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Truebadour Productions
Thank you for joining me in this exciting project. Many years ago (1986, to be a bit more precise) I presented an experimental two part concert of original music at my church, the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church in Walnut Creek, California. Titled, “Why Can’t We All Just Get Along”, where the second half consisted of romantic songs, it was the first part
of the presentation that was the genesis for what you will be listening to today, and almost all of them are on this CD. They addressed concerns of war and peace, suggesting that creating, rather than destroying, would make life infinitely more enjoyable.
Bloody, Bloody Tuesday Dear friends, Forgive me my modest exposition, but I need for you to understand the context within which I wrote this poem. What really gets my goat, as a pacifist, is that we Americans haven't a clue as to what war really is, what it is like to hold a broken body in your arms that was your child. If we did, if we had even an inkling of what war really is, there would have been no Vietnam, no Contras, no Desert Storm, perhaps no Bloody, Bloody Tuesday. The reason for our cluelessness, the reason we can so blithely launch a thousand points of light at the cradle of civilization, is that we have had one hundred and forty years of innocence. Unless you count the 1968 riots, and, since we are a classless society, we do not formally recognize class warfare, and that was a class war. Don McLean equated the death of Buddy Holly and the deaths of the three civil rights workers, Michael Schwerner, James Chaney, and Andrew Goodman with the death of innocence. Well, whatever wisps of vestiges of innocence survived the holocaust of the sixties were vaporized today, for good and forever, amen. Let us pray. If we continue to condone, even sponsor the killing of innocents, from the jungles of Central America to the desert of the Middle East, can we not expect to reap that which we sow? In the summer of 1964, the deaths of the three civil rights workers, Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner prompted Don McLean to mourn in song the loss of our nation's innocence. Today I regard him as a prophet, sadly right, yet once again. As another prophet once sang, "When will we ever learn...? June 21, 1964, Mississippi – Don McLean, your epic lyric echoes in my brain, Don McLean, you sang of loss, I heard you plea to me, Don McLean, you feel my anger, rogue state that we are? Daniel Zwickel ben Avram The prophet, Don McLean suggested that this nation lost its innocence in June of 1964. It was abundantly obvious that the world lost its innocence on September 11, 2001. But the Gospel, the Good News, is that you don’t have to be afraid – not of
terrorism,
not of hurricanes, not of the avian flu – you only have to be mindful. “Metanoia – a Universalist Mass” was born in a free concert I gave in Berkeley the day after the first anniversary of 9-11, intended as an antidote to the raging hatred surrounding us. I wished to remind people of the fundamental choice we all make, of life over death, creation over destruction. A clarion call for metanoia, I titled it, “The Day After – a Time For Healing”. Beginning with theconcert material from 1986 and adding much I had written in the intervening years, a good deal of it as Cantor at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, “Metanoia” grew into ... this. Fittingly, for a union man, it was completed on May Day of 2008. “Metanoia” is nothing if not an organic entity and will always be a work in progress. Let us then be mindful. Let us declare, in one voice, “We are not afraid!” Shalom, salaam, blessed be. –Daniel ben Avram Prelude
“Onward, Christian Soldiers” Onward, Christian Soldiers, marching as to war Christ the royal master leads against the foe; Onward, Christian solders, marching as to war “Ascension” Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melech haolam. Dona nobis pacem,! Grant us grace and abundant peace. Amen.
Gathering Rite “Sing To the Heart”
Imagine ... imagine .... Imagine in our darkness shines a light with which we see Imagine creating a world where people live as one; Baruch ata Adonai, Now sing! “Song For My Father” Today is a day like any other day. And this song is a song like any other one. But this church is a church unlike any other one. And my father is a father unlike any other one. And this day, and this song, and this church are special “In the Stillness, Listen”
In the stillness of the morning, Listen. Listen. Listen. Listen. Listen to your heart's song. It will help you begin to see Listen to your heart’s song. It will tell you who you are. Listen to your heart song.
Within the center of your heart, whispering Penitential Rite “De Profundis”
(De Profundis.) From the depths I cry to Thee, O Lord. I despair that ever shall I see Thy face. Oft I feel the world turn into ice. I but seek to learn how to forgive, “Eirana”*
Lord, you came to live among us, mortal. Kyrie, O Lord, have mercy (eleison.) Christ, many times you lived, many times you died: Christe, O Christ, have mercy (eleison.) Lord, you will continue living, and dying until we get it right. “Eirana.” Kyrie, O Lord, have mercy (eleison.) “Eirana, eirana, eirana.” * “Jesus spoke of peace using the Greek word ‘Eirana.’ He chose this word because it established
His peace as inner peace, peace dependent upon God in contrast to peace as the world
understands it.”
As we gather in this sacred place As we gather in this sacred place Let us not forget those whose lives end, as ours begin Liturgy Of the Word “God Is the Word”
God is the Word and the Word is the seed in the garden; Nurture the seed so that goodness may grow in the garden; God is the word and the Word is the seed in the garden; God is the Word and the Word is the seed in the garden; Nurture the seed so that goodness may grow in the garden; A reading according to the Book of Micah. “Songs Of Micah”
And many nations shall go, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; For the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many peoples and rebuke strong nations afar off. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God: shall I come before
him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy
God? “23rd Psalm”
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He restoreth my soul: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Sh'ma [Hear], O Israel! Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: “Alleluia” Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, praise God! “Beatitudes”
And, seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, “Alleluia” Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, praise God! We are called to be servants of God, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, praise God, “Brian”
So I talk to you of peace, and I want to save the world; [Chorus]: I write letters after church, vote resolutions every year, [Chorus] So I seek a path to follow, try to sort out what is true; [Chorus] “Credo”
I believe in respect for the worth and dignity of the individual, and in the democratic process, the rule of ethics and the supremacy of conscience as the final arbiter of right and wrong. CREDO I believe in reason and science, by which we know ourselves and the universe; in creativity and imagination, through which we experience the universe; and in the glory of nature, through which the universe reveals itself. CREDO I believe in compassion, mercy and forgiveness as the personal expression of mythos and logos; and I reject the paradigm of “us versus them” as the ultimate sin against the interconnectedness of all of life’s creation.” CREDO I believe in liberty; in freedom of thought in the pursuit of the knowable, as I accept individual responsibility for what I do, and for what I fail to do. CREDO I believe in equity and justice:, social, economic and environmental, in the nobility and the indomitability of the human spirit, and in the power of metanoia – radical transformation. CREDO I believe in the divine within and so I say, “Namaste.” NAMASTE. “Lágrimas”
[Chorus]: November 16 of 1989, [Chorus]: Blood flowed like fire into the rivers of the night, [Chorus] In the heavens of our dreams God shed a tear [Chorus] Now let us call, “¡Presente!” “Candle” I'll not curse the darkness. I will light this candle instead. I survey the starkness where the broken bodies lay and bled, [CHORUS] I see pain and sorrow, smoke that casts a shroud beneath the sun; We must look toward the morrow, with one will begin the work that must be done. [CHORUS] I can see the dawning of a nation waging peace at length, We are the foundation; In forgiveness may we find our strength. [CHORUS] “Requiat In Pacem”
Requiat in pacem. May they be remembered, We promise to remember throughout our daily lives Shalom, salaam, mir, Peace. (Peace.) [The original “Requiat In Pacem” was replaced for several reasons: Because some of the words didn’t come out clearly enough, then I decided to change a couple of words, but mainly because you can hear the № 11 bus coming ’round the bend. Still, I really loved the original. The differences are subtle, but they’re there. Care to listen to it?
“The Time For Healing”
Here is my hand, lend me your own. Here is my heart, lend me your own. I am in pain. Hold me. Here is forgiveness; grant me your own. “I Spake”
When I was a man, I spake as a man, But when I became a little child [“Three Miniatures” – instrumental]
Liturgy Of the Eucharist “Gifts”
What are these gifts, these gifts that we bring, Eyes to see, fingers to feel, strength to change and time to heal. How can we use these gifts that we bring, See the pain, feel the wound, change our hearts, heal the wound. Then let us share the gifts that we bring, See the joy, feel the touch. change the hate with love’s healing touch.
Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, God of Power and might, Sing, “Hosanna,” Sing, “Hosanna, in excelsis Deo!” Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Sing “Hosanna,” Sing, “Hosanna, in excelsis Deo!” Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha'olam, Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, When we partake of the Bread of Life and drink of the Spirit, De profundis we cry, O Lord, to the One who’s risen. Alleluia, alleluia,
“Our Father” We come to Thee, O Lord, in despair and in desolation. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Give us this day our daily bread, Oh Lord, be merciful. Grant us deliverance. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory “Namaste, Chaverim”
Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō. [Devotion to the Wonderful Law of the Lotus Flower Namaste, chaverim, asalaam alaykum. [I bow to you (Hindi), my friends (Hebrew), peace be with you (Arabic.) “Lamb Of God”
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world. “Panis Angelicus”
Panis angelicus, fit panis hominum. [The bread of angels, made the bread of men. Te trina Deitas, un aque poscimus. [We beseech Thee, Godhead One in Three [“Gymnopédie II” – instrumental] “Ave Maria”
Ave Maria, gratzia plena, [Hail Mary, full of grace, [My friend (and vocal director), Sal Ferrantelli gave my Ave Maria it’s debut performance in Carmel, with his I Cantori di Carmel, with a second in Pacific Grove, and they were truly stunning. Here is the P.G performance:
In the quiet of the day, the call of our passion we obey; Rite of Sending Forth “It Seems To Me” It seems to me that you and I could change the world together It seems to me, if we could see the wounds that must be healed, At night I dream, and in my dream above the hills I’m flying; Yes, in the end I find, my friend, ‘tis you, my sister/brother. Peace and love be with you all;
“Benediction”
Go forth now in peace, to love and serve all humanity. “Alleluia” Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, praise God! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, praise God, Postlude “Thanksgiving” – instrumental] “Hail Mary Hail Mary, full of grace art thou, Ave Maria! Ave Maria! Holy Mary, mother of God, Ave Maria! Ave Maria! Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, [Blessed are you, our God, Ave Maria, Sancta Maria.
Postscript I first entered a recording studio as a 17-year-old violinist in San Diego, but my first time recording my own music was in 1979, in a place called The Church in San Anselmo, resulting in the recordings, “Be My Friend” & “Hand to Hold”.
So here they are, dubbed off of one of the few remaining cassettes.
I offer them as a little gift. Yes, I do write regular songs – have since I
was sixteen. Attends .... “Be My Friend”
I wonder what will become of us
I’d almost rather not touch you,
I’m wondering if, perhaps for once,
The one before I longed to touch,
Listen to the sounds of laughter,
Listen to the sounds of laughter floating by, Watch the little games unhappy people play, I can love, I can care, I can feel you speak through the Braille of your touch. Gawd, was the world ever that young and romantic? Ah, the guilty pleasures of youth. Perhaps, in a kinder, gentler world, the universe will once more allow us to be, for a few moments, that self-absorbed, without fearing we’ve abandoned it to the anti-Christs among us. Let us Imagine ... and create that world.
Afterword I'd like to acknowledge ... Dr. Sal & I go way back to San Diego State in the mid- 60s. He is highly regarded as a choral conductor by his peers throughout the country. Currently professor of choral music at Monterey Peninsula College, Sal helms, among other groups, the esteemed I Cantore di Carmel, which played the Vatican, June of 2006. I discovered this awesome jazz bassist at the Great American Music Hall back in the 80s. Curtis Ohlson toured & recorded with Ray Charles for over seven years, as well as with Buddy Rich. Having played with too many world-class musicians to list, his sought after status as a session player is now invading the producing world. From 12 years of formal classical piano studies to decades of jazz accompaniment throughout Northern California, Walter Bankovitch is highly prized, not only for his session chops, but for his compositional and arranging talents, even the occasional vocal track. Listen to him on "Within the Center" and dig. We attended Hemet High together, then he hears from me forty years later. To my great fortune, Jim Hale offered members of his award-winning a cappella group, "Clockwork". I could list all their credits, but the gloriousness of their sound is all the evidence you require. Resident cantor, Stephen Saxon (all the voices in the English “Ave”!) is a Bay Area treasure. Etta James has excellent taste in musicians, especially in piano, Hammond B3 & synth player, David K. Mathews. And who knew what stunning string arranging chops he had? The transitional passage between “Eucharist Suite” and “Our Father” is his 52 second improvised creation, a beautifully haunting piece in its own right. “Three Miniatures” began life as a disaster, but a few hours with Walter, Curtis and Paul channeling Vince Guaraldi utterly transformed it. The crowning touch, however, was to be guitarist, Eddie Pasternak’s wonderful solo. Check him out as well on the second “Ave Maria”. I call it his “George Benson” synth patch, way cool. I give myself way too much credit as “guitarist” (on two tracks and you can almost hear me.) All that great rhythm, and some fine acoustic solos (for instance, on the two meditations, “Within the Center” & “In the Quiet”) are the work of master session guitarist Jerry Cortez. Brief but so very tasty are the solos of trumpeter, Steffen Kuehn, and former Klezmorim member and jazz bassoonist, Paul Hanson, whose klezmer clarinet on the “Shecheheyanu” passage in the second “Ave Maria” makes me crack up with glee every time. We were recording the chant and drumming for “Namaste” when Curtis mentioned that his neighbors were Buddhists. We enlisted them, and where I’d been chanting non-pitched (spoken), Michael and Yuka Reichle sang / chanted on pitch, in a perfect fifth and in a key that both complimented and altered the mode to (musicians, note:) the Lydian, and into a haunting round. Incidentally, the Japanese Buddhist drum I play was my father’s, given to him by monks of the peace sect, Nipponzan Myohoji. I brought my church’s marvelous music director, Mark Tuning and his wife, Darla for some last-minute work. Check out the a cappella intro to “In the Quiet Of the Day”. It’s a little piece I wrote for my mother, called “Jean”, and is based on the letters of her name. All those lovely voices are Mark! Paul the "Van", you are the Man. I especially appreciated your coming through in spectacular fashion on the Mangione-inspired odd meter passages in the “Ave”. Ray "el Lobo" (fine Latin, smooth jazz guitarist), nice studio & engineering.
A very brief bio: One Sunday morning, in church, in mid-song, the pastor pointed out that I kept missing the same word. At its conclusion I turned to her and said, "My problem, you understand, is that I was reading music before I could read words, and I haven’t quite caught up." A classical violinist from age nine, my compositional talent was first acknowledged by the San Diego Symphony with an Honorable Mention in a contest they sponsored, that same year. I began songwriting in college in the mid-sixties at age sixteen. My career as a professional singer-guitarist began in San Diego within an hour of turning twenty-one, playing at the Staff NCO Club at the MCRD (Marine Corps Recruit Depot.) As I’m alive to tell the tale, I obviously never told them about my day job – serving alternate service as a conscientious objector doing a janitorial gig at Mercy Hospital. Now a San Francisco Bay area resident since 1971, my repertoire of close to a thousand songs spans nearly every genre and ten languages. I have penned well over a thousand compositions, ranging from simple chants and ballads to complex choral and symphonic works. As a social/political activist as well as a troubadour, I design, host and maintain Websites for various peace and justice organizations at my "PeaceHost.net/" domain. I continue to write and perform and run sound at both social and political events throughout the greater Bay Area.
For those of you who were curious enough to read this far, here’s a little bon bon. I have a wonderful family in Augusta, part of my brother, David’s legacy. My niece’s first born has her “3 Miniatures”, but her little brother, Mathew has a pretty cool tune of his very own. I had hoped to record it while I had my singers in the studio, but we ran out of time. To my delight, they surprised me with an mp3 of my Happy Birthday, Mathew in the email to which they devoted a goodly portion of their own rehearsal time, their birthday present to the little guy Here ’tis:
(Doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom ...)
Production notes: Phase 1 of “Metanoia – a Universalist Mass” was recorded between May 25th and July 14th, 2005. Executive producer: Daniel Zwickel ben Avram Recorded, mixed and mastered by Curtis Ohlson at Ohlsonic Studios, Oakland, CA (www.curtisohlson.com) Dr. Salvatore Ferrantelli: Vocal preparation, direction & piano (Alleluias, Ascension, Eucharist Suite, The Time For Healing, Panis Angelicus & Gymnopédie) (Monterey Peninsula College, www.mpc.edu) Daniel Zwickel ben Avram: Composer & arranger, solo & background vocals, guitar & percussion (on “Namaste”.) Original trio: Walter Bankovitch, piano (everything Sal wasn’t on) and synthesizer (www.fsjazz.com/Walter_Bankovitch.htm); Curtis Ohlson, electric bass & utility keys; Paul Van Wageningen, drums. Original singers: Angie Doctor, Eric Freeman, Jim Hale, John Paddock, Stephen Saxon (all voices on “In the Stillness” and the English “Ave Maria”) and Katy Stephan. Bus rumble (on Latin “Ave Maria)”: № 11, AC Transit, Alameda County, California Second phase: Synthesizer & arrangements: David K. Mathews; Guitars: Eddie Pasternak (“Three Miniatures” & “Ave Maria”); and Jerry Cortez (everything else); Clarinet & Bassoon: Paul Hanson, Trumpet: Steffen Kuehn. Second Chorus: Darla Tuning, Stacey Helley, Mark Tuning (all voices on “Jean”) & David Zelinka. CDs & supplemental booklet manufactured in Pittsburg, California.
Finally, on the glories of imperfection ... According to Jewish law, in copying the Torah, if a single mistake is made, the entire scroll must be destroyed. Good thing I’m not copying the Torah! On the other hand, in other cultures, to create anything perfect is an affront to the gods, and so they are propitiated with a single, intentional blemish. Well, the gods here must be laughing their arses off! Of course, the official excuse is that perfection can cost in the tens of thousands of dollars, way beyond my meager means. And so my prime criterium has been, “Can I live with it.” Accordingly, I find myself actually becoming fond of the little imperfections, such as the faint rumble, in the Latin “Ave”, of the № 11 bus rounding the corner of Bayo Vista & Harrison. Warts and all, I am inordinately proud of what we all have accomplished. The very improvisational nature of jazz guarantees the unexpected. For the minor misstep, we are favored by the occasional brilliance here and there. In the future there will undoubtedly be finer performances, in studio and in concert. But this recording is and will be my first and undying love. May it equally bring you joy .. and healing. Live fearlessly, justly, with compassion and in health.
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