Janet Ryan and Straight Up!

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36099032012-02-08T23:35:59.516-05:00Janet Ryan and Straight Up!Ramblings about music and more. An occasionally updated soapbox for reporting on my observations of the world around me.Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comBlogger631100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-41914808322744957502012-02-08T23:35:00.001-05:002012-02-08T23:35:59.528-05:00

February Performances Friday February 3rd, Private Party Friday February 17th, Pages Loft, Northampton, MA, Janet Ryan Trio, 7 PM Start Saturday February 25th, Janet Ryan Straight Up monthly showcase at the Polish American Citizen's Club on Route 202 in South Hadley, MA Catch Ray's blues show every Thursday from noon till 2 PM. Listen at 90.7 FM in the Springfield, MA, area. Stream the show

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-10044848264088128122012-01-15T22:33:00.000-05:002012-01-15T22:33:43.604-05:00

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all. Check back in January for Janet's next performances.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-26312348936942353482012-01-15T22:27:00.003-05:002012-01-15T22:27:23.090-05:00

Well, it looks like winter has arrived. The weather people are predicting -8 degrees tonight. Looks like old man winter finally got home. Bummer. I was digging the moderate temperature. Still wondering where the big snow is hiding.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-42045524216065875692012-01-13T20:47:00.001-05:002012-01-15T22:33:27.733-05:00

January Performances Sunday, January 8th, Page's Loft, Northampton, MA Friday the 20th, Private Party Saturday, January 28th, Polish American Citizen's Club, Route 202, South Hadley. Come out for the first of our residencies at the PACC. We will be playing there on the last Saturday of the month through June. Catch Ray's blues show every Thursday from noon till 2 PM. Listen at 90.7 FM in the

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-53588627103090417172011-12-09T23:07:00.001-05:002012-01-13T20:49:01.035-05:00

December Performances: Thursday Dec 1, Private Party Monday Dec 5, Private Party Saturday Dec 10, Private Party Monday Dec 12, Private Party Friday Dec 16, Private Party Saturday Dec 17, Private Party Friday Dec 30, Private Party Catch Ray's blues show every Thursday from noon till 2 PM. Listen at 90.7 FM in the Springfield, MA, area. Stream the show at http://www.wtccfm.org/

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-58892270848538357462011-11-13T14:10:00.001-05:002011-11-13T14:19:25.826-05:00

November performances November 5 - Private Party November 10 - Private Party November 12 - Private Party November 17 - Private Party November 19 - Private Party November 26 - Polish American Citizen's Club, 515 Granby Road, Route 202, South Hadley, MA 9 PM Start.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-23447573377348790232011-10-30T23:47:00.002-04:002011-10-30T23:47:20.956-04:00

October Snow. The power has finally returned after almost 24 hours. Tree limbs were down everywhere. It was very cold here last night.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-20404193472123472552011-10-15T22:26:00.002-04:002011-10-15T22:29:13.519-04:00

October performances: Sunday, October 2nd, Festival of the Hills, Conway, MA Saturday, October 8th, Polish American Citizens Club, Route 202, South Hadley, MA Sunday, October 9th, Private Party Friday, October 14th, Private Party Saturday, October 15th, Private Party Thursday, October 20th, Private Party Wednesday, October 26, Private Party Thursday, October 27th, Polish American Citizens

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-66439456061300337752011-09-05T17:44:00.001-04:002011-09-05T17:44:48.106-04:00September Performances

Sunday, September 4, Blues Fest at the Three county Fairgrounds, Northampton, MA Saturday, September 10, Private Party Saturday, Sept 17, Private Party Sunday, September 25, Guest Hosting the Blues Jam at Tommy D's in Westfield, MA Catch Ray's blues show every Thursday from noon till 2 PM every thursday. Listen at 90.7 FM in the Springfield, MA, area. Stream the show at http://www.wtccfm.org/

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-53147656448894919972011-08-10T23:38:00.003-04:002011-08-10T23:44:28.144-04:00

August performances: Thursday the 11th, hosting the open mic at the Polish American Citizen's Club in South Hadley, MA.Tuesday the 16th, Private PartyFriday the 19th, Private PartyTuesday the 23rd, Private PartyThursday the 25th, hosting the open mic at the Polish American Citizen's Club in South Hadley, MA.Satrurday the 27th, Private Party

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-83210958495818500832011-08-10T23:34:00.003-04:002011-08-10T23:36:27.735-04:00

Verizon is stopping FTP support, so I am looking for a new place to host JanetRyan.comAnyone have ideas? Hit me up at Ray AT JanetRyan DOT com

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-67047666669561097252011-03-29T23:33:00.003-04:002011-03-29T23:39:06.428-04:00

Tuesday, March 29, 2011I am ready for spring. My oil heating tank is almost empty, the snows have all melted away, and my motorcycle battery is on the charger. This winter was a record breaker in regards to snowfall. It seemed like I was out there shoveling snow much more than during the usual winter. I managed to break a shovel and my back this winter. I'm going to look for a used snowblower

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-5830853779025652582011-01-12T22:52:00.000-05:002011-01-12T22:53:07.412-05:00

Sixteen Inches Of Snowand my back is hurtin tonight...

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-81733638014962957192010-12-29T00:26:00.001-05:002010-12-29T00:28:25.951-05:00

First snow of the season on the day after Christmas.Not much more than 5 inches of the white stuff.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-45253958436198633482010-10-27T02:05:00.002-04:002010-10-27T02:07:45.887-04:00

77 degrees outside today. Fired up the bike and went for a ride. The leaves are still on the trees and look great.Gotta get in a ride while the weather is cooperating.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-49064452856538601832010-10-18T00:49:00.005-04:002010-10-18T01:09:41.505-04:00

The fall and the trees.We played a gig on top of a mountain today. It was a very nice gig, a birthday party for a hard working guy. As we drove to Shelburne, Massachusetts, the roads got skinnier and more tree lined. When we got to the address where the directions said was our destination, at first I thought they rented out a state park, as we drove up a mountain on a twisting tree lined road.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-3379821326345345192010-10-04T23:21:00.002-04:002010-10-04T23:32:34.269-04:00

Ray did sound reinforcement for the Festival of the Hills in Conway, MA. It was a beautiful day to be outside, and the music was good. http://www.festivalofthehills.com/The highlight of the day? Seth Glier & Ryan Hommell.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-63978115520107303682010-07-07T21:44:00.010-04:002010-07-07T21:52:32.774-04:00

Heat Wave.We did two performances today. The first show was in building that wasn't air conditioned. They squeezed a bunch of people into the room, and off we went.Management did supply a window fan, which was better than nothing until someone fired up a charcoal grill outside the window, and the fan sucked the wonderful smell of the charcoal burning right into the room. The people there were

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-21041722585018151432010-02-27T00:04:00.002-05:002010-02-27T00:05:57.910-05:00

Winter in western MassIt seems like every place but here got whalloped by the snow.All we got was a slushy mess...I'm ready for spring.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-92017419876328948342010-01-03T02:14:00.002-05:002010-01-03T02:19:11.082-05:00

I Muse U2It happened way under the radar.I read a link on the wires that said a band named "The Muse" was opening up for U2 on their latest tour.Color me excited.Then I read a bit deeper and the found out that U2 was schooling this new kid band.Right.Calling Mister Google.He responds thusly:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PN6egPgazA&feature=player_profilepage#OK, these guys get a slot. Damn,

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-403026749962236772010-01-02T01:23:00.003-05:002010-01-02T01:28:09.337-05:00

Awakened the other night by a loud crash, I got out of my warm bed and went downstairs where I discovered that the gutter had been ripped from the eave of my house and was laying in my backyard. It was very windy that night.After a few failures, I gave up on the idea of replacing it, and I will wait until spring for my next attempt. My center of gravity has shifted over the years, and climbing up

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-61236540886352051922010-01-02T01:22:00.001-05:002010-01-02T01:23:40.750-05:00

Happy New Year!Here's wishing you the best new year possible, filled with lots of great music, interesting people, and cool gigs.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-22187395945336413742009-12-06T22:27:00.001-05:002009-12-06T22:28:47.462-05:00

And boom, there goes the dynamite.We got our first taste of snow on December 5th this year.It wasn't much more than a dusting, and I still saw cars that had skidded off the highway.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-45705599163043360232009-12-03T14:57:00.002-05:002009-12-03T15:06:14.070-05:00

December 3, 2009I was 62 degrees out today, so I fired up the old motorcycle and drove it to Springfield where I do my radio show.I never thought I would be riding the bike in December! It was a great day to feel the wind in my face as I cruised southward on the highway. I saw a few other bikers out today, too. Gotta get in every day that I can, because this year was not the best for riding. It

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-71199329616398909152009-10-08T01:51:00.002-04:002009-10-08T02:02:02.349-04:00

Raindrops are falling on my head.Woke up to the sound of water in the bathroom. The roof had started to leak. Fortunately it was leaking right into the bathtub! Time to re-roof the old homestead.My roof seems to have gotten steeper in the years since I last repaired the roof.Set up the ladder and started removing the roofing shingles. I used to be comfortable on the roof, not any more. My center

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-61184126650342548962009-03-17T23:15:00.004-04:002009-03-17T23:18:42.881-04:00

Spring 2009Spring is finally attempting to break through the bindings of winter. I can tell, because I have new neighbors next door, and they are in lawn maintenance mode.Some backstory is needed. The house next to mine has been sort of a transient space for the last few years as the owners, a couple in their fifties, both died unexpectedly in a close span of time. Their son took over the house.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-11299277122018340872008-11-06T00:28:00.000-05:002008-11-06T00:29:50.556-05:00

It's a new day today!It was quite the election last night. Let the healing begin.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-12310780807201767232008-01-01T19:26:00.000-05:002008-01-01T19:39:14.117-05:00

Happy New Year.Waking up to a new white blanket of snow today was just perfect for my 2008 attitude. The white stuff covered everything here, and made things look nice and new.As I look back at the past year, the first thing that grabs me is that time is flying by.I spent a lot of time in the studio, recording all kinds of music from bands to singer songwriters. I scored some drum hardware on

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-91176802919996704872007-07-12T01:25:00.000-04:002007-07-12T01:29:43.479-04:00

Thursday, July 12Checking in once again. I was watching a documentary about the great Les Paul tonight.Any musician that uses electricity or records their music owes that man a huge debt of gratitude. Check him out here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Paul

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1170311262080140032007-02-01T01:27:00.000-05:002007-02-01T01:27:42.126-05:00

Winter finally kicks in, or here comes Punxsutawney Phil 2007I was so enjoying the warm weather that we here on the east coast had up until this point. I hadn't used much heating oil this winter heating season, which is a good thing.Now, however, the old boiler is running a lot more often as I crank up the thermostat to stay warm.This Friday is Groundhog Day, and I am hoping that

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1158079859441837522006-09-12T12:43:00.000-04:002006-09-12T12:55:41.866-04:00

ReflectionsMany years ago I was what might be qualified as a frequent flierI flew so often that I got so tired of the whole conceptre fly, so you can be there much quicker than you would be if you drove.I got to SO want to drivebecause it meant more quiet time for meIn the pre 911 days flying was much more enjoyablesecurity was basically non existantyou could carry your stuff without scrutinyno

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1156261677568181602006-08-22T11:43:00.000-04:002006-08-22T11:47:57.583-04:00

The Pines TheaterThe Pines Theater, located at Look Park in Northampton, MA, is a wonderful outdoor venue for experiencing live music. We were lucky enough to be invited back, (for the 6th year in a row) to be a part of the 23rd annual Picking in the Pines festival, put on by Roger Salloom.www.Rogersalloom.comPerforming outside is always special to me. Watching all the families out there on their

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1150771339730167452006-06-19T22:41:00.000-04:002006-06-19T22:42:19.740-04:00

Got Strings?If it's got strings, I'll try to play it.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1147292504761183692006-05-10T16:14:00.000-04:002006-05-10T16:21:44.783-04:00

Spring.Turn off the oil burner for the season. Get some propane for the grill. Prepare the bike for riding. Hang the clothes 0utside on the solar clothes dryer (clothesline)Hang up the heavy coat in the closet. Swap out the snow tires on the bus. Record Janet's solo CD. Write some tunes for my solo CD. Learn new tunes for the live show. Book some festivals.It's going to be a great summer...

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1122871107909748252005-07-29T17:23:00.000-04:002005-08-01T00:40:12.910-04:00

Testing 1,2,3I like recording. I enjoy the whole process. Moving microphones around, searching for that elusive audio sweet spot, the place where the microphone sounds best. I like the rush when the playback sounds just the way I had envisioned it in my head.Tweaking settings on microphone preamps, compressors, EQ's, and outboard toys has always enthralled me.Hooking things up "wrong" while

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1115522840314675472005-05-07T23:19:00.000-04:002005-05-07T23:27:20.326-04:00

SpringtimeI cranked up the old Triumph and took her out for a ride in the country. The feel of the wind in my face is very theraputic to me. Riding on a motorcycle is a wonderful way to get around.Western Mass is a great place to take trips on two wheels, too. Head a little bit west, and the rolling hills of the Berkshires make for an unparalleled biking experience. There are many places to

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1110172505117405342005-03-07T00:03:00.000-05:002005-03-07T00:15:05.120-05:00

Only a few more weeks until spring!We are in pre production for Janet's solo CD. This time around, she is going to do a recording of all jazz standards, and we are auditioning material for inclusion. We plan on doing a lot of the legwork this month, and hope to have the new Cd ready for a summer release.I am looking forward to this project, as I can focus on the engineering and production, and

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1110173505507965352005-02-19T17:15:00.000-05:002005-03-07T00:31:45.510-05:00

Iron Horse.On Friday, Feb 18th we opened up for Guitar Shorty at the Iron Horse. What a great bunch of people in that band! They had been on the road for a while and were glad to be at the Horse that night. The house was packed, and both bands did a great job!During load in, Shorty uncrated 5 beautiful G and L strat type guitars, and he was telling me the story behind each one. Shorty knew Leo

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1099166146762902322004-10-30T15:44:00.000-04:002004-10-30T15:55:46.763-04:00

Sometimes ya just can't win There seems to be a lot more hacker types out there lately. My firewall is always letting me know it has blocked another attempt at accessing my puter. The last few days I seemed to be suffering a virus, as my machine was getting slower and slower. So when I went to sign on yesterday, I got error messages about trouble with the modem not being able to connect. I ran

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1087059267168965032004-06-12T12:05:00.002-04:002004-06-12T12:54:27.166-04:00

American Cancer Society On Friday, June 4th, the band performed for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, which is a fundraiser designed to heighten awareness about cancer and cancer survivors. This is the ACS's largest event, and has been held for the last fifteen years. More details are here: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/GI/gi_1.asp The relay was held at the racetrack in Greenfield,

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1087058913059697922004-06-12T12:05:00.001-04:002004-06-12T12:48:33.060-04:00

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1087057714995847962004-06-12T12:05:00.000-04:002004-06-12T12:28:34.996-04:00

My trip to the The Academy of Music The Academy of Music, located in downtown Northampton, MA, is a wonderfully restored movie theater. It has a cool vintage vibe, and the architecture is very eye catching. I really like how the place ids laid out, and there are some very nice private box seats along the walls. On Thursday night I had to opportunity to see myself playing guitar on that very

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1079851056495801912004-03-21T01:37:00.000-05:002004-03-21T01:49:43.606-05:00

The Movie Theater In the city I grew up in there were three movie theaters. Every weekend I would gather together a few coins and run downtown and get in line for the matinee. I seem to recall most of the movies were in the cheesy horror movie vein, still the title of the movie mattered not. It was the whole "going to the movies" experience that I enjoyed as much as the actual movies themselves.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1079849644425732852004-03-21T01:14:00.000-05:002004-03-21T01:17:22.733-05:00

Frank Zappa interview Frank Zappa: I tend to view the whole thing as a conspiracy. It is no accident that the public schools in the United States are pure [naughty bits deleted]. It is no accident that masses of drugs are available and openly used at all levels of society. In a way, the real business of government is the business of controlling the labor force. Social pressure is placed on

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1065039165917552952003-10-01T16:12:00.000-04:002003-10-01T16:12:45.900-04:00

Fall and Ham Sandwiches Time sure flies by. It's October 1st already, and the nights are getting cooler. Looking back at this past summer, the big thing I remember is that rained a whole bunch of times. Quite a lot of our outdoor gigs this summer got rained on. We actually got very efficient in breaking the stage down when the weather threatened to turn ugly on us. We played a lot of parties

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1059014812186643972003-07-23T22:46:00.000-04:002003-07-23T22:46:52.090-04:00

25th anniversary We had a gig this past weekend. Outside. The contract called for full PA and soundman. Way out on a farm in the hills of Western Mass. Sounds nice. The prospect of this gig pleased me no end, as it is so nice to get out of the smoky bars and out into the fresh air. After mapquesting the directions from the internet I loaded up the bus and head westward. Internet maps leave a

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1057979899588594272003-07-11T23:18:00.000-04:002003-07-11T23:18:19.546-04:00

When Everything falls into place. As a performing musician, I live for those special moments when everyone in the band is in that special space, a place where the individual band members are feeling the magic, and the band becomes much more than the sum of its parts. Performing live can be such a magical experience: the rhythm section locks together, and the soloists fly, dragging the

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-1057977375492918522003-07-11T22:36:00.000-04:002003-07-11T22:36:15.380-04:00

A record has an influence in the world way beyond yourself and your realm. As an artist, I think you just put the best work out that you can and it will be meaningful for the people who need to find it. Those people will find it. And it will change people's lives. That's the best thing you could hope for. It's the process, you know? It's the path. I finally realized after trying to push things

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-925165252003-04-13T01:01:00.000-04:002003-04-24T02:39:00.000-04:00

So there I was: No Vehicle No vehicle, no transportation, I ain't going nowhere tonight. My bus is in the shop, awaiting it's turn on the diagnostic computer. Me? I am waiting for the results of the diagnostic testing, hoping that this is one of the less expensive fixes, knowing full well that I might need an engine for the bus. The thought of having to spring for a new engine sends a shiver

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-923721182003-04-10T13:34:00.000-04:002003-04-10T13:43:20.000-04:00

Cars and trouble So I load the bus up after I finish my last performance, and head off down the road towards home. It was during our last spring snowstorm, and I was playing at Mount snow in Vermont. A few miles down the road I notice something has gone awry: The bus started bucking like a mule, and the service engine light illuminated. Turning up the radio doesn't work this time, either. Uh,

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-918933682003-04-03T00:09:00.000-05:002003-04-10T13:47:38.000-04:00

Piano A spinster lived in the house next to the house I grew up in. I have memories from many years of my youth wherein I did lots of maintenance around her house: cutting the grass during the warm months, shovelling snow in the cold months, general cleaning up around her place, etc. The house had been in her family for generations. She was born and raised there, and lived her entire life there.

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-913634132003-03-25T14:54:00.000-05:002003-03-25T14:54:12.700-05:00

Long Island The band travelled to Long Island on Sunday to play a wedding gig. It was a good day to go, as the traffic was very light, and we arrived with lots of time to set up our gear. This was my first performance at a Jewish wedding and it was an eye opener. There was lots of ceremony that I, as a Catholic, had never seen before. Lots of dancing and not as much drinking as I have seen in

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-913628562003-03-25T14:43:00.000-05:002003-03-25T14:43:11.436-05:00

Spring It feels so good to finally turn off the boiler at night. Spring, you gotta love it: all the snow has finally melted and I have started opening my windows to allow the fresh air into my cave. The old body and mind are getting reenergized! Posted by ®acy

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-850285242002-11-24T19:52:00.000-05:002002-11-24T19:52:10.523-05:00

Love field, the JFK musical On Friday, November 22, Janet, Ray and Billy appeared in this musical written by Paul Hartshorne, and held in the A.P.E. Gallery in Thorn's Market in Northampton, MA. This musical was a great time. Many different bands and soloists performed a suite of songs related to President Kennedy. There were many kinds of performers, from rock and roll to broadway, jazz singers

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-831550412002-10-18T01:22:00.000-04:002002-10-18T01:22:50.020-04:00

It was a 1964 Chevy The little ole lady who lived next door to me when I was growing up owned it. She worked in a library and bought it new. It had very low mileage and looked like it just rolled off of the showroom floor. I was 14 and just discovered cars. There were lots of hot rod magazines out, and I was into it. I could recognize every model of Chevy from every year of the 1960's just by

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-808105072002-08-28T00:50:00.000-04:002002-08-28T01:08:56.000-04:00

My Dad You were a hero. You remain a modest soldier, a reluctant, unsung hero. You were a diplomat, a communicator and a peace maker for all. You were a builder, an engineer of fine doll houses, A constructor of intricate machines for the common good . You were a teacher when men knew not what to do with them. You were a humble leader, an example of the ordinary person who does

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-804052462002-08-18T19:58:00.000-04:002002-08-19T00:07:59.000-04:00

Highland School I grew up two blocks from an elementary school (grades Kindergarten to grade 6. Kindergarten, hmmm, sounds Germanic to me. I wonder what that means...) I can remember many vivid images from my early school days: The most profound audio memory was of a very loud buzzer that rang periodically during the day, for the start and end of the school day, and the start and end of the

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-797187772002-08-02T00:02:00.000-04:002002-08-02T00:09:14.000-04:00

Heat Wave So there I was lying in bed late at night it's too sticky, so humid I can't sleep despite the 4 fans that are running full blast. I'm laying there, looking up at the rickety old ceiling fan hung precariously over my head watching it wobble like a kid's top that's starting to slow down, spinning in wider and wider arcs on my ceiling wondering when the thing will finally tumble down and

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-793742672002-07-24T22:46:00.000-04:002002-07-25T01:01:01.000-04:00

Road Work The East Coast tour was a good one. It takes a special mindset to pull off a roadtrip, and it can be very taxing if you aren't prepared for it. Here are some highlights: We headed south out of Massachusetts down the coast to our first gig, which was in North Carolina. We pulled into a crowded nightclub, and the house was full of enthusiastic people. It was a great way to start the

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-788210432002-07-11T11:16:00.000-04:002002-07-25T01:07:02.000-04:00

Touring Touring. The word conjures up many different visions to me. Road warriors in a rusty old Ford van attacking poor unsuspecting nightclubs, unleashing new music on the public. Buddies bonding together after spending many weeks and miles on the road. All the crapshoots - from crummy meals and bad hotel rooms to those special clubs where everyone involved is supportive of you and your music,

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-787118302002-07-08T22:29:00.000-04:002002-07-25T01:09:29.000-04:00

Let's try a bike ride. I first saw it in the backyard of a co worker wrapped in plastic. I could tell that it was a motorcycle, but I couldn't make out the model. My friend bought this 1979 Triumph new in Palmer, MA He rode it for a few years until he dropped it then he put it in his backyard I used to swing by his house on a regular basis as we were both into computers and we collaborated on

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-786737192002-07-08T00:49:00.000-04:002002-07-25T01:27:51.000-04:00

I Have The Blues It started out innocently enough. I am a guitar player with an interest in electronics, and I read as much related reference material as I could get my hands on. I used old tube radios for guitar amplifiers and once I got started there would be no turning back. I had good enough results so I wondered what else I could press into service. I remember when I

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3609903.post-786715852002-07-07T23:55:00.000-04:002002-07-08T00:12:13.000-04:00

Ray Chaput Bio: Ray hangs his hat in Holyoke, a small town in Massachusetts famous for being the birthplace of volleyball and that household wonder cleaner known as Lestoil. Ray was introduced to performing music at an early age when he watched his grandfather performing in a Pipe and Drum Band on Saint Patrick's Day at the parade in Holyoke. Up until then, he thought that music was

Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098375283898619140noreply@blogger.com