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| Doesn't this pretty much say it all? |
Music
continues to fill in the blanks during this somewhat desolate January. Last
week my producer Juan Barbosa and I spent some time deciding which of the 26
songs we have so far recorded should make the cut for the first CD. That list
has changed three or four times, and I think we are finally down to between
twelve and fourteen keepers. The album has evolved considerably from its original
form, and now Juan sings (and does just about everything else as well) on about
half of the tracks. While still showing my range as a songwriter, the album has
a much more R&B feel to it than it originally did. My goals have changed as
well. Initially, I wanted this to be about my versatility as a songwriter,
almost like a songwriter’s demo. Now, as I discover what a gifted producer and
musician I have at my disposal, the album has become more of a showcase for
Juan’s talents. My ambition is to have this album of songs in some way improve
Juan’s exposure as an artist, because he is decidedly the most talented person with
whom I have had the privilege to work. I am immodest enough to believe that my
songs, combined with Juan’s skills as a musician (guitarist, bassist, and
drummer, not to mention a phenomenal vocalist) have turned this album into something
really interesting. I don’t know if it will “sell” in the real world, but it is
notable that for two weeks in a row, one of the songs on the album, Every Day, made it to #1 on the Hunter’s
Bay Radio Top 20 list, and three or four of my songs are in regular rotation. I
never expected airplay, much less that kind of recognition, and I am on cloud
nine. This coming Thursday night, January 29th , Juan and I will be
performing some of the songs on my new album live on air at Hunter’s Bay Radio,
on a show called “Live Drive”. The show runs from 6-7pm, and if you are within
40 miles of Huntsville you can pick it up on the FM dial (88.7FM).
Alternatively, if you are out of the area and have access to a computer, you
can go to www.muskokaonline.com,
click on “Listen Live”, and that should get you to the live broadcast. While I
am nervous about performing live on the air for an entire hour, this is an
excellent opportunity to reach a wider audience (Juan has a substantial
following in this area), and I am eternally grateful to Hunter’s Bay Radio for
the air time. I do not think I have ever before experienced a radio station
which is so supportive of local artists. Music is the great unifier – so unify
on January 29th - even if it to laugh at my mistakes live on air. Enough
about me, what do YOU think of me?
Last week,
the story that eclipsed ISIS, and the ever spreading blight of crazy religious
nut jobs in the Middle East, was the story of “Inflategate” - the revelation that,
in their decisive 43-22 defeat over the Indianapolis Colts last week, the New
England Patriots may have given themselves an unfair advantage by using under-inflated
footballs. Oh my. Of course, the real question on everybody’s minds (besides “why
are we even talking about this??”) is: “Was this in any way the deciding factor
in the game?” Cheating in the NFL, what a surprise. What’s next, steroid abuse
in pro baseball? I am shocked that this kind of thing happens. I mean, those
professional athletes are role models for heaven’s sake. I don’t know who to
trust anymore.
Elsewhere
in the news … Salmon bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia, passed on last
week on at the age of 90. In the ever shifting sands of the Middle East, this
may not bode well for future diplomatic relations with the United States. Apparently,
King Abdullah was, by Saudi standards, progressive. Coupled with recent
developments in Yemen and the relentless march of violent recidivist Muslim
whackos, this news leaves me apprehensive. Apparently, there is a potentially
destructive storm descending upon the north east coast of the U.S., with
blizzard warnings and record amounts of snow predicted in the hardest hit
areas. I am reminded of the recent 6’ snow dump in Lancaster, New York, near
Buffalo, and of the devastation from that crippling ice storm blew through Toronto
during the 2013 holiday season. Shauna’s mom was without power for over a week,
and after the storm had passed, the cleanup took months. We take our electricity
for granted, until we are deprived of it for a long period of time. We’ll see
if the Chicken Littles are correct about this latest storm today. Whether all
this severe weather is the result of the man-made depletion of the ozone layer,
caused by the ever more industrialized world we live in, or because catastrophic
weather is cyclical, there seems to be little doubt that we’re in for some
meteorological ass kicking in our future. What saddens me is that, instead of
adapting to what is likely an inevitable and unstoppable change, we are still
led to believe we can alter the course of Mother Nature by driving Priuses. It
might be more pro-active to rethink shoreline development, warning systems for over-populated
danger zones, new energy-saving building products, technology to harness the
ocean’s hydroelectric potential, localized economies, and yes, of course less
dependence on oil. But let’s get real folks, there is no quick fix for the
weather.
January 29th
6-7 PM live on Hunter’s Bay Radio … tune in if you want and hear me play some
of my songs.
-Written
by Jamie Oppenheimer c2015 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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