Hello.
I was out in Dupont Circle this evening, when I came across a local brass band. They play outside sometimes in that neighborhood in the summer. I've seen them several times over the years, and always think they sound good, but rarely stop to listen. They play what I think is New Orleans jazz type music, altho I have never seen anything like them anywhere, really.
I counted at least 14 of them. There were maybe six or seven trombone players, a bass drum and cymbal player, a french horn, assorted rhythm people, a tuba, and a maybe four-year-old kid who sometimes held a trombone and actually looked like he might be playing, altho I don't think he was. All were African-
Americans. They played on an open area near the Metro stop. There were maybe 50-80 people listening, and the group supplied three hot girls in little skirts with tambourines and other rhythm noisemakers while they danced around in front and undoubtedly increased the size of the crowd.
They were play When the Saints Come Marching In when I got there, and they launched into an extend jam, which sometimes features sections with incredible three-man blasts of gorgeous, complex, wavery trombone sound. They stood facing in various directions, so the sound coming out was very interesting, and changed significantly if you walked to different sides. They played another long, slower, also amazing song, and after that, they took a break, maybe stopping altogether as it was getting a bit late. I listened for maybe 30 minutes in all. I left them $3 in their bucket, which was pretty full. They deserved it all.
Best live music I've heard since I last saw Sonic Youth a couple years ago. Truly inspiring and fun. Everybody was happy. I didn't need to pay a cover or buy a drink. And it was an All Ages show. which this society needs more of.
Yesterday I photographed an SG member. I think she is gonna put some on her member page. I hope she does. Altho I wish I had not blown as many shots as I did, I think she looked great in a lot of them.
Lots of work, and school work. But life is good.
One other thing. This morning I was walking near the White House on my way to work. Some kind of Chinese delegation seems to have been in town. Anyway, there were hundreds of protestors on a street nearby, with signs about the Chinese Communist Party's policy of harvesting organs from political prisoners, which of course kills the donor. (I don't know the case in detail, but I tend to believe the accusations.)
Anyway, the protestors had been put on one side of one block, and then totally blocked off by a long line of high government trucks, so that few would be able to see or hear them at all. It was a so-called 'Free Speech Zone'.
Fuck Bush. What will we have next? Free Speech Labor Camps? 'You can say anything you want, as long as you do it in here.' Arbeit macht frei.
In a writing mood tonite. But that is enough.
Peacelove.
Out.
-------------------------------
Today's randomly-drawn Oblique Strategy card says: "Overtly resist change."
Make of it what you will.
I was out in Dupont Circle this evening, when I came across a local brass band. They play outside sometimes in that neighborhood in the summer. I've seen them several times over the years, and always think they sound good, but rarely stop to listen. They play what I think is New Orleans jazz type music, altho I have never seen anything like them anywhere, really.
I counted at least 14 of them. There were maybe six or seven trombone players, a bass drum and cymbal player, a french horn, assorted rhythm people, a tuba, and a maybe four-year-old kid who sometimes held a trombone and actually looked like he might be playing, altho I don't think he was. All were African-
Americans. They played on an open area near the Metro stop. There were maybe 50-80 people listening, and the group supplied three hot girls in little skirts with tambourines and other rhythm noisemakers while they danced around in front and undoubtedly increased the size of the crowd.
They were play When the Saints Come Marching In when I got there, and they launched into an extend jam, which sometimes features sections with incredible three-man blasts of gorgeous, complex, wavery trombone sound. They stood facing in various directions, so the sound coming out was very interesting, and changed significantly if you walked to different sides. They played another long, slower, also amazing song, and after that, they took a break, maybe stopping altogether as it was getting a bit late. I listened for maybe 30 minutes in all. I left them $3 in their bucket, which was pretty full. They deserved it all.
Best live music I've heard since I last saw Sonic Youth a couple years ago. Truly inspiring and fun. Everybody was happy. I didn't need to pay a cover or buy a drink. And it was an All Ages show. which this society needs more of.
Yesterday I photographed an SG member. I think she is gonna put some on her member page. I hope she does. Altho I wish I had not blown as many shots as I did, I think she looked great in a lot of them.
Lots of work, and school work. But life is good.
One other thing. This morning I was walking near the White House on my way to work. Some kind of Chinese delegation seems to have been in town. Anyway, there were hundreds of protestors on a street nearby, with signs about the Chinese Communist Party's policy of harvesting organs from political prisoners, which of course kills the donor. (I don't know the case in detail, but I tend to believe the accusations.)
Anyway, the protestors had been put on one side of one block, and then totally blocked off by a long line of high government trucks, so that few would be able to see or hear them at all. It was a so-called 'Free Speech Zone'.
Fuck Bush. What will we have next? Free Speech Labor Camps? 'You can say anything you want, as long as you do it in here.' Arbeit macht frei.
In a writing mood tonite. But that is enough.
Peacelove.
Out.
-------------------------------
Today's randomly-drawn Oblique Strategy card says: "Overtly resist change."
Make of it what you will.
sky:
I have loads of work too! damn. I should be doing it now 