The Down Low

Hello jazz lovers

Happy Holidays.

I had an Interesting experience in Church today. I got the DL eye from a very unexpected place!!And No It will not Happen!!! I assure you of that fact. But it did start me to thinking..

I have just Finished J.L.Kings "On The down low" and realize he cashed in!! It is Hype for Women. I think I will Blog about my findings..He has finally admitted that he is Gay and yet does not want to be a part of the gay community! I understand that, he still has a lot of self hatred in his own life and made money on it..I offer no disrespect to the Man it is his life after all. I just see it differently that's all.

 I was born at the end of the 1940's and grew up in the 50's and 60's, I knew I was different very early in life and was not really like other Boys even though I like doing boy things and really enjoyed being a boy!

As I grew I began to understand what was what, I knew Fem guys and realized early that I was not "Like That". But at the time it was serious business not to be visible, the messages from Church, Family, and Society was not accepting of Same gender loving men or Women although for women they often got a pass due to men's fantasies of two women together. but for men it was totally taboo! 80% of the same gender loving ...men were on the DL or Closet the stakes were just too high to be visible, so a separate society was formed with in a society. There were meeting places, parks, greyhound, almost anywhere and He is right it is always eye contact.

In the 20's,30's 40's and 50's there was a code for those "In The Life" Certain color ties, The color of Hankies in a suit pocket, certain code words known in the cities example The term "A friend of Dorothy's". But as a whole a complete life to hide..When the gay revolution started in the late 60's, 1968 to be exact, things began to change in the White communities in larger cities but small towns and the south stayed the same even until today! We could not allow relationships to become visible in the Black Community, so the DL became a way of life..It will take decades for that to change..But no one is free until all are free!

The one good thing about his book is alerting women not to live in denial about their men it really can save their lives. But until the stigma of Men loving Men is removed DL men will be around for a long time.. He climes to accept his Homosexuality but if you really listen to him it is obviously clear that he does not. I do understand his thinking, All through time you are told your natural being is wrong and that you are not suppose to exist is a very hard row to hoe! people still think it is a choice. The only choice open to men is to live your life or live a lie. It is like Bleaching Cream is still one of the biggest selling products around the world. When You question my color you are questioning God and his creation, it is the same with sexuality. The DL was created by the society in which we live.
 
My Next Blog will be more in-depth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46XAah-olSw Della Reese To Love A man..

Only one song this time and until next time

Keep the beat!

DW Jazzlover

I Actually Wrote a Book!

Touchdown
Available on Amazon Kindle.


Hello Jazzlovers,

It has been a little while since I have been here. I keep my self busy all the time, since I have been away I have completed a Quilt, created a fabric, made new friends, and I actually sat down and wrote a book! This is the song I played a lot while accomplishing these things.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgBe0jmJBjw    Victoria Wilson James "Perseverance Works"

I am not really concerned that the book sells, the important thing is "I Did It." The accomplishment is what's important. I have been writing in a journal since 1979 and there is a book there too, but not yet, I am not ready for that. This was a book that came out of my head, it is a different kind of love story, and I know it is not for everyone. Life is happening all around us and it really could happen like I wrote it. I do believe it is possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj6VcS7gouU  Queen Latifah " I know where I've Been"

I still believe in Love and I am a firm believer that the "The Lord Will Not Mind if It's Love," I read that some where when I was very young and held on to the thought all my life. Two of the characters in the current book has started to speak to me and I have started their story, "At Last Home"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwxM--iDH2c   Etta James " At Last" Live


Here is what I learned while writing this book! A healthy new respect for writers, I had to ger out of the way and let the Characters speak for themselves, they will say what they want to say, I learned I have forgotten good grammar! That was the hard part. But I did it anyway!!! I learned a book does not always flow start to finish but reveals bits and pieces of where it has been and where it is going and it was my job to understand that. It was a wonderful experience. And I am feeling good.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfJRX-8SXOs Nina Simone  "Feeling Good"

It is a brand new day for me My Friends.

Until next time Jazzlovers

Keep the beat.

D.W. Jazzlover.

Jason Collins

Jason Collins


Hello Jazzlovers it is a beautiful day today!

It has been a minute since I have been here, I have been too busy living life. The above photo took my breath away when I saw it, and the story brought tears to my eyes. The Oprah interview just filled my heart with joy as I listened to his Family support him with so much love that I just had to write today for the future.

 

The Collins Family

 

 

Jason is smart, articulate, and just a Beautiful Youngman  and I applaud him and will keep him in my call to the Universe for His Happiness. It took an incredible amount of courage for him to come out at this time in his life, it is never easy no matter what age. He is surrounded by
his families love which was so clear in Oprah's interview which is the only important factor in his decision to come out! My respect for him is so deep on so many levels and I will attempt to list them here.

It took an a lot of courage for him to step forward now, and I do understand why, The Man has integrity and could not live a lie any longer and was secure in his families love to finally make that step. ( Most gay people have only two choices in life! To live a Lie or live their lives..usually outside the family) Living a lie is not easy for you can never let your guard down for even a second!! His Twin Brother's response brought tears to my eyes, to Para phrase Jarran said " He is my older Brother and has always looked after me. I love him and support him and if necessary I will protect him" ,a powerful statement. I have that kind of love from my brothers too. In the Black Community that reads true love..

Why now You might ask? Why is this important now? Well for one thing this Man has lived with this secret for 34 years and it obvious he has never acted on it!! To me that is amazing strength of character and it means he must have walked around with an amazing amount of Pain!
But it became obvious to me  when Opra asked him if "he lived in fear of someone Outing him?" He replied at once "No!" which means he is still a Virgin and has never acted on his desires! Integrity! Totally breaking the stereotype of what Gay People are! And it explains how huge this battle was for him! It is important to My generation because each of us know exactly hard that is! We face isolation, rejection, ridicule, and even violence and death just to be ourselves and that is just in our own communities., A lot of Gay people leave and end up in Gay Ghettos in major cities and countries that have a semblance to tolerance. That too is an illusion.

   

This is also Important for all of us because his is a Beautiful Soul that fits in with society vision of a man!! He breaks the stereotype of what a Gay man looks like, and acts like, he looks and acts like everyone's Idea of what a Man looks like and He is not a child of the Night!!! Which is where they think most of us are!! Jason Collins is a Man in every since of the word!! And I cannot be more proud of him is he was my brother, son, or my friend. I remember living a double life and it takes a lot of energy to maintain that. We as People of color are finally coming into our own as a free people, I for one am so grateful for this wonderful Young Man and I am so Grateful to his Parents raising him with such Love..!!! He is Worthy!!

Why once more is this so important!? He is opening a door for Young Kids fighting this battle every day all over this world that feel there is nothing to live for, that have no hope, that they can not live their dreams because they are Gay, Jason Collins has opened their world to new opportunity in the sports world, in other words they really can be anything they want to be. Jason has in stepping forward given a lot of Young People hope !!!

God Does not make Mistakes Jason and You are living proof. I am so grateful for you and support you with all my heart, I fell in love with your Family you are truly Blessed and I am so grateful to have lived to experience your moment in the Sun. You will always be remembered and celebrated.

Thank You!!

God is Love!!

Now Jazz Lovers You Know Della has one song that fits!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4EsZ84Q08g  Della Reese!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iujQ8_S6A4  "I've got to be me" Della Reese

Until Next Time
Keep the Beat..

DW Jazzlover

I love Old Photo's

Hello JazzLovers,

A very beautiful  Fall Day!!

Today Frankie!!

I have been away for a while out getting me Some Live!!

It has been a wonderful coupe of months..But today is so special..I  just feel good!! Now what started me to thinking was just how good the day felt it is a progress feeling!! I am progressing into adult hood..I am growing UP! And it is wonderful..Life is a Fascinating Journey..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6DFEOFHl0w   "Joy and Pain"

I love old Photographs, I like the faces and try to figure out the emotions of the moment..WHO is comfortable with who? Who is on Stage? Who is really having a Blast!?Who would rather be anyplace else bit there!!( They are the funny!) Who has real love for the others in the photo? Who is in love with who? Who is in Lust? I have been in everyone of those Photographs at one time or another in my life!! And I am so happy to say I am happy in most of the photos that have survived... but I know  what I looked like in the one's that did not survive and But all of them are Me!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1HGLnfzamw           "Feel That You are Feeling"


I spent the after noon with an old classmate and we took up the conversation where we left high school!! It was wonderful to know that my friend was still my friend..It is great being among people who knew you before you were you!!! And take into consideration that we have all experienced different things but the core is still the same!! It means you can let down your guard!!
It means that out paths might have been different.Our core was the same..We can speak truths to each other....We remember out innocence( Stupidity! In the eyes of the world!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_6VaCG3tUE   " I  Wanna Thank You!!"

To live in gratitude is a long way into who you are...It is so funny to laugh at ourselves...I am so grateful for getting home before it was toooooo Late..

Today I am a Very Happy Man...My friends are still my friends,what more can I ask for!!! I love old Photos because we are thanking Old Photos every time we take a Picture!!  This post is really about the Music though !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YqzJgqG8xQ    " We Are One"!!!


Well Jazzlovers

Until Next time,

Keep The beat..

DWJazzlover

Facinating Journey!!

 

 

 

I miss my Beautiful Father, I wish I had known him then!!


Hello Jazzlovers,

Featuring George Micheal today..Love This Man!!

What a wonderful day!!

I played hooky today from the total daily routine and did something different!! Back in my old community,I went visiting..And I walked the whole way,it was soooo nice..
The weather was sooo nice and the trees were putting on their Fall Clothes. I had forgotten how beautiful that could be!! I felt like a child once more, I did not need a water bottle because there ale little oasis all along the way..Thankfully there is enough wooded areas that are the same and as beautiful as ever..Joy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfMpNMfliBw   George Michael  " It doesn't really Matter"


I think this is all I need to say today..Check out the music... Every body's got a story..



 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulhoKujT2G8&feature=fvst Love this cut..

I am on this quest to know My Father at the above place in his life..I know he worked at the place he is standing, I know that is where he met MY Mom..But I don't know what he was like then. I had no contact with my father ontil I was 6 years old..I knew who he was and I often saw him around town but we had no contact..but even then he was very importantto my life.And from 6years old  til adult hood he was verymuch in my life.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2GZo0PzqY4 And My Fave!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3mO6DSY4gU My Cuz's Fave...

I wanted to say more but I did not want to leave the wonderful place I am right now..


Until Next time..


Keep the beat.

DW Jazzlover

It's A Lovers Question..

Hello Jazzlovers,

I had a wonderful Weekend..

Hello Jazzlovers.

I am going to feature some of my favorite Jazz Ladies , Just cuz I like them..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQChYKutawk   Randy  Crawford " Feeling Good"

I have had the best week!!  I had planned to write about something I learned on Divorce Court"about relationships and Pain!! But I will not write about it today because I need to think about it a little longer..I wrote the thought down so I will not forget!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFh8pvfok6w&feature=related    Randy Crawford " Purple Rain"

There was an interesting Development this weekend ! And that is what I am going to write about...Growth is an amazing thing..and once I let go! I have grown a lot..And I realize I started letting go a long time ago... A Dear Cousin was in town last weekend and we had not seen each other in a very long time, it was delightful..Well through her I found some other grade school friends.So I am getting some nice phone calls...

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se_8ekDR_5s    My Cuz sent me the original years ago and it is still my favorite piece...

Two of the phone calls were very interesting to say the least..One of the beautiful things about a small town is people have loooong memories!! And Legend's abound!! Now when something happens and everyone knows something happened but no one has first hand knowledge except those involved!! And if one or both of them becomes infamous a legend is born..Oddly enough the incident became funny to me all these years later, and I was telling a New Friend that I knew in school but we ran in different circles and was way ahead of me in school but we knew the same people...The Other Persons name came up and I told here about the scandal and we had a good laugh!!

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bftD3IV8Mnk   Randy Crawford " Love Town"

I was Young,Fresh,and ready!! Just Toooo Cute!! ( Good Thing I did not know it!!) And just as dumb! snatched up real fast!! Flattered to no end!!! It did not take long to learn that all that glitters is not gold!!(About 2 and a half years) But when You become a habit to someone and they will not let go it gets crazy!!! Well it seems I am Legend !! The two phone calls were from Friends I had not seen since high school and it was really nice to hear from them, we have a lot to talk about!! Bur half way through the conversation it came up!! I have never laughed so hard..We are talking 50 years ago!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h65azRDIg4Q   Rochell Farrell  " Till You Come Back To Me"

Thank this Universe that I am very OK with it all, it was a part of my life and I learned from it, sometimes slow and sometimes very fast but that's how life goes.. I will never regret that time in my life, I learned some very valuable lessons in that relationship..A very good thing came out of that relationship, I walked away from it with an understanding of Passion !  50 years later and people are still interested..Must have been HOT!! 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WNkoABY63w     Esther Phillips 


Well Jazzlovers

Until next time..

Keep The Beat..

DW Jazzlover

Drinking Again

My Space.

Hello Jazzlovers,

I am in a wine drinking kind of mood!!!

So I am going to write about Wine!! And I am going to use Drinking songs to add to the mood..In Bahrain finding places that had a good wine was sometimes difficult and very expensive!! There was one Italian Place that had a great French wine that we all liked and it had a good price about 30 dollars a bottle, but you can only eat so much Italian food weekly..And when left and went to the Bar the wine was boxed and tasted terrible ,,But when in Rome!! What are you going to do?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut3LTPDoIvU     Aretha Franklin "Drinking Again" 1964, some of her best work was done around this time..

Looking at the photo above it was the perfect Wine drinking space..LOL.. Wine is very special to a great evening...In Bahrain the liqueur stores had delivery service so it was easy to keep a well stocked wine collection..I have a very good friend that would drop by and we shared a bottle of red wind with good music and great conversations by candle light..( Candles were also hard to find) Those moments I will treasure for ever!!It is impossible to be sad with a good friend and a great bottle of wine..I also collected good wine glasses it is essential to really enjoying a good wine..( A paper cup or water glasses are not the thing!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVqDa1Tk1sI   Nancy Wilson " Drinking Again"

There is a bar in the Intercontinental Hotel named Down Town, that is a great Jazz Bar Idea!! A lovely place!! Well a good friend offered us a great wine!! A wine that I am madly in love with now..."Pinot Grigio""""I give it 5 Stars!!! This is now my wine of choice..It is mellow and nice  and great with fruit and cheese..Thanks E.One of the Pinot Grigio's we had was a California Wine by Beringer and it is ambrosia!! Well since I have been home I had been drinking various makers of Pinot Grigio and a couple of days ago while heading for an old friends house I stopped to buy wine and there it was!! Beringer!!!Found IT!!!!And my friends had wonderful wine glasses!!!We had a smashing time .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4skuhqj07s        Esther Phillips " Don't Put No Headstone On My Grave" Think about it!!

After we left my friends about 12:30 My Dear Cousin took me to visit some people I had know a long time ago!! And they had a very good Red Wine that I need to find out the name of! But after 2 bottles of White Wine, those 2 glasses of Red knocked my on my ever loving Butt!!!LOL I was feeling no pain when I got home at 3;30 in the Morning!! But it was a Great Day....Nothing like good friends and good Wine!!

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x16__7n_-Ts    Esther Phillips " Aged and Mello) I just had to throw this one in LOL!!!

Now Jazzlovers don't take it to this level!!!!LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHadxa094Rk Esther Phillips " Cherry Wine" Think about it...

Well Jazzlovers until next time,

Keep the beat!

DW Jazzlover...