A post about a routine trip this morning to a lab for some testing… and, as with many of my wonderings and wanderings, it involves music. Jah know what I mean?
It started as a thank you email to a woman named Amanda at Parsley Health in NYC for helping me with scheduling the lab appointment. I could have stopped there but decided to tell her a story, as my way of showing my gratitude for her assistance. Listen in…
Amanda, Thank you for making the arrangements for today’s lab visit to the BioReference facility in New Hyde Park.
It all flowed smoothly. Got a parking space right in front...short wait...friendly tech...she had a copy of the lab order you sent them…thanks for preparing the way...
While in the waiting room, I overheard some of the conversation in the drawing room. When a client commented about the friendliness of the tech, the technician replied that she was from Jamaica (not Queens, but the West Indies) and most folks from there are like that.
When I went into the drawing room, I heard music playing, so I asked the tech what she liked to listen to. “Gospel...then later, some R&B and before leaving, instrumentals.”
We continued chatting about music, as the miracle called blood was flowing from my arm into small glass vials. I mentioned that I started listening to reggae a few years ago while doing yoga and more recently discovered young roots-reggae musicians that are carrying forward the mindful vibe of Bob.
She said that his sons are also about their father’s business. To this, I told her about Bob’s son Stephen’s involvement with a group of world musicians known as “Playing for Change.” Here are three of their collaborations:
I then switched channels to gospel and told her that I liked Dottie Peoples and her Peoples Choice Choir, adding that the choir in a church I attended – Church of the Intercessor in Malverne - did an awesome version of her “On Time God.”
Here’s Dottie’s version. Everybody’s moving – Dottie, the choir and the congregation – even the seniors! I know the dead can be raised to life in a church like this!
“Dottie’s one of my favorites,” she said. I told her how our choir once performed at Citi Field on Jackie Robinson Day in 2010. Here they are doing “Ancient of Days.” She was impressed and asked me where I sang.
Laughing, I replied, “Audience,” explaining that I sing in the audience and then proceeded to relate my time in Power Memorial Academy’s high school glee club (1961-1966).
Our school was located right next to where they were building Lincoln Center. When it opened we performed there, singing a song composed just for the occasion- “We Were Here First.”
Before she was done taking my last ounce of blood, I told her about my positive experiences at Parsley Health – the functional medical practice of which I’ve been a member for over 3 years. “State-of-the-art diagnostics combined with the use of natural means, when practical, to avoid the harm caused by overuse of steroids and antibiotics. My doctor - Lilli Link - sees me as a whole person – body, mind and spirit – and not as just one isolated organ or system.”
After drawing my blood and before I got up from the chair, she asked, “How are you feeling?” to which I replied, “I feel great!” We said our good byes and, as I was leaving, the song “I Feel Good” came to mind.
Note to reader: At this time in my life ANYTHING can bring a song to my mind and heart…and feet!
Back in my car, I searched for the James Brown song and enjoyed its positive message.
With all my medical adventures, I still keep my focus positive by stating,
“More parts work than don’t!”
Tom
Extras...Encores…Second Sets…
Just suppose instead of being a carpenter, Jesus’ dad – Joseph – had been a musician…and Jesus went into his father’s business, like Stephen Marley did.
How about a "J" clef?
These cool images got me thinking about the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Continuing to follow this rabbit trail, I found this article about Alice Cooper’s role as Herod in a 2018 live broadcast of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s hit musical. This Rolling Stone piece includes a clip of Cooper doing a number and the following reference to one of our family’s favorite “villains.”
“’Herod’s Song’ is perfect for you because it is sort of vaudeville.
Yeah, and it’s very cynical, and he’s very cynical. To prepare for the role, I keep thinking, ‘Who’s the most cynical character that this could be?’ And I keep coming back to Alan Rickman. He would have been the perfect Herod. So that’s the way I want to do it. Now the director might say, ‘We want you to do it vaudeville’ or, ‘We want you to do it much darker and scarier,’ so it really depends on how they want me to do it.”
--a song and video tribute to the Source of all creation – including music
--you might be wondering what this has to do with this post…
When I told my son John about the Alice Cooper article, he mentioned that in his junior year at West Hempstead High School, he and his friends opted to make a video project (a trailer for a movie version of the Dickens’ novel) in order to get out of having to write a paper. Their class project included references to Cooper.
Hey, at least they read the book…something I tried to avoid at all costs when I was in high school.
“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
--Bob Marley
#music #humor #BioReferenceLabs #IntercessorChoir #ParsleyHealth #reggae #gospel #BobMarley #StephenMarley #DottiePeoples #JamesBrown #PowerMemorialAcademy #AliceCooper #JohnTittmann #WestHempsteadHighSchool