3/4/25
I read that FB was going to delete all of the live videos that are over 30 days old starting around June so I began to save those sessions that I did back then by downloading them and then uploading them to YouTube! I will continue to move them here to my website or put a link here along with commentary if it seems useful. Some of the early sessions were interrupted by signal problems and audio issues and I did little to improve the sound of the recordings as the whole process was supposed to bring me some Peace and not a lot of work. Many of these sessions were done during the pandemic of 2020 and many people sent a great deal of positive energy to me, thanking me for playing and offering good vibes and encouragement! It was awesome and what I believe social media should be like.
Gretchen, my wife and musical partner since around 1999 had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and by Jan of 2019 she could no longer work at her job. I had retired in 2015 and I took over running the household and in early March of 2020 it became apparent that Gretchen could not be left home alone anymore and so I hired helpers to give me a break and I cared for her until her death in Sept 2022. These were the days of Playing for Peace.
Playing for Peace
Published on Mar 28, 2018
What I am doing to promote peace and harmony is to Play for Peace! Here at home and at every chance that I get. I record some of these sessions. This is my response to the tense issues that surround people everywhere and are making social media toxic. Not to push on one side or the other but to break up the tension with musical vibrations! The vibrations are created between me and the instruments and are transmitted through the ethers and now the internet. I believe that putting this positive energy out there can serve as a brief oasis from the issues for anyone who takes a few minutes or seconds to give a listen. Share if you'd like to share this kind of musical message! Like it if you like it...
Edit 6/11/21 About a year ago I composed and published this little poem on my FB page and have been meaning to put it here and now I have done so.
Playing for Peace
The Peace for which I play is Peace of Mind,
Although, I wish my neighbor were a bit more kind,
It's noble that's for sure
To play for Peace is quite demure
Peace of mind brings Peace on Earth
Vivaldi Violin Concerto in Am
The Vivaldi Violin Concerto in Am on an old plywood Strad-O-Lin mandolin. I've been working on playing this version (Tivadar Nachéz) for a long time (I admit how long at the end of the vid but it's actually longer than stated). This is the first movement.
If you hear some odd noises in the video, Pearl, the cat, was sleeping up against the back of the computer and emitting otherworldly sounds of dreamful sleep and then the fridge kicked in on a harmony at one point.
Wend And Meander
It's been a while since I have posted anything so I guess it's time. Here is a recent tune that I call Wend And Meander. It's a jig and I am playing an “Octola”, which is a modified viola so it could be tuned an octave below the violin/fiddle. Putting the intention of playing for peace into the music and sending it out to all y'all.
Leave any comments in the Stream!
This Fireworks Soup
On the 4th of July 2018 a song came to me seeking freedom from the ethers and I was able to facilitate its release. Whilst sitting in the backyard, at the fire pit, enjoying a small fire and wallowing in the midst of fireworks being discharged on all sides of me, the idea of being in a great bowl of fireworks soup came to me, followed by some additional lines. I went inside to write down the lines as they were clear and made sense to me. The four verses came forth effortlessly and made a song, with one of them being the chorus, in ¾ time and influenced by recent exposure to some of John Prine's music. I worked up a instrumental part to use for the intro and solo sections and played the melody on the “Octola”, a modified viola tuned an octave below the fiddle. Fiddle was used for harmony with the mandolin filling in some of the holes in the music. Parlor guitar keeping whatever rhythm there was to keep. The waltz “solo” is a stand alone waltz so I called it “The Girl Who Took The Fiddler Home” based on the story line of the song. A true tale that has been wandering the ethereal realms for many years just waiting for the right moment to be released. It provides a musical background for a photo montage of our library that I shot with my iphone after going into the library to find something and realizing that amongst all the clutter were these carefully organized still lifes that Gretchen had created. Pearl, the cat, makes a brief appearance. I hope you enjoy!