'Firsts' in Janaury

In December 2010, my friend Meghan asked if I would join her in a New Year's resolution: try something new each month for year 2011. Beginning New Year's Day 2011, Meghan and I witnessed flamenco dancing. Unfortunately, I don't have photos of the flamenco dancers. Instead, I have a photo of Meghan sleeping at our table. (Two bottles of wine will do that to a person.) However, I promised her I wouldn't post the photo. 

Last month, I went to a belly dancing show at World Cafe Live with my friend Amber. 

This dancer was my favorite:

Maybe I should try flamenco and belly dancing this year!

Part of a Protest

Walking along City Hall during Occupy Philly, a stranger asked me, "Have you ever been part of a protest?" "No. But I would like to," I replied. During the last few months, however, I've realized the articles and comments I post on my social media sites are protests. I may not be marchng in a rally, but I defintiely am voicing my opinion. I also have signed a few petitions through Change.org and the ACLU. 

A month ago I posted a link on my Google+ page to an editorial by NaturalNews editor Mike Adams (aka the Health Ranger). He wrote many reasons why Americans actually should stay in the United States, rather than emigrate to another country to avoid the coming police state. Basically, it's  worse elsewhere. But that doesn't mean that Americans should sit idly and just allow corruption to happen! 

So many things bother me about where this country is headed. But one thing in particular--the new National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)--makes me angry. This law probably has our Founding Fathers rolling in their graves! It's like the Patriot Act all over again!

(Former President George W. Bush signed the Patriot Act into law on October 26, 2001 to combat terrorism, especially post-9/11. But what this law really does is violate our rights to privacy. Specifically,  Section 215 violates the Fourth Amendment!)


President Barack Obama signed the NDAA into law on December 31, 2011 to authorize the funding for defense of the United States and its interests abroad. The law gives power to the President and future presidents to order the military to indefinitely imprison, without charge or trial, civilians anywhere in the world--including Americans! This violates the Fifth Amendment!


Oh, and the United States is considered a battlefield, according to NDAA supporter Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) This is scary!


The Senate had a chance to stop the legislation when Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) offered the Udall amendment, but it was rejected 38-60. 


In his official statement, President Obama said he had "reservations" about signing the bill but that "my Administration will interpret and implement the provisions described below in a manner that best preserves the flexibility on which our safety depends and upholds the values on which this country was founded." But what about future administrations' interpretations? And if the President had reservations--even threatening at one point to veto the bill---why did he sign it?! (And to think he used to teach constitutional law.)


Our founding Fathers wrote the Constitution for many reasons. This law and others like it give more and more power to the governemnt, resulting in less and less power to the people. Remember, they work for us! We don't work for them. 

Studio Sessions

Time is no stranger to singer-songwriter Jordan White. It takes time to write lyrics. It takes time to write music. And it takes time to record and mix songs. "It's been too long since [I've] laid down any real recordings," he said. For his third EP, due out in early December, White teamed with Dancing Pepper Productions in Nazareth, PA. "Scott Tice, the amazingly talented producer and owner ... just emailed me a another mix of 'Bloodshot,'" White said. The song, he explained, "is a brutal electric number. It's about the bar scene, or at least the way it appeared to me over the past few years. Alcohol makes everything seem like a good idea, but it's misleading." 


Working with Tice has been an amazing experience for White because of his attention to details. "Scott came highly recommended from some people in the industry," he said. "Scott takes part in what he calls 'critical listening sessions,' where he devotes all his attention and time to listening to the cuts, and then he waits a few days and goes back and listens again." 


Other songs included on the EP are "Maybe, Amy" and "Before I Go Out." "Lyrically, 'Before I Go Out' is a rarity for me because it does not mention anyone or anything specific," White added. And the title of his latest project? "I have no idea," White admitted. One sure idea he has, though, is releasing a full-length album. "I've written probably a dozen new songs in the past year," he said. But without the backing of a label, White will have to wait. 

Third Time's the Charm

Photo Courtesy of Martin Klobosits

For the third time, Lehigh Valley musician Jordan White is nominated for two Lehigh Valley Music Awards. White is listed in the best singer-songwriter and best male vocalist categories. The 13^th annual event opened online nominations September 7.   

For a decade, White has emerged from the karaoke bar scene to performing original material in large music venues and outdoor festivals. He has performed at Crocodile Rock and Planet Trog in Allentown, Riverfusion and Musikfest in Bethlehem, and Fergie’s Pub and Kildare’s in Philadelphia.

“It all comes down to crossroads and opportunities,” explains White. “It's a process of creating an infrastructure around yourself and your art. This includes making tough, personal decisions in what I believe is in the best interest of the music.”

White’s song “Walking Clean” was nominated for best original rock song and best lyrics in 2008. He was nominated for a second time in 2010 for best songwriter and best lyricist. White also performed his song “Quarter-Life Crisis” at the event.

                                                                                                            

To vote for this artist, visit: http://bit.ly/q8FvtD. 

From the Garage to Your Living Room

No overdubbing. No extra time in the studio. No perfection. No bullshit. "One live take on the spot will create that dirty, gritty sound," said Todd Witman of the Philadelphia-based band The Dark Sides. "Garage rock should not sound perfect. Music in general should not sound perfect." In the summer 2006, while Witman jammed on his harmonica and friend Mark Baughman on his guitar, the two 30-something-year olds reminisced about the sounds of the Sixties. Both men were motivated to bring garage rock back to prominence. "That sound is totally dead right now," said Baughman. "We want people to listen what we play and say, 'Holy shit! These are covers?'" Added Witman, "We refuse to play hits that every other band plays. [Sixties garage rock] is all about a few passionate people getting together and rockin' out."

Soon Witman and Baughman posted advertisements on various classified music Web sites looking for a passionate bassist, a passionate drummer, and another passionate guitarist. Three musicians answered the ad and the five men began jamming. But scheduling and traveling conflicts forced them to disband. Witman and Baughman were back to the drawing board. Then in spring 2007, guitarist Ben Blakesley re-joined The Dark Sides. "Ben is definitely a huge asset and a major reason that we have the unique sound that we do," stated Baughman." He can just hear a song and know how play it," added Witman. "He always knows what key a song is in, which helps me out since there are 12 harmoica keys." And also with the help of Blakesley, The Dark Sides recorded their demo "In Your Living Room" in his home studio JavBoy Records.

Drummer Steve Fioravanti joined the band earlier this year. "He is always focused," said Baughman. "It’s great because, half of the time, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. But I can always look back at him and relax, and get back into the groove of things." Fioravanti is the calming effect in The Dark Sides, probably "due to his laid back attitude," according to Witman. "But get him behind a drum set and he unleashes hell."

With no future gigs are lined up, The Dark Sides are making new music and plan to record their first album. “It's kind of a rough music scene right now,” said Witman. “A lot of places are closing down, and it seems like there are less and less places offering live entertainment.” The band played regularly at Chucker Chubs in Reading, PA for the bar’s open mic night until it closed. “It was a good place to play when we first started out, just to get our feet wet and hear what we sounded like in a live situation away from the basement,” explained Witman. The Dark Sides also played at a friend’s wedding, Relay for Life in Exeter, PA, and The Note in West Chester, PA. “I’m praying that we find a semi-permanent home to play once or twice a month,” added Baughman. “But until that fateful day occurs, we have some pavement pounding to do.”

To hear the influences of The Troggs, The Kinks, The Beatles, Them, The Standells, The Shadows of Knight and Little Walter, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRNGLXcNhHQ.

Inside a Songwriter's Psyche

Jordan White hates himself for not realizing that he lived the best time of his life a little more than 10 years ago. "It was before my parents divorced and my family fell apart, before September 11th, before I lost some of my greatest childhood friends I'd ever had," revealed the 20-something Lehigh Valley musician. "But I was a kid, you know?" For White, dealing with change and fighting a relentless obsession with the past are what influences his songwriting. "I'm trying to decide if this is something common for people to do, to look back on periods of their lives by comparing and contrasting it with the present," he explained. 2004's "In Too Deep" was the beginning of this obsession.

White also credits studying psychology as a major influence. After six years, he finally obtained his bachelor's degree from East Stroudsburg University in May. "I found that the more I've learned about the field of psychology, the more diverse and complete my songs have become," he said. "Much of what I write about are things running around in my head, things that have intruded and won't leave, and other things that left long ago that I can't get back." In January, White will begin gradaute school at Shippensburg University. "I feel like I've only brushed against the surface with the bachelor's."

White thinks most of the songs he wrote at 15 or 16 years old sucked. "I'm a late bloomer," he contended. He doesn't even remember the first song he wrote, but remembers the first "good" song was "Breathe." According to White, it's his official break-up song. "I thought I was above it [the break up]," he expalined. But one day, White sifted through some contents in a box and found a five to six-page letter she wrote to him after they broke up. "I poured over it for hours. To me it was kind of like taking a deep breath to remember it all one last time," he recalled. It also was the first song White recorded in a studio.

Another relationship song, "Crazy Girl," is one that White never intended to take anywhere. "This song is about getting involved with someone who is totally wrong for you and you know it. And you can't help it," he explained. It's one of the most requested songs at his shows--by women. "I thought that people, particularly women, would be offended by it," he said. "But the reaction was the exact opposite. They seem to really identify with it." White is quick to point out that he doesn't mean these women are crazy, but maybe had similar expereinces. "I know I have," he added. White has promised never to reveal the identity of the woman in his song, despite numerous requests by fans.

In addition to constantly being asked about this crazy girl, White also receives lots of e-mails asking what this song and that song mean. Knowing some musicians don't like to reveal the meanings of their songs, White doesn't mind. "I like divulging some of the inspirations behind the songs because it almost helps me understand them more myself," he explained. One of the best feelings, he revealed, is allowing fans to create their own interpretations. "It may mean something specific to me, but it can mean whatever you want it to mean for you." The song "Walking Clean," for example, exhibits trusting your instincts when something feels wrong. White sang in a popular East Coast cover band a few years ago, and admits to having some crazy times. But "I felt a little lost in the crowd," he admitted. "It didn't feel right. I felt people had the wrong impression of me." After a show, White met a girl who invited him back to her house. "We ended up sitting on her roof until the sun was coming up," he said. Jokingly, White told her he hadn't seen daylight in a while, so the sun may hurt his eyes. "She said something like, 'Well, you better stay off the roof if you gotta hide from the sky.'" He continued, "I couldn't stop thinking about it. It made all the sense in the world to me."

Since leaving the cover band, White has continued his solo career, appearing in local bars and clubs throughout northeastern and southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2008, he joined the band KineticBlu as their singer/keyboardist/rhythm guitarist. White and lead guitarist Brian Kibler also play together as Foreplay. White's song "September" has become part of a digital compilation with other "hot bands on MySpace" from a new subsidiary of Sony Music/Red Distribution. Although a release date still is to be determined, downloads will be available for sale at all major retailers, such as iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, eMusic and more. Asked why "September" was chosen, White replied: "I think they picked that song out of the half dozen or so because it had the most plays at the time, but I'm not sure." But what he is sure of is the meaning behind the song: "When you're 12 years old, your house is the world, your block is the rest of the universe, and you know everything. Summer seems to last forever, but September is always around the corner. It's me telling myself you better appreciate who and what you have when you actually have it, not later when it's in a bunch of pieces."

For more information about this artist, visit: http://www.jordanwhitemusic.com/.