| ©Random Thoughts &Opinions ....from a true renaissance man By Neville R Waters |
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Random thoughts and opinions from a true renaissance man…Life is
an effin blast!!! I feel blessed to sniff the air through my nostrils
today. I hear all my fave tunes flowing like an automatic iPod in the
brain…the magical music of Earth, Wind & Fire…earlier more obscure
selections like “Mom” and “Feelin’ Blue” and the specialness of
“Reasons” (I can’t even begin to describe the impact of the
memory…besides we must discreet she’s married now - smile)…
an effin blast!!! I feel blessed to sniff the air through my nostrils
today. I hear all my fave tunes flowing like an automatic iPod in the
brain…the magical music of Earth, Wind & Fire…earlier more obscure
selections like “Mom” and “Feelin’ Blue” and the specialness of
“Reasons” (I can’t even begin to describe the impact of the
memory…besides we must discreet she’s married now - smile)…
"Super Strut” from Eumir Deodato was/is
the ultimate funk jazz workout…Snoop’s 1st
album inspires my inner thug…Teena Marie
is just SO GOOD and as evidenced by her
2004 effort La Dona she is still at the top of
her game…and as far as I’m concerned the
artist known as Prince can no do no
wrong…well, OK his attempts to be a movie
star were possibly off-key, but I did spend …
the ultimate funk jazz workout…Snoop’s 1st
album inspires my inner thug…Teena Marie
is just SO GOOD and as evidenced by her
2004 effort La Dona she is still at the top of
her game…and as far as I’m concerned the
artist known as Prince can no do no
wrong…well, OK his attempts to be a movie
star were possibly off-key, but I did spend …
my money to see both “Under the Cherry Moon” and “Graffiti Bridge”
so I’m biased…but that MF is a musical genius and a business
visionary…it is with tremendous difficulty that I single out one of his
releases, but Sign O’ The Times is a 2-disc, 16 selection endeavor
that just leaves a listener breathless with its impressive strength
and energy…& then there is Sade…I must confess to a personal
experience with her that was FAB…it does not seem like twenty
years ago, but in 1985 when she and her group were introduced to
the American public, I had the opportunity to interview her…however,
the interview was delayed & I had the pleasure of spending close to
an hour alone with her, sharing stories, teasing each other, laughing
and bonding…I fell in love and although we have this unrequited
relationship our affair has continued with each of her infrequent
releases and live performances…the cut ”Sally” from the debut
release, Diamond Life is such a haunting song about a woman with
no family…but frankly it ain’t one of my top joints, but it reminds me
of a disturbing trend that recently came to my attention which casts
a bit of pall on my mood…so I will digress for a moment to inform you
that the structure of families in our society is threatened by so many
forces. According to the 2000 Census data only 38% of black families
are identified as 2-parent households compared to an overall
national average of 69%...but a digging just a bit deeper reveals
that from 1890 (when these stats were first compiled) until 1970 the
percentage of 2-parent black households hovered around 80%
consistently…yes, eighty percent!!! The family is disintegrating right
before our eyes…we have accepted absentee fathers, single
parenting and out-of-wedlock births…of course one good parent is
better than two folks in a dysfunctional relationship, but it sure
seems the government should be more concerned about these facts
than stressing about domestic partnerships…it sure seems to me
that a gay couple that desires formalizing their relationship in an
attempt to strengthen their familial bond should be supported for
their stability…it surely seems that a strong family structure is good &
positive thing that can benefit us all. OK…take a puff & let’s get back
to the Funky Good Time…thanks James for bangin it out…no doubt
you are the “Godfather”…thanks Rick James for taking the funk to
anutha place…thanks Jay Z for respecting the new funk flow…ahhh, I’
m so grateful for my funky teenage adolescent fantasies inspired by
Chaka Khan…thanks to Sly for crossing over…which has now gotten
outta control crossing the other way…how many records would Gwen
Stefani or Justin Timberlake sell without crossing over…do you
remember when the Rolling Stones rocked a remix of “Miss You”…the
colored girls just dying to meetcha…I can remember when the
unseen Madonna was a club sensation & execs were concerned
about putting her face out there because she was a white girl…and
of course most of us have acknowledged that Bill Clinton was the
crossover Prez. We have become such a diverse society with a mish
mash of various ethnicities, but the black/white thing still resonates
in the United States…with stereotypes, ignorance, institutional
barriers, code words and fear driving this divisive and emotional
issue. It’s easy to point out high-profile situations like the Michael
Jackson or OJ trials as evidence that black people can win by working
thro the system…its False Evidence Appearing Real…two examples
over a ten year period does not equate to equality…but we can
enjoy the music as it truly brings everyone together…regardless of
your preferences when you get in your groove & feel the flow, your
fave music will take you to a comfortable & familiar place…though our
tastes may be different, you can still join me in spirit…so click the
button or drop the needle ~ I’m still so old school ~ and enjoy
reliving that moment of discovery when the first beats of that tune
take you on a wonderful journey…thank you for your time this time
until next time.
so I’m biased…but that MF is a musical genius and a business
visionary…it is with tremendous difficulty that I single out one of his
releases, but Sign O’ The Times is a 2-disc, 16 selection endeavor
that just leaves a listener breathless with its impressive strength
and energy…& then there is Sade…I must confess to a personal
experience with her that was FAB…it does not seem like twenty
years ago, but in 1985 when she and her group were introduced to
the American public, I had the opportunity to interview her…however,
the interview was delayed & I had the pleasure of spending close to
an hour alone with her, sharing stories, teasing each other, laughing
and bonding…I fell in love and although we have this unrequited
relationship our affair has continued with each of her infrequent
releases and live performances…the cut ”Sally” from the debut
release, Diamond Life is such a haunting song about a woman with
no family…but frankly it ain’t one of my top joints, but it reminds me
of a disturbing trend that recently came to my attention which casts
a bit of pall on my mood…so I will digress for a moment to inform you
that the structure of families in our society is threatened by so many
forces. According to the 2000 Census data only 38% of black families
are identified as 2-parent households compared to an overall
national average of 69%...but a digging just a bit deeper reveals
that from 1890 (when these stats were first compiled) until 1970 the
percentage of 2-parent black households hovered around 80%
consistently…yes, eighty percent!!! The family is disintegrating right
before our eyes…we have accepted absentee fathers, single
parenting and out-of-wedlock births…of course one good parent is
better than two folks in a dysfunctional relationship, but it sure
seems the government should be more concerned about these facts
than stressing about domestic partnerships…it sure seems to me
that a gay couple that desires formalizing their relationship in an
attempt to strengthen their familial bond should be supported for
their stability…it surely seems that a strong family structure is good &
positive thing that can benefit us all. OK…take a puff & let’s get back
to the Funky Good Time…thanks James for bangin it out…no doubt
you are the “Godfather”…thanks Rick James for taking the funk to
anutha place…thanks Jay Z for respecting the new funk flow…ahhh, I’
m so grateful for my funky teenage adolescent fantasies inspired by
Chaka Khan…thanks to Sly for crossing over…which has now gotten
outta control crossing the other way…how many records would Gwen
Stefani or Justin Timberlake sell without crossing over…do you
remember when the Rolling Stones rocked a remix of “Miss You”…the
colored girls just dying to meetcha…I can remember when the
unseen Madonna was a club sensation & execs were concerned
about putting her face out there because she was a white girl…and
of course most of us have acknowledged that Bill Clinton was the
crossover Prez. We have become such a diverse society with a mish
mash of various ethnicities, but the black/white thing still resonates
in the United States…with stereotypes, ignorance, institutional
barriers, code words and fear driving this divisive and emotional
issue. It’s easy to point out high-profile situations like the Michael
Jackson or OJ trials as evidence that black people can win by working
thro the system…its False Evidence Appearing Real…two examples
over a ten year period does not equate to equality…but we can
enjoy the music as it truly brings everyone together…regardless of
your preferences when you get in your groove & feel the flow, your
fave music will take you to a comfortable & familiar place…though our
tastes may be different, you can still join me in spirit…so click the
button or drop the needle ~ I’m still so old school ~ and enjoy
reliving that moment of discovery when the first beats of that tune
take you on a wonderful journey…thank you for your time this time
until next time.
