@zzaj
This CD was with my friend Harlan Mark Vale, way back when. We've changed the parameters on SC, so you can now download the entire album for FREE by going <a href="http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=209299" title="HERE">HERE</a>!
PA-based psych guitarist Mark Kissinger and I put this fantastic guitar/keyboard improvised-music CD together in early 2000 (you remember, back when everyone was worried about Y2K). <br /><br />This album is totally FREE to you, mainly because we felt the pieces were good enough that everyone interested in adventurous and free-styled music would want to hear it in it's entirety. You can download it <a href="http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=56042" title="HERE">HERE</a>!<br /><br />Will welcome your comments as you download the even dozen tracks here!<br /><br />Thanks again for listening!
**<span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Time Sensitive</span></strong></span>**<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small; color: #000000;">One of the very FIRST performances Zzaj was involved in was with world-renowned improvising guitarist Davey Williams, along with equally famous multi-instrumentalist LaDonna Smith & free-style saxophonist Wally Shoup. If you're familiar with improvised music, you will know those names. If not, but you want to learn more about how improvisation works, you're invited to a (temporary) FREE DOWNLOAD for ALL TRACKS on the album at the "<a href="http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=54342" target="_blank" title="Sdrawkcab">SDRAWKCAB</a>" page!</span><br /><br />I will be turning the "sample" switch back on at midnight the 31st of January, 2009, so if you want this fantastic spontaneous album, you need to go there NOW!<br /><br />My performance was on a full-sized Rhodes, and I also did a ton of spoken word during the show. <br /><br />Don't DELAY, get yours TODAY!
We hope you'll check out our latest issue, <a href="http://zzaj.freehostia.com/zzaj84.htm">IMPROVIJAZZATION NATION #84</a> In addition to many music REVIEWS, this issue's interview is with DAZED, your favorite OMD owner!<br /><br />There are also a couple of announcements in my RANT that you'll want to read, especially if you're sending music our way for review!<br /><br />We hope you'll tell others about this issue, & help us spread the word. The 'zine has been running since (about) 1990, & covers ALL genres (yup, even with a title like that).<br /><br />Have fun reading!
<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong>Is your LIFE improvised? Or are you a slave to the conventions of a society bent on "clubbing" you to death? Stop and think about the word CLUB for a few minutes ("<em>an association of persons for some common object</em>"). If yer' background includes some kinda' preppie nonsense about fraternities, the "ELKS", "LIONS", or other groups along those lines - you'll prob'ly relate the word to th' "high times" you had during college, or perhaps in the rotting institutions we call churches.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong>Think about CLUB in relation to it's <em>other</em> context, though<em>... "a heavy usually tapering staff especially of wood wielded as a weapon</em>". A way to hurt someone who doesn't agree with you! A way to POUND the krap out of a person with a belief contrary to yours! Now, combine the 2 meanings - "<em>an association of persons usually wielded as a weapon</em>." Admittedly, that's a "Zzaj-version" (i.e., perversion) of the meanings, but your deliberations might well lead you to the same conclusion I've come to (for many years now).</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong>The concept is so ingrained in our society (& societies for many thousands of years now) that it seems perfectly allright, right? What could be the harm in forming a group based on common beliefs? In stating that the goals of the group are a, b, c and d? It all sounds innocent enough, I suppose... but what do we teach our children when we participate in a "club"? I believe the message that they perceive is "it's OK to use force to make others conform". If you think that's nonsense - what about the reports of extreme "hazing" at college campuses across our country? It may not be true that all clubs resort to such extreme measures of violence... but it's not necessarily (only) overt physical violence that causes the ruination & perversion of our youth.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong>"Exclusion" is just as powerful a tool as a blow to the head! & (just) what do "clubs" do? What about your local church club? Don't they look down their noses at anyone who doesn't believe the way they do? Say "little things" about them? Make sure they don't get invited to events that involve only "members of the club"? </strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong>I believe "clubs" (in the sense of groups of people banded together) are for weaklings. For those who have no life of their own. No "goals" of their own. People who must band together because they are afraid that their beliefs carry no weight. </strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #ffffff;"><strong><span style="color: #000000;">Of course, we all KNOW what the "next" club will be... a group of rabid raiders bent on the destruction of this Zzaj-philosophy of independence & improvised life! Sign up TODAY!!! 
</span> </strong></span></p>
Some of you may already be familiar with our world-renowned Zzaj Interviews, others won't know much about them. Ergo, this blog; to let you know many of those we've interviewed & give you direct links to their INTERVIEW:
Well-known INDIE player familiar to many on MIX
INDIE label owner and promoter from Detroit area
FANTASTIC jazz guitarist from California area
KRA-ZEE improvisor from Canada
Issue #79 - Chris Fellure (Blast My Music)
Owner of BLAST MY MUSIC, a great place to sell your .mp3 songs
Well-known INDIE player familiar to many on MIX
SUPERB jazz guitarist from US
Well-known INDIE player familiar to many on MIX
LONG-time INDIE producer from my old home-taper network days
LONG-time INDIE musician from the original home-producer network
Issue #73 - Maria Daines & Paul Killington
Well-known INDIE players familiar to many on MIX!
I'm only posting the last TEN interviews in this blog, but we have interviews in most all issues from the start. To see a listing of all those historical issues, please visit the IMPROVIJAZZATION NATION Archive page.
Hope you enjoy these & will spread the word to your friends... as you well know, it's VERY important to tell others, as most INDIE efforts are promoted that way (the "BIG PRESS" certainly isn't interested in helping to promote INDIE artists, as it doesn't fit their "cookie-cutter" approach!
Zzaj wants you to help spread the word that ISSUE #92 of IMPROVIJAZZATION NATION 'zine is UP... ISSUE link is: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://zzaj.freehostia.com/zzaj92.htm" target="_blank">http://zzaj.freehostia.com/zzaj92.htm</a> <br /><br />Hope you'll spread the word to lots of folks!
I'm "borrowing" this from one of my earlier Zzaj Rants, figuring it's not really plagarism if I get it from myself... a couple of thoughts regarding the POLITICAL SILLY SEASON:<br /><br />-------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<p align="left"><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">There are ALWAYS things to **** about, but this year of ELECTION brings home the fact that a fundamental CHANGE to the way we do business is needed... </span></strong></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Politicians are once again DELUGING the airwaves with nasty innuendo & (basically) nonsensical chatter! We are faced with choices that really aren't choices at all. We NEED to bring the power of the Internet to bear on the process itself! E-mail your (duly elected?) congressperson or representative & TELL them that you want the system changed so that ANYONE who WANTS to be in office is automatically removed from consideration forEVER! </span></strong></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">What am I TALKING about? I firmly believe that any office in the land (right down to the district level in your city) should be based on a DRAFT system... a few minimum requirements, like:</span></strong></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> Minimum of High School graduation</span></strong></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> No felony convictions</span></strong></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> NO affiliations with lobbyists, EVER</span></strong></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> NO previous memberships in "wacko" organizations, like the "700 Club", "The **** party", or (maybe even) "Oprah's Book Club". The people who sit in the seats of government should NOT have ANY agenda except to USE the people's money FOR the people!</span></strong></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Once drafted, a person could NOT get out of it until their term of office had been served. Times in office would, of course, be limited to a reasonable period... if structured right, this would be a service that people would be CLAMORING to get "out of". The whole idea is to make service <em>to the people </em>the crux of the biscuit... to make the system work <em>for the people</em>... and to make our government truly self-governing - <em>by the people!</em> </span></strong></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">I believe you would find that the folks who tallied in AGAINST such a system would be those (for the most part) who WANT the corruption to remain an inherent part of our system... those whose goal in life is to <em>coast</em>... to <em>use </em>the people's money to advance their <em>own </em>belief systems. Anyone who protested this new initiative too loudly should be banished forever to work at Mickey D's... shoveling burger after burger through the window of the trough... NEVER to become a part of any system in government. No (other) "action" would be taken against them... it's just that those in the population who WANT to be in political office (under our current system) should always be considered to be the <em>criminal element</em> in this society & recognized for the <em>worthless </em>idiots they truly are.</span></strong></span></p>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #ffffff;">Is this just another rant? Do you violently (or non-violently) oppose these ideas? E-mail me & tell me WHY... or, write your OWN <em><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;">"counter rant".</span>..</em></span></strong>
