Operation 365... Blog 160

Sometimes things just go wrong. It's a bummer when it happens of course, but it's just part of life. If you believe everything happens for a reason, like I do, you just learn to accept these unsavory bits of reality and move forward as fluidly as you can. I have been enjoying teaching music to the kids these last couple months. I tried to get paid like a teacher instead of a sub, because I was teaching and not subbing and it's ended up costing me my job. Everybody agrees I was doing a great job; my colleagues, my supervisors, the schools, he teachers, the kids, but in education that is not what matters. It is bureaucracy and that matters more. It's always been that way and always will be. That's why I tend to get nervous when I think of myself as a "music teacher," as I had begun to do these last few weeks. Oh well. It was time to lead the kids through their end-of-the-year concerts, but apparently it's not that time for me. They had contracted me through June 8th. You know what they say about folks whose word is worthless. A return to subbing awaits. I wish I could celebrate that. I keep reminding myself, Everything happens for a reason. It will work out. Somehow.

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 166 Robin Lee - "Good Guys" - 4-9-2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK-csoiMdXA

Robin Lee said "Have faith where you are at hits moment and you'll never go astray." I like the sound of that and I LOVE Robin Lee. It took me quite some time to locate the song that this quote is from, "Good Guys." I have a lot of Robin footage and apparently, she didn't play this tune as often as I thought. I love it. It's one of her best. There is a lot of wisdom in there and right now, I need some Robin wisdom, for sure! I hope it does it for you too.

Here, Robin is joined, once again, by Jack Davidson on lead guitar. Thanks to Jack for saying "Good Guys," when Robin asked him what to play at the start of this clip. Otherwise, I'd still be lookin'.

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 166 "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" by Wallis Willis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFjEp5a34vE

So, because of all that stuff I wrote about in the blog (jeffersonjay.blogspot.com) I had the blues today. So it seemed a natural fit to go to "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" to commiserate. My lovely girlfriend Leanne is doing her best to cheer me up. She's doing an excellent job and here, she joins me to brighten up "Swing Low" as she does every room she enters. God bless 'er.

When researching after the fact, I read all this on wikipedia and thoufht it was really cool, so here it is for you:

["Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" was first written by Wallis Willis, a Choctaw freedman in the old Indian Territory, sometime before 1862. He was inspired by the Red River, which reminded him of the Jordan River and of the Prophet Elijah's being taken to heaven by a chariot. Many sources (see Songs of the underground railroad) claim that this song and "Steal Away"—also composed by Willis—had lyrics that referred to the Underground Railroad, the resistance movement that helped slaves escape from the South to the North and Canada.

Alexander Reid, a minister at a Choctaw boarding school, heard Willis singing these two songs and transcribed the words and melodies. He sent the music to the Jubilee Singers of Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. The Jubilee Singers popularized the songs during a tour of the United States and Europe.

The song enjoyed a resurgence during the 1960s Civil Rights struggle and the folk revival; it was performed by a number of artists. Perhaps the most famous performance during this period was that by Joan Baez during the legendary 1969 Woodstock festival.]

Cool, huh? That's a pretty significant tune. Thanks Wallis Willis. I'm glad you got free. Thanks for sharing all that feeling and emotion. Just started reading a little bit about those Choctaw freedmen. Wow, that's a rough go. Oh, holy perspective.

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 166 "Have Fun"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAuS3V56FmI

I am posting this today as a final tribute to my students, now ex-students, from elementary schools all around San Diego. I enjoyed working with you kids and I'm sorry I can't go with you to the finish line. I wrote this tune today with some kids. They made up the lyrics. I like the message at the end of the song, and that is the one I left that group with, "have fun." And that's what I'm gonna do.