Songs from the 50's and 60's I VAmp on at the Piano...
Hi,
Thought I d mention a few vintage songs Ive been vamping
(improvising) on the piano...
I dig Eddie Heywood's Canadian Sunset, and it's a groove to
play..
Lets see, what else?...a trio of songs IVe been messing with
lately by the great composer Henry MAncini..Pink Panther Theme,
Peter Gunn, and Dream OF a Lifetime(Ballad) One of the old
standards I like mess with is "Pretty Baby" written by genius pianist TOny Jackson from the
ragtime era(this one admittedly not from the 60s-lol...)
I dont know if Ray Charles ever did this one, but I can
picture him doing it...I fool around with some early Beatle
tunes..In particular I like All My Lovin'
and play a version of it similar to how Stu Phillips
conceptualized in on his Vol 2 Hollyridge Strings PLay the
Beatles..also
along the same lines from Stu Phillips P.S. I Love You, also by Lennon and Mc
Cartney...
What else do I like to do...well, I like to explore the
opening chord of A Hard Days Night by the Beatles...probably
the greatest opening of any record ever made..just one big
bang chord..on the piano.
the original recording does have a piano, but it also has,
well I hear a Harpsichord, an electric 12 string guitar, and an
electric Bass....So my version has a lot of notes in it...but its all
in the form of basically a sustained chord, a derivitive of the
d minor chord....or maybe a g7sus 4 chord
What else? Maybe vamp on Wives and Lovers By Burt Bacharach,
or trying to figure out the Beatle tune Yes It is!
Just a bunch of old songs for an old guy, but Im having fun!
Steveo
P.S.
ON the original front, been trying to further my composition
entitled Strawberry Hill..
It languished for quite a while with a sub standard bridge, but
this morning i thought of a new part..
and its much better..so I will try and integrate that into the
"body" of the song.
vist my sister blogs:
Steveo's Blogdog
www.steveowen.blogspot.com
Miimizan
Http://zitbagblog.blogspot.com
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Money, Mississippi
Money, Mississippi
(was the 3rd of June, another sleepy dusty delta day...)
Today I am blogging about a couple o things...first of all
the small town of Money, Mississippi...located in Le FLore county.
It started with me searching for current photos of singer Bobbie Gentry
who left show business during her prime sometime in the 70's...well, no photos of
Bobbie today seem to exist, although Ive heard through the grapevine she is still
with us.. more or less retired and living in California...
Ode To Billie Joe(1967) is one of my favorite songs, especially the way it was
"done up" with the arrangement by Jimmie Haskell....orchestration or no orchestration,
it is a brilliant piece of work.
After having no luck with any current Bobbie photos, I decided to research the bridge,
and there is some stuff on the web about it...
The Tallahatchie bridge was in disrepair, and was "closed down" in 1987. I say closed
down because although there is some controversy whether it still stands..some who
have been there say yes, it does...
but it is not in use, and has been supplanted by a new bridge down the way...
The bridge is located near a small town called "Money"...
What a name for a town eh....
Well, aside from the fame from the Tallahatchie Bridge being nearby, it is alo the
site of a notorious event in history , the incident at a store that led to the murder
of Emmett Till....
On this one site I ran accross, the bridge is discussed, and there are vintage photos
of Bobbie Gentry posing on the bridge..as well as a color shot of the old bridge in it's heydey....
I will give you the link:
http://bridgehunter.com/ms/leflore/bh37512/
Further:
after doing more research on the bridge, it appears it is standing, but not in use, and the new bridge, which is much simpler, runs right along side of it,,the locale given is Sidon, Ms.(which is right in thee area of Money...The road is called Roebuck Rd.
Here is a link to a pic of it via Neal Ann 's Pic gallery:
http://picasaweb.google.com/naparke3/SSTPhotoEssay#5314208641902189682
Steveo
visit my sister blogs:
Steveo's Blogdog
www.steveowen.blogspot.com
Miimizan
http://zitbagblog.blogspot.com
(was the 3rd of June, another sleepy dusty delta day...)
Today I am blogging about a couple o things...first of all
the small town of Money, Mississippi...located in Le FLore county.
It started with me searching for current photos of singer Bobbie Gentry
who left show business during her prime sometime in the 70's...well, no photos of
Bobbie today seem to exist, although Ive heard through the grapevine she is still
with us.. more or less retired and living in California...
Ode To Billie Joe(1967) is one of my favorite songs, especially the way it was
"done up" with the arrangement by Jimmie Haskell....orchestration or no orchestration,
it is a brilliant piece of work.
After having no luck with any current Bobbie photos, I decided to research the bridge,
and there is some stuff on the web about it...
The Tallahatchie bridge was in disrepair, and was "closed down" in 1987. I say closed
down because although there is some controversy whether it still stands..some who
have been there say yes, it does...
but it is not in use, and has been supplanted by a new bridge down the way...
The bridge is located near a small town called "Money"...
What a name for a town eh....
Well, aside from the fame from the Tallahatchie Bridge being nearby, it is alo the
site of a notorious event in history , the incident at a store that led to the murder
of Emmett Till....
On this one site I ran accross, the bridge is discussed, and there are vintage photos
of Bobbie Gentry posing on the bridge..as well as a color shot of the old bridge in it's heydey....
I will give you the link:
http://bridgehunter.com/ms/leflore/bh37512/
Further:
after doing more research on the bridge, it appears it is standing, but not in use, and the new bridge, which is much simpler, runs right along side of it,,the locale given is Sidon, Ms.(which is right in thee area of Money...The road is called Roebuck Rd.
Here is a link to a pic of it via Neal Ann 's Pic gallery:
http://picasaweb.google.com/naparke3/SSTPhotoEssay#5314208641902189682
Steveo
visit my sister blogs:
Steveo's Blogdog
www.steveowen.blogspot.com
Miimizan
http://zitbagblog.blogspot.com
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Space Junk
Space Junk
We eat, sleep work and play under the big tent of the earth's
atmosphere, but while we do that, we are unaware that
floating above us for the last 50 years are tons and tons of "space junk"...
This started accumulating in the late 50's when we and the
Russians first started to launch satellites into outer space.
After these electronic wonders played out thier usefulness:
specially go dead or out of orbit, they continue to float around..
What's even worse, once in awhile they fall back to earth.
Fortunately, since the earth is 3/4 water..the stuff falls harmlessly into the ocean.
But watch out for the stuff that may land on your head!(rare, but hey its a scarey thought.)
By now, in the year 2010, there is SO MUCH "space junk"...that our
scientists at NASA are worried about launching space shuttles
and probes into space, because the possibility of this stuff striking
is quite real...
NOw, from the beginning, The United States maintained a "log"
of all the things they shot up into space, and at this date, it is available on the
web as the U.S. Space Objects Registry...
IT shows when an object was launched, what type it was, and if it is still in oribt, or when it left orbit..
Whether it is functioning or not..
It turns out to be fascinating reading.
So with that said, here is the web address for the site:
http://www.usspaceobjectsregistry.state.gov/
Included are the famous Apollo, Gemini, and Mercury paraphanelia
Steveo
Please visit my sister blogs:
Steveo's Blogdog
www.steveowen.blogspot.com
Miimizan
http://zitbagblog.blogspot.com
We eat, sleep work and play under the big tent of the earth's
atmosphere, but while we do that, we are unaware that
floating above us for the last 50 years are tons and tons of "space junk"...
This started accumulating in the late 50's when we and the
Russians first started to launch satellites into outer space.
After these electronic wonders played out thier usefulness:
specially go dead or out of orbit, they continue to float around..
What's even worse, once in awhile they fall back to earth.
Fortunately, since the earth is 3/4 water..the stuff falls harmlessly into the ocean.
But watch out for the stuff that may land on your head!(rare, but hey its a scarey thought.)
By now, in the year 2010, there is SO MUCH "space junk"...that our
scientists at NASA are worried about launching space shuttles
and probes into space, because the possibility of this stuff striking
is quite real...
NOw, from the beginning, The United States maintained a "log"
of all the things they shot up into space, and at this date, it is available on the
web as the U.S. Space Objects Registry...
IT shows when an object was launched, what type it was, and if it is still in oribt, or when it left orbit..
Whether it is functioning or not..
It turns out to be fascinating reading.
So with that said, here is the web address for the site:
http://www.usspaceobjectsregistry.state.gov/
Included are the famous Apollo, Gemini, and Mercury paraphanelia
Steveo
Please visit my sister blogs:
Steveo's Blogdog
www.steveowen.blogspot.com
Miimizan
http://zitbagblog.blogspot.com
Monday, August 2, 2010
When You Get Old(er)
When You Get Old(er)
Seniors)
When you get old(er) it becomes a bit strange as you look for
people you might have once known, perhaps 30 or 40 years ago..
When searching on the net, we try various venues...
the internet...classmates.com, peoplefinder, facebook, etc.
First of all, for many of us, so much time has gone by, we
have no idea where some of the "people" we hung with may be...
and the dissapointing fact is that many are dead...
I take pity on a friend of mine who is 93 years old...she says
the people she knew... many not too long ago, and also a long time
ago are dead...and says it's a rather odd feeling.
When i want to look up one of my teachers or something from my past,
I head for the obit or death page, rather than searching for
them on the net...
In a rare instance, I was able to zero in on someone i used to hang with, but
have not contacted him directly..he has moved "up north"
and is an "attorney" now...guess I was lucky with that one.
It's important when we are older to be able to have a
touchstone to the past...
but as I stated, it gets pretty thin...if one were friends
with a family, or the family of the person in question, you
could contact the descendants or try to visit them..they, of course, are not that interested in someone they don't know, but knew someone they knew.
We can go this route when searching out relatives...but many of us are
well,... scattered, estranged, or, not very close anymore to the
relatives we once knew in what seems like another lifetime...
perhaps in connection of our parents...MAny of the relatives we seek or remember
turn out to be deceased, and their descendants are the ones we would find.
We lose touch with the people we held near, and many of them are gone.
Even if the people who we now visit or now know were not in our past...
we still have someone to talk and relate to! In that sense, it makes the "present more pleasant"..This is why its important for young and old folks to, as the
song says, "reach out" to one another...
Steveo
I want to mention the passing of a great musician, who lived a very long life..He had a quality life style conducting, and playing the oboe..
as well as doing a stint as a A&R record man in the 50s and tv
star in the 60's....
Mitch Miller... dead today at age 99. R.I.P.
visit my sister blogs:
Steveo's Blogdog
www.steveowen.blogspot.com
Miimizan
http://zitbagblog.blogspot.com
Seniors)
When you get old(er) it becomes a bit strange as you look for
people you might have once known, perhaps 30 or 40 years ago..
When searching on the net, we try various venues...
the internet...classmates.com, peoplefinder, facebook, etc.
First of all, for many of us, so much time has gone by, we
have no idea where some of the "people" we hung with may be...
and the dissapointing fact is that many are dead...
I take pity on a friend of mine who is 93 years old...she says
the people she knew... many not too long ago, and also a long time
ago are dead...and says it's a rather odd feeling.
When i want to look up one of my teachers or something from my past,
I head for the obit or death page, rather than searching for
them on the net...
In a rare instance, I was able to zero in on someone i used to hang with, but
have not contacted him directly..he has moved "up north"
and is an "attorney" now...guess I was lucky with that one.
It's important when we are older to be able to have a
touchstone to the past...
but as I stated, it gets pretty thin...if one were friends
with a family, or the family of the person in question, you
could contact the descendants or try to visit them..they, of course, are not that interested in someone they don't know, but knew someone they knew.
We can go this route when searching out relatives...but many of us are
well,... scattered, estranged, or, not very close anymore to the
relatives we once knew in what seems like another lifetime...
perhaps in connection of our parents...MAny of the relatives we seek or remember
turn out to be deceased, and their descendants are the ones we would find.
We lose touch with the people we held near, and many of them are gone.
Even if the people who we now visit or now know were not in our past...
we still have someone to talk and relate to! In that sense, it makes the "present more pleasant"..This is why its important for young and old folks to, as the
song says, "reach out" to one another...
Steveo
I want to mention the passing of a great musician, who lived a very long life..He had a quality life style conducting, and playing the oboe..
as well as doing a stint as a A&R record man in the 50s and tv
star in the 60's....
Mitch Miller... dead today at age 99. R.I.P.
visit my sister blogs:
Steveo's Blogdog
www.steveowen.blogspot.com
Miimizan
http://zitbagblog.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
People With No Common Sense
People With No Common Sense
(can be good people but they do stuff...)
Im afraid to tell you, some of the people I know have no
"common sense"..they act impulsively without realizing the
ramifications that would follow immediately...
I just have to shake my head when they do things, sometimes it
involves me inadvertently..as Im sure most of us know people
like that and to a certain degree we are affected by their actions...
What does the Wikipedia say defining Common Sense?
Common sense, based on a strict construction of the term,
consists of what people in common would agree on: that which
they "sense" as their common natural understanding. Some
people (such as the authors of Merriam-Webster Online) use the
phrase to refer to beliefs or propositions that in their
opinion most people would consider prudent and of sound
judgment, without reliance on esoteric knowledge or study or
research, but based upon what they see as knowledge held by
people "in common". Thus "common sense" (in this view) equates
to the knowledge and experience which most people already have,
or which the person using the term believes that they do or
should have. However this is not the common dictionary
definition. The most common meaning to the phrase is good
sense and sound judgement in practical matters. It has nothing
to do with what other people may think or feel.
Now, it is interesting that in 1776, Thomas Paine wrote a
pamplet called "Common Sense"...
but it had to do with the reasoning of why we should(at that
time) be free from British rule...
We all occasionaly do dumb stuff, but most of us refrain from
certain actions that would have an immediate consequence, cause
we recognize it. Example: flipping off a policeman? Does that
have immediate ramifications?
Do you know of anyone who does really dumb stuff, often, and it
outrages you because anyone with a lick of sense would know
"not" to do something without knowing the immediate
ramifications..Im not talking about anger(and even that
needs a great deal of reasoning and restraint, but who hasnt
acted out of anger at times)
These people do these things because it is something they
"Have to do"...
Yeah....I feel there is truly a disconnect in their brain,
whereby all reasoning goes out the window and is over ridden
by the strong desire or the need to "Act out"
THEN....after awhile it "dawns" upon them it was not a good
idea, possibly after it is pointed out by others(quite often immediately)
that they shouldnt have done that...????
Steveo
please visit my sister blogs:
Steveo's Blogdog
www.steveowen.blogspot.com
Miimizan
http://zitbagblog.blogspot.com
(can be good people but they do stuff...)
Im afraid to tell you, some of the people I know have no
"common sense"..they act impulsively without realizing the
ramifications that would follow immediately...
I just have to shake my head when they do things, sometimes it
involves me inadvertently..as Im sure most of us know people
like that and to a certain degree we are affected by their actions...
What does the Wikipedia say defining Common Sense?
Common sense, based on a strict construction of the term,
consists of what people in common would agree on: that which
they "sense" as their common natural understanding. Some
people (such as the authors of Merriam-Webster Online) use the
phrase to refer to beliefs or propositions that in their
opinion most people would consider prudent and of sound
judgment, without reliance on esoteric knowledge or study or
research, but based upon what they see as knowledge held by
people "in common". Thus "common sense" (in this view) equates
to the knowledge and experience which most people already have,
or which the person using the term believes that they do or
should have. However this is not the common dictionary
definition. The most common meaning to the phrase is good
sense and sound judgement in practical matters. It has nothing
to do with what other people may think or feel.
Now, it is interesting that in 1776, Thomas Paine wrote a
pamplet called "Common Sense"...
but it had to do with the reasoning of why we should(at that
time) be free from British rule...
We all occasionaly do dumb stuff, but most of us refrain from
certain actions that would have an immediate consequence, cause
we recognize it. Example: flipping off a policeman? Does that
have immediate ramifications?
Do you know of anyone who does really dumb stuff, often, and it
outrages you because anyone with a lick of sense would know
"not" to do something without knowing the immediate
ramifications..Im not talking about anger(and even that
needs a great deal of reasoning and restraint, but who hasnt
acted out of anger at times)
These people do these things because it is something they
"Have to do"...
Yeah....I feel there is truly a disconnect in their brain,
whereby all reasoning goes out the window and is over ridden
by the strong desire or the need to "Act out"
THEN....after awhile it "dawns" upon them it was not a good
idea, possibly after it is pointed out by others(quite often immediately)
that they shouldnt have done that...????
Steveo
please visit my sister blogs:
Steveo's Blogdog
www.steveowen.blogspot.com
Miimizan
http://zitbagblog.blogspot.com
Friday, July 23, 2010
Golden Groovies
Golden Groovies
Who are No Longer Here..
This is kind of a tribute blog to some of my heroes..
in tv who are no longer here...
They are not listed in any particular oeder.
Lloyd Thaxton-may 31, 1927-oct 5, 2008 great and innovative teen show host,
who's shoe was based in Los Angeles, but became syndicated all over the U.S.
Joe Pyne-dec 22, 1924-mar 23 1970 Father of Controversial televison, where pepole could come on his show
and step up to the beef box, and argue with him about various subjects..
Walt Disney,dec5,1901-dec 15,1966 - affectionately known as Uncle walt, Everyone's
favorite tv uncle, simply a genius..His warm tv personality
was very effecting.
nothing more needs to be said...
Louis Lomax-aug 26, 1922-july 30, 1970
Black Intellectual talk show host attcking trhe subjests of racism, equal rights, and various
other sujects..
I loved watching his Los Angeles based tv show in the late 60's.
Steve Allen dec 26, 1921-oct 30, 2000 an innovative variety show host, whoentertained us with his eit, personality, music,
and shenanigans"on the streets of Hollywood"...one of a kind.
Joey Bishop feb 3, 1918-oct 17, 2001 this quiet man who said little, but implied a lot in the rat pack days, developed his personality as
a talk show host, and became sinply, quite wonderful.He is missed.
WAlly George dec 4, 1931-oct 7, 2003-ultra conservative talk show host, on the order
of JOe Pyne, who "hung out" at one of my favorite restauants
in Rosemead, ca. "The Bahooka"
His show bordered on the ridiculous, but was very entertaining..RIP
Bob Clampett-may 8, 1913-may 4, 1984 not really a tv star, but a cartoon producer, and a great friend.I miss him..
Lawrence Welk-mar 11, 1913-may 17, 1992 Just miss the guy..he was a trip to watch, and made some very good
surf records(yes) in the early 60's!
Chick Lambert-(may still be alive, but no info on him) a Flambouyant Advertising host, who did spots for the all night movies KTTV in Los Angeles
back in the early 60's He was something else! (See my blog on Chick)
Dean MArtin jun 17,1917 dec 25, 1995(yes thats right, he passed on xmas.)
a real smooth guy who let you in on the fun he was having..just
so enjoyable to watch!
Henry MAncini ap 15, 1924 - jun 14, 1994 he was only 70! I am familiar with this great man of music through his tv show(MAncini Generation,early 70's)
his records, his interviews(youtube), and of course, his
wonderful music. He was really a fine fellow.
These guys gave so much "color" to our local tv, they are irreplaceable...
and inspirational..thanks guys!
Steveo
Please visit my sister blogs:
Steveo's Blogdog
www.steveowen.blogspot.com
Miimizan:
http://zitbagblog.blogspot.com
Who are No Longer Here..
This is kind of a tribute blog to some of my heroes..
in tv who are no longer here...
They are not listed in any particular oeder.
Lloyd Thaxton-may 31, 1927-oct 5, 2008 great and innovative teen show host,
who's shoe was based in Los Angeles, but became syndicated all over the U.S.
Joe Pyne-dec 22, 1924-mar 23 1970 Father of Controversial televison, where pepole could come on his show
and step up to the beef box, and argue with him about various subjects..
Walt Disney,dec5,1901-dec 15,1966 - affectionately known as Uncle walt, Everyone's
favorite tv uncle, simply a genius..His warm tv personality
was very effecting.
nothing more needs to be said...
Louis Lomax-aug 26, 1922-july 30, 1970
Black Intellectual talk show host attcking trhe subjests of racism, equal rights, and various
other sujects..
I loved watching his Los Angeles based tv show in the late 60's.
Steve Allen dec 26, 1921-oct 30, 2000 an innovative variety show host, whoentertained us with his eit, personality, music,
and shenanigans"on the streets of Hollywood"...one of a kind.
Joey Bishop feb 3, 1918-oct 17, 2001 this quiet man who said little, but implied a lot in the rat pack days, developed his personality as
a talk show host, and became sinply, quite wonderful.He is missed.
WAlly George dec 4, 1931-oct 7, 2003-ultra conservative talk show host, on the order
of JOe Pyne, who "hung out" at one of my favorite restauants
in Rosemead, ca. "The Bahooka"
His show bordered on the ridiculous, but was very entertaining..RIP
Bob Clampett-may 8, 1913-may 4, 1984 not really a tv star, but a cartoon producer, and a great friend.I miss him..
Lawrence Welk-mar 11, 1913-may 17, 1992 Just miss the guy..he was a trip to watch, and made some very good
surf records(yes) in the early 60's!
Chick Lambert-(may still be alive, but no info on him) a Flambouyant Advertising host, who did spots for the all night movies KTTV in Los Angeles
back in the early 60's He was something else! (See my blog on Chick)
Dean MArtin jun 17,1917 dec 25, 1995(yes thats right, he passed on xmas.)
a real smooth guy who let you in on the fun he was having..just
so enjoyable to watch!
Henry MAncini ap 15, 1924 - jun 14, 1994 he was only 70! I am familiar with this great man of music through his tv show(MAncini Generation,early 70's)
his records, his interviews(youtube), and of course, his
wonderful music. He was really a fine fellow.
These guys gave so much "color" to our local tv, they are irreplaceable...
and inspirational..thanks guys!
Steveo
Please visit my sister blogs:
Steveo's Blogdog
www.steveowen.blogspot.com
Miimizan:
http://zitbagblog.blogspot.com
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Tv news as gospel
I am sick of the local news playing in our home, and blaring out "advice", as my
sifgnificant other sits and comments on every little story
and somehow, it pertains to us......
Our local TV news in Southern Californa has decided that their job
is to blurt out constant tips, expert opinions on every little thing in life,
and should be followed to the "T".
Tips about food, mental heath, bowel movements, relationships,
and everything else imaginable. The public needs to "Take heed" to their every
suggestion, or at least my gf thinks so....
...not only that, but all of the "other" shows on the air..."Dr, Phil, Dr. Joe, and
Dr. whoever..."The Doctors"(find out what current illness you have today,tomorrow it
will be something else)....
As my friend Penny had told me, she would read a medical book on some malady, and
was sure she had the disease..
Im wonderng if all of this stuff doesnt do more harm than good....
Just "one reporters opinion" (me) as George Putnam used to say.
Steveo
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