Acetaminophenic Serendipitous Times
The other night, my friend and I ran into this guy, a person she had known from post-911 organizing a few years ago. This guy is a politically conscious renaissance man who's been around the way, done a lot, and still doing a million things. A lawyer-cum-civil liberties organizer, and part-time artist, he was of the most interesting people I'd met in a while. He'd been a vocalist and percussionist in an 80s r&b/funk band, with a banging hit song featuring George Clinton and Bootsy Collins (see youtube below). So when I told him about my love for music, and how I used to play the piano, clarinet, guitar, and more recently been messing with turntables, he couldn't help but take me to this gem of a spot in greenwich village, where we watched legendary singer and bassist Roy Bennett and his ensemble do classic soul/r&B/funk covers. It was such a joy to watch these guys play. The highlight of the night (apart from a crazy O'Jays medley) was a random appearance by two members of the well-known 70s group, Crown Heights Affair. YUP. I had the privilege of watching these guys do a Keni Burke tune, as per my awkward request during the break.
I've got a mild fever, sick with a throat-gutting, rib-bruising bronchial cough, and a sinus headache that's mashing up the insides of my head and face. But I’m oddly feeling more alive than I have in a while. Either that or I'm high off the copious amount of acetaminophen in my system.
I'm dedicating this post to serendipitous encounters, and to the beautiful individual who has inspired and encouraged me to find the music within.
The other night, my friend and I ran into this guy, a person she had known from post-911 organizing a few years ago. This guy is a politically conscious renaissance man who's been around the way, done a lot, and still doing a million things. A lawyer-cum-civil liberties organizer, and part-time artist, he was of the most interesting people I'd met in a while. He'd been a vocalist and percussionist in an 80s r&b/funk band, with a banging hit song featuring George Clinton and Bootsy Collins (see youtube below). So when I told him about my love for music, and how I used to play the piano, clarinet, guitar, and more recently been messing with turntables, he couldn't help but take me to this gem of a spot in greenwich village, where we watched legendary singer and bassist Roy Bennett and his ensemble do classic soul/r&B/funk covers. It was such a joy to watch these guys play. The highlight of the night (apart from a crazy O'Jays medley) was a random appearance by two members of the well-known 70s group, Crown Heights Affair. YUP. I had the privilege of watching these guys do a Keni Burke tune, as per my awkward request during the break.
I've got a mild fever, sick with a throat-gutting, rib-bruising bronchial cough, and a sinus headache that's mashing up the insides of my head and face. But I’m oddly feeling more alive than I have in a while. Either that or I'm high off the copious amount of acetaminophen in my system.
I'm dedicating this post to serendipitous encounters, and to the beautiful individual who has inspired and encouraged me to find the music within.
posted by pomegranate queen at 3/12/2008
4 Comments:
Great tune, great story.
Yeah, that's a nice tune, a little variation on the p-funk template. CHA forever! Hope you are better now PQ.
You New Yorkers are so damned lucky! If you're ever headed south and want to stop by New Orleans, let me know. I'll show you the sort of Jazz music that you can't find anywhere else. Trust me!
P.S. I'm here via Brown Rab Fish's blog.
bird, must tell you details. dopeness.
nice to hear from you kalimba! yes, i'm better, thankssss. (cough)
bint alshamsa! i remember your wonderful blog from back in the day when i was up on reading blogs regularly. i must visit your page. i loved your blog.
I'm actually NOT from new york, but someone very close to me lives there, so i ended up there a lot. it's come to feel like home now.
but new orleans must be something else with the music. man, i hope i make it there one day.
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