Operation 365... Blog 319

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 325 Hugh Gaskins "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" 12-17-2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q5R03rBrCk


Hugh was in my dream last night. Someone told me something happened to him. I'm glad it was just a dream. Hugh is an awesome dude. Here he is, playing at my December 17, 2009, my last Thursday show of the year that year. I remember for the first while after I met Hugh back at Twiggs, in '01 maybe. I just noticed that he was extremely loud compared the other acoustic types. I had no idea we'd become such good friend.

Hugh has consistently supported me at my shows ever since. He and The Soul Man are the only artists, besides me of course, to play at all 4 of my 24 Hours of Free Music concerts. I think he played a couple '12 Hours" shows I did too. I went to his wedding lat year. He had me MC the affair. Leanne and I had a wonderful time. She says it was the day she fell in love with me. Thanks Hugh.

I went to his CD release party at Humphrey's a few months ago. He was really appreciative that I came. He posted this on the Facebook a couple days later. "Jefferson is one of the very best in this town at running a show of any sort especially of open mic variety. Every day that goes by without Jefferson at the helm of a show is a loss for musicians in this town. Hugh." Well, Hugh is happy to know that I am back. I'm happy too. Things are going great at The Reunion and I am hoping Hugh makes it out to join us on a Wednesday real soon.

So here Hugh is, playing unamplified in December of 2009 at our final Thursday of the year. He even pops a string at the end, one of his classic moves. Paul Lopez and Soul Man step up and join him on congas and guiro, respectively as he plays The Carter family classic "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" Nice gospel, Hugh. Nice audience vocals coming from Sweet Joyce Ann, I believe. Maybe Annie Rettic too? The guiro's pretty loud with on mics. I can say this. It was a truly unique time, that late 2009. A great time for a revival.

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 325 "Hey You" by Roger Waters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0jaEfUFPV4


"Hey You" is a classic of Pink Floyd's epic 'The Wall." To this day, I claim "The Wall" as my favorite CD ever, just cause it is so classic and it meant so much to me at a real dark time. I have been procrastinating auditioning for the really cool Pink Floyd cover band for months, even though all I had to do to audition is this right for about 5 other tunes. I have seriously mixed feeling about the thoughts of traveling around the world for a few months making good money playing Floyd tunes for lots of people. Sounds silly, right? I love my life and I love Floyd's music as much as anyone's but... I love my pooches and my lady and my friends I would love to tour doing my own stuff, but suffice it to say, that would be a much smaller tour at this point. I should send something in, maybe this, but for all I know it's too late now anyway. It would be fun, I suppose, and great experience undoubtedly. Life is funny. Some stuff we're driven to do by uncontrollable forces inside ius. Other stuff, not so much. Hail Floyd!

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 325 "Dragonbreath"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrLPsfDJg3A


Today is a big day locally in the wonderful world of dissent. The shook up the Occupy San Diego thing downtown. People are scattering. There is a gathering in North County in Encinitas. There is a whole march from Balboa Park to downtown and back. I should take in some of it, to participate and all. For now, I am driving away at today's 365. It is only 1:30. My urge for food is a little stronger than my urge to chant and march at this moment.

What I did do though, is dig into my songwriting archives for a protest tune, I wrote long before protesting became cool again. Who saw that coming? I wrote "Dragonbreath" in '02 or '03 and it's all right there, personal responsibility, the fact that each individual has a stake in this game, the fact that we should cure hunger first. There's a lot in there. I don;t play this one so much anymore. Today was the first time in a long while. Some of the references are dated. Back then DVDs were new and fancy-ish Now there's Blu-Ray or whatever they have. I tried to throw in a line about the iPhone 4 just to make it seem a little less out of touch with today. Either way. Protest is protest. Dissent is dissent. It's about time. Brothers and sisters in love, this song is yours to use as you see fit. We are all in this together. "Imagine no possessions" - John Lennon.

This 365 is me giving everything to the universe. Use it if you like for whatever purpose you deem true. This is a message for individuals, not corporations. My fellow earthlings, I give myself to you... I may just need to go give myself to bacon real quick first. In the meantime, here's another song. Oh, in case you missed. in this song, we are the dragon, and by acting we breathe. We can be big and strong. We can breath fire. We can breath lov if we want to. I think it's a god idea. Hope all those protesting don't forget about it, when they're making the media a list of what we believe. My friend Will Edwards convinced that leaving things open-ended and undefined makes for a lot of flexibility. With this great flexibility, our limitless potential is retained. It's a lot harder to attack a fire-breathing love dragon when you're not sure who it is , what its doing or why. This will all become clear in time.