Operation 365... Blog 138

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 146 Destructo Bunny - Part Two - 2-17-2009

Here is Part Two of Destructo Bunny's set from my Open Mic on February 17, 2009. The Bunny freestyles conscious hip hop and brings it hard. This clip features a little freestyling at the end, by none other than yours truly. Didn't know I got rappy, did ya? Yeahhh, once in a while, for fun. Keeps my skills sharp. Ha! Catch cameos by Robin Lee and Blowski at the video's start. Enjoy the rappin' rabbit.

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 146 "Ma Nishtana" or "The Four Questions"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blwIrHuxLmk

Maybe, I missed my true calling. Perhaps I could have been a fine cantor, singing at temples and making a fine living. Too bad, from a a young age I found Hebrew School to be an insufferable bore. That's actually probably where some of my bad school habits began. I just couldn't take it, so I dropped out. I still feel a sense of relief when I recall it.

But it IS Passover now. At least that's what someone told me at our gig in Julian, the other night. SO I figured I'd bust out this Passover standard for all the Jews and Jew-curious folks tuning in to the 365. "Ma Nishtana" or "The Four Questions" are sung by the youngest male at the Seder, the traditional Jewish Passover feast.

What has changed, this night,
from all the other nights?

That in all other nights we eat both
chametz and matzah,
on this night, we eat only matzah.

That in all other nights we eat
many vegetables,
on this night,

That in all other nights we do not
dip vegetables even once,
on this night, we dip twice.

That in all other nights
some eat sitting and others reclining,
on this night, we are all reclining.

There is the question, and the four answers, for you extremely curious folks. I think I was supposed to sing the question before each of the answers, but honestly, it was enough already. Don't you think? It was for me. The problem with the Seder, usually, is that it takes too long. Way too long. The food rocks, but some folks insist that the dinner take five hours. That was almost as annoying as Hebrew School. So I wasn't gonna let that happen with my Passover jam here. I kept it brief. Pretty fascinating stuff, huh? Happy Passover, y'all.

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 146 "A Cha-Cha-Cha"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zluRNcqkOhA

So I was gonna sing some gibberish for ya in a cantor voice, but then I thought that might come off wrong after "The Four Questions" and everything, so I ad-libbed to something a little jazzier. I gave it a little hi-hat thing at the top, inspired by Jim Coker, Tom Ratzin, and I play we all did in high school called "Word Play," and then I just got loose from there. It is very important to get loose. Some folks are just so tight. It's a wonder if they ever have any fun at all. Seriously.

I went jazzy and then I cut left over Cab Calloway pass and made my way musically to the Gumdrop Mountains. As I scampered through a field of toms of all sizes, I juked and jived, dropped a few cha-cha-chas to leave pursuers gasping in the dust. Then I made a break for paydirt, musical glory, all over your 365 faces. That's what I do. I music. I'm Jefferson Jay. A cha-cha-cha...