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     "Love Over War, Every Time We Play"

Mario, with Rivers Feb. 2018 by Gabou.png

Roger Lewis
  alto, baritone, soprano saxophones
Don Paul vocal
Herlin Riley drums-set
Kirk Joseph sousaphone
Michael Torregano Jr.
  piano and B3 organ
Mario Abney trumpet
Erica Falls singer

Listen on Bandcamp

Photo by Dr. Gabou Mendy of Mario with Rivers of Dreams
at Café Istanbul, New Orleans.

"Love Over War, ..." and "Glory Glory Glory ..." both came to me in March 2019. Lyrics, melodies, and other parts. Lòlò and Manzè of Boukman Eksperyans and Michael Torregano Jr. and I had fun with them in an impromptu recording in the play-room of Casa Tropicalia, outer Algiers, not home to Mahmouk, during the Thursday of JazzFest 2019. Look for recordings with the beautiful voices and harmonies of  Lòlò and Manzè
of four poems/songs from my Port-au-Prince Suite.

Always I heard Herlin Riley and Erica Falls as perfect for these two songs.

The sessions in August 2021 that recorded Roger Lewis and Kirk Joseph and Herlin with me made clear how much music can be made with those three at the shifting center of Rivers of Dreams. They're 150 years + of New Orleans . Their creativity makes magic.  We discover new things. Three tracks with them are on WOMEN and MUSIC (Meld #2).

"Love ..." and "Glory" and "Get Your JAM On" we recorded with arranger / composer Michael Torregano Jr. on January 31, 2022 at Rick G. Nelson's Marigny Studio in New Orleans with Adam Keil as engineer.
Roger and I did overdubs with engineer Tiffany Lamsom. Mario and I did overdubs with Adam as engineer. Erica added her singing to the tracks in David Farrell's studio. Adam and I furthered the mixes as Mardi Gras' approach crowded schedules. Michael layered into "Glory ..." and "Love ..." his B3 organ sounds. David and I mixed "Glory .." and mastered all three tracks in mid-March. "And that's the way we get along."

Sometimes sessions get lucky. I feel that "Love ...", "Glory ...", and "JAM" were graced at every step. Every partner essential. Every contribution inspired. The bell of Erica's voice and the melodious syncopations of Mario's trumpet especially bring out my hopes for both
"Love Over War, Every Time We Paly" and "Glory Glory Glory Is For Us All."


 


                                "Love Over War,
                            Every Time We Play "



For some people of this world

There's never enough war

Never enough war to take from the poor

Never enough war on the sweat we share

Never enough war to feel more power



Oh, they're not many

They're indeed a Tiny Few

But they mean death to me

And they mean death to you

War for Debt is the game

That they play behind desks

Death for theft is the game

That they play behind Desks



Marchin'   Marchin'   Marchin'

To the dreams in their heads

Fightin'    Fightin'    Fightin'

On fields they don't dare tread

Laughin'    Laughin'    Laughin'

At the lies we've been fed


For some people of this world

There's never enough love

Never enough love to show for their hours

Never enough love for what life provides

Never enough time to taste all our gifts


Oh, they're a many

Millions, billions, countin' you

But they feed all the tables

And they fill every Rank

All they want is their familes

Have peace and happiness


Workin'    Workin'    Workin'

Day and night, night and day

Hustlin'    Hustlin'    Hustlin'

To do more than survive

Dancin'    Dancin'     Dancin'

To raise light in the eyes



So it's a contest    So it's a fight

Will we be led by snakes or led by light

So it's a contest    So it;s a fight

Will we be led by snakes or led by light?

You know the answer    You know the way home

Death-eaters to Prison, us to music

No more to War and Yes Yes Yes to love

No more to War and Yes Yes Yes to love.


                       Don Paul, March 6, 2019




 

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