Yesterday the Ocean Beach Street Fair was amazing. What a huge fun time. I don't even know where to start. What a testament to the power of community and how that creates joy in a huge way. Thousands of folks converged here in our zone and it was a great time. Personal highlights included once again getting to feel the amazing sensation of playing your music on stage with your friends outside for psyched partying people. The profound and kind feedback I received from some of those folks was equally awesome.
Emceeing on the Mainstage is always a blast. This was my third year in a row volunteering for my community in that role. Connecting with so many folks and putting words to fun we all share is humbling and delightful. The Hodad's hamburger eating contest was high entertainment and I gave it my best Al Michaels, calling the action from within the potential puke radius. Dangerous work, emceeing is. Better still, my boy Adam, took it, eating 8 big burgers in 7 minutes. He even tipped me five bucks for the fine, albeit rushed, meal. Classy.
I was sitting at the bar at Winston's early in the day, to sip a brew and take a break from the sun. A friendly fellow to my right asked if he could take a picture with me. It turns out he was the sitar player for the next band. His name is Indrajit Banerjee. We hit it off. I dabble on the sitar, slightly. His phone was being difficult and it led to some laughter. I saw it said Fareed Haque on his Facebook. And I said I know him, meaning I'd seen him play a couple times fifteen years ago or so. Indrajit answers, "Oh, he's right here." He was two seats away at the bar. He looked a bit different since I'd last seen him. I had no idea. So these guys and their band, Atash were scheduled to be one of the several bands that played inside Winston's during the Street Fair, which itself sports five stages. LOTS of live music. Atash was unbelievable, the most inspiring and enjoyable musical experience I've witnessed in a long time. I got to talk to them all and share my appreciation. We exchanged CDs, even had some stuff in common, universal music stuff, I guess. It ain't easy, but it sure is fun. Even had a few friends in town from Texas who know these guys from back there. Wild. Love this life.
So, perhaps I was inspired by Atash's array of interesting instruments. I decided to buts out my Autoharp. Then I tuned it. Several sweaty minutes later, I was ready to play, Then I tuned it again. One more while later, I busted out some jams, but not before a very serious warning about the potential dangers of tinkering with an Autoharp. Please us caution, folks, and never, under any circumstances, ever, go willy-nilly with the shiznazz or you'll be regretting it mucho. I'm glad we understand each other.
Operation 365 2 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 185 “New Spain” by Jefferson Jay
I'd been looking forward to playing "New Spain" for you for awhile. It's one of those many songs that inspired Operation 365 2, songs I had no idea how I'd ever share otherwise. So here we are. I'd tried it other times. With a capo. Faster. On the keys. But destiny decides and I wound up with an autoharp in my hands playin' "New Spain" for you.
What's “New Spain” about, Jefferson? Why, I'm glad you asked. Well, for a time, swell European folks were conquering everything from Natives and calling it theirs, because they could. The Spanish made their way up the West Coast through Mexico, spreading "Christianity" with Father Juniper Serra. Eventually they made their way to San Diego, building Missions and converting folks to their religious ways and they continued North from there. They held the land with a giant navy which stayed out in the bay, right near where I am right now. The Spanish Padres called this land of theirs "New Spain."
That didn't last all that long. Eventually, Mexico defeated Spain and later the United States of America took the land from Mexico in another war. When this was alls aid and done for reasons unclear to all, they named our local baseball squad the San Diego Padres. Oh, those great days where religion and weaponry was enough to steal a country. Play ball!
"New Spain" was written on a trip to the old Mission, which was relocated to Mission Gorge many years ago. Now it is a historical site that I wandered with my dogs, Nigel and Angel, who has since passed. Love you Ainge. I was moved as I thought about all the tumult this space had experienced through the centuries and how I now sat in an empty grass patch where the altar once was, writing this historical song. Hope you like "New Spain," and I wouldn't mind if they changed the Padres' name. The San Diego Bags sounds nice to me. They could wear their brown, play boring ball and it would make a lot more sense than Padres. At least, it's in English. How about San Diego Dads. That's nice. San Diego Dudes would be cool too. Yeah, dude.
Operation 365 2 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 185 “Can't Let Go” by
Randy Weeks
Now years later, I have another dear friend, who is in a similarly destructive spot. It is heart-breaking to see someone struggle to get away from someone they know is poison. It seems there is no act awful enough that this person can do. Yet, things change little if it, all. It hurts to see my friend stuck in this rut. Stalking is an understatement and my friend is helpless to fight off this persons' perpetual onslaught of love bombing, lying and other tired tricks to oppress someone you're pretending to love. I just hope and pray it ends better than it did for my friend who first introduced me to the sad cultural dating epidemic, delineated here in "Can't Let Go."
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment