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We had the great fortune of seeing Lee "Scratch" Perry this week. I am a new fan, J is one of the oldest. Lee is a righteous old dude, also reputed to be a crazy old dude, the man who created dub and sparked a generation of music including Air, Massive Attack and Zero 7 which are three of my favorite modern dub bands. The crowd was intimate, maybe a hundred people or so and everyone was mellow and raucous and smoking out in their seats. Lee came out rocking, singing songs about rainbows and ganja and pussy(cats) and his love for all three. Peace is an experiment and I love me some rainbows. Lee is the man.
The house was rocking. His legend preceded him and adoring crowds danced in the aisles. The dude is old yet wickedly spry, prancing his reggae self around resplendent in gold from his shiny hat to his shimmering shoes. I couldn't take my eyes off him.
I love nights like this when the air is warm and the crowd is happy. Good music and a few beers remind me of my youth when babysitters weren't on the clock and I could stay up as late as I want. Lee reminded me of all of that, freedom and free love, peace and children of the mountains.
I am a god man, I am a mad man, I am a rad man. Yes, old man, you certainly are.
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
revival
We went to a music festival yesterday to see some friends and listen to music and toast our freedom with cold beer. One of our friends was performing, he's from Trinidad and does a mix of calypso, funk and soul. He was covering Marley's Redemption Song, folks were dancing and drinking and singing along. He sounds remarkably like Bob so every time I hear him sing one of his songs I always close my eyes and tilt my face up and soak it in.
M was running circles around me in full toddler fashion, falling and tripping and rebounding and smashing into me. My beer was sloshing around a bit, splashing my arm. J was a few feet away talking to a friend.
Our friend got to the part of the song Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery and then he repeated it Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, and then he stopped the music and repeated Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery with no music and his voice loud and strong. And then the crowd had stopped their singing along and dancing, jolted out of the expected and stood silent, watching this man with long wild locks and wiry form rise up from his stool and repeat it yet again, as loud and deep as giant waves at the tide.
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.
And after the fourth time it sunk in. The crowd started cheering and applauding and there was a brief moment of solidarity and then our friend sat down and said This is your freedom. THIS is your freedom.
And then he finished the song without further ado. That moment stuck with me, that brief moment of consciousness mixed inside the sun. This IS our freedom, the one we owe to ourselves. None but ourselves can free our mind. And the path is curvy and dark and I stumble, and yet it's this that I know is true.
M was running circles around me in full toddler fashion, falling and tripping and rebounding and smashing into me. My beer was sloshing around a bit, splashing my arm. J was a few feet away talking to a friend.
Our friend got to the part of the song Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery and then he repeated it Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, and then he stopped the music and repeated Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery with no music and his voice loud and strong. And then the crowd had stopped their singing along and dancing, jolted out of the expected and stood silent, watching this man with long wild locks and wiry form rise up from his stool and repeat it yet again, as loud and deep as giant waves at the tide.
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.
And after the fourth time it sunk in. The crowd started cheering and applauding and there was a brief moment of solidarity and then our friend sat down and said This is your freedom. THIS is your freedom.
And then he finished the song without further ado. That moment stuck with me, that brief moment of consciousness mixed inside the sun. This IS our freedom, the one we owe to ourselves. None but ourselves can free our mind. And the path is curvy and dark and I stumble, and yet it's this that I know is true.
the unexpected gospel
A group of homeless men and women, eight in all, have recently come together to form a choir. I'd heard about them via the agency grapevine but I'd never heard them sing. I mentioned to one of the staff that it would be terrific to hear them sing at our next employee meeting and referred him to the person in charge of setting it up, and then (to be completely honest) it sort of slipped my mind after that.
So yesterday was our meeting, and when I arrived at the shelter that staff person said they are all ready to go. And I thought shit, they are not on the agenda. I asked him if he had talked to so and so in charge of blah and blah, and the answer was no.
But here are these folks, all raring to go. I immediately knew we needed to make this happen. So I hurried to make some adjustments and then went to talk to the head of the choir. Since they all live there and it was rather early, they were still in their pajamas.
So I check with the head choir woman, who was rather resplendent in a tattered pink chenille robe and a cigarette in hand, and asked if they could go on a bit sooner than they were expecting and she told me in no uncertain terms that that was not possible, they still had to get ready, clothes needed to be pressed, a practice run to be had. Ok then. I'll move things around some more.
So we figured it out and at the appropriate time I went to find them. I walked into the room and they were gathered in a circle in prayer, arms around each other. I stopped and waited till they were done with their prayers of gratitude, faith, and hope.
I brought them into the meeting after being carefully schooled by the choir mistress about the number of songs on the schedule, the proper way to introduce them, and the musicians involved (two absolutely gorgeous older gentlemen dressed to the nines with guitars in hand). It was a motley sort of crew; young and old, wheelchairs, canes, and a equitable distribution of races and genders. They looked gorgeous; each of them had ironed their clothes, some had ties and hats, and the women with makeup and heels. Battered second hand formal wear that was absolutely stunning.
They sang four songs in all; two choir gospel pieces (Oh Happy Day was one) and two solos with a bit of jazz. After they were done they received not only thundering applause, but a lengthy standing ovation as well. I heard one of them whisper, they are all standing. they are standing for US. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't moved to tears. We all were.
Beauty is everywhere. In the middle of a homeless shelter eight people of all backgrounds and experiences found each other through the commonality of poverty and rocked the house. Their love and passion and generosity in the midst of a terrible time in their lives was at once humbling and inspiring. The pride in their music was beautiful. They are proud of who and where they are, and adamant in the message they want to share; one of hope, one of love, and one of faith. They have nothing, yet are willing to share so much.
We should all be so blessed.
So yesterday was our meeting, and when I arrived at the shelter that staff person said they are all ready to go. And I thought shit, they are not on the agenda. I asked him if he had talked to so and so in charge of blah and blah, and the answer was no.
But here are these folks, all raring to go. I immediately knew we needed to make this happen. So I hurried to make some adjustments and then went to talk to the head of the choir. Since they all live there and it was rather early, they were still in their pajamas.
So I check with the head choir woman, who was rather resplendent in a tattered pink chenille robe and a cigarette in hand, and asked if they could go on a bit sooner than they were expecting and she told me in no uncertain terms that that was not possible, they still had to get ready, clothes needed to be pressed, a practice run to be had. Ok then. I'll move things around some more.
So we figured it out and at the appropriate time I went to find them. I walked into the room and they were gathered in a circle in prayer, arms around each other. I stopped and waited till they were done with their prayers of gratitude, faith, and hope.
I brought them into the meeting after being carefully schooled by the choir mistress about the number of songs on the schedule, the proper way to introduce them, and the musicians involved (two absolutely gorgeous older gentlemen dressed to the nines with guitars in hand). It was a motley sort of crew; young and old, wheelchairs, canes, and a equitable distribution of races and genders. They looked gorgeous; each of them had ironed their clothes, some had ties and hats, and the women with makeup and heels. Battered second hand formal wear that was absolutely stunning.
They sang four songs in all; two choir gospel pieces (Oh Happy Day was one) and two solos with a bit of jazz. After they were done they received not only thundering applause, but a lengthy standing ovation as well. I heard one of them whisper, they are all standing. they are standing for US. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't moved to tears. We all were.
Beauty is everywhere. In the middle of a homeless shelter eight people of all backgrounds and experiences found each other through the commonality of poverty and rocked the house. Their love and passion and generosity in the midst of a terrible time in their lives was at once humbling and inspiring. The pride in their music was beautiful. They are proud of who and where they are, and adamant in the message they want to share; one of hope, one of love, and one of faith. They have nothing, yet are willing to share so much.
We should all be so blessed.
folk you
Hipster Kgirl asked me what I am listening to. She's got an assumption that I rock, and the truth is I don't. If I had to pick a genre of music, it would be what J defines as relentlessly folk. It's not a compliment. But folk often speaks to the aching melancholy with which I see our world. Perhaps that alone should encourage a branching out of sorts.
nick drake - five leaves left - time has told me is an incredible song. Anything by Nick makes sense..his haunting melodies, his funky rhythms. great music to fall asleep to.
leonard cohen - i'm your man. tower of song is just one example of his loveliness. he's groove, funk and soul all rolled into your chronically depressed grandfather.
dar williams - mortal city - iowa is a terrific car song...one you can belt out at the top of your lungs
ani difranco - little plastic castles - in particular, independence day. she sings one line that goes something like - building molehills out of mountains, basecamp at the bottom of a really big deal. it's perfect in it's denial-ability.
massive attack - pretty much anything by massive attack. over and over, one love, i could go on and on. massive attack keeping their political fires burning in a groovy sort of way.
zero seven - again, just about anything from them, but the when it falls album is sublime. they hook you almost immediately. another great background, chill out, long converation or falling asleep music.
that said, i've not explored new music in a while. pretend i am a radio, turn me on to something new (see, more folk). seriously, if you've discovered something new that speaks to you, tell me...i think i need some upgrading.
nick drake - five leaves left - time has told me is an incredible song. Anything by Nick makes sense..his haunting melodies, his funky rhythms. great music to fall asleep to.
leonard cohen - i'm your man. tower of song is just one example of his loveliness. he's groove, funk and soul all rolled into your chronically depressed grandfather.
dar williams - mortal city - iowa is a terrific car song...one you can belt out at the top of your lungs
ani difranco - little plastic castles - in particular, independence day. she sings one line that goes something like - building molehills out of mountains, basecamp at the bottom of a really big deal. it's perfect in it's denial-ability.
massive attack - pretty much anything by massive attack. over and over, one love, i could go on and on. massive attack keeping their political fires burning in a groovy sort of way.
zero seven - again, just about anything from them, but the when it falls album is sublime. they hook you almost immediately. another great background, chill out, long converation or falling asleep music.
that said, i've not explored new music in a while. pretend i am a radio, turn me on to something new (see, more folk). seriously, if you've discovered something new that speaks to you, tell me...i think i need some upgrading.
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