Why Great Songs Last

"Words make you think thoughts.  Music makes you feel a feeling.  But a song makes you feel a thought."

Yip Harburg, lyricist of Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

Now you know why I love to sing standards.  Why they matter and why they've lasted for decades.  And why they will continue to last.

Superb Quote

“Honestly, is it just me or is the human race, armed with religion poisoned by prejudice and absolutely frantic with hatred and fear, galloping pell-mell back to the Dark Ages. Who on earth is hurt by a little girl going to school or a child being gay?”

Raymond Reddington (The Black List) 

Written by Daniel Cerone, aired 10.22.2015

What an awesome quote!!!

The 2016 Presidential Candidates

My view on the Presidential Candidates:
ANYTHING is more entertaining than the candidates.
Such as:
Watching grass grow, a golf match, a raindrop on the window, paint dry, washing my hair, getting chemo, playing Solitaire with a deck of cards, waiting in line anywhere (but especially the bank), taking a nap, flea combing the animals, being stuck anywhere with someone who b*tches non-stop, going to the dentist, reading any directions originally written in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, whatever...  Oh my, the list is endless!
And there's my political "rant" for the day. Let's talk about sex!

The Ukulele and Transposing Songs (Starting Out)

"Always" from the Daily Uke Book
with my scribbbles

So here's the deal.  I have tons of music and now two ukulele books.  Plus there are some great uke sites out there with tons of songs.  I think doctoruke is the best.

Great!  Fabulous!  Love it!

Tons of music but damnit, very very few pieces out of this massive collection are in MY key for singing.

I don't mind learning to play stuff in a "Not my key" key but being a singer first and foremost, I don't want to focus on memorizing ukulele stuff that ain't in my key.  Why the hell would I do that?

Here's the weird part.  I was taught Reverence For Books.  I drew in my books as a child and yes, my parents let me.  Which was, in retrospect, very nice of them.

I order two ukulele books. At first I was thinking, "Ooooh, it's a book.  I better not write in the book.  That would be BAD!"  Then I thought about that and I said to myself, "It's a darn music book; it's not a first edition of anybody's! Go ahead, write in the damn book,  It's yours!"

So my uke teacher gave me an assignment:

Three songs transposed by sight (mostly) in a week!  I chose these three:

"It Had To Be You" (from F to C)
"You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You" (from F to C, that one was pretty easy) and
"Always" (from F to C and F to Bb).

"All Of Me" was one step off from the Daily Ukulele book, but I can sing it in that key.

Of course, I had to look up weird chords on the internet like Ebmin6!

Oh, yeah, I just have that one tucked away in my Ukulele Chord Memory Bank.

Uh, that would be, "Hell, No."

Reverend Mother, I confess that on "Always" I had to use the old, paper musical slide rule for 2 chords.  I couldn't make the transposition by counting, by ear or in my head, especially from F to Bb.

Now the trick is to PLAY them --- especially the upbeat songs!  Sheesh!  Singing this stuff is easy, easy, EASY!  I still suck at strumming.  My uke teacher says I'm doing just fine.

Learning to play: hard.  Playing AND singing together is REALLY HARD!

Me, Al, Leo and Dale
(photo by Paula McKenzie)

How does my friend and mentor Dale​ do it?  I'm in awe of people like him!  He was the guest artist for our show on August 29th.  He did "Dream A little Dream Of Me" with us and "Dream." He just watched Leo's hands on the piano and played along. Seriously?  Who the hell can do that shit? It's amazing!  I could only aspire to being that quick and that good!

Our Show's Press Release

Our Press Release by Al Klesh

For Sentimental Reasons

A nostalgic journey down memory lane will grace the boards of Western Reserve Playhouse for a one night only musical benefit for the theater.

What:  Fourth Annual Western Reserve Playhouse Benefit

When:  Saturday August 29th at 8pm

Where:  Western Reserve Playhouse 3316 Everett Road Richfield, Ohio

Cost:  All tickets $20 which includes food, wine, fun and a 50/50 raffle

Tickets:  For reservations call 330-659-6444

For Sentimental Reasons is the creation of song stylist/actress Mia Hess.  Based upon her personal collection of over 1000 pieces of sheet music, she has put together an evening of musical selections that will share with the audience the glory, emotions, beauty and joy of the Great American Songbook.  Performing alongside Ms. Hess will be talented vocalist/actor Alan Klesh and equally talented musicians Leo Spishak and Martin Hess.  The evening also promises a surprise guest performer.  If you enjoyed last year's benefit My Mother's Eyes, you will surely enjoy For Sentimental Reasons.  If you missed it, come this year and be a part of a memorable evening of musical entertainment.

Tickets are available now by calling 330-659-6444

Adam & Even: A Query

A friend of mine posted this query: If Adam and Eve were the first humans then study the painting here and come to your conclusion and tell me what ain't quite right here, I know but do you?. Every painting I'v'e ever seen of them is the same. I have always wondered about this but never expressed it until now. :-) And I had what can only be categorized as a Marty Hess​ moment: I see belly buttons and why do both of them have leaves on their nether regions??? Maybe the Creator had just made the platypus and thought, "Wow, what can I do next? Hmmm....let me see.....the great ape thing worked out pretty well but man, the hair thing..... Hmmmm.....humanoids....yes, yes...got that...." Then S/He had a Bob Ross moment and said "Happy little spot...rrrrright there!" Thus the belly button. Just sayin'

The Dentist Vs. The Lion

Now I might be stirring up a hornet's nest here but this recent crud with the dentist luring the lion and then not even killing it, but letting ti suffer for HOURS. OK, here goes....

I'm not against hunting, say deer, per se, but this was basically a canned hunt which I think is despicable.

I have friends who hunt and BELIEVE me they don't let that deer suffer at all. And they use and eat (or donate to food banks) every bit of the deer. Folks who live up north in Alaska take a moose and eat it all winter.

I get where hunting in Africa is very big business and actually contributes to the big parks' survival. Very controversial, yes, I know. Photo safaris don't bring in nearly the money that big game hunting does You can go on a good photo safari for about $3,000-5,000. Hunting is about $20,000 and up. .

And the white rhino??? This guy has killed a white rhino. That one really got me. Those suckers are so endangered. Why the hell are people killing endangered animals?

But come on....a basically friendly lion? That's canned hunting, period I think it should be kind of equal: hungry, mean lion versus dentist with a spear and a loincloth and nothing else. I get hunting to eat but I don't get trophy hunting.