Cocker..........at his best

Great intro....and it only gets better.   In 2013, in Cologne, Germany. 

We can all get by better with FRIENDS.

Thanks, Mustang, my friend.

Z

GRACE...U2

GRACE........something my dear friend (and commenter and blog partner) Elmer's Brother (Elbro) reminded me of last night.  It brought peace back to my heart.

Elbro always centers me and 'brings me home'.......It's one of the reasons I love my friend Elmer's Brother.  He's patient, understanding, kind, of great faith, and knows how to be a marvelous friend. 

Listen if you can, but the lyrics I've pasted below are enough...grace heals.  This post is dedicated to Elbro.  Bono's words are dedicated to the world:

Grace
She takes the blame
She covers the shame
Removes the stain
It could be her name

Grace
It's a name for a girl
It's also a thought that changed the world
And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness in everything

Grace, she's got the walk
Not on a ramp or on chalk
She's got the time to talk
She travels outside of karma
She travels outside of karma
When she goes to work
You can hear her strings
Grace finds beauty in everything

Grace, she carries a world on her hips
No champagne flute for her lips
No twirls or skips between her fingertips
She carries a pearl in perfect condition

What once was hurt
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stings
Because grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things
Grace makes beauty out of ugly things
Music: U2
Lyrics: Bono

Debate Blues

I HESITATE (See video below) to say this, but does anybody else agree with me that one minute answers are utterly ridiculous?    I'd rather dedicate a few evenings to one-on-one question/answer with an interviewer and a candidate than watch this idiocy.  The candidates feel they have to get everything in about themselves before they answer because they have so little time..."I, who was the only governor who balanced the budget and doesn't believe in abortion, do think that we need to secure the border!"   What the heck is that?!
Also, has anybody seen CNN ask anything as brutal as FOX asked the Republicans tonight? 
Who do you think WON? 

Ya, the video's got little to do with my subject, but I've always loved the pickin' and singin' of Hot Tuna and when I thought of my BLUES watching that debate, it made me think of HESITATION BLUES.  I hope you took the time to wait for him to sing......it's a simple song, but I like it.
geeeeeZ

mark o'connor Whitehouse Blues

This is some amazing stuff...I love Mark O'Connor's playing............I thought the title of the tune was appropriate :-)  UPDATE: I just played this twice, or tried to, and the video's sticking....go HERE if you'd like to hear it....sorry about the inconvenience.

The lyrics are actually about McKinley's assassination but you can well understand why I liked the title, anyway!
By the way, I hope some of you  saw the Clint Eastwood Jazz Concert at Carnegie Hall on TCM last night....there was the best sax playing I've ever heard...10 of the best all playing with a large orchestra.

Oh, by the way, if you listen to this video and your toe isn't tapping, I'd get a mirror and hold it under my nose, if I were you :-)
Enjoy!
z

Stranger in a Strange Land.

This is what I feel today in America..............and, oh, who does this better than Leon?

nobody, that's who.

Death comes to a liberal Muse..........

Suze Rotolo has died.   Do you know who she was?  That's her in the album cover to the left.....she was (the Freewheelin') Bob Dylan's girlfriend and muse from 1961, when she was seventeen years old, till 1964, when they broke up.   She inspired "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright," one of my favorites (I was never a real big fan of Dylan because of his nasal mumbling and I do an imitation that kills my friends :-) But, I do like his songs performed by other people. (and, by the way, Rotolo died after a long illness and I'm sorry she went through that and my heart's with her husband of 40 years.)

I post this because Rolling Stone magazine says this: "Her left-wing background also meant she played "a huge role in Dylan's political awakening,"   First, it's fascinating that becoming left-wing is "political awakening" and, second, is it really seventeen year olds who budding leftists learn from? Suddenly, a LOT makes sense, doesn't it?  Heh

Here's a list of my Dylan favorites:

When You Awake (The Band did it best)
Up on Cripple Creek (ditto)
House of the Risin' Sun (The Animals did it well, Dylan's wasn't bad)
Maggie's Farm (nobody comes close to The 'Dead on that one)
He was a Friend of Mine (Good job by The Byrds)
Stage Fright (who can come close to The Band?)
Girl From the North Country (Dylan's is pretty good)

You have any Dylan song favorites?  And what do you think about the Rolling Stones comment in bold above?   And that 17 yr olds are the inspiration for budding leftists? :-)

z

Leon Russell.........it's about time!

One of my very favorite musicians, LEON RUSSELL, is finally being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next month.  Elton John's is helping induct him.  If you haven't bought their amazing CD THE UNION yet, do, it is fabulous. 

Be still, my silly heart.  Congratulations, Leon.  You deserve it.

Your fan, Z
BY THE WAY, GEEEZ READERS, WHO WOULD YOU NOMINATE FOR THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME?  GOT  A FAVORITE?
xx

Elton John...Leon Russell...........WHAT a collaboration

If you like either Elton or Leon, you will love THE UNION, their new CD.  This CD is so so FAR better than I could have even hoped.  I figured Leon would be there capitulating and supporting Elton's 'predictable stuff' , maybe more as an edgy background player, but boy, was I wrong.     Leon SHINES in this CD and Elton's more fabulous than I've known him as I've never been his biggest fan though I've liked his music.   

From reading all the notes of how this album came about, it turns out that Elton and Z, both piano players (tho I hesitate even to suggest we're close to the same level of talent!), have both looked upon Leon Russell as "THE MASTER."  I have loved Leon since I first heard him open his mouth and I have missed him.  Turns out Elton had missed him, too, and decided to do something about it.

I just finished listening to the CD my sis in Canada sent me yesterday and I got a tingle when I heard the fourth song and thought "That other voice is way too high for Leon to be singing at his age and it's not Elton....odd, but that sounds like Neil Young"  I checked the notes and it IS Neil Young, how's that?  (I was always a big fan of Young's and have a bootleg album of his singing at the LA Music Center, as a matter of fact....which I found out at ebay is worth about the vinyl it's printed on, unfortunately!)

Anyway, if you know anyone who loves Elton John and loves honky/tonk, gospel, bluesy paino/voice, you will adore this album.  If you happen to be a huge fan of Leon's, like me, and I know far fewer people even know him let alone admire him as they do Sir Elton, GET THIS CD.   I PROMISE you will not be disappointed, you'll be thrilled.
By the way....if you're also a CLASSICAL MUSIC fan, as I am, check THIS OUT....play some of the music at Amazon, you'll want to get that CD to your house this afternoon...Murray Perahia is one of my favorites pianists, too.

geeeeeeeeeeeeeez

"RAP" your mind around THIS one....CONSERVATIVE RAP...

Ya, ya...I know you don't like rap, but YOU HAVE GOT TO HEAR THIS ONE!  It's fantastic!

I have to admit I've always kind of liked most rap;  if your head doesn't bob just a TAD while listening to this, I don't know what's wrong with your head! :-)
geeeeeeZ

"Come on, Brother...I'm takin' you home......."

Hang in through the talk before the song, it's worth knowing the set-up....or to 3:54 and you'll get right into the music. Oh, and have Kleenex ready. 'nuff said. "We've got a hero on board tonight......."
z

Sunday Faith Blog

Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord...

"The Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous." Psalms 146:8

Have a bless-ed Sunday...
z

Charlie Daniels and Mr. Obama ..Jammin'

Charlie Daniels View of the Obama Presidency
After being in the music business for 52 years it's just about all I know; anything at all about--and in keeping with my admittedly narrow knowledge--I would like to draw an analogy concerning the Obama administration, viewing things from my vantage point.
Ok, let's say you pick out the finest symphony conductor in the world, add the greatest singer and seven or so of the finest classical musicians on the planet.
You get them together backstage and say, "Alright, there are twenty thousand fans out front, standing room only, expectations are off the charts, they are looking for the best show they've ever seen.
Now the curtain goes up in five minutes, the sound has been checked out, the lights set and everything is perfect, the stage is set for the greatest show the world has ever seen.
Now get there and knock 'em out guys! They're all with you; you're all superstars in their eyes. Go show 'em how it's done.
Oh, there's only been one change… Tonight you have to do your show playing songs you've never played and you'll have to improvise. There's no sheet music. You'll just have to jam."
Can you imagine the panic backstage?
You see, some of the very finest musicians on earth can't jam a lick. I remember a few years ago when I had a couple of young fiddle players come on stage with me and play "The South's Gonna Do It Again."
They had learned the parts I'd played on the record, arrangement, lead lines and all and played it perfectly note for note.
Everything was going swimmingly until I decided to leave the arrangement and jam for a while. When I turned to one of them and told them to take a solo the kid was as lost as a baby sheep in a hale storm.
They had no more idea about improvising than they did about how to build a spaceship.
"The South's Gonna Do It Again" is a simple twelve bar blues song that any musician from any garage band would be able to take a solo on, but even though these kids were extremely talented and played what they knew perfectly, when it came to jammin, they were totally lost. They had just never learned to do it.
To me the presidency is kind of like jammin'. You have to roll with the flow, improvise, adapt to the moment, pick up on what's going on and deal with it.
Our president has never had to jam, he's always had the sheet music in front of him and he's never had to play a note somebody else had not written for him.
One of the biggest mistakes President Obama made when he came in office was to surround himself with a bunch of players who had never jammed either. None of them have ever had any practical experience in the real world.
In essence, they are a bunch of paper tigers, they do an incredible job of spending other people's money and sneaking legislation through the back door, but out in the real world, where there are no scripts, down where the rubber meets the road there is probably not a person in the bunch who could change a flat tire, much less deal with the complex problems America faces.
The only thing Obama has done with any problem that has arisen is to throw money at it, and in truth, that's sadly all he knows how to do. When it comes to dealing with things that money alone won't fix like busted oil pipes at the bottom of the ocean or solving the problems on our southern borders he's lost and all those around him are lost.
The Obama cabinet is the most inept bunch imaginable. When people have only viewed the world from the top of an ivory tower they don't react very well when it's time to get their hands dirty.
Obama's people can't even accept real world concepts of the dangerous situations we're dealing with. Eric Holder wanting to try terrorists in civilian courts, in New York City of all places is nothing less than naïve arrogance.
Janet Napolitano's gross inexperience in dealing with security matters is going to end up costing this country dearly.
Putting an unqualified person who has never even been a judge on the bench of the highest court in the land, for nothing more than her political leanings is insanity.
Everywhere you look you see eggheads with nothing more than a college degree to qualify them for the sensitive jobs they hold.
I'm just wondering how long it will take for a majority of the people in this country to realize that the wheel that steers the direction of this nation is in the hands of people who have no idea how to get from point a to point b without a roadmap and that roadmap just doesn't exist. Every trip is different.
I see disaster looming on the not too distant horizon, financial disaster, increasing danger from terrorist attack, unabated violence in the streets and an arrogant and unmanageable illegal alien population.
It's coming folks and Obama and the band are still in the dressing room looking for the sheet music. They just can't jam.
What do you think?
Pray for our troops, and for our country / God Bless America

Charlie Daniels
z: the musician metaphor is perfect, folks...believe me. (and thanks, Impertinent)
z

"I AM AMERICA"....Commenter Will asks today in the COMMENTS SECTION "At the heart of what O and the lib-o-dems hate, just what are we?" Got an answer?

Our friend Priscilla sent me this video and I had to post it...Krista Branch is a fantastic belter (my voice coach would be drooling) and I don't know who wrote the song (I've looked but can't find anything yet) but it is fantastic. Maybe some of you have already seen it but, if you haven't, PLEASE treat yourself. Have Kleenex nearby. (thanks, Pris)
z

Monday of a long weekend should be fun!

Thanks, Always On Watch, I love this clip and am so glad you sent it to me.......
Enjoy, everybody.....(it doesn't get too much cornier but it's a good kind of corny!...and there's some great tapping here by the great CAGNEY).......IT'S A GRAND OLD FLAG!!!
z

Japanese Relocation........an important forgotten history and some really good music!

What a well done story......a teacher with a great idea, the music that arose from that great idea, and a good bit of history, too...it's important to know about the 442nd Infantry Regiment during WWII, too.. You'll be glad you watched, I was.
z

IF you're a patriot......get Kleenex...not only for this beautiful video but for a warning on the contents of the Constitution...

any comments?
HERE is a link to Chuck Thinks Right, one of my favorite blogs. He has an article on a warning on the Constitution you won't want to miss. Again, make sure you have Kleenex, but these won't be touching tears, trust me.
(thanks, Chuck)

The Temptations....part of my soundtrack

One of the newer Temptations has PASSED AWAY.....I couldn't have a blog and not mention any Temptations news as they're one of my favorite groups of my past........
z

Jonathan David Kahn ....American Heart; Liberal Hypocrisy

Allow me to introduce you to JON DAVID, a proud American conservative who has written a song he has performed at Tea Party rallies. The Wall St Journal relays the open mindedness of liberals in Los Angeles (sarcasm) in this story..........Jon's brother in law says "Jon came back from one rally with a picture of him with Palin and my wife flat out refused to look at it," he says. "She ran into the other room." This is what liberals do when confronted with another point of view. Here's another open minded liberal's reaction:

One person stunned to hear of Mr. Kahn's double life as a tea-party troubadour is top Hollywood record producer and Grammy Award-winner Walter Afanasieff. The two have worked on projects for years and are now midway through writing and producing an album for a young singer.

"And I'm just finding out about this now? Oh my God, I'm getting chills hearing it," Mr. Afanasieff says, when informed of his friend's sideline. "I mean, he's a member of a huge, Democratic, liberal organization called the Los Angeles entertainment business. After digesting the news, he adds, "It's very wise he's going incognito."

But, Jon is not going incognito anymore...he's back to Jonathan Kahn, no hat, no glasses...maybe the times they are achangin'?
The song is AMERICAN HEART...Below, an excerpt of the lyrics of Jon David's tea-party anthem. Click here to listen to the song. (Or HERE at geeeeZ, where I posted the song almost a year ago) Here's just a part of the beautiful patriotic lyrics:

They say
Our reputation
Needs a new coat of paint and a delicate melody
But I say
I like the bruises
And a melody don't mean a thing If we don't have the strength to sing

The linked article from the Wall St Journal ends with "Less clear is what his Hollywood career holds. After Mr. Afanasieff, the record producer, heard the news about his friend, he sent Mr. Kahn a text message: "Tea Party? Really?" Really, Mr. Afanasieff... It's real alright. A few celebs are finally feeling they have to 'come out'..........I'd have thought liberal Hollywood would be liberal enough to embrace all points of view!? (no, I'm just kidding; wishful thinking)

We bloggers all have to have the 'strength to sing'...Get the real news out, write, comment, care........and pray Jonathan Kahn's career isn't hurt too terribly much now that he's had the guts to come out, huh? Thanks.

z

Music Sunday? At Z's? (I couldn't help it) :-)

I LOVE LEON RUSSELL, always have....and here's one of my favorites of his:


Here's Joe Cocker's rendition........my opinion? Doesn't hold a candle to my Leon, tho I have always like Cocker.

Leon's playing piano on Joe's rendition of DELTA LADY, AND so is fabulous keyboard player, Chris Stainton....who, some years after Mad Dogs and Englishmen, played keyboard for Leo Sayer at a Sayer concert in LA. Sayer introduced his band at the end of the show, one by one, as they walked off the stage to applause (it was a kind of very small but famous club whose name now escapes me!). Stainton was the last introduced and the applause was starting to die down when he passed me and I had the GREAT privilege to grab his arm and say "Where've you been since Mad Dogs?" He looked like I'd knighted him, thrilled somebody even knew who he was, and thanked me with the biggest smile you could imagine as he trotted off after the rest of the band. I'll never forget it. I like to think he hasn't, either.
By the way, stick with Joe's rendition till the end....he shuts down the song and you think it's over and then he revs it up again............one of the best endings of any live concert.......
Leon..........you're the man.
z

4Troops...check out their music

I heard THIS GROUP, 4Troops, on TV a week ago, maybe you did, too, and I highly recommend you check out their CD.........VERY good harmonies, excellent voices and really patriotic, very touching music.....Please support them. Some of the proceeds go to our troops.