THE ‘CAN’T MISS’ CONCERT THAT HIT THE BULLSEYE

The  invitation on the Tribes Hill website  read  “Tribes Hill brings Kelleigh McKenzie and Spuyten Duyvil to Urban H2O this Saturday evening at the Beczak in Yonkers”. 

I arrived early.  Sputen Duyvil was warming up on stage.  The fire in the fireplace was just getting going.  Rick Rock was readying the first (free) beer keg and people were setting up the snack table.  Iris and Pete were fine tuning the sound system. I looked up and admired the old wooden beams in the remodeled building.  This new venue felt warm and  comfortable.  Outside the  back window you could see the running lights of a large barge passing by on the Hudson.

 The setting was in keeping with my initial reaction to the Tribes Hill/Beczak partnership to create the Urban H2O monthly concert series. It was a “ can’t miss” deal.   Scenic location, friendly people, a glowing fire, refreshments, in a modern building with historic bones...... and the coup de grace, the best folk musicians  in the Hudson Valley.   Spuyten Duyvil and Kelleigh McKenzie were outstanding in the inaugural concert and set a lofty standard for the musicians to follow on the third Saturday of each month.  I blocked out the dates on my calendar.  

Links: 

www.tribeshill.com

www.beczak.org 

Sample videos on http://www.youtube.com (search cromwellcreative) and http://www.facebook.com   (search Joe Cromwell).

IT WAS A VERY BUSY DAY 

Guitar intro

(D) It was a very busy day today

There was so much to (A7) do

I got up at the crack of dawn

To greet  the morning (D) dew

(G) From high up in the tree tops

A sparrow (D) sang it’s greeting song

(A7) It sounded so inviting

I tried to sing (D) along

Guitar  transition

(G) But I couldn’t get my whistle right

(D)The sparrow flew away

(A7)) Maybe he will come back tomorrow 

 It was a very busy (D) day 

Guitar transition

(D) Ate some berries for my breakfast

As I climbed to a mountain (A7)top

Said “hello” to all the flowers

But I didn’t have time to (D) stop

(G) Because I happened by a  puddle

(D) Of newly melted snow

(A7) It glistened in the morning light

So I stopped to watch it (D) glow

Guitar   transition

(G) It changed slowly into a cloud

(D) And drifted far away

(A7) I made a note in my diary

It was a very busy (D) day

Guitar transition

(D) I looked out into the distance  

As far as I could (A7))see

And when I got to the very very end

I saw inside of me

Guitar  transition 

(G) Back came the song of the sparrow

And the puddle cloud –  now (D) gray 

(A7))It dropped rain on the flowers  

And saved them from decay (D)

Guitar transition

(D)Then  I wondered who taught that  sparrow

To sing  it’s greeting (A7) song

Why do  berries turn from green to red 

 Why does thunder sound so (D)strong 

(G)Who put  the light in the puddle

(D) What made it drift away

(A7) Where will all my tomorrow’s go

When there is only (D) yesterday

  It was a very busy (A7) day

  It was a very busy (D) day

  Joe Cromwell (c) 2007

 Inspiration: A walk to the top of a mountain.   If you look for the Source of all things in all things, you will see  everything as miraculous. ( Folk processed thought by  Lao Tzu Cheng, 6 BC) 

THE QUARTER WALK

Two days in a row I went to the local sandwich shop for breakfast.  Two days in a row I ate the same breakfast.  Two days in a row, I received two quarters and one nickel in change.  So today, I had four quarters and two nickels in my pocket, as hiked to my favorite writing spot in the forest to write a song.  As I reached into my right pocket to get a pen, a quarter fell to the ground.  I picked it up and mentally began talking to myself  in Hungarian!  What the hell was that all about?  I had not talked to myself in Hungarian for over fifty years.  Hova mesz kisoreg. Nem siet el.

Must have been a flashback to the days when grandma would give me a quarter and then said: " Where are you going little man.  Don't be in a hurry to leave."  We both knew why I walked five miles to get to grandma's house. I gave her a hug and ran off to the candy store. There is a song in there somewhere.

Once I composed and reproduced a an official looking letter from Bell Telephone Co. and put one on each secretaries desk with a logo plastic bag.  It basically read: “ To insure continued good service, it is necessary to periodically blow the dust from all phone lines.  Please put your phone in the attached plastic bag from 2 PM until 2:15 PM today to prevent dust from blowing onto your desk. Filled plastic dust bags will be collected this evening.”  The explanation of one secretary to the boss of why she could not pick up her phone at 2:10 PM was priceless.  He did not think it was funny.  I never admitted the prank.  This really happened.  Timing is everything.  Dust from newly installed office rugs was flying all over the office at the time .

Mrs H. 

Over fifty years ago I was one of several young boys who regularly whistled and shouted  at Mrs. H as she paraded up and down main street on Saturday night.  She was in 60‘s; wore silk stockings, a red lacy dress, dark mascara and much too much red lipstick and rouge.  She seemed to be pleased by all the attention we showered on her.  It was a fun thing to do after the movies on Saturday nights.  We thought she was weird.  She thought she looked young and attractive.  We were both wrong.  She was just an old lady trying to look young.  And we were young boys who never gave a thought about growing old.

Last week I was walking on Main Street in White Plains and walked by an old  lady trying to look young.   Visions of Mrs. H  came to mind.  This time I didn’t whistle.  I just smiled approvingly and said “hello”.  She smiled in return and said “hello sir”.    After we past by each other, we turned around for a second look.  We smiled again and went on our separate ways.  I noticed she wasn’t wearing silk stockings.  Damn.  How could that old broad call me “sir”?

This NY Senate debacle has me really embarrassed and pissed off. The price we pay for electing inept leadership is enormous. There is a tax, service charge, fee and/or penalty on everything imaginable. Our taxes and utility charges are among the highest in the country and we get the poorest returns. We need to replace the incumbent juveniles and the electoral process by which they were elected. "No work, no pay" is a start for Senators AND Governors. Talking is NOT work!

Just posted a "What's On Your Mind" on my Facebook profile.  It's a link to a TED Presentation by Clay Shirky, "How Twitter Can Make History".  It's a very important presentation on a subject that will continue to affect you dramatically and personally in the months and years to come:  the communications revolution, part 4.  I wanted to cut and paste it here but could not do so without giving Facebook the right to access it here. Charlie is a part of the revolution as are all those who participate in social media site's like Songster. 

 THE BERKSHIRES, FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2009 

The  Guthrie Center, Great Barrington, MA was impressive, easily the best venue I went to this year.  It’s an old church converted into a community hall.  The architecture, especially the  millwork, is classically simple but elegant.  The  rest rooms are spotless.  The food  simple,  mostly organic, tasty and bargain priced.  The date nut bread at $4.00 complete with cream cheese and a fruit garnish was outstanding.  Every one I spoke to was friendly, helpful and efficient.  It’s first class all the way.

The perfect venue was surpassed only by the brilliant musical performance  ..... the world premier of “Hue Manatee’s Quest”, by James Durst,  described in the program as “A magical, mystical, folk musical for planetary citizens of all ages”.

 The production rivaled anything you could expect to see on or off Broadway.  The narrative story evoked the imagination of the audience more so than could have elaborate costuming and stage props. James Durst is an accomplished wordsmith. 

  Most of the  musicians had Broadway experience and all of the players had the added advantage of thoroughly enjoying the evening as much as the audience.  The standing ovation following the performance was richly deserved.  It was a case of mission accomplished........”to inspire and uplift, while conveying a message of environmental urgency and peace”.   It's always a pleasure to watch talented people carrying on enthusiastically at their trade.   

 While walking to the car humming “and the river just keeps flowing on and on” I had the feeling that a new folk music classic was born last Friday night in the Berkshires.   Woody would have been proud

A friend is someone who

..... is always thre when you need him

..... will stick by you even when the world is saying you are wrong

..... when you are cold will give you his chair by the fireside

..... when you are hungry will share his last crust of bread with you

..... when you are down and out will loan you money and, because he is your friend, never mention it

(I have no friends)

Tutillius

 SONGSTER MEMBERSHIP 

 : ......” each and every life form tends to have its own unique perspective on truth, which leads to variations in belief systems.  But those with similar views tend to gravitate to each other for mutual support”.  (Jim Durst, in “Hue Manatee’s Quest”).

Expressing yourself and discovering  kindred spirits is one of the primary benefits of using this site.