Southwest Georgia Labor Day Good Times!

Happy Labor Day! I used to have great times on Labor Day when I was growing up in Cairo deep down in Southwest Georgia. My Daddy and Mama and I would quite often go to one of my uncle's houses. The whole family (on my Daddy's side) would come to the event and bless me there was good food. It'd be so raging hot you could feel the huge squirting sweat coming out all over you and all the flowers in the huge back yard would be potently redolent with the giant Southwest Georgia aromas. One uncle of mine a big, tall guy named T.W. would do all the wild frying of the fish. He got the fish amazingly hot. He said he wanted it "John Brown" crunchy. My Mama liked the natural grits ole' T.W. cooked. He threw a huge heppin' of cheese in the big grits pot and Lord did he cook the daylights out of that grits. It was good time Charlie, that's what this scene was. After awhile when things eased up a little then my Uncle Clower (a huge man with incredible strong handshake) and my Uncle T.W. and Byron (another uncle) and my Daddy would get out some bourbon. Little toddy time then. It was a time to remember. Now those folks and days are gone and my life is so calm....yet, I tell you something...those crackling good times....they provided some mighty fine memories. Mighty fine!

Losing Boredom's Shackles

Boredom is a petty ugly thing. The slime of being bored has stuck in me for a long time but when I was quite young and in the mish-mash of being a student the mood of the bored was a hard essence to shake. One thing helped, however. When I was an adolescent I discovered the engaging and remarkable novels of the wily Norman Mailer. I recall reading the bizarre and super-modern novel, 'The Deer Park' by Mailer. It got me all excited because I had never read a man whose words just leapt off the page. The same mood of raw joy struck when I read 'Portnoy' by Philip Roth. It is absurd how some of my so-called friends put me down for liking Norman Mailer and the intense music of Mahler. I find that when we make a good discovery that is pleasing to us then it is best to just leap on the bull, ride it and try hard to have a nice life. It is obvious to me that kind of thinking makes a lot of sense. I tire of all the sophomoric and vapid prattle that has been poured into my head by all the pseudo-minds that I have come across. So let us have our Norman Mailers and Philip Roths. Let's have a dash of meaning and not a swamp of meaningless intellectual garbage to trudge through.

Thinking on Southern Culture

Morning. Thinking about odd, complex things about Southern culture today. The football season has started again and it reminds me of a lot of stuff. When I was young the sports guys ruled big and us thin thinker types didn't have any chance, especially socially. All folks chased the holy grail of being with the marvelous whoop-ti-do athlete. I recall the disgusting bullying, the fiz ed mean souls who mentally cracked the whip on all of us slight guys. It is sad when a culture beats all this toughening up into you. I am ancient now. But deep down the rage lurks...the only thing that helps is religion. Thank you for good souls like Joel Osteen of Houston. I remember when I was about 13 I learned how to use my vocabulary to slight the ugly male and female sports bullies and to make them on edge. Their rejection of thinkers and unique souls may some day come back to haunt them, especially when they get older and the horrors of disease start hitting hard. I know this set of words is negative but I grow so tired of the disgusting rejections that have hit hard for so many decades. Please, let us have a glimmer of hope.

Jazz Guitar Hipness Is A Fun Experience!

Long, lilting jazz guitar lines really make me happy. Two elegant masters of mainstream jazz technique are Tal Farlow and Jimmy Raney. When they go off heavy into the merry world of the improv lines their music switches into a gear that is beguiling. Terrific good moods form in the cranium of elder statesmen like me upon hearing the good solid guitar work of Tal Farlow and Jimmy Raney. I like the picaresque aspects of the Raney style. But also I massively enjoy the myriad of mysterious intricacies Tal Farlow can conjure up. I especially dug a clever jazz joy...Farlow's rendition of the lovely tune, 'All of Me' today.

Atlanta Okinawa Kenjin-Kai: Exciting People

Atlanta Okinawa Kenjin-Kai is staying busy with many activities at this time. The members of this fine group promote the culture and ideas of the Okinawan people here in the Metro Atlanta area. The Okinawan culture has a long history of truly fascinating and profound creative experiences. The dances of these people bring a poetic and delightful approach to showing everyone how exciting and joyful the people of Okinawa are. I am excited about the many things going on with the Atlanta Okinawa Kenjin-Kai. In the month of September the busy people of Kenjin-Kai are going to be working extra hard.
On Saturday, September 18 and on Sunday, September 19, the fine members of the Atlanta Okinawa Kenjin-Kai will be participating in the annual JapanFest which will be held once again at Gwinnett Center, Sugarloaf Parkway. This is a fascinating event with lots of fun for everyone, both children and adults. This is a wonderful exchange of cultures--that of Okinawa, Japan and America. We know many people from all over the U.S. will enjoy this great time.
Also, I would like to let all people know that the annual Atlanta Okinawa Kenjin-Kai Christmas Party is coming on December 11 of this year. This event is always so much fun and it contains so much joyful music, dance and cultural exchanges. Remember, the culture of Okinawa is filled with creative, thoughtful history. I know my sons were excited (when they were young) when I told them Okinawa was the birthplace of Karate. And the energetic Taiko drum dances have always fascinated so many people. Also, the energy and attractiveness of the Okinawan people is indeed a wonderful thing to behold!
I am giving you a great recipe for a delicious Okinawan dish below. It is a sweet rice cake.
Okinawan Famous Baked Nantu!
5 cups Mochiko
3 cups dark brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 and one-half cups coconut milk (1 can 12 oz.)(Thaw coconut milk before you make)
2 and one-half cups of water
1 tsp vanilla.

Mix all the ingredients together and put in greased 9 X 13 baking pan and bake for 1 hour at 350F. Leave in pan until it is cool.
# Bake until knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
P.S. If you like, then add Sliced Almonds and Walnuts.
This makes it even more DELICIOUS!

Lee Morgan and fine Blue Note friends

Blue Note classic jazz recordings are a huge favorite of mine. This great Sunday I listened to a superb Lee Morgan work on Blue Note...the recording was called 'Candy.' This joyful so mod jazz music was perfect for my feisty mood, today. It had great work by the remarkable Lee Morgan on trumpet, Sonny Clark on piano, Doug Watkins on the bass and Art Taylor on the drums. The work of these guys is indicative of shiny, so truthful jazz music and the energy of the sounds is so engaging. On this fine set there was also a very big favorite ballad of mine...'All The Way.' This tune made famous by the incomparable Frank Sinatra has always captivated me. I remember the lovely film with Mr Sinatra...the one called 'Pal Joey.' People, this beautiful song 'All The Way' was in that unusual beauty of a film. It has so much poignancy and sensitive tone and it has always made a huge emotional impact on me. Today when I heard the so eloquent jazz piano solo on this thing it sent me off into a state of massive happiness! Also, the trumpet of masterful jazz man, Lee Morgan was full of such terrific appeal on Morgan and company's interpretation of this jazz beauty of a song. This has been a wonderful, emotional and gorgeous Sunday and I am such a happy man with a great soulful feeling going on in my being!

'Trombone Shorty' Serves Up Super Jazz

These times are so fantastic. Heard some great 'kickin' jazzy music late last night. The band was 'Trombone Shorty' and Orleans Avenue. They did profound renditions of the superb 'Let's Get It On' and 'American Woman' and the musicality of the fiery leader--'Trombone Shorty' Andrews and the terrific sound of his band guys...well, like this is WOW! This music is sensational. New Orleans people are marvelous! Hey, listen when young fellas like this can keep on bringin' the beautiful New Orleans music, then for sure we all got to remember those classic words.....'Life Is Good!'