NYPL.

The New York Public Library is one of the
best things i have encountered since i moved to NYC in 2003.

It has been a constant source of inspiration and a great place
to spent time reading and borrowing CDS,Videos and DVDS.

Whenever i feel uninspired i go to the library and borrow
CDS to listen to.

Recently the Performing Arts Library Records Collection
at Lincoln Center Plaza
has been my new discovery since i have found there
an amazing CD Collection that would satisfy
my constant hunger and curiosity for new music.

I was sad that i left all my precious vinyl collction in Athens
but i cant` be that anymore since everytime i go there i discover
more of my old records and i get inspired by new.

I could not beleive it when i saw The Original Fleetwood Mac
there, a record that has been a major influence to me
and one of the reasons i started playing guitar,
remastered plus four bonus tracks.

Savoy Brown`s "Looking In" album
was another one i really liked listening to when i was growing up
and now i could enjoy it again remastered and without the scratches.

On my latest visit i borrowed the following albums that are now
constantly spinning on my CD player.

The J.Geils Band
Small Faces,
Roy Buchanan "Deluxe edition"
Big Bill Morganfield "Rising Son"
John McLaughlin "Thieves and Poets"
Freddie Hubbard "Red Clay"
Miles Davis "Sorcerer"
Stan Getz "The Best of Two Worlds featuring Joao Gilberto"
Grant Green "Ain`t it Funky Now!"
Herbie Hancock "Perfect Machine"

Macedonia is Greece.

Macedonia

The view from Athens
By Dora Bakoyannis International Herald Tribune
Monday, March 31, 2008

Members of NATO are set to meet Wednesday in Bucharest to consider measures to strengthen the alliance, which may include invitations to three Balkan countries -Albania, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) - to join the trans-Atlantic family.


As the region's oldest member of both NATO and the European Union, we feel a heightened sense of responsibility for our neighborhood, an obligation to be constructive, pragmatic and supportive. We will strongly back the inclusion of Albania and Croatia in NATO.


We will not be able to do the same for FYROM, however, as long as its leaders refuse to settle the issue of its name, which they promised the United Nations to do more than 13 years ago. Since then, however, they have refused every compromise suggested by UN mediators - in sharp contrast to Greece, which found promise for a solution in several of the proposals.


The leaders of this new land-locked country of 2 million insist on calling their homeland "Macedonia," even though that is a name that has been a part of Greek history and culture for 3,500 years and is the name of our largest northern province.


Why can't this new country call itself whatever it wants?


Let me explain the problem as Greeks see it. When Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia changed the name of his country's southern province in 1944 from Vardar Banovina to the Social Republic of Macedonia, he did it to stir up disorder in northern Greece in order to communize the area and to gain an outlet to the Aegean Sea for his country.


This policy was also linked with the Greek civil war that at the time claimed more than 100,000 Greek lives, brought untold destruction to our country, and delayed our post-war reconstruction for a decade.


The name "Republic of Macedonia," therefore, is not a phantom fear for us Greeks. It is linked with the deliberate plan to take over a part of Greek territory that has had a Greek identity for more than three millennia and is associated with immense pain and suffering by the Greek people.


Greeks believed that when Yugoslavia dissolved and FYROM declared its independence in 1991, its leaders would recognize our sensitivity to its use of a name it adopted during the Communist era and change it, as the Soviet Union did, to make a clean break with its past.


Not only did they fail to do that, but for 17 years now, the authorities in the country have continued to try to undermine Greek sovereignty over Greek Macedonia, which they call "Aegean Macedonia," and to portray it as "occupied" territory that will one day be "liberated."


While government leaders declare that they have no designs on Greek territory, they refuse to remove such claims from textbooks, speeches, articles, maps and national documents. In fact, by insisting on the name Tito gave the area, they perpetuate the goal he pursued.


Most distressing for Greeks is that the leaders of FYROM insist that their country use the designation "Macedonia" in their country's name without any qualification - in dramatic contrast to international practice and common sense.


When parts of a historical region fall into two countries, the newer area uses an adjective to distinguish itself from the older one - New Mexico and Mexico are one such example. But the leaders of Skopje have so far rejected all possible designations to do that proposed by current UN mediator, Matthew Nimetz.


Greece does not dispute that a part of historic Macedonia lies within FYROM and we are prepared to accept a compound name. But FYROM insists on being sole claimant to the name of a whole area, the largest part of which lies outside its borders.


This intransigence comes in spite of Greece's efforts to maintain good relations with FYROM and to support it economically. In the past dozen years, Greece has made the biggest investments (more than $1 billion) and created the most jobs (20,000) in FYROM of any country in the world.


Greece has also made great strides to try to resolve the name issue under UN auspices. It has sat at the negotiating table since 1995 and has shown willingness to consider a solution that the UN mediator advocates - a composite name that includes the geographical designation of Macedonia but attaches an adjective to it to distinguish it from the Greek province with the same name. That's sensible, reasonable and fair to both sides.


FYROM leaders declare that this is a bilateral issue with Greece, and it should not affect their country's prospects for NATO membership. But alliances and partnership can only be fostered among countries if there is mutual trust and good will. The best way for FYROM to show both is to settle the name issue now.


Greece has unilaterally gone more than halfway on the issue, closer to two thirds of the way, I would say, and we hoped FYROM would have started moving toward us by now. But they have not budged from their hard line. Not one inch.


We cannot go any farther. As long as the problem persists we cannot and will not endorse FYROM joining NATO or the European Union. No Greek government will ever agree to it. No Greek parliament will ever approve it.


Dora Bakoyannis is the foreign minister of Greece.

Blues Detour.

It was three months ago when i`ve got a friend request
on my Soukis space page,
from Blues Detour.

This guy John was taking a new direction
by starting a website Blues Detour
dedicated to blues fans and blues musicians.

A place where Blues musicians could sell their music
and Blues fans could find new music to buy
and new bands to check out.

I liked the idea and we bacame buddies on my space
while waiting for the new website to materialize.

Two months later John proudly announced the website`s launch
and asked me to send him my "Transblues" CD to sell.

Since i was still recovering from my ordeal
with another company K.T.Recortz
and a scumbag,crook and a thief company owner Jim Dill
i was sceptical to get involved into something new again
but after some serious thought and because i liked
the work he was doing and the musicians he was aproaching
i finally went for it and sent him my cd to put it on the shelves
and sell it.

In times like this, when cd sales have dropped considerably
and the big companies are suffering big losts,
we indie musicians are in need of online cites
like this to help us promote and sell our music.

So let`s keep our fingers crossed that more and more
blues lovers will find their way to Blues Detour
knowing that by buying our cds they help
blues music to gain popularity and blues musicians
to make a living playing the music they love.

Jon Paris and friends.

Monday nights at Lucille`s
you can see and hear a great guitar-bass-harmonica player-
singer songwriter Mr.Jon Paris.

And every Monday is a jam party going on there
where you can meet the who`s who of the blues
and rock New York society and many great players
from across the country.

And it`s not the usual kind of jam wher you go
sign your name and wait for your turn to play.

You have to know Mr.Paris or he has to know you
for to let you go up there and take his place and play his guitar.

The first time i saw Jon was in 1985 when i was living in
Stockholm.

He was playing bass guitar for Johny Winter`s
power trio.

Of course i had no idea that we`ll meet much later
in N.Y.C. and play together,
but that`s the beauty of it.

Life surpises you.

Everytime i go there i meet other local musicians i know
and then always someone new.

So the other night another great guitar player
came by with his guitar and played with the band
Mr.Chris Carter.

I hadn`t seen him for a while but i knew from my days
at "Ye Olde Tripple Inn" where he used to play with
Cracked Ice.

Then Jon invited on the stage a singer and they did
some old Free
and Led Zeppelin numbers.

When he came down we introduced ourselves and he told me
that he will soon perform at BBKINGS
with his band Cactus.

His name is Jimmy Kunes and he is the singer of the band.

When Jon asked me to join the band
and he offered me his Strat to play
we were both in shuffle mood so we did "Before you Accuse me"
and a Peter Green song
from his early Fleetwood mac days
called "Long Grey Mare" that Jon has covered
on a Peter Green tribute album titled "Rattlesnake Shake"
where he sings and plays harmonica together with
Mr.Harvey Mandel on the guitar.

That was a fun night out.

Robin Trower Live at BBKIngs N.Y.C.

I have been a huge Robin Trower fan since the 70`s
and now after 30 years his sound,playing and songwriting
still thrills me like no other.

So i was eager to attend his show at BBKIngs
which is my favorite room in N.Y.C..

Me and Kathleen arrived there at five minutes to eight
for his second sold out night on Wednesday February 19th.

The room was packed with people and anticipation.

At exactly 8:00 pm the band took the stage,
starting with a number from his first album
with the same title"Twice Removed from Yesterday".

From the first notes i entered a dream state of mind
and i let myself float in a sea of sounds coming out of Robin`s guitar.

As he went on with a list of songs from different albums
his sound was only getting better while the bass player
Glenn Letsch and drummer
Pete Thompson were getting tighter and funkier.

It was obvious they were having fun.

His sound is the most organic guitar sound i have ever heard.

The harmonics are jumping out off his Strat
moaning and screaming in a human kind of way.

Davey Pattison`s vocals were great
and he did an excellent job covering songs from the earlier
classic albums when the late James Dewar
was the singer and bass player of the band.

The set could not have been better,the sound was great
the band was smoking and we had a great time.

Robin Trower still rules!

JIM DILL.(A CROOK AND A THIEF)

In May i submitted my SonicbidsE.P.K.
to a new indie label from Chebanse named
K.T. Recordz for to be considered on their roster expansion.

I paid $5 for the submission fee and half an hour later
i got a responce from the company`s owner Jim Dill
that he wanted my instrumental song "Kathleen"
for the upcoming compilation "Guitars of Tomorrow Vol.1".

Of course i was flattered and happy for his offer
so i said YES and paid the additional $5 fee for the song.

That`s when my troubles started!

He sent me the contract asking my permission for the song
and after i agreed with the terms and i signed it i sent it back to him.

Later on in May 2007 i was also accepted on the company`s
roster expansion which meant promotion,booking gigs,
arranging interviews and i was thrilled and excited.

I presented the new contract papers to my lawyer,paid his fee,
and after we both agreed that they were legitimate
i signed the papers and sent 10 cds,10 promo pictures,
1 dvd of a live performance, and two more cds with interviews
and live performances at radio stations
to the company`s owner Jim Dill.

While excanging e-mails with him i`ve discovered that the man
was complete illiterate, and after mentioning my worrying
to be represented by a total moron and illiterate dude was not
what i had in mind for my promotion, he reasured me that his
wife Lynn Dill was a writer
and that she was going to take care of all the serious
press releases and announcments and i was naive enough
to accept that that will be the case.

Ten days after he received everything i sent him,
and in the middle of September 2007, he sent a mass e-mail
announcing that K.T.Recordz was bought by other investors
and because he didn`t agree with their new policies
he is leaving the company and his dreams of the compiilation
and artists promotion behind for a while till he could be able
to finance and start a new one under the name "NUBLUERECORDS".

Meanwhile he was still collecting submission fees,
K.T.Recordz
as this document proves, till the middle of November!

I then contacted him noumerous times asking him to return
all of my material that by now he was illegally holding,
and after i finally got him on the phone in November
he lied to me that his "secretary" had sent everything back
to me and that was the last i`ve heard from him.

After that i contacted many frustrated musicians that
were on the compilation,who had never heard back from him either,
but through my investigation i found out that his main
artist Jimmy Warren was the one and same person as Jim Dill (every picture tells a story)
and that the whole scam of him collecting all these fees
from musicians around the globe was to promote Himself
and his "Music" by receiving songs from other artists
and making some serious bucks from stealing their money
and their intellectual property.

I also found out that the guy was a total LOOSER
with NO MONEY of his own to start a business
and totaly uncapable of promoting his artists
as his adds for financial aid posted in July of 2007
prove,Jim Dill!

I wonder and fear if mine and other musicians songs
have made it to illegally selling compilations around the globe.

Be alert and be aware of THIEFS=JIM DILL-LIERS-CROOKS like JIM DILL.

JIM DILL & K.T.RECORDZ SCAM!

In May i submitted my SonicbidsE.P.K.
to a new indie label from Chebanse named
K.T. Recordz for to be considered on their roster expansion.

I paid $5 for the submission fee and half an hour later
i got a responce from the company`s owner Jim Dill
that he wanted my instrumental song "Kathleen"
for the upcoming compilation "Guitars of Tomorrow Vol.1".

Of course i was flattered and happy for his offer
so i said YES and paid the additional $5 fee for the song.

That`s when my troubles started!

He sent me the contract asking my permission for the song
and after i agreed with the terms and i signed it i sent it back to him.

Later on in May 2007 i was also accepted on the company`s
roster expansion which meant promotion,booking gigs,
arranging interviews and i was thrilled and excited.

I presented the new contract papers to my lawyer,paid his fee,
and after we both agreed that they were legitimate
i signed the papers and sent 10 cds,10 promo pictures,
1 dvd of a live performance, and two more cds with interviews
and live performances at radio stations
to the company`s owner Jim Dill.

While excanging e-mails with him i`ve discovered that the man
was complete illiterate, and after mentioning my worrying
to be represented by a total moron and illiterate dude was not
what i had in mind for my promotion, he reasured me that his
wife Lynn Dill was a writer
and that she was going to take care of all the serious
press releases and announcments and i was naive enough
to accept that that will be the case.

Ten days after he received everything i sent him,
and in the middle of September 2007, he sent a mass e-mail
announcing that K.T.Recordz was bought by other investors
and because he didn`t agree with their new policies
he is leaving the company and his dreams of the compiilation
and artists promotion behind for a while till he could be able
to finance and start a new one under the name "NUBLUERECORDS".

Meanwhile he was still collecting submission fees,
K.T.Recordz
as this document proves, till the middle of November!

I then contacted him noumerous times asking him to return
all of my material that by now he was illegally holding,
and after i finally got him on the phone in November
he lied to me that his "secretary" had sent everything back
to me and that was the last i`ve heard from him.

After that i contacted many frustrated musicians that
were on the compilation,who had never heard back from him either,
but through my investigation i found out that his main
artist Jimmy Warren was the one and same person as Jim Dill (every picture tells a story)
and that the whole scam of him collecting all these fees
from musicians around the globe was to promote Himself
and his "Music" by receiving songs from other artists
and making some serious bucks from stealing their money
and their intellectual property.

I also found out that the guy was a total LOOSER
with NO MONEY of his own to start a business
and totaly uncapable of promoting his artists
as his adds for financial aid posted in July of 2007
prove,Jim Dill!

I wonder and fear if mine and other musicians songs
have made it to illegally selling compilations around the globe.

Be alert and be aware of THIEFS=JIM DILL-LIERS-CROOKS like JIM DILL.

Get inspired by the Blues.

The January 2008 issue of Guitar Player
arrived in my mailbox the other day.

On this month`s lessons they feature the great Johnny Winter.

Reading through the article made me remember all his albums
and what a big impact his playing had on me.

Jesse Gress who wrote the article
mentions "The Progresive Blues Experiment"
a killer "Live" album and i could not agree more.

And that voice!

I first heard Johnny on a radio station
from the American Base in Athens.

I must have been around 12 years old and it totaly blew me away.

Ever since that night i`ve got obsessed about finding that album
where this song came from.

It was on his "Second Winter" album -three sides of revolutionary blues
(yes,side four was blank) psyched-up with wah-wah,
electric mandolin, and plenty of
Hendrix-inspired studio effects-
that still remains a perennial favorite.

The song`s title "I love everybody" still sounds so fresh and full of high energy.

I love all his Rock albums "Johnny Winter And"
from the summer of 1970, "Still Alive and Well" from 1973,
"Saints & Sinners" from 1974 and "John Dawson Winter 3"
from 1975.


If you are a guitar player and want to study the Blues
and Rock & Roll vocabulary, look no further
than Mr.Winter`s vast knowledge in both genres.

In 1977 Johnny abandoned the rock scene
for a pure blues lifestyle recording one after the other
memorable and highly acclaimed albums.

So i was kind of surprised last night when my student Carlo
confessed to me that he had never heard Johnny`s playing
and i was more than happy to give him a compilation CD to listen to.

The blues have always been a constant source of inspiration
to me, but i cannot say that i am a strictly blues player,
as none of my big influences are either,
but you can certainly hear the blues in every note i play.

After all and as mr. Jon Paris sings
every Monday night at Lucilles
the blues had a baby and they named it rock & roll.

John McLaughlin.

Last night we went to Town Hall
to attend Mr.John McLaughlin`s first
electric fusion concert in ten years.

His recent touring band is the same one as on his latest release
"Industrial Zen" and it`s called the 4th Dimension.

It`s a quartet with John on the guitar along with three amazing musicians.

Mr.Gary Husband on the keyboards
and on jungle drums,since John is a master of a counterpoint
thing happening in which there are often two melodies
and a superimposed time signature,
Mr. Hadrien Feraud a 23 years old musical phenomenon
on Bass and one of the most astonishing drummers Mr.Mark Mondesir.

John McLaughlin`s 70`s album has had a huge impact on me
as a musician.

I was totally blown away when i first heard version two
of the Mahavishnu Orchestra ,
on "Visions of the Emerald Beyond,1974", which
my sister brought me as a gift from her first trip to London.

His playing was like nothing i had experienced before and
command of the instrument short of amazing.

I later bought "The Inner Mountain Flame,1971","Birds of Fire,1972"
and a live recording, "Between Nothingness and Eternity,1973" featuring
the first version Mahavishnu Orchestra, one of the greatest bands ever!

Later on i got into his acoustic albums "My Goal`s Beyond,1970"
with side one being one of the first world-music experiments,
as the two pieces resolved around a drone,and side two
was dedicated to the guitar exclusively,
either solo or multitracked.

Fascinated by his acoustic guitar work
i`ve got me two more albums
with an Indian group of musicians called "Shakti",
the first one "Natural Elements,1975" and the later
"A Handful of Beauty,1976" both of them i treasure deeply.

His command of the acoustic guitar ans his picking
technique is simply astounding.

The concert last night left me and kathleen in a trance
and I believe most of the people in the audience felt
the same way.

What an inspiration he has been and he continues to be
now at his 65 years of age with a physique of a 20 year old,
and that`s due to Meditation
and to dedicated Vegetarianism.

He is a living legend and an example to us all.