September 11 crept up on me this year. In some ways 9/11/01 seems like a lifetime ago and in others it was only yesterday. At eleven years old those moments a decade and a half ago are more unimaginable to my daughter than WWII is to me. She has inherited this world along with the rest of us, but she was not yet born when it was.
This morning was the closing of another session at the Fur Peace Ranch and even though I wasn’t teaching this weekend I played a little coffee break concert at the Beatrice Love Kitchen. They had just started reading the names of the fallen as I picked up my guitar and headed on over to the porch. In memory of those who perished that day and those who continue to perish as a result of that day, I played Washington Phillip’s ‘What Are They Doing In Heaven Today?’ I could think of nothing more fitting.
I will remember 9/11 as long as I have breath… where I was, what I was doing, who I was talking to, what I was thinking about… I do not know if that is a good or a bad thing, but that is how it is.
I remember it all… and I mourn in my own way.
Thanx Jorma, 9/11 changed all our lives. I grew up in NYC. Watching the events unfold that day had a profound effect on me. At 42 years old I decided to leave IBM and the IT world and become a police officer. Despite the 40% pay cut it has been the most satisfying job of my life. I get to pay it back and pay it forward every day. And, whenever HT gets within striking distance of Raleigh, I can get to a show. 🙂 Thanx for all you do and sharing yourself with us.
Carlo, what a breath of fresh air to blow the acrimony from the scene.
I felt compelled, after reading the beautiful Willy’s post, to translate (a bit rustic) a poem i wrote some twenty years ago, where it is remembered the biblical dove shyness when introducing ourselves to a girl in the roaring fifties. Nothing has ever changed since, gracewise, as a matter of fact.
Thanks Jorma for this opportunity.
Old City Life
September air blowin’ through my fingers
In the big city we meet like this:
“Bonne Mot! Your eyelashes migrate”
Swept away in a gabardine pistil
chignon and barrette athwart Boldini style
back half-belt tinged with yellow-shade marzipan in March:
“Bonne Mot! Will you follow me at the corner without exits?
Your prose echoes right as a chromium-plated shower to me”
Domino effect in the catechesis up at the garret
the hypothetical side dormer-window
halved us in a skyline under gel
Twins the dazzled knees
sprung from the mahogany brier-root
among the blue pleats of maco
when the pillowcase draws her face
in the morning opalescent moon
the iris of the green lizard ogles behind the lily-white buttonhole
She is laid down like a frantic Pietà
I shall bear that deity in mind
while all the women will be one
and in the nunnery of decisions
her lavender will cover her absence
@Richu
It really is sad.
I think most, if not all, of us like reading JK’s blog, hearing about the music, what he does and who he sees as he tours this great land of ours. It’s a regular stop for me on my daily browsing. But I’d guess some of us, speaking at least for myself, don’t really appreciate the mindless bickering among certain supposed adults here that really only detracts from what Jorma generously shares with us. Please, please, take your petty arguments elsewhere. We are not interested in them.
And Jorma – thanks for your sharing your thoughts and life with us here. Great stuff. Looking forward to City Winery and The Capitol!
The competitors enter the field magnifying Jorma!
@Barbara Jacobs
So cruel.and to take over a living legends blog is so sad. Everything I ever learned bout right hand sync I learned from j and vinyl…. I love you brother…
A moron, who continues to attempt to convince others that he is in Jorma’s good graces.
In fact, Jorma slapped him down, on this comments thread.
An idiot. As has been evidenced here on this comments thread.
Jorma slapped this moron down, yet he continues to pretend that nothing ever happened.
A miserable Bloviator.
And worse than that — he wants you, who are reading his nonsense, to believe him.
An idiot, who believes that Jorma does not know who I am.
First of all the Bloviator is not a Tuna fan. Second of all she’s always disappears when Hot Tuna comes to town. Thirdly her constant diatribe is usually not about Hot Tuna. And to top it off she feels that she is more intellectual than the rest of us peasants.
Still the same idiot.
Still attempting to disrupt intelligent commentary on this blog comments section.
Continues to act as if he is in Jorma’s good graces, when in fact — Jorma just slapped him down.
A moron.
The Bloviator is finally the Queen of the Blog. She is trying to troll all those who don’t like her bloviating. Since Leona Helmsley – the original Queen of Mean died. We have a new one. Madame Bloviator.
That being said:
When Jorma’s book is complete, it will be published.
There may be more readers who want to be a part of his website, posting comments here.
Any educated readers and any female readers/commenters:
if the ignorant, hater trolls are still here — just appeal to Jorma to allow you to post comments, without abuse from the trolls.
That other idiot (as part of the same johno–joey- deadhead trolls group)
still don’t seem to understand:
This is Jorma’s website. He is hands-on here.
Jorma knows who each and every comment poster is, in real life.
Jorma knows me and also knows Andriy.
Although the Joey — Johno — Deadhead, (and their mindless followers) continued to troll
Andriy and I here, declaring that I was “posting comments under several identities”,
on and on… Jorma knows who I am and also knows Andriy, as the individuals that we are.
Jorma has been in contact with Andriy.
Yet, they continue to troll me here and have now started to troll Jorma — on his own website blog comments section.
Ham n Eggs has met Andriy.
What a bunch of losers the leaders of the Joey — Johno — deadhead movement, are and have always been here, on Jorma’s blog comments section of his website.
Jorma a very fitting song indeed. Living on Long Island, less than an hr from NYC it does seem like yesterday. It just doesn’t get easier at times. So many funerals here back then. It pains me to see the country so divided. From Julian Lennon”s post:
Birthplace:Earth
Race:Human
Politics:Freedom
Religion:Love
Love you Jorma, you are my go to read when I’m down and need a lift. And now with your drone you lift me higher with your pics. Thank you
Andrily got tired of this BS over a year ago. He has better things to do.
Peace
Love All Ways
@Dead Head
So, I guess if we’d had 2 terms each of JFK, RFK, and JFK, Jr. you’d have nothing but love for your sister. Conspired out of your own humanity. @johno
Department of redundancy department. Your fly swatter will eventually wear out. Of course it is always comforting to know that there exists ONE brilliant leader to enable the rest of us to navigate the nonsense that seems to prevail. That appears to be your destiny, Jacobs. That and your alter ego the Ukrainian; you know, the one that supplements the slack, your backup when your footprint becomes mired and you must employ an imaginary sidekick because on your own it is too much for one idiot such as you to swallow
Another idiot.
And you think that it belongs to you.
I believe the FF had lost his brother, who was also aFF. Peace and Love always to Rockaway Beach
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Man-Who-Told-Bin-Laden-to-Kiss-His-Rear-Recalls-His-Famous-Words-121149064.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPfrtngwzjY
@Greg Martelli
Peace
Love All Ways
Jorma will be the judge of that.
The constant lame insults, the continued efforts of those to eliminate other commenters
here on this blog comments section.
They are unable and unwilling to co-exist and have proven it continuously.
Evidently they believe that this website and this blog comments section belongs to them.
There is nothing worse then a big mouthed New York Bitch.
Who has no clue what truth is.
There’s only one consistently sharing hateful garbage on this blog.
There is no credibility in that.
I don’t come here for this.
There’s too much hate “out there”
I’ve had enough.
Sorry to the folks who care.
Out
What are you talking about?
Shame
Oh, it’s been pointed out to me, that one of their imbecilic followers: “Richu” has posted another of his lame-brain attempts to engage me into responding to his moronic questions.
@Greg Martelli
All good, Gregg.
What happened here on this blog comments section (while you were away, doing other
important things):
Two of the worst trolls, Joey (the High School Drop-Out) and johno (who has posted comments, in the past, claiming to have a College degree — his tuition money should be refunded to him. ), tried, as always, continuing to keep this comment section dumb.
They have nothing of intellectual substance to offer here — so they troll, posting
lame insults against anybody who has a brain.
The evidence of how the freedom of speech, which Jorma has generously allowed them, (and
they have taken advantage of, always trolling and trying to dismiss those who have innocently posted comments here) — is evident here on this comments thread.
They plot together, offline. They try to control this comments section, with their bully comments.
They got a slap-down from Jorma.
Yet — they still return in defiance of Jorma’s comment, trying to troll Jorma.
They can’t bully Jorma — so they try to reinstate themselves here — as if their previous comments never took place.
They are ignorant and idiotic. That’s the “truth”.
Shadow of the sword
Sorry for misspell
Saw Dwight Yocum last night-his version of little queenie made Stones version stand still.
After show ,booked to see him open for Willie in Chatanooga( we’ll be staying at the Chattanooga choo choo,we’ll make it to Lookout MTn for battlefield view.
While at Belterra( not much of a fan historically of casino gigs,but the people watching with mild buzz was best.
Got tickets for Brian’s pet sounds tour as well with Al Jardine and Blondir Chapman as well.
Nice thing about being in Lex Ky area is that with 3-4 hrs drive you can be to most midwestern cities and many in South,crowds different from coasts.
Back to 9/11- we shall NEVER forget,-good read “In the showdown of the sword”-a primer on the spread of Islam.Rubio made comment in 2 nd debate -it breezed everybody( it was summarily dismissed)-he said this is a clash of civilizations.As heinous as that might sound,I believe it to be 100% true.It was dismissed with the same arrogance and effitism as the 2012 presidential debates when the sitting president,chided Romney and said that his assertion that Russia was posturing and a dangerous threat to intl stability,the wise One told him he was backdated and stuck in Cold War rhetoric.I don’t think “the trajectory of history”, one of his favored professions ,is actually a trajectory.I prefer the cyclical analysis.
Additionally ,we bought tickets to the concert for NY and flew in over the still fuming trade centers ,after some very good music the highlights were Adam Sandlers skit on ossama bin laden,and the Irish fire fighter from queens ,who chided that OBL ,could kiss his royal Irish arse.
I wish I had thought of that first.
Keep on truckin mama,
What’s that smell like fish oh mama??
And pack
I like Jorma’s response
I think we should ask Crosby however,I’m sure he’s got 50 conspiracies to introduce.
Curious I’ve been to a million concerts ,not many burkas in front row.
I’m sittin’ here watching Farm Aid 2017, and I gotta say I love Willie Nelson. I was 18 and living in Austin when he released Shotgun Willie, and I been listening and watching ever since. If I had to pick one thing makes me proud to be a Texan, it’s that Willie is a native brother. Eighty-four and still doing a 90 minute show, and there ain’t no chairs on the stage. An inspiration to all us creakers.
@Barbara Jacobs
Blimey….why not call it what it is.tube.
Reminds me of a Buzzy Linhart song…………..
@johno
♡♡♡
Sorry for raising your blood pressure. “Just Give me the Truth” – John Lennon
As rich pointed out, we are living through scary times throughout the country and the (real) world.
Thoughts about fear of random attacks are part of our collective daily life.
A good way to counter that is to be very alert at all times out in public.
I was on the Lexington Ave. bus not long ago and a passenger got on with a backpack.
It wasn’t a very large backpack and when he took it off to sit, he put it under his seat.
I just observed and made a mental note. If he got up to get off the bus and didn’t take the backpack with him — I would need to remind him. If he ignored my reminder and rushed off the bus — that’s trouble. I’ve seen quite a few passengers who are absent-minded leaving bags or luggage behind. I always remind them and so far that’s been good for them, good for me and everybody else.
I thought about that when I saw the news report of a bomb exploding on a commuter train in England yesterday. The terrorist got on that metro-car with it in a big bag and apparently put it on the floor next to him. When he left the train — he didn’t take it with him. Nobody noticed because maybe they were reading, checking their phones or snoozing. Maybe somebody saw him leave without it but didn’t remind him.
Being alert is crucial.
@rich l
Thank you,thank you,thank you.
Peace
Love All Ways
@Jorma
@carey georgas
Oh man, the nonsense comments that guy posts on a regular basis here.
The place was full of thermite. But they got rid of the steel fast – to China. The Bushes were involved. Just imagine 2 terms of JFK, RFK, JFK JR. It would be a different, humanitarian and peaceful world.
o
How true.
The first person I called was Wavy Gravy in San Francisco.
Because I wanted him to turn on the tv so he could witness the attack in real-time. We had no idea at that time — there would be no survivors. Only those lucky enough to live through it — the attack itself and the heroic efforts of first responders who arrived on the scene within minutes. They were guided down all of those stairs, some carrying others.
Those victims lived through it.
Others who lived through it, were those very unfortunate to be at that place at the wrong time. Not residents, not workers at local businesses — but they were staying at the hotel across the street: tourists and business travel folks. They lived through it.
Thank you.
@rich l
Jeezalou, Johno, any kind of nuke woulda left a considerable radiation footprint. Our government may have been complacent in its pursuit of intelligence warnings, but it didn’t have to kill 3200+ of its citizens just to get back into Iraq. Crazy shit’s been happening since the dawn of civilization, and crazy don’t need no conspiracy. It’s just life, and tragedy is a part of it.
Let’s finally get the truth of what really happened on 9/11. The silence is deafening. They have a untruthful, second rate investigation. I don’t believe it at all. You’ll be surprised of those involved. It was a mini nuke. And the media were on board. Let’s not be complacent – the truth must come out. They’re trying hard to sweep it under the rug. i.e. JFK, MLK, RFK JFK JR etc etc etc
I don’t normally get involved in the comments… I tend to leave you all on your own… most of the time. On this one all I can say is the conspiracy theorists can kiss my ass… Grow up and live in the real world. As far as our real enemies are concerned… bring it on assholes.
I can’t believe this shit.
Jorma
Well put Barbara.
Those of us from the rest of our country lived through it in our own way. I wish I could get the image of the planes crashing into the Towers, and then watching them collapse, out of my mind – I’m sure they will never go away. The omnipresent fear of a random attack, whether it be in a movie theatre, concert, athletic event, house of worship, subway train, is always lingering in my thoughts.
“Life…has…changed
How it differs from the rocks…” @Barbara Jacobs
Living through it, survivors lived through it. Families and loved ones of the victims lived through that experience and they still live with it.
Others in NYC experienced it. Offices and retail locations were closed for a day or two, most reopened after two days. Many places employed family members and loved ones of the victims. They experienced it in their own way. Residents of Battery Park City lived through it and were unable to return to their apartments because of damage. Others who left their windows open couldn’t return home because of the debris.
Anybody out on Seventh Ave. could see the smoke for many months. That was formerly the best view of the Trade Center buildings. Residents and people whose windows faced south could also see the smoke. They all experienced it in their own way.
My building at the time was on the east side. I couldn’t see it from my windows. Every day for three months, I went down there and volunteered. I experienced it in that way.
The other volunteers experienced it in the same way. First responders were working right inside the rubble. They experienced it in their own way. At first, there was a lot of picking through the rubble to find personal items belonging to the victims. That added a personal dimension to the experience.
I now live in a building where the view from the roof is of all of the Manhattan skyline,
from downtown up to midtown east. When I go up there I can see the Freedom Tower.
From the median on the street in front of my building, there’s a direct view of the Freedom Tower. I see it every day when I’m home. There are also many memorials around town and some very nicely painted wall murals, worked-on by neighborhood residents.
Yesterday, Ham n Eggs sent me a photo of a beautiful sidewalk chalk drawing of “9/11” and the towers with an inscription “Never Forget”. He saw it in Inwood, which is a neighborhood uptown.
I lived through the Ground Zero experience, from day one but I prefer to say that I volunteered there.
I spent my 9/11 driving back from Minneapolis, where I was indeed fortunate to witness a John Prine concert with Larry and Teresa as the ‘warm up’ act. Daggone, that lady has a ‘set of pipes’! They came out and did a couple songs with John, too, then came out for the encore of Paradise – which is where I thought I was. I caught my first Tiger Muskie fish, too, but the Prine show was certainly the high point of the trip. m
@Barbara Jacobs
That’s somewhat vindictive response to joey is it not BJ.?
Only those of us who actually lived, worked and/or volunteered at Ground Zero, lived through it.
@Ham n Eggs
Only those who actually volunteered during the aftermath, while living in those areas, working there and or/or volunteering, lived through it.
Well said Captain, and agreed. Thanks.
It’s our duty as Americans to never forget and honor all those innocent people who lost their lives that day.
Thank you Jorma for posting and remembering every year.
Hope all is well.
Hogan
🙂
@Joey Hudoklin
I remember that show – they started off with “Keep Your Lamps” and played “Death Don’t Have No Mercy” You could feel the tension in the air. We were all in shock. The Boyz helped us get through it. We still had Hot Tuna.
Amen, brother.
“It’s a God almighty world we’re living in.” How true.
I lived through it.
NY came together beautifully. I was so proud tho be a NY’er.
Also I remember Hot Tuna acoustic at the Beacon that November.
Very emotional. Tears flowing in that audience.
Lest we forget
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPheJw_O1OU
surfs up at Bell’s Beach
Johnny Heffernan Presente
Peace
Love All Ways