So on July 1st I'll be a guest member of an a cappella group, RoShamBo, for their gig at the San Rafael Farmers' Market. Anyway, at the last rehearsal, I just found out that one of the guys in group played soccer and football against me in High School. Not only that, but he was the only person who ever successfully stiff-armed me! Not something to brag about, but hey I thought it was pretty cool!

THE PASSING OF A LEGEND


Ray Charles passed away today. I was at work on a high from visiting with a good friend who unfortunately [for me] is home in Napa for the summer. We hung out in the city, making stops at Good Vibrations and Big Al's [she had to shop for her sister's bachelorette party] before ultimately having a cup of java and bruschetta at a little ristorante in North Beach. It's weird because despite being of different social and ethnic backgrounds we have a lot in common.

Anyway, I went to work and happened to see it on the computer screen - 'Singer Ray Charles dies at age 73". And I was pretty bummed. It doesn't even compare to Reagan's passing - he meant nothing to me and my family. But to someone who was raised on music, especially the sounds of Soul and R&B, the passing of Ray Charles struck me as an incredible loss.

Amazingly, he learned to both write and read music in BRAILLE! What?! People have a hard enough time with notated music as it is, and he did it in Braille. Not only that, but he could write out complete scores by memory [and it was in Seattle where he met and mentored a young man by the name of Quincy Jones].

But the real first time I can remember Ray Charles is during 'We Are the World' when he says, "C'MON NOW LEMME HEAR YA!" My cousins and I always had a great time singing that line. Not to mention that when it comes to patriotism I'm not too much into it, but hearing his rendition of "America the Beautiful" made me proud that I'm from the same country that produced a genius such as Ray.

Ray Charles leaves some mighty big shoes to fill, but maybe someone will come through and take us through this BLAH of music that's playing mainstream right now.

Don't worry Ray, someone will.

I hope.

Requiem Aeternam.

~No Tations~

I was invited to sing with RoShamBo, an a cappella group based in the East Bay. One of my friends from State is the bass and they needed a person to fill in for a gig on July 1 in San Rafael. So I went last night to rehearse and I have a little bit of homework but I think everything will work out fine! I'm doing a fair bit of vocal percussion but they told me it sounds alright. I even have leads on a couple of songs...I have a month so we'll see how everything goes.

I also have my second Italian class at City College tonight. I've already thrown the idea around of hanging out in North Beach for vino or birra and a couple of peeps already expressed interest. This may turn out to be pretty fun!

Makin' Mine Music

~No Tations~

Mr. President

Former President Ronald Reagan died last Saturday after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for almost ten years. When the news struck, I have to admit to being a little saddened.

But why? I'm not a Republican. I know for sure as hell that I'm not rich. Nor am I white [or Euro-American for you PC peeps.] But something about his passing strikes me because he was the first 'PRESIDENT' that I ever knew. Just like I appreciate the 49ers first two Super Bowl wins but it wasn't until Super Bowl XXIII that I really enjoyed it and that was because I actually followed that team through the whole season.

I remember Jimmy Carter's concession speech, or some speech right after he lost the 1980 election. I asked my mom, "Mommy, is that President Carter?" And she said, "Yes baby, but he is not going to be president anymore. That other man won." And I said, "Oh." And that was about it for Carter.

But I remember when I was in kindergarten, and my teacher would say, "What day is it?" And we'd respond, "MONDAY!!" And she'd say, "What year is it?" And we'd say, "1981!" And then she'd say, "And who's our President?" And we'd yell, "Ronald Reagan." And feel good about ourselves because we go the answer right!

I didn't know what the whole Grenada thing was about, nor Lebanon. I just knew that war was bad. And then I faintly recall him laying off all the Air Traffic Controllers when they went on strike. I mean, not even negotiating, he just threw a press conference and said, "YOU'RE FIRED!" I was too young to understand about the Iran-Contra deal and Ollie North [which BTW was headed by Senator Daniel Inouye from Hawaii].

I know that my parents voted Carter and also Mondale, despite the fact that they both were going to lose by a landslide. I didn't know why my parents couldn't stand Reagan because I thought, "He's the president. We have to like him."

Now that I'm older I see the legacy he left behind, and also see how little America has changed. And then Bush came in, and ultimately [despite an 8 year refreshing break thanks to Clinton] Bush's son. I would never in my life vote for Reagan, nor probably most of the things he stood for.

Yet, I still feel sad with his passing because it helps me remember the days when I was young and carefree. When the only thing that mattered is what make believe game we were going to play at recess, or that my mom was able to wash my brown vest in time for school. Where ABCs were not yet part of our mental rolodex and most of my grandparents were still alive. I'd hate for my early life to defined by the term of a president, but it's easy for me to remember what I was doing during those years.

R.I.P. to those memories. They will always be a happy part of my life.

Makin Mine Music
~No Tations~

Now take a deep breath and........

Ahhhhhhhhhh, the school year's over. Overall, I'd have to say I had quite a successful 'welcome back to school year'. I think I pulled off a couple of Bs [okay, one was a B-minus]. Actually for a grade summary: 4 As, 2 Bs and I forget the rest...

But yeah, I'm just checking the schedule for next semester and I may be taking a total of 10 or more classes and at least 15 units. OUCH!

And to think that I wanted to try and fit in an Italian class next semester...

Oh man...

I'm gonna have to do some major schedule fixing...

Makin' Mine Music

~ No Tations ~