From: les@jmdl.com (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2002 #57 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: les@jmdl.com Errors-To: les@jmdl.com Precedence: bulk Unsubscribe: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe Archives: http://www.smoe.org/lists/joni Websites: http://www.jmdl.com http://www.jonimitchell.com JMDL Digest Tuesday, February 5 2002 Volume 2002 : Number 057 The Official Joni Mitchell Homepage, created by Wally Breese, can be found at http://www.jonimitchell.com. It contains the latest news, a detailed bio, Original Interviews, essays, lyrics and much much more. The JMDL website can be found at http://www.jmdl.com and contains interviews, articles, the member gallery, archives, and much more. ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Today in History: February 5 [les@jmdl.com] Re: Reading music ["Nuriel Tobias" ] Regarding reading and writing. [johnirving ] Pro-am expression ( NJC) [Gordon Mackie ] RE: tips for vacationing in USA (njc) [Preet D ] trimming posts NJC [colin ] Re: Jonifest CD's [anne@sandstrom.com] Re: Dylan Live (NJC) [Jerry Notaro ] Re: Reading music [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] Reading/writing - Paprika Plains [anne@sandstrom.com] Re: Regarding reading and writing. [Jerry Notaro ] Re: Regarding reading and writing. ["Sharon L. Buffington" ] Re: Janis NJC [Gil Lamont ] NJC - London Underground ["Norma" ] Re: janis movie njc [jan gyn ] Re: Sophie's Choice, NJC [colin ] Re: NJC Re: Jonifest CD's VERY NJC [FMYFL@aol.com] Re: Janis NJC [Vince Lavieri ] Re: Joni in Greece [Nuriel Tobias ] Re: Janis NJC [Gil Lamont ] Re: Joni in Greece [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] Re: Janis NJC [Gerald Notaro ] Re: Janis NJC ["Kakki" ] Re: Joni Live [Gil Lamont ] Re: Joni Live [Murphycopy@aol.com] Re: Janis NJC [Gil Lamont ] good news and bad news njc ["mack watson-bush" ] Ashara's normalcy njc ["mack watson-bush" ] Re: Janis NJC ["mack watson-bush" ] Re: Janis NJC ["mack watson-bush" ] A Case of Yoo Hoo! ["William Waddell" ] NJC - Chicken Stuffin Recipe ["Norma" ] Re: NJC - Chicken Stuffin Recipe ["mack watson-bush" ] Re: Regarding reading and writing. ["Bree Mcdonough" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 03:03:59 -0500 From: les@jmdl.com Subject: Today in History: February 5 On February 5 in Joni Mitchell History: 1966: Joni performs again tonight at The Chess Mate in Detroit. 1974: Joni performs at Avery Fischer Hall in New York 1981: From Wally's bio page: At a ceremony in Toronto's O'Keefe Center [today] Joni was in competition for a Juno Award as Canada's Best Female Vocalist, which she lost to Anne Murray. But Joni was also inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and presenting the award to her was Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. In her acceptance speech she remarked that receiving a Hall of Fame accolade like this one made her feel like hockey champion Boom Boom Geoffrion. More info: http://www.jonimitchell.com/Juno81.html - ------------------------ Search the "Today" database at http://www.jmdl.com/today ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 03:12:47 -0500 From: "Nuriel Tobias" Subject: Re: Reading music My take...What's always got me thinking of Joni as one of the first Punk girls is the fact that she was one of the first ladies in the music scene that, to put in my own unworthy words, "woke up one morning and decided to play". Punk music (Rock music is a good example too but Punk is realy about it) and Punk musicians were often called "The broom folks" for the fact that they picked up an instrument that made it's way to them and decided to see "what they could do with it". This is realy just my take and we all know Joni's music isn't Punk but she's a brilliant name in the strange and lovely story of the unread/unlearned popular music. That's always made me look at her as a real rural witch, even now, when she's recording with the London Orcherstra. I find the fact that so many housewives and country-boys, factory-workers and runaway kids from school, taught themselves to play in order to express themselves, amazing. Mind, Joni's was best in always taking her guitar playing further and learning more and getting better and better. Love, Nuri - -- _______________________________________________ Sign-up for your own FREE Personalized E-mail at Mail.com http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup Win a ski trip! http://www.nowcode.com/register.asp?affiliate=1net2phone3a ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 03:20:14 -0600 From: johnirving Subject: Regarding reading and writing. I deeply regret that Joni does not know how to write sheet music. The 'loss' in Joni's inability to write is she cannot be the creator behind the orchestral music of her last and next project. She has to rely on someone else arranging the music, which removes it, for me, a bit away from being HER music and it becoming someone elses. She has managed to work around this shortcoming quite beautifully. It's certainly hasn't hindered her composing on piano or guitar. When she's needed to, she hums the parts. That seems to work well enough. I guess if you surround yourself with masterful players, the weakness kind of fade off into the back ground. Joni is a wonderful composer. It's a shame she never learned to put it on a page. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 09:50:32 +0000 From: Gordon Mackie Subject: Pro-am expression ( NJC) More thoughts on the matter of 'literacy' and artistic expression. Do you have to go to art school to be a painter? If so, why does Henri Rousseau hang in the Musee D'Orsay in Paris. Another thought. If music is intrinsic to the human experience,(which I argue it is) is all African tribal music lesser because they don't read notation or go to music school? Another thought. Is all folk music 'lesser' because it is a form of untrained aural/oral history? I suppose what I'm getting at is notions of all forms of musical expression having validity ..the same validity...no matter what the form. That is, it is about the human experience. Having said all that , I do believe in some music being better or worse than others. (usually a drunken party conversation)..lol Oh...someone mentioned Gershwin in all of this.... cant remember who. He studied music from an early age and wrote musical notation. He had a number of piano tutors but didnt formally go to a music school. He even asked Nadia Boulanger for for lessons when he was in Paris, but she politely declined. He sketched out much of American in Paris during that visit. Er thoughts over...brain dead...awaiting a roasting ..... Gordon ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 10:48:09 +0000 From: Preet D Subject: RE: tips for vacationing in USA (njc) HELP ME!; I think I'm suffering from malnutrition here in London, what with all the Raddicio Salads, Puy Lentils, and Bulgar wheat drowned in that horrible balsamic Oh how I miss Denny's dollar 99 breakfasts ... Preet "gaunt, wet but smiling" ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 11:03:27 +0000 From: colin Subject: trimming posts NJC Trimming posts is an excellent idea as they do get long and for those on digest must be a pain. Surely, tho these requests would be better sent privately and responded to privately because there has been a spate of 'please trim', 'i apologise' and so on all of which clutters the digest which is the thing trying to be avoided? ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 05:11:15 -0800 (PST) From: anne@sandstrom.com Subject: Re: Jonifest CD's Speaking of which, I have several copies of JoniFest CDs ready to send to a few JMDLers, but I need the artwork. Does anyone have the files? Thanks. lots of love Anne ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 08:26:17 -0500 From: Jerry Notaro Subject: Re: Dylan Live (NJC) Dylan: ageless, peerless, perfect Series: 2B; CONCERT REVIEW St. Petersburg Times; St. Petersburg, Fla.; Feb. 4, 2002; GINA VIVINETTO; Abstract: [Bob Dylan] himself was a wonder in a large, white cowboy hat and a western suit - not quite as garish as one of Gram Parson's beloved Nudie suits, but flashy enough. The night's music had a decidedly twangy feel, with Dylan emerging to the opening strains of Aaron Copland's Rodeo. Classics such as Hey Mr. Tambourine Man and It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) were invigorated by the tight band, Dylan's gargle-on- gravel vocals and the Palace's surprisingly crisp acoustics. (Apparently Dylan's sound guy is doing more than just burning bushels of Nag Champa incense down there.) Full Text: Copyright Times Publishing Co. Feb. 4, 2002 Rock legend Bob Dylan and His Band rolled into the Ice Palace Saturday to treat several thousand fans to a perfect performance. Dylan, 60, culled generously from his decades of superb songs and also served new material from last year's masterpiece "Love & Theft." Dylan may now be a senior citizen, but he's lost none of his punch. He'll forever wear the label of spokesperson for the 1960s generation, but his message is powerful for folks of any age. In a time when the current popular music landscape lacks a visionary of its own, Dylan's gruff, provocative and tough-minded presence is appealing. Sexagenarian or not, in rock's world of sages and soothsayers, Dylan is still peerless. As an artist, he bursts with a creativity both seasoned and playful. Dylan and His Band, which includes the lanky, talented Austin based blues guitarist Charlie Sexton, were so frolicsome, the vibe seeped into the audience. Fans - an exact attendance figure was not available - stood many times to applaud and groove. Yes, you can dance to Dylan - who knew? Dylan himself was a wonder in a large, white cowboy hat and a western suit - not quite as garish as one of Gram Parson's beloved Nudie suits, but flashy enough. The night's music had a decidedly twangy feel, with Dylan emerging to the opening strains of Aaron Copland's Rodeo. Classics such as Hey Mr. Tambourine Man and It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) were invigorated by the tight band, Dylan's gargle-on- gravel vocals and the Palace's surprisingly crisp acoustics. (Apparently Dylan's sound guy is doing more than just burning bushels of Nag Champa incense down there.) Dylan's sassy leg thrusts, kicks, and shuffles were a delight, as was witnessing his frequent grin. He's at home on stage. Sure, we were several thousand strong in that arena, but it felt like we were in his living room, even if he didn't talk to us at all. Dylan tweaks every song, pulls something different from its core, explores the thing and offers it to fans. Who recognized the night's last encore Blowin' in the Wind, totally deconstructed, until Dylan and his cohorts began brightly harmonizing its chorus? It was the same with Forever Young. The timely Masters Of War resonated, with the crowd cheering its antiwar message. Lay Lady Lay was gorgeous awash in Larry Campbell's pedal steel guitar. Campbell's zesty banjo on the new High Water was just as tasty. The rave-up Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum was fiery and fun. Several new numbers were fresh with a rockabilly feel. Former Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dickey Betts, who lives near Sarasota, joined his old pal, adding bluesy riffage to Rainy Day Women #12 & 35. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 08:29:22 EST From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Reading music <> This is a pretty good assessment, Nuriel. Her first foray was with the ukelele, which is pretty easy to play. Then on to guitar and piano, discovering all the way. When she was in Greece for a year the government prohibited guitar (so she says in an interview) so she picked up the dulcimer and forged ahead with that. I wish she'd get to work on the accordion to challenge herself, but I don't think her post-polio syndrome would allow much accordion exploration. Bob NP: Heather Nova, "We Can Work It Out" ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 05:30:07 -0800 (PST) From: anne@sandstrom.com Subject: Reading/writing - Paprika Plains One more thought on Joni and reading/writing music. My least favorite song of Joni's (aside from Smoking/try another) is Paprika Plains. I know a lot of you love it. But to me there are just too many places where my ear says "oops." To my ear, contrary to what Joni claims, she DOES hit 'wrong' notes in this composition. She doesn't bend rules in this, she breaks them. I've often thought that if Joni had some more music theory training (even if she couldn't write out lead sheets) that she would understand her own compositions - - past and present - and be able to expand on her work in an interesting way. Sometimes I think she dismisses her early work a bit too easily and may not be able to fully appreciate her innovations in a somewhat studied way. Her writing seems to be dictated by her performance ability and preferences. This is a really natural thing to do - yet I think it would be fascinating to see what she would come up with if she were writing with no intention of performing herself. lots of love Anne ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 08:35:51 -0500 From: Jerry Notaro Subject: Re: Regarding reading and writing. johnirving wrote: > I deeply regret that Joni does not know how to write sheet music. The > 'loss' in Joni's inability to write is she cannot be the creator behind > the orchestral music of her last and next project. She has to rely on > someone else arranging the music, which removes it, for me, a bit away > from being HER music and it becoming someone elses. She has managed to > work around this shortcoming quite beautifully. It's certainly hasn't > hindered her composing on piano or guitar. When she's needed to, she > hums the parts. That seems to work well enough. I guess if you surround > yourself with masterful players, the weakness kind of fade off into the > back ground. > > Joni is a wonderful composer. It's a shame she never learned to put it > on a page. I have to kindly disagree. I am a trained musician and have never regretted that. It took me places I could have never gone without it. But it can also hold you back from seeing and hearing what is not part of the "logic' and "history" of the musical system. Joni may never have played the notes, chords, chord changes, and progressions if she had not struck out with what she heard in her head, rather than what she learned from a teacher. Of course, add to that a lyric genius, and we have Joni! Jerry ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 14:43:09 -0000 From: "Laurent Olszer" Subject: Sophie's Choice, NJC Ashara Wrote: > You might be interested to read two books by Rabbi Yonassan Gershom > Beyond the Ashes : Cases of Reincarnation from the Holocaust > and > From Ashes to Healing : Mystical Encounters With the Holocaust : Fifteen True > Stories > > If you feel as though you have lived through the Holocaust, these books will > give you goosebumps! > Hi Ashara, Just curious to know why you read those books and whether you feel as a reincarnation of a Holocaust victim yourself? I haven't read those but they sound interesting. I did read a book that tries to explain why the holocaust happened from a religious standpoint; it's written by Rabbi Tauber. The title of the French translation is: From darkness to light. Laurent ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 08:45:34 -0600 From: "Sharon L. Buffington" Subject: Re: Regarding reading and writing. Dear Jerry: I most respectfully agree. This was the point I wanted to make earlier in a post but you have made ever so more eloquently. :) Some people MUST have the training because it gives them the foundation and boundaries they require. Other people can not or will not conform to those foundations and boundaries touted as requisites for competence. Joni Mitchell is Joni Mitchell...flawed as any mortal and more brilliant than the sun. She can hear what sounds and feels right to her. That notwithstanding, scored orchestral pieces such as Bach, Beethoven, etc. are always altered and changed by whomever is conducting because the conductor wants a certain feeling or sound. I have heard that there is a machine or computer or some such thing that will take in the notes you are playing and convert it to sheet music. Has anyone else heard of this? Well, I am baking brioche this morning and it is about to come out of the oven. I had to follow a recipe. :) Love and Peace...Sharon Jerry Notaro wrote: > I have to kindly disagree. I am a trained musician and have never > regretted that. It took me places I could have never gone without it. But > it can also hold you back from seeing and hearing what is not part of the > "logic' and "history" of the musical system. Joni may never have played > the notes, chords, chord changes, and progressions if she had not struck > out with what she heard in her head, rather than what she learned from a > teacher. Of course, add to that a lyric genius, and we have Joni! > > Jerry ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 09:43:27 EST From: AsharaJM@aol.com Subject: Re: Jonifest CD's Sherelle said: <> Here are the complete set lists for each of the CD's. I know there is artwork for them out there somewhere, but not sure who exactly has them. I know Steve Polifka has them because he DID them!! LOL!! Also, perhaps our Southern Covers Gentleman may have them as well? Les, maybe we can put them on a webpage and people could download them? Hugs, Ashara CD 1 1) Roses In The Snow-Anne Sandstrom 2) The Blue In Her Eyes-Anne Sandstrom 3) When We Were Ten-Anne Sandstrom 4) Trouble Child-Chuck E. 5) If These Old Walls Could Speak (Webb)-Chuck E. 6) Rainy Night House-Chuck E. 7) Sweetbird-Leslie Mixon, Chuck E. and Jeff Clark 8) The Hunter-Alison Einerson and Jeff Clark 9) This Flight Tonight-Alison and Jeff 10) Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire- Jeff Clark, Kay, Yael, Mags, Marilyn & Anne 11) All I Want-Gregg Cagno 12) The No Dependent Song-Gregg Cagno with Jeff Bisch 13) For Free (Parody)-Gregg Cagno 14) Peoples Parties-Gregg Cagno on VG-8 15) Take To The Sky (Tori Amos)-Stephanie Morrison 16) Today-Stephanie Morrison 17) Love Or Money-Stephanie Morrison 18) Michael From Mountains-Amy Lohman 19) For Free-Amy Lohman 20) Musta Been (Wheeler)-Ashara w/Chuck E. and Anne CD 2: 1) Marcie-Marcel Deste 2) I Think I Understand-Marcel Deste 3) Night Ride Home-Marcel Deste with Steve Mixon 4) Buckets of Rain (Dylan)-Marcel Deste w/Steve Mixon 5) Here and Gone-Kate Bennett with Jeff Bisch/Victor 6) Irene-Kate Bennett w/Jeff Bisch and Steve Mixon/Victor 7) Louisiana Roadhouse-w/Jeff Bisch and Steve Mixon/Victor 8) One Last Tear-Jeff Bisch 9) Devil On The Mountain-Jeff Bisch with Kate Bennett 10) Crucifix-Jeff Bisch 11) By The Time It Gets Dark (Denny)-Claudia Sansoucie w/Kristine 12) Fire of the Wild-Claudia Sansoucie w/Kristine 13) A Case of You-Claudia and Gregg with Kristine 14) Conversation-Claudia and Kristine with Chris Marshall on Bass 15) Father and Son-Bob Muller with Michael Paz 16) Edith and the Kingpin-Bob Muller w/ Michael Paz on Piano 17) Blue Motel Room-Bob Muller w/ Steve Polifka on Piano CD 3: 1) Way Over Yonder (Carole King)-Leslie Mixon w/ Michael on Piano 2) The Dawntreader-Leslie and Steve Mixon 3) Big Yellow Taxi-Leslie and Steve Mixon, Claudia San Soucie, Kristine and Jeff Bisch 4) For Free-Leslie Mixon with Steve Polifka 5) Shades of Scarlett Conquering-Leslie Mixon w/ S.Polifka piano and Victor Johnson on Bass 6) Chinese Cafe-Leslie Mixon w/ S.Polifka piano and Chris Marshall on Bass 7) Cobalt Blue-Steve Polifka 8) Two Grey Rooms-Steve Polifka 9) The Hissing of Summer Lawns-Steve Polifka w/Leslie, Kakki, Mags and Kristine 10) Man From Mars-Steve Polifka 11) Four Seasons In One Day-John Van Tiel, Les Ross, Chris Marshall, and Claudia San Soucie 12) Sex Kills-Michael Paz w/ Chris on Bass/Kristine Percussion 13) Furry Sings The Blues-Michael Paz 14) Offnight Backstreet-Michael Paz w/ Kristine Percussion 15) The Space Between (Matthews)-Michael Paz 16) Elsewhere (Sarah MacLachlan)-Michael Paz with Claudia 17) Dreamland-Michael Paz and Choir and Percussion CD4: 1) If I Needed You-Alison Einerson, Claudia Sansoucie, Les Irvin on Guitar 2) That Song About The Midway-Yael 3) Wanting-Yael 4) I Don't Want To Wait In Vain (Marley)-Willy the Shake 5) Slip Sliding Away (Simon)-Willy the Shake 6) Rocket Man-(John/Taupin)-Willy The Shake 7) Not To Blame-Les Ross 8) Magdalene Laundries-Les Ross 9) Peoples Parties-Kay Ashley 10) Holy Man-Kay Ashley 11) Missing in Me-Kay Ashley 12) A Strange Boy-Kay Ashley 13) Daydream Man-Kay Ashley 14) Beautiful-Kay Ashley 15) The Sea (Denny) Kay Ashley w/ Claudia CD 5: 1) Into The Sun-Victor Johnson 2) Sailing-Victor Johnson 3) Angel (Hendrix)-Victor Johnson 4) California-Victor Johnson 5) Sailing To New Orleans-Victor Johnson w/ Claudia Sansoucie and Steve Mixon 6) The Master of The Ring-Victor Johnson. Steve Mixon, Chris Marshall, Steve Polifka, Kristine 7) Miss Otis Regrets (Porter)-WallyK 8) Every Raider is a Liar-WallyK 9) Like the Bottom of the Ocean-WallyK 10) Something Cool- Wally K 11) Carey-Nikki Johnson and the Hissettes (Kakki, Alison, Claudia, Leslie) Victor on Bass + Kristine 12) The Weight-Nikki Johnson with Paz. Lamadoo, Alison, Marcel, Mixon's, Victor, Chuck E. Cast of 1000's 13) You Turn Me On (I'm A Radio)-A Cast of Thousands (Paz Vg-8, Mixon on Mandolin, ChuckE Piano Victor on Bass) 14) Amelia-A Cast of Thousands (Paz On VG-8, ChuckE Piano, Victor Bass, Vox-Yael, Leslie, Alison, Steve P., Wally K 15) Song For Sharon-Michael Paz and Choir featuring Jimmy Stewart on wooo ooooo's 16) Circle Game - Amy Lohman and Gregg Cagno ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 09:57:06 EST From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: NJC Re: Jonifest CD's Me? A Southern Gentleman? Ashara, you're just trying to flatter me so I'll remember to send you your fest down payment! :~) Check's in the mail! LOL! And yes, I do have the artwork in question if Steve is unable to get it over to you...definitely worth having, he really did a super job. And of course anybody who wants the set can contact me and I'll be happy to tend to their needs. Bob NP: Ani Difranco, "blood in the boardroom" ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 10:11:48 EST From: AsharaJM@aol.com Subject: Re: Sophie's Choice, NJC Laurent wrote: > Just curious to know why you read those books and whether you feel as a > reincarnation of a Holocaust victim yourself? The main reason I read those books and many others on past lives, is that Past Life Regression was my vocation for the past 20 some odd years until very recently when I chose to close my practice. Besides being my line of work, I find the subject fascinating. To answer the second part of your question, yes, I think it is a distinct possibility. I have had severe emotional reactions to the Holocaust, even as a young girl, really way over the top. When visiting Yad Vashem in Israel, the Memorial to the Holocaust victims, I had to be practically carried out in a stretcher. Interesting enough, I don't think I was Jewish in that life, but a victim of one of the other factions that was persecuted. Hugs, Ashara {wondering how many of you are thinking....."and I always thought Ashara was such a 'normal' gal.} LOL!!! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 07:14:12 -0800 (PST) From: Lori in MD Subject: (NJC) Speaking of Jonatha Brooke ... J'Bro will be performing at the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA, next Wednesday, Feb 13, at 7:30 pm. (Yes of course I'll be there!) Other Birchmere performances of possible interest to DC-area folks: Nanci Griffith, Feb 25, 26 & 27 Joan Baez (with special guest Richard Shindell), Mar 9 & 10 Richard Elliot, Mar 24 Suzanne Westenhoefer (lesbian comedy), Mar 29 & 30 John Gorka, Apr 4 Fairport Convention, Apr 12 Janis Ian, Apr 13 Dar Williams, Apr 14 Kate Clinton (more lesbian comedy!), Apr 26 & 27 TOM RUSH, May 4 Richie Havens, May 11 http://www.birchmere.com Lori in MD ~ Send FREE Valentine eCards with Yahoo! Greetings! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 08:49:43 -0800 From: Gil Lamont Subject: Re: Janis NJC Bob (Murphycopy@aol.com) wrote: >Three days later she was at her infamous 10th high school reunion in Port >Arthur. And within two months she was dead. Such a profound loss. Sometime in 1970 I was near the Psychedelic Supermarket in Hollywood and saw Janis on the other side of the street. She was probably recording Pearl around this time. To this day I regret not going over and offering my body to her. Gil ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 10:00:20 -0700 From: "Norma" Subject: NJC - London Underground no comment needed... During Autumn of 2000, a team of scientists at the Department of Forensics at University College London removed a row of passenger seats from a Central Line tube carriage for analysis into cleanliness. Despite London Underground's claim that the interior of their trains are cleaned on a regular basis, the scientists made some alarming discoveries: This is what was found on the surface of the seats: * 4 types of hair sample (human, mouse, rat, dog) * 7 types of insect (mostly fleas, mostly alive) * vomit originating from at least 9 separate people * human urine originating from at least 4 separate people * human excrement * rodent excrement * human semen When the seats were taken apart, they found: * the remains of 6 mice * the remains of 2 large rats * 1 previously unheard of fungus It is estimated that by holding one of the armrests, you are transferring to your body the natural oils and sweat from as many as 400 different people. It is estimated that it is generally healthier to smoke five cigarettes a day than to travel for one hour a day on the London Underground. It is far more hygienic to wipe your hand on the inside of a recently flushed toilet bowl before eating, than to wipe your hand on a London Underground seat before eating. It is estimated that within London, more work sick-days are taken because of bugs picked up whilst traveling on the London Underground than for any other reason (including alcohol). ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 09:21:19 -0800 From: jan gyn Subject: Re: janis movie njc At 12:40 PM 2/5/2002 +0800, jpalis@kssp.upd.edu.ph wrote: >Lili Taylor is underrated but for anyone who wants a dose of what she can >do, see her in Abel Ferrara's THE ADDICTION where she played an thropology >grad student who moonlights as a vampire! She was also great as Valarie >Solanas in I SHOT ANDY WARHOL. She is luminous in small films like >HOUSEHOLD SAINTS and she gave a certain class to this Mel Gibson film >called RANSOM. Yes, she is the actress who comes close to being Janis >Joplin. (snip) Lili Taylor was also great as a blind girl with special 'sight' in an ep of the X-Files. - -jan ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 17:41:43 +0000 From: colin Subject: Re: Sophie's Choice, NJC > Hugs, > Ashara {wondering how many of you are thinking....."and I always thought > Ashara was such a 'normal' gal.} LOL!!! Don't worry Ashara, I , for one,would never accuse you of being normal.......... ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 12:44:47 EST From: FMYFL@aol.com Subject: Re: NJC Re: Jonifest CD's VERY NJC The "slutty" Bob wrote: > And of course anybody who wants the set can contact me and I'll be happy to > tend to their needs. > Is this a quote from Pamela Anderson? LOL Jimmy ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 12:59:46 -0500 From: Vince Lavieri Subject: Re: Janis NJC Gil Lamont's blast from the past: > Sometime in 1970 I was near the Psychedelic Supermarket in Hollywood and saw > Janis on the other side of the street. She was probably recording Pearl > around this time. To this day I regret not going over and offering my body > to her. At Janis' concert at Ravinia (Chicago), August 1970, a group called Male Groupies For Janis Joplin made an appearance. Had I not been tear gassed the prior week by Chicago's finest at a Sly and the Family attempted concert, I would have joined them. Of course I have forever regrettred not going to see Janis anyway; I told my best friend we'd see her "next time" since we were both still recovering from the tear gassing (and glad we escaped the billy clubs). Of course there never was a "next time." We did see Love, Janis in 1999 together as our closest thing we could do to "next time." (the Rev) Vince, who will always delurk for Janis Joplin ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 10:05:08 -0800 (PST) From: Nuriel Tobias Subject: Re: Joni in Greece - --- SCJoniGuy@aol.com wrote: "When she was in Greece for a year the government prohibited guitar (so she says in an interview) so she picked up the dulcimer and forged ahead with that." Wow. In Greece? For a year? Ooooowwwwhhh - do tell more, Bob - this is the first time i hear about that. Thanks, Nuriel _____________________________________________________________ Free email, web pages, news, entertainment, weather and MORE! Check out -------------------------------> http://wowmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 10:43:03 -0800 From: Gil Lamont Subject: Re: Janis NJC (the Rev) Vince delurked long enough to testify: >At Janis' concert at Ravinia (Chicago), August 1970, a group called Male >Groupies For Janis Joplin made an appearance. Had I not been tear gassed the >prior week by Chicago's finest at a Sly and the Family attempted concert, I >would have joined them. Was Male Groupies For Janis Joplin truly a bunch of virile young studs or a bunch of geeks with rampant hormones? (By 1970 I'd made that progression from rampant-hormonally crippled geek to virile young stud. Something to do with that acid trip after I'd bought my "lizard skin boots" and coming down declared that I had "lizard king feet".) >Of course I have forever regretted not going to see Janis anyway; I told my >best friend we'd see her "next time" since we were both still recovering from >the tear gassing (and glad we escaped the billy clubs). Of course there never >was a "next time." We did see Love, Janis in 1999 together as our closest >thing we could do to "next time." The best I could do was keep Janis's "Not a Bead" poster on my wall. That was several generations ago. When I picked up the JANIS CD anthology a few years ago my dear wife gasped at the photo on the front: "She's topless!" I've always cherished that photo and its cousins as Janis's gifts to those who weren't able to know her in the flesh, so to speak. Gil ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 13:40:19 EST From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Joni in Greece <> Well, not really a year, but several months. After she released LOTC, she 'exiled' herself to paint & create and she wound up in Matala on the island of Crete in Greece. Carey recounts most of those times, and a couple of the other songs on Blue also reference those days. She talks about those days freely in interviews and in much of her stage patter in the early 70's. The guy who hopped up on stage at Isle of Wight was someone who had met her in Crete. The JMDL article database has 11 articles that reference Greece, so go check them out...maybe you can help educate us! :~) Bob NP: Starsailor, "Lullaby" ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 14:08:48 -0500 From: Gerald Notaro Subject: Re: Janis NJC Vince Lavieri wrote: > > was a "next time." We did see Love, Janis in 1999 together as our closest > thing we could do to "next time." I'll add my strong "do see" for Love, Janis. I saw it in NYC (still playing) and it is a knockout. The closest (musically) that you will ever come to hearing Janis in the flesh. And I did get to see her at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto (seeing her at Woodstock doesn't count- I don't remember much). She drank more Southern Comfort straight from the bottle than you could ever imagine! But it was a performance I'll never forget. Jerry ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 13:05:15 -0800 From: "Kakki" Subject: Re: Janis NJC Gil, I'm just loving your stories of tripping around Hollywood in the late 60s! You, Dulson and Darice should get together and write a book! Janis was huge here in Cal. at the time. My art teacher in 10th grade even played her albums during class! Kakki > Was Male Groupies For Janis Joplin truly a bunch of virile young studs or a > bunch of geeks with rampant hormones? (By 1970 I'd made that progression > from rampant-hormonally crippled geek to virile young stud. Something to do > with that acid trip after I'd bought my "lizard skin boots" and coming down > declared that I had "lizard king feet".) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 13:12:26 -0800 From: Gil Lamont Subject: Re: Joni Live Kakki: >My turn to say oops, too! The performance I was thinking of was the '72. >I've never checked out the appearances page before and learned some new >details. Amazing she did a 12-day stint in '68. That may have been her heyday, before she was corrupted by The Man/Success. Anyway, judging from Second Fret Sets and other documents of that period, she really had it together in the coffee houses. >I'll have to read the story >from B. Mitchell Reed in the Crosby bio again - think he may have had fuzzy >details. The BeeMeR! I remember him from the golden days of underground FM, his deep bass voice bringing us into his confidence and lending importance to anything he told us. As for his fuzzy details ... hey, it was the 1960s. Be amazed we who survived it even can spell our names. >I do recall him saying she had become such a phenomenon (due to >his playing cuts off STAS before it was released) that she was sold out in >advance and played the second stint. The audience at the Troub gig I saw was absolutely in love with her (me too). >I don't think recordings from the '68 >or '69 Troubadour shows have surfaced here (although some lucky and diligent >traders may have these and I'd bet Mr. Dulson attended a few of the shows!). Lucky and diligent traders! Email me privately! Gil ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 16:14:45 EST From: Murphycopy@aol.com Subject: Re: Joni Live In a message dated 2/5/02 4:12:54 PM, glamont@api4animals.org writes: << Be amazed we who survived it even can spell our names. >> I agree. --Bib ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 13:37:47 -0800 From: Gil Lamont Subject: Re: Janis NJC Kakki wrote: >I'm just loving your stories of tripping around Hollywood in the late 60s! Here's another. Went to a benefit for the L.A. Free Clinic on March 31, 1969, at the Aquarius Theatre during the run of Hair. Bands included Buddy Miles, Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention, Captain Beefheart (an early gig, maybe the first), Jethro Tull (just after This Was was released; Dharma for One and Ian Anderson tossing suckers to the crowd), Illinois Speed Press, Red Beans & Rice (most excellent and funky, and why didn't they ever cut an album), Linda Ronstadt, Southwind, Dillard & Clark, Chicago Transit Authority (before the first album was released; Terry Kath broke a string during a tune and cued the band to take over while he replaced it). Murray Roman was the emcee. What a sense of community we had back then. >You, Dulson and Darice should get together and write a book! Never happen. We'd sit around smoking pot, or talk about smoking pot in the 1960s. Either way we'd get a contact high, feeding off each other, then listen to early Joni and get lost in the vibrations of her guitar strings or the meaning of that one lyric. Fer sure! >Janis was huge here in Cal. at the time. My art teacher in 10th grade even >played her albums during class! What was your art teacher, some kind of subversive pinko liberal hippie? (Ooops, different discussion group. ;-) ) You're lucky to have received that kind of education when California schooling still meant something. Gil ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 16:14:10 -0600 From: "mack watson-bush" Subject: good news and bad news njc Went to Abilene today. It is the largest place around here. 65 miles away. Thought I would give it a shot and go to the record store, hoping to find something sweet. I thought I had been very lucky. I found Hissing of Summer Lawns which I have wanted for the longest time. Drove home, anticipatory to the utmost, and put it on. It is defective. Bummed out. The first two tracks will not play. Too early to get a read on the rest of it but Joni is in fine voice. It was the only one they had. They also had Mingus but I had already chosen three albums, Hall and Oates Abandoned Luncheonette and a Luther Vandross compilation so put it back. Wish now I had not. There was only one of it too. I hid it. The place was in such disarray that I am hoping no one finds it. Naughty? I know I am but I could not help myself. mack ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 14:19:54 -0800 From: Gil Lamont Subject: Re: Surviving the Sixties (NJC) "Bib" wrote: >In a message dated 2/5/02 4:12:54 PM, glamont@api4animals.org writes: > ><< Be amazed we who survived it even can spell our names. >> > >I agree. > > --Bib Or form coherent sentences: "Be amazed we who survived it can even spell our names." You'll have to excuse me, the walls are breathing now and the birds are about to give me their secret orders ... Gil ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 16:21:49 -0600 From: "mack watson-bush" Subject: Ashara's normalcy njc Don't really know what the definition of normal would be but going by the given definition and/or use, I would surmise you are not normal. Ashara. Thank goodness. You are much too special. mack > Ashara {wondering how many of you are thinking....."and I always thought > Ashara was such a 'normal' gal.} LOL!!! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 16:27:22 -0600 From: "mack watson-bush" Subject: Re: Janis NJC I love all the Janis posts. For years I have hungered after more and knowing there is no more leaves me hungry and empty. Always wondered just how grand Buried Alive in the Blues would have been with the vocal added. mack ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 16:30:42 -0600 From: "mack watson-bush" Subject: Re: Janis NJC That is shocking Kakki. My senior year in high school we were all asked to bring one song, to play for the class, that had special significance to us. I, of course, took a Janis number. They were all stunned and mortified. One interesting thing about it was the selection of tunes. Some of those folks brought tunes that one would never have associated with them. Just goes to show that we never really know anyone else, by appearances, posts, etc. mack ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 22:42:13 -0000 From: "William Waddell" Subject: A Case of Yoo Hoo! Bree, No worries about shouting out a request for Diana Krall to do "A Case of You". If the playlist is the same as this evening in Glasgow she will do it! Yoo Hoo! William NR - Shadows and Light by Karen O'Brien. Any thoughts on the book? ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 15:59:31 -0700 From: "Norma" Subject: NJC - Chicken Stuffin Recipe I thought we should exchange recipes for a few minutes... When I found this recipe I thought it was perfectfor those peoplewhojustare not sure how to tell when poultry is cookedthoroughly but notdriedout. Give this a try. BAKED STUFFED CHICKEN 6-7 lb. chicken 1 cup melted butter 1 cup stuffing 1 cup uncooked popcorn salt/pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush chicken wellwith melted butter,saltandpepper. Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn.Place in baking panintheoven. Listen for popping sounds. When thechicken's ass blows outtheovendoorand flies across the room, the chicken is done. And, you thought I couldn't cook. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 17:11:35 -0600 From: "mack watson-bush" Subject: Re: NJC - Chicken Stuffin Recipe Norma, thanks for the chuckle. The big one that is still going on. mack .Place in baking panintheoven. Listen for > popping sounds. When thechicken's ass blows outtheovendoorand flies across > the room, the chicken is done. > > And, you thought I couldn't cook. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 15:31:19 -0800 From: "Bree Mcdonough" Subject: Re: Pro-am expression ( NJC) "Practice!! Practice!! Open tunings are a pain in a butt....it's like a typewriter that letters move around on you everytime you sit down to it. BUT it does cough up original harmonic movements if you want original harmonic movements. And you are willing to like confuse your left hand completely. Then go for it! Toodle the pegs until you like the chord then search for the shapes with in it." KNUCKLES RAPPED: "melodies in my head since a young child" Piano teacher to Joni:"WHY would you want to play by ear when you could have the masters under your fingers?" "I wanted just enough chops to get these melodies out." "Creativity I think,generally in terms of lessons gets overlooked for tradition. So anything original is kind of repressed and gets mistaken....I don't know......(trails off) There is no doubt in my mind anyway;if Joni would not have been the free spirit and adventurous person that she is and would have conformed and bent under this knuckle rapper, piano teacher.. we would not have today.. HEJIRA,DJRD.......need I say more. On the other hand: Benny Goodman, the master jazz clarinetist (mastered classical as well)until the day he died continued with lessons and practiced everyday of his life. Something in his makeup.. he needed this. (maybe his fear was becoming lazy......maybe his parents drilling in his head as a child ??...."Benny you must practice..practice makes perfect!") I think it comes down to the individual......their proclivities..... Bree > >Oh...someone mentioned Gershwin in all of this.... cant remember who. >He studied music from an early age and wrote musical notation. He had >a number of piano tutors but didnt formally go to a music school. He >even asked Nadia Boulanger for for lessons when he was in Paris, but >she politely declined. He sketched out much of American in Paris >during that visit. > >Er thoughts over...brain dead...awaiting a roasting ..... > >Gordon _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 23:33:05 -0000 From: "Jamie Zubairi" Subject: Re: Joni in Greece Hi Y'all Surely she said that while in Greece she picked up a guitar that was more like an orange crate and it played so badly... and it was from that that she started her more 'slap and drag' playing (well the orange crate-guitar and watching Stephen Stills) She explains later in the London concerts about the dulcimer that it's made by some Rocky Mountain chick called Joellen (or the dulcimers are made in the Rocky Mountain style by Joellen Lapidus - isn't there an interview with Joellen on the jm.com?) So, she released LOTC, swore off touring, went to Greece, wrote some songs, premiered them in London, released Blue which had a dulcimer in it. Somewhere along the way, she picked up an American dulcimer (and I think it was Newport or another folk festival but I'd need to read the Joellen interview again) It was Big Sur. I can't see her having picked it up in Greece. But the desire to play in a different strummed style, yes. Anyway, Peace Much Joni Jamie Zoob ps: here it is: http://www.jonimitchell.com/Lapidus97.html Having just read it, I can confidently say: Joni didn't go to Woodstock, wrote the song, premiered it at Big Sur, met Joellen at the same gig ('69) wrote the rest of LOTC, swore off shopping, went to Europe, wrote most of Blue on her travels, premiered songs at the London concert. Hang on a sec, did I say shopping? - ----- Original Message ----- From: Nuriel Tobias To: Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2002 6:05 PM Subject: Re: Joni in Greece > --- SCJoniGuy@aol.com wrote: > "When she was in Greece for a year the government prohibited guitar (so she says in an interview) so she picked up the dulcimer and forged ahead with that." > > Wow. In Greece? For a year? Ooooowwwwhhh - do tell more, Bob - this is the first time i hear about that. > > Thanks, > > Nuriel > > _____________________________________________________________ > Free email, web pages, news, entertainment, weather and MORE! > Check out -------------------------------> http://wowmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 15:45:00 -0800 From: "Bree Mcdonough" Subject: Re: Regarding reading and writing. >I have heard that there is a machine or computer or some such thing that >will take in the notes you are playing and convert it to sheet music. >Has anyone else heard of this? Yes,with a midi keyboard and notation software installed in your computer it is possible to midi your kybd to computer and whatever notes you play will be printed on staff. If you want bells and whistles that depends on what you want to pay for your software. I hope this helps. >Well, I am baking brioche this morning and it is about to come out of >the oven. I had to follow a recipe. :) Bringing any to the fest? ;-) Lemon perhaps? Recipes can be good.. Bree >Love and Peace...Sharon _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 16:02:34 -0800 From: "Bree Mcdonough" Subject: Re: good news and bad news njc >Hall and Oates Abandoned Luncheonette and a >Luther Vandross compilation so put it back. Wish now I had not. What a bummer,you will just love HOSL. I love Luther too,I have his greatest hits. Does he tear up ANY LOVE or what!!! There was >only one of it too. I hid it. The place was in such disarray that I am >hoping no one finds it. Naughty? I know I am but I could not help myself. Mack you need to shop with my sister, she does the same thing. And if I'm with her she makes me part of the conspiracy.. like hide something on a high shelf (I'm tall) so it's there next time she comes in. TOO funny and I thought she was the only one who did this. Take care sweetie, Bree > >mack _________________________________________________________________ Join the worlds largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 19:02:43 EST From: RoseMJoy@aol.com Subject: Wally Breese's Birthday Feb. 6th I stand corrected, Wally was born on February 6th. rose in nj ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 16:15:47 -0800 From: "Bree Mcdonough" Subject: Re: Regarding reading and writing. I failed to mention this,sorry. Software:Composers,I don't know the name of the CO that puts this out. And Allegro would be another. Bree (you will do great things >>I have heard that there is a machine or computer or some such thing that >>will take in the notes you are playing and convert it to sheet music. >>Has anyone else heard of this? > >Yes,with a midi keyboard and notation software installed in your computer >it >is possible to midi your kybd to computer and whatever notes you play will >be printed on staff. If you want bells and whistles that depends on what >you want to pay for your software. I hope this helps. > > >>Well, I am baking brioche this morning and it is about to come out of >>the oven. I had to follow a recipe. :) > >Bringing any to the fest? ;-) Lemon perhaps? Recipes can be good.. > >Bree > > >>Love and Peace...Sharon > > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: >http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 16:42:32 -0800 (PST) From: Nuriel Tobias Subject: Matala and the Mermaid Cafe Hi everyone Well... Mr. Richard Tenenbaum wrote an amazing journey diary and the way he describes Matala and the Mermaid cafe is only too lovely and vivid. It's a bit long - but fun to read. Hope you enjoy. Nuri "Matala boasted several seedy cafes, the most popular being the Mermaid. Its verandah spread out fan-wise towards the beach, the Mermaid was the central hang-out of the cave dwellers. Their corrugated faces hunched over kerosene lamps and candles, they huddled together, samples of all the migratory hordes gone A.W.O.L. from the anthills of the world: campus Guevarists in Fidelista fatigues, sexual Leftists and sanyasins in long-flowing robes, minstrels of sunburnt bohemianism, aspiring earringed gurus, the Eminences and Prometheus-poseurs of Hip-- all fixated in the dim waxen light like mannequins from Madame Tussaud's. But the specialty of the house consisted of dogs, a dozen starving canary-yellow mastodons in half-sitting position who would go berserk whenever one of the cave dwellers at the tables threw them a morsel. With the hounds zooming by, ravenous and snapping, the Mermaid resembled a loony-bin, intoxicating, like the rezina I kept guzzling in the corner. The next morning I had my first chance to look around. On the beach, feeling healthy as a bull and glorying in the blueness of the Greek sky, I suddenly heard a scream from the top tier of the caves. Had Neptune himself emerged on a dolphin from the waves, the metaphoric dimension of Mister Jason's descent from his cave couldn't have been more dramatic. Like Tarzan, he dangled from a rope in mid-air and in a twinkling disappeared from sight. Then contoured against the sky, unmistakable in his raffish costume-- for all that it mattered, Mister Jason might have been deep-dyed in green and armored in gold-- he meandered along the beach until he came to where I was sitting. Then sticking out his ten-foot high pole crowned with a sheep's skull he cried, "Welcome to Matala!" Mister Jason, gallivanting along in his djellabah, was the pearl in the hip oyster, but he was not by a long shot the only pearl on the beach. Next to me sat Miriam, a stunner from L.A. Life had plucked her from a world where everything was mined and fitted with booby-traps to a glorified apartment house for hippies, she complained. Unlike Mister Jason, who presided with panache in his cave, Miriam was a newcomer and lived in squalor. In this she was not alone. On any one day at least a hundred people occupied the caves on a first-come-first-serve basis. The more elegant caves were old Cretan tombs carved out of the rock with semi-circular burial niches for sleeping. These, the museum pieces, belonged to0 the established residents of Matala who looked down their noses on the new arrivals streaming in every day on the bus. For Miriam the only available cave was a hole-in-the-wall and the flies on the dung-heaps threatened with typhus. But as the sun rose in state over the bay who cared about the dangers of disease? Disinfatuated with the municipal-grays of technocracy, the cave dwellers had dropped out of the rat-races, the assembly lines, the universities, and all the other traps conjured up by the anthills of the world to rob them of their integrity; and now they sat, imigris from a remote civilization, on the rocky beach. Like latter-day Diogeneses, they had reduced the essentials of life to a sleeping bag and a rucksack. To them Matala was not a cop-out or a cultural kamikaze-act but the fulfillment of a hankering for the natural. A sociologist might argue that there were two types of cave dwellers in Matala: the typical middle-class drop-out and the unclassifiable. Mister Jason clearly belonged to the latter category. No one knew where he was from. One rumor spoke of Chile, another Italy, a third Canada. As the fifth oldest cave dweller Mister Jason enjoyed status in the pecking order of seniority, but even in this world of outsiders and desperadoes everything about Mister Jason was exotic and controversial. In the Mermaid he held court at a special table where he tried to recruit the cave dwellers to join him Mussolini-wise on a march to Athens in a plot to overthrow the Colonels. He was serious. He volunteered to drill his recruits in the olive fields and when people scoffed he mumbled about his years in the Spanish Foreign Legion and waved his sheep skull called Beelzebub at them. Several weeks after my arrival Mister Jason invited me for a visit to his cave. "Don't worry," he admonished in his thick accent as we trekked along the pathways of the cliff to his rope, "there's nothing to fear. I'll show you how to use the rope." There are things one does at thirty-- and I was certainly playing Huck Finn at thirty-- that one doesn't attempt to do ten or fifteen years later, and swinging on a rope over jagged boulders on a cliff overlooking the Aegean to have tea with a nut in a cave must certainly be one of them. Mister Jason's cave, dim, squalid, irregularly shaped, boasted none of the amenities sometimes found down below in the tombs adjacent to the bay. We sat cross-legged on the powdery floor while sipping our tea. All around us the light of the candle metamorphosed the walls into eerie kaleidoscopic formations. The whole scenario might have been a set-up for my demise. Instead Mister Jason whispered, "I must show you my coin collection." He got up and emerged a few seconds later from the darkness holding a bag of coins which he emptied on the ground. "Algerian," he said, his dark eyes glittering in the light, "My people." His story then came out in bits and pieces, perhaps a fantasy, perhaps not. Mister Jason claimed to be an Italian anthropologist from Turin. He was stranded in Matala without money ( He occasionally worked as a day-laborer in the olive fields ) and had only one all-consuming desire: to return to his tribe in Southern Algeria. The tribe had adopted him. Anywhere else he felt lost and deracinated. I stared at him as he explained his tribe's unique hieroglyphic system. Clearly Mister Jason was if daft not uneducated. The costume was tribal. The March on Athens was a scheme to rake up money for steerage to Algeria. His story fell in place. I stayed in the caves for three months. When I finally located my own cave it was with a colony of five London anarchists who inhabited a warren of adjoining tombs where one of the anarchists held periodic poetry readings. However pleasant the Brits were, I needed privacy to paint. In addition, there was only one water spigot for the entire cave population and disease of one sort or another always threatened. The cave dwellers, imigris mostly from Europe and North America, although unorganizable, all participated in one daily ritual.. At sunset they would emerge from their caves and stand on the rocks to observe the setting of the sun over the Aegean. About three weeks after my arrival I noticed during this ritual a small house perched on the opposite promontory where very few cave dwellers lived and upon inquiry found that I could rent the house with its outdoor water faucet for only eight dollars a month. The house was little more than a stone shack with two rooms and almost no light. It boasted a stone verandah with a view of the town and diagonally below in an open cave was the stall of a pig named Herman. By this time I had had enough of Matala's midnight revels. I had left America to paint and though I had become somewhat of a local celebrity by painting in the outdoor cafes-- the Mermaid once tried to commission a wall relief from me-- I needed not only privacy but security from theft. Matala's inhabitants were not known for their affluence. Some of the cave dwellers like Mister Jason hired themselves out for a pittance as day laborers in the fields. Others sold their blood for 350 drachmas a pint in the Iraklion hospital. At this time I had in my pocket my savings from Berkeley, close to $4000 in travelers checks , which in terms of today's currency represented a considerable sum. Eight dollars a month seemed then a modest outlay to continue my artistic activities. In Matala my verandah with its water faucet was a godsend. One day as I was sitting alone there occurred what I can only call an epiphany, a divine gift. Robert Motherwell once remarked that in the 20th century a painter can either follow conventional lines or find his own doodle. Sailing to Byzantium, my first original doodle, in retrospect just grew on the paper as the waves lapped beneath me. If surrealism is the spontaneous evocation of unconscious images, then Sailing to Byzantium is very much an example of surrealism, a mad map akin to the maps of schizophrenics, except that in this case the outline resembles that of the Eastern Mediterranean. Its meaning must always remain to me inscrutable, and perhaps the best commentary on Sailing to Byzantium was made by a professor and his wife who purchased a later version in Ann Arbor and two years afterwards when I bumped into them in Chicago they commented, "It's in our breakfast room. We stare at it every morning, but we still haven't exhausted its meaning, whatever it might be." (c) _____________________________________________________________ Free email, web pages, news, entertainment, weather and MORE! Check out -------------------------------> http://wowmail.com ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2002 #57 **************************** ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here: mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe ------- Siquomb, isn't she?