#45: Review of Day THE INAUGURATION

Yesterday ,JANUARY 20th, The INAUGURATION of our Forty-Fifth President, I heard a song on the radio only just a few moments before I left the confines of my car to step into my home where the TV was already showing WASHINGTON D.C. in all it's majestic glory. Today is the day democracy can brag about. Today is the day of that "peaceful transfer of power". What a wonderful thing that is. peaceful transfer of power from one administration to another, from one political ideology to another. Peaceful. That song on my car radio spoke volumes, appropriate as it was :THIS MAGIC MOMENT.
                                                   "This Magic Moment"
                                                       This magic moment

So different and so new
But like any other
Until I kissed you

And then it happened
It took me by surprise
I knew that you felt it too
By the look in your eyes

Okay, without the "until I kissed you line, but you get the drift(ers).

Meanwhile Gambian President Yahya Jammeh is refusing to step down despite the threat of military intervention by neighbouring states. Adama Barrow, who beat him in elections last month, is due to be inaugurated as their new president on Thursday, but Mr Jammeh has ignored the deadline. West African military forces are ready to enforce a transfer of power.

So, HOW DID OUR DAY #1 GO?

FROM NEWSDAY:Dan Rather — who covered many inaugurations for CBS News over a long career there — was denied a TV camera Friday, but not Facebook. In a long post, he wrote of Trump’s speech: “His words and tone were angry and defiant. He is still in campaign mode and nary a whiff of a unifying spirit. There was little or nothing of uplift — the rhetoric of Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy, or Reagan. . . . I imagine many more being turned off, even sickened, rather than inspired by what our new President had to say. President Obama looked on with an opaque poker face. One could only imagine what he was thinking.”

Would Rather have said this on the air Friday afternoon? Probably not. But he did probably capture some of the fear and loathing of other anchors. “It felt as if . . . [Trump] almost was insulting every living president that was sitting next to him,” said “Meet the Press” anchor Chuck Todd.

                                                  "Eve Of Destruction"

Yeah my blood's so mad feels like coagulating
I'm sitting here just contemplatin'
I can't twist the truth it knows no regulation
Handful of senators don't pass legislation
And marches alone can't bring integration
When human respect is disintegratin'
This whole crazy world is just too frustratin'
And you tell me
Over and over and over again my friend
Ah, you don't believe
We're on the eve of destruction

Saturday morn DAY#2 of #45: Dismantling of OBAMACARE, officially, THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.

Why am I thinking of a BEATLES tune?????

                                  "Tomorrow Never Knows"

Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream
It is not dying, it is not dying

Lay down all thoughts, surrender to the void
It is shining, it is shining

Yet you may see the meaning of within
It is being, it is being

Love is all and love is everyone
It is knowing, it is knowing...

... that ignorance and hates may mourn the dead
It is believing, it is believing

But listen to the colour of your dreams
It is not living, it is not living

Tribute Bands

The Jazz Bus: Tribute Bands
Imagine going to OLD TIMERS DAY at Yankee Stadium, 2011, and hearing, “Now batting Number 7, Mickey Mantle” and seeing Mickey Mantle walk to the plate. Well, not exactly The Mick but an “exciting recreation” of The Mick. Wait, nobody can swing like the Mick, nor run as fast. Who is this guy? Bummer, huh? Yea. That’s what I think about so called “Tribute” bands. Why bother when it’s all been done before, only better.
These thoughts were pounding through what’s left of my brain as we, The Bride and I, boarded the LIRR for our sojourn into Manhattan to see RAIN: A Tribute To The Beatles. What was I thinking getting these tickets on the advice of a friend who reviewing the show stated “I felt like I was back at Shea Stadium”? I had only hoped she did not mean watching The Mets (50 wins 112 loses) because I assumed she meant 1965 and The Fab Four.
Sunday morning on the westbound train is a bit different from the Saturday 3 a.m. eastbound to which I am more accustomed. The Sunday clientele is a bit more refined, dignified , soft spoken, and lacks that vulgarity so freely used on the other train; in other words these “commuters” were quite sober, especially today as all alcohol was banned for “the courtesy of those attending The Puerto Rican Day Parade”. Our day was thoughtfully planned; a visit to Strawberry Fields, a matinee on Broadway ,dinner after the show and a stroll through The Village . What more could I ask for?
First, the weather when we left Copiague was not cooperating, over cast, and a bit chilly. The train ride, a local, made all its appointed stops, and I felt the tinge of a stomach bug coming on. Arriving to the throngs of Penn Station we immediately looked to aide my pangs, but what resembled a pretzel was harder than rock candy. A cab ride resembling the Cyclone at Coney Island deposited us at our destination where we spent a few moments deciding where to go. The sun was shining but a trip to Strawberry Fields was out so we had a “diet coke” in a pub.
The show was a pleasant surprise. No plot, no story except the progression of the Beatles music. The first act better for me than the second one. The characters all “resembled” the Fab Four, the sound recreation great, and being partial to percussionists I thought “the drummer”, as they used no reference to the “characters” they played, was note and pitch perfect. I could have done without the numerous requests to “stand up and dance” or “wave your hands” (Hey Jude), or flash the peace sign (John circa 71).
After the show another exciting ride at 150 MPH downtown to The White Horse where we dined al fresco, a true street show unto itself, followed by a nice evening stroll through Sheridan Square and The Village, exploring some of the old haunts. Standing on West Fourth watching the basketballers in The Cage I thought back to times past, the music, the travels, and friends…I guess that is what tribute bands are meant to do. jazzbus@gmail.com

John Lennon @ 70

The Jazz Bus: John Lennon @ 70
Yoko Ono recently granted permission for EMI Records to re-issue (October 5) eight solo recordings of her late husband John Lennon to coincide with what would have been his 70th birthday (October 9). This newer batch, as per her wishes, includes a stripped down version of DOUBLE FANTASY. Void of additional instrumentation and overdubs the listener can focus on the poetry and voice of John Lennon. A single disc GREATEST HITS collection, a four disc anthology GIMME SOME TRUTH, and an 11-disc JOHN LENNON SIGNATURE BOX will also be available. Yoko and son Sean are also planning a commemorative concert in Los Angeles (similar to the one held a few months ago at the Brooklyn Academy of Music) with THE PLASTIC ONO BAND. Thinking back I truly miss the genius that was John Lennon’s ... I cannot “imagine” what would have been if John had lived.
During the past few months’ I have read a few books written about the Fab Four. One book of particular note is Peter Doggett’s YOU NEVER GIVE YOU YOUR MONEY; an exhausting look into the empire known as “THE BEATLES”, from their breakup onward. The Beatles as a business was and still is in a sorry state of affairs. A corporation known as Apple Corps developed from The Beatles, Ltd. and quickly spiraled out of control. Tangled by the involvement of multiple egotists and thousands of lawyers deals were made collectively, individually, overtly, covertly, and sometimes on their behalf without their consent or knowledge, most which landed them in court to resolve their finances. At one point George Harrison was declaring bankruptcy due to poor cash flow. A major example of this wheeling and dealing was uncovered in the Apple, Ltd. (The Beatles) lawsuit against Apple Computers (the iTunes guys) for their use of the name “Apple” as it applies to a music business. Full settlement of this legal mess is what is halting The Beatles from allowing their catalogue to be released digitally on iTunes. During the course of this Apple lawsuit it was found that Paul McCartney, without the other’s knowledge, had been receiving a “preferential royalty” from Capitol Records for his re- signing as a solo artist. The other “3” had not. When this fact which was worth millions to Sir Paul was uncovered the representatives of “the other three” went nuts, of course with another lawsuit developed against Capitol and Sir Paul.
In 1987 Yoko Ono acting as a Director of Apple, a role she inherited from the estate of John Lennon, allowed Nike to use REVOLUTION #1 in a television commercial. This particular song was penned solely by Mr. Lennon but attributed to Lennon/McCartney. Yoko believed she did not need to notify the “others” of this deal because it was “John’s song”. The “other three” who had no idea about the contract considered this an assault on The Beatles legacy. The “3” lost the lawsuit against Yoko as “she was acting as a Director”, and well within her rights. Paul questioned the logic of Yoko as a surrogate for The Beatles and their image when she was never a part of the group. As the 2013 deadline for EMI’s copyright of their material begins to run out those close to the situation have said that “McCartney dreaded what would happen if Yoko outlived him” (p.341). The belief is Yoko rewrites Beatles history to include herself and her “interference” has become “the battle for the soul of The Beatles”.
While only John (Yoko) and Paul benefit from what is left of the Lennon/McCartney songwriting catalogue, all four Beatles (Yoko for John, Olivia Harrison for George) share equally in Apple Corps, the total mother ship if you will. Many times over The Beatles landed up suing themselves, individually or collectively, all very costly, financially and in their relationships.
John Lennon, taken away from us at age 40, a collaborator in The Beatles catalogue of over 200 of the greatest pop records of all time, an accomplished solo artist, would have been 70 on October 9.His musical legacy is immeasurable. “All I want is some truth”.
Nov 12 LENNON TRIBUTE @ Beacon Theater with Jackson Browne, Patti Smith, Cyndi Lauper, etc
PBS Special Nov 22 LENNONYC-John’s life in NYC 1971-1980 jazzbus@gmail.com (jazzbus.blogspot.com)