Simone
I had the joyous pleasure of meeting and interviewing Lisa Kelly Simone for the Tryon Daily Bulletin today after hearing her sing and field a million questions from the kids at Tryon Elementary. I feel blessed to have been in the presence of such a bright star sharing her light with the world.
It’s a gorgeous day today as I finish up the computer work on my porch listening to the sounds of birds and watching pileated woodpeckers flirt among the locust trees. What an amazing spot to call home!
This evening will bring a reception for Simone and in some ways it feels like Nina Simone has finally come home to Tryon through her daughter. May her spirit receive the love from this town that raised her on music even though the politics of the time sent her away feeling like she could never come back.
Songs lyrics in my head recently in no particular order
Never was I – Mad Tea Party
Paper Moon – (Arlen & Harburg)
It’s All Right With Me – (Cole Porter)
Love will Come to You – Indigo Girls
Christine – Screaming J’s
The Pearls – Jelly Roll Morton*
Shadows of the Night – Pat Benatar
Rock & Roll Music – Chuck Berry
Dream a Little Dream of Me – (Andre, Schwandt, & Kahn)
My Inspiration is You – Annette Henshaw (Levant, Rose, & Dixon)
*Okay, this one doesn’t have lyrics that I know of, but the tune has been insistant lately.
Frozen Spring
Starting with a dusting
Winter finally wrestles a win
Over the thermal belt.
Icicles drip from rocks
Gleaming golden in the sunset
like the dazed narcissus
Bowing to the white carpet.
Frozen fingers
can’t type the words
hiding in my heart
waiting for the world to thaw.
A Wiley Westward Caravan of Sound
March 26, 2009 starts the Redwood Jazz Festival in Eureka, CA. I’ve been informed “this is the one to go to” this year.
I had a great time road tripping from Seattle to Sacramento last May for that festival and learned so much and met so many amazing people I’m eager to get to another festival. I’m also due for a visit to my parents in Washington since I skipped the holiday madness. I was considering trying to buy a plane ticket, but then started thinking…
Do I actually know enough people from my travels that I could drive across country and back with a couple musicians in tow and find enough gigs to let us eat, sleep and buy gas along the way? It would be a great way to visit some of my favorite people while the money I make here continues to feed the house as a place for other travelers to rest on their way through my neck of the woods.
I’m working on hashing out some details on my end, but suggestions, ideas, and contacts are certainly welcome!
I love…times 10
I’m sitting here listening to the sound of the rain outside and just read the lovely Miss Caroline’s blog about her 10 awesome things that happened yesterday and couldn’t help but be inspired to list some of the things making my own world a brighter place this week.
I love…
1. The roaring sound of rain on the tin roof outside when the world around me has seemed far too flammable lately.
2. A furry, purring cat by my side and a fluffy puppy at my feet while sitting on the couch and writing on the computer on a cold night.
3. Taking a detour to discover something new and a home cooked meal.
4. Listening, dancing, playing, singing, and just plain being in the middle of talented, inspiring, live musicians nearly every day.
5. Friends who don’t assume to have the answers, but help to find the questions that allow us to grow together rather than apart.
6. People willing to share stories about themselves.
7. A quiet, warm house when I’ve grown world weary and need rest.
8. The smell and taste of fresh ground coffee brewing at home.
9. Mistakes that allow you the freedom to change your perspective and salvage what’s good while you rid yourself of baggage.
10. Turning a grimace of frustration into a smile and laughter.
You are under no obligation, but please feel free to post your own ten things and keep the love flowing to brighten the dark.
Something’s burning
Chopper flying over my house to bring water from Town Lake above my house to Melrose Mountain
I feel like I’ve been under fire the past week. I’m behind on my work and making more mistakes trying to help other people while hurting myself. Yesterday, as I tried to buckle down to solve some problems for myself, I stepped outside to refuel the kerosene heater and noticed it was oddly warm. I looked out to see the mountain across the valley on fire.
As I climbed my driveway for a better view, I noticed that firefighters were hard at work and had already saved the houses in the valley, but were still fighting for control. When I returned from trying to handle my own “forest fire” of finances there were spotters at my mailbox delivering information to the folks on the ground and the choppers gathering water from the lake above my house. As the day wore on, the rain arrived to help the humans control the blaze and prevent damage to human structures. At the same time yesterday, my own finances seemed to rage uncontrollably and I felt like for all the work I did to save myself, the debt I owed to others grew.
The view across the Pacolet Valley from my porch 2/2/2009
However, as I watched the flames smolder and dim after dark I realized that sometimes the only thing you can do is control the burn and thank the heavens for their help. I have a feeling this spring there will be brilliant new growth now that the fire has burned the useless baggage of old leaves and vines on the mountain.
I went to sleep trusting that the same lesson will apply to my own life. As long as I keep working hard to prevent the fire of my frustration from spreading to those I love, the dead wood in my life can burn and, with some help from above, fertilize the blossoms of spring.
Dreaming of jamming at sea
In between emails and other word munching for work I started wondering what the saxophonist Skerik might be up to these days. I remember catching him play with Sadhappy in Seattle in the early 90’s. In the midst of all the guitar players flooding the city at that time it was impressive to see how he could rock a woodwind. A quick Google video search pulled up a slew of new fan video bites from the Jam 7 Cruise at the beginning of the month.
A musicians life may be a bit bumpy at times, but things can’t be all bad if you’re jamming with Les Claypool on a cruise ship headed for Belize and Costa Maya.
My dad is headed for Puerto Penasco, and the Chinese New Year revelers from Asheville have hit Negril, Jamaica to jam on the beach there. I’m wondering if the Hawaiian sounds of Kon Tiki at The Purple Onion in Saluda this Saturday will be enough to quench my thirst for sea faring musical adventure. For now, I’m winter cloud drip computer working and dreaming of sun jamming music on the ocean.
Getting by
When the world is frozen
seek shelter with company
when the cupboard is bare
pool your resources with friends
many hands working together
make a mighty task simple
so no one is hungry or cold
Shifting sands
Awash in a ocean of information
more words flood my way than I read
more sounds crash over my head than I hear.
Pulling myself on dry land to catch my breath
the sand shifts beneath my feet
tugging my toes toward the edge
until the current pulls and I float back out to sea.
Jazz & Poetry 