). In horrifying view on television The South Tower collapses at 9:59 (73 minutes from impact) while aboard United Airlines Flight #93 passengers are engaged in a struggle with the hijackers who targeted The Capitol. That flight crashed at 10:03 am in rural Pennsylvania missing its intended target because of the heroics of the passengers. The second tower fell, 10:28 am.
The aftermath is astonishing. Survivors, my friends who worked on Wall Street went unemployed; some refused to return to work in the vicinity of The Towers. First responders fell ill from the air quality during their heroic attempts to save lives and are still lacking in appropriate care. Businesses disappeared. The beautiful New York skyline has never been the same. And the man responsible for it all is still at large.
We Americans seem to be divided on our politics as of late. The gap between politic beliefs and expectations are ever widening. Questions arise as to where our troops should be deployed and where our money spent. Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Afghanistan. Put troops in….no pull them out others say. Many an argument revolves around this topic. But to me, simplistically, the bottom line is “Where in the world is Osama bin Laden?” and “Why hasn’t he paid for his sins yet?” The War on Terrorism should have more teeth than making me take my shoes off at the airport. Let’s get the man responsible for this horrible event with all its aftermath before the tenth anniversary of his crime against The United States of America.
September 11, 2001 is a day of remembrance but in actuality is a “Day We Will Never Forget”. Always in our hearts, always in our mind. Flag etiquette for the day is half-staff all day. God Bless The United States of America.
Jazzbus@gmail.com
Where were you and what were you thinking when you first heard the news that a plane had crashed in to the Twin Towers? Naively, I thought a jet had veered off course and a tragic accident had occurred. Immediately turning the television on, watching the building burn, I noticed a second plane come into view and right then my heart dropped. What was happening? Coincidence? Did the navigation systems go haywire? Within the next two hours both buildings had tumbled to the ground, thousands of lives lost, tens of thousands of families shattered and millions of heart broken.
Nineteen terrorists simultaneously hijacked four (4) commercial passenger jet airliners originating from Boston, Newark and Dulles in Washington D.C. with intent to purposely crash these machines into their intended targets; WTC #1, WTC#2, The Pentagon, and The Capitol Building.
8:46 a.m. - The North Tower is hit followed by The South Tower at 9:03.(Seventeen minutes apart) Both buildings burn frantically while in Washington a third plane hits The Pentagon at 9:37 (51 minutes from first impact). In horrifying view on television The South Tower collapses at 9:59 (73 minutes from impact) while aboard United Airlines Flight #93 passengers are engaged in a struggle with the hijackers who targeted The Capitol. That flight crashed at 10:03 am in rural Pennsylvania missing its intended target because of the heroics of the passengers. The second tower fell, 10:28 am.
The aftermath is astonishing. Survivors, my friends who worked on Wall Street went unemployed; some refused to return to work in the vicinity of The Towers. First responders fell ill from the air quality during their heroic attempts to save lives and are still lacking in appropriate care. Businesses disappeared. The beautiful New York skyline has never been the same. And the man responsible for it all is still at large.
We Americans seem to be divided on our politics as of late. The gap between politic beliefs and expectations are ever widening. Questions arise as to where our troops should be deployed and where our money spent. Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Afghanistan. Put troops in….no pull them out others say. Many an argument revolves around this topic. But to me, simplistically, the bottom line is “Where in the world is Osama bin Laden?” and “Why hasn’t he paid for his sins yet?” The War on Terrorism should have more teeth than making me take my shoes off at the airport. Let’s get the man responsible for this horrible event with all its aftermath before the tenth anniversary of his crime against The United States of America.
September 11, 2001 is a day of remembrance but in actuality is a “Day We Will Never Forget”. Always in our hearts, always in our mind. Flag etiquette for the day is half-staff all day. God Bless The United States of America.
Jazzbus@gmail.com
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Channeling Gershwin
The Jazz Bus: Channeling Gershwin
Uniqueness is a tough thing to accomplish. To be easily identified as something of your own because of certain tendencies or style is in my estimation a phenomenal feat. Music is one of those things where “uniqueness” is very difficult to establish.
A saxophone is a complex instrument with many keys to press in order make music. Reed size and style, amount of air, lip placement all add to the sounds produced. The guitar which can be strummed by virtually anyone is only truly melodic with properly placed fingers and different pressures added. After learning the basics in music an apprentice can sit at the foot of a master to learn tone, phraseology, inflection, and riffing. Soon one takes off on their own musical journey hopefully developing a style of their own, a uniqueness a trait easily recognizable as their own.
George and Ira Gershwin are two brothers who developed a musical style one could proudly call their own. George Gershwin was an iconic musician who wrote with his brother Ira many recognizable tunes. Some might not be able to identify a song as Gershwin’s but will tap their foot because they are familiar with the melody or the words. Brian Wilson is another iconic figure in music. As the leader of The Beach Boys to some he might go unknown but his “sound” does not go unrecognized. Both the Gershwin and The Beach Boys “sound” are brand names in music; easily recognized as undeniable unique. So what would happen if George Gershwin was channeled by a mature 2010 Brian Wilson? Well, it’s here. Brian Wilson REIMAGINES GERSHWIN is the Number 1 recording on Amazon.com. Only took a week to climb the charts, but took two musical lifetimes to develop.
The Beach Boys, made up of brothers Brian, Carl, Dennis, Cousin Mike Love, and best friend Al Jardine formed in California 1961. Brian was the leader through their most innovative and creative period only to personally crash and burn from mental illness and drugs and then to disappear from the stage. In their heyday the band was easily recognized by their close vocal harmonies, and complex musical arrangements. The group has had thirty-six U.S. Top 40 hits (the most of any U.S. rock band) and fifty-six Hot 100 hits, including four number-one singles]The Beach Boys are the No.-1-selling American band of all time. George Gershwin, with brother Ira, wrote many of tunes that runs deep in the American consciousness, "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", "The Man I Love", "Someone to Watch Over Me", "Fascinating Rhythm", are instantly recognizable as Gershwin’s.
Over the last few years there has been a phenomenon known as MASH-UPS, where a dj takes one song or riff and superimposes another over it, played to a club beat .an example is SINGLE MAYBERRY which is the extremely popular Beyonce tune Single Ladies mashed over the whistling to the Theme from the Andy Griffith Show. Well the new Brian Wilson collection is something similar. He took all the recognizable musical innovations, vocal harmonies and clarity of his Beach Boy days and use all to his advantage in recording Gershwin’s material. It’s The Genius from the Beach Boys doing Gershwin. If you haven’t purchased any music in sometime today is the day. Give it a shot. It works, amazingly.
In 2007, the Library of Congress named its Prize for Popular Song after the Gershwin Brothers George. The prize is awarded annually to a composer or performer whose lifetime contributions exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwin’s. To date the recipients are Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, and Sir Paul McCartney. Any suggestions or nominations for next year?
Jazzbus@gmail.com
Uniqueness is a tough thing to accomplish. To be easily identified as something of your own because of certain tendencies or style is in my estimation a phenomenal feat. Music is one of those things where “uniqueness” is very difficult to establish.
A saxophone is a complex instrument with many keys to press in order make music. Reed size and style, amount of air, lip placement all add to the sounds produced. The guitar which can be strummed by virtually anyone is only truly melodic with properly placed fingers and different pressures added. After learning the basics in music an apprentice can sit at the foot of a master to learn tone, phraseology, inflection, and riffing. Soon one takes off on their own musical journey hopefully developing a style of their own, a uniqueness a trait easily recognizable as their own.
George and Ira Gershwin are two brothers who developed a musical style one could proudly call their own. George Gershwin was an iconic musician who wrote with his brother Ira many recognizable tunes. Some might not be able to identify a song as Gershwin’s but will tap their foot because they are familiar with the melody or the words. Brian Wilson is another iconic figure in music. As the leader of The Beach Boys to some he might go unknown but his “sound” does not go unrecognized. Both the Gershwin and The Beach Boys “sound” are brand names in music; easily recognized as undeniable unique. So what would happen if George Gershwin was channeled by a mature 2010 Brian Wilson? Well, it’s here. Brian Wilson REIMAGINES GERSHWIN is the Number 1 recording on Amazon.com. Only took a week to climb the charts, but took two musical lifetimes to develop.
The Beach Boys, made up of brothers Brian, Carl, Dennis, Cousin Mike Love, and best friend Al Jardine formed in California 1961. Brian was the leader through their most innovative and creative period only to personally crash and burn from mental illness and drugs and then to disappear from the stage. In their heyday the band was easily recognized by their close vocal harmonies, and complex musical arrangements. The group has had thirty-six U.S. Top 40 hits (the most of any U.S. rock band) and fifty-six Hot 100 hits, including four number-one singles]The Beach Boys are the No.-1-selling American band of all time. George Gershwin, with brother Ira, wrote many of tunes that runs deep in the American consciousness, "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", "The Man I Love", "Someone to Watch Over Me", "Fascinating Rhythm", are instantly recognizable as Gershwin’s.
Over the last few years there has been a phenomenon known as MASH-UPS, where a dj takes one song or riff and superimposes another over it, played to a club beat .an example is SINGLE MAYBERRY which is the extremely popular Beyonce tune Single Ladies mashed over the whistling to the Theme from the Andy Griffith Show. Well the new Brian Wilson collection is something similar. He took all the recognizable musical innovations, vocal harmonies and clarity of his Beach Boy days and use all to his advantage in recording Gershwin’s material. It’s The Genius from the Beach Boys doing Gershwin. If you haven’t purchased any music in sometime today is the day. Give it a shot. It works, amazingly.
In 2007, the Library of Congress named its Prize for Popular Song after the Gershwin Brothers George. The prize is awarded annually to a composer or performer whose lifetime contributions exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwin’s. To date the recipients are Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, and Sir Paul McCartney. Any suggestions or nominations for next year?
Jazzbus@gmail.com
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