Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 82 Robin Lee 3 - 2-19-2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4f9EjAZuwE
This tune features some classic Robin Lee deep lyrics, "each breath I take is borrowed, each day I live is borrowed." It's all about, what we have is the moment. I remember...
"It'll take my death before you ever see me..." It makes me wanna cry. I miss her so much. At the end of this tune, (I wish I knew what it was called, She said "Abyss" right before she played and I'm gonna guess that's what this is called) she dedicated it to our dear friend Don Truesdail, who passed away just 5 weeks before. As I watch this video, I remember being there that night and hearing her sing these words. Maybe there were tears that day. There were often back then.
Diversion: It is amazing how quickly people can return to the pettiness after heavy shit like this happens. I could never be one of those people. Ever.
There are some nice close-ups of Robin, Soul Man and Jack Davidson. When this was filmed, Robin had already been arrested. She had weed on her allegedly. A bunch, allegedly. She is supposed to be serving a bunch of time, like twenty years or something, for those affronts to humanity, delivering people medicine. Delivering that medicine was something Robin believed in and she was a woman firm in her convictions. Who knows where she is right now. Jail? Istanbul? Iowa? I have no idea. I just know I miss her.
I am glad we musicians leave stuff like this behind. I am glad we had all those moments that we shared, because those are what life is all about. Knowing someone. Sharing their space. Learning from their experiences. Laughing together. This song is awesome. There is a lot of deep wisdom in it. I cherish the time I spent with Robin so much.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 82 "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?" by The Bee Gees
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skrr8NXk7AE
Now I don't give too much of a crap about Valentine's Day. In fact, as I get older, it becomes more and more clear to me that every holiday is pretty much an excuse for people to sell and buy more stuff. This song is beautiful though. I especially love Al Green's version.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 82 "Valentine Song"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv_TVuuXZFU
I came this close to forgetting to record the "Valentine Song." on Valentine's Day, during Operation 365. For years, at this time, I've thought I should make a youtube video of this song and put it out. I figured if I did, every year at this time of year some people would take notice and appreciate it. I'm not sure there are any other Valentine's Day songs. Much less, ones that are pro-love, but very definitively anti-Valentine's Day.
I never knew Operation 365 would happen though, so I never imagined the video would be of me sitting in a room by myself on Valentine's night, and playing the song, in a Yankee hat, to my screen. Either way though, the song is out there now. We'll see if anything happens by 365 days from today. I'm glad I remembered this tune exists, before tomorrow. "Valentine Song" is on my Blue CD from my "Primary Colors" trilogy and can be listened to and enjoyed at jeffersonjay.bandcamp.com
Monday, February 14, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Operation 365... Blog 75
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 81 Robin Lee 2 - 2-19-2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVstr6Ohv0s
Here is my dear friend Robin Lee, with the second song from her set at my show on February 19, 2009, "All Of Me." That night she was joined by lead guitar superstar, Jack Davidson and living legend, The Soul Man, on guiro. I think The Soul Man may have been a hair hearty for that duo's dynamics-driven sound. At last Jack felt that way, rumor had it, but I am glad I got them all on stage together this night, cause they are all super legend status for our little world.
Here they covered, the classic tune, "All Of Me," written by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons in 1931. At least that's what Wikipedia's reading today. This song is awesome. I would like to do it someday and the early 80s movie of the same name with Steve Matin and Lily Tomlin wasn't half bad either. In fact, I liked it a lot. "Edwina, back in bowl."
Robin Lee, you rule. Enough said. I'm glad we got to spend the time we did.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 81 "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYm4FtTJedo
This has gotta be my favorite racist song of all-time. If it wasn't so racist, I probably would have done it sooner in my 365. But it is classic and it has arrived. If you don't know what's racist about it, I will tell you. This song was written as a ringing endorsement of Alabama livin', embodied my governor of Alabama at the time, George Wallace. George Wallace was a proud good ole boy and didn't want no blacks gettin' no equal rights in his Alabama. He was very outspoken about it.
Neil Young, a Canadian, didn't think this was so cool and said so in his tunes "Southern Man" and "Alabama." Well, that Canadian stickin' his nose in other people's business was about all Lynyrd Skynyrd could stand so they responded with this delightful piece of American history, "Sweet Home Alabama."
One of the most nauseating things to come from American popculture in the last several years has tro be when rotund African-American Ruben Studdard won American Ido by singing this song... or something like that. I 've never watched the show. I know he did the tune and I know he won. And I'm pretty sure that was the exact moment when American pop culture fully jumped the shark. Nice job Fox. That being said the tune is catchy and cool at least these guys were expressing their opinions on something mattered, even if they were dead wrong. Gosh, I miss the day when public figures stood for something... Just remember, Jefferson, it's never over. Time on the clock remains. It's going to be OK. Hail Egypt.
I will let Lynyrd Skynyrd, through Wikipedia, to tell their side of the story.
In 1975, Van Zant said: "The lyrics about the governor of Alabama were misunderstood. The general public didn't notice the words 'Boo! Boo! Boo!' after that particular line, and the media picked up only on the reference to the people loving the governor."[3] "The line 'We all did what we could do' is sort of ambiguous," Kooper notes "'We tried to get Wallace out of there' is how I always thought of it."[3] Journalist Al Swenson argues that the song is more complex than it is sometimes given credit for, suggesting that it only looks like an endorsement of Wallace.[3] "Wallace and I have very little in common," Van Zant himself said, "I don't like what he says about colored people."[3]
Colored people? Ouch. Would that have made whites colorless people? I' m so glad racism ended.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 81 "Virginia"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXuW869CKj4
A couple things here. This seems to follow naturally from the "Sweet Home Alabama," being one of my favorite racist tunes to this tune, "Virginia," being one of my only tunes that directly addresses the question of race. Virginia is a southern woman, living with the luxuries of the 21st century, hanging on to some good old fashioned 19th century racism.
This song wishes something more for Virginia, wishing she'd replace that angst with appreciation. Dreamers dream and I'm a dreamer. An idealist. Anyway, this isn't the entire song, really. I am dubbing this, a new version, "Virginia." The original one will forever forward be known as "Virginia Extended." There's a good chance I'll never play either of 'em ever again. God bless Operation 365. For better or for worse... sharing. I'll leave you with the rest of the lyrics in the event that you are an extremely curious person.
In South Carolina, the Civil War was called The War of Northern Aggression.
The hatred in your soul is masochism.
The hate you feel for others.
The way you think, how much you drink,
That only hurts you
and reflects on how you feel about yourself
Shout-out to The Flaming Lips and "their "Yoshimi" song. Who knows, maybe "Virginia Extended" will appear when desperation kicks in, around Day 342. Who knows anything?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVstr6Ohv0s
Here is my dear friend Robin Lee, with the second song from her set at my show on February 19, 2009, "All Of Me." That night she was joined by lead guitar superstar, Jack Davidson and living legend, The Soul Man, on guiro. I think The Soul Man may have been a hair hearty for that duo's dynamics-driven sound. At last Jack felt that way, rumor had it, but I am glad I got them all on stage together this night, cause they are all super legend status for our little world.
Here they covered, the classic tune, "All Of Me," written by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons in 1931. At least that's what Wikipedia's reading today. This song is awesome. I would like to do it someday and the early 80s movie of the same name with Steve Matin and Lily Tomlin wasn't half bad either. In fact, I liked it a lot. "Edwina, back in bowl."
Robin Lee, you rule. Enough said. I'm glad we got to spend the time we did.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 81 "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYm4FtTJedo
This has gotta be my favorite racist song of all-time. If it wasn't so racist, I probably would have done it sooner in my 365. But it is classic and it has arrived. If you don't know what's racist about it, I will tell you. This song was written as a ringing endorsement of Alabama livin', embodied my governor of Alabama at the time, George Wallace. George Wallace was a proud good ole boy and didn't want no blacks gettin' no equal rights in his Alabama. He was very outspoken about it.
Neil Young, a Canadian, didn't think this was so cool and said so in his tunes "Southern Man" and "Alabama." Well, that Canadian stickin' his nose in other people's business was about all Lynyrd Skynyrd could stand so they responded with this delightful piece of American history, "Sweet Home Alabama."
One of the most nauseating things to come from American popculture in the last several years has tro be when rotund African-American Ruben Studdard won American Ido by singing this song... or something like that. I 've never watched the show. I know he did the tune and I know he won. And I'm pretty sure that was the exact moment when American pop culture fully jumped the shark. Nice job Fox. That being said the tune is catchy and cool at least these guys were expressing their opinions on something mattered, even if they were dead wrong. Gosh, I miss the day when public figures stood for something... Just remember, Jefferson, it's never over. Time on the clock remains. It's going to be OK. Hail Egypt.
I will let Lynyrd Skynyrd, through Wikipedia, to tell their side of the story.
In 1975, Van Zant said: "The lyrics about the governor of Alabama were misunderstood. The general public didn't notice the words 'Boo! Boo! Boo!' after that particular line, and the media picked up only on the reference to the people loving the governor."[3] "The line 'We all did what we could do' is sort of ambiguous," Kooper notes "'We tried to get Wallace out of there' is how I always thought of it."[3] Journalist Al Swenson argues that the song is more complex than it is sometimes given credit for, suggesting that it only looks like an endorsement of Wallace.[3] "Wallace and I have very little in common," Van Zant himself said, "I don't like what he says about colored people."[3]
Colored people? Ouch. Would that have made whites colorless people? I' m so glad racism ended.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 81 "Virginia"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXuW869CKj4
A couple things here. This seems to follow naturally from the "Sweet Home Alabama," being one of my favorite racist tunes to this tune, "Virginia," being one of my only tunes that directly addresses the question of race. Virginia is a southern woman, living with the luxuries of the 21st century, hanging on to some good old fashioned 19th century racism.
This song wishes something more for Virginia, wishing she'd replace that angst with appreciation. Dreamers dream and I'm a dreamer. An idealist. Anyway, this isn't the entire song, really. I am dubbing this, a new version, "Virginia." The original one will forever forward be known as "Virginia Extended." There's a good chance I'll never play either of 'em ever again. God bless Operation 365. For better or for worse... sharing. I'll leave you with the rest of the lyrics in the event that you are an extremely curious person.
In South Carolina, the Civil War was called The War of Northern Aggression.
The hatred in your soul is masochism.
The hate you feel for others.
The way you think, how much you drink,
That only hurts you
and reflects on how you feel about yourself
Shout-out to The Flaming Lips and "their "Yoshimi" song. Who knows, maybe "Virginia Extended" will appear when desperation kicks in, around Day 342. Who knows anything?
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Operation 365... Blog 74
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 80 Robin Lee 1 - 2-19-2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvRIYB9E6G8
This is the great Robin Lee from my show on February, 19, 2009. Here she is accompanied by Jack Davidson on lead guitar and The Soul Man on guiro. How many other circles feature a 91-year old World War II vet sitting in with everyone who plays? I miss Robin a lot. She has been, who knows where, for a long time. I miss her muchly and think I will be posting a bunch of her for the next however long for myself, and whoever else may miss her.
Having a bunch of footage of Robin, like I do, is one of the reasons, I have felt, for a long time, that it is important to share what I've collected. Here she is starting her set with a tune I posted once before (a different version), "Down To My Last Cigarette." She rules. What a wise, loving, intelligent, intuitive, and interesting person. I think I'll share a lot of this particular set, from two years ago right now, roughly, for the next however long I feel like it. This set had many tunes to choose from. Ahhhhh, the good old days.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 80 "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2wK-p1qFRk
Realizing tomorrow may be busy, so I'm getting a headstart on my 365, pre-weekend. This tune is cool. Had the band learn it for a Halloween gig a couple years back, 2008, I'm pretty sure it was, yes. It was a fun gig. People were inebriated and scantily clad, pretty much your average OB Halloween party in that way.
This song is easy, D, C, G, all the way, the chords are. My buddy Don Truesdail, who played with me on bass at that Halloween gig said, this song was kind of a response to Lynyrd Skynyrd's tune "Sweet Home Alabama," which is also D-C-G, the entire tune. According to Don, this wasn't totally meant as a compliment. No proof exists online, that I can find, to confirm Don Truesdail's story about how Zevon wrote this tune influenced by "Sweet Home," but I am going to go with it anyway.
Warren Zevon seemed like a cool guy and I can do his voice all right with the little bit of congestion I have remaining, so I went Zevon-style with it, you could say. I will do the Skynyrd jam for Sunday. Why change chords when you can play D-C-G all day? God bless rock n' roll.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 80 "Dumb Love"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lphkWzwwAhs
Disgust. Disdain. Call it whatever you will. It's there though. Ever in a relationship way too long? How 'bout one you could hardly even call a relationship? Been there. Sucks. So glad I'm not there now. But it wasn't so long ago that I can't summon the emotions I felt when writing "Dumb Love," on a bitter Sunday morning about a year ago or so. A wise friend of mine once said, "that's why we write songs like this..." And the "why" is to play them and get our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and ideas out in a way that is healthy and constructive and ideally, leads to some advancement in our lives. I think "Dumb Love" helped do that for me back then. I never went back again. It just seemed a lot more obvious once I'd finally found it in a song.
Thank God those days are long gone now. Notice the late-video cameo of the superpuppy, Nigel, who I co-parent with my current, and incredibly wonderful girlfriend, Leanne. I am working hard here Friday to do my weekend's 365ing so I can have more time to spend with her real soon.
I was looking through original songs of mine to pick one I hadn't played yet. I tried a different one I'd co-written, and it led me right to this. Also, this is my most Warren Zevon-y tune, so it worked in that way too. As far as the Zevon-y thing goes, I think I like "Dumb Love" better when I sing it like myself, but singing it Zevon-style fits so well, sometimes I can't resist. This was one of those times. Sumamrized, screw dumb love. It's a waste of time and no substitution for the real thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvRIYB9E6G8
This is the great Robin Lee from my show on February, 19, 2009. Here she is accompanied by Jack Davidson on lead guitar and The Soul Man on guiro. How many other circles feature a 91-year old World War II vet sitting in with everyone who plays? I miss Robin a lot. She has been, who knows where, for a long time. I miss her muchly and think I will be posting a bunch of her for the next however long for myself, and whoever else may miss her.
Having a bunch of footage of Robin, like I do, is one of the reasons, I have felt, for a long time, that it is important to share what I've collected. Here she is starting her set with a tune I posted once before (a different version), "Down To My Last Cigarette." She rules. What a wise, loving, intelligent, intuitive, and interesting person. I think I'll share a lot of this particular set, from two years ago right now, roughly, for the next however long I feel like it. This set had many tunes to choose from. Ahhhhh, the good old days.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 80 "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2wK-p1qFRk
Realizing tomorrow may be busy, so I'm getting a headstart on my 365, pre-weekend. This tune is cool. Had the band learn it for a Halloween gig a couple years back, 2008, I'm pretty sure it was, yes. It was a fun gig. People were inebriated and scantily clad, pretty much your average OB Halloween party in that way.
This song is easy, D, C, G, all the way, the chords are. My buddy Don Truesdail, who played with me on bass at that Halloween gig said, this song was kind of a response to Lynyrd Skynyrd's tune "Sweet Home Alabama," which is also D-C-G, the entire tune. According to Don, this wasn't totally meant as a compliment. No proof exists online, that I can find, to confirm Don Truesdail's story about how Zevon wrote this tune influenced by "Sweet Home," but I am going to go with it anyway.
Warren Zevon seemed like a cool guy and I can do his voice all right with the little bit of congestion I have remaining, so I went Zevon-style with it, you could say. I will do the Skynyrd jam for Sunday. Why change chords when you can play D-C-G all day? God bless rock n' roll.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 80 "Dumb Love"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lphkWzwwAhs
Disgust. Disdain. Call it whatever you will. It's there though. Ever in a relationship way too long? How 'bout one you could hardly even call a relationship? Been there. Sucks. So glad I'm not there now. But it wasn't so long ago that I can't summon the emotions I felt when writing "Dumb Love," on a bitter Sunday morning about a year ago or so. A wise friend of mine once said, "that's why we write songs like this..." And the "why" is to play them and get our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and ideas out in a way that is healthy and constructive and ideally, leads to some advancement in our lives. I think "Dumb Love" helped do that for me back then. I never went back again. It just seemed a lot more obvious once I'd finally found it in a song.
Thank God those days are long gone now. Notice the late-video cameo of the superpuppy, Nigel, who I co-parent with my current, and incredibly wonderful girlfriend, Leanne. I am working hard here Friday to do my weekend's 365ing so I can have more time to spend with her real soon.
I was looking through original songs of mine to pick one I hadn't played yet. I tried a different one I'd co-written, and it led me right to this. Also, this is my most Warren Zevon-y tune, so it worked in that way too. As far as the Zevon-y thing goes, I think I like "Dumb Love" better when I sing it like myself, but singing it Zevon-style fits so well, sometimes I can't resist. This was one of those times. Sumamrized, screw dumb love. It's a waste of time and no substitution for the real thing.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Operation 365... Blog 73
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 79 Dennis Moore, Pt. 2 - 7-6-2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crQ4-bzU-uk
I decided to share Dennis's second song from my Open Mic on July 6, 2010. Dennis, a friend of mine from UMASS, way back in the day, was visiting from his home in San Francisco that day. It is always great to see him and we always have a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to catching up again in the Bay Area, in April, when Wes Davis and I are there for our Ocean Beach Road Show tour.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 79 "Under The Milky Way"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY9 jzzHakXY
One take is always nice. Especially when it's a song you haven't played in a really long time. "Under The Milky Way," by The Church, was one of the first cool, "new wave," songs that friends got me into long ago. My friend Scotty, his sister Elianna was into all this cool music and passed it all on to him. So Scotty was hip to The Church, Yo La Tengo, Robyn Hitchcock, The Pixies, and many other cool bands, long before I knew anything about anything musically. My friend Eugene would later supplement this new wave knowledge I was acquiring, with mix tapes and the like, Jane's Addiction, The Smithereens, Red Hot Chili Peppers... This was before even Lollapalooza, so these bands weren't super known yet.
Anyway, this was one of the first tunes Scotty turned me on to, that really grabbed me and I still think it's awesome to this day. Nice job, The Church. Way to songwrite!
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 79 "The Little Bird Song"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkmXrBOz1Sg
I wrote this tune one night a couple months ago. I was about to head over to my girlfriend's house, fairly late at night, and then this whole tune came to me, more or less. I always try to respect the inspiration when it comes, so I sat down with my guitar in front of the computer and recorded the first version of it. I haven't played it much since. I saw the chords I typed out sitting around and decided to go for it. I like this tune more than I remembered.
Although it is about the life and plight of a little bird, thinking about stretching it's wings and flying out into the world for the first time, the metaphor is about me (or you) doing the same thing. I am excited for the tour we are going to go on, as little birds in the world, in April, and I hope to do much more.
I have been reading this week on facebook... I love and hate facebook. Sometimes its really bums me out... Anyway, I've seen some folks are doing well, sharing their wares all over the world, and I hope to be doing the same, more, soon. I feel confident and comfortable with where I am as an artist. Connecting with the world and finding the people who need you as bad as you need them... Well, that's another challenge entirely. I keep wondering when it will get easier.
Probably, when you spread your wings and fly to find those friends. I think that's what the song says.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crQ4-bzU-uk
I decided to share Dennis's second song from my Open Mic on July 6, 2010. Dennis, a friend of mine from UMASS, way back in the day, was visiting from his home in San Francisco that day. It is always great to see him and we always have a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to catching up again in the Bay Area, in April, when Wes Davis and I are there for our Ocean Beach Road Show tour.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 79 "Under The Milky Way"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY9 jzzHakXY
One take is always nice. Especially when it's a song you haven't played in a really long time. "Under The Milky Way," by The Church, was one of the first cool, "new wave," songs that friends got me into long ago. My friend Scotty, his sister Elianna was into all this cool music and passed it all on to him. So Scotty was hip to The Church, Yo La Tengo, Robyn Hitchcock, The Pixies, and many other cool bands, long before I knew anything about anything musically. My friend Eugene would later supplement this new wave knowledge I was acquiring, with mix tapes and the like, Jane's Addiction, The Smithereens, Red Hot Chili Peppers... This was before even Lollapalooza, so these bands weren't super known yet.
Anyway, this was one of the first tunes Scotty turned me on to, that really grabbed me and I still think it's awesome to this day. Nice job, The Church. Way to songwrite!
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 79 "The Little Bird Song"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkmXrBOz1Sg
I wrote this tune one night a couple months ago. I was about to head over to my girlfriend's house, fairly late at night, and then this whole tune came to me, more or less. I always try to respect the inspiration when it comes, so I sat down with my guitar in front of the computer and recorded the first version of it. I haven't played it much since. I saw the chords I typed out sitting around and decided to go for it. I like this tune more than I remembered.
Although it is about the life and plight of a little bird, thinking about stretching it's wings and flying out into the world for the first time, the metaphor is about me (or you) doing the same thing. I am excited for the tour we are going to go on, as little birds in the world, in April, and I hope to do much more.
I have been reading this week on facebook... I love and hate facebook. Sometimes its really bums me out... Anyway, I've seen some folks are doing well, sharing their wares all over the world, and I hope to be doing the same, more, soon. I feel confident and comfortable with where I am as an artist. Connecting with the world and finding the people who need you as bad as you need them... Well, that's another challenge entirely. I keep wondering when it will get easier.
Probably, when you spread your wings and fly to find those friends. I think that's what the song says.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Operation 365... Blog 72
"Just keep you dreams alive and don't let anybody bring you down..."
These are the words I heard myself saying to a couple of high school students, walking to the parking lot after school. I guess some college recruitment lady was giving them the hard facts of life. "Never be yourself.""Your dreams will never come true." Stuff like that. The opposite of the stuff we teach kids the bulk of what the adult world is all about. After I said the words, I let them resonate in my head and it calmed me some. Occasionally we find wisdom where we least expect it, in ourselves
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 78 "On The Road Again" by Willie Nelson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIreq00zVdA
So before I conjured these words of wisdom at the end of the school day I was a little dejected about some things I'd rather not get into. Meanwhile, I had been editing the last few weeks of the blogs with thoughts of making a book maybe and I was reliving all these nice times I'd had on stage with my buddies. It made me dreamy about prospects on life on the road away from some of the trivial pettiness that some people choose to make their daily lives.
This song makes me feel good. Willie sums it up so well. "The life I love is makin' music with my friends..." Nice job Willie. You are an honorable man of conviction. No pun intended. I swear.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 78 Dennis Moore - 7-6-2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiosdFmG6Ss
So we are going to go one the road soon. Wes Davis and I, under the moniker, The Ocean Beach Road Show, are going to tour California in April. One of the people we will invariably visit with on our journey is my long-time friend Dennis Moore. Dennis and I were freshmen together at The University of Massachusetts-Amherst many, many moons ago. We have stayed friends and ever since, and now he lives with his wife, his daughter and his dog Tom in San Francisco.
Dennis was visiting me as my new Open Mic started on July 6, 2010. Here he is, playing one of his awesome tunes. He has a band up there called The Swammees and I would highly recommend checking them out if you like soulful rockin' bluesy stuff. I always have fun with I'm with Den and I look forward to seeing him and his in April
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 78 "Belgium"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khZBvCHC0kI
I guess, staying along the lines, of wanting to hit the road and be somewhere else, I conjured up "Belgium." I wrote "Belgium" after I'd been in Amsterdam for a few days, as long as I could handle then. It is a song about longing to be near family and friends when far away, as much as it's a song about travelling. Some of my friends here (that Petey Mueller again) like the song the most of mine, so I knew when I did it, it would be appreciated at least by a few particular amigos of mine. Speaking of amigos and loved one missed when far away, I think it was nice when Angel barked near the end, greeting my good friend, Paul Ruiz. Paul always helps me keep perspective when I'm feeling down. I guess we do that for each other. That's what friends are for. Two songs about friends, love, and the road. Angel is the pooch in the tune I'm alluding too. I missed her very much when she was but a pup and I was overseas having fun.
A special shout-out to Mr. 365, Beligian, Stefaan Engels, the dude who ran 365 marathons in 365 days, wrapping up that unbelievable feat just last week. Feel free to read more about that here. And I thought I was going overboard.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/world/2011/02/10/17220231.html
The doorbell even rang in the right key. Kismet.
These are the words I heard myself saying to a couple of high school students, walking to the parking lot after school. I guess some college recruitment lady was giving them the hard facts of life. "Never be yourself.""Your dreams will never come true." Stuff like that. The opposite of the stuff we teach kids the bulk of what the adult world is all about. After I said the words, I let them resonate in my head and it calmed me some. Occasionally we find wisdom where we least expect it, in ourselves
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 78 "On The Road Again" by Willie Nelson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIreq00zVdA
So before I conjured these words of wisdom at the end of the school day I was a little dejected about some things I'd rather not get into. Meanwhile, I had been editing the last few weeks of the blogs with thoughts of making a book maybe and I was reliving all these nice times I'd had on stage with my buddies. It made me dreamy about prospects on life on the road away from some of the trivial pettiness that some people choose to make their daily lives.
This song makes me feel good. Willie sums it up so well. "The life I love is makin' music with my friends..." Nice job Willie. You are an honorable man of conviction. No pun intended. I swear.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 78 Dennis Moore - 7-6-2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiosdFmG6Ss
So we are going to go one the road soon. Wes Davis and I, under the moniker, The Ocean Beach Road Show, are going to tour California in April. One of the people we will invariably visit with on our journey is my long-time friend Dennis Moore. Dennis and I were freshmen together at The University of Massachusetts-Amherst many, many moons ago. We have stayed friends and ever since, and now he lives with his wife, his daughter and his dog Tom in San Francisco.
Dennis was visiting me as my new Open Mic started on July 6, 2010. Here he is, playing one of his awesome tunes. He has a band up there called The Swammees and I would highly recommend checking them out if you like soulful rockin' bluesy stuff. I always have fun with I'm with Den and I look forward to seeing him and his in April
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 78 "Belgium"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khZBvCHC0kI
I guess, staying along the lines, of wanting to hit the road and be somewhere else, I conjured up "Belgium." I wrote "Belgium" after I'd been in Amsterdam for a few days, as long as I could handle then. It is a song about longing to be near family and friends when far away, as much as it's a song about travelling. Some of my friends here (that Petey Mueller again) like the song the most of mine, so I knew when I did it, it would be appreciated at least by a few particular amigos of mine. Speaking of amigos and loved one missed when far away, I think it was nice when Angel barked near the end, greeting my good friend, Paul Ruiz. Paul always helps me keep perspective when I'm feeling down. I guess we do that for each other. That's what friends are for. Two songs about friends, love, and the road. Angel is the pooch in the tune I'm alluding too. I missed her very much when she was but a pup and I was overseas having fun.
A special shout-out to Mr. 365, Beligian, Stefaan Engels, the dude who ran 365 marathons in 365 days, wrapping up that unbelievable feat just last week. Feel free to read more about that here. And I thought I was going overboard.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/world/2011/02/10/17220231.html
The doorbell even rang in the right key. Kismet.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Operation 365... Blog 71
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 77 Acoustic Booze - 9-14-2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMZgm8xZZX4
Yo may wonder, why wait until the 77th day of the Operation 365 to showcase Acoustic Booze, a band for wish you're the drummer. To that I answer, good question, anonymous reader and here is the answer. When Acoustic Booze began sometime in 2009, there was a lot of room for growth. So, I wanted to make sure when I did post footage, it was stuff that would show us after much of this growth had occurred.
Acoustic Booze is led by Blowski, perhaps my best friend on the planet. I decided I would offer him my services as a drummer because drummers are notoriously flaky and even if I couldn't promise him the word's greatest drumming, I could assure him I'd show up and have a good attitude, far more than can be said for many, if not most, drummers. Well, it has worked out very nicely. The Booze has played many gigs and grown up in a manner that makes me proud and happy.
Acoustic Booze is Blowski on vox, guitar and harmonica, Adrianna Martin-Morningstar on vocals and tambourine, Patricia Mueller on keys, Dylan Avery on bass, Paul Ruiz on trumpet and The Soul Man on guiro. Soul Man was not at this set, which was a reunion after a summer-long hiatus that happened unexpectedly at my Open Mic on September 14, 2010. We may be a smidge rusty here but the god vibe that Acoustic Booze takes to the stage every time out is in full effect.
This is one of our best tunes, "Been Thinkin'." I've enjoyed playing drums and being in the band far more than I could have imagined and think I've progressed all the way to being a "not bad drummer." There will be more Booze ahead in Operation 365. This is just the beginning.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 77 "Little Darling" by Justin Mills
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt41-9v-JeE
I wasn't super planning on posting this version of this tune ever, but I'm sick so I don't really want to be singing anything at all. This version of Justin Mills' classic tune "Little Darling" is all right, but I would have held up and done a better one somewhere down the line. That being said, this is what I got and I'm going with it.
Some background: Justin and I have been friends for a few years now. He is a San Diego-based songwriter who has written some of the greatest tunes I've ever heard. No joke. And I'm not the only one who feels that way around here. Justin is not as big a fan of his tunes though so he virtually never plays them. Maybe in his house... This may be his best of the bunch, "Little Darling." I love this song. It may be my favorite tune ever. It is Petey Mueller's. Not only is it great, but it has tremendous emotional significance to me. It lifted me up at a really dark time awhile back when a bunch of my stuff got stolen. The good news is the stuff came back. Yeah!
Justin and I play in a group called The Greens of Mind together once a year or so and I used to back him up on a cute little blue Ashbory bass a couple years ago, when he still played out. A little picture of The Greens can be seen at the video's conclusion. I love Justin. I am really glad we are friends. And "Little Darling" rules, even if this version is ehhish. And that's all I have to say about that right now.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Outtakes - 77 "P.S. It's You" - 8-26-2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzZeq-iwvM4
[Re-classified from "original" to "Outtake" at 7:36PM, 2/9/2011, upon realizing I'd already recorded "P.S. It's You" as the 72nd original tune of Operation 365]
Yesterday, I posted a video from a set at the Open Mic where this tune came to be. I figured I'd post it today to follow up that story line. This was recorded by The Jefferson Jay Band at Winston's in Ocean Beach on August 26, 2010, roughly a week after that on-stage breakthrough.
The Jefferson Jay Band on this Thursday evening included Richard Romero on bass, Jack Davidson on guitar, Paul Lopez on drums, Blowski on keys, The Soul Man on guiro, Paul Ruiz on trumpet on myself (Jefferson) on frontman responsibilities. This was the core version of my band for a good, long spell and is the version featured on my upcoming CD, "The Great New Way," that I'm extremely proud of. It is the best CD I've done by a healthy margin and I thank all those guys for helping make these statements true.
NOTE: I just realized while writing the "tags" that Justin Mills "Little Darling" says "It's Me" a million times and my original from today is called "P.S. It's You"... Whoa.
NOTE 2 : 7:27 PM I almost made a major boo-boo. I knew this day would come. I accidentally posted the same original tune for the second time today, "P.S. It's You." This is made even sadder by the fact that did this song the first time only 5 days ago. Well, I'm gonna find another original now and re-classify this for my purposes as an outtake on the 77th day of Operation 365. Whew.
I'm gonna have to write and record this one in one take if I can.
I did it.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 77 "So Damn Sick and Tired"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO0JMjRpwIw
I think I'm gonna let this one speak for itself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMZgm8xZZX4
Yo may wonder, why wait until the 77th day of the Operation 365 to showcase Acoustic Booze, a band for wish you're the drummer. To that I answer, good question, anonymous reader and here is the answer. When Acoustic Booze began sometime in 2009, there was a lot of room for growth. So, I wanted to make sure when I did post footage, it was stuff that would show us after much of this growth had occurred.
Acoustic Booze is led by Blowski, perhaps my best friend on the planet. I decided I would offer him my services as a drummer because drummers are notoriously flaky and even if I couldn't promise him the word's greatest drumming, I could assure him I'd show up and have a good attitude, far more than can be said for many, if not most, drummers. Well, it has worked out very nicely. The Booze has played many gigs and grown up in a manner that makes me proud and happy.
Acoustic Booze is Blowski on vox, guitar and harmonica, Adrianna Martin-Morningstar on vocals and tambourine, Patricia Mueller on keys, Dylan Avery on bass, Paul Ruiz on trumpet and The Soul Man on guiro. Soul Man was not at this set, which was a reunion after a summer-long hiatus that happened unexpectedly at my Open Mic on September 14, 2010. We may be a smidge rusty here but the god vibe that Acoustic Booze takes to the stage every time out is in full effect.
This is one of our best tunes, "Been Thinkin'." I've enjoyed playing drums and being in the band far more than I could have imagined and think I've progressed all the way to being a "not bad drummer." There will be more Booze ahead in Operation 365. This is just the beginning.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 77 "Little Darling" by Justin Mills
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt41-9v-JeE
I wasn't super planning on posting this version of this tune ever, but I'm sick so I don't really want to be singing anything at all. This version of Justin Mills' classic tune "Little Darling" is all right, but I would have held up and done a better one somewhere down the line. That being said, this is what I got and I'm going with it.
Some background: Justin and I have been friends for a few years now. He is a San Diego-based songwriter who has written some of the greatest tunes I've ever heard. No joke. And I'm not the only one who feels that way around here. Justin is not as big a fan of his tunes though so he virtually never plays them. Maybe in his house... This may be his best of the bunch, "Little Darling." I love this song. It may be my favorite tune ever. It is Petey Mueller's. Not only is it great, but it has tremendous emotional significance to me. It lifted me up at a really dark time awhile back when a bunch of my stuff got stolen. The good news is the stuff came back. Yeah!
Justin and I play in a group called The Greens of Mind together once a year or so and I used to back him up on a cute little blue Ashbory bass a couple years ago, when he still played out. A little picture of The Greens can be seen at the video's conclusion. I love Justin. I am really glad we are friends. And "Little Darling" rules, even if this version is ehhish. And that's all I have to say about that right now.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Outtakes - 77 "P.S. It's You" - 8-26-2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzZeq-iwvM4
[Re-classified from "original" to "Outtake" at 7:36PM, 2/9/2011, upon realizing I'd already recorded "P.S. It's You" as the 72nd original tune of Operation 365]
Yesterday, I posted a video from a set at the Open Mic where this tune came to be. I figured I'd post it today to follow up that story line. This was recorded by The Jefferson Jay Band at Winston's in Ocean Beach on August 26, 2010, roughly a week after that on-stage breakthrough.
The Jefferson Jay Band on this Thursday evening included Richard Romero on bass, Jack Davidson on guitar, Paul Lopez on drums, Blowski on keys, The Soul Man on guiro, Paul Ruiz on trumpet on myself (Jefferson) on frontman responsibilities. This was the core version of my band for a good, long spell and is the version featured on my upcoming CD, "The Great New Way," that I'm extremely proud of. It is the best CD I've done by a healthy margin and I thank all those guys for helping make these statements true.
NOTE: I just realized while writing the "tags" that Justin Mills "Little Darling" says "It's Me" a million times and my original from today is called "P.S. It's You"... Whoa.
NOTE 2 : 7:27 PM I almost made a major boo-boo. I knew this day would come. I accidentally posted the same original tune for the second time today, "P.S. It's You." This is made even sadder by the fact that did this song the first time only 5 days ago. Well, I'm gonna find another original now and re-classify this for my purposes as an outtake on the 77th day of Operation 365. Whew.
I'm gonna have to write and record this one in one take if I can.
I did it.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 77 "So Damn Sick and Tired"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO0JMjRpwIw
I think I'm gonna let this one speak for itself.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Operation 365... Blog 70
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 76 Chris Zach - 4-15-2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mX9vqbUYo4
Here my good pal, Chris Zach, plays one of his most awesome tunes, "Welcome To The Good Life." This was recorded on 4-15-201 on my birthday/CD Release party. Chris is as nice a guy as you'll meet. He is what you would call "a good Christian." I may not even mention that here if he didn't tag "Welcome To The Good Life," with the classic line, "All I need is Jesus and my 6-string. Welcome to The good life."
This tune is about what it's like living here in San Diego. Chris has always been very appreciative to me for encouraging his art. I recorded his first CD. Recording this tune in particular was one of the most emotional moments I've ever had in the studio. The message of the tune really dawned on me in a profound way. It wasn't very long after my trusty amigo, Don Truesdail, passed away and I was overcome with the beauty of this tune and the whole experience of participating in the recording of it. Chris is a truly special guy and I'm glad to be able to call him a friend.
This clip was filmed by Dylan Avery.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 76 "The OB Tampons Song" by Unknown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_e7HEZwO7M
One day Wes Davis and I were sitting around and we thought it would be real funny to learn the old jingle for "OB" tampons from back in the 80s. The little neighborhood in San Diego that we live in is called OB, short for Ocean Beach. It is a little hippyish beach town and it is vey chill.
So we spent about a half an hour figuring it out. Here is a link to us recording it right after we did.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou3oSr2UXbI
So we like it and we added it the set list for Wes Davis & The Clean Dirt Boys, for whom I banjo. Here we are playing on stage with Dyaln Avery on bass, Paul Ruiz on trumpet and The Soul Man on guiro at my open mic on August 3, 2010. This is the first cover song that is not a "traditional" song that I've posted that I have no idea who wrote it. I even looked and that information is not readily available on the net.
Just try OB and you'll see.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 76 "Gypsy Roll"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN21wyi9pkI
Got a bit of sickness going on so I'd rather not sing and sound terrible if I can help it. So momentarily, I will be ransacking my archives for a spot of me singing some original song of mine that I haven't done yet to fill this space right here right now. Took a few tries but I got it.
This version of "Gypsy Roll" was filmed at my Open Mic on August 17, 2010. This was probably the most memorable to me of all my Open Mics at the venue I was working at at that time. Our drummer for this set was a man named Brent from Dallas. He was a nice guy who wanted to play the Open Mic so we (Richard Romero, Soul Man and I) took it to the stage for him and he backed up up. I half-jokingly called our band "Brent & The Bombers." Brent was a Texas Rangers fan and I am a Yankee fan so there is a little rub in there. Well, we wound up having an awesome bluesy three song set. The first tune we played "P.S. It's You," was put together on stage right then and I like that tune a lot. I always improvise the lyrics to "Gypsy Roll" every time we play it. It is like my tune "Killing's Wrong" in that way.
The interesting unforeseen thing that followed from this jam was Soul Man called me the next day and let me know quite clearly that he thinks we need to be doing that kind of stuff all the time. Getting people to dance. He told me something like "your songs are good, but you've got to get the chickies dancing". That was the gist of what he said but that is far from a quote you must know. Well, Soul Man rarely offers impassioned unsolicited advice like that. He is 92 and knows some stuff so I listened. I adjusted the set for our next gig accordingly and now, a few months later, The Jefferson Jay Band sounds a lot more like Brent and The Bombers than I ever imagined it would. The recent additions of Cory and Laura Wilkins to the Jefferson Jay musical posse have only made us more rockin and bluesy. That style of music lends itself nicely to my singing voice, so a that way we will go for awhile and see what happens. Thanks to Brent from Dallas. Hope to see him again some day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mX9vqbUYo4
Here my good pal, Chris Zach, plays one of his most awesome tunes, "Welcome To The Good Life." This was recorded on 4-15-201 on my birthday/CD Release party. Chris is as nice a guy as you'll meet. He is what you would call "a good Christian." I may not even mention that here if he didn't tag "Welcome To The Good Life," with the classic line, "All I need is Jesus and my 6-string. Welcome to The good life."
This tune is about what it's like living here in San Diego. Chris has always been very appreciative to me for encouraging his art. I recorded his first CD. Recording this tune in particular was one of the most emotional moments I've ever had in the studio. The message of the tune really dawned on me in a profound way. It wasn't very long after my trusty amigo, Don Truesdail, passed away and I was overcome with the beauty of this tune and the whole experience of participating in the recording of it. Chris is a truly special guy and I'm glad to be able to call him a friend.
This clip was filmed by Dylan Avery.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 76 "The OB Tampons Song" by Unknown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_e7HEZwO7M
One day Wes Davis and I were sitting around and we thought it would be real funny to learn the old jingle for "OB" tampons from back in the 80s. The little neighborhood in San Diego that we live in is called OB, short for Ocean Beach. It is a little hippyish beach town and it is vey chill.
So we spent about a half an hour figuring it out. Here is a link to us recording it right after we did.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou3oSr2UXbI
So we like it and we added it the set list for Wes Davis & The Clean Dirt Boys, for whom I banjo. Here we are playing on stage with Dyaln Avery on bass, Paul Ruiz on trumpet and The Soul Man on guiro at my open mic on August 3, 2010. This is the first cover song that is not a "traditional" song that I've posted that I have no idea who wrote it. I even looked and that information is not readily available on the net.
Just try OB and you'll see.
Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 76 "Gypsy Roll"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN21wyi9pkI
Got a bit of sickness going on so I'd rather not sing and sound terrible if I can help it. So momentarily, I will be ransacking my archives for a spot of me singing some original song of mine that I haven't done yet to fill this space right here right now. Took a few tries but I got it.
This version of "Gypsy Roll" was filmed at my Open Mic on August 17, 2010. This was probably the most memorable to me of all my Open Mics at the venue I was working at at that time. Our drummer for this set was a man named Brent from Dallas. He was a nice guy who wanted to play the Open Mic so we (Richard Romero, Soul Man and I) took it to the stage for him and he backed up up. I half-jokingly called our band "Brent & The Bombers." Brent was a Texas Rangers fan and I am a Yankee fan so there is a little rub in there. Well, we wound up having an awesome bluesy three song set. The first tune we played "P.S. It's You," was put together on stage right then and I like that tune a lot. I always improvise the lyrics to "Gypsy Roll" every time we play it. It is like my tune "Killing's Wrong" in that way.
The interesting unforeseen thing that followed from this jam was Soul Man called me the next day and let me know quite clearly that he thinks we need to be doing that kind of stuff all the time. Getting people to dance. He told me something like "your songs are good, but you've got to get the chickies dancing". That was the gist of what he said but that is far from a quote you must know. Well, Soul Man rarely offers impassioned unsolicited advice like that. He is 92 and knows some stuff so I listened. I adjusted the set for our next gig accordingly and now, a few months later, The Jefferson Jay Band sounds a lot more like Brent and The Bombers than I ever imagined it would. The recent additions of Cory and Laura Wilkins to the Jefferson Jay musical posse have only made us more rockin and bluesy. That style of music lends itself nicely to my singing voice, so a that way we will go for awhile and see what happens. Thanks to Brent from Dallas. Hope to see him again some day.
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