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Psssst. Hoops, Purple T-shirts, Karaoke, Dunking: I got inside info on MikeMadness hoops tourney

ME: (To man on the street. Waiting for the light to change.) You know I’ve never done this before.

MAN: Done what? (Looks me up and down with a mixture of confusion and hostility).

ME: Oh, I can’t tell you yet, I’m not sure if I’ve been authorized. But, (I lean a little closer) it involves dunking.

MAN: Oh hoops. You gonna try to dunk (slight smile on face as he sizes me up again. Yes this is a balding 59-year-old white man, he confirms). You? Dunk? No way. (Man was laughing now).

ME: Yes way. OK, I can tell you it will happen after the MikeMadness Basketball Tournament. You heard of that?

MAN: Well now that you mention it, I saw a poster about that. Gonna be at UAB?

ME: Yes, UAB Recreation Center, July 20, 8 a.m. You should get three buddies and sign up. It costs $150 a team and it’s for a good cause, to raise money for Lewy body dementia. It’s a fatal brain disease and I have it. I’m Mike of MikeMadness.

—Click here to sign up now —-

MAN: You’re Mike? Fatal disease? (Man steps back)

ME: (Laughing) No no, it’s not contagious. I’ve had it for three years and I’m still working, playing basketball and now this dunking. Oops don’t repeat that.

MAN: You telling me you are going to be dunking?

ME: Well, it involves me and it involves dunking. That’s all I can say now. Except it also involves some celebrity types like a certain Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist will be going for a dunk.

MAN: Where is this going to be?

ME: The after party and dunking will be after the tournament, starting at 1 p.m., at TrimTab brewery. It’s at 2721 5th Ave South in Birmingham.

MAN: And that Pulitzer Prize guy, you aren’t talking about John Archibald are you?

ME: Yes but don’t tell anybody, I’m not authorized yet. There’ll probably be other celebrities like disc jockeys and athletes. Last year Trent Richardson and Buck Johnson showed up.

MAN: You mean Archibald is gonna dunk? (Now laughing harder).

ME: Let’s just say, me and John will be called the ‘Splash Brothers.”

MAN: Well, let’s go then!

ME: Heck yeah, let’s go. (I reach out for a fist bump).

MAN: No, I mean the light has changed, time to cross.

THE FINE PRINT: Sign up now on the link above or go to mikemadness.org The tournament is free to watch July 20 from 8 am to about noon. Teams consist of three or four (if you want a substitute, most do) and team entry fee is $150. Sure to be collectible T-shirts, for $15 each, and are purple this year in honor of Prince who was, we hear, a great basketball player in his day. New this year will will be a 3-point contest. Entry fee is $20. I’m looking forward to seeing who will come in second place. The after party at TrimTab is at 1 p.m. and it’s free. The brewery will donate 10 percent of its proceeds during this time. Remember this is all about raising money for Lewy body dementia a killer brain disease which I have. Last two years we raised $25,000 combined. I’m looking to match that two-year-total this year with $25,000 bringing the total to $50K in three years. Ambitious yes? But important. Money raised will be going to Lewy body research at UAB and the Lewy Body Dementia Association. For more on my living with the disease plus music, check out www.myvinylcountdown.com

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Bob Marley — 339

ALBUM: Legend (1984)

MVC Rating: 5.0/$$$

The five key shapers of my love of music are all men. I say that only because I just noticed it as I began writing this. The father of three daughters I don’t feel sexist in this regard, but maybe I am.

My five key shapers are The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Wilson Picket/Otis Redding, Prince and Bob Marley.

Hank Williams Sr. barely missed the cut.

I cheated I know with Redding Pickett, but they were big soul belters that startled this skinny kid in Georgia when I first heard them and fell in love with their songs. (Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You by Pickett hooked me from the radio.)

Prince was my James Brown, Little Richard altogether as those guys were before my time. And Prince channeled these guys (Sly Stone and MJ as well) into some of the most dynamic music of the 80s and 90s.)

British invaders, The Rolling Stones, some might say is too much like the Beatles but that’s not true. They are very different. At first it was the Beatles creating everything a rock band would be, good vocals, good songwriting, good musicians, genius production and engineering. The Stones came along and deconstructed all of that. Raw, simpler, looser. Black music for white kids who wanted the guitars turned up on blues-based rock. A lot of my friends were one or another: Beatles or Stones.

Then came Marley. Jammin’ with an aromatic cloud overhead. I didn’t expect to like him, but grew to love his music which could be rebellious, politically aware and sweet and kind.

Songs like ‘No Woman No Cry’ and ‘Redemption Song’ and ‘Is This Love’ and ‘Stir It Up.’ If you haven’t tried Marley start with this one, a compilation of ‘hits’ called ‘Legend.’ Another favorite I used to have on vinyl but is MIA was ‘Natty Dread.’

‘Babylon by Bus’ is a good two-record live album.

From Natty Dread’s No Woman no Cry

No, woman no cry
No, woman no cry
No, woman no cry
Said, said, said I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown
Ob-observing the hypocrites
As they would mingle with the good people we meet (meet)
Good friends we have, oh, good friends we’ve lost
Along the way (way)
In this great future, you can’t forget your past
So dry your tears, I say

And no, woman, no cry.

Speaking of women. I swear I have lots of women, on record that is. My beloved Catherine introduced to me to Carole King and Carly Simon.

I have Heart, Janis Joplin, the Bangles, Diana Ross, the Marvelettes, Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell, Madonna, Stevie Nicks, an all-female hard rock group called Fanny, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynettte, Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt, Nancy Griffith, Indigo Girls, the Shirelles, Melanie, Joan Baez, and many other ‘mixed’ groups like B-52’s, the Crams, Mamas and Papas, Sly and Family Stone, the Staple Singers, a Group called Smith, Eurythmics and so on.

While I enjoy much of those none were pivotal to me in transforming or greatly expanding my musical tastes. Janis and Aretha were close. But by then I was softened up to listen to them. Mavis Staples of the Staple Singers BTW has one of my favorite soulful voices.

NOTE: After I published this I realized I did not mention Dolly Parton. I watched her show with Porter Wagoner on black and white TV, probably in the late 1960s, early 70s. Sunday mornings. Been a fan ever since.

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Daily Journal, June 9, 2019, Premature edition

Several stories recently that appeared in AL.com but not here:

News anchor dies by suicide believing he had Lewy body dementia

Music heals the brains of premature babies — and me

Alzheimer’s from A to Z at Birmingham forum

My Vinyl Countdown: Nothing from nothing is something

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Daily Journal, June 6, 2019, Is it raining snakes?

Yay! It rained a little today. Our lawn appreciates it.

Don’t make me start a list of rain songs.

‘Who’ll Stop the Rain”–CCR who also did ‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain’

‘Rain King’ by Counting Crows.

‘Purple Rain’ by Prince.

‘Feels like Rain.’ John Hiatt.

‘Rain’ the Beatles.

‘Raina’ by Peter Himmelman. (I know I know — kind of cheating here, but love the song.)

My hands are in the hunt and peck mode now. Time to stop, shake them out and look for that ‘November Rain,’ I mean June Rain, out the window.

But first ..

A FUN SNAKE FACT: I read a story today about snakes, saying they aren’t aggressive and don’t attack, usually. It said when a snake bites a human, alcohol was involved 40 percent* of the time.

I say if nearly half our snakes are drunk, we better be even more careful.

* (update 40 percent, not 70 and that’s referencing humans not the snakes.)

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The Mamas & the Papas — 340

ALBUM: Fairwell to the First Golden Era

MVC Rating: 4.0/$$

Perfect harmonies. Big bold singing voices. Mama Cass. California Dreamin.’

These are the things I think of when I think of this singing group.

And during their prime, they really were larger than life.

California Dreamin’ is such a perfect ‘state’ song. It made me wonder what the best song about a state is? That one has to be near the top.

Well there’s ‘Georgia on My Mind’ as sung by the great Ray Charles. Of course ‘Sweet Home Alabama. Sweet Virginia by the Stones. Yellow Rose of Texas a traditional folk song but Hoyt Axton is known for his version. Private Idaho by my hometown band B-52s . This could go on forever but don’t forget this one: “The Moon is Bigger in Alabama.”

This greatest hits album also has Creeque Alley, kinda of a here’s-how-we- got-here song that has the memorable line: And the only one getting fat is Mama Cass.

Their song ‘Monday Monday’ could also start a list-sickle song like the state songs. ‘Manic Monday’ by the Bangles via Prince; Tuesday’s Gone by Skynyrd; Friday on my Mind by the Easybeats; I Dont like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats.

There’s more. Hit the comments if you want to add more. Because there are many, but I’ve got to go, trying to make that Midnight Train to Georgia.

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Music heals the brains of premature babies and me (Blog version)

 

Mike Oliver is an opinion columnist who is using music and his writings to raise awareness to Lewy body dementia on his blog myvinylcountdown.com and AL.com.

As you all may have figured out, I enjoy music. (Understatement).

Not only do I enjoy music, I believe it is therapeutic, as I have pointed out before.

I believe it is therapeutic for anyone, not just those like myself who have a degenerative brain disease.

Now, news out of Switzerland on the effects of music on premature babies adds more substance to my, admittedly anecdotal reports of music’s healing properties

“Among very premature babies, some of whom were almost born four months ahead of schedule, those who were given daily doses of music written just for them had brain functions that appeared to be developing better than those who weren’t exposed to the music, ” according to ScienceAlert.com., citing several studies.

Yes! I knew I was on to something. Tiny babies rocking out, shaking their booties, doing the funky chicken are helping their brains.

Well not so fast.

Turns out they weren’t exactly rocking out.

The music (which the babies had no say in choosing) is basically elevator music.

The preemies received “eight minutes of soothing background musi c (Click to hear it), bells, harp, and the Indian snake charmer’s flute five times a week.

Incidentally, the snake charmer’s flute was the most soothing sound to newborns,” ScienceAlert.com reported.

Bells, flute, snake charmer’s flute? Are they trying to teach them to slither out of the crib?

I have a friend, Jill in California, who suffers great physical and mental pain upon hearing the harp.

Did the researchers consider any Iron Maiden or old school Black Sabbath. I find a little ‘Crazy Train’ gets my blood pumping in the morning. That’s the goal here, right? Get the healing power of blood circulation in the brain.

If the experts believe that hard rock may be too much at this age, or encourage head-banging, maybe they can start them off with a power ballad by the Scorpions. Or going to another genre, how about the soothing tones of Barry White? Or Smokey  Robinson and the Miracles? Or the Rev. Al Green?

I listened to some of the music they  used on these little ones and, frankly, it sounds like what we called New Age music. You know , Kitaro. There were no lyrics. I say get them started on words. Old school hip hop like Run DMC or Kurtis Blow.

May want to avoid the Police doing (De do do do de da da da). That, and Janis Joplin singing ‘Cry Baby.’

I think the babies would enjoy the whole catalog of the ‘The Mamas and Papas.’

While this is fun, I’d like to take serious note that the best way to solve this problem is to reduce the number of premature babies. Unfortunately many women lack access to good neonatal health care, and sex education. AL.com’s Anna Claire Vollers is spending the year investigating these and other serious issues facing moms in Alabama .

Follow Anna Claire Vollers excellent reporting on Motherhood in Alabama.

Sciencealert.com says the music was aimed at different  parts of the babies’ day, such as feeding time or waking: “Headphones were placed on all babies during the trial when they were waking or noticed to be awake.”

I can see it, Lil’ Man, Lil’ Woman with the head phones on, maybe some shades, chillin’ to Bob Marley.

“We jammin’ we jammin,’ babies nodding their heads in unison, “we hope you like jammin’ too.”

 

https://youtu.be/H7knTgdgaSU

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Daily Journal, June 4, 2019

Tuesday’s not gone yet. In fact it’s only 10:58 a.m. my time (Central). As I said in a previous post, I was going through some fluctuating symptoms the past few days. So much better this morning as I can type.

Fluctuations in symptoms is a hallmark of Lewy body dementia. I see it as the ultimate donut and hole cliche’. In other words I am thankful it is not just one long descent. I am thankful that I have a donut on some days. (No wonder I can’t shake this extra weight).

Describing the symptoms is hard for me to put my finger on it, literally, when I have those symptoms but let’s just say I don’t feel comfortable in my own skin, feel fidgety and fine motor skills like buttoning shirts, typing, and tying my shoes become frustratingly difficult. Coping mechanism? Maybe half a tab of carbidopa/levodopa or get out and walk or both.

I have doctor’s permission to up my dosage slightly during these events. It’s good medicine but it was developed to treat Parkinson’s not Lewy body specifically. I also take a med created for Alzheimer’s patients to help with the cognitive issues. I don’t know how that is working, but somethings going well as I’m three years into this thing and still playing basketball.

In fact at the MikeMadness tournament I am getting excited about seeing who is going to come in second.

Because they may as well go ahead and put my name on the trophy now.

I’ll be wearing my No. 33 Boston Celtics jersey.

Let’s outro with my greatest therapeutic treatment: Music.

I love to listen to the slide guitar intro by Lynyrd Skynyrd for the song Tuesday’s gone — beautiful.

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Wynton Marsalis, Teo Macero — 342, 341

ALBUMS: Black Codes from the Underground; Acoustical Supension (1985)

\MVC Rating: Black 4.0 $$$; Acoustical 4.0/$$$$.

I’ve never been a major jazz fan. I give it about 5 to 10 percent of my listening time. Total listening time for the week is between four and seven hours. An hour is about three album sides. So  I still get a fair amount of jazz in

This is about all that, and jazz too. I’m combining these two respected artists because they are close in alphabetical distance and both are playing some late model jazz (1980s).

There is some jazz I really like and listen to, mostly from the old days. John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Dixieland Louis Armstrong, Joe Henderson, Cannonball Adderly, Bud Powell, and Sonny Rollins to name most of my repertoire. Oh, and Chet Baker (hipster dude).

So a jazz collecting friend asked why I don’t have any modern jazz, at least someone like Herbie Hancock (who isn’’t all that modern these days.) I dunno, I said. Seems like it takes me too long to warm up to. I do like some fusion as done by the Dixie Dregs and Sea Level, but that’s my Southern roots kicking in

So I asked him who’s the best jazz person right now in the world. He said the best trumpet player is/was (this was 1980s) Wynton Marsalis. So I bought a Marsalis record Black Codes from the Underground. He’s extremely good – won two Grammy’s for this album.  I like it, but am not passionate about it. It’s busy with trumpet runs (as you’d expect) throughout. Makes a good party record that can rise above the background music tag when you want some jazz but not something that rattles the martini olives.

Next up was an album I almost forgot about Teo Macero – and this album would be a notch higher on the in-your-face jazz – in other words with its funky beats, bleating sax and switcheroo time signatures, with splatters of electric guitar, it would not work as well in a background setting demanding low volume. In some ways Marsalis might be pushing it as a dinner time suggestion because of its swings and complexity. Playing Wynton’s album for the first time in years made me realize this album deserves some listening concentration.

Both these guys have great folks working with them and resumes that are about as good as you can get.

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Another look at words on AL.com

Mike Oliver is an opinion columnist who has Lewy body dementia. For this column, he culls posts from his blog where he is counting down his 678 vinyl records to raise awareness of this deadly, common, but not well known form of dementia.

Singer songwriter Peter Himmelman has a song about visiting a woman named Susan in the hospital. It becomes apparent Susan has no use of her muscles and can only talk by using her eyelids to build words on a special computer screen attached by electrodes.

Though not mentioned in the song, ALS was what she had, a degenerative brain disease that became known as Lou Gehrig’s disease after the world watched in the 1930s the baseball great succumb to it.

Himmelman sings about his visit, a moment that had a profound effect on him:

And the words come ticking out and the words bring us together

And the words come ticking out and the words must keep you sane

Susan I owe you an apology

Susan I owe you an apology

For all the days I just let slide right through my hands

You are the woman with the strength of 10,000 men

More click here.

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Daily Journal, June 3, 2019 ‘Pass the biscuits’ version.

I spent my weekend looking for my glasses. Or, at least a frustratingly disproportionate part of my weekend. But I found them. My ear buds too.

It’s Monday.. I was feeling especially Lewy over the past few days but it seems to have lifted. I am getting a ringside seat to the part of my disease they call fluctuating.

Musical reference for today, June 3 comes from Bobbie Gentry and her classic Ode to Billy Joe. You might remember the opening:

It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day
I was out choppin’ cotton, and my brother was balin’ hay

Surprised Gentry didn’t find more success as good as she was on this song. She instead ended up more like Don McLean who wrote the brilliant American Pie. After that, as far as I know, he had minor hit with Vincent and then nada. Gentry put out some material but as I recollect she only had a hit with “Fancy” after Ode.

An example of Gentry’s great songwriting in Ode:

And papa said to mama, as he passed around the blackeyed peas
Well, Billy Joe never had a lick of sense; pass the biscuits, please
There’s five more acres in the lower forty I’ve got to plow
And mama said it was a shame about Billy Joe, anyhow