Sitting At The Kitchen Table

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 02:49 PM

Oh, then. I can easily do that!

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 09:45 AM

All you need is a kitchen large enough to fit 30 people, squashed up into the walls to leave room for the band, a couple of people dancing a half-set and hands coming in from the scullery handing plates of sandwiches and cups of tea!

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 02:25 AM

I would love to have a home large enough to host house concerts. For years I did host large music jams and that was fun and satisfying but I would love to book people in my hone.

In August our 'Gold Street Music' folk club begins again and I'm looking forward to that.

(Carly, thanks for reminding me of your lovely home and backyard. Although I must say that I 'see' it in Autumn not in Spring.)

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Elmer Fudd
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 02:17 AM

Happy Birthday to our host with the most! Today we all make the coffee for you, fetch the newspaper, toast the bagels and bring out the cream cheese and the best lox in town. And we haul out our various instruments, clear our throats and sing your praises. Thanks for creating and hosting this thread with almost two thousand posts from around the world, all of them friendly and civilized. That alone is a major accomplishment, and only a small one among the many you have brought into this world. All our best to you and your family today.

We toast you with toast and plenty of caffeinated good cheer!

Elmer

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 04:33 PM

Hey, Frog:

When I commented on house concerts, the one that came most to mind was the one I did for the Paint Creek Folklore Society. The house and set up was beautiful, and everyone was very warm and welcoming.
Matt was the one who got the booking for me, and then ended up having a conflict and couldn't come. I've yet to meet him. I do have his CD with Handful Of Songs on it, though, and still enjoy it. If you run into him, give him my best.

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: frogprince
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 04:01 PM

We get to most of the house concerts of the Paint Creek Folklore Society here in Michigan. I first discovered that there was such a thing when we saw Anne Hills billed to appear there. I scratched my head at an announcement giving no venue, just a phone number for information. We love the concerts there, and my only regret is that we discovered them after some guy named Jerry-something was booked.
Jerry, we see Matt Watroba perform around the area every now and again. We plan to catch him at the summer folk fest in Evart in July.

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Carly
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 02:22 PM

Hi everybody!

We've had a busy spring, but now our spring festival committments are done, and we are trying to get the house and yard in some sort of order.I just, belatedly, got my herbs planted for the summer. Organizational work sure eats up your time. I am looking forward to a day at Old Songs, a festival at which I have no responsibilities, and can simply enjoy the music and people there.

I agree with you, Jerry, about house concerts. I don't perform much, anymore, but I love the intimacy of house concerts, somehow more than a large hall, and I prefer sitting around singing in someone's kitchen to large crowds. I think that I am a singer, rather than a performer, at heart. Having said that, I really enjoyed being part of the ballad workshop at the Washington Folk Festival recently, along with Lisa Null, Julia Friend, and Ed O'Reilly. David Scheim showed up with his harp, and, with three minutes of rehearsal five minutes before we walked on stage, David played to my rendition of a version of The Golden Vanity. What fun! He is amazing at improvisation.

Carly

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 11:45 AM

Sounds like you had a great time, B.B. Thanks for stopping by. I ran a concert series for 27 years over here, including a folk festival for six of those years, and was a Board member of a Folk/Gospel festival for three years. It was a great way to share some time with other folkies. I haven't seen or heard from 99% of the performers since I stopped the series, and I do miss them. I understand that the world of acoustic musicians is precarious at its best, so I am not bothered that once I stopped booking, people stopped communicating with me. Everyone likes to eat.

I've performed in about every kind of venue over the years, as any folk performer has. I must say, house concerts are my favorites. They aren't the same ego-feed as playing at a larger venue or festival, but if your ego needs regularly nourishment, folk music is like Chinese food. The ego strokes wear off quickly, and they're few and far between.

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: billybob
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 08:44 AM

Hi Jerry and folks,
I may have told you that we used to run a folk festival for 16 years, after we bowed out the new committee ran it for 3 years and then it faded away.
We have really missed the weekend of music so I thought we would try a "house concert" style at home with a guest. We had the first one this past weekend, a great sucess, the guest was an old friend The Amazing Mr Smith, he is incredibly funny and a very talented guitarist. He has done house concerts and concerts in the USA.
We invited 30 people who used to come to our festival, Billy did a lovely Bar b q supper and those who wanted alcohol brought their own.We had a marquee in the garden and erected a small stage with PA . After the performance we had a sing a round and we got to bed about 2 in the morning, it was so lovely to get old friends together and have decided to hold another evening in October. Hopefully we will do about 6 a year. We asked for donations to pay the guest and made a small profit to carry forward to the next one, so I am hoping that maybe by next summer we can hire a venue and maybe put on a one day festival.

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 08:05 PM

Yes, ebbie: It was a keyboard about six or eight feet long... vinyl, that you put on the floor. You can play it by stepping on the keys. From what I remember of the scene, it was in a very upscale toy store.

Look at it this way. You were the second person to get that idea... not bad, at all..

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ebbie
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 05:31 PM

Hmmmm. I never saw that film. Don't actually see many films.

Was that keyboard on the floor or installed on a piano?

Durn. All my best ideas are already taken...

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 05:02 PM

If I was the dancer, ebbie, no one would want to hear the tune.

My Father's nickname for me was Slewfoot.

Need I say more?

Of course, you could dance on one of those large piano keyboards like Tom Hanks in BIG.

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ebbie
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 04:57 PM

I got a novel idea today - how about inventing/building something that one might call 'Dance Piano'? Big squares or distinct shapes inserted into a 'blanket' that is laid on the floor; each square has a chromatic tone so that dancing will play a tune. Might even have some squares that sound a chord. Whadda ya think?

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 03:46 PM

Hey, Ron and Ebbie:

How nice to see you both!

Ruth, our son Pasha and I have been installing 90 feet of white vinyal fencing panels on one side of our property, and I've spen so much time in the sun that I'm starting to look more Native American than Danish American. Actually, un-installing the old wooden stockade fencing and posts turned out to be at least as much work. Now, I'm replanting and seeding all the scarred ground. Should keep me out of trboule for a couple more weeks.

We did the Gospel Messengers songs with guitar, Ron. A notch past a capella, because I use the guitar to lay down rhtyhms and chord changes without a lof of fancy runs. One of the three songs, I just use the guitar to get us started, and then we do it a capella. The doo wop group is totally a caeplla, although they are trying to encorporate a full band to accompany them After their initial enthusiasm, they've discovered how hard it is to rearrange all their material for a band (who like to take solos...)

I like singing a capella. A lot less equipment to carry.

Do a capella singers need a head case? Or are they one?

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ebbie
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 12:21 PM

How lovely to see you all again. I'm glad you're keeping the door wide open, Jerry. The morning air is wonderful.

Yesterday I sauntered down the hill to have a latte with a couple of friends. The air was soft and summery. (Which for us means something quite different from most of you. In Juneau, when the temperatures hit 65 degrees, it's summer!)

Later I came home and changed clothes then took my Cairn terrier up the hill and worked again on a flower circle on the lawn of the house museum where I used to live. I've been cleaning it out and digging it up to transplant some blooming plants into it. It's been a hard job because many of the mossy rocks have sunk into the ground and covered over with grass and weeds. Earlier I dug everything up and then went home to recuperate. The lawn is on a slope so it's hard on ankles.

Yesterday I re-piled the rocks; looks pretty good. Later, after the target plants are finished blooming I'll move them over to the circle. Don't want to disturb them before then. In the meantime I'll add more soil to the mix. I want the circle brimming.

Ah, summer is nice.

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ron Davies
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 12:02 PM

Hi Jerry and everybody,

That's just great, Jerry, that your gospel was so well received by the doo-wop audience. But not that unexpected--after all even Elvis had a real strong gospel streak--wasn't Crying in the Chapel a big hit for him? (not that he's doo-wop). I assume the gospel you did was a cappella. I would hope any doo-wop crowd would appreciate that--and gospel style must have been a main source for doo-wop.

I'd sure love to hear you guys sing either style live.

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 09:40 AM

For my American friends, this thread has become a Weekly Reader. (If you remember that little newspaper from grade school.) It's kinda nice to pop in every now and then and see how folks are doing.

Yesterday, Ruth and I had a wonderful time. And a very sad one, too.
Not at the same time. Wonderful first.

There's a chain of restaurants opening up called Route 21 (or is it 22?) They book live music and had a Doo Wop Barbeque yesterday afternoon with our friends, The Sentinels. We drove down to hear the guys, and Joe ans Frankie from the Gospel Messengers met us there. Actually, Joe and Frankie got there before noon, before the music even started. We pulled in about 1, and caught the last part of the last song of one of their sets, and settled in at a tble near the front and ordered our food (not barbeque.) After that, The Sentinels did two sets, with breaks, and then asked Joe, Frankie and I to come up. We sang with Ken and Joe from the Sentinels, who helped us at our 10th Anniversary. None of us knew how the audience would respond, because we were doing gospel to an audience who came to hear doo wop. We did three songs .. Joe Evans leading two, and Frankie and Joe Tedesco from the Sentinels doing a duet on Just A Closer Walk With Thee. The really went wild for Joe Evan's leads... even more enthusiastic than they were for any of the Sentinels songs.
It was a lot of fun... just relaxed and singing for the joy of singing. We actually sounded better than we did at our Anniversary, in part because Joe Tedesco and Ken from the Sentinels were in familiar territory, surrounded by friends. Neither of them are church-goers, so they looked a little uneasy for our Anniversary.

After we sang, Ruth and I went to visti Joe Evan's wife, Corrie. Corrie was one of the original "Messengerettes," and traveled everywhere with us, for many years. She has Alzheimer's now and is in a health care center. When we came in to see her, she had no idea who we were, and she was in some other world. It was really heartbreaking to see her that way. She was always quick-witted and energetic. Now, she seems dazed, and just sat there, picking at her clothes, not responding to our conversation in any coherent way. Joe has carried a heavy burden, always being there for her. The Messengerettes had dwindled down to Ruth, most of the time. Our tenor Derrick's wife Viviene came to almost every concert as was very enthusiastic and supportive, but the moved to FLorida two years lago. Frankie's Mary comes very infrequently, and Corrie is in the health care center. Of our two new members, Joe Tedesco's wife doesn't normally come, and Ken is recently divorced.

But, Ruth is enough. I have never sung with the Gospel Messengers when she wasn't there, including the very first time we sang, more than ten years ago.

That's the kind of love you can't but.

Jerry

So, what's going on in your neck of the woods?

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ron Davies
Date: 20 May 07 - 09:46 PM

Hi Jerry and everybody else,

I'm sure you're right, Jerry, they would frown on electric kazoos in classical music. We certainly did not have electric kazoos.

But anybody who had written "Concerto for Bagpipe and Balloons", "The 1712 Overture" (with Pop Goes the Weasel as the main theme--interpersed with lots of classical melodies), and Concerto for 2 Unfriendly Groups of Instruments" wouldn't really be that concerned with what "they" frown on. And those are all pieces by PDQ Bach. He don't care what critics don't allow....

And that's one of the many aspects which makes him so great.

I plan to go to another of his concerts--this one called the "Jekyll and Hyde Tour"--where I understand he does things like rock versions of Shakespeare. And may make use of instruments like the tromboon--which has been described as combining the worst aspects of both the bassoon and the trombone.

Can't wait.

Anyway, our concert was just the most musical fun I've had in years.   Our piece was called "The Seasonings" and our part was to come in after lines like "Open, Sesame Seed, and see what you see"--with Blatt, Blatt, Blatt (preferably on the right notes). In most other parts of the piece we were drowned out by such instruments as the above tromboon, or a shower hose with a mouthpiece (played dazzlingly well by the woman who played it--she played it just like a 17th or 18th century valveless horn. Just incredible--all up and down the scale just by changing the configuration of her mouth. PDQ's own chosen instrument was the "Windbreaker". It was loud.

The rest of the "oratorio" was just great too--lines like "Bide thy thyme--If you've got the money, honey, I've got the thyme--If you've got the thyme, I've got the inclination". And "To curry favor, favor curry".

And then there was "By the leeks of Babylon   Ee-i--ee-e--o.

And when PDQ came hear my group (Choral Arts Society) rehearse, he asked us what we usually wore for concerts.    We said, tuxedos for guys, blue dresses for gals. He asked if we never wore robes. No , we said. He suggested we should for this one----bathrobes.

So...60 Choral Arts members trooped on stage at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall wearing bathrobes. One guy was brushing his teeth.

As a soloist I had to wear a tuxedo. Ah well.

And then there was the concerto PDQ played. Last movement very fast. Then afterwards, he turned to the audience, and said "Now we're going to play the last movement again--even faster. He started to do so.

Soon we heard a siren going off--off stage. Then a flashing red light. Then a "policeman" strode purposefully across the stage-- around the piano. Asked "Is this yours? Answer: "No, it's a rental" Asked for registration and license--which PDQ produced from inside the piano. Then to the National Symphony conductor (Leonard Slatkin) "Do you know him?" (meaning PDQ). Answer: "I'm just a passenger". And so on.

Priceless.

It is so great to be involved in many different types of music--you never know what you might get into--as I'm sure you know.

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 18 May 07 - 10:36 AM

Time for a fresh pot of coffee.

Hey, ebbie: I was reading about the cruise ship that ran into trouble up your way. I didn't realize that Jeanue was so close to glaciers. I guess you can keep a six pack on ice, right in your backyard...

I'm continuing to build my collection of classic and boscure R & B from the 50's and 60's. I know that Ron and Elmer will want copies whenb they are finished. Anyone else who might want them, just let me know.

Wednesday was our last Gospel Messengers practice. And tomorrow evening is our 10th Anniversary concert. We'll have a housedfull for supper, with the Messengers and family and friends arriving at four. We'll run through the songs briefly, but mostly just have a chance to relax, ahve something to eat and enjoy some good fellowship. And Ladyship, too. And offer up some prayers for a joyful evening.

For all the comments I've made about the different between black Gospel and doo wop, I overlooked the most obvious one of all. Gospel is worship music. You can sing it and have a good time without believing what you're singing, but there is a completely different dimension to it if you believe. That's turned out to be a major problem with one of our new members. He wants us to look cool, and we are messengers. Messengers deliver messages. How they look is immaterial. Saturday night, we'll be delivery boys AND have a lot of fun. The best of both worlds.

So, what's going on around your kitchen tables these days?

Do they frown on electric kazoos in classical music like they frown on electric guitars in folk music, Ron?

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 14 May 07 - 10:56 AM

Sounds like you had a great time, Ron! Good on you. I was thinking that P.D.Q. Bach is to classical music what Spike Jones was to popular music. Behind the humor was always impressive musical performance.

This is THE week for us... our 10th Anniversary concert for the Gospel Messengers is this Saturday. We have one more practice, and I'm going to the church to set up the sound system on Thursday. Then it'll just be time to relax and enjoy singing.

I've leanred as much as I already knew about the difference between black gospel and doo wop. When I have time, I'll share a little bit of that in here for whoever is interested. The two major problems my two new doo wop singers have difficulty with is understanding that the message, and the lead singer are the focus of most of the songs. There's no "message" in doo wop, and the arrangement is King. It's been hard for them to accept that the harmonies and back-up are just that... The other is the whole spiritual dimension to the music. The doo wop singers are looking for perfection. We're praying for humility... :-)

But, more later..

And by all means, tell us more about your concert.

I'm also putting together some great early R&B form the 50's which I'm sure that you'll be interested in. Ivory Joe Hunter when he rocked and did boogie woogie...

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ron Davies
Date: 13 May 07 - 11:17 PM

Hi Jerry and everybody else--

That PDQ Bach concert that I was guest soloist in (second kazoo) was on Friday. And it was incredible--the best concert I've been to in years.

It started out with announcements along the lines of "Welcome to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. We hope you enjoy the concert. In the event of fire, the exits are as follows" (with somebody on stage pointing out the exits--a la a stewardess.) " In the event of a water landing, your seat will become a flotation device."

Then some more people came into the hall, and the announcer said something like--"More people have just arrived. Our safety mandate requires that all must hear the announcements. Perhaps you are wondering about them. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts the NEA" ---- (note for non- US Mucatters-- National Endowment for the Arts) "has merged with the FAA" (Federal Aviation Administration).

That's just the start--even before the music.

If anybody has interest I can tell more about the concert.

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 11 May 07 - 10:41 PM

Bananas here in Connecticut are usually $.99 a pound. Sometimes, they're as low as $.69. It's a little far to drive though, ebbie.
But, if you decide to drop down here to get some bananas, be sure to drop by and have a cuppa at our kitchen table with me and Ruth.

Jerry

Zucchini is so commonplace down here that they use them for landfill..

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ebbie
Date: 11 May 07 - 10:03 PM

Wow. Who would've guessed that Connecticut restaurants serve cauliflower, mashed or otherwise. I've never seen any in public.

Elmer, where are you? I'm surprised that your veggies are that high in price. Bananas here are $1.99- which farther down the Pacific coast is very high. I remember one time when I was grocery shopping with my brother, Elmer, and saw they were offering bananas for $1.49. I couldn't believe it and repeatedly told him- he finally gave up and said, That's the usual price. When they go on special they'll go as low as $1.19!

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 11 May 07 - 08:47 PM

A highly unlikely food that both my wife and I like and order when we go to eat at a local restaurant is mashed cauliflower. Neither of us particularly like cauliflower, but I guess it's all in the    mashing..

I wonder how mashed routabaggies would taste?

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Elmer Fudd
Date: 11 May 07 - 08:14 PM

I always pick out the little ones as beng younger and tastier, Ebbie. And zucchini costs at least that much down here where it grows like wildfire. I guess we're used to high prices for everything.

Another flower of which I'm fond is cauliflower. I've been roasting it in a covered casserole with olive oil and rosemary--actually, throwing in some large florets for the last half-hour when roasting a chicken.

I'll bet you're thrilled to know that. At least it keeps the thread going. And it's in the kitchen.

Elmer

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 May 07 - 11:46 PM

I object to paying $1.49 per pound for zucchini so in Juneau I do without! Not only that, they are tiny, maybe 7 inches long and a little bigger around than a quarter. In Oregon you couldn't get rid of it and you couldn't keep up with it so you threw the huge ones over the fence, so to speak.

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Elmer Fudd
Date: 10 May 07 - 11:05 PM

Don't forget the zucchini blossoms. Stuff with ricotta, dip in egg, roll in bread crumbs and fry 'em. Yummizzi!

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 May 07 - 04:22 PM

And they thrive(d) better, too. :)

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 10 May 07 - 03:54 PM

You can be a Guest at our kitchen table anytime, jimm.. :-)

A footnote:

The name Chicago comes from an indian word for place of Skunk Cabbage. There were vast, swampy areas of skunk cabbage before the city was built. Just think of it. If they really wanted to be historically accurate, they should have named the Chicago Cubs the Chicago Skunk Cabbage. There was a lot more skunk cabbage than there ever were cubs..

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: GUEST
Date: 10 May 07 - 12:37 PM

Just stuck my head in to see what you are all up to. Flower cooking I see!~ We sometimes put nasturtiums and even pansies in salad anthey are pretty tasty. I always think that as good as roses smell they surely should taste good too! not tried them though   jimmyt

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 May 07 - 10:36 PM

In southeast Alaska we have LOTS of skunk cabbage; they get huge and really tall. Out at the University grounds they reach chest high and would keep everything but a hard rainstorm off you.

Question: How soon do they start 'smelling'? A few years ago I took a friend who was visiting Juneau 'out the road' (a 40 mile drive alongside the coastline. Juneau is very narrow but stretches out linearally). When I stopped the car and we started strolling around she stopped and sniffed and said, Oh, there's a skunk around here someplace.

I said, No, Juneau doesn't have skunks. What do you think it is?

We went over to some healthy thriving skunk cabbage and she said, Oh, here it is!

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 09 May 07 - 10:27 PM

Hey, ebbie: I just sauteed the day lilly buds in butter, much as I sautee asparagus tips. I served them that way. I'm not much into adding a lot of herbs and spices, but I am sure more adventuresome cooks could do that. I cooked the first leaves of skunk cabbage like I cook leaf spinach and salted and buttered the cabbage before serving. I originally got interested in gathering native plants and flowers through study of early Colonial American life. I never saw any recipes for most of the things... just cooked them simply. Where I worked, we had enormous banks of Day Lillies, soI could harvest a good side dish's worth without it even being noticeable.

I also tried making tea from spice bush leaves, but didn't have a lot of success, there. Probably have to let them dry, like regular tea leaves..

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: GUEST, Ebbie
Date: 09 May 07 - 06:27 PM

I'll have to try sauteing the day lilies. I love their scent- reminds me of a cross between vanilla and lemon.

How does one eat them? As a side dish, like a vegetable? Same with skunk cabbage- do you serve them with anything specific?

I have a recipe for dandelion pancakes. Haven't tried them though.

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 09 May 07 - 06:11 PM

LOL, ebbie:

Now, edible flowers, that's a different story. Back when I was working at a Museum and Nature Center, I read a lot (and experimented a lot) eating wild flowers and plants. And cultivated ones. My wife was asking me about eating dandelions when we were on our walk today. The leaves, when the weed first comes up, before the flowers are in bloom are fine in a salad. I made dandelion wine once, in the days when I was making a lot of wine. I hated it (and made five gallons.) Fortunately, my boss loved dandelion wine, so I kept him plied with it for a whole year. Skunk cabbage leaves are good in the spring, too, if you eat them when they first come up. And Day Lillies.... yummmmmm.. very nice, sauteed in butter if you pick the flowers before they open. One year for our Annual Meeting, everything we served for refreshments came from our woods.

Naw... it's white wheat flour that's bad for you. Maybe the flowers, themselves are o.k....

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: GUEST, Ebbie
Date: 09 May 07 - 04:33 PM

"white wheat flower"

I like it, sounds springlike.

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 09 May 07 - 02:34 PM

Pizza For Jesus? WWJL (What would Jesus like? pepperoni, or maybe anchovies?)

For the last two months, we've had the Gospel Messengers up to our house for practice on Thursday nights. Ruth takes great pleasure in setting a bountiful table, and the house is always impeccable, so the toll is starting to wear on us. We have two more practices left before our concert, so I suggested that one of them, we just have pizza. Our favorite pizza restaurant is closed, so I bought a pepperoni pizza at a different restaurant today. Anything for Jesus. :-) I used to love pizza, but only have it once or twice a year because it is loaded with cholesterol, saturated fats and white wheat flower (which is magically transformed into sugar as soon as you swallow it.) But, we are singing for Jesus, so I figured that for this one time, I'd have to sacrifice and have a pizza. I tell you, you could oil the wheels of progress with that pizza. If you wrung it out, you could probably get a couple of cups of yellow oil. Yecchhh! By the time that I got it home, half of the pepperoni had slid off the pizza and was floating in a yellow pool of oil in the corner of the box.

Tonight, I think I'll just have broccoli for supper. It's funny how, when you set out to change the way that you eat, your taste buds start to get real picky (in a good way.) I didn't enjoy the pizza at all, and am throwing the rest of it away. Next practice, I'll bake some French Bread pizza in the oven, using low fat mozzarella cheese and turkey sausage, and it will not only taste a lot better, but it will be at least a little healthier.

I'm sure that Jesus will understand.

"Thou can'st not liveth on white breadeth and saturated fats alone."

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 May 07 - 12:34 AM

I am weak. Weak, I tell you.

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Elmer Fudd
Date: 09 May 07 - 12:30 AM

The Du Droppers, The Five Royales, Midnighters, The Jacks, The Five Keys, The Sheppards, The Harptones, The Lamplighters, The Crowns, The Medallions. I could go on.

Golden Classics -
http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Classics-Shep...77679706&sr=1-1

Sunday Kind Of Love -
http://www.amazon.com/Sunday-Kind-Love-Har...77680214&sr=1-8

Nearly forgot the wonderful Falcons:

I Found A Love -
http://www.amazon.com/I-Found-Love-Falcons...77680090&sr=1-2

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ron Davies
Date: 08 May 07 - 11:42 PM

Hey Jerry--

Yup, Summertime, Summertime is great--love that harpsichord--and the madrigal-like approach--with great lyrics. --- "I'm sorry Teacher, but, zip your lip" --.And House of Blue Lights. And lots of other songs in the 50's. Underside of the 50's?--that's slander--those are classics!.

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 08 May 07 - 11:20 PM

Somebody had to do it, ebbie. Me offering hospitality and all, I hated to do it. I mean, If Elmer ever catches Bugs, you can call me Wiley Coyote.

Now, we can get back to other discussions. Maybe even music. Being of the appropriate vintage, I've been putting together A couple of CD compilations of music from the 50's that no one ever listens to any more. Most of it is near-impossible to even find, because the reissues are all rock and roll, rockabilly and doo wop (all of which I love.) I've overdosed on the American Grafitti soundtrack (and I don't even own it.) There's a lot of bland stuff from the 50's that I liked at the time (Perry Comom, anyone) but can no longer listen to. But then, there's this crazy mix of boogie woogie, folk, jazz and popular vocal quartets that still holds interest to me. Odd stuff like House Of Blue Lights by Chuck Miller, The Theme from Picnic/Moonglow by Morris Stoloff, Rock Island Line by Lonnie, Summertime, Summertime by the Jamies... most of that stuff still sounds good to my ears. I'm not including any Perry Como or Eddie Fisher or Patti Page, although I liked a lot of that music when I was an awkward, skinny teenager.

Anybody remember the under side of 50's music?

And then, there was National City by the Joiner Arkansas Junior High School Band (with banjos, yet) and Skokiann by the Bullawayo Sweet Rhythms Band..

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ron Davies
Date: 08 May 07 - 11:16 PM

Well, we had our first rehearsal with PDQ (Peter Schickele) tonight. He's a great guy--and very approachable. I got his autograph and a whole bunch of us took turns getting photos with him. I told him that our chorus is a real good one for this concert--we firmly believe in PDQ Bach's motto--"Loud is good, fast is better, loud and fast is best". In fact our director is always telling us that increasing the volume is not the solution to any music problem--but it doesn't seem to register for more than a few minutes in any given rehearsal.

I think he said he's 71--so no more entering the concert hall by swinging in on a rope. Ah well--it'll still be a great concert. How could it not be with "By the leeks of Babylon/ ee-i-ee-i-o There we sat down, yea we wept/ ee-i-ee-i o? " (to the appropriate tune, of course)

More details later.

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ebbie
Date: 08 May 07 - 10:57 PM

sorry, elmer...

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Ebbie
Date: 08 May 07 - 10:56 PM

hahhahaha

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Elmer Fudd
Date: 08 May 07 - 09:42 PM

I believe I'll dust my bwoom!

I've gotcha Bugs Bunny!

I'm so glad, I'm so glad, I'm glad, I'm glad, I'm glad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Elmer Fudd
Date: 08 May 07 - 09:41 PM

I weally, weally am gonna get you, Bugs Bunny. No more blues for Elmer!

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Elmer Fudd
Date: 08 May 07 - 09:40 PM

Ha ha ha. They all laughed. But I'ma gonna get him this time.

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 08 May 07 - 07:46 PM

Hey, Elmer:

That's all good stuff. I've been listening to a 2 CD set of R & B from 1952-53, back when blues was definitely a part of rhythm and blues. There are tracks by B.B.King, Lightnin' Hopkins, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Big Maybelle, Tiny Bradshaw, Ruth Brown, Big Mama Thornton and Big Joe Turner, among others. And, I just ordered a CD by Ivory Joe Hunter, recorded mostly before he Almost Lost His Mind and was smooth as Velveeta. He recorded a song, Coming Down With The Blues that is one of my favorites, and I just have it on a cassette. I can hardly waith to get the CD...

But my favorite, of course, is "Blues jumped a rabbit and he ran a solid mile."

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Elmer Fudd
Date: 08 May 07 - 06:10 PM

Hi y'all. I'm still around, and am gonna get that wabbit yet. I've been immersed in the blues, listening to everything from the Mother Lode of country blues such as Charley Patton, Robert Johnson and Son House to Chicago bluesmen Otis Spann, Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Johnny Young and others. Then there's the gals, such as Big Maybelle and Big Mama Thornton. It's a deep blue sea into which to dive, and I am a diving duck!

This weekend, Little Charlie and the Nightcats are playing and I'll be volunteering at the event.

Hurry up and post so I can bag that wabbit this time. Ohhhhhhh yes.

Elmer

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 08 May 07 - 04:50 PM

Eh, What's Up Doc? Anybody seen Elmer Fudd around recently? Guess he's lost his taste for Wabbit Fwiccasee..

Subject: RE: BS: Sitting At The Kitchen Table
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 08 May 07 - 01:46 PM

Well, look who dropped by! Hello Bill. Yes, Ron's musical adventures know no boundaries. The next thing you know, he'll be leading a pack of singing dogs, doing Beethoven's 5th. :-) I like that openness.

When my sons were young boys, and I was raising them alone, they became quite addicted to collecting comic books.   I'd take them to the specialty stores, and while they were oggling #72 of X-Man, I whiled away my time looking at copies of old comics from when I was a kid. I collected the complete Shadow comics series, waiting for them. Every once in awhile, they'd try to blackmail me by saying, "Dad, I'm going to tell the Mayor you collect comic books." And I'd respond, "Hey, why don't you? Maybe I can trade on of my old Batman's for a Submariner." Or something of that sort.. Life is much freer when you don't have a reputation to lose.

Jerry