Notes_Norton

When I moved from New York to Florida, there were separate schools, separate drinking fountains, separate restrooms, and a lot of prejudice. My father sat me down and explained why that was wrong. My dad would agree with your dad, and so do I. One of my uncles changed his last name when he went into politics. At that time, anyone with a vowel at the end of their name (Italian) couldn't get elected to dogcatcher. Most of his siblings changed it as well, which is why I'm a "Norton". The black people can't do that, and there is no reason why they should have to. We need to realize that we are all just people. Notes

There cannot be justice, since by now all the slave owners are dead. IMO, It's good to remember the past to learn from it, but there is no way to punish the people who were guilty after they are gone. My grandparents came to the USA from Italy long after slavery was abolished. At one time in history, the proto-Italians were enslaved by the Greeks, but I have no pent-up resentment for the Greeks. The way I figure it is this, I was born white, others were not. I don't owe a black person anything special. I owe the 'persons-of-color' the same as I owe my fellow white people, to treat them with respect and as an equal, unless they show me any reason why I should not. I've been in bands with White people, Black people, Hispanic people, Male people, Female people, and even one Asian person. I worked for Motown in Detroit for a while. I don't care about your skin color. What I care about is (1) Can you play well? And (2) Are you a nice person? Most of the musicians I've played with are nice people. If they weren't decent folks or if they couldn't play well enough, they either didn't get the job or were canned. I had a Mexican for a next-door neighbor for a few years, and there is a black gentleman living at the end of our dead-end street. No problem since they are nice folks. The person I had a problem with used to live across the street, fortunately he moved to North Carolina. He was white and a jerk. Juneteenth is just as much my holiday as anyone else's. It's a national holiday, a national celebration, so I will celebrate it as well. Sure it's a token, but so is Dead President's Day or Christmas. I hope it becomes a day that traditionally hires live bands, we all need the work. Insights and incites by Notes

We just relearned this one, as the generation who grew up with 80s music are now entering the community we market with our duo. We played it in the mid 1980 when we were gigging on cruise ships. It was fun to play then, and fun to play again. Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears

We used to have a fan that always asked for this. Sadly, along with others of his generation, he died, so we don't get to play it as much anymore. Come Go With Me - Del-Vikings

You have a good point there. Notes

We play this one every once in a great while. Comin' Home Baby - Herbie Mann

We need more holidays, especially the kind where hiring live music is part of the celebration!!! I have no problem with Juneteenth, but I think the name is rather informal and thus not solemn enough. I think it should be called Emancipation Day. IMO, that change would add more importance to the name and remind everybody what it is really all about. I had no plans for the day, perhaps next year. Insights and incites by Notes

"Going Up The Country" - Canned Heat

Perhaps some ruminating about illuminating?

Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye (triple word score)

Better than illiteration

Make Me A Memory (Sad Samba) - Grover Washington, Jr. A song we occasionally play on a gig if we have a dinner set before the dance music.

I used to love a lava lamp but later I lost that love and was to lazy to even light the lamp, so it languished, unlit, in a little corner of the lending library.

Bamboléo - Fania All-Stars

Some Skunk Funk - The Brecker Brothers

El Raton - Fania All-Stars - Cheo Feliciano - Jorge Santana (Carlos' brother) El Raton translated is The Mouse (or The Rat)

My Old Flame - Jazz Standard, first sung by Mae West, backed by the Duke Ellington Orchestra

30 Days In The Hole - Humble Pie

Live From Daryl's House - Joe Walsh

I'm more of a 'don't care' person

Live In London - Supertramp

The Groove Merchant - Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Orchestra