Go Tell It on the Mountain

“Go Tell It on the Mountain” ~ recorded with my sister Angie at Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes park, Colorado back in 2016. 

Merry Christmas!

Narrow Bridge - “Geshar Tsar Me’od” (in English)

Shannon and I used to sing together, along with many of our mutual musical friends, in Monterey. Boy do I miss all of you! But, The Acapella app has made it possible for us to sing together again. Back in about 2008, our UUCMP minister Greg Ward asked us if we could sing this as a duet for one of his services. This was what we came up with. It is such a joy and a privilege to be able to harmonize with such a beautiful voice.

~ A shortened chant based on “Geshar Tsar Me’od.”

Palisade Bluegrass & Roots Festival

*

We arrived to the Palisade Bluegrass & Roots Festival at about 4pm. The Old Town Pickers were on the stage. This band was the one band of the evening that truly represented the bluegrass genre.

Good friends + good beer + good weather + good music.

We found out that the festival has a mix & match jam session on Saturday. Musicians put their names on a list, and they are randomly matched up into bands. On Saturday, these mix & match bands come up with some music and compete against one another. That sounds like a lot of fun. My bag of harmonicas is (hopefully just temporarily) missing. Otherwise I would have signed up.

The final band was Oakhurst. Not exactly bluegrass, but not bad.
Many of their songs were high energy, and a lot of fun to listen to.

..

It's obvious from our Friday venture that Saturday is the day to attend. Next year I'll get a weekend pass, take part in the mix & match competition, and stay in the campground so that I can get in on some good jam sessions, which apparently continue long into the night and early morning. This was a lot of fun. Saturday will be even better, no doubt.

***

"Tell Me True" by Sarah Jarosz

*

Songs like this make me want to learn to play the banjo.

"Tell Me True" by Sarah Jarosz

***

Fishtank Ensemble - Woman in Sin

*

"Fishtank Ensemble..." can't say enough about this L.A. band. We had SO MUCH FUN at their concert in Paonia, CO back in the summer of 2010. They've just released a video for their song "Woman in Sin." If you ever get the chance to watch them live, they are an absolute riot, and if you're lucky enough to be in the right place like we were, the whole crowd will be up on their feet dancing in less than 5 minutes. This band has some real depth, range and serious talent. Here are some other clips to check out to get an idea of just what they're capable of: 'Spirit Prison,' 'Fever,'and 'Nedim.' You never know what to expect next from this band, but whatever it is will be musically tight and filled with creative energy.

***

Mamuse - On the 1

 *

I'm really enjoying this song this afternoon. ~ 'On the 1' by MaMuse.

UPDATE: I've been listening to MaMuse all day and haven't been disappointed. In fact, I'm very impressed by their music. It's so nice to discover a "new to me" group that I can't get enough of.

***

Marching Band Competition Parade

*

Left-click on all pictures to see them full size. There will be more band videos coming soon.

Delta High School Marching Band

Today we had a marching band parade in downtown Grand Junction.

It was a cool, cloudy morning in downtown GJ.

Shops along Main Street were opening their doors.

Soon it would be standing room only.

Then things got started.

More videos of the other band coming soon.
They upload SLOWLY.

Palisade High School Marching Band

It seems that almost every band has a gazillion flags these days.

I like it that way, but I do also miss baton twirlers.

Columbine High School Marching Band

Bands from all over the region were represented.

Montezuma-Cortez High School Marching Band

The more bright colors the better.

Montrose High School Marching Band

Grand Junction High School Marching Band

Fruita Monument High School Marching Band

Downtown GJ has that "hometown" feel for sure.

Too soon, it was time to head home.

***

Cello Jungle

 *

If you enjoy hearing "modern" music performed on classical instruments like I do (if anything almost 25 years old can be called modern), you'll like this video of Sulic & Hauser, aka 2Cellos, playing "Welcome to the Jungle." My friend Forrest posted it earlier today. Thanks Forrest. The cello has always been my favorite instrument.

***

My Space Songs

Two of my favorite original songs are now on my MySpace page.
 http://www.myspace.com/michaelraymeadows

Gardenman 

This song is mostly written about and dedicated to my grandfather, Arnice Lacy Meadows.  He was a powerful man with an engaging personality and a quick wit.  He was loved by many, and truly known by a privileged few who loved him even more. 

I only got to spend one year with him, but in that year, he taught me a lot about how to live with dignity, and how to be true to myself and to my convictions.  He taught me about living intentionally without ever really saying anything.  He taught by example, as did many others who came into my life at pivotal moments during my childhood and teenage years.  My grandfather was truly a man amoung men.

Originally, the idea for this song was inspired by Dr. Donald Tuttle, (a.k.a. "Doc") who took truckloads of kids out into the Sonoran Desert to teach them about insects for over 40 years.

When I discovered that writing a truly sentimental song about an entomologist was impossible unless it was destined for the Dr. Demento show, I started working on another angle.

One day I came home from work, and the idea hit me to try the same tune, but to make the words about my grandfather.  The current song, in pretty much its entirety, came out in about five minutes.  I wish that they all were that easy.

Dr. Tuttle was always just Doc to me.  Listed in the Who's Who of Science for many years, he had personally named many new species of spider mites.  He was responsible for many innovative programs in the agricultural fields in Arizona from the 40's through the mid-80's. 

To me, he was the man who took the time to come and pick me up in his truck every Saturday morning at 9am, sharp.  My sister and I and several other 4-Hers would pile up in the back of that truck, ready for adventure, and having no idea where we were headed to next.

There are two verses in here that specifically speak to Doc Tuttle.  "I never knew his name; I never even once heard him complaining." and "He never said a whole lot, but he had a lot of good things to say."

Whether we walked through the shallows of the Colorado River, over the sand dunes, through deserted pig farms, subtle desert flowers patches, or lush fields of newly irrigated alfalfa, Doc always led the way.  He too, was a man among men.

 

 Misfits Memoirs

Misfits Memoirs was written after watching so many others (not me of course) who just couldn't figure out how to fit in as pre-teens and teenagers, or didn't care to even bother trying to.  When I was young-er... I took copious and careful notes of all the sad things that I witnessed (in others, not me of course...) and later put many of them together into this song.  I often wonder, as a man who has never once had to deal with feeling like a misfit in my own life, how in the world they ever managed to wake up every morning and face another day time and time again.  Actually, it's all about me.  No it's not.  Just kidding.  Everything I've just said is true.

Playing Blues on the Bayou

Playing blues on the bayou in Shreveport, LA.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOmq63gAlYc

Now We Can See! ~ The Thermals

"We were born in the desert, we were reared in a cave. We conquered the sun but we lived in the shade. Yeah baby we were savage, we existed to kill. Our history is damaged... at least it was a thrill. But now we can see! Now that our vision is strong, we don't have to admit we were wrong. Now we can see, but the images don't stick. Our enemies lie dead on the ground, and still we kick."

~ Now We Can See Lyrics - The Thermals

http://www.songlyrics.com/the-thermals/now-we-can-see-lyrics/

First Baptist Church at Night

I'll have to go back to First Baptist Church in Shreveport with my good camera. The stained glass windows alone were worth the trip.

Symphony Performance Tonight!

The church where this performance took place was HUGE!
First Baptist Church in Shreveport.

Missing the Lyrical Laboratory

I am missing the many musical jam sessions that I enjoyed on a regular basis in Monterey. To all of you who I had the pleasure of jamming with, harmonizing with, and performing with... you're in my thoughts right now!

Ancient Flute and Man's Affinity for Music

This article, posted on the LSUS Music Dept's bulletin board, amplifies the discovery of prehistoric flutes into a wonderful commentary on the mystery of mankind's affinity for music, which we now know has been part of the human experience since ancient times.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124656639970388165.html

MySpace Music

I now have a MySpace Music page. I will only post the two latest songs on there for now, but eventually there will be more, including the all-time favorites (Gardenman, Cries of War, Chelsie's Song, Misfit's Memoirs, Atheistic Musings, etc :-)

http://www.myspace.com/michaelraymeadows

Coffee House Pictures

Thanks to all of you who made it out to the Coffee House performance last Saturday night. I think that it was a success. Special thanks to all of you that participated in the performance and in the setup. Everything went off great and I felt proud and privileged to be up on stage with all of you around me. Here are a few pictures. If anyone else took any that you'd be willing to share, please send them my way! Thanks!

Enjoying the new hat...

Dave on mandolin, Mike on guitar and harmonica.

Arlene on violin, Dave on Mandolin, Mike on guitar and harmonica.

Coffee House on Saturday April 12th at 7pm!

Just in case you haven't heard, there will be a coffee-house musical performance at the sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula (UUCMP) on Saturday, April 12th, 2008 beginning at 7:00pm.

This coffee house performance will feature many of my original songs, Shannon Miller's wonderful singing and harmonies, and instrumental accompaniment by Dave Holodiloff on mandolin, and Arlene Petalver on violin. Noiseful Joy will add to this energetic celebration of sound with their own sweet harmonies and well-tuned enthusiasm.

Come to the UUCMP sanctuary at 7:00 pm on April 12th for original music, rich harmonies, and good times with friends. We hope to see you there!

UUCMP Sanctuary
490 Aguajito Road
Carmel, CA 93923
Phone: 831-624-7404

Mike and Angie - New Recording!

Johnny took this photograph of Angie and me during our recording session today.

A bit of cut and paste magic on our version of "You Can Tell the World"

Johnny in the "Good Job Studio"
www.goodjobstudio.com

The Path

I took my first guitar lesson today. I had this feeling wash over me during the lesson and it almost brought tears to my eyes. I realized that the feeling was recognition of the right path. I'm back on the path. Amen

There is a dream that I have to share, and a vision from long ago... maybe later tonight.

I talked to my mom and found out that the city of Yuma is creating a huge wetlands park, the largest in all of Arizona (Yuma of all places!) on the Colorado River in an area where I used to go hiking and searching for insects. They need volunteers to help with the construction of the park during two weekend work parties that will be happening in mid-February. They're short volunteers right now, and if they don't get enough, the project may be delayed. There is nothing I'd like more than to go down there and help with that, and I think I will do that one weekend next month.

My cat Misty is having one of her incredible snuggle-attacks. This cat is out of site 99% of the time, either outside under the house, or inside behind the couch. The only time that I can ever find her is when she is sleeping on the cat-tree at night or on her blanket on top of the bookcase in the living room, unless she's having a snuggle-attack. When she's in snuggle-mode she head-butts table legs, chairs, my legs, insisting on contact with anything in site. She met me sitting in the office chair when I came home with her body pressed into a contortionist position against the backrest. She was pressing as much of her body against the chair as she could and her feet were sticking out at odd angles. She had this look on her face that said, "Don't just stand there you silly human... PET ME!" So I'm following the unspoken command for attention that comes so rarely from this particular room-mate of mine.