Karen and Jamie - Friends on a Working Adventure

Today, it's mid June 2009. Only recently did I learn that Jamie, who really did "give" me the title of my book, had gone to heaven, now cavorting with all those heavenly souls, last September. Coincidentally, most of the eight-year collection of photos of us working and eating and meeting and laughing and traveling, with our Private Music colleagues, had been "lost." How thrilled I was to receive an extraordinary ethereal gift today. (Turns out "Google Alerts" comes through now and then.) I have a photo now, one of my favorites, of Jamie et moi at a Taj Mahal recording session circa 1992. This very gloomy day has become satisfying.

By Karen Colaianni Johnson © 14 June 2009

(event occurs on the 40th birthday, plus one, of my son, Scott Adrian Johnson)

Review B O B N E U W I R T H "EYE ON THE ROAD'"

Record Review BOB NEUWIRTH EYE ON THE ROAD

Today at 7:05am |

(he’ll help the rest of us)

This song, "Eye on the Road" was written by an artist, a writer who can only view this world with honesty in his eyes... as a tapestry; an oil so fine; that scene that knocks you out in the middle of the play; or the joke so corny it splits your sides, so you don't dare say. This writer of "Eye on the Road" is an actual painter, well adored of medium renown – bicoastal if ya ever saw one. He's been around the track a few times. Isn't that what it's all about? It's just this writer's opinion, but I think Bob wrote about that path, worn ragged by our boot heels, as much for your sake, and mine… as his own. He takes to "warnings;" they show up in his speech and art. Bobby "lets it go" if that’s how it oughta be, but will never liberate self into the ditch.

Comes beauty like twilight, in what appears a beckoning darkness. In ways, the musician's style flows - less romantic to be sure - as sweetly as a certain poet laureate. Mr. Neuwirth reminds anyway, that on any day, we can pick up speed; we can go go the mojo if high heels fit. We can be beautiful just for one day. Is that what our sensitive Bowie would say? I think Bobby says, "Man, we ARE picking up speed. Go on and get 'er done." Then the zen reminder, baby - "hold on tight." For, though we swerve that corporeal curve - can't help losing the light.

It is the deceptively quiet and elegant (yeah, yeah, yeah) Bob Neuwirth I came to greet in one hopeless, then empathetic, moment - his light's gonna shine "a long, long time." Linda Ronstadt could finish that sweet lullaby.

Man, we got truckloads of paintings and a thousand galleries to prowl.

By Karen Colaianni Johnson © 2009